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For the first time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership announced the 20 primary and secondary schools nationwide using the most power from renewable energy sources. The top Green Power Partner schools are buying nearly 113 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, equivalent to carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) that would be produced from the electricity use of 11,000 American homes for one year. Read more. Source: EPA Green Power Partnership, 10/26/09
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. plans to add solar panels on about 75 of its restaurants over the next year.
The Denver-based fast-casual chain said Tuesday that it is partnering with Houston-based Standard Renewable Energy to install enough panels to produce 500 kilowatt hours of electricity.
Installations are already under way in Denver and in Texas, in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.
Chipotle says the goal is to reduce how much traditional energy the restaurants use from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., when demand for energy is greatest.
Chipotle has had other "green" initiatives. Its restaurant in Gurnee, Ill., has a wind turbine on site and an underground cistern to harvest rainwater for irrigation. Source: Associated Press via Google, 10/20/09
Duke University has released a plan to become climate neutral by 2024, which coincides with the 100th anniversary of James B. Duke signing the indenture of trust that established the institution.
The university developed the plan as part of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, which President Richard H. Brodhead signed in 2007. Earlier this month, Duke’s Board of Trustees reviewed and endorsed the goal of achieving climate neutrality.
A copy of the plan is available online.
“Duke has long been a major center for the study of the environment, and we are committed to being a leader in best practices in responding to climate change,” Brodhead said. “There are many uncertainties in this field, so we will continue to assesses our progress and change our plan as needed as we go forward. But it’s time to get moving toward this important goal.” Read more. Source: Duke News, 10/26/09
Visit U.S. DOE EERE Green Power Network for more information.
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California-based SunPower Corp. indicates it has produced a world-record, full-sized solar panel with a 20.4 percent total area efficiency in tests confirmed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The prototype was successfully developed using funds provided by the U.S. DOE under the Solar America Initiative (SAI) as outlined in our March 18, 2008 edition. The new 96-cell, 333 W solar panel is comprised of SunPower's third generation solar cell technology. The company expects it will become commercially available within the next two years and plans to begin operating a U.S. panel manufacturing facility in 2010 using automated equipment designed and commercialized with SAI funding (Source: PR Newswire, October 26, 2009)
Contact: Tom Werner, CEO, SunPower Corp., 510-260-8368. Source: EP Overviews, 11/2/09
Now available online. Here are a few of the top stories:
Read more. Source: North American Windpower, 10/28/09
The roof of a 458,000-square-foot industrial building in Chino, Calif., is now providing as much as one million watts of solar power to Southern California`s Inland Empire. This is the second installation in Southern California Edison`s (SCE`s) plan to place advanced solar panels on hundreds of otherwise unused commercial rooftops across Southern California. The Chino site is owned by the Multi-Employer Property Trust (MEPT) whose exclusive investment advisor is Kennedy Associates. Read more. Source: Reuters, 10/20/09
A 2.3-megawatt Siemens wind turbine was formally commissioned Oct. 19 at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) outside Boulder, Colo., as part of what the participants call “the biggest government-industry research partnership for wind power generation ever undertaken in the U.S.” Read more. Source: Plastics Today, 10/20/09
Upper Midwest/Northwest power utility NorthWestern Energy, the Montana Community Development Corp, and eight saw mills across Montana will play key roles in developing a community-based biomass power program.
The project is being funded with a $125,000 grant from Montana Department of Commerce and a $50,000 grant from the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities.
Many Montana saw mills have been working separately to produce electricity to sell to the state power grid, however, cost and technical issues surrounding plugging the power into the grid have stymied progress, according to Rosalie Cates, MCDC President. “We’ve been working with these individual saw mills in Montana for quite awhile, to connect them with consultants who could do the feasibility studies for combined-heat-and-power generation at their sites,” Cates said. “They could size the plant, figure out the supply and the economics related to the saw mill, but all encountered the same set of problems trying to sell it to the utility.”
At the same time, NorthWestern Energy has been motivated to add renewable energy into its portfolio, as it’s required by law, Cates said. “We decided to bring all these concerns to the table at once and deal with them as a package, so the obstacles can be cleared for Montana saw mills to provide them with that renewable power.” Source: Biomass Magazine, 10/20/09
ACCIONA Solar Power and Clark Energy Group have begun construction on a 500-MW solar project at the U.S. Army's Fort Irwin in California. The project, located at the Army's largest training range in California's Mojave Desert, will involve both PV and thermal solar power, and may expand to 1 GW at later stages. While specific terms were not released, the companies will finance and build the plant in exchange for leasing of the military land. (Source: Reuters, Oct. 15, 2009)
Contact: Francis Coen, Managing Director, Clark Energy Group, 703-294-4500; Greg Rice, Chief Operating Officer, ACCIONA Solar Power, 702-547-4288. Source: Acciona, 10/20/09
This summer, there's been a flurry of new green announcements from the world's major oil firms. ExxonMobil, Chevron, Valero, Statoil, Marathon, and Sunoco have all thrown their hats into the green ring.
According to an article published Sept. 19, 2009, in Newsweek: Read more. Source: Gold Seek, 10/19/09
Woody biomass provides just 0.94 percent of all U.S. energy now, supplying the equivalent of 3.5 million American homes. But Bob Cleaves, president of the Biomass Power Association, a group in Portland, Maine, that represents about 80 plant-burning incinerators in 16 states, says available raw material would allow the industry to double its output. New incinerators are already being planned in many states. Read more. Source: New York Times, 10/21/09
It's curious how you look at a new potential market. Take biofuels for example. Farmers and industry have worked long and hard on the ethanol business to create a profit engine (they hope) that will drive innovation and creativity. And it's time to start looking at the next step for biofuels. Read more. Source: Michigan Farmer, 10/19/09
Hidden under a quaint resort 60 miles northeast of Fairbanks, Alaska, lies a treasure trove of potential energy that's free and available 24/7.
Alaskan entrepreneur Bernie Karl has pioneered modern technology to tap into one of Earth's oldest energy resources: hot water.
Karl, 56, likes to call himself an "imagineer."
Using imagination to fuel his engineering ambitions, this tenacious thinker and self-starter has figured out a way to generate electricity using water that's the temperature of a cup of coffee—about 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Read more. Source: CNN, 10/20/09
A recent ribbon-cutting for Farm Power's new anaerobic manure digester celebrated a proven green-power technology that proponents say can help dairy farms survive.
During the Western Washington event, the crowd of about 250, many of them farmers, fell silent in anticipation as Gov. Chris Gregoire stroked some keys on a laptop computer to start the digester.
Within moments, the digester roared into action to the cheers of the crowd.
"The idea of having a second cash crop — and this is what it is, a second cash crop — is exactly what it's going to take to make it possible for these dairy farmers to survive these tough economic times and into the future," Gregoire told the crowd. Read more. Source: Food Manufacturing News, 10/12/09
A new "green" power agreement with Constellation Energy is expected to helped save Catholic Health System more than $500,000 annually.
The green power purchase is a part of the whole two-year agreement with Constellation Energy to supply wind-generated energy to fulfill 10 percent of its systemwide electricity needs.
The $500,000 savings is coming from the total purchase of power from Constellation, part of which will still come from traditional sources.
The system includes Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, Kenmore Mercy Hospital, Sisters of Charity Hospital, the Sisters of Charity St. Joseph Campus, four Catholic Health nursing and adult homes and its Nazareth Campus. Together, the facilities use more than 58 million kilowatts of electricity annually.
The initiative is the next in a series of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly measures developed by a team of Catholic Health employees known as the Go Green Team.
The team's recommendations include programs to improve the efficiency of energy consumption, building design, supply purchasing and waste management.
In May, an electronic recycling program collected nearly nine tons of electronic waste for recycling and proper disposal. A pharmaceutical drop-off day last month resulted in the collection and disposal of 600 pounds of expired, unwanted or unused medications. Source: Business First, 10/12/09
Nevada Geothermal Power Inc. (NGP) today announced that it has mandated John Hancock Life Insurance Company ("John Hancock") to be the exclusive debt provider for an up to US$95 Million Term Loan Facility for the Blue Mountain, 'Faulkner 1' geothermal project. The John Hancock Facility is expected to close in December 2009, subject to satisfactory project and legal due diligence, documentation and final credit approval. Read more. Source: Nevada Geothermal Power, Inc., 10/13/09
Platte River Power Authority begins receiving wind power generated at the new Silver Sage Windpower Project located near Cheyenne, Wyo., today.
As part of its ongoing plan to acquire new renewable energy, Platte River contracted in March of this year with Charlotte, N.C.-based Duke Energy, to purchase 12 megawatts of generation from the project. Delivery of the wind energy came earlier than originally planned. Read more. Source: Platte River Power Authority, 10/1/09
Electric power potential recognized during the Taft Administration expected to be developed soon.
The President’s stimulus package will likely soon lead to a new renewable energy development on Colorado’s Western Slope. The president spoken of, however, is not Barack Obama; it is William Howard Taft. Read more. Source: Delta Montrose Energy Association, 9/26/09
Learn more about renewable resources.
The Wind Cooperative of the Year call for nominations is underway through Dec. 31, 2009.
The 2009 award will honor one electric cooperative for its leadership in wind power. Past winners include Wolverine Power Cooperative, Alaska Village Electric Cooperative, Associated Electric Cooperative, Illinois Rural Electric Cooperative, Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, Holy Cross Energy, Basin Electric Power Cooperative and Great River Energy. The 2009 winner will be recognized at the NRECA TechAdvantage Conference in Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 11-15, 2010. Read more. Source: Public Renewables Partnership, 10/30/09
In this issue:
Read more. Source: Interstate Renewable Energy Council, 10/28/09
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the beta release of the Open PV Mapping Project. The Open PV Mapping Project is a collaborative effort between government, industry, and the public that will develop a comprehensive database of photovoltaic (PV) installation data for the United States. The project is the largest installation database with over 50,000 entries.
The project will provide a Web-based resource for users to easily understand the current status and past progress of the PV industry from the data that show current and recent trends of the PV market. Additionally, users may add their own PV installation data, browse PV data entered by others, and view statistics. Moving forward, NREL will add additional data and use this information to drive further analysis of market growth. Read more. Source: DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 10/26/09
The Public Renewables Partnership effort led by Western Area Power Administration and funded through the U.S. DOE Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program will offer $500 scholarships in 2010 to 30 employees of electric cooperatives and public power utilities to attend Utility Wind Integration Group meetings.
The scholarships can be applied to any UWIG workshop or user group meeting, and can be used to help defray travel expenses or registration fees. The applicant’s employer must be a member of National Rural Electric Cooperative Association or American Public Power Association. There is no limit on the number of scholarships per utility. To apply for the scholarship, please contact Randy Manion at 720-962-7423. Source: Public Renewables Partnership, 10/26/09
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) today announced a Request for Proposals to expand Wind Powering America's Wind for Schools activities to an additional three to six states. The Wind for Schools project helps address the wind industry's need for a skilled workforce to support the expanded development and application of wind technologies by supporting wind energy educational programs at universities and in primary and secondary schools.
This opportunity provides universities, state institutions, and nongovernmental organizations funding and technical support to develop educational programs to improve the understanding of wind technology and its implementation using the successful Wind for Schools model. Read more. Source DOE Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program, 10/23/09
The U.S. Department of Energy today announced the availability of a new online resource for local governments that assists community leaders and local stakeholders in building sustainable local solar markets. The online publication, Solar Powering Your Community: A Guide for Local Governments, provides local governments with proven best practices enabling them to drive economic development, support clean energy jobs, and reduce carbon emissions by building a robust local solar market.
"The Guide is based on successful projects in cities across the United States, bringing together information, best practices, and step-by-step instructions into a single resource that can help local governments accelerate the adoption of solar technologies," said Solar Energy Technologies Program Manager John Lushetsky. "The recommendations in the Guide have been successfully field tested in cities around the country, making it a valuable resource for any community that wants to reap the environmental and economic benefits of solar energy." Read more. Source: DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 10/26/09
Read the full newsletter (in Adobe PDF format). Source: AWEA, 10/22/09
The US Government Accountability Office has issued a new report on water use and technology for power plants. The report, Improvements to Federal Water Use Data Would Increase Understanding of Trends in Power Plant Water Use (GAO-10-23), was requested by the Chairman, Committee on Science and Technology, House of Representatives.
The following is from the highlights of the report:
In 2000, thermoelectric power plants accounted for 39 percent of total U.S. freshwater withdrawals. Traditionally, power plants have withdrawn water from rivers and other water sources to cool the steam used to produce electricity, so that it may be reused to produce more electricity. Some of this water is consumed, and some is discharged back to a water source.
In the context of growing demands for both water and electricity, this report discusses
GAO reviewed federal water data and studies on cooling technologies. GAO interviewed federal officials, as well as officials from seven selected states. Source: Geothermal Energy Weekly, 10/22/09
A new report from the National Research Council examines and, when possible, estimates "hidden" costs of energy production and use—such as the damage air pollution imposes on human health—that are not reflected in market prices of coal, oil, other energy sources, or the electricity and gasoline produced from them. The report estimates dollar values for several major components of these costs. The damages the committee was able to quantify were an estimated $120 billion in the U.S. in 2005, a number that reflects primarily health damages from air pollution associated with electricity generation and motor vehicle transportation. The figure does not include damages from climate change, harm to ecosystems, effects of some air pollutants such as mercury, and risks to national security, which the report examines but does not monetize. Read more. Source: National Academies, 10/19/09
Renewable energy is among the fastest growing markets in the world today, with over $100 billion invested in 2007 in renewable energy projects and technology worldwide. Unfortunately, geothermal energy has not attracted much investment, garnering less than 1 percent of the pie last year. Geothermal power generation, a zero-emission, scalable, cost-competitive source technology that provides a stable base-load power output, must
overcome several challenges and perceived barriers to capture a larger market share.
The Geothermal Risk Mitigation Strategies Report from the DOE Geothermal Technologies Program provides an overview of general financial issues for renewable energy investments; geothermal energy investment barriers and risks; and recommendations for several incentives and government instruments that should be considered to stimulate increased investment in geothermal energy development. The report is available from the program publications library. Source: The Energy Daily, 10/22/09
Productive and Unproductive Costs of CO2 Cap-and-Trade: Impacts on Electricity Consumers and Producers (630 kb pdf) is an analysis that models the impacts of a range of allowance allocation schemes on consumer and generator welfare in regulated and unregulated electricity markets during the early years of federal cap-and-trade greenhouse gas regulation. The report is based upon publicly-available data on plant operations and ownership, as well as on operational and emissions data from the U.S. EPA Clean Air Markets Division.
The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, National Association of State Utility Consumer
Advocates, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and American Public Power Association commissioned the report. Source: The Energy Daily, 10/22/09
Tracking the Sun II: The Installed Cost of Photovoltaics in the U.S. from 1998-2008, a report from the Environmental Energy Technologies Division (EETD) of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, summarizes major trends in the installed cost (i.e., the cost paid by the system owner, prior to the receipt of any available incentives) of grid-connected photovoltaic systems in the United States from 1998 through 2007. The report is available from the EETD Energy Markets and Policy publication library. Source: The Energy Daily, 10/22/09
Biofuels: Potential Effects and Challenges of Required Increases in Production and Use is a report from the Governmental Accountability Office (GAO) that discusses the challenges and potential effects associated with the increased production and use of biofuels in the United States. The GAO suggests that the Congress consider actions to address the potential environmental effects of increased biofuels production andwhether revisions are needed to federal financial support for the production of conventional ethanol. The report also will be available at no charge on the GAO Web site. Source: The Energy Daily, 10/22/09
Tony Hayward, the chief executive of the oil giant BP, said Tuesday at the Oil & Money conference in London that his company’s forecasts suggest that fossil fuels will still satisfy about 80 percent of global energy needs in 2030.
Mr. Hayward said that power plants were built to operate for more than 30 years and automobiles for 15 years and that such long “lead times” impeded any changeover to greener technologies. Read more. Source: New York Times, 10/21/09
Members of the Solar Technology Acceleration Center (SolarTAC) and supporters convened in Aurora, Colo., today, to mark a milestone in “Powering Up” one of the world’s largest solar test and demonstration facilities. Since announcing the initial launch of SolarTAC one year ago, the site infrastructure development has progressed to the point where members can now break ground for their planned solar technology implementation and testing.
SolarTAC originated when six public and private sector entities—Abengoa Solar, the City of Aurora, the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory, Midwest Research Institute (MRI), SunEdison, and Xcel Energy—joined forces to build a site where member companies can bring their early commercial or near-commercial stage solar technologies for testing and demonstration under actual field conditions. Read more. Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 10/21/09
Download the resentations from the Southwest Renewable Energy Conference. Source: SWREC, 10/21/09
Get the latest news from Interstate Renewable Energy Council's Renewable Energy News. Source: Interstate Renewable Energy Council, 10/30/09
DOE announced on October 15 its selection of three university-led wind energy research facilities to receive $24 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds over the next two years. Located in Illinois, Maine, and Minnesota, the trio of institutions were selected competitively to conduct research and development on utility-scale and prototype wind turbines, with the goal of improving the performance and reliability of both land-based and offshore wind turbines. The funds will also enable the institutions to provide educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in wind energy technologies. Read more. Source: EERE Network News, 10/21/09
As Prescott launches a blistering attack on "landowners and nimbys," Miliband announces £5 million radar research project.
Wind turbines coated with similar material to that used to make Stealth Bombers invisible to radar could soon be used to address long-standing concerns that wind farms could disrupt air traffic control systems, under a new project unveiled today by the government and the wind energy industry. Read more. Source: Business Green News, 10/20/09
Three wind-turbines are being installed at Western Reserve High School in Berlin Center.
The school district will be one of the first in Ohio to use wind-power to save on energy costs. The turbines are 195 feet high and will generate 175 kilowatt hours. The $400,000 project is is expected to save the district about 10 percent on energy costs. The project was paid for through grant money. Construction at the school started in August and all 3 turbines should be up by Tuesday.
The school district says their goal is to have a more energy efficient building and cut down on operating costs. "The concept is to cut down the use and be more sustainable in the future," said Charles Swindler, Superintendent of Western Reserve Schools.
The project is expected to be completed by Nov. 2. Governor Ted Strickland will be in town for the dedication ceremony that day. Source: WYTV Channel 33, 10/20/09
From Loveland to Harrison to Northern Kentucky, schools have become energized to go green.
They're not just turning off lights and adjusting the thermostats. They're using solar panels and geothermal heating and cooling, as well as looking into wind turbines as an option. Besides saving hundreds of thousands in energy costs, they're generating teachable moments and awareness for students. Read more. Source: Cinncinnati.com, 10/20/09
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has released a convenient online directory of Web-based tools, database searches, cost calculators, and interactive maps-all related to alternative fuels and advanced vehicles. This comprehensive Web page helps users quickly navigate to the 23 tools, maps, and searches available on the Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center (AFDC) Web site for transportation technologies. Read more. Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 10/13/09
The next IREC Webinar will be held Tuesday, Nov. 12, at 2 p.m. EST on the Expedited Permit Process for Small PV Systems. The webinar will last one hour and 15 minutes. Register now. Source: Interstate Renewable Energy Council, 10/13/09
A special report has been released for your use and reference, entitled Geothermal Energy Resources and Policies of the Western States. This document appeared in an earlier form as Appendix A of the Programmatic EIS for Geothermal Leasing in the Western US. It has since been expanded and refined into a standalone document.This document provides, for the 11 western states and Alaska, a state-by-state overview of the estimated geothermal resources of that state, the state of existing geothermal development in that state, pertinent state laws and regulations, and an overview of Tribal lands within that state. Source: EMPSi Environmental Management and Planning Solutions, Inc., 9/24/09
The last webinar of the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) Educational Series, Dec. 9, 10 a.m. to noon, focuses on two cost-effective applications utilities can include or expand in their renewable and energy-efficiency portfolios: geothermal power production and geothermal heat pumps.Attendees will learn basic steps and strategies for getting projects on line and become familiar with financing options and environmental benefits the projects offer.
Registration fees are $35 for GRC members, $50 for all others. Register now, or call 530-758-2360 for more information. Source: Public Renewables Partnership, 9/26/09
Learn more about educational resources.
As part of the Obama Administration's efforts to spur renewable energy production, the U.S. Department of Treasury today announced the allocation of $2.2 billion in Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) for 805 recipients across the country. Funded by the Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), these energy bonds help government agencies, public power providers, and cooperative electric companies obtain lower cost financing for clean energy development projects. Read more. Source: Department of Treasury, 10/28/09
The Obama administration is giving a jolt to the futuristic "smart" electric grid, hoping to more quickly bring America's power transmission system into the digital age.
President Barack Obama, during a visit to a solar energy facility in Arcadia, Fla., is announcing Tuesday that he is making available $3.4 billion in government support for 100 projects aimed at modernizing the power grid. Read more. Source: MSNBC, 10/27/09
As the Senate prepares to tackle global warming, the nation’s energy producers, once united, are battling one another over policy decisions worth hundreds of billions of dollars in coming decades.
Producers of natural gas are battling their erstwhile allies, the oil companies. Electrical utilities are fighting among themselves over the use of coal versus wind power or other renewable energy. Coal companies are battling natural gas firms over which should be used to produce electricity. And the renewable power industry is elbowing for advantage against all of them. Read more. Source: New York Times, 10/18/09
The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) reported in its third quarter (Q3) market report that the U.S. wind energy industry installed 1,649 megawatts (MW) of new power generating capacity in the third quarter an amount higher than either the 2nd quarter of 2009 or the 3rd quarter of 2008-bringing the total capacity added this year to date to over 5,800 MW. AWEA also reported that wind turbine manufacturing still lags below 2008 levels, in both production and new announcements. Read more. Source: American Wind Energy Association, 10/20/09
The Environmental Protection Agency said that 86 of the country's ethanol-production plants release more than 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent every year, exceeding limits set in its proposed regulations for carbon emissions. If the planned rules are approved, the facilities would be included in the EPA's list of "major" greenhouse-gas emitters and be required to secure Title V permits. Read more. Source: Ethanol Producer Magazine, 10/8/09
Learn more about legislative activities.
With eco-friendly legislation looming on the horizon in the U.S., states are racing to roll out their green economic development plans. Crown champ California, solar-happy Arizona and the efficiency-conscious Northeast are all coming down the home stretch, and few would have predicted Iowa would break into their ranks. But it has — becoming the No. 2 wind power producer in the country behind Texas (an unbeatable foe, generating as much as its three top rivals combined). Read more. Source: Green Beat, 10/20/09
As I wrote in Sunday’s Week in Review section, California and Texas have both emerged as leaders in renewable energy – but in completely different ways. Texans despise regulations, an attitude that has helped wind farms to flourish; California, by contrast, requires hefty environmental assessments for large projects – which helps explain why rooftop solar panels and energy efficiency have done so well (they do not need painstaking reviews). Read more. Source: New York Times, 10/20/09
As offshore wind power moves closer to reality in New Jersey, more local residents and visitors to the area are aware and in favor of the technology coming to the areas off the state's coastline.
A new public opinion poll found that 90 percent of people surveyed were aware of offshore wind as a means of generating power. The survey found that 75 percent of people were in favor of wind turbines within three miles of the coastline, an increase from 38 percent in a similar poll taken in 2006. Read more. Source: Press of Atlantic City, 10/21/09
At a news conference held on a Loyola University rooftop covered with solar panels, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger this morning signed a memorandum of understanding to streamline siting and approval of renewable energy facilities on public lands. Read more. Source: Los Angeles Times, 10/12/09
There was a certain irony in the U.S. decision to hold the recent G20 meeting in Pittsburgh, Penn., to show off the former steel town’s success at creating green jobs. Pittsburgh transformed itself from a polluted and declining industrial metropolis into a clean and booming green one by crafting deliberate economic development policies to support the growth of clean energy industries. The irony is that the United States—unlike most other G20 members—still needs a comprehensive national clean energy economic development policy. Read more. Source: Apollo News Service, 10/15/09
Residents got a chance to ask a panel of experts about what wind development, and passing the ordinance would mean for them.
It was clear from the number of cards being filled out, people in Dixmont had a lot of questions about wind power development in their town, which currently has a moratorium on wind power development. That measure was put in place to give the town time to draft an ordinance to regulate development. Read more. Source: WCSH Channel 6, 10/21/09
At a White House event yesterday morning, Vice President Biden, Secretary Stephen Chu and Secretary Shaun Donovan announced that Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) finance would be a major component of the national “Recovery Through Retrofit” plan to create jobs and reduce energy costs for families. Vice President Biden stated “We are encouraging communities to give you the option to pay the expense of retrofitting your homes through your property taxes.”PACE finance is an innovation in municipal finance that has the potential to fund the energy retrofit of America’s built environment. PACE bonds eliminate the upfront costs for home energy retrofits and renewable energy installations by allowing property owners to include the costs as a voluntary property assessment.
The Recovery Through Retrofit report includes a policy framework and significant federal funding to states and local governments to help develop and implement PACE programs. Source: Property Assessed Clean Energy, 10/20/09
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has signed a 28-year deal with NextLight Renewable Power subsidiary Aqua Caliente Solar for the purchase of 290 MW of solar power. The PV project will be constructed on private land in Yuma County, Arizona starting in 2010 and is expected to be completed by 2014. The contract requires approval by the California Public Utilities Commission. (Source: New York Times, October 16, 2009)
Contact: Aqua Caliente Solar, 602-229-1010; or Jack Pigott, Project Development Director, NextLight, 415-935-2500. Source: EP Overviews, 10/20/09
The 2010 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act approved by the Senate includes $6,000,000 US for the Hawaii Renewable Energy Development Venture to help the state progress toward a meaningful level of energy self-sufficiency and address energy security by supporting the development of technologies to convert, store and transport renewable energy sources for integration with the island electrical grids and transportation systems.
An additional $6,000,000 US is included for the Hawaii Energy Sustainability Program (formerly known as the Hawaii-New Mexico Sustainable Energy Security Partnership between the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute and New Mexico Tech). The project will support achievement of the goal of deriving at least 70 percent of Hawaii's energy from renewable sources by 2030 and to validate technology and processes that will allow mainland grids to increase their use of intermittent renewable technologies. (Source: Hawaii 24/7, Oct. 16, 2009)
Contact: Daniel K. Inouye, Senator, Hawaii, 202-224-3934; or Richard E. Rocheleau, Director, Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, University of Hawaii, 808-956-8346. Source: EP Overviews, 10/20/09
American Superconductor Corporation, a global energy technologies company, today announced that Superconductor Electricity Pipelines have been chosen for The Tres Amigas Project, the nation’s first renewable energy market hub. Superconductor Electricity Pipelines comprise transmission-level direct current (DC) superconductor power cables powered by AMSC high temperature superconductor (HTS) wire and high-powered voltage-source AC/DC power converters. The Tres Amigas Project, which will be announced today in Albuquerque by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, focuses on uniting America’s three power grids for the first time to enable faster adoption of renewable energy and increase the reliability of the U.S. grid. Read more. Source: Business Wire, 10/13/09
Learn more about marketing and research.
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Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced up to $338 million in Recovery Act funding for the exploration and development of new geothermal fields and research into advanced geothermal technologies. These grants will support 123 projects in 39 states, with recipients including private industry, academic institutions, tribal entities, local governments, and DOE’s National Laboratories. The grants will be matched more than one-for-one with an additional $353 million in private and non-Federal cost-share funds.
Learn more information about these awards from the Geothermal Technologies Program. This announcement covers projects selected for financial award. The final details and funding level of each project are subject to modification based on contract negotiations between the selected entity and the Department of Energy. Source: U.S. DOE, 10/29/09
Customers of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) will realize the benefits of a “smart grid,” thanks to the award of a Federal grant totaling more than $127.5 million. SMUD and its local partners will use the U.S. Department of Energy funds to install a comprehensive regional smart grid system extending from transmission to the customer. Read more. Source: Sacramento Municipal Utility District, 10/27/09
Grand Valley State University (GVSU) has received $1,400,000 US as an earmark from U.S. Representative Pete Hoekstra (R-Holland), to advance wind turbine generation on the Great Lakes. The university's Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center, based in Muskegon, is planning to place a turbine on a floating platform by the fall of 2010 that would collect year-round wind speed data. The West Michigan Strategic Alliance planning group is working with GVSU to secure matching funds of at least $280,000 US to obtain the federal funding required for the platform's installation. (Source: Grand Haven Tribune, October 19, 2009)
Contact: T. Arn. Boezaart, Interim Director, Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center, Grand Valley State University, 231-722-4371; or Greg Northup, President, West Michigan Strategic Alliance, 616-356-6060. Source: EP Overviews, 10/21/09
The Geothermal Technologies Program would like to remind you that there is a current Phase I research opportunity, DOE SBIR/STTR, available at Fed Connect. Select Search Public Opportunities by reference number DE-FOA-0000161. Please apply before the closing date of Nov. 20, 2009. Source: DOE Geothermal Technologies Program, 10/20/09
At the opening of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon on the National Mall, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced up to $87 million will be made available to support the development of new solar energy technologies and the rapid deployment of available carbon-free solar energy systems. Of this funding, $50 million comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The 47 projects with universities, electric power utilities, DOE’s National Laboratories, and local governments have been selected to support use of solar technologies in U.S. cities, help address technical challenges, ensure reliable connectivity with the electrical grid, and train a new generation of solar workers to install and maintain solar energy systems. These projects will help speed adoption of solar energy nationwide, while supporting development of a skilled workforce, and continuing to pursue new scientific breakthroughs to increase the efficiency and lower the cost of solar technologies. Read more. Source: U.S. Department of Energy, 10/8/09
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This news item comes to you as a service of Western's Renewable Resources Program.
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