GENI RSS - Global Energy Network Institute

Cuomo plans 'energy highway'

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:00:45 -0800

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's State of the State speech Wednesday included a plan to upgrade the state's high-voltage electric transmission system so that power generated in upstate New York power plants and wind farms can be moved downstate.

Dubai readies for 1,000MW Solar Park; first 10MW phase expected by 2013

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:49:39 -0800

According to a report by Gulf News, Prime Minister and VP of the UAE His Highness Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, advised the start of a Dh12 billion solar project, which upon completion will produce 1,000MW of solar power. The Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park will be operated by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority with the first phase of the project, 10MW of solar power, slated to be completed by 2013.

European investors plan 400MW of solar generating capacity in Oman

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:33:11 -0800

Solar industry business people are continuing to invest in the Middle East. Swiss Terra Nex, a wealth management company specializing in Middle East investment and Germany-based Middle East Best Select (MEBS) plan a US$2 billion integrated project to develop 400MW of solar technology in Oman, including facilities to manufacture solar panels for Oman and for export. Last week, wholesaler and project developer, Antaris Solar, announced it had opened trading posts in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

Global PV installations for 2011 could have topped 26GW, say analysts

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:12:53 -0800

The record PV installation figures of 7.5GW for Germany in 2011 have two separate leading market research firms agreeing on total new PV installations topping 26GW for the year; around a 50% increase of 2011 installations of over 17.5GW. Both IHS iSuppli and IMS Research feel confident that 2012 will be another record year for the industry.

Rainforest in Transition: Is the Amazon Transforming before Our Eyes?

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:24:55 -0800

A review suggests that the Amazon rainforest may be changing, courtesy of human impacts on the region's weather

Iran plans to connect power grid to Russia

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:00:18 -0800

Iran plans to connect its national power electricity grid to Russia by the next calendar year, which will end on March 20 2013, Iran power generation transmission and distribution management company (TAVANIR) Managing Director stated.

Electronic Atlas Maps U.S. Renewable Energy Resources

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:50:46 -0800

A new geospatial application developed by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) allows users to easily and accurately map potential renewable energy resources in the United States.

China Increases Target for Wind Power Capacity to 1,000 GW by 2050

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:35:01 -0800

BEIJING -- The National Energy Administration of China has set a series of development goals for the country's renewable energy sector during the 12th Five-year Development Plan, which shows that by 2015 the country's wind power capacity will reach 100 GW, based on the current capacity of 40 GW.

Dhaka keen to import 1,000MW electricity from Kathmandu

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:36:52 -0800

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni yesterday reiterated Bangladesh's interest in importing 1,000 MW electricity from the Sapt-Kosi high dam project to meet its ever increasing demand for power.

Iran, Iraq ink electricity contract: report

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:24:33 -0800

Iran signed contracts with Iraq to cooperate in the latter's electricity sector, the official IRNA news agency reported Tuesday.

6 utilities in western Japan to tie up to expand wind-power generation

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:18:18 -0800

Six electric power firms in western and southwestern Japan said Thursday they have agreed to tie up to expand wind-power generation by using their existing power lines to accommodate each other with power output.

Solar power from external walls

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:06:32 -0800

Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp. plans to sell a new type of external building material that generates power from sunlight beginning in fiscal 2013, it has been learned.

Mexico to measure solar-energy potential

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:03:14 -0800

The National Autonomous University of Mexico, or UNAM, said Monday that the government will fund a project to calibrate the country's solar-radiation detectors in pursuit of an estimate of the potential for drawing energy from the sun.

Energy-producing 'solar paint' invented

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:00:11 -0800

U.S. scientists say they've made a major advance in renewable energy technology with an inexpensive "solar paint" that can produce energy.

Tajikistan, Pakistan Discuss Electricity Exports

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:44:19 -0800

Pakistani and Tajik officials are discussing the possibility of sending electricity from Tajikistan to Pakistan -- both countries that suffer chronic power shortages, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports.

China completes cross-border power transmission project with Russia

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:35:59 -0800

State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), the country's largest power supplier, said Sunday it has put to trial operation a cross-border electricity transmission project in northeastern Heilongjiang province to supply Chinese with Russia's electric power exports.

Georgia to launch two export power lines

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:28:10 -0800

Georgia intends to put into operation two high-voltage power lines to expand electricity exports to Turkey and Azerbaijan in 2012, the country's Energy and Natural Resources Ministry said.

strategies-for-success-integrating-renewables-in-utility-control-centers

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:16:13 -0800

It's a foregone conclusion in the industry these days: Everything comes down to the availability of the right tools and the right data, preferably in real-time.

The High-wire Act of Integrating Renewables

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:50:11 -0800

As more emphasis is put on going green and weaning the U.S. off expensive and dirty fossil fuels, utilities continually find themselves at the focal point of green energy initiatives.

First Atlantic Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Deployed

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:49:21 -0800

New Hampshire, USA -- The offshore wind industry passed a milestone recently with the installation of the world's first floating offshore wind turbine off the coast of Agucadoura, Portugal. The WindFloat project consists of a 2-MW semi-submersible wind turbine that can be deployed without heavy machinery.

With changes, the grid can take it

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:40:34 -0800

MIT report shows that with new policies, U.S. electric grid could handle expected influx of electric cars and wind and solar generation.

Nepal fights power cuts with renewable energy

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:25:34 -0800

Touted as the country's biggest, a hybrid power generation system which uses solar and wind energy has been inaugurated in western Nepal to help residents facing acute shortage of electricity.

Global Carbon Emissions Reach Record 10 Billion Tons, Threatening 2 Degree Target

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:03:14 -0800

ScienceDaily (Dec. 4, 2011) — Global carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels have increased by 49 per cent in the last two decades, according to the latest figures by an international team, including researchers at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia.

China upgrades its first UHV electricity transmission system

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:44:02 -0800

China on Friday put into operation a project extending its ultra high voltage (UHV) system to boost electricity transmission capacity from the country's energy-rich northern regions to the power-short central provinces.

In Internal Canadian Documents, a Warning on Oil Sands

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:20:59 -0800

Internal government documents show that Canada’s scientific and environmental bureaucracy does not share the Conservative government’s view that oil sands projects in Alberta have relatively little negative impact on the environment.

Costa Rican president eager to work with Japan on renewable energy

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:02:03 -0800

Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla expressed optimism Friday that the Central American country may be able to generate all of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2015 and showed eagerness to work with Japan in the field.

Iran expands electricity grid to EU

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 20:55:24 -0800

A new electricity line from Iran to Armenia and Georgia will send Iran's electricity through to Europe, said Iran's Deputy Energy Minister Mohammad Behzad, Pana news reports.

CO2 can be reliably stored underground: Australian researchers

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 20:45:52 -0800

Carbon dioxide (CO2) can be safely and reliably stored underground, an Australian-led team of researchers has concluded.

EU study: clean energy costs no more in long run

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 20:36:22 -0800

A report issued Thursday says the European Union can cut its emissions of greenhouse gases dramatically by 2050 without spending any more money - and even, perhaps, saving a bit.

Nepal, India agree to reinforce power infrastructure

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:29:28 -0800

NEW DELHI, Dec 15: Following the power supply understanding at the highest level, Nepal and India have agreed to immediately reinforce the existing infrastructure and complete all the required maintenance work for power supply from India to Nepal.

Vast methane 'plumes' seen in Arctic ocean as sea ice retreats

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:12:59 -0800

Dramatic and unprecedented plumes of methane – a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide – have been seen bubbling to the surface of the Arctic Ocean by scientists undertaking an extensive survey of the region.

Comment: Could Asia have its own supergrid?

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:51:43 -0800

By 2050, Asia could be connected by a massive energy and information architecture, believes Stewart Taggart.

Wind Makes Up 80% of Contracts in Brazil's Latest Power Auction

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:32:31 -0800

In Brazil's latest power auction earlier this week — a process in which developers bid for contracts with the country's national electricity agency — more than 80% of contracts were for wind projects.

India: Journey from weakest grids to smart grids

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:19:05 -0800

Smart grids are essential to ensure a much easier and transparent way of power consumption.In an interview with CIOL, William Ash - strategic program manager, IEEE Standards Association, talks about the growth, investment, implementation, challenges and major policies that can optimize utility of smart grids.

US companies commit to '5 Year Renewable Energy Pledge'

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:04:02 -0800

The City of Austin, TX, Southern Oregon University, the Bank of Georgetown (DC and MD), Stevens Pass, Diamond Packaging, and Sandy Alexander have been the first to sign the Renewable Energy Markets Association (REMA) '5 Year Renewable Energy Pledge' in the USA.

FINAL COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY PLAN RELEASED

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:58:23 -0800

Gov. Peter Shumlin, Public Service Commissioner Elizabeth Miller and other administration officials today released the final Comprehensive Energy Plan, which recommends that Vermont strive to obtain 90 percent of our total energy from renewable sources by 2050, largely eliminating Vermont’s reliance on fossil fuels by mid-century.

NREL validates 41% efficiency for Semprius’ tiny triple-junction cells

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:30:13 -0800

The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory advised that it recently validated Semprius’ triple-junction cells at greater than 41% efficiency at a concentration of 1,000 suns – said to be one of the highest efficiencies recorded at this concentration. The North Carolina company makes its cells from gallium arsenide with the lenses laying claim to concentrating the sunlight onto the small cells 1,100 times.

T-Solar signs US$145 million loan agreements for Peruvian PV project

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:22:34 -0800

T-Solar has signed three loan agreements worth US$145 million to finance two PV plants in Peru.

China orders nationwide emission cuts by 2015

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:01:26 -0800

Authorities will also start to monitor the smallest and most dangerous airborne pollution, known as PM2.5, in densely populated areas such as Beijing and Tianjin, the government said in a statement on its environmental targets.

NREL Releases Report on Testing Electric Vehicles to Optimize their Performance with Power Grids

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:47:30 -0800

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have released a technical report that could help improve the performance of electric vehicles (EVs) and the efficiency of the electric utility grids that power them.

Countries setting own carbon emissions rules

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:38:18 -0800

As the world debates the set of international rules that govern carbon emissions targets for countries worldwide, individual governments are already setting rules of their own.

South Africa launches Renewables Initiative

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:28:25 -0800

The South African Renewables Initiative (SARi) which is in a bid to scale up and secure long- term funding to enable the growth of the renewable energy industry in South Africa was officially launched in Durban on Wednesday.

Massive Maine wind farm under consideration

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:12:26 -0800

A task force set up by the federal Bureau of Energy Management is meeting here today to consider a commercial lease for a test project off the Maine coast that could become the world's largest floating wind farm.

China to double wind-power generation

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:08:30 -0800

China generates nearly 40 million kilowatts of electricity through wind power and plans to double its capacity in three years, a government agency said.

MidAmerican Energy to buy 49% interest in Agua Caliente PV plant from NRG

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:49:23 -0800

In its second major investment in the solar sector this month, MidAmerican Energy Holdings has signed a deal with NRG Energy to buy a 49% interest in the Agua Caliente project under construction in Yuma County, AZ.

China passes US in clean energy investment

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:32:18 -0800

US think tank Third Way says China has surpassed the United States as the top nation in total clean energy investments, attractiveness for renewable energy investment and overall patents filed since 2010.

2012 Renewable Energy Priority Projects

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:20:56 -0800

The Bureau of Land Management continues its work on environmentally responsible development of utility-scale renewable energy projects on public lands as part of the Administration's efforts to diversify the Nation's energy portfolio.

How to build a better electric grid

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:39:25 -0800

Efforts to modernize the U.S. electric grid in recent years have emerged in the form of a hodgepodge of pilot projects, the installation of new technology and hefty financial backing from the U.S. government and private investors. How to plan for such a big change is a daunting task. MIT released a report on Monday that looks at some of the challenges (and opportunities for entrepreneurs, investors and utilities) and solutions to solve them.

Stormy sun could knock out power grids - report

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:31:22 -0800

(Reuters) - An upcoming cycle of stormy solar activity risks causing damage to electrical transformers and threatening vulnerable energy infrastructure around the globe, a report by an insurance group says.

Big Growth Expected For High-Voltage Transmission Sector

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:25:40 -0800

Investment in high-voltage transmission (greater than 345 kV) in the U.S. is expected to top $41 billion over the next 10 years, with more than 40% of it being made in just the first three years, according to a study from IHS Emerging Energy Research.

Landau: Israel and Cyprus to link electricity grids

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:17:44 -0800

The Minister of National Infrastructures said that a cable joining the Israeli and Cypriot grids would provide mutual backup.

Power out of Africa

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 09:53:10 -0800

On the face of it, the idea of Africa providing a model of sustainable energy development to the world seems an unlikely one. Eighty percent of the world's 1.5 billion people living without electricity live in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the African Development Bank. The continent's scarcity of grid links would seem to be an intractable obstacle to Africa's goals of improving development and alleviating poverty. Yet, Africa possesses significant solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower resources that have only barely been tapped, and which give the continent the potential to offer different models of sustainability

The Future of the Electric Grid

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 09:35:49 -0800

Grid research by MIT is a “must read” for San Diego.

Electricity tends to flow south in North America

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:20:19 -0800

The map above shows that electricity tends to flow south in North America. The numbers on the map reflect average net power flows—metered hourly—between electric systems aggregated by regions for the year 2010. Most electric power demand is served by local generators. Net interregional trade accounted for less than 1% of delivered power in 2010. However, excess, low-cost power—primarily from hydroelectric generators in the Pacific Northwest, Manitoba, and Quebec—supplied higher-cost markets to the south.

NextEnergy establishes €400m fund for African renewable energy

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:03:28 -0800

NextEnergy Capital has begun fundraising for ix:Africa, a €400 million private equity impact fund dedicated to ethical investment in renewable energy, environmental business and clean technology projects in Africa.

Towards a Pan-European Supergrid

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 22:52:30 -0800

Along with the gradual integration of the European internal energy market and the first prospects of cross-border energy trade came the idea for the creation of a pan-European grid that would allow electricity to be traded and shipped all acrossEurope, in a truly integrated manner.

NREL Scientists Report First Solar Cell Producing More Electrons In Photocurrent Than Solar Photons Entering Cell

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:20:24 -0800

Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have reported the first solar cell that produces a photocurrent that has an external quantum efficiency greater than 100 percent when photoexcited with photons from the high energy region of the solar spectrum.

Govt to import 100MW from India by mid-Jan

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:07:09 -0800

KATHMANDU, Dec 14: Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai said the government is preparing to import 100MW electricity from India by mid-January to reduce the impact of load-shedding in the industrial sector.

Alaska's Untapped Potential

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:12:40 -0800

Throughout North America, dozens of new hydropower projects are being proposed, planned, constructed or put into operation. One location offering the greatest opportunity for new hydropower development is the state of Alaska in the United States.

Renewable Power Trumps Fossils for First Time as UN Talks Stall

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:07:07 -0800

Renewable energy is surpassing fossil fuels for the first time in new power-plant investments, shaking off setbacks from the financial crisis and an impasse at the United Nations global warming talks.

Renewable energy becoming cost competitive, IEA says

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:26:36 -0800

(Reuters) - Renewable energy technology is becoming increasingly cost competitive and growth rates are in line to meet levels required of a sustainable energy future, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a report on Wednesday.

Indian solar capacity to hit 33.4 GW by 2022; off-grid potential "huge"

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:10:22 -0800

A new report on India’s solar market forecasts that as much as 33.4 gigawatts of both off- and on-grid solar will be installed in the country by 2022. While the National Solar Mission (NSM) aims to install 20 GW, it is believed there are "huge" off-grid opportunities. Furthermore, Rajasthan is expected to become the country’s solar hub.

India’s ‘Astonishing Auction’ Pushes Down Global Solar Price

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:37:06 -0800

India, the world’s third-largest energy consumer, is cutting solar-power costs to a record by forcing project developers into auctions, helping avoid the spiraling renewable-energy subsidies that have hurt Europe.

IEA Says Solar May Provide a Third of Global Energy by 2060

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:50:04 -0800

Dec. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Solar technologies such as photovoltaic panels, water heaters and power stations built with mirrors could provide a third of the world’s energy by 2060 if politicians commit to limiting climate change, the International Energy Agency said.

3rd Desertec Deal Signed – Algerian Solar Will Ship to the EU

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:38:50 -0800

Algeria‘s state-owned Sonelgaz has just signed the third deal in the MENA region to export desert solar power to Europe, with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate with the European Desertec Initiative (DII) in the export of solar from the country, according to a report at Platts.

Duke Energy, American Transmission Co. Project to Deliver Wyoming Wind Power to California and Southwest

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:11:04 -0800

Duke-American Transmission Co. has acquired the Zephyr Power Transmission Project and will continue the design and development of the proposed 950-mile transmission line that would deliver wind energy generated in eastern Wyoming to California and the southwestern United States.

Saudi Arabia to exploit solar energy for desalination plants

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 08:50:13 -0800

Saudi Arabia intends to depend heavily on solar energy to operate desalination plants instead of oil and gas as part of its efforts to make use of alternative and renewable energy sources.

Danish government presents plan to use only renewable energy sources by 2050

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 08:34:45 -0800

In the future it will become more expensive for Danes to turn on the light and turn up the radiator. Because the government wants to spend 5.6 billion kroner to make Denmark's energy more green and climate-friendly. And the bill should to a large extent be paid by households and businesses.

IEA urges to expand renewable energy use

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 08:25:13 -0800

The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Wednesday called for more efforts to expand the practice of deploying renewable energy, to face energy security and climate change challenges.

Eskom key reason South Africa is big polluter

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 08:14:21 -0800

The coal-powered national electricity company is frank about its role in making South Africa the continent's worst contributor to global warming, but Eskom says it also has plans and pledges in place to ensure it does its part to save the world.

Two European rooftop projects are beneficiaries of 208kW of Xunlight’s solar modules

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:25:59 -0800

Thin-film silicon solar module manufacturer Xunlight, has announced the sale of 208kW of its solar panels through a European channel partner for two rooftop installations in Europe. The company received its IEC 61646 and 61730 certification, conducted by TÜV InterCert Group, at the beginning of this year, which enables the US-based company to market its products in Europe.

US solar market reaches record quarterly installations

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:12:34 -0800

According to a report from GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the US solar market continues to boom but gloomy clouds are circling over future growth. The US installed 449MW in the third-quarter and surpassed the 1GW level,

Concentration acceleration: Soitec’s San Diego factory deal is latest in flurry of CPV advances

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:46:11 -0800

Among the sometimes troubling and downright negative news in the solar space of late, the narrative of one company and the emerging sector it represents has been moving in a decidedly more upward and positive arc. Soitec, the French firm which entered the concentrating photovoltaics area via its acquisition of Concentrix two years ago, has been on a roll for most of 2011, with its momentum accelerating the past couple of months.

China increases installed PV capacity target for 2015 to 15GW

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:20:41 -0800

China has upwardly revised its solar power development target for 2015 by 50%, reports Bloomberg. The new target set by the National Energy Administration (NEA) for installed capacity is 15GW.

Warren Buffett Buys $2 Billion Solar Farm

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:37:39 -0800

Warren Buffett is getting into the solar business by buying one of the world's largest solar PV plants - the $2 billion Topaz project under development in southern California.

PV installations to hit 23.8GW, a 34% increase over 2010, according to IHS

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:23:47 -0800

Despite a softening German market, PV installations globally are set to hit a record 23.8GW in 2011, an increase of 34% over 2010 figures. A changing of the guard will also take place with Italy overtaking Germany in PV installations for the first time, according to new data from market research firm IHS.

Grid-connect this: Checking Warren Buffett’s other solar plays, Topaz project update, O&M overdrive

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:17:23 -0800

Much of last week’s coverage of the Warren Buffett-branded acquisition of First Solar’s Topaz Solar Farm by Berkshire Hathaway-backed MidAmerican Energy Holdings overlooked the sage multigazillionaire’s numerous indirect investments into photovoltaics. Though known for several forays into wind power, his group also holds a 9.9% interest in Chinese electric car, energy storage, and PV manufacturer BYD, a 10.5% piece of German insurer/project owner and Munich RE; and 4.6% in Korean steelmaker Posco, which has emerged as a solar project EPC firm and investor.

Report claims 50% of Chinese solar firms have ceased production

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:26:07 -0800

Approximately half of China’s PV manufacturing firms have ceased production, according to a report on the Chinese newspaper Guangzhou Daily and as cited by Digitimes. Chronic oversupply and massive price drops would appear to have nudged the lower-performing China-based manufacturers over the edge, with the solar energy division of CSG Holding’s research suggesting that half have stopped production, around 30% are at half their production capability and 20% are at pains to maintain their current levels of production.

New Lab to Help Utilities 'See' Grid of the Future

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:16:53 -0800

With the simple flick of a light switch, you are connected to "the machine."

Is Carbon Capture Part of the Problem, or Part of the Solution?

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:57:20 -0800

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) has become one of the controversial topics of discussion among the business community at the side events at the Durban climate change talks.

Bipole III plan heads for public review

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:06:24 -0800

Manitoba Hydro’s plan to build the $3.28-billion Bipole III high-voltage transmission line down the west side of the province has been filed to the province for public review.

Bio–Jet Fuel Struggles to Balance Profit with Sustainability

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:30:46 -0800

Alternatives for aviation industry and the military pose issues related to land use, clearing peatland, fertilizer use, costs and more emissions.

U.S. power grid needs cybersecurity shield: report

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:36:04 -0800

(Reuters) - The threat of cyberattacks on the U.S. power grid should be dealt with by a single federal agency, not the welter of groups now charged with the electric system's security, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported on Monday.

India’s NSM auction drives tariffs to record lows

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:44:12 -0800

India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has awarded PV project contracts worth 350MW to 28 developers in its latest National Solar Mission (NSM) auction. Projects in batch II of phase II were allotted by a reverse bidding process and have an initial completion deadline of March 2013.

DOE unveils US$12 million Rooftop Solar Challenge

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:38:03 -0800

The Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot programme has awarded the US Rooftop Solar Challenge US$12 million to help promote solar development by cutting the amount of red tape in the industry.

An Atlantic wind project: big, bold and risky

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:39:33 -0800

Building a low-carbon economy requires bold ideas and long-term thinking on a scale that matters.

Scientists Genetically Increase Algae Biomass by More Than 50 Percent

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:03:33 -0800

AMES, Iowa -- Research at Iowa State University has led to discovery of a genetic method that can increase biomass in algae by 50 to 80 percent.

India plans to sell 500MW electricity to Pakistan

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 21:50:16 -0800

NEW DELHI: India plans to sell 500 megawatts power to Pakistan, according to an Indian newspaper on Monday.

National power grid to be ready by 2014

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 21:27:08 -0800

New Delhi: To improve transmission of power across the country, India plans to connect all regional grids into a national grid by 2014.

South Asian power transmission link in the works

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 21:20:43 -0800

Islamabad(SANA)Electricity trading with Pakistan is part of a larger plan of a South Asian transmission link, which will help countries in the sub-continent harness energy potential of the region. India plans to sell 500 megawatts (MW) of electricity to Pakistan, which will help the country reduce its chronic power shortage, according to Calcutta-based newspaper The Telegraph.

California approves Mojave CSP project despite higher cost

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:58:36 -0800

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved the power purchase agreement between Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and Abengoa Solar affiliate Mojave Solar LLC, for the 250 MW Mojave concentrating solar power (CSP) facility, despite higher costs.

Global PV Surges

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:44:12 -0800

Europe still rules the global solar markets, but grip is slipping. While the global market for solar photovoltaics will surge 24 percent this year over last, that has not led to high demand in the second half of the year due to high inventories.

Solar Market Doubling

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:38:12 -0800

The U.S. solar market is still on track to double its capacity addition record this year over 2010, as indicated by a new report from organizations that track industry statistics. The U.S. also is gaining a greater share of the worldwide market.

Nigeria: Global Wind Power Investment to Hit U.S.$820 Billion

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:13:33 -0800

Cumulative investment in new wind power capacity will cost a total $820 billion between 2011 and 2017 as wind power now accounts for the majority of the world's non-hydropower renewable electricity capacity.

NPD Solarbuzz: North American solar PV installations to exceed 2.2GW in 2011

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:41:28 -0800

Fear, uncertainty and doubt are ever present in the North American PV market, according to the latest ‘North America PV Markets Quarterly’ report from NPD Solarbuzz. In the US, issues over module dumping from China and the expiration of the US federal cash grant do not help, but there is growing concern of the feed-in tariff system in Ontario, Canada, not least as it is responsible for 99% of the Canadian PV market.

SolarStrong gains momentum as SolarCity, BofA Merrill plan US$1 billion in military installations

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:55:53 -0800

SolarCity and Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofA Merrill) are ploughing ahead with their plan for SolarStrong, a five-year initiative for solar power installations on privatized US military housing communities. The plan is for SolarCity and the major US bank to invest over US$1 billion in solar plants across the country, and the combined generation capacity is estimated to be in the region of 300MW.

Smart Grid is the ‘energy Internet' of the future

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:16:37 -0800

In India, the demand for power is surging with shortage peaking over 15 per cent. Many of the households are still not connected to the country's electricity grid. According to the Ministry of Power, India's transmission and distribution losses are among the highest in the world, averaging 24 per cent of total electricity production, in some states as high as 62 per cent.

Oettinger promotes Mediterranean renewable energy network

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:30:30 -0800

On 24 November, Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Desertec Industry Initiative (Dii) and Medgrid, which establishes closer co-operation between the two private industry initiatives that are crucial to the promotion of a renewable energy partnership between the EU and countries in the Southern Mediterranean.

US Could Achieve Over $80 Billion In Lower Energy Costs By Focusing On Safer, Renewable Energy

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:08:00 -0800

It is a myth that switching to safe, renewable energy would mean an unreliable U.S. power supply that also is too expensive to afford. That is the major conclusion of a new Synapse Energy Economics report prepared for the nonprofit Civil Society Institute that details a future with more energy efficiency and renewable energy and less reliance on coal and nuclear power.

A how-to guide to slashing California's greenhouse gas emissions by 2050

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:23:42 -0800

What will a day in the life of a Californian be like in 40 years? If the state cuts its greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 - a target mandated by a state executive order - a person could wake up in a net-zero energy home, commute to work in a battery-powered car, work in an office with smart windows and solar panels, then return home and plug in her car to a carbon-free grid.

Solar power in developing countries: will PV-supported micro-grids provide the next wave of demand?

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:34:00 -0800

Traditional markets for PV will be scaling back on the level of demand for PV, but there are already signs that the developing countries will be stepping in to pick up the slack.

Turning wood into oil, in two simple steps

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:25:01 -0800

(Reuters) - Efficiency and simplicity have long eluded renewable-fuel researchers, but a Maine scientist has developed a two-step process he says can make oil from the cellulose in wood fiber.

Huge solar power plants are blooming in California's southern deserts

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:32:04 -0800

MOJAVE DESERT -- At first glance, California's vast Mojave Desert seems barren: mile after mile of dust, sand and scrubby creosote bush under a blistering sun. But the huge desert, which spans an area larger than West Virginia, is becoming speckled with gigantic solar power plants that are creating hundreds of construction jobs and, when complete, will generate electricity for millions of homes.

Clean Energy Top Priority, U.N. Chief Tells NREL

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:04:59 -0800

Providing clean, renewable energy to the 1.4 billion people who are living without electricity is the No. 1 priority of the United Nations, the secretary general of the U.N. said during a visit Aug. 24 to the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Low Emission Cars Under NREL's Microscope

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:35:33 -0800

Cars that plug into solar panels for electricity or run on hydrogen may sound like something found only on the pages of science fiction novels, but engineers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are driving these futuristic vehicles today.

North-South power link to be studied

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:18:22 -0800

MINISTER FOR Energy Pat Rabbitte has appointed three international experts to a commission to examine whether there is a case for building all or part of the North-South high voltage electricity interconnector underground, and the cost involved in such a project.

China to help Kyrgyzstan upgrade power grids

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:06:22 -0800

JALALABAD, July 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese company will help Southern Kyrgyzstan upgrade its power grids.

China's Silk Road city to develop new energy to protect environment

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:31:31 -0800

LANZHOU, July 31 (Xinhua) -- A city on the ancient Silk Road will strive to develop solar and wind energy to drive the local economy and protect the vulnerable environment characterized by its desert-threatened oases.

Feds aim to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 28 percent

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:08:45 -0800

NASA opened an energy efficient office building at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. The Navy is running boats on biofuel in Norfolk.

Sri Lanka to achieve 100 per cent electricity reach by 2012

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:36:44 -0800

Sri Lanka’s power minister Patali Champika Ranawaka has said that the country is ahead of schedule in its target of supplying electricity to every household by the end of 2012. Ranawaka said electricity is already provided to 92 percent of households.

Colombia, Panama to invest $420 mn in power line

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:06:30 -0800

Bogota – Colombia and Panama will invest $420 million to construct a power line that will start in the northern region of the Andean nation and could eventually connect with all of Central America, the energy and mines minister in Bogota said Monday.

Lee hails start of operation at world's largest tidal power plant - Aug. 29, 2011 - Chang Jae-soon - english.yonhapnews.co.kr

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:33:22 -0800

SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak marked the start of operation at the world's largest tidal power plant in South Korea on Monday, calling it a "symbol" of his trademark "low-carbon, green growth" policy of seeking clean energy sources.

United States leads world in coal reserves

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:04:17 -0800

The United States leads the world with over 260 billion short tons of recoverable coal reserves—28% of total global reserves and 50% more than Russia, which possesses the world's second largest reserves. Despite significant U.S. coal production since the industrial revolution, recoverable domestic coal reserves at current mining levels would last 222 years.

Switching from Coal to Natural Gas Would Do Little for Global Climate, Study Indicates

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:34:22 -0800

ScienceDaily (Sep. 8, 2011) — Although the burning of natural gas emits far less carbon dioxide than coal, a new study concludes that a greater reliance on natural gas would fail to significantly slow down climate change.

Underground lines can inspire sticker shock

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:10:08 -0800

STAMFORD -- There's an underground movement across much of the country to bury power and other utility lines to shield against widespread outages like that caused by Tropical Storm Irene last week.

China poised to be world leader in electric cars

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:51:29 -0800

(Source: McClatchy/Tribune)Do you have an electric car-charging station in your neighborhood? In your garage? I didn't think so. They're still pretty scarce, but that situation is likely to be short-lived. By 2017, according to a new report from Pike Research, there will be more than 1.5 million charging stations in the U.S. But that's not the news; the important factoid is that there will be nearly 7.7 million places to plug in worldwide, and "The Asia Pacific region will lead global electric vehicle charging equipment sales due to strong government incentives and directives in China, Japan and Korea."

NREL data set shows clouds' effects on solar power

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:24:01 -0800

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)has produced and made available a rich data set showing what happens, second-by-second, when clouds pass over a solar power installation.

SolarCity Unveils Plan to Double the Total Number of Residential Solar Installations in the U.S. Through Installation of Solar Power on 160,000 Military Homes

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:16:55 -0800

SAN MATEO, Calif., Sept. 7, 2011—SolarCity took a major step today in an initiative that could double the number of residential solar photovoltaic installations in the United States. U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the offer of a conditional commitment for a partial guarantee of a $344 million loan to help secure financing for SolarCity’s “SolarStrong™” project. As part of the project, SolarCity plans to partner with the country’s leading military housing-privatization developers to install, own and operate up to 160,000 rooftop solar installations on as many as 124 military housing developments across 33 U.S. states. The project is expected to create more than $1 billion in solar projects and 371 megawatts of new solar generation capacity. USRG Renewable Finance, a subsidiary of U.S. Renewables Group, will serve as the lead lender for the project in partnership with BofA Merrill Lynch.

U.S. report outlines approach to clean energy economy

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:38:11 -0800

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A new report released this week calls for clean energy economy since energy choices in 11 western states in the United States in the next 20 to 40 years will impact human health and business wealth.

Nation could get 43% of power from renewable energy by '20, report says

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:24:48 -0800

OSAKA — Japan could phase out nuclear power by the end of next year and generate 43 percent of its electricity by 2020 from renewable energy, according to a report compiled by Greenpeace International and the Tokyo-based Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies.

African Energy’s New Friends in China

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:11:05 -0800

From Ethiopia and Sudan to Ghana and South Africa, Chinese companies are pushing big hydro and solar power projects

Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan to export electricity to Pakistan, Afghanistan

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:32:19 -0800

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will commence electricity export to Pakistan and Afghanistan by 2016, KyrTAG reports quoting Kyrgyz Deputy Premier Omurbek Babanov's statement.

Cost of solar installations dropping

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:10:40 -0800

BERKELEY, Calif., Sept. 16 (UPI) -- The cost of solar systems in the United States has declined significantly in the last two years with the drop in photovoltaic module prices, a report says.

Military aggressively investing in clean technology

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:00:46 -0800

The Department of Defense -- eager to reduce its dependence on oil in the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq and keen to become energy-efficient at home -- is aggressively investing in clean technology, from advanced biofuels to electric vehicles, solar-powered batteries and blankets for soldiers in the field and bases that generate their own electricity.

Addressing Intermittency MEETING THE RENEWABLE CHALLENGE

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:21:37 -0800

I HEAR A LOT OF TALK about a great desire to include renewable energy into the national energy mix, if it weren't for the issue of intermittency. Mother Nature decides when to make the wind blow or the sun shine. As the CEO of a renewable energy company with more than 500 megawatts of wind and solar installed in North America, I know we only build renewable energy projects in areas with the best wind or solar capabilities within a given market. Although intermittency has become the foremost excuse for utilities to restrict or block the addition of renewable energy resources, intermittency itself is not the immediate issue for utilities. Instead, utilities need to consolidate into more modern and broader markets that diversify management of the intermittency issue and ensure competitive access to the power grid.

REPORT: U.S. MILITARY LEADS CLEANTECH INNOVATION

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:07:30 -0800

Even as Congressional leaders continue to drag their feet on clean energy and many states keep renewables-related legislation on the back burner because of the still-sluggish economy, the U.S. military continues to invest money and research into green energy.

Huge network needed to export power

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:47:38 -0800

It will require 1,460km of additional transmission lines

GLOBAL ENERGY DEMAND WILL GROW 53 PERCENT BY 2035

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:31:42 -0800

The US Energy Department’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) has released its latest global projections and the headline numbers are not terribly surprising. The agency expects energy use to rise by 53 percent by 2035 and that the two most populous countries in the world, China and India, will account for 31 percent of all energy consumption by then. China alone will consume 68 percent more energy than the US by 2035.

City of Austin largest local government in U.S. to go 100% green powered

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:09:33 -0800

Austin, Texas – The City of Austin municipal government is switching to 100% clean, renewable energy starting Oct. 1, 2011 – becoming the largest local government in America to power all of its facilities with 100% green energy.

Investors to Spend Millions ‘Greening’ Commercial Buildings in Sacramento and Miami

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:08:30 -0800

Sacramento is one of two U.S. cities set to participate in a massive energy-efficiency project assembled by British business tycoon Richard Branson. The plan would pour an estimated $100 million into retrofitting commercial buildings in Sacramento. The company running the project is Ygrene Energy Fund of Santa Rosa. The other participating city is Miami, which is in line for $550 million in improvements. The plan relies on AB 811, a three-year-old state law that sets up a funding mechanism called PACE to retrofit homes and businesses. In this new effort, private dollars provided by investors would generate upfront cash for the retrofits, with building owners paying the improvements over 20 years through a special assessment on their property taxes.

Green power may get greener with bacteria fuel cells

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:07:34 -0800

A bucket of water and a handful of bacteria could be all that is needed to produce pure hydrogen to power the green engines of tomorrow, according to research by a team of US scientists.

Next for MENA Nations: Desertec University

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:05:10 -0800

A new university degree program is being funded with more than 3 million euros by the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, and additional support from the Kingdom of Morocco, and the Eu. RE-Generation MENA will initiate master degree programs in renewable energy, training technical personnel in a way that helps the young people of North Africa benefit from the enormous scaling up of solar power that Desertec will bring.

Hawaii tests algae biofuel

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:06:40 -0800

Phycal Inc will supply 100,000-150,000 gallons of algae biofuel to Hawaiian Electric for testing at the Kahe Generating Station, Hawaii, USA.

IEA urges end to state subsidies for fossil fuels

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:35:27 -0800

PARIS (AP) — The International Energy Agency said Tuesday it wants world governments to curb state subsidies for fossil fuels as a way to help the environment, ease strains on national budgets and boost economies.

Wyoming tells Calif.: We have wind power for sale

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:43:46 -0800

CHEYENNE, Wyo.—Wyoming officials including Gov. Matt Mead say a new analysis shows California could save billions over the years ahead by importing more wind power from the gusty high plains.

APNewsBreak: Obama to step up power line projects

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:23:27 -0800

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration moved Wednesday to speed up permitting and construction of seven proposed electric transmission lines in 12 states, saying the projects would create thousands of jobs and help modernize the nation's power grid.

Switch from nuclear power would cost Japan $280 bln-Greenpeace

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:55:53 -0800

TOKYO, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Shifting away from nuclear power and replacing it with wind and solar energy would cost Japan around $280 billion in new investment by 2020, Greenpeace said on Monday, calling on Tokyo to ensure safety for future power generations.

Japan still considering total nuclear power pullout

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:52:18 -0800

(Reuters) - Japan has not ruled out the possibility of complete closure of its nuclear power stations as one option for the country's future energy policy after the world's worst nuclear accident in 25 years, economy minister Yukio Edano said.

The U.S. Could Get 20% of Power From Solar Sited Beneath Transmission Lines

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:28:46 -0800

What if the U.S. could get 20 percent of its power from solar near transmission lines without covering virgin desert?

Maldives to generate 60 percent of energy from solar power

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:12:06 -0800

MALE, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Maldives has launched an ambitious plan to generate 60 percent of its electricity from solar power by 2020 as part of its aim to become the world's first carbon neutral nation, a statement issued by the government said on Friday.

Pacific islands to go solar by 2012

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:08:06 -0800

TOKELAU, New Zealand, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- The South Pacific islands of Tokelau say they're committed to obtaining 93 percent of their electricity demand from solar power -- and the rest from coconuts.

Can the Geothermal Industry Overcome Challenges to Raising Capital? - Oct. 18, 2011 - Jane Pater Salmon - renewableenergyworld.com

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:31:48 -0800

New Hampshire, U.S.A. -- Geothermal energy presents baseload clean energy at a lower cost than many other renewable energy alternatives. Despite this compelling value proposition, long development horizons and the risks associated with exploration and drilling activities present hurdles to developing the country's rich geothermal potential. Financing projects that use conventional geothermal technology remains challenging in the uncertain economic environment.

IEA Sees Dire Future For Climate, Energy Without New Technology

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 23:52:23 -0800

PARIS (Dow Jones)--The world is headed for a "dire future" where high energy prices drag on economic growth and global average temperatures rise by more than 3.5 Celsius unless significant innovations to lower the cost of clean energy and carbon capture technology, said the International Energy Agency Wednesday.

China implements 100 clean energy projects to aid Africa

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 23:17:04 -0800

HANGZHOU, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- China has been carrying out clean energy projects in more than ten African countries to help the continent -- believed one of the largest victims of climate change by some experts -- tackle the multiple effects it brings, a foreign affairs official said.

UN chief calls for universal access to electricity by 2030, clean energy revolution

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 23:15:47 -0800

OSLO - The U.N. secretary-general called Monday for universal access to electricity by 2030, saying a lack of energy in parts of the world threatens economic growth and job creation.

Carbon-dioxide-devouring algae will soon be put to work at power plant

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 21:23:57 -0800

Ninety-eight interconnected tubes of what appears to be a green, bubbling goo sit inside the greenhouse behind the Center for Applied Energy Research lab at the University of Kentucky.

Global CO2 Emissions Reach All-Time High, Rising More Than 5% in 2010 to Close Out Past 20 Years

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:20:20 -0800

Global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions reached an all-time high in 2010, rising 45% in the past 20 years. Rising rapidly between 1990 and 2010, global atmospheric CO2 levels totaled 33 billion metric tons last year, according to a report published by the European Commission’s Joint Research Center and PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. Global CO2 emissions fell 1% in 2009, during the Great Recession, but rose at an unprecedented 5% rate in 2010. That was similar to the drop and greater emissions growth in 1975 and 1976, when the global economy suffered through the first oil crisis, a subsequent stock market crash and began a recovery in 1976, the report authors note.

Snapshot of Feed-in Tariffs around the World in 2011

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 19:12:12 -0800

Feed-in tariffs are the world's most popular renewable energy policy mechanism. Despite the economic recession, more and more jurisdictions are turning to feed-in tariffs to spur not only renewable energy development but also industrial development and the attendant jobs that it creates.

On Energy, Do Americans Protest Too Much?

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:29:16 -0800

For a highly technical drilling technique, the controversy over “fracking” for natural gas has gained a lot of traction. In the past week, a federal advisory panel called for tighter restrictions and disclosure on the process. Meanwhile, House Democrats are pushing for tighter rules on companies using the process to drill for natural gas, and environmental groups, backed by celebrities like Mark Ruffalo and Ethan Hawke, are trying to rally New Yorkers “to protect New York tap water from fracking.” Some groups have called on New York’s Governor Cuomo to ban the process in the state.

Urgent Investment In Renewables Needed

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:04:22 -0800

A fundamental change is needed in power generation, with a greater and more urgent investment required in renewables used in all industries, including the metals sector, an executive at the International Energy Agency said Thursday.

Japan Feed-in Tariff Policy Becomes Law World's Third Largest Economy Adopts FITs

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 17:55:41 -0800

In a major breakthrough for the feed-in tariff movement worldwide, Japan's upper chamber has approved a new law implementing a feed-in tariff policy for renewable energy.

Arab power grid on track

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 17:01:40 -0800

PLANS to connect the entire Arab world through a single power grid are on track to be completed by 2014, a senior official said yesterday.

IBM and ABB Scientists Collaborate to Improve Energy Transmission for More Efficient Grids

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 09:28:16 -0800

BADEN, Switzerland and RUESCHLIKON, Switzerland, - 01 Nov 2011: Scientists at IBM (NYSE: IBM) and ABB, the world's largest builder of electricity grids, are using supercomputers to study and potentially develop a new type of high-voltage insulator that will improve the efficiency of transmitting electricity. An improved insulator has the potential to transform the power grid by reducing energy loss and outages caused by material deterioration when exposed to weather.

Transmission Revolution: PREPARING THE WORLD’S BIGGEST MACHINE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 09:01:34 -0800

THE ELECTRIC GRID is the biggest machine in the world and the greatest engineering feat of the 20th century, according to the National Academy of Engineering. It's one of those human accomplishments so successful as to have become virtually invisible. And it's incredible that, despite the enormous demands we've placed on the grid - the unprecedented technological developments and the concomitant social and economic upheavals and metamorphoses - its essential structure has remained the same. It still basically serves to transmit power from a central point of generation to end users within a certain locale.

Consortium To Develop Transmission Network

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 08:39:42 -0800

LS Cable & System, KEPCO, the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute and the Korea Electric Power Research Institute have announced that they are working on a research and development (R&D) project to implement a superconducting power transmission network.

20 clean energy transmission projects for Great Plains and Upper Midwest

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 08:25:50 -0800

There are now 20 major transmission projects proposed to open up wind energy supplies in the Great Plains and Upper Midwest region.

ADB loan to help Bangladesh cut energy shortage, reduce poverty

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 23:59:41 -0800

DHAKA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank is extending a 300 million U.S. dollars energy infrastructure loan to help Bangladesh address critical power shortages which are undermining the economy and slowing poverty reduction efforts, the Manila-based lender said Thursday.

Scientists: Wind farms tough on birds

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 23:24:19 -0800

LARAMIE — No form of energy production is without cost to the environment, even production from renewable energy sources like wind, which poses threats to birds, bats and other wildlife. But as scientists study wind development and its interaction with wildlife, they're learning that the best way to keep birds and animals safe is the strategic placement of turbines. Continuing improvement of research methods will yield better information about the daily and seasonal behaviors of wildlife that place them in danger.

U.S. Department of Energy to fund major Offshore Wind Grid Interconnection study

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 23:23:06 -0800

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that it is providing funding for a team of leading energy organizations to perform a broad study that will assess the most promising sites for high offshore wind production along all of the U.S. coastal regions. The ABB-led team will investigate important technical and economic questions about the integration of offshore wind energy through a range of transmission technologies.

China Makes Breakthrough in Wind Power Technology in Plateau

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 23:21:52 -0800

QINGHAI, July 27, SinoCast -- China has made breakthrough in wind power technology in Qinghai plateau area.

Nigeria: 2000 Communities Have No Electricity -Nnaji

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 23:20:16 -0800

There are 2000 communities in Nigeria that do not have access to electricity power supply, Minister of Power, Prof Bart Nnaji has said. He described the situation as unacceptable and to remedy it, the federal government was making effort to revive the comatose Rural Electrifications Agency (REA). The agency has been in limbo for two years.

Salazar Approves Transmission for Major Solar Project in California

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:54:41 -0800

WASHINGTON, DC – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has approved a transmission line on public lands that will connect a 250-megawatt solar power project to the energy grid in California. The transmission line will connect to the Imperial Solar Energy Center West Project in Imperial County that, when constructed, will generate power for more than 75,000 homes.

Ford, SunPower Want to Plug Homes, Electric Cars into Solar Energy

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:53:37 -0800

Ford Motor Co. and home solar panel company SunPower have formed a partnership to grow the solar market alongside electric vehicles.

UPDATE: Interior Secretary Approves First Solar Project In California

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:52:56 -0800

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The U.S. Interior Secretary Wednesday approved a solar farm that would be the highest capacity photovoltaic plant ever constructed on public-owned land.

Europe's Largest Solar Power Plant to Open in Ukraine

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:51:52 -0800

By the end of the current year the newly built solar power plant in Crimea is set to reach the production rate of 100,000 megawatt-hours of electricity in a year. This rate makes the station the most powerful solar power plant ever built in the region and one of the largest solar power plants in the world. The power plant of this caliber is estimated to reduce Ukraine's carbon dioxide emission by 80,000 tons.

Toys "R" Us, state gain solar bragging rights

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:50:54 -0800

Toys "R" Us unveiled a solar power system at its distribution center in Flanders, a system that gives the company, at least for now, bragging rights to having the largest rooftop solar panel installation in North America and the second-largest in the world.

Iran inaugurates biggest solar power plant in Mashhad

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:50:03 -0800

Iran inaugurated its biggest solar power plant in the northeastern religious city of Mashhad on Thursday, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Experts urge Arab countries to exploit solar energy potential

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:49:12 -0800

DEAD SEA – Energy experts on Sunday predicted that solar power will be the most important source of energy in the Middle East within the next decade, calling on regional governments to shift from their reliance on oil to clean, renewable energy resources.

New material for 'bendable' solar cells

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:48:20 -0800

EVANSTON, Ill., Sept. 27 (UPI) -- A new material for solar cells -- a transparent conductor made of carbon nanotubes -- could revolutionize the way solar power is harvested, U.S. scientists say.

World Bank loan for wind, solar projects

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:47:24 -0800

The loan is funded by the World Bank's Clean Technology Fund, which promotes scaled-up financing for demonstration, deployment and transfer of low-carbon technologies with significant potential for long-term greenhouse gas emissions savings.

Solar Panels Light Up Remote Villages

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:46:10 -0800

DAKAR , Oct 27, 2011 (IPS) - Frequent power cuts have led people in rural areas of Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal to turn to solar energy for electricity.

Tres Amigas Technology Holds Promise for Expanding Renewable Energy Supply

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:47:46 -0800

A few months ago, New Mexico Governor and former U.S. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson announced that his state will be home to an energy transmission project that will connect the three main U.S. power grids.

Sustainable Energy For All: An Interview With Richenda Van Leeuwen Of The United Nations Foundation

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:46:50 -0800

I sat down with Richenda Van Leeuwen of the United Nations Foundation to discuss the new global initiative Sustainable Energy for All (SEFA), being spearheaded by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

UN launches initiative to promote sustainable energy for all

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:46:06 -0800

Warning that a lack of access to affordable and clean energy is jeopardizing the achievement of the global targets to combat poverty and disease, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today launched a major new initiative to make sustainable energy universally available.

VERMONT EYES 90% RENEWABLE ENERGY USE BY 2050

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:45:14 -0800

The Vermont Department of Public Service this week released a draft of an ambitious Comprehensive Energy Plan aimed at seeing the state get 90% of its power from renewable energy sources by 2050, up from its 25% goal set in 2008.

Can renewable energy help solve India's power woes?

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:44:08 -0800

One has often heard the comments that renewable power is too expensive, needs a lot of scarce subsidy to make it viable, is subject to the vagaries of nature, is not available when one needs it, needs a lot of land, the technology still needs to develop to make it cheaper, and so on.

Maldives should start using renewable energy: President

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:42:56 -0800

MALE, September 11 (HNS) – President Mohamed Nasheed has said that the Maldives and its people are directly affected by the slightest change in the climate, and the elements of the climate.

US: 24 governors wants Obama to focus on wind energy

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 00:10:46 -0800

A coalition of 24 governors from both major parties and each region of the USA wants President Obama to provide better conditions for wind power developments.

Jinping- Sunan ±800kV UHV DC Transmission Project Progresses Smoothly

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:00:24 -0800

" In order to ensure the timely delivery of the power from the hydropower station in Guandi and Jinping and alleviate the power shortage effectively in Eastern China, we will further clarify the objective of Jinping- Sunan ±800 KV UHV DC Transmission Project to ensure its bipolar operation in 2012." Vice Executive President Zhen Baosen made the request on August 1st, during the construction meeting in Yulong Converter Station in Xichang, Sichuan, where the project started.

Sri Lanka Plans To Set Up Undersea Power Power Grid Link With India

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:59:33 -0800

(RTTNews) - Sri Lanka is planning to set up a power grid connection between the island nation and India which is facing growing requirement for electricity, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Prasad Kariyawasam Sunday said in Bengaluru, reports said.

Jonathan Approves Construction Of 765KV Super Grid Network

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:58:33 -0800

President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the construction of 765KV super-grid transmission network to address the nation’s power challenge, Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, has disclosed.

City of Austin goes 100% renewable

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:40:27 -0800

The City of Austin, Texas, USA, has switched to 100% renewable energy with all facilities from neighbourhood libraries and recreation centres to police and fire stations subscribing to Austin Energy’s GreenChoice® renewable energy.

Renewable power to attract more investment -Sarasin

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:30:54 -0800

FRANKFURT, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Oil and gas firms, big industrial players and pension funds will increase investment in renewable energy thanks to falling costs and a shorter payback time than for nuclear, Swiss private bank Sarasin said on Monday.

U.S. Military to Invest $10 Billion Annually in Renewable Energy by 2030, According to Pike Research

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:30:03 -0800

In September the U.S. Army announced that it has formed a new Energy Initiatives Task Force that will assess renewable energy projects, vet potential suppliers, and develop new technologies to support the Army’s growing commitment to powering its bases and its missions with renewable energy. The Task Force is part of a Pentagon-wide effort to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and embrace renewable energy sources as the military confronts the issues of energy costs, energy security for remote bases and operations, and the effects of energy on strategic goals. According to a recent report from Pike Research, annual spending on renewable energy by the Department of Defense (DOD) will reach $10 billion by 2030. While a significant portion of this will be spent on Facilities operations, including permanent bases, the majority of the spending will be for Mobility applications including portable soldier power as well as land, air, and sea vehicles.

Renewable energy shows strongest growth in global electric generating capacity

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:29:16 -0800

The U.S. Energy Information Administration's International Energy Outlook 2011 (IEO2011) projects that the amount of global hydroelectric and other renewable electric generating capacity will rise 2.7% per year through 2035, more than any other electricity generating source (see chart above). The IEO2011 also projects that China and India will lead the way in adding hydroelectric and renewable electric generating capacity.

10 Reasons Renewable Energy May Beat the Projections

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:28:21 -0800

Five percent? That's the EIA's projected global increase in renewable energy generation by the year 2035. You'd think that nearly 30 years of technological, business and environmental inroads would make a bigger dent in the world's future energy mix.

DATC Proposes Transmission Projects To Spur Delivery Of Renewable Energy Across The Midwest

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:27:25 -0800

Duke-American Transmission Co. (DATC) has released a proposal for seven new transmission-line projects in five Midwestern states.

Systems Prepare for Renewables Integration

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:29:20 -0800

Increasing amounts of renewable energy are being integrated into the nation’s power systems, but the impacts are not uniformly understood. So, the Department of Energy set out to identify best practices as it performed a worldwide survey of operators.

Technology Cost Review: Grid Parity for Renewables?

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:43:47 -0800

Research from the University of Melbourne's Energy Research Institute predicts that the price of wind and solar energy will continue to fall. The Institute's Renewable Energy Technology Cost Review covers the current and future costs of three forms of renewable energy technology - photovoltaic (PV), wind and concentrating solar thermal (CST) - by comparing data from a range of international and Australia-specific studies.

A Marshall Plan to Build a Smart Grid

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:42:17 -0800

I wrote in last week’s column about the three most interesting insights into the future of grid-connected energy storage offered last week at the 2011 NAATBatt Annual Meeting and Conference by David Mohler, chief technology officer of Duke Energy. It occurred to me after posting my article that I neglected one other important insight. The fourth insight came not from David’s speech but from where he went after his speech: David is in China this week exploring commercial opportunities, undoubtedly trying to find ways to monetize Duke’s expertise in power technology.

UK MPs hail cost and social benefits of North Sea supergrid

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:40:57 -0800

An influential group of UK members of parliament warns that without a North Sea supergrid, the social and financial barriers to meeting Britain’s long-term renewables targets will be significantly higher – and potentially insurmountable.

European supergrid could slash cost of renewables

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:39:47 -0800

The United Kingdom could more effectively balance its electricity supply and demand by connecting the network to a European supergrid – potentially cutting the cost of building offshore wind farms by a quarter, a group of MPs in the House of Commons said today.

Interconnected European offshore grid will save billions of Euros

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:38:45 -0800

New results on offshore electricity grid infrastructure in Europe: the EU "OffshoreGrid" project analysis reveals tremendous cost saving potential.

The Need for a National Smart Grid

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:36:46 -0800

GE recently announced a new phase to its six month, $200 million dollar smart grid challenge, this one bringing smart grid technology into the home. This follows Vice President Joe Biden’s 2009 declaration that $3.3 billion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act would be invested in researching smart grid technology. These investments, both public and private, are critical to address the economic, security, and environmental risks that our current electrical power grid poses. However, investment alone is insufficient: better coordination between utilities and regulators is also needed to improve our national electricity grid.

Electric Vehicles Present Challenges For Distribution Grids

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 13:43:20 -0800

Increased worldwide interest in electric-vehicle (EV) deployment has led many researchers to consider the effects wide-scale adoption will have on the electric grid. Most experts have concluded that there is enough generation and transmission capacity to accommodate the expected number of EVs, at least in the near term.

Wind Power Transmission Lines Rise Across Texas

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:50:46 -0800

SWEETWATER — Enormous transmission towers stand beside a West Texas country road, waiting for electric wires to be strung through them. Nearby, the task of threading wires through the steel towers is already under way, as men in hardhats shift equipment into position.

China wind power capacity could reach 1,000 GW by 2050

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:49:58 -0800

(Reuters) - China's wind power generating capacity, already the world's largest, could reach 1,000 gigawatts by 2050, a study prepared by a think tank of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) showed on Wednesday.

Offshore Wind Turbines Keep Growing in Size

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:49:00 -0800

Whipped by winds exceeding 90 mph and battered by 15-foot waves, hundreds of wind turbines produce electricity off the coast of the North Sea and send it onshore to power homes and businesses in the United Kingdom, Germany and Denmark. Thousands more will be erected in the next 15 years, and bigger will be better as far as turbine makers are concerned.

Researchers Say Wind Could Power PHEVs In Alberta

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:48:07 -0800

Researchers at the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy have released a white paper that examines the potential benefits arising from the widespread adoption of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in light of Alberta's growing interest in wind power.

What are the Challenges and Innovations in Offshore Wind Design and Development?

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:47:05 -0800

Given that around a quarter of the cost of an offshore turbine is in the foundations, what is being done to reduce foundation cost and installation time, plus cope with deployments and other issues?

In Brazil Auction, Wind Power is Cheaper than Natural Gas

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:46:11 -0800

Brazil’s national electric company just wrapped up an auction for contracts with wind, biomass, hydro and natural gas developers. And for the first time ever, the price per megawatt-hour from the wind plants came in below the price for natural gas.

Solving Wind Power's Variability with More Wind Power

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:45:18 -0800

One solution to the variability of wind power is more wind.

Greece to Use Revenue From Solar Project to Pay Debt, EU Says

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 08:54:02 -0800

Greece will use future revenue from the country’s ‘Helios’ solar energy project to cut debt by as much as 15 billion euros ($21 billion), euro-area leaders said.

New York City's Solar Windfall Illuminates America's Clean Energy Future

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 08:52:58 -0800

A recently released solar map of New York City found enough room on building rooftops for solar panels to power half the city during hours of peak electricity use. Taking advantage of this solar windfall could allow New Yorkers to save millions on electricity costs and create tens of thousands of jobs.

Spain: 3.4m m2 of building integrated solar thermal by 2020

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 08:52:02 -0800

The Spanish Technical Building Code could lead to 3.4 million m2 of solar thermal systems by 2020 led by the residential market, according to the Spanish Institute for Diversification and Energy Saving (IDAE) and consultancy ECLAREON.

Wind and Avian Issues Examined

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 07:45:39 -0800

A review of the current literature on bird and bat issues has just been released.

Vehicle-to-Grid Technology: Electric Cars Become Power-Grid Batteries

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 23:14:46 -0800

Imagine a car that runs quietly, burns no gas, produces no emissions, stores renewable energy, and sometimes even pays you back. Seem like a pipe dream? Soon it won’t be. Vehicle-to-grid technology allows networks of electric vehicles (EVs) to function like a giant battery with an intelligent software interface feeding power from car to grid or grid to car on an as-needed basis. It’s now one step closer to U.S. commercialization.

Rooftop solar panels overloading electricity grid

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 21:53:20 -0800

THE runaway take-up of rooftop solar panels is undermining the quality of electricity supplies, feeding so much power back into the network that it is stressing the system and causing voltage rises that could damage household devices such as computers and televisions.

SolarShare on the Map--How Renewable Energy--Especially Solar

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 21:51:59 -0800

As an industry analyst and renewable energy advocate, I need data to do my work. When a politician makes an ill-informed statement that wind energy "doesn't work", or more generally "renewable energy doesn't work" I am ready with a factual reply that it indeed does work, "and here's the data to prove it".

First Google.Org-funded geothermal mapping report confirms vast coast-to-coast clean energy source

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:31:23 -0800

DALLAS (SMU) – New research from SMU’s Geothermal Laboratory, funded by a grant from Google.org, documents significant geothermal resources across the United States capable of producing more than three million megawatts of green power – 10 times the installed capacity of coal power plants today.

Solar PV rapidly becoming the cheapest option to generate electricity

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:12:11 -0800

For a long time, the holy grail of solar photovoltaics (PV) has been "grid parity," the point at which it would be as cheap to generate one's own solar electricity as it is to buy electricity from the grid. And that is indeed an important market milestone, being achieved now in many places around the world. But recently it has become clear that PV is set to go beyond grid parity and become the cheapest way to generate electricity.

Solar & Wind Could Power All Of US By 2026

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:17:40 -0800

The American public's relationship with clean energy is complicated: Polls consistently show that we overwhelmingly want more of it. The majority of Americans want the government to invest in clean power research and to create jobs in the industry. Yet at the same time, there's a pervasive sense of "we're not there yet" with technologies like solar and wind.

Solar PV Breaks Records in 2010

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:48:51 -0800

Solar photovoltaic (PV) companies manufactured a record 24,000 megawatts of PV cells worldwide in 2010, more than doubling their 2009 output. Annual PV production has grown nearly 100-fold since 2000, when just 277 megawatts of cells were made. Newly installed PV also set a record in 2010, as 16,600 megawatts were installed in more than 100 countries. This brought the total worldwide capacity of solar PV to nearly 40,000 megawatts—enough to power 14 million European homes.

Asia-Pacific to install 4.8GW in 2011

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:21:19 -0800

An end-of-year surge in the number of utility-scale PV installation in China and India will result in installed capacity for 2011 in the Asia-Pacific region reaching 4.8GW, according to the new Asia Pacific Major PV Markets Quarterly report from NPD Solarbuzz.

$48bn a year would provide electricity to the poor, report says

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:35:58 -0800

More than 1 billion people in poor countries around the world could have access to electricity within 20 years, if the international community is prepared to make the effort, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Monday.

Why the world is burning more coal

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:34:45 -0800

This year's UN climate negotiations are in Durban, South Africa. Many delegates will already be looking forward to the chance of going on safari after their labors, visiting Kruger National Park or one of the country's other magnificent game reserves. But I have another suggestion. Visit the enemy. Just two hours' drive up the Indian Ocean coast from Durban is Richards Bay, a huge deep-water harbor that is home to the world's largest coal export terminal.

Carbon capture progress has lost momentum, says energy agency

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:33:48 -0800

The financial crisis and fading government support for climate action have seriously eroded global plans to capture and store carbon, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned on Thursday.

India’s Explosive Energy Growth :An Interview With P. Uma SHankar

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:19:12 -0800

INDIA IS POISED for epic expansion of its electric system as it races to power a fast-growing economy and rising expectations of improved living conditions. In the process, it has the benefit of being at the forefront of deployment of just-developed technologies that will give it one of the most advanced grids in the world. To better understand the magnitude of the challenge and its implications, EnergyBiz recently sat down with P. Uma Shankar, secretary in India's Ministry of Power, at the GridWeek conference in Washington. He is the third-highest official in India's equivalent of the U.S. Department of Energy. Our conversation, edited for style and length, follows.

Pakistan in talks to import Indian electricity

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:38:21 -0800

Energy starved Pakistan is in talks to import electricity from its erstwhile nuclear rival India to overcome crippling power outages, a government official said Wednesday.

Indonesia Works To Secure Lead in "Ring of Fire" Geothermal Market

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:06:20 -0800

Indonesia is aggressively moving to build up its geothermal industry with plans add as much as 9,000 MW of installed capacity by 2025. However, industry observers say the Southeast Asian country's government must do more to attract foreign investment if it wants to achieve that target.

Greenhouse gases rise by record amount

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:32:23 -0800

Levels of greenhouse gases are higher than the worst case scenario outlined by climate experts just four years ago

Top Military Leaders Want US to Reduce Oil Consumption 30% in Next 10 Years

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:04:33 -0800

Top retired military leaders are calling for "immediate, swift and aggressive action" for the US to reduce oil consumption 30% over the next 10 years, saying it would significantly reduce grave security risks.

GSA Goes Deep Green With Next-Gen Green Leasing Standards

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:16:16 -0800

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is adopting changes to its standard lease language to enhance energy and water efficiency in the more than 190 million square feet of office space the federal agency leases across the United States.

Wind Could Provide 25% or More Electricity for Most States

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 08:39:18 -0800

At least 32 states can get 25 percent or more of their electricity from wind power within their own borders. This map is updated from a 2009 report by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Energy Self-Reliant States. Click the image for a larger version.

U.S. Support for Renewables is Minuscule — and Erratic

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 08:11:30 -0800

It's time to ponder a rational comparison of historical U.S. energy incentives. In a thoughtful analysis called "What Would Jefferson Do?" authors Nancy Pfund and Ben Healey of DBL Investors offer some revealing insight to inform the debate.

Climate Change Evaporates Part of China's Hydropower

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 07:40:12 -0800

The nation's hydropower production dropped by 25 percent thanks to an unusual drop in river flow

China: 1 TW of wind by 2050

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 01:35:23 -0800

China could have 1 TW of wind power by 2050 with wind supplying 17% of electricity production, compared to today's 1%, according to the National Development and Reform Commission’s Energy Research Institute (NDRC ERI) with support from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Accenture Study Finds Growth in Customer Solar Power Installations Poses Significant Challenges for the Electric Grid

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:16:13 -0800

The increased penetration of solar energy installations by residential and commercial property owners and large-scale solar energy developers could undermine the reliability, safety and quality of power supply on the electric grid for utilities that do not plan for it, according to a new Accenture (NYSE: ACN) study.

Feed-in Tariffs Best to Deal with Climate Change Says IPCC Working Group III Renewables

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:34:49 -0800

The 135-page report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change , especially Chapter 11 on Policy, Financing and Implementation, makes it clear that the overwhelming weight of academic studies conclude that feed-in tariffs--or fixed-price mechanisms--perform better at delivering renewable energy quickly and equitably than quota systems, such as Renewable Portfolio Standards in the US or the Renewable Obligation in Britain. This is not the unsurprising conclusion from a surprising source: the IPCC's Working Group III on Renewables.

IEA sees record CO2 emissions in 2010

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:49:18 -0800

(Reuters) - Global emissions of carbon dioxide hit their highest level ever in 2010, with the growth driven mainly by booming coal-reliant emerging economies, the International Energy Agency's chief economist said on Monday.

World headed for irreversible climate change in five years, IEA warns

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:21:03 -0800

If fossil fuel infrastructure is not rapidly changed, the world will 'lose for ever' the chance to avoid dangerous climate change.

Africa: How Africa Can Get the Energy It Needs Without Adding to Climate Change

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:58:43 -0800

Sub-Saharan Africa has massive potential to generate clean energy that could help lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty without exacerbating climate change, a new Christian Aid report says today.

Ford to sell SunPower charging station with new electric car

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:02:38 -0800

Later this year Ford will unveil the electric version of its best-selling Focus and in the process launch a two-pronged attack at carbon emissions in the US. Not only will the manufacturing giant be reducing emissions on the road with its first electric car, but it will be repeating the feat in the home by selling solar charging stations to its drivers.

OCI to become world’s largest polysilicon producer with latest expansion plan

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:01:34 -0800

Korean polysilicon producer, OCI will catapult past leading polysilicon producers Hemlock and Wacker with its latest plant expansion plans. OCI is investing up to US$1.6 billion (KRW 1.88 trillion) to build its P4 polysilicon plant with a production capacity of 20,000MT at the existing site in Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do. With construction beginning December 2010, the new facility is scheduled to be completed by October 2012.

Project Focus: Sempra Generation completes 48MW Copper Mountain Solar power plant

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:00:19 -0800

Sempra Generation, part of Sempra Energy, has completed construction of the 48MW (AC) Copper Mountain Solar photovoltaic power plant located in Boulder City, Nevada. The facility is reportedly the largest in the U.S. and is now generating enough electricity to power approximately 14,000 average homes.

Solyndra installs its largest system to date in France

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:58:48 -0800

Platinum Solyndra solution provider Nazca has completed a 1.2MW solar installation on a large warehouse roof near Toulouse, France. The warehouse was built by the GSE group, of which Nazca is a subsidiary, and subsequently sold to the 'Port de Barcelona,' one of the main commercial transport and distribution arteries in the Mediterranean area. The system, which consists of more than 7,080 Solyndra CIGS panels that will generate approximately 1,360MWh a year, is the largest Solyndra system in France and one of the largest worldwide.

Suntech supplies Pluto solar array to the Sydney Theatre Company

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:57:49 -0800

Suntech has supplied 384kW of its Pluto solar modules for a rooftop solar array on The Wharf, which is home to the Sydney Theatre Company (STC). The project was completed using a AUT$2 million donation from 'Shi's Family Foundation,' representing Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Suntech's founder, chairman, and CEO and his wife Vivienne Shi. Integrated by DCM Solar, the 1,906 solar panels comprise one of the largest capacity rooftop solar arrays in Sydney and Australia.

Sovello moves downstream with completion of first commercial rooftop installation in Italy

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:56:33 -0800

A recently established arm of String Ribbon technology user, Sovello has completed its first commercial scale project in collaboration with project developer and partner, German Solar System. Sovello subsidiary, Sovello Projects 741 kWp rooftop installation in the Italian region of Campania was for a textile factory owned by the Muccillo Group in the industrial park of Benevento.

First UK hybrid solar park clears planning permission

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:55:27 -0800

An existing wind farm in Lincolnshire, owned and operated by Ecotricity has received planning permission by East Lindsey Council to build a 1MW PV power plant on the same site. Groundbreaking on the 4.7 acre (1.9 hectare) site is expected in the next few weeks with grid connection planned in March, 2011. Although other plants have received or are close to receive planning approval, the Ecotricity project could be one of the first utility-scale projects to be commissioned in the UK.

REC signs largest solar panel supply deal in Australia to date

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:54:16 -0800

Energy Matters, the Australia-based solar power solutions provider, has signed a 20MW module supply agreement with the REC Group for the delivery of the company's Peak Energy solar panels. This agreement marks REC's biggest deal in the country and one of the largest single solar panel supply agreements in Australian history.

Colexon completes 2.4MWp rooftop installation in Germany

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:53:12 -0800

Colexon has completed a 2.4MWp photovoltaics installation on the 50,000m2 rooftop of tile manufacturer Porcelaingres' factory, located in Brandenburg, Germany. The roof will be leased to Colexon for a period of 20 years.

First Solar starts work on Australia’s largesA PV project

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:31:02 -0800

First Solar, Verve Energy and General Electric Energy Financial Services have started building work on Australia's first utility-scale solar power project. With a capacity of 10MW, the Greenough River Solar Farm is 10 times bigger than the largest operational solar project in the country and spans 80 hectares of cleared land 50 kilometres southeast of Geraldton.

Amonix connects North America’s largest CPV system to the grid

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:30:08 -0800

Amonix has connected North America’s largest completed concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) system to the grid, reports greentechsolar. The project has a capacity of 5MW and is situated on 39 acres of land at the Hatch Industrial Park in New Mexico.

Avenal in ascendance: Taking a closer look at the world’s largest silicon thin-film PV power plant

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:29:25 -0800

One of the largest photovoltaic power plants in the world started officially sending electricity to the grid earlier this month—and hardly anyone seemed to notice. The commissioning of the 45MW (AC) Avenal Solar Generating Facility in rural Kings County, CA, was drowned out among the buzz of First Solar’s gigawatt-scale PR burst around the Agua Caliente, Topaz, Desert Sunlight, and Copper Mountain Solar II installations and SunPower’s imminent kickoff of construction on the California Valley Solar Ranch site. After all, what’s a mere 45MW compared to the nearly 1.8GW represented by those megaprojects?

Southern California Edison to install largest rooftop PV system in US

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:28:28 -0800

Southern California Edison (SCE) will install the largest single-building solar rooftop system in the US at an industrial property in Perris, California. Dexus Property Group has signed a 20-year lease with SCE for the 513,588m2 rooftop space, which will soon be home to 36,000 solar panels.

Arizona Public Service issues request for proposal to developers for 17MW solar PV power plant

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:27:31 -0800

Regional utility company Arizona Public Service has issued a request for proposal to solar developers and installers to build a 17MW photovoltaic power plant, using commercially proven technology, which will be financed by APS through the company’s AZ Sun Program. When completed in 2013, the new plant will be owned and operated by APS and is expected to provide electricity to more than 4,000 Arizona homes.

US on the up: report reveals US market increased installs by 69% year-on-year

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:26:35 -0800

A report released by GTM Research and Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) suggests that the solar PV market in the US has continued on its current upward trend, installing 314MW of solar power in Q2’11, an increase of 69% on Q2’10. The market has garnered a larger portion of the total global market and looks to be still on track to install 1.75GW of PV in 2011, according to GTM Research and the SEIA’s latest quarterly ‘US Solar Market Insight’ report.

First Solar Mesa construction site photo blog: The next big PV production fab rises from the desert

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:25:14 -0800

With its framework structure erect and the first walls attached, the shell of what will be one of the largest PV manufacturing plants in the US is quickly rising from the desert floor in Mesa, AZ, east of Phoenix. The freeway-close First Solar production center will join the company’s mothership factory complex in Perrysburg, OH, as a second domestic site once it comes online next year. During a visit to—and exciting Bobcat ride around—the project this week, I found out that construction activities are in full swing, as the accompanying photos attest.

Return of demand elasticity in Germany as solar installations set to soar, says IHS iSuppli

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:24:14 -0800

Finally, demand for PV installations in Germany is set to soar, according to the latest report from market research firm IHS iSuppli. It didn’t happen in the third quarter as many had expected -- after weak installation figures in the first-half of the year meant there were no midyear FiT regressions. Weak demand and manufacturing overcapacity have seen continued price declines, eliciting the questioning of when demand elasticity would kick-in. German PV installations are now forecasted to reach 5.9GW in 2011, down 20.4% from 7.4GW in 2010.

Updated: Qatar Solar Technologies plans US$1bn polysilicon plant; operations to commence in 2013 - Oct. 6, 2011 - Síle Mc Mahon

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:22:36 -0800

Update: It has emerged that the Qatar Solar Technologies company is a joint venture that comprises SolarWorld AG, Qatar Solar and the Qatar Development Bank. The JV was established in 2010 by SolarWorld with the intention of expanding the company's coverage of the solar value chain.

German Chancellor questions solar’s future

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:29:05 -0800

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has dealt a blow to Germany’s flagging downstream sector by questioning its credibility as a commercially viable energy source and calling for a further cut to its feed-in tariff (FiT).

Siliken to build Latin America’s largest solar project

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:28:13 -0800

Spanish PV equipment manufacturer Siliken is planning to build a 100MW solar park in Durango, Mexico. When completed, the project will be the largest in Latin America and cost around US$300 million.

Never mind “you know who”: CIGS thin film survivors Nanosolar, Stion keep going about their business

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:27:17 -0800

Despite the muddy swirl of controversy surrounding that certain “you know who” CIGS company, many of the “survivors” in the most up-and-coming sector of the thin-film PV community just keep going about their business, driving up efficiencies, pushing down costs, closing deals, ramping production, and shipping products. Two Silicon Valley-based outfits, Nanosolar and Stion, have recently announced National Renewable Energy Lab-certified record conversion efficiencies and are both actively ramping production to feed their pipeline of orders.

Greece looks to finalize US$27 billion solar project by end of the year

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:26:11 -0800

According to Bloomberg, George Papaconstantinou, Energy Minister of Greece, advised that working with European Union officials and energy companies, he expects to see an agreement finalized by the end of the year for the country’s US$27 billion solar power project. The initiative aims to boost the Greek economy, which stands on the brink of shrinking by 5% in 2011 as its government cuts spending so that it can avoid defaulting on its bonds.

First Solar enters strategic alliance with Solar Chile for development of solar PV projects in Chile

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:24:50 -0800

First Solar and Solar Chile, a subsidiary of Fundación Chile, have agreed to a strategic alliance that will see the companies work together to co-develop solar projects in Chile. First Solar has agreed to provide its PV modules, engineering and procurement services for the projects, which are subject to the execution of definitive project agreements.

Down to the deadline: DOE awards final loan guarantees of $4.74B for 1.78GW of PV projects

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:23:45 -0800

(Update 2) On the last official day of the Section 1705 loan guarantee program, the US Department of Energy has been busy announcing the finalization of several awards.

Republic Services installs landfill cap system integrated with 1MW of solar PV near Atlanta

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:22:42 -0800

What is being called one of the largest landfill solar energy cap systems and the first of its kind in Georgia has been dedicated near Atlanta. The 1MW system, installed by Republic Services over the closed Hickory Ridge landfill, accounts for 10 acres of the 45-acre closure system.

First Solar’s Topaz Solar Farm to operate for 35 years; habitat restoration agreement made

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:08:36 -0800

Although the financial costs remain unknown, an agreement has been reached over conservation issues arising from the 550MW Topaz Solar Farm project that First Solar is developing in San Luis Obispo County, California. A lawsuit against the project started by North County Watch and Carrizo Commons is expected to be dropped.

Saudis activate Solar Frontier CIS thin film-powered 500KW PV plant on Farasan Island

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:07:27 -0800

Although better known as one of the world's largest suppliers of oil, Saudi Arabia continues to join the solar age with the inauguration of one of its first larger-scale photovoltaic power plants on October 1. The facility, a 500KW system comprised of Solar Frontier CI(G)S thin-film modules, is located on Farasan Island and was installed by the Saudi Electricity Co. and Solar Frontier's parent company, Showa Shell Sekiyu (which is partially owned by the Saudi Arabian Oil Co.).

Dow Chemical to begin US market introduction of Powerhouse solar shingle BIPV product

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:06:22 -0800

Dow Chemical said it will make the commercial introduction of its Powerhouse solar roofing shingle to U.S. markets this month. The company plans a rolling launch into markets from California to the East Coast that will continue through 2012, starting with the debut program in Colorado in October.

Utility-scale with a capital ‘U’: First Solar’s Agua Caliente PV project pushes toward initial power

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:05:01 -0800

The deserts of southwestern Arizona include a whole lot of empty terrain, interrupted occasionally by one of a handful of small towns, both alive and ghostly, as well as patches of irrigated farmland and mineral excavation sites. The rugged, scrubby landscape stretches for miles on either side of Interstate 8, the main west-east artery in that part of the US. The scale of the vast expanse swallows up thousand-acre parcels like a rattlesnake gobbling up a baby field mouse.

Middle East set for solar boom over next decade

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:03:46 -0800

Solar power is poised to become an important part of the Middle East’s energy mix over the next decade, according to a leading expert on solar within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Development banks to withdraw support for India’s PV sector

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 01:00:54 -0800

The US Government-sponsored banks that have helped fund the takeoff of India’s fledgling solar industry may soon move to withdraw their support, according to an official at the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC).

China’s project pipeline passes 16GW

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:59:08 -0800

Commercial PV capacity in China has now passed the 16GW milestone, according to a new report from Solarbuzz. The China Deal Tracker report also claims that the country is on course to match the US in terms of 2011 installations, with 195 systems, accounting for 1.8GW, scheduled to be grid connected by the year’s end.

Sharp develops solar cell with world’s highest conversion efficiency of 36.9%

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:58:08 -0800

After eleven years of research and development, Sharp Corporation has achieved the world’s highest solar cell conversion efficiency of 36.9% using a triple-junction compound solar cell in which the solar cell has a stacked three-layer structure. Measurement of this value, which sets a new record for the world’s highest non-concentrating conversion efficiency, was confirmed at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).

Amonix: Photos of the Biggest CPV Project in the US

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 23:51:58 -0800

Hatch, New Mexico lays claim to being the home of the world's best chile pepper. That's enough reason to visit. But the town is now also home to the largest Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV) project in North America. (At least until the 30-megawatt Alamosa project comes online.)

Premier Power finishes 1.2MW PV system on Dependable Companies high-rise rooftop in Los Angeles

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:39:14 -0800

Jinko Solar and Premier Power leaders were on hand with California State Senator Kevin de Leon to commemorate the beginning of power production for The Dependable Companies 1.2MW rooftop solar system. Located at the company’s Los Angeles headquarters, the project is said to be the world’s largest solar electricity system on an industrial high rise. Premier Power served as the engineering, procurement and construction developer on the PV installation while Jinko Solar provide modules for the array.

Morocco's 500MW CSP plant receives US$297 million World Bank loan

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:38:20 -0800

The World Bank (WB) has approved a US$297 million loan to help finance the 500MW Desertec concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in Ouarzazate, Morocco.

Abengoa steps up construction work on Mojave Solar Project

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:37:05 -0800

Abengoa has begun ramping up construction on its 280MW CSP Mojave Solar Project after the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) approved its power purchase agreement (PPA) with Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E).

Climate concerns as ‘ozone-friendly’ HFCs use grows

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:23:31 -0800

A rise in the use of "ozone-friendly" HFCs has prompted experts to voice concerns that the potent greenhouse gases could be a problem in the future.

World’s Biggest Hydropower Scheme Will Leave Africans in the Dark

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:56:57 -0800

South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo have signed an agreement to build a major hydroelectric power project, which is said to bring electricity to more than half of the continent’s 900 million people. But economic analysts warn that foreign investors will prevent the grid from benefiting the general public.

World Bank Supports Morocco’s Bold Solar Power Plans

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:44:39 -0800

The World Bank today approved $297 million in loans to Morocco to help finance the Ouarzazate Concentrated Solar Power Plant Project, taking a historic step toward realizing one of the first large-scale plants of this kind in North Africa to exploit the region's vast solar energy resources.

Arab power grid on track

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:36:14 -0700

Of the 10 largest wind power companies in the world, the United States has one - General Electric. Of the world's 10 largest solar companies, we have two - First Solar and SunPower - but almost all their manufacturing is in Asia. Hydropower and geothermal companies are also located in the Far East.

IKEA reveals plans to install just over 5MW of solar installations on six Eastern US stores

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:04:54 -0700

IKEA's mission to minimize its impact on the global environment continues with the announcement of six more solar installations to take place on its locations in the Eastern US. Since the beginning of this year, the home design giant has completed a 498kW solar system at its Denver store and a 200kW installation at its Brooklyn facility, while also announcing plans for two solar systems to be installed at store locations in Germany.

Boeing’s South Carolina plant to install 2.6MW solar system and become a 100% renewable energy site

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:02:49 -0700

Boeing and South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCE&G) will be working together to make Boeing’s South Carolina facility a 100% renewable energy site. The North Charleston site will produce renewable energy with the help of a 2.6MW rooftop solar installation. Both companies maintain that the solar system at the Boeings 787 Final Assembly site will be the largest solar installation in the Southeast and the sixth largest in the US.

Utility Shelves Ambitious Plan to Limit Carbon

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:00:11 -0700

WASHINGTON — A major American utility is shelving the nation’s most prominent effort to capture carbon dioxide from an existing coal-burning power plant, dealing a severe blow to efforts to rein in emissions responsible for global warming.

U.S. BLM Approves Four Projects Use of Public Land to Connect Renewable Energy to Power Grid

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:57:00 -0700

The United States Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management approved four new projects to run transmission lines through public land to transport electricity from large-scale renewable energy projects to the power grid.

Salazar Approves Major Renewable Energy Projects, Identifies Next Step in Solar Energy Development

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:54:22 -0700

WASHINGTON – Advancing the Obama Administration’s commitment to rapid and responsible development of large-scale renewable energy, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced the approval of four new projects on public lands, the launch of environmental reviews on three others, and the next step in a comprehensive environmental analysis to identify ‘solar energy zones’ on public lands in six western states.

Carbon War Room releases Livestock Report

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:41:32 -0700

Over the next decade and beyond, Brazil will rely heavily on the clearing of tropical forests to make way for the expansion of livestock rangeland. Deforestation in this region is speeding climate change and is responsible for the loss of plant and animal biodiversity. Brazil’s annual carbon emissions are estimated at 5 Gt CO2e, with 70 percent coming from deforestation and agriculture. Under current practices, the country's national goal to double beef and leather exports by 2018 will result in clearing of vast areas of tropical rainforests.

Free Flow Power Reports Positive Results from Turbine Generator in Mississippi River

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:38:41 -0700

New Orleans – Free Flow Power, a Boston-based developer of clean energy projects, announced that it has been successfully operating one of its underwater “hydrokinetic” electrical generators in the lower Mississippi since June 20, 2011, in the first full-scale test of the technology. It is the culmination of a three-year R&D project funded by a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as private capital.

REL confirms 16.3% efficiency reached in XsunX CIGS technology

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:33:04 -0700

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) confirmed that XsunX’s CIGS PV devices had reached a peak efficiency conversion of 16.36%. The samples tested had efficiency ratings that ranged between 15.3% and 16.36%, which lead to an average efficiency of 15.91%. XsunX supplied the NREL with a 125mm substrate sample, which after deposition was sub-divided into quadrants in order for NREL to generate device test structures and analytical equipment test structures. The organizations advised that this method was used in order to produce a substantial amount of data for XsunX to use as the basis of its future improvement efforts.

The Real Story About the Risks of Fracking

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:20:50 -0700

Sorting out the competing claims regarding fracking (hydraulic fracturing) for natural gas sure is challenging.

Many energy companies' management and their trade associations repeat the mantra that there are no documented incidents of water contamination from hydraulic fracturing for natural gas.

UN says green energy investment at record level

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:17:17 -0700

PARIS — Investment in renewable energy last year amounted to a record 211 billion dollars, a rise of 32 percent over 2009 and 540 percent over 2004, a UN-backed report said on Thursday.

U.N. Panel Calls for Offsets to New Coal-Fired Plants to Be Suspended

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:12:49 -0700

UNITED NATIONS -- They are the carbon offsetting projects most hated by environmentalists, but there may now be an opportunity to put an end to them.

Scripps Study Finds Plastic in Nine Percent of 'Garbage Patch' Fishes

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:10:33 -0700

The first scientific results from an ambitious voyage led by a group of graduate students from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego offer a stark view of human pollution and its infiltration of an area of the ocean that has been labeled as the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch."

Q-Cells guides almost flat sales in 2011; CIGS modules achieve 13.4% new efficiency world record

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:51:54 -0700

Although there were no specifics mentioned in the financial forecast for 2011 provided by Q-Cells as it announced full year financial results, sales are set to be at around the same level as last year. As previously reported, Q-Cells sales increased by 70% to 1.35 billion in 2010. In its annual report, 2011 sales guidance is between 1.3 billion and 1.5 billion.

New South Wales solar industry in crisis

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:45:02 -0700

Without Government assistance, the New South Wales solar industry could cease to exist in as little as eight weeks, according to the Australian Solar Energy Society.

6 MW Solar Plant Planned on Kauai

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:43:08 -0700

Alexander & Baldwin and Kaua'i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) are planning a 6 MW utility-scale photovoltaic facility on Kaua'i's sunny south shore.

IRAN TO GENERATE OVER 5,000 MW OF ELECTRICITY BY 2015

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:42:16 -0700

Press TV reported that Iran plans to generate more than 5,000 MW of electricity from renewable energy resources by 2015. Mr Majid Namjou energy minister of Iran said that “Iran is pursing to fulfill its major strategic objectives in the field of renewable energies.”

China Sunergy to invest US$277 million in 1GW cell manufacturing expansion

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:41:13 -0700

Two China Sunergy subsidiaries are investing RMB1.8 billion (US$277 million) in a new 1GW solar cell manufacturing facility in Yangzhou, China. The joint venture will concentrate on the production of China Sunergy’s newly-developed Quasar cells, with the first 500MW batch set to be delivered in the first half of 2012.

Deutsche Bank’s 7.56MW solar project officially unveiled

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:39:55 -0700

Deutsche Bankâ€™s 7.56MW solar park in the southeast Italian commune of Torre Santa Susanna has been officially opened. The plant was a joint venture alongside EST Energie & Solar Technik, dean Solar and Sanyo, and is one of the largest tracking solar systems in Europe.

Scottish 2020 Routemap for 100% renewable electricity

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:34:39 -0700

The Scottish Government has released its 2020 Routemap for 100% renewable electricity and 30% overall renewable energy in Scotland by 2020 Jenny Hogan, Director of Policy at Scottish Renewables, says: “The Routemap frames Scotland as the place to invest in renewable energy within Europe. It recognises that the Scottish Government’s 100% renewable electricity target, alongside commitments on heat and transport, takes Scotland’s overall renewable energy target to at least 30% of all energy demand by 2020..

Technology Buoys Wave Energy

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:32:28 -0700

Successful trials off Scotland

Initial test results are in and an ocean wave technology is exceeding its projections in a challenging environment.

The last time we wrote about this company, Ocean Power Technologies, Inc., the trials had just started off the Scottish coast and were expected to last for three months.

OPT said the first of its new generation utility-scale PowerBuoy device, the PB150, has delivered better-than-expected initial results from tests being conducted off the northeast coast of Scotland.

Global consumers crave green energy in survey-Vestas

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:31:10 -0700

* Survey shows 90 pct favor renewables * Automobile industry wins best marks * Chinese overestimate their clean energy sources NEW YORK, June 28 (Reuters) - Consumers around the world overwhelmingly support the rollout of renewable energy, but many have mistaken views about "green" products, according to a survey conducted by TNS Gallup for Vestas Wind Systems (VWS.CO: Quote).

The Good News About Coal

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:30:07 -0700

During the years when governments and the media were focused on preparations for the 2009 Copenhagen climate negotiations, a powerful climate movement was emerging in the United States: the movement opposing the construction of new coal-fired power plants.

Average U.S. temperature increases by 0.5 degrees F

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:28:45 -0700

Statewide changes in annual "normal temperatures" (1981 - 2010 compared to 1971 - 2000).

According to the 1981-2010 normals to be released by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) on July 1, temperatures across the United States were on average, approximately 0.5 degree F warmer than the 1971-2000 time period.

Normals serve as a 30 year baseline average of important climate variables that are used to understand average climate conditions at any location and serve as a consistent point of reference. The new normals update the 30-year averages of climatological variables, including average temperature and precipitation for more than 7,500 locations across the United States. This once-a-decade update will replace the current 1971–2000 normals.

Italy’s new austerity plan could hit solar with further cuts

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:28:17 -0700

The final version of Italy's deficit-reduction plan has imposed further reductions on renewable energy incentives, reports Reuters. If confirmed, the new legislation could see incentives to renewable energy companies paid for by consumers on their electricity bills slashed by as much as 30%.

Biofuels from the Sea: Seaweed May Prove a Viable Future Biofuel, Especially If Harvested in Summer

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:25:26 -0700

Seaweed may prove a viable future biofuel -- especially if harvested in summer. The use of kelp (Laminaria digitata) could provide an important alternative to terrestrial grown biofuels; however the suitability of its chemical composition varies on a seasonal basis. Harvesting the kelp in July when carbohydrate levels are at their highest would ensure optimal sugar release for biofuel production.

Biofuels from the Sea: Seaweed May Prove a Viable Future Biofuel, Especially If Harvested in Summer

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:19:57 -0700

Bank of Tokyo Leads $500 Million Funding for Biomass Power Plant

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:04:33 -0700

The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd. led a $500 million financing round for a 100-megawatt biomass power plant under construction in Gainesville, Florida.

Airlines Win Approval to Use Plant-Based Biofuels on Commercial Flights

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:55:44 -0700

Airlines won final approval from a U.S.-based technical-standards group to power their planes with a blend made from traditional kerosene and biofuels derived from inedible plants and organic waste.

First College in US Generates Income Selling Solar to the Grid

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:52:37 -0700

Butte College, near Sacramento, California is the first college in the US to be ‘grid positive' - it generates more electricity than it needs from its solar arrays and thus can deliver energy to the electric grid, making a tidy profit.

Transmission Access for Renewables

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:51:16 -0700

The transmission build-out wouldn’t just give renewable energy to markets, but would be an economic engine of its own, according to a new study. And there’s the little mater of jobs, which should get some attention, even among those who aren’t sold on clean energy.

State-of-the-Art Control Center

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 11:12:11 -0700

High-tech Tools Integrate Renewables

How the DRC’s Inga project could solve much of Africa’s power problems

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:57:32 -0700

Companies in Africa are severely handicapped by poor power supply.

Can North Africa Light Up Europe With Concentrated Solar Power?

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:34:24 -0700

HAMBURG, Germany -- Twenty-five years after Gerhard Knies conceived of powering Europe with the Sahara Desert's sun, the North Africa Solar project has grown into something considerably more than a mere mirage, but it's still less than a reality.

US$1.2 billion DOE loan guarantee offered to Abengoa for 280MW project

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:13:05 -0700

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has offered a conditional loan guarantee totalling US$1.2 billion to help build a 280MW Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plant in southern California. If confirmed, the DOE guarantee will help fund the construction and start-up of Abengoa’s Mojave Solar Project (MSP), which is to be located around 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles in San Bernardino County.

Google invests US$280 million in SolarCity solar rooftop fund

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:01:25 -0700

Google has made its biggest investment in renewable energy to date by creating a US$280 million fund with SolarCity. The money will be dedicated to projects in the residential solar market and takes the internet giant’s green spending to US$680 million.

Tata Steel, Dyesol produce world’s largest dye-sensitized photovoltaic module

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:20:12 -0700

The Tata Steel and Dyesol development partnership has produced the world’s largest dye sensitized photovoltaic module. Manufactured at Tata Steel’s Shotton site in North Wales, the module is over three metres in length and approximately one square metre in area. This unique achievement represents an important step towards the development of large-scale microgeneration capability within building infrastructure.

Top US utilities added 561MW of new solar capacity in 2010

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:59:35 -0700

According to the Solar Electric Power Association’s (SEPA) most recent report, US-based power utilities are ramping up the use of solar photovoltaics. The 2010 Utility Solar Rankings report identifies the top 10 US utilities that added the most new solar power to their systems last year as well as the top 10 utilities that added the most solar on a watts-per-customer-served basis.

OPIC approves $123 million for pair of 20MW PV power plants to be built by T-Solar in Peru

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:48:38 -0700

The board of the Overseas Private Investment Corp. (OPIC) has approved $123 million in financing for the construction of two 20MW solar power plants in Peru, said to be the first large-scale solar power project in the Latin American country. Along with the involvement of Peru's ProInversion investment promotion agency, the ground-mount-based projects will be developed by T-Solar and use silicon thin-film panels made by the Spanish company with Applied Materials SunFab technology.

Soitec, Schneider Electric to promote CPV in Morocco

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:37:01 -0700

Soitec and Schneider Electric have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (Masen) to develop concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) technology in the North African country.

IEEE: Solar could challenge fossil fuel in 10 years

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:17:03 -0700

Solar photovoltaics have the potential to be the most cost-effective electricity source and could even challenge fossil fuels within 10 years.

Utilities Developing More Solar Projects

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:56:17 -0700

The 2010 SEPA Utility Solar Rankings report shows huge growth in utility ownership of solar projects.

NV Energy Launches Renewable Transmission Intiative

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:51:05 -0700

NV Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NVE) is one of Nevada's largest power utilities providing electricity to 2.4 million customers. With its most recent announcement, the company will soon be producing energy for customers outside of Nevada.

Fuel From Algae, Wood Chips OK’d for Airlines

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:29:08 -0700

Airlines won the backing of a U.S.- based technical-standards group to power their planes with a blend of traditional fuel and biofuel from inedible plants, the Air Transport Association said today.

South Asia’s energy quest could reshape region

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:02:16 -0700

New Delhi — India and its Himalayan neighbor Nepal are set to build a massive power transmission line across their border, a step toward addressing rising energy needs in a region that analysts say has been held back economically by political distrust.

China Solidly Leads Renewables

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 10:36:15 -0700

China is maintaining its lead in the global renewable energy race while the United States continues to lag in second place, partly due to its uncertain policy commitments.

San Diego's New CPV Solar Giant

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 10:15:40 -0700

The development of a commerical large-scale CPV project is helping to establish the performance credentials of a technology that offers significant opportunities at the power plant scale.

The Rise of Concentrating Solar Thermal Power

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 09:51:44 -0700

With big government help, a solar thermal power (CSP) technology boom seems to be coming in the United States. Regulators have issued permits for about a dozen power plant projects and construction is underway for a few. But the three main challenges for building a project – permits, finance and technology -- remain big concerns for technology and project developers.

China still most attractive country for renewable energy

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:38:52 -0700

A diverse renewable portfolio helps China hold top position in global energy rankings

MENA Tipped for CSP Boom

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:25:45 -0700

London, UK -- The Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) could be ripe for developing its massive potential in concentrating solar power (CSP), finds a recent study for the World Bank by the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE).

Smart grid is all fine, but just get transmission built, group tells DOE

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:56:50 -0700

A transmission-interest group lamented the other day that the Department of Energy didn't specifically put upgrading and expanding the high-voltage transmission grid in the Strategic Plan it released earlier this month.

World Bank to Help Cities Control Climate Change

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:34:42 -0700

SÃO PAULO, Brazil — The World Bank signed an agreement on Wednesday with mayors from 40 of the world’s biggest cities to work on technical and financial assistance for projects to minimize the effects of climate change.

Plugging High-Speed Rail Into Germany’s Power Grid

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:10:55 -0700

Using rail lines for the energy grid may help a suddenly nuclear-shy Germany transition to wider use of renewable sources.

Midwest power transmission project targets Kansas wind

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 12:28:51 -0700

A Houston company is in the early stages of planning one of the largest energy infrastructure projects the Midwest has seen in years - a $1.7 billion high-voltage transmission line connecting Kansas wind farms with consumers in St. Louis and throughout the Ohio River Valley.

Viewpoints: How electrical 'microgrids' might revolutionize power transmission

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 12:07:14 -0700

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District has long been seen as a clean technology pioneer. After all, this is a utility that shuttered a nuclear reactor after a public vote in 1989 and has since blazed trails on wind, solar and energy efficiency.

Condemning Private Property to Build Transmission

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 11:49:42 -0700

A transmission case in Montana is getting ensnared in both the state capitol and in the local court house. It’s centered on “eminent domain” -- whether state law allows energy developers to take private property for public use.

Sustainable Energy without the Hot Air

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 11:36:19 -0700

Let’s express energy consumption and energy production using simple personal units. The units I’ll use are kilowatt-hours. One kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the energy used by leaving a 40-watt bulb on for 24 hours. The chemical energy in the food you eat to stay alive amounts to about 3 kWh per day. Taking one hot bath uses about 5 kWh of heat. Driving an ordi- nary car (delivering 25 miles per US-gallon) 100 km uses 80 kWh of fuel.

Roll-to-roll flexible solar thin-film with 10% efficiency

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 11:12:25 -0700

The Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) has developed a roll-to-roll system depositing CIGS solar thin-film on a 25 µm thin polymer film with a 10% efficiency.

The Fastest Growing Industry

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 10:54:29 -0700

Solar power may be the fastest growing industry in the country, says one of its leading proponents. The base from which it is growing may be small, but the rate of increased is unmatched in the renewables space.

DOE Offers Loan Guarantee for Solar Generation Project in Nevada

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:38:06 -0700

DOE announced on May 19 its offer of a conditional commitment for a $737 million loan guarantee to support a 110-megawatt concentrating solar power (CSP) tower facility in Nevada. The Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, sponsored by SolarReserve, LLC, will be the first of its kind in the United States and the tallest molten salt tower in the world. It is located on 2,250 acres leased from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management. The company estimates the project will create 600 construction jobs and 45 operations jobs.

Coming Clean about Nuclear Power

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:20:39 -0700

Regulators and industry have one precious moment to recapture the public's trust

Huge Growth Expected for North American Solar Industry

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:03:47 -0700

Washington, DC-- President Obama recently stated in his 2011 State of the Union Address: "Instead of subsidizing yesterday's energy, let's invest in tomorrow's." Shortly thereafter DOE secretary Chu launched the SunShot initiative, geared at research to drive down the costs of solar PV aggressively.

BPA Decision To Curtail Wind Power Sends 'Chilling Signal' To Industry

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 13:44:22 -0700

The decision discriminates against wind power, violates contracts and favors its own narrow interests, according to AWEA reps and other wind industry insiders.

U.S. smart grid to cost billions, save trillions

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 13:06:44 -0700

(Reuters) - A planned modernization of the U.S. national power grid will cost up to $476 billion over the next 20 years but will provide up to $2 trillion in customer benefits over that time, according to industry experts.

All-Energy: Scotland aims for 100% renewable energy

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:40:37 -0700

Salmond said in the opening session: "Because the pace of development has been so rapid, with our 2011 target already exceeded, we can now commit to generating the equivalent of 100% of Scotland's own electricity demand from renewable resources by 2020. By then we intend to be generating twice as much electricity as Scotland needs – just over half of it from renewables, and just under half from other conventional sources.

Japanese Billionaire Touted to Kick-Start Solar Power Plants In Tsunami-Hit Areas

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:32:56 -0700

Japan's richest man, Masayoshi Son, the CEO of Japanese telecom company, Softbank, wants to kick-start large solar power plants in tsunami-hit areas of eastern Japan, according to reports. Said to be an advocate of shifting Japan away from nuclear energy towards greater dependence on renewable forms of energy, Son wants to provide approximately 10% of the funding for 10 projects, supported by local governments and banks.

Asia Wind Market Takes Flight

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:45:09 -0700

London, UK-- The Asia-Pacific region currently leads the global market in annual wind capacity installations and will account for at least 45 percent of total megawatts added globally through to 2025. In recent years, exponential growth in regional wind power demand, coupled with improving state and local incentives, has encouraged local original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to scale up their sales strategies.

Teaching Algae to Make Fuel: New Process Could Lead to Production of Hydrogen Using Bioengineered Microorganisms

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:02:53 -0700

Many kinds of algae and cyanobacteria, common water-dwelling microorganisms, are capable of using energy from sunlight to split water molecules and release hydrogen, which holds promise as a clean and carbon-free fuel for the future. One reason this approach hasn't yet been harnessed for fuel production is that under ordinary circumstances, hydrogen production takes a back seat to the production of compounds that the organisms use to support their own growth.

Mongolia allows import of electricity from China

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 14:00:04 -0700

The Mongolian government has permitted the company that invests in Mongolia's Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mining project to build an electricity line to import electricity from China, local media reported Wednesday.

California's Grid Plan Ready for Renewable Power Influx

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 13:41:57 -0700

The California Independent System Operator Corporation (ISO) Board of Governors yesterday approved the 2010-2011 Transmission Plan that includes 33 grid upgrades for addressing future reliability and policy-driven needs worth $1.2 billion. The approval provides a timely decision that will aid renewable power projects seeking financing. The ISO accelerated its planning process by six months so that American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects could meet eligibility criteria.

China confronts raft of problems at Three Gorges

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 13:29:07 -0700

China has admitted that its showcase Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydroelectric project, has caused a slew of urgent environmental, geologic and economic problems.

6 amazing facts about electricity transmission in China

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 12:56:43 -0700

It’s well known that China has been going gangbusters on developing its energy infrastructure, rapidly building everything from not-so-green new coal-fired power to a massive solar photovoltaics manufacturing base to large deployments of wind power. While its energy resources have been growing, though, its transmission capacity has some serious catching-up to do.

Japan contemplates making solar compulsory on all new builds

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:08:56 -0700

The Japanese Government is contemplating making it compulsory for all new buildings to be fitted with solar panels by 2030, according to financial newspaper Nikkei. The proposed legislation illustrates Japan’s desire to promote the use of renewable energy and is expected to be unveiled at the upcoming G8 summit in Deauville, France.

Ecuador adopts feed-in tariffs

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 11:06:00 -0700

The programme by the South American country of 15 million people includes multiple technologies, including solar photovoltaics (PV). Biomass-biogas and hydro projects are further differentiated by size.

Desertec first pilot project in Morocco

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 10:27:11 -0700

The first pilot project Desertec megaproject, which aims to supply Europe and the MENA (Middle East, North Africa) in renewable energy from the deserts of the latter will be in Morocco, said on Thursday, Klaus Schmidtke, Head of Communication Desertec Industrial Initiative. La capacité de production du projet sera de 500 MW d'énergie solaire. The production capacity of the project will be 500 MW of solar energy. L'exploitation débutera en 2016 et l'appel d'offres sera lancé en 2013. The operation will begin in 2016 and the tender will be launched in 2013.

Maui selected for smart-grid demonstration

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 13:13:23 -0700

WAILUKU - Maui has been selected as the site for a "smart grid" renewable energy demonstration project, with an investment of approximately $37 million from the Japan-based New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, Hawaiian Electric Co. announced Wednesday afternoon.

California's Grid Plan Ready for Renewable Power Influx

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 12:58:31 -0700

SDG&E, Soitec Solar sign two more PPAs for another 125MW in CPV power plants

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 12:47:13 -0700

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has signed two more 25-year power purchase agreements (PPA) with Soitec Solar Development, which, this time around, will total 125MW of solar energy produced in SDG&E’s service area. Just last month, the utility signed contracts with Soitec subsidiaries for three solar projects in the San Diego area that amounted to 30MW of solar PV energy. SDG&E stressed that the three previous contracts were separate contracts from those announced today.

Electricity Grid Quiz: Test Your Electron Wits

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 12:29:04 -0700

Tonight's episode: Our Bulk Power System: The Fascinating World of Scheduling and Moving Electrons.

Kent's new electricity cable connection with Europe

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 12:16:24 -0700

The £530m cable links the Isle of Grain in Kent to Maasflakte near Rotterdam.

How Will the California System Operator Cope With 33% Renewables?

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 11:57:20 -0700

To meet California’s new standard requiring the state to get 33 percent of its power from renewables by 2020, the grid operator will have to stop talking about the weather and do something about it. The California Independent System Operator Corporation (ISO) just brought its Mission Critical Wing, a new high tech control center, on line to do that.

The Case for Underground Transmission

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 11:39:05 -0700

The Knoxville Utilities Board has been hit hard by the storms ravaging the southeast. While the local distributor says that it usually spends about $2 million a year on similar events, this recent one will cost it at least $1.2 million fixing transmission-related items. Would underground lines help?

New Jersey An Unlikely Leader In Solar Energy

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 11:27:11 -0700

New Jersey, home to more industrial waste clean-up sites than any other state, is poised to become an exemplar of solar power usage -- though not everyone is happy about it.

China to upgrade power grids in rural areas in coming five years

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 11:15:53 -0700

China's top economic planer has issued a notice asking local governments to upgrade their rural power grids in a bid to boost the nation's rural power infrastructure and improve the lives of rural residents in the next five years.

Economic Opportunities and Environmental Benefits Identified in the Intersection Between Energy and Water

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 11:01:15 -0700

WASHINGTON, D.C.and CHICAGO, Illinois—A panel of national experts on energy and water efficiency has developed a blueprint for realizing the substantial economic and environmental benefits to the nation from a combined approach towards more efficient water and energy systems. These experts were jointly convened by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and the Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE), leading national research institutes focused respectively on energy and water efficiency, to address opportunities that could result from exploring the connections between energy and water. The outcome of this joint process, A Blueprint for Action and Policy Agenda, was released today.

After quake, Japan ends bid to boost nuclear power

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 13:05:04 -0700

Japan will scrap a plan to obtain half of its electricity from nuclear power and will instead promote renewable energy and conservation as a result of its ongoing nuclear crisis, the prime minister said Tuesday.

Historic climate change deal with legal powers agreed by Cabinet

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 12:54:03 -0700

Chris Huhne will announce a long-term programme that will put Britain at the forefront of the battle against climate change

Nuclear Power is Dead - Part 2

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 12:35:26 -0700

This is a continuation of a two-part series. In Part II, we will discuss: * Nuclear Power Plant Costs * Aging Nuclear Power Plants * NIMBY Factor * Summary

Nuclear Power is Dead - Part 1

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 12:27:35 -0700

The U.S. Government is actively looking into the safety of our existing nuclear power plants. Any new power plant design and construction will undergo heavy Government scrutiny before permits are issued. In addition, eight different non-profit clean energy organizations including Green Peace have just recently (2009) petitioned the U.S. Government to stop and abandon all nuclear power plants2.

Importing solar energy to Britain from abroad

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 12:11:47 -0700

In future Britain should consider importing solar energy from as far away as North Africa, according to a new report from the Committee on Climate Change.

Transmission Access for Renewables

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 11:36:35 -0700

EV Life Cycle Cost

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 11:19:02 -0700

Life cycle cost summary: Battery EVs cost more than fuel cell EVs, but fuel costs are less for battery EVs. Fuel savings with battery EVs can offset the higher vehicle costs for BEVs with less than 150 miles range, but for BEVs with more than 150 miles range, fuel cell EVs with 350 miles range will have lower life cycle costs (fuel, vehicle, maintenance, etc.)

Report: New Transmission Translates Into Jobs

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 11:03:10 -0700

U.S. annual investment in new electric transmission facilities could soon reach $12 billion to $16 billion, resulting in $30 billion to $40 billion in annual economic activity, says a new study conducted by The Brattle Group and commissioned by WIRES. This translates into support for 150,000 to 200,000 new full-time jobs in the U.S. in each of the next 20 years and between 20,000 and 50,000 new jobs each year in Canada, the report adds.

Solar PV could reach 130-200 GW by 2015

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 10:47:14 -0700

According to EPIA’s latest Global Market Outlook, the global cumulative solar PV market reached 40 GW at the end of 2010 with 16.6 GW added in 2010 alone. Solar PV is thereby now potentially producing around 50 TWh annually.

China Leads Push to Go Green

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 10:32:09 -0700

AMSTERDAM — Denmark earns the biggest share of its national revenue from producing windmills and other clean technologies, and the United States is rapidly expanding its clean-technology sector. But no country can match China’s pace of growth, according to a new report.

Offshore renewable energy storage

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 10:05:56 -0700

Canadian Thin Red Line Aerospace has developed the Energy Bag, which will see a prototype anchored to the seabed off the coast of Scotland this summer as part of a renewable energy research project led by Professor Seamus Garvey of the University of Nottingham, UK. The project is being supported by E.ON.

Renewables integration

Wed, 25 May 2011 11:29:05 -0700

As more emphasis is put on going green and weaning the U.S. off expensive and dirty fossil fuels, utilities continually find themselves at the focal point of green energy initiatives.

Japan says nuclear policy must be reviewed from scratch

Wed, 25 May 2011 10:32:58 -0700

TOKYO - Prime Minister Naoto Kan said on Tuesday that renewable energy would be a key pillar of Japan's energy policy after the world's worst nuclear crisis in 25 years and that its nuclear policy must be reviewed from scratch.

China revises PV installation targets

Wed, 25 May 2011 10:19:00 -0700

According to reports, the Chinese Government has increased the country’s target for PV installations from 5GW by 2015 to 10GW. Citing an official from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the reports claim that the government has also increased installation targets for 2020 to have 50GW of PV installations, up from 20GW target previously planned.

Italy has a new FiT

Wed, 25 May 2011 10:07:10 -0700

Consultations and deliberations are now over as the Italian Council of Ministers signed on a new Conto Energia IV, effective on June 1, 2011. Since a review was announced the Italian market has effectively been frozen, especially for commercial and utility-scale projects, causing the PV supply chain to balloon with module inventory some market researchers have put at between 2 - 3GW. The situation was exacerbated by the slow start in PV installations in Germany this year.

Proposal would route 500-mile wind energy line near Q-C

Sun, 22 May 2011 13:12:01 -0700

A lack of transmission capabilities is slowing the growth of wind energy projects in Iowa and Illinois, according to a Houston-based company with plans for a multi-billion-dollar transmission line that would deliver the renewable energy across the Midwest.

NREL Highlights 2010 Utility Green Power Leaders

Sun, 22 May 2011 12:53:41 -0700

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

Ethiopia Plans to Start Exporting Power to Djibouti This Month

Sun, 22 May 2011 12:28:55 -0700

Ethiopia expects to begin exporting electricity to Djibouti this month after completing a project connecting its power grid to the neighboring country, an Ethiopian Electric Power Corp. official said.

MIT Showcases New Way of Turning Sun's Heat into Electricity

Sun, 22 May 2011 11:59:02 -0700

Cambridge, MA, USA -- MIT researchers and their collaborators have come up with an unusual, high performance and possibly less expensive way of turning the sun's heat into electricity.

A Buoyant Future for Floating Wind Turbines?

Sun, 22 May 2011 11:45:39 -0700

London, UK -- In recent years there have been two significant trends in the wind industry: developers seeking higher quality wind resources and turbines growing in size. In response to these developments, the idea of 'floating' offshore wind turbines is becoming increasingly popular. Because they float, these turbines can provide developers with better access to offshore wind resources, unconstrained by water depth. Done right, they include a support structure able to accommodate today's large, and tomorrow's even larger turbines.

A Hidden Renewable Resource

Sun, 22 May 2011 11:34:24 -0700

A “hidden resource” for clean power generation is being promoted in Congress and throughout the states, one that its supporters point out is being wasted without anyone noticing. The waste heat from industrial processes now has an advocacy group and a fledgling effort to get it recognized where financial players would notice–in the tax code.

Gregoire signs bill to phase out coal power

Sun, 22 May 2011 11:24:44 -0700

Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire signed legislation today to close two coal-fired boilers at the TransAlta power plant in Centralia, the last coal-fired plant in the state, with the aim of replacing them with cleaner energy. The boilers will be closed in 2020 and 2025, respectively.

Intermittency and the HVDC Supergrid

Sun, 22 May 2011 11:22:51 -0700

Smart grid or supergrid? Although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, distinguishing them can be useful.

Can You Run a Wind Farm From a Cell Phone?

Sun, 22 May 2011 10:56:32 -0700

Half a billion euros, GL Garrad Hassan (GL GH) Business Development Manager John Macaskill said, are lost every year around the world by wind farm operators who, inundated with unassimilated data, do not reach achievable levels of availability and operating efficiency.

EPRI Publishes Basic Consumer Guide about Electric Vehicles

Sun, 22 May 2011 10:47:17 -0700

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has published a basic consumer guide that addresses questions about electric vehicle technology and performance. With a variety of electric and hybrid technologies now available commercially, potential buyers are looking to understand which options might best match their needs.

No big shifts to nation's energy supply by 2035, report says

Sat, 21 May 2011 14:26:04 -0700

The current energy landscape is rife with contradictions: Gas prices are shooting up, renewables are being implemented at a seemingly rapid pace, natural gas is being simultaneously demonized and hailed as an energy savior, and electric cars are finally starting to roll off production lines. Fortunately, your tax dollars fund a government agency devoted to making sense of energy.

Fed Carbon Footprint: 121.3 Million Metric Tons; Lion’s Share is DOD

Sat, 21 May 2011 13:59:54 -0700

The federal government’s 2010 “reducible” emissions totaled 66.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, according to The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), which is a reduction of GHG pollution by 2.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from its 2008 baseline.

Tunisia still in running for Desertec role despite turmoil

Sat, 21 May 2011 13:42:00 -0700

Tunisia remains a leading candidate to host one of the first renewables projects built by the Desertec Industrial Initiative (DII), despite the North African country’s recent revolution.

A World Record in Direct Current Transmission

Sat, 21 May 2011 13:15:12 -0700

Siemens is building power converter stations for a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system with a record capacity of 2 x 1,000 megawatts. Beginning in 2013 the new HVDC PLUS technology will transmit 2,000 megawatts (MW) as direct current over a distance of 65 kilometers underground. This system, which is being partially funded by the EU, connects the French and Spanish grids between Baixas and Santa Llogaia. At present the two countries’ grids are linked only by low-capacity lines.

National Coal Expert: "Mining is a Loser" in Practically Every Way

Sat, 21 May 2011 12:24:53 -0700

Anytime coal’s cost to America is discussed, the coal industry reflexively talks about what an economic lifeline it is for the states in which it operates. Headwaters Economics, a Bozeman-based think tank focusing on natural resource issues, has a solid new study that’s getting national attention for undercutting those claims. For instance, the Headwaters study finds that “[f]ossil fuel production has not insulated energy-producing states from fiscal crisis,” that “[f]ossil fuel extraction has a limited influence at the state level on economic indicators such as GDP by state, personal income, and employment,” and that “[t]he volatility of fossil fuel markets poses obstacles to the stability and long-term security of economic growth in energy-producing regions.”

Renewables Integration

Sat, 21 May 2011 12:10:04 -0700

As more emphasis is put on going green and weaning the U.S. off expensive and dirty fossil fuels, utilities continually find themselves at the focal point of green energy initiatives.

Alternative Energy Watch: China Plans to Spend Big on Grid; Equipment Maker Gets Big Order (SOLR, AMAT, LDK, CREE, VECO, AMSC)

Sat, 21 May 2011 12:00:29 -0700

Alternative energy news today begins with a new order for sapphire crystallization furnaces and ends with a story on development in China’s national electricity grid.

centrotherm, Kinetics Germany to build Africa’s largest module production facility

Sat, 21 May 2011 11:47:44 -0700

centrotherm photovoltaics and Kinetics Germany have signed an agreement with Société Nationale de l'Electricité et du Gaz (Sonelgaz) to build an integrated solar module manufacturing facility in Rouiba, Algeria. When completed, the 43,000-square-metre site, located 30 km east of Algiers, will be home to Africa’s largest solar module factory and have an annual production capacity of around 116MW.

Q-Cells enters Japanese residential solar market

Sat, 21 May 2011 11:26:47 -0700

Q-Cells is set to become the first German firm to enter into the Japanese solar residential sector and is establishing a sales network of selected local installers, Q-Cells Meister Club (QMC), to help smooth its market entry.

Tata Power commissions 3MW solar power plant in India

Sat, 21 May 2011 11:14:09 -0700

India's largest private power utility firm, Tata Power, has commissioned a 3MW solar power plant in Mulshi. The project, which is one of the largest in the entire country and the first built in the province of Maharashtra, is spread over 12 acres and took nine months to complete.

When Will China's Energy Use Stop Growing?

Sat, 21 May 2011 10:58:29 -0700

China's energy use should flatten out sometime around 2030, with a similar leveling off of its greenhouse gas emissions, a federal researcher said yesterday.

Most U.S. Consumers Want to Buy an Electric Vehicle

Sun, 15 May 2011 13:09:15 -0700

Plug-in electric vehicles may just be entering the market, but most U.S. consumers are ready to buy them. E Source recently analyzed data from the Nielsen Energy Survey and found that 85 percent of U.S. consumers say they would purchase a battery-driven car either right away (3 percent), when their current car needed replacement (57 percent), or when the technology is proven and it becomes more mainstream (25 percent). The caveat is that consumers strongly prefer (58 percent) plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) versions such as the Chevrolet Volt. PHEVs have greater range than electric-only cars like the Nissan Leaf and only 8 percent of consumers prefer them. “We are seeing a substantial willingness for drivers to move to plug-in electric vehicles, but only if the manufacturers can provide the easy extended range of travel that Americans are used to,” says Bill LeBlanc, senior advisor at E Source.

Malaysia Adopts Sophisticated System of Feed-in Tariffs

Sun, 15 May 2011 12:57:00 -0700

Joining several other Asian countries, Malaysia's parliament has approved a sophisticated system of feed-in tariffs to develop its renewable energy resources.

Global Energy Futures and Human Development: A Framework for Analysis

Sun, 15 May 2011 12:41:49 -0700

This paper explores the relationship between measures of human well-being and consumption of energy and electricity.

Five business models to boost electric cars

Sun, 15 May 2011 12:06:00 -0700

WASHINGTON--Everybody wants an auto battery breakthrough that will lead to longer driving range and lower prices than what's found with oil-powered autos. But while scientists are busy at work on the technology, there are a number of clever business ideas to make transportation cleaner and cheaper.

Carribbean-wide power grid under discussion in Puerto Rico

Sun, 15 May 2011 11:48:24 -0700

Officials from islands across the Caribbean gathered in Puerto Rico recently to discuss interconnecting utilities to reduce electricity costs, promote reliability and reduce fossil fuel use in their home communities.

Tibet to become China's leading solar power base

Sun, 15 May 2011 11:31:49 -0700

Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region is poised to become the country's leading solar power generation base with 10 more photovoltaic power plants to be completed within this year.

Botswana explores alternative energy sources

Sun, 15 May 2011 11:15:21 -0700

Botswana plans to develop renewable energy to tackle the increasing demand of energy that has recently been outsourcing supply in the Southern African country.

Climate change panel: renewable energy to be key

Sun, 15 May 2011 11:00:33 -0700

The world's top scientific body concluded that renewable energy in the coming decades will be widespread and could one day represent the dominant source for powering factories and lighting homes, according to a draft report obtained by The Associated Press Thursday.

Bulgaria to encourage energy production from renewable sources

Sun, 15 May 2011 10:47:29 -0700

A new law that encourages energy production from renewable sources entered into force in Bulgaria on Tuesday.

Culver: Iowa a model for renewable energy policy

Sat, 14 May 2011 13:24:12 -0700

Former Gov. Chet Culver says other states should look to Iowa's wind energy success as a model for building renewable energy industries.

Government approves $1.24 billion carbon capture project

Sat, 14 May 2011 13:10:00 -0700

The Government of Saskatchewan has approved construction of the Boundary Dam Integrated Carbon Capture and Storage Demonstration Project - among the first commercial-scale carbon capture and storage facilities in the world.

Falklanders to reap wind energy -- with their car batteries

Sat, 14 May 2011 12:53:25 -0700

The Falkland Islands could become the world's first territory to be mainly powered by a revolutionary combination of wind power and electric car batteries.

Solar Homes Sell at a Premium

Sat, 14 May 2011 12:39:53 -0700

A new Berkeley Lab report, “An Analysis of the Effects of Residential Photovoltaic Energy Systems on Home Sales Prices in California,” provides some evidence that a significant benefit comes with selling a home with a solar power system.

Biochar looks promising in climate change fight, NW geochemist says

Sat, 14 May 2011 12:24:58 -0700

Scientists are probing the limits of how high-grade charcoal, dubbed biochar, can be formed from plant and animal waste to squirrel away the atmosphere’s carbon for centuries, or even millennia. Inspired by ancient Amazonian soils, researchers have found that buried charcoal resists bacteria’s attempts to break it down. And thanks to its porous geometry, it has a knack for improving land in ways still being revealed.

ADB pledges US$150 million in credit guarantees to bolster solar power development in India

Sat, 14 May 2011 11:44:34 -0700

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) revealed plans to offer up to US$150 million in credit guarantees to local and foreign commercial banks to encourage the development of solar power as a renewable energy in India. The credit will cover 50% of the payment default risk on bank loans made to solar project developers with an aim to secure long-term funding for solar energy development in the country.

Army Going Net Zero on Environmental Impact

Sat, 14 May 2011 11:18:37 -0700

This week, the US Army announced that six bases will go "net zero" energy by producing all the energy they consume on site.

Real-Time Solar Grid Data Now Available

Sat, 14 May 2011 11:06:51 -0700

The California Independent System Operator Corporation (ISO) launched a new tool today that enhances the visibility of renewable resources on the grid.

Nuclear dilemma: adequate insurance too expensive

Sat, 14 May 2011 10:54:08 -0700

From the U.S. to Japan, it's illegal to drive a car without sufficient insurance, yet governments around the world choose to run over 440 nuclear power plants with hardly any coverage whatsoever.

Alstom Gets Contract for High Voltage DC at Tres Amigas

Sat, 14 May 2011 10:41:27 -0700

Alstom Grid has won the contract, worth at least 150 million Euros, to deliver the High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) converter to the Tres Amigas Superstation.

Boeing’s South Carolina plant to install 2.6MW solar system and become a 100% renewable energy site

Sat, 14 May 2011 10:23:23 -0700

Doors Wide Open for Renewable Energy

Wed, 11 May 2011 12:32:41 -0700

GUATEMALA CITY, Jul 15, 2010 (IPS) - Heavy reliance on petroleum imports, the need for electricity in rural areas, and the ongoing effort towards sustainable development have focussed Central America's attention on renewable energy. But that doesn't mean there isn't opposition.

Condemning Private Property to Build Transmission

Wed, 11 May 2011 12:20:52 -0700

Renewable Energy Passed Up Nuclear in 2010

Wed, 11 May 2011 12:00:19 -0700

It seems that total cumulative installed power capacity from renewable sources passed up nuclear for the first time in 2010, according to the draft version of a new report coming out soon by the Worldwatch Institute, The World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2010-2011.

Screen-printed solar cells reach efficiencies over 20%

Wed, 11 May 2011 11:48:19 -0700

Researchers at Fraunhofer ISE have reached efficiencies over 20% for silicon solar cells using screen printing technology.

If You Like Solar, Tell Your Utility To Publish This Map

Wed, 11 May 2011 11:38:06 -0700

Distributed generation (like solar) brings unique and valuable benefits ($$$) to the electric grid. But capturing those benefits means solar and other renewable energy developers must find the best places to plug in to the grid, e.g. where demand is high or infrastructure is stressed. The cost to connect distributed generation may also be lower in these areas. Unfortunately, data about a utility's grid system is rarely public.

Connecting Britain To A European Supergrid

Wed, 11 May 2011 11:25:38 -0700

It stretches 260km under the North Sea, contains 23,000 tonnes of copper and lead, and may represent the first step towards a renewable energy revolution based on a European electricity “supergrid”. The £500m BritNed cable, which has just entered operation, is the first direct current electricity link from the UK to another country in 25 years. The high voltage cable, a joint venture between the UK National Grid and the Dutch grid operator TenneT, has a capacity of 1,000MW, the equivalent of a nuclear power station. It runs from the Isle of Grain in Kent to Maasvlakte, near Rotterdam, in the Netherlands.

Goldwind: Will Wind Be China’s Next Big Export to the US?

Wed, 11 May 2011 10:41:32 -0700

The U.S. CEO of the Chinese giant says he’s building jobs here, too.

American U. to use sun for power, hot water

Wed, 11 May 2011 10:17:15 -0700

American University says it is installing Washington's largest solar power system

China grids to connect 90 mln kilowatts of wind power by 2015

Wed, 11 May 2011 10:08:35 -0700

China's electrical grids will connect 90 million kilowatts of wind power capacity by 2015, said China's largest power grid company on Friday.

No Grid, No Gain: Untangling the Transmission Tie-up

Sun, 08 May 2011 13:15:56 -0700

California, USA -- Great strides have been made in enacting state renewable energy standards (RES) in the United States, which significantly affect the urgency of developing new renewable energy facilities. Also called Renewable Portfolio Standards and Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards, over 30 states have adopted RES mandates. These initiatives are paving a path toward a more economically and environmentally sustainable and secure energy future for America.

Turkey to provide Iraq with electricity

Sun, 08 May 2011 13:04:05 -0700

Iraq Ministry of Electricity announced on Thursday that it inked an agreement with Turkey to provide Iraq with electricity during summer 2011 and to increase the share of Euphrates river water arriving to Iraq. The ministry said that in 2012 Iraq will connect its electricity grid with that of turkey.

UA looking at air-storage system as alternative green-energy source

Sun, 08 May 2011 12:46:05 -0700

http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/library/technical-articles/generation/energycentral.com/ua-looking-at-air-storage-system-as-alternative-green-energy-source/index.shtml

Duke Energy to Deploy Energy Storage Technology at Texas Wind Farm

Sun, 08 May 2011 12:18:45 -0700

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) intends to store electricity generated at its Notrees Windpower Project in west Texas using an energy storage and power management system developed by Austin-based Xtreme Power.

UAE boost for GCC electricity grid

Sun, 08 May 2011 12:04:48 -0700

In what is considered to be a major boost to the activities of the GCC Power Grid, a major power station that provides the vital link for the United Arab Emirates to the grid was completed and its trial run was successfully completed on Wednesday.

California is expanding its carbon-trading program to three Canadian provinces

Sun, 08 May 2011 11:46:30 -0700

California officials announced Tuesday that the state will expand its newly adopted carbon-trading program to three Canadian provinces, creating the largest regional cap-and-trade system in North America.

The Troubled Sunrise Powerlink: The Environment Versus Renewables

Sun, 08 May 2011 11:33:31 -0700

SUNRISE POWERLINK. THE NAME suggests the dawn of a new era of eco-friendly power, so why is the 112-mile-long high-voltage transmission line under construction by San Diego Gas & Electric, designed to bring power from the Imperial Valley to San Diego County, under fire from various environmental and civic groups? For exactly the same reasons that transmission lines come under fire whenever and wherever they're proposed: because no one wants lines and poles obstructing their view and because transmission lines don't generate anything but costs. They're hard to love and easy to oppose.

ABB wins $120-million power transmission order in China

Sun, 08 May 2011 11:18:05 -0700

Jinping-Sunan UHVDC link to enable integration and transmission of renewable energy

Integrating renewable energy

Sun, 08 May 2011 11:05:29 -0700

NREL effort seeks to convert wind and sun to hydrogen

Algae Could Replace 17 Percent of US Oil Imports, Study Finds

Sun, 08 May 2011 10:51:32 -0700

High oil prices and environmental and economic security concerns have triggered interest in using algae-derived oils as an alternative to fossil fuels. But growing algae -- or any other biofuel source -- can require a lot of water.

PLG Power launches 40MW solar plant

Sun, 08 May 2011 10:24:00 -0700

PLG Power Limited, the flagship energy and power division of PLG Group, launched India’s biggest solar power generation plant of 40MW at Patan in Gujarat. This is one of the largest solar power projects in the country, reports The Hindu.

US DOE pledges US$170 million for advancement of solar PV technology

Sun, 08 May 2011 10:14:06 -0700

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has unveiled its latest investment in its SunShot Initiative with Energy Secretary Steven Chu publicizing the nearly US$170 million that will be made available over three years for the advancement of solar PV technologies. As the DOE’s SunShot program looks to reduce the total cost of energy systems by 75% before 2020, this latest investment will help further its goal by supporting four areas of investment, which include: the improvement of efficiency and performance in solar cells, creating new installation, or balance of system, technologies, progressing solar energy grid integration and researching new materials and processes for solar PV technologies.

California’s Governor Brown signs alternative energy bill

Sun, 08 May 2011 09:59:08 -0700

During SunPower and Flextronics dedication ceremony for its new 75MW module manufacturing plant, attendee Governor Edmund “Jerry” Brown signed a new energy bill into law mandating that one-third of California’s electricity must come from renewable resources, such as solar and wind, by 2020. Before the new legislation was signed into action, California had a 20% renewables portfolio standard set for 2010; the 13% increase gives California until December 31, 2020 to meet the new goal 33% standard.

Hanwha spends US$955 million on polysilicon plant in South Korea

Wed, 04 May 2011 11:57:08 -0700

Hanwha Chemical is planning to spend KRW1.04 trillion (US$955 million) on a new polysilicon plant to help double sales over the next five years, reports Bloomberg. When construction is completed in July 2013, the Yeosu plant will have the capacity to produce 10,000 metric tonnes of polysilicon a year.

Turkish, Iraqi officials discuss cooperation in power transmission

Wed, 04 May 2011 11:43:49 -0700

Turkish and Iraqi energy officials on Tuesday discussed cooperation on building power transmission lines to meet electricity demand in Iraq, local media reported.

New Study Shows Apartment Buildings Are Huge Source for Solar Energy in LA

Wed, 04 May 2011 11:35:51 -0700

Solar power on apartment rooftops provides a tremendous opportunity to create up to 300 megawatts of clean power within city boundaries in the next 5-10 years, according to a report issued today at the Los Angeles Business Council's Sustainability Summit, where city officials announced a pilot program that could result in citywide rooftop solar installations by 2012.

Google invests $168M in solar energy project

Wed, 04 May 2011 11:25:33 -0700

Google Inc. is investing $168 million in an alternative power project that aims to produce enough solar energy to light 140,000 homes.

Calif. sets nation's highest renewable power goals

Wed, 04 May 2011 11:15:51 -0700

Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed legislation requiring California utilities to get one-third of their power from renewable sources, giving the state the most aggressive alternative energy mandate in the U.S.

Statnett, National Grid To Lay Power Cable Between Norway, UK

Wed, 04 May 2011 11:05:58 -0700

STOCKHOLM (Dow Jones)--The Norwegian state-owned electricity grid operator Statnett Monday said it plans to lay a 800 kilometer power cable between Norway and the U.K., in cooperation with U.K.'s grid operator National Grid (NG.LN).

Morocco Plans 2011 Solar Award As Investor Confidence Returns - Minister

Wed, 04 May 2011 10:51:44 -0700

Morocco plans to award a landmark contract by year end to build one of the world's largest solar power facilities, the country's industry minister said Monday.

India: The Next Big Solar Market

Sun, 01 May 2011 14:04:32 -0700

In light of the presumed slowdown of the European solar markets due to declining feed-in tariffs, the global solar industry is training its gaze on other growth markets: the U.S., China, and India, as well as Ontario, Canada and Gainesville, Florida.

Latest development in HVDC transmission

Sun, 01 May 2011 13:52:21 -0700

ABB has implemented several commercial HVDC power transmission schemes based on VSC (Voltage Source Converter) technology and is a pioneer in this field. Since the first project commissioned in 1997, its HVDC Light technology has evolved through three generations. It has now reached its fourth evolutionary stage, based on CTL (Cascaded Two Level) topology.

Energy Use Down, Renewables Up

Sun, 01 May 2011 13:34:24 -0700

Renewable energy is growing steadily even while the overall economy slumps and energy use from other sources is falling.

Iowa largest percentage wind generator

Sun, 01 May 2011 13:18:17 -0700

Iowa leads the U.S. in the percentage of its electricity that comes from wind, with 15 percent, according to the annual report of the American Wind Energy Association.

Study: Gas from ‘fracking’ worse than coal on climate

Sun, 01 May 2011 13:07:02 -0700

Cornell University professors will soon publish research that concludes natural gas produced with a drilling method called “hydraulic fracturing” contributes to global warming as much as coal, or even more.

Electric-vehicle technology accelerates toward tipping point

Sun, 01 May 2011 12:55:11 -0700

When oil hit a record price of $147 a barrel in July 2008, it was a game-changing moment that sparked a serious push to create electric cars and hybrid electric engines that could help wean Americans off oil. Today, crude is back over $100 a barrel and the payoff is the first generation of mass-produced electric cars rolling off production lines.

100% Renewable Energy Indeed Possible, say Stanford U. Researchers

Sun, 01 May 2011 12:43:14 -0700

The world can be powered by renewable energy in 20-40 years - using technology available right now, says Stanford researcher Mark Jacobson.

China Installing Wind-power Capacity As Fast As It Can

Sun, 01 May 2011 12:03:16 -0700

Beijing, China -- China is on track to install as much as 18 GWs of wind-power capacity this year as the world's second-biggest economy continues to diversify its energy resources, according to officials at Chinese Renewable Energy Industry Association

IEA Calls For Scrapping $312B In Fuel Subsidies

Sun, 01 May 2011 11:51:35 -0700

ABU DHABI (AFP)--The International Energy Agency is calling for $312 billion in fuel subsidies to be scrapped in a bid to promote clean energy sources, according to a report presented in Abu Dhabi Wednesday.

US solar panel prices set to drop in 2011

Sun, 01 May 2011 11:29:37 -0700

With the acquisition of US-based CdTe thin-film start-up PrimeStar now behind GE, the conglomerate is planning to expand its investments in PV with the building of a 400MW manufacturing plant, potentially bringing its total investment in the sector to over US$600 million. GE also announced that NREL had verified that CdTe thin-film modules from PrimeStar’s 30MW manufacturing line in Arvada, Colorado have achieved 12.8% aperture area efficiency. NREL had transitioned the technology to PrimeStar through a cooperative research and development agreement signed in 2007.

GE to build 400MW CdTe thin-film module plant: NREL verifies 12.8% aperture area efficiency

Sun, 01 May 2011 11:16:27 -0700

Chaos in energy sector drives gains in clean energy

Sun, 01 May 2011 11:07:03 -0700

Funds that invest all their cash in companies tied to alternative energy, clean technology, the oil industry and other natural resources soared 13.7% in the first three months of the year, benefiting from turmoil in the oil-rich Middle East and the anti-nuclear sentiment after the accident in Japan.

Smart grids – a smart idea?

Sun, 01 May 2011 10:49:40 -0700

With the EU’s goal of 20% renewable energy by 2020, and the UK government’s plan to roll out smart meters to all domestic customers by the same time, the way has been paved for smart grids. Global energy consumption is set to triple by 2050, and power networks need to transform into intelligent systems that will save energy, accommodate increasing amounts of renewable energy, and ensure supply security.

World's Longest Sub-Sea Electric Cable Could Bring Iceland's Geothermal Energy to Europe

Sun, 01 May 2011 10:37:40 -0700

Exploring the viability of submarine cables to transmit energy is not a novel idea. Back in 2002, Landsvirkjun commissioned feasibility studieson whether or not the submerged cables could be used. The studies were underway in 2010, and Landsvirkjun's then managing director,Hördur Arnarson was quick to point out that research had been underway since the 1980's, with feasability being acknowledged as early as 1995.

China Devouring the United States in Clean Energy Financing

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 13:07:22 -0700

It is no secret China is currently beating the United States in the race to be the global leader of the new energy economy. However, with each passing month the gap between the two nations appears to be growing.

Peak power demand to triple in two decades, forum told

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 12:50:39 -0700

The peak power demand in the Kingdom is expected to triple during the next two decades from 43 gigawatts in the summer of 2010 to more than 120 gigawatts in 2030, Khalid M. Al-Sulaiman, vice president for Renewable Energy at the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KA-CARE), said at the inauguration of the Third Saudi Solar Energy Forum held at the Faisaliah Hotel here on Sunday.

Can a Country Get 90 Percent of Its Power From Renewables?

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 12:35:11 -0700

Seder Boqer, Israel --- Renewable energy is often intermittent and unreliable, but with the right storage technology, it can become a substitute for baseline power.

Energy trading hub: HVDC transmission link between Britain and the Netherlands goes into operation

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 12:23:38 -0700

Erlangen, Germany, April 1, 2011 - Together with the operating company BritNed Development Ltd., Siemens Energy has placed the BritNed HVDC transmission link between Britain and the Netherlands into operation. BritNed is a joint venture of National Grid, the international electricity and gas company and one of the largest investor-owned utilities in the world, and TenneT, the Dutch grid operator based in Arnhem. The 260-km-long subsea cable connection with a transmission capacity of 1000 megawatts (MW) links the 400-kV grids in southern England and in the south of the Netherlands. The HVDC transmission system’s converter station in the UK is located on the Isle of Grain in Kent in southeastern England, while the Dutch station is situated in Maasvlakte near Rotterdam. Besides ensuring greater stability in the European integrated network, BritNed will also serve as an energy trading hub and thus bring more competition into the grid.

Stepping on the Gas

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 12:09:42 -0700

With the nuclear industry in crisis and oil prices on the rise, could the solution to our energy problems be in the ground at home? Daniel Yergin on the promise of shale gas.

Interior Report Reveals Potential to Generate Significant Clean Electricity and Create Jobs at Existing Dam Facilities

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 11:40:46 -0700

WASHINGTON, DC – The Department of the Interior today released the results of an internal study that shows the department could generate up to one million megawatt hours of electricity annually and create jobs by adding hydropower capacity at 70 of its existing facilities.

Ex-Im Bank to finance Indian solar projects

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 11:24:28 -0700

Export-Import Bank of the United States has agreed to help finance two new solar power projects in India. The move will not only help the development of PV on the subcontinent but also support more than 100 jobs at Infinia Corporation and First Solar’s U.S.-based production facilities.

Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 11:12:55 -0700

On August 31, 2007, Solar Partners I, LLC, Solar Partners II, LLC, Solar Partners IV, LLC and Solar Partners VIII, LLC (Solar Partners) submitted a single Application for Certification (AFC) to the California Energy Commission to develop three solar thermal power plants and shared facilities in close proximity to the Ivanpah Dry Lake, in San Bernardino County, California on federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The proposed project would be constructed in three phases: two 100-megawatt (MW) phases (known as Ivanpah 1 and Ivanpah 2) and a 200-MW phase (Ivanpah 3).

Yingli Green plans to establish U.S. manufacturing center

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:55:45 -0700

In the final segment of a two-part interview, Yingli Green CSO Yiyu Wang discusses the Chinese solar manufacturing equipment and materials supply chain as well as the tremendous growth in project development expected in his country. He also reveals the company's intent to establish its second vertically integrated manufacturing center--the first outside China--in the United States.

LDK Solar closes on US$33 million deal for 70% acquisition of Solar Power

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:44:55 -0700

LDK Solar has finalized its purchase of 70% interest in Solar Power under a US$33 million deal. An initial US$10 million was paid in January with the remaining US$23 million closing today. The companies look to this acquisition enabling Solar Power to enhance their project pipeline, while supporting LDK Solar’s prospects for its vertical integration model through module supply for large-scale projects.

Revolution offers a ray of hope for solar energy

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:34:06 -0700

The future of solar energy in the Middle East and North Africa is uncertain. The current instability may represent a temporary deterrent for investors and result in the delay of projects, while the reality of finite energy resources and an ever-increasing population means that the shift to solar energy is more urgently needed than ever. However, the recent breakdown of political power as uprisings sweep the region may actually prove an ideal opportunity for a paradigm shift required to get things moving.

Dominion Virginia Power Announces Study of Offshore Transmission Power Line

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:20:44 -0700

Dominion Virginia Power, a subsidiary of Dominion , is initiating a study of what it would take to build a high-voltage underwater transmission line from Virginia Beach into the Atlantic Ocean to support potentially multiple offshore wind farms.

Tibet's largest solar power plant to become operational in May - Mar 30, 2011 - energycentral.com

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:12:01 -0700

The largest solar power plant in Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region will become operational in May to help ease the plateau region's power shortages.

Wind power becomes Spain's leading electricity source in March

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:00:55 -0700

Wind energy became Spain's leading source of electricity for the first time in March, surpassing the contribution from nuclear energy, according to figures released Thursday by Red Electrica de España, Spain's power-generating authority.

TEP to Develop New Grid-Connected Solar Power Systems on Local Rooftops

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:52:02 -0700

Tucson Electric Power (TEP) is preparing to build new grid-tied solar arrays on the roofs of large public buildings to help serve a growing demand for renewable power.

Indonesia puts renewable energy ahead of nuclear option

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:40:03 -0700

The Indonesian government would maximize the use of new and renewable energy, especially geothermal, hydro-energy and bio fuels, before deciding to use nuclear energy, a paper said here on Wednesday.

Obama sets ambitious goal to reduce US oil imports

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:29:27 -0700

Seeking to show the public he understands the burden of rising gas prices, President Barack Obama set an ambitious goal of reducing U.S. oil imports by one-third by 2025, and vowed to break through the political gridlock that has stymied similar initiatives for decades.

Geothermal Pipeline Still Growing

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:14:08 -0700

Industry continues regional expansion

Recovery Act Stimulates Green Energy

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:00:36 -0700

Called the Greatest Green Bill Ever

Clean Energy Transmission Principles

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 10:50:17 -0700

New investment in clean energy transmission will be needed to maximize renewable energy development to meet renewable electric standards, facilitate the retirement of coal plants, increase the reliability of our electric transmission grid and more fully integrate renewable power.

Case study: river turbines provide ecologically acceptable power

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 10:40:55 -0700

Near the German town of St. Goar on the river Rhine, KSB Aktiengesellschaft, Frankenthal, has installed and commissioned two river turbines that will generate power without affecting the river flow or harming fish stocks.

Photon International survey sees solar cell production potentially increasing 80% to 67GW in 2011 - Apr 27, 2011 - Mark Osborne - pv-tech.org

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 10:20:31 -0700

An annual survey of cell manufacturers published in the March 2011 issue of Photon International highlights a significant increase in solar cell production that could result in new capacity growing by 80% in 2011 and roughly reach a global capacity of 67GW. This comes on the back of reported cell production figures reaching 27.2GW in 2010, up 118%, compared with 12.5GW produced in 2009.

Reno Contracting and Envision Solar team up for solar-power charging stations for electric cars

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:42:34 -0700

Envision Solar will be collaborating with Reno Contracting on the development of several Envision Solar Tree solar parking arrays using Envision’s CleanCharge and EnvisionTrak technology. The solar-power charging stations for electric cars will be built across various locations in the southwest U.S. The first project is scheduled to commence during 2011’s second quarter followed by a multi-location construction at corporate and commercial properties through 2011 and beyond.

Solyndra offers integrated greenhouse energy generation solution

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:28:04 -0700

Solyndra has developed a new solar application for agricultural greenhouse and shade structures that takes advantage of the ability of light to pass through Solyndra’s proven tubular thin-film PV panel design. Research CeRSAA in Italy and the Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, have confirmed the improved nature of the panel design and its ability to support crop growth underneath while generating electricity.

New report focuses on the economic benefits of commercial and residential solar projects in Nevada

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:10:56 -0700

As Nevada lawmakers are in the midst of considering the Solar Jobs Now proposal, which advocates increasing the amount of solar energy produced in Nevada to reach 400MW by 2020, a report compiled by Vote Solar and Clean Energy Project NV has focused attention on the economic benefits that solar projects on homes and business would bring to the state.

TEP to Develop New Grid-Connected Solar Power Systems on Local Rooftops

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:02:43 -0700

Tucson Electric Power (TEP) is preparing to build new grid-tied solar arrays on the roofs of large public buildings to help serve a growing demand for renewable power.

Renewable energy investment in Oregon surpasses $5.4B

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:49:46 -0700

More than $5.4 billion has been invested in renewable energy in Oregon, most of which has come within the last four years, according to new data released Thursday by the Renewable Northwest Project.

KB Homes to Install Solar Systems in Ten California Communities

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:32:56 -0700

KB Home has launched a new initiative to provide solar power systems for its new homes as a standard feature in 10 Southern California communities.

Constellation Energy and U.S. Department of State Sign Innovative Agreement That Will Spur Development of Solar, Wind Facilities

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:20:22 -0700

Constellation Energy (NYSE: CEG) today announced it has signed a first-of-its-kind federal contract that will help the U.S. Department of State contribute to President Obama's executive order to reduce federal-wide greenhouse gas emissions 28 percent by 2020 and encourage the development of two new renewable energy facilities.

U.S. drops to 3rd in clean-energy investment: Pew

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 11:33:41 -0700

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States fell one spot to third place in clean-energy investment last year as the lack of a national energy policy hurt purchases in wind and solar power and other technologies, a report said on Tuesday.

World Bank partners with Morocco and Egypt on innovative projects that use hybrid concentrated solar power (CSP)

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 10:45:29 -0700

(MMD Newswire) -- The World Bank has partnered with Morocco and Egypt on two innovative projects that use a hybrid concentrated solar power (CSP) technology to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and cut greenhouse gas emissions. These projects have demonstrated that it is possible to develop power plants using this new technology in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by delivering clear results. Among them are the avoidance of 20,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually by the plant in Morocco and 40,000 tons of CO2 emissions in Egypt, a reduced dependency on fossil fuels, and job creation within the two countries.

BPA's New High-Voltage Power Line To Carry Wind Power

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 10:13:12 -0700

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) says it plans to build a new power line across southeast Washington that will carry an additional 840 MW of wind energy and provide up to 170 jobs.

Virtual-Power-Plant Market Capacity Expected To Double By 2015

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 09:58:16 -0700

A new report from Pike Research suggests that the market for virtual power plants (VPPs) will continue its steady growth over the next several years, increasing from $5.2 billion in worldwide revenue in 2010 to nearly $7.4 billion by 2015, under a base-case scenario. In a more aggressive forecast scenario, global VPP revenues could reach as high as $12.7 billion during the same period.

California Assembly approves higher renewable energy standard

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 09:45:59 -0700

California's Assembly on Tuesday approved one of the most ambitious renewable energy programs in the nation, sending the landmark legislation to the desk of Gov. Jerry Brown, who has said he'll sign the bill.

Energy Grid Integration

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 12:30:58 -0700

NREL Integration Effort Focused on the Market

Ministry calls for large-scale expansion of energy grid

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 12:22:39 -0700

In the wake of Germany's nuclear review, the Economics Ministry is calling for an accelerated expansion of the energy grid. One priority would be high-voltage cables that could overcome shortcomings in renewable energy.

Platina unveils Cyprus’ First Wind Farm

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 12:10:32 -0700

The €170 million project will reportedly provide 8% of the island’s electricity generation capacity.

EWEA 2011: China could surpass 70 GW installed wind by 2015

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:57:01 -0700

China could surpass 70 GW of installed wind power in 2015 under the country’s new Five Year Plan, according to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).

Tidal stream array approved for Scottish Sound of Islay

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:34:12 -0700

The Scottish Government has approved the building of the 10 MW tidal stream array planned for the Sound of Islay.

Skyline Solar’s new LCPV system to be installed at 500kW power plant in Mexico

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:12:29 -0700

In conjunction with debuting its new Skyline X14 system, Skyline Solar announced that the system would be used in a 500kW concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) project in Durango, Mexico. DelSol Systems, which will lead the construction on the solar installation, asserts that this will be the largest CPV plant in Latin America to date.

Sunengy to build pilot Liquid Solar Array plant in India

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 10:42:59 -0700

Water is not a surface that immediately springs to mind when contemplating where to install a solar array, however, this may not be the case for much longer thanks to Sunengy’s ground-breaking Liquid Solar Array (LSA) technology. Sunengy hopes to build a pilot LSA plant in India before the end of the year and has enlisted the help of India’s largest integrated private power utility, Tata Power, to help realise this goal.

New UK power link may feed Europe, not import

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 10:29:38 -0700

LONDON (Reuters) - A new cable linking the British and Dutch electricity markets may surprise by exporting, not importing, thanks to Germany's pause on power from old reactors.

Geothermal is Hot for Developing Countries

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 10:16:07 -0700

Renewable energy is growing in demand; solar, wind, and biomass sources are acclaimed as the way to a greener future. For certain developing countries however, geothermal might be an even more promising option to displace fossil fuels and achieve energy independence.

Hawaii to build electric car charging stations

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 10:01:15 -0700

Electric vehicle charging stations will be built across Hawaii to provide a power boost to the short-range cars, according to an announcement Friday.

Wind and solar could supply 25% of Oahu's power by 2014

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:49:23 -0700

Oahu could satisfy one fourth of its electricity demand with wind and solar energy by 2014, including power from proposed wind farms on Lanai and Molokai that would transmit power to Oahu via undersea cables, according to a report released today.

Solarbuzz Reports World Solar Photovoltaic Market Grew to 18.2 Gigawatts in 2010, Up 139% Y/Y

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 11:40:10 -0700

SAN FRANCISCO, 2011—Worldwide solar photovoltaic (PV) market installations reached a record high of 18.2 gigawatts (GW) in 2010. This represents growth of 139% over the previous year, according to the annual PV market report, Marketbuzz® 2011, issued today by Solarbuzz, a California-based solar energy consultancy, and a part of The NPD Group.

India’s renewable energy policy framework favours CSP in long-run

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 11:08:47 -0700

Ahead of the game on renewable energy policy enactment, India is now pursuing ways to ensure countrywide support of the build-out of renewable energy, via RECs. Insiders say the domestic CSP sector is likely to thrive within the system over the longer-term.

Made in the USA: First Solar selects Mesa, AZ, as site for second domestic PV manufacturing facility

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 10:52:20 -0700

First Solar has selected the location of its second manufacturing center in the United States, and it’s a short drive from the company’s Tempe, AZ, headquarters. A 135-acre site in Mesa that once hosted a General Motors vehicle testing facility will see the creation of a cadmium-telluride thin-film PV module factory, a $300 million capital investment which will feature four production lines and be suitable for future expansion.

The Algae Appeal: Recyling Carbon to Make Transport Fuels

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 10:37:17 -0700

Auto experts say electric vehicles are a practical alternative to gasoline-powered cars, at least for some drivers. The biggest challenge for the auto industry is expanding the infrastructure for recharging the vehicles.

Infrastructure is Challenge for Electric Vehicle Owners

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:03:26 -0700

Seeking Wind Power Innovation: Europe's Largest Wind Turbine Test Facility Now Open

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:40:59 -0700

London, UK -- Early last month, an innovative new wind turbine prototype testing and certification site, the largest of its kind anywhere in Europe, opened its doors for business.

Vast and Powerful, but Willing? Russia's Renewable Winter

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:20:27 -0700

Often hailed as a 'sleeping giant' of renewable energy, nobody doubts that Russia has abundant potential to supply its 140 million citizens with cleaner power and heat. However, questions still remain over the country's political willingness to move the renewable energy agenda forward.

Nova Scotia Joins Surge on Tidal Power

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 12:06:57 -0700

Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia – To date much of the focus on tidal power has been on the Eastern side of the Atlantic with demonstration projects in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Over on the Western side however, the Canadian Province of Nova Scotia looks set to give the old country a firm run for its money.

Wave Power In Oregon Continues To Build

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:51:06 -0700

Wave energy development in Oregon added a new company to the research mix recently as Texas-based Neptune Wave Power announced it is testing its technology at Oregon State University’s (OSU) Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory. The university is part of a larger collaboration known as the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (NNMREC), which also pulls in the University of Washington (UW) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

China adopts 5-year blueprint, aiming for fairer, greener growth

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:51:16 -0700

Chinese lawmakers overwhelmingly adopted a national plan to steer the world's second largest economy into a path of fairer and greener growth in the next five years.

The state of Japan's power grid

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:49:19 -0700

Japan’s electrical capacity is third in the world behind the United States and China, but damage and precautionary shutdowns from Friday’s earthquake and tsunami are straining its ability to meet demand. The Tokyo Electric Power Co., which provides more than a quarter of Japan’s power, is generating about 75 percent of its peak weekday demand.

Clean Energy Trends 2011

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:48:24 -0700

This year’s report represents a full decade of Clean Edge data and trends analysis. Ten years ago, Clean Edge released Clean Tech: Profits and Potential, the firm’s first publication. This year’s special anniversary edition looks at the past 10 years of clean-energy activity in the U.S. and abroad.

US Solar Power Market Reaches $6 Billion In 2010, Installations Double-Study

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 12:54:32 -0700

The U.S. solar power market grew by two-thirds in 2010 to $6 billion, while installations of solar-power projects doubled to about 1,000 megawatts, according to a study released Thursday.

Electricity prices could be impacted by when electric vehicles charge up

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 12:43:44 -0700

Only a few people in the Chicago area will be part of the first wave of electric vehicle owners later this year. But their charging habits have the potential to affect everyone's electricity prices.

US Names 19 Priority Renewable Energy Projects Proposed For Public Land

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 12:34:02 -0700

The U.S. Interior Department said Tuesday it has selected 19 solar, wind and geothermal-power projects proposed for public land as priority projects that could receive construction permits by the end of this year.

China resumes dam projects to dismay of environmentalists

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 12:13:23 -0700

Breaking a seven-year moratorium, Chinese officials plan to dam the nation's last free-flowing river in a remote canyon that is home to almost as many species of plants as in the whole of the USA and shrink a fish refuge on the Yangtze River to make room for another dam.

New Report Warns Against Investments in New or Existing Coal-Fired Power Plants

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 11:37:51 -0700

Replacing Coal Plants with Cheaper, Cleaner, Less Risky Alternatives Would Save Lives and Curb Climate Change Emissions

PRESS RELEASE: ACORE Releases Updated State-by-State Report on Renewable Energy for 2011

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 11:20:47 -0700

March 7, 2011 — The American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) today released the 2011 update and redesign of its report, Renewable Energy in America: Markets, Economic Development and Policy in the 50 States, as an online resource and a product of ACORE’s mission to scale-up renewable energy in America. Compiling updated financial, market, resource potential, and policy information in a single easily-accessed resource, the report is intended to be an executive summary for all who are interested in the highlights of the renewable energy sector in every state.

Shams Power closes financing on 100MW Shams 1 plant

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 11:04:25 -0700

Shams Power has closed financing on its 100MW Shams 1 concentrated solar power (CSP) project in Madinat Zayed, United Arab Emirates. When completed, Shams 1 will be one of the largest CSP systems in the world, with investment coming from 10 major financial institutions and totalling US$600 million.

China could have 26.7% renewable energy by 2030

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 10:39:17 -0700

Renewable energy could supply 26.7% of China’s energy consumption by 2030, although the more probable middle scenario sets the share at 20-22%, according to the Centre for Renewable Energy Development (CRED).

ETI shows viability of vertical axis offshore wind turbines

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 10:25:22 -0700

Vertical axis offshore wind turbines could provide an alternative to conventional horizontal turbine designs, according to the Energy Technologies Institute.

Busting 4 Myths About Solar PV vs. Concentrating Solar Power

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 10:12:50 -0700

Although both produce electricity from the sun, there are significant differences between solar photovoltaics (PV) and concentrating solar thermal electricity generation. This guide answers the most pressing questions about the two solar technologies.

Federal Transmission under Microscope

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 09:59:58 -0700

Transmission policy is the next battleground in the ongoing debate over the federal role in the electric utility industry. And the dispute isn’t just some philosophical discussion about directives from Washington, it’s something more basic. It’s about money.

One Quarter of China's Wind Power Still Not Connected to Electricity Grid

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 11:55:34 -0800

We've been long documenting China's rapid rise to the top tiers of wind power, both in manufacturing and installed capacity. Worldwatch's Revolt blog looks into some of those impressive stats and finds that roughly 25% of China's wind power isn't connected to the power grid.

Coal Ash Plan Raises Fears in Missouri Community

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 11:11:53 -0800

Coal consumption is increasing in many parts of the world, driven by skyrocketing energy demands in rapidly developing countries like China. But with coal comes pollution: from climate-changing carbon dioxide to coal ash, the powdery toxic waste left over from burning coal to produce electricity.

Global Geothermal Power Capacity Could Increase 134% by 2020

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 10:57:35 -0800

Escalating investment in geothermal power could result in a 134% increase in total geothermal capacity between 2010 and 2020, according to a new report from Pike Research.

Update: Italian cabinet decides not to set annual cap for overall PV market—for now

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 10:31:49 -0800

As expected, the Italian cabinet signed off on a solar policy without a 8GW annual cap, but did institute a 1MW cap on farmland projects. Under the new policy, projects are required to be connected to the grid before May 31 to benefit from the current feed-in tarrifs. Any new FiT decision for projects beyond May would likely be made by April 30, according to published reports.
Barclays Capital believes the decision "to be worse than expectations as it increases uncertainty with respect to 2H11 fundamentals and likely increases risk to financing of several ongoing projects." The firm expects "this policy to result in a significant slowdown in the Italian market in Q2 until pricing expectations are reset for a potential 30%-50% FiT cut in 2H11."

Indonesia to build first wind farm in West Java

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 10:17:16 -0800

JAKARTA, An Indonesian senior official said that a local energy firm, Viron Energy, plans to build the country 's first large-scale wind power plant in Sukabumi, West Java, this year, with a total capacity of 30 megawatts, local media reported on Tuesday.

California Prepares for Influx of Electric Vehicles - Feb 09, 2011 - California Energy Markets - energycentral.com

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:45:12 -0800

While electric vehicles are still a relative rarity in California, efforts are already under way to prepare for a future when a lot more people will be relying on the grid to "fuel up." And a new report published this month by Pike Research indicates that future could be just around the corner.

U.S. Military Links Alternative Energy Research to Lives--and Dollars--Saved

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:24:09 -0800

Inventing the future of energy may be key to improving U.S. national security, economic prosperity and health

Four Latin American countries to bolster energy integration

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:03:49 -0800

LIMA, Government ministers from Peru, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador agreed on Friday to advance an electricity interconnection project to strengthen energy integration and security in the region.

World's first 660 KV transmission system sends power across China

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 10:51:34 -0800

YINCHUAN, The world's first 660-kilovolt direct current power transmission system began to supply energy from northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region to the eastern Shandong Province Monday.

Report warns of high energy consumption in China

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 10:38:49 -0800

BEIJING, While China tries to limit its total energy consumption to an equivalent of 4 billion tonnes of standard coal in 2015, the actual figure may reach 5.1 billion if left uncontrolled, according to a report released on Monday by the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE).

Ontario Power Authority awards FiT contracts to 35 large-scale PV projects

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 13:02:11 -0800

Solar power’s future in Ontario looks bright after the province awarded feed-in tariff (FiT) contracts to 35 new large-scale projects. The projects make up 257MW of the 872MW in FiT contracts that were handed out by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) to renewable initiatives.

Mass. company making diesel with sun, water, CO2

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 12:44:48 -0800

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – A Massachusetts biotechnology company says it can produce the fuel that runs Jaguars and jet engines using the same ingredients that make grass grow.

World's first 660 KV power cable in China

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 12:34:21 -0800

Beijing, Feb 28 (IANS) A 660-kilovolt direct current power transmission system, said to be the world's first, began to supply energy Monday to a province that is located over 1,300 km away.

Nuclear Power: Still Not Viable Without Subsidies

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 12:05:37 -0800

Conspicuously absent from industry press releases and briefing memos touting nuclear power’s potential as a solution to global warming is any mention of the industry’s long and expensive history of taxpayer subsidies and excessive charges to utility ratepayers. These subsidies not only enabled the nation’s existing reactors to be built in the first place, but have also supported their operation for decades.

Molten Metal Batteries Return for Renewable Energy Storage

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 11:40:38 -0800

New ideas for making sodium sulfur batteries could make them the answer for taming the variability of wind and solar power

‘Green Economy’ Needs $1.3 Trillion Investment Per Year, UN Says

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 11:22:56 -0800

Nations can kick-start a “green economy” by redirecting $1.3 trillion a year from industries that overuse resources to 10 areas ranging from forestry to buildings, the United Nations Environment Program said.

Wind Power Becoming Competitive with Coal

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 11:08:38 -0800

The U.S. government is pushing for large-scale wind power development and the timing may be just right.

Cutting Black Carbon and Methane Promises Immediate Climate Change Impacts

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 13:10:24 -0800

Reducing emissions of black carbon and methane can be done today with existing technologies, and could significantly slow climate change

Taiwan Initiates Energy Transition

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 12:45:43 -0800

London, UK -- Taiwan is set to blaze a trail in renewables development with its major policy initiatives that are designed to at last exploit the country's extensive renewable resources.

DOE Transportation Budget Is All About EVs

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 11:59:18 -0800

The 2012 Department of Energy budget submitted to Congress on Monday includes a 20-page section on Vehicle Technologies (VT), and nearly every word of it refers to vehicle electrification. In language of funding dollars, the VT budget jumps by 80 percent from $325 million to $588 million.

Renewable Energy and the Middle East Revolutions

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 11:30:28 -0800

As protesters across the Middle East continue their fight for democracy and liberation, speculators have drawn attention to the inevitable impact of this instability and change on the oil and gas sector, in oil price spikes.

Why develop wind in Wyoming

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 11:08:00 -0800

Wyoming is one of the top wind sites in the U.S., according to an NREL report “Wind Powering America.” The state is home to one of the oldest developed wind sites in the region, Medicine Bow online since 1982. Here, the Department of Energy funded research of wind energy production, particularly from large turbines.

Linking the West with wind

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 10:45:31 -0800

What good is producing wind energy if you can’t get it to people who will use it? Transmission lines are the critical link between generation facilities and the market place, and Wyoming’s got them. According to the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority, there are about 15,000 MW of new transmission capacity in development bringing power generated the state to load centers in the western states such as California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. This development represents a potential $30 billion investment in transmission and generation facilities.

Along the Right Lines

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 10:22:38 -0800

Europe's Policymakers Sign Up for a New Offshore Transmission Grid

View HVDC converter stations from space

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:26:15 -0800

If you have the Google Earth software on your computer we invite you to click on the Google Earth links! We have limited to only those converter stations where Google Earth provides a good resolution.

Analysis: In Food Vs Fuel Debate, U.S. Resolute On Ethanol

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 10:58:09 -0800

As world food prices reach new highs, a handful of U.S. politicians and hard-hit corporations are readying a fresh effort to forestall the use of more U.S. corn and soybeans as motor fuel.

Global Solar Power Growth Doubled In 2010: Study

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 10:39:42 -0800

The world added about 16 gigawatts of new solar photovoltaic (PV) power in 2010, double the growth seen a year earlier, the European Photovoltaic Industry Association told Reuters on Monday.

Southern California Edison signs PPA with First Solar for Silver State South plant

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 12:40:36 -0800

Southern California Edison (SCE) has signed a power purchase agreement with First Solar for its 250MW (AC) Silver State South plant. First Solar’s ground-mounted system, which will be located on 2,500 acres of public land near Primm, Nevada, will start generating electricity in 2014 and be fully operational in May 2017.

Tapping the Mighty Mississippi and Coastal Tides with Underwater Turbine

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 12:20:19 -0800

The turbines work by capturing the energy of flowing water, which they pick up from waves, tides and currents

Are Greenhouse Gases Upping the Risks of Flooding, Too?

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 12:00:21 -0800

Climate change caused by rising concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is causing more extreme rainfall and snowfall--and floods

Iceland Volcano Drilling Suggests Magma Could Become Source of High-Grade Energy

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 10:56:29 -0800

Geologists drilling an exploratory geothermal well in 2009 in the Krafla volcano in Iceland encountered a problem they were simply unprepared for: magma (molten rock or lava underground) which flowed unexpectedly into the well at 2.1 kilometers (6,900 ft) depth, forcing the researchers to terminate the drilling.

Department of Energy Finalizes Loan Guarantee for New Transmission Project to Deliver Renewable Energy to Southwest

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 10:36:30 -0800

Nevada Project Expected to Create Over 400 Jobs and Improve Grid Reliability

Coal's hidden costs top $345 billion in U.S.: study

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 10:19:15 -0800

BOSTON (Reuters) - The United States' reliance on coal to generate almost half of its electricity, costs the economy about $345 billion a year in hidden expenses not borne by miners or utilities, including health problems in mining communities and pollution around power plants, a study found.

Chinese cities are 'worst' in terms of CO2 emission

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 10:05:02 -0800

Chinese cities have the highest carbon emissions per capita and energy consumption per unit of GDP in Asia, while Singapore is the region's greenest metropolis, a study released by the German engineering company Siemens and the Economist Intelligence Unit has showed.

Korea's Highway: Embracing Renewables and Smart Grid

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 12:55:52 -0800

In particular, Korea Electric Power Corp. has included superconductor power cables in its Smart Green Utopia plan to convert Korea's entire power grid. The plan includes incorporating renewable energy sources, using smart grid technology, deploying electric vehicle charging stations, developing carbon sequestration systems and modernizing the electrical network.

ABB wins $180 million order for Norway-Denmark power transmission link

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 12:23:42 -0800

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won an order worth about $180 million from utilities Statnett of Norway and Energinet.dk of Denmark to supply an HVDC Light® (high-voltage direct current) converter solution to support the interconnection of the Norwegian and Danish power grids.The 500 kV (kilovolt) link is a new record in transmission voltage using this technology.

U.S. DOE investing US$7 million in PV Solar Incubator Program with four California companies

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 12:04:52 -0800

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has been steadily working for the promotion of solar energy in the U.S. and recently announced

its newest solar promotion, the SunShot initiative, which aims to reduce the total cost of PV solar energy systems by 75% in order to be more cost competitive. The announcement of its new initiative was followed by news of a US$20.3 million investment in technologies that aim to improve the country’s solar manufacturing industry, its efficiency and costs.

DOE Releases New Analysis Showing Significant Advances in Electric Vehicle Deployment

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 11:17:18 -0800

The U.S. Department of Energy today released One Million Electric Vehicles by 2015, an analysis of advances in electric vehicle deployment and progress to date in meeting President Obama's goal of putting one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015. The analysis shows that while the goal is ambitious, it is also achievable based on steps already taken as part of the Recovery Act and additional policy initiatives proposed by President Obama -- including improvements to existing consumer tax credits, programs to help cities prepare for the growing demand for electric vehicles, and strong support for research and development to continue reducing the cost of electric vehicles.

Wind energy experts: regulations slow development

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 10:54:47 -0800

Clearing up the regulatory hurdles that are slowing development of electricity transmission lines would provide a significant boost to U.S. wind power development, industry officials said Wednesday.

Battle of the Grids

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 10:37:24 -0800

As the EU considers how to overhaul its aging and inefficient power system, Battle of the Grids demonstrates how a lasting shift to a grid powered with nearly 100% clean energy can be achieved. Its centrepiece is a map that for the first time charts a supergrid for 2050. The report confirms what the recent economic crisis and accompanying fall in electricity demand has laid bare: a growing clash between flexible renewables and inflexible ‘baseload’ generators like coal and nuclear, a clash which gives the report its title. This clash will only grow and become more expensive unless coal and nuclear are phased out.

Asia leads global wind power growth

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 10:05:48 -0800

Asia leads the growth in global wind power, which grew 35.8 GW in 2010 bringing total global capacity to 194.4 GW – up 22.5% from 2009, the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) says.

AECOM and EDF look at hydropower in DR Congo

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:02:16 -0800

AECOM and Electricité de France (EDF) have been awarded US$13.4 million feasibility study for Grand Inga hydropower site on Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

India to become renewable energy powerhouse

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:30:59 -0800

India could become a renewable energy powerhouse due to its need for alternative energy sources, international pressure and strong Government support, according to Datamonitor.

Solar PV Becoming Cheaper than Gas in California?

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:08:48 -0800

The latest round of proposed contracts from a California utility for 250 MW of solar PV projects comes in below the projected price of natural gas.

India's Renewable Future: Challenges and Prospects

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 13:08:01 -0800

Dr. Farooq Abdullah, India's Minister of New and Renewable Energy, wants his country to transform the promise of boundless and clean energy into reality.

EU's Barroso calls for new energy link for Central-Eastern Europe

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:28:03 -0800

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said he would unveil the proposal later on Thursday at dinner in Brussels with prime ministers from Romania, Bulgaria and the Visegrad Group -- made up of Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

DOE Leverages Fossil Energy Expertise to Develop and Explore Geothermal Energy Resources

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:10:23 -0800

Focusing on reducing the upfront costs of geothermal development as well as improve its effectiveness, the U.S. Department of Energy today announced plans to leverage oil and gas expertise to test the reliability and efficiency of geothermal power generation at oil and gas fields. DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy will combine efforts to have experts test and validate low temperature geothermal power generation technologies at the Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center (RMOTC) near Casper, Wyoming.

Plans for 150 New Coal Plants Scrapped -- Transition to Clean Energy Picks Up Steam

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 11:06:08 -0800

Washington, DC: Purdue University has cancelled plans for a new campus coal plant, making the plant the 150th to be defeated or abandoned since the beginning of the coal rush in 2001. Thanks in part to the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign, in the last two years no new coal plants have started construction and the industry has announced the phase out of over 50 plants.

Where Next for the Supergrid?

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 10:34:50 -0800

Transmission is the talk of the town right now throughout Europe. There are various plans currently under discussion that could see a radical transformation of the region's electricity transmission system.

Solar electric systems proliferate with much room to grow

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 10:17:39 -0800

Consumer-installed solar electric systems on Oahu, the Big Island and in Maui County more than doubled in 2010 with 3,967 systems added, compared with 1,916 in 2009.

Russia begins electricity supplies to Belarus

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 09:58:47 -0800

Russia has begun electricity supplies to Belarus, a source in the electricity sector has told RIA Novosti.

Fossil fuels replaced by 2050

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 13:31:42 -0800

Almost all of the world's demand for energy for electricity,transportation and heating could be met from renewable sources such as wind, solar and geothermal power by 2050, WWF International and Ecofys said.

Companies Call for EU Single Energy Market

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 13:01:50 -0800

Two days before the first-ever EU summit on energy, twenty European companies and associations are calling on EU Heads of State to show the courage and vision to create a single market for electricity by 2015.

Energy Law Alert: Ninth Circuit Decision Further Dismantles an Already Weakened Federal Transmission Siting Authority

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 11:23:06 -0800

Congress' experiment with establishing federal siting authority for transmission lines suffered another setback after a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision issued yesterday, February 1, 2011, vacated the Department of Energy's ("DOE") 2007 Transmission Congestion Study (the "Congestion Study") that had designated national interest electric transmission corridors in mid-Atlantic and Southwestern states. This ruling is the latest of three court and agency decisions that have limited or undermined the federal siting authority established at Federal Power Act section 216 by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ("EPAct 2005").

China: 248 GW of wind power in 2010

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 11:02:42 -0800

China is expected to have reached a total installed wind power capacity of 248 GW in 2020 representing a compound annual growth rate of almost 23%.

UK-Norwegian interconnector JV

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 10:36:38 -0800

A joint venture, NorthConnect, has been set up between UK, Norwegian and Swedish companies to plan and build an electrical interconnector between UK and Norway.

Spain generated 3% of its electricity from solar in 2010

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 10:14:57 -0800

Despite the reductions in support for solar system, Spanish solar systems now deliver electricity in the TWh range making solar bigger than hydro or coal, and Spain now produces more wind and solar power than California.

Transmitting Canadian Hydroelectric Power to USA

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:00:51 -0800

Canada has for decades, exported hydroelectric power from Quebec and from Labrador into markets in the northeastern USA. A power transmission company based in Vancouver has proposed to install a submarine power cable along America's Pacific coast to carry electric power from British Columbia to California.

Jordan to host regional renewable energy commission

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:00:04 -0800

Amman will soon be home to a regional commission designed to place renewable energy on the agendas of decision makers across the Arab world.

Cost of Electric Power Report: Enormous Health and Water Impacts of Coal and Nuclear Power 'Hidden' From Consumers

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:34:12 -0800

WASHINGTON: An astounding 200 billion gallons of water withdrawn from America's water supply each day … annual costs to society from premature deaths due to power plant pollution so high that they are up to four times the price of all electricity produced in the U.S. … and four metric tons of high-level radioactive wastes for every terawatt of electricity produced by nuclear reactors, even though there is no long-term storage solution in place. These are just some of the little understood and largely "hidden" water, health and other costs from U.S. coal and nuclear electricity production detailed in a new analysis released today by Synapse Energy Economics, Inc., for the nonprofit and nonpartisan Civil Society Institute (CSI) think tank. The Synapse report for CSI also outlines the considerable health impacts of the nation's current reliance on coal and nuclear power.

U.S. Air Force to quadruple solar use

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:07:04 -0800

The U.S. Air Force, the No. 1 government buyer of renewable energy, plans to quadruple its on-base solar-energy use in four years, an Air Force official said.

Battle of the Grids (PDF)

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 11:46:27 -0800

How Europe can go 100% renewable and phase out dirty energy.

Obama Calls for 80% "Clean Energy" by 2035

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 11:27:55 -0800

Clean energy advocates applauded the bold initiative, but cautioned against the inclusion of nuclear, clean coal and natural gas in a "clean energy standard."

U.S. wind energy industry finishes 2010 with half the installations of 2009

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 11:05:15 -0800

America's wind industry built 5,115 megawatts of wind power last year, barely half of 2009's record pace, but entered 2011 with over 5,600 megawatts currently under construction - and with wind cost-competitive with natural gas for new electric generation, utilities are moving to lock in favorable rates.

Chile, Peru to enforce regional electricity integration

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 10:32:39 -0800

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera and his visiting Peruvian counterpart Alan Garcia on Thursday agreed to enforce the electricity integration in the region.

How to move to 100 percent renewables by 2030

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 13:40:03 -0800

What would it take to switch the world’s entire energy infrastructure to renewables like wind and solar by 2030?

According to National Geographic, about 4 million massive wind turbines, 90,000 solar plants and a four-fold increase in production of a rare earth metal that is a major component of key renewable energy technologies.

Investments in renewable energy grow 25%

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:51:41 -0800

Estimates show that investments have reached $200bn in 2010

China supplants U.S. as country with most installed wind-power capacity

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:18:43 -0800

China in 2010 became the country with the most installed wind-power capacity, supplanting the United States, industry officials said Wednesday.

Solar PV installations reached 17.5 GW in 2010

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 11:37:09 -0800

New solar photovoltaic (PV) installations grew by 130% to reach 17.5 GW in 2010 and growth is set to continue in 2011, says analyst IMS Research.

Secretary Chu Announces New Efforts to Promote Clean Energy in Tribal Communities

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 11:02:34 -0800

WASHINGTON - U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today two new initiatives to promote tribal energy development and continue strengthening the partnership between the Department of Energy and tribal nations. Up to $10 million will be available this year through DOE's Tribal Energy Program to support the evaluation, development and deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects on tribal lands that will help save energy and money, expand the use of renewable energy resources, and promote economic development for tribal communities.

WMECo plans 4.2MW solar facility on top of landfill in Massachusetts

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 10:38:52 -0800

Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECo) is in the early development stages for its second large-scale solar facility in Springfield, Massachusetts. The 4.2MW solar project will use around 17,000 solar panels and be built over a capped landfill. WMECo did not release any contract details of the project, nor what modules or balance system elements

will be used.

Iranian villages equipped with solar power systems

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 14:51:24 -0800

The village solar systems are the latest stage in the Iranian government’s programme to ensure the entire country has access to electricity

Solarbuzz: PV manufacturers added 11.5GW of new capacity in 2010

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 14:22:30 -0800

The latest Solarbuzz ‘PV Equipment Quarterly Report’ highlights that the fourth quarter of 2010 saw a further 1.25GW of quarterly solar manufacturing capacity come online. According to the market research firm, annualized c-Si cell and thin-film module capacity increased by a further 11.5GW, in 2010. Equipment spending grew for the sixth consecutive quarter to reach US$2.9 billion in the fourth quarter. At the end of the year, 20 equipment suppliers to have order backlogs in excess of US$100 million, with the majority of these orders scheduled for shipment during the first half of 2011.

Stellar Solar makes strong start to Q1

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 14:05:00 -0800

A range of solar installations across the state of California has enabled Stellar Solar to post the best opening Q1 figures in its 12-year history.

Wind power generated 47% of the renewable power, small hydro-electric 20%, geothermal 22%, solar 1%

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 12:21:02 -0800

Achieving a major clean-air goal ahead of state targets, the DWP generated 20 percent of its power in 2010 through wind, water, solar and geothermal systems, city officials announced Thursday.

Ban-ki Moon urges clean energy revolution

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 11:35:14 -0800

ABU DHABI — UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon called on Monday for a clean energy revolution that would make energy available for everyone, at a summit in Abu Dhabi.

U.S. Can Cut Transportation Emissions 65% by 2050

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 11:46:02 -0800

The U.S. could reduce transportation emission 65% from current levels by 2050, according to a new report.

Siemens builds converter stations for HVDC link between France and Spain

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 11:20:49 -0800

Siemens Energy has announced that it is erecting the power converter stations for a high-voltage direct-current, or HVDC, transmission link between Baixas, to the west of Perpignan in France, and Santa Llogaia, south-west of Figueras in Spain, as components of the Trans-European Network for electrical power.

Spain's Gamesa Eyes Baja California Wind

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 11:00:52 -0800

Baja California, Mexico -- Gamesa, the expansionist Spanish wind-power company, is stepping up its forays into Mexican with hopes to sell as many as 2,000 wind turbines to Baja California. Its plans come at a time when observers expect the windy state bordering Southern California will attract $6bn of wind investments by 2015.

Agreement reached on new German feed-in tariff, maximum 12% regression

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 10:40:43 -0800

Fears of further aggressive cuts to the German feed-in tariff (EEG) mid-year, on the back of installations exceeding 6GW in 2010, would seem to have been

averted with industry and government provisional agreement on a new tariff structure. Although yet to be ratified into law, the new FiT structure limits

regression to a maximum of 12% in July, should installations reach 6.5GW from March-May (normalized annually).

Construction of $12.2 billion plant to turn nuclear waste into glass takes shape in Eastern Washington State

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:28:00 -0800

RICHLAND, Wash. — Rising from the desert sand in eastern Washington state is a construction project unlike any in history.

Ormat Commissions 15MW geothermal Plant in Nevada

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:11:16 -0800

Geothermal power company Ormat Technologies said yesterday it has commissioned a 15MW facility in the north of its home state of Nevada.

CIGS thin-film company SoloPower chooses Oregon as site for first volume production facility

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 14:19:06 -0800

SoloPower becomes the fourth CIGS thin-film photovoltaics manufacturer since the beginning of the year to announce it has selected a site for its volume production facility. The San Jose-based company has chosen Wilsonville, OR, where it plans to build a 75MW plant and create 170 new jobs as part of its initial phase of expansion. SoloPower made its decision in part because of a package of local and state incentives that includes at least $40 million in potential loan and tax credit monies.

Why Electric Vehicles Will Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 13:57:25 -0800

A recent article by John Peterson argued that electric vehicles will take us backward in our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and that today's

hybrid cars are more effective in reducing GHGs. Peterson's commentary rests on recent research by Carnegie Mellon University regarding life-cycle

emissions of various vehicle types.

King Coal

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 13:30:20 -0800

Coal supplies 70 percent of China's energy needs, and is responsible for much of its pollution. Despite a huge buildup of alternative sources, coal production is surging and consumption is growing even faster.

Volt's Battery Capacity Could Double

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 12:38:36 -0800

GM has tipped its hand about the type of battery materials it aims to use in the next generation of the Chevrolet Volt and other battery-powered cars. It has licensed battery-electrode materials developed at Argonne National Laboratory, a U.S. Department of Energy Lab. These materials, called mixed-metal oxides, could improve the safety and durability of car batteries and help double their energy-storage capacity, potentially leading to substantial costs savings by allowing GM to use a smaller battery pack.

Nationalizing the Grid

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 11:10:42 -0800

The U.S. is blessed with abundant renewable energy, from wind in west Texas to sunlight in the western deserts. And the nation is rapidly putting that clean energy to work. Although most forecasts project annual load growth of only 1 percent for the foreseeable future, renewable power’s share of net generation is projected to double by 2035.

Solazyme Delivers 100% Algal-Derived Renewable Jet Fuel to U.S. Navy

Sat, 05 Feb 2011 14:42:17 -0800

Solazyme, Inc. is helping the U.S. military move closer to powering its planes, ships, tanks and trucks on renewable fuel and has delivered of 1,500 gallons of 100% algae-based jet fuel for the U.S. Navy's testing and certification program. The U.S. Navy has previously announced the objective to operate at least 50% of its fleet on clean, renewable fuel by 2020, and the delivery fulfills a contract awarded to Solazyme by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) in September 2009.

Efficiency could cut world energy use over 70 percent

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 12:53:50 -0800

Simple changes like installing better building insulation could cut the world's energy demands by three-quarters, according to a new study.

ADB studies investment project to increase Turkmen electricity supply to afghanistan

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 12:34:20 -0800

In Ashgabat, representatives of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) are considering the partial financial support to the investment project to increase the Turkmen electricity supply to neighboring Afghanistan, an official Turkmen source said on Tuesday.

Record solar installations reached in U.S., says SEIA/GTM Research quarterly report

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 12:21:06 -0800

A market that always promised but failed to deliver is over, according to the latest U.S. Solar Market Insight report from GTM Research and the SEIA. PV installations in the third quarter reached 530MW, topping the total amount of installations reported in the whole of 2009 which stood at 435MW. According to the report PV installations are poised to reach 855MW in 2010, an increase of over 100%. The report noted that the growth trend is set to continue in 2011.

Turkish government approves feed-in tariff

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 11:30:02 -0800

After months of speculation surrounding the country’s solar feed-in tariff, Turkey has now made photovoltaic power generation subsidy payments law. Under the regulation, payments for renewable energy generation will be determined as dollar cent, as opposed to Euro cent, in Turkish Parliament.

The world can be powered by alternative energy, using today's technology, in 20-40 years

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 13:25:10 -0800

A new study – co-authored by Stanford researcher Mark Z. Jacobson and UC-Davis researcher Mark A. Delucchi – analyzing what is needed to convert the world's energy supplies to clean and sustainable sources says that it can be done with today's technology at costs roughly comparable to conventional energy. But converting will be a massive undertaking on the scale of the moon landings. What is needed most is the societal and political will to make it happen.

A Highway for the 21st Century: Tres Amigas Plans to Transform the Grid

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 12:49:08 -0800

The company signed a 99-year lease with the state of New Mexico and plans to develop 22 square miles of land, or about 14,400 acres, into an energy superstation.

DOE Gives Conditional Approval of Loan Guarantee for Agua Caliente Solar PV Project in Arizona

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 12:35:50 -0800

The U.S. Department of Energy has made a conditional commitment of a loan guarantee worth up to $967 million for the 290MW (AC) Agua Caliente solar PV farm, located on 2400 acres of former agricultural land site east of Yuma, AZ.

Solar-power buildup going large-scale across Arizona

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 12:40:11 -0800

Solar-power arrays have sprouted up on rooftops and parking garages across Tucson and Arizona.

Solar power on tribal lands: Part 1

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:14:18 -0800

Last month, the Quechan Tribe obtained an injunction that shut down a 709-megawatt solar farm planned for more than 6,000 acres of public land in the desert near El Centro, California. The project would have been one of the nation's largest solar facilities.

Germany Targets Switch to 100% Renewables by 2050

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:56:43 -0800

Germany already leads the world on renewable energy and could become first G20 country to kick the fossil-fuel habit.

2010 Hits Top of Temperature Chart

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:21:00 -0800

Topping off the warmest decade in history, 2010 experienced a global average temperature of 14.63 degrees Celsius (58.3 degrees Fahrenheit), tying 2005 as the hottest year in 131 years of recordkeeping.

Empire State Buildling to meet electricity needs through wind power

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:10:17 -0800

Deal secures more than double the amount of renewable power purchased by any other commercial customer in New York City.

Departments of Energy & Commerce announce new partnership to further cooperation on renewable initiatives

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:58:25 -0800

The Department of Energy and the Department of Commerce today announced a new agreement to further collaboration between the agencies on renewable energy modeling and weather forecasting, which will help enable the nation's renewable energy resources to be used more effectively by business and entrepreneurs.

Concetrating Solar Thermal Power, Distributed

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 13:53:42 -0800

When discussing centralized v. decentralized solar power, there’s an inevitable comparison between solar thermal electric power and solar photovoltaic (PV). But the fact is that solar thermal power – or concentrating solar power (CSP) – can also be done in a distributed fashion.

Global Renewables War is on: US MIA

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 13:36:56 -0800

The world war on renewables is on. China. India. And the United States - along with Denmark and others - are out to battle for supremacy in what will be the next turn in the industrial revolution.

China will scale faster than US in race for transport fuels

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 13:22:28 -0800

China could lead the race to roll out electric vehicles and will deploy new transport technologies at scale more quickly than the United States, according to a report by Accenture that compares the two countries.

Climate Change growing risk for Insurers Industry

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:50:55 -0800

Insurers are struggling to assess the risks from climate change, industry officials say, with the floods in Australia and Brazil highlighting the potential losses from greater extremes of weather.

Are SREC's the future of US solar policy?

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:24:26 -0800

SREC-based solar programs are increasingly popular. As pioneering states get more experience, many are wondering if SREC-only structures will win out, or if a hybrid approach will be the best solution.

Potential for Ethopia to Produce and Export Renewable Energy

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:18:08 -0800

Several years ago the European group called Desertec developed a strategy to generate renewable energy resources across the Middle East and North Africa (the MENA) and export the electric power into Europe. The range of technologies included wind, solar-PV, solar-thermal, hydroelectric, geothermal, ocean wave, ocean tidal currents and biomass sources.

China Boasts Breakthrough in Nuclear Technology

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:54:39 -0800

Chinese scientists have made a breakthrough in spent fuel reprocessing technology that could potentially solve China's uranium supply problem, state television reported on Monday.

European Supergrid Slowly Coming into Focus

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:34:01 -0800

A new agreement is one more step forward on the long journey to develop offshore renewable energy infrastructure and unlock gigawatts of wind power capacity.

2010 Clean Energy Investment Hits a New Record

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:20:06 -0800

Surprise, surprise: The 800-pound dragon in the room, China, has propelled global clean energy investment to record levels.

Map lets Colorado Companies tally solar potential

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 13:12:32 -0800

Plans to develop a free online service to give large businesses the ability to calculate how much solar energy they could harvest from their rooftops has gone better than expected.

government policies can shift southern US from coal to renewables

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 12:47:28 -0800

It is widely agreed that strategies addressing climate change through the adoption of renewable energy technologies cannot succeed without the active participation of governments and regulators.

Spanish Government cuts solar subsidies for new and exisitng plants

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 12:20:43 -0800

On Christmas Eve the Spanish Government made the controversial decision to again cut the financial support offered to solar power generators.

2010's Biggest Renewable Energy Projects!

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 10:52:09 -0800

Renewable energy development continued at a good pace this year, with record-breaking projects announced almost as often as once per week.

Egypt's First Solar-Thermal Plant goes into Operation

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 10:22:33 -0800

In Kuraymat, roughly 100 kilometers south of Cairo, a major solar-thermal power plant is going into operation for the first time in Egypt.

Gram for Gram, Solar is 10 times more powerful than Nuclear

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 09:55:11 -0800

A novel way of comparing solar power with nuclear power finds that solar easily bests nuclear.

Algae Prenears - Making Fuel from Algae

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 09:42:53 -0800

Some Florida businesses are squeezing a trickle of fuel from algae, claiming they can help power the world. But right now, a few expensive drops in the bucket are all they have to show.

From Chicken Manure to Clean Energy

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 10:21:41 -0800

The millions of chickens at Hillandale Farms can make quite a mess. Getting rid of that mess has traditionally meant trucking tons of manure to area farms where it is then spread on the land as fertilizer.

Medgrid studying developing mediterranean power grid for solar resources

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 10:10:44 -0800

A group of utilities, grid operators and equipment makers plans to study developing a network spanning the Mediterranean Sea to link Europe to North African solar-energy projects.

Middle East Countries putting solar to work overtime

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 09:43:41 -0800

While renewable energy production scenario is improving slowly in many developing nations, more action is now happening in the oil producing countries of the Middle East.

Maldives maps its renewable energy potential with help from the Scottish Government

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 09:33:15 -0800

The Maldives is assessing its renewable energy potential with a goal to become carbon neutral by 2020 with help from the Scottish Government.

US Treasury Grant Extension for Environmental Study of Solar Zones

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 13:20:33 -0800

President Barack Obama’s signing of the tax legislation passed by the U.S. Congress late last week included a holiday gift for the solar industry in the form of a one-year extension of the Department of Treasury Section 1603 “cash grant in lieu of investment tax credit” program.

Huge Renewables Expansion Coming

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 13:07:22 -0800

Renewable energy may be enduring a slump in some segments this year, but the long-term outlook remains bullish, according to one recent analysis.

Russian Grid to see $31 in investments over next 5 years

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 12:24:26 -0800

Russia’s Federal Grid Company (FGC), the operator and manager of Russia’s unified electricity transmission grid system, has announced a programme of investment totalling RUB 952.4bn ($31bn) covering a five year period from 2010 to 2014.

Cap & Trade in CA! California Regulators OK Major Greenhouse Gas Rules

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 12:10:23 -0800

California regulators on Thursday approved the first system in the nation to give polluting companies such as utilities and refineries financial incentives to emit fewer greenhouse gases.

ABB Secures $580 Million Power Transmission Order in Europe

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 11:53:59 -0800

ABB has won orders worth around $580m from Svenska Kraftnat of Sweden and LITGRID turtas of Lithuania to supply a new power transmission link between the Nordic and Baltic regions.

Floating tidal power plant opened in Norway

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:36:20 -0800

Hydra Tidal’s floating tidal power plant, Morild II, has been officially opened in Gimsøystraumen in Lofoten, Northern Norway.

Solar maps help foster sustainable cites

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:18:08 -0800

Solar energy is more accessible to Americans than ever before. There are federal tax credits, cheaper photovoltaic systems on the market and hefty rebates that make a return on investment more attractive.

Clean power industry worth trillions by 2020

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 12:59:55 -0800

A new study by Pew Charitable Trusts shows that private investments in global clean energy projects could top $2.3 Trillion in 10 years. Most investment will be in Asia but policy plays a key role.

New Report Launched at COP16 aims to cut energy costs by $26 million by 2030

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 12:24:13 -0800

A new World Economic Forum report developed in partnership with Accenture was presented today at the Green Solutions Event at COP16 in Cancun.

Sahara desert project aims to power half the world by 2050

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 11:24:01 -0800

A joint project by universities in Algeria and Japan is planning to turn the Sahara desert, the largest desert in the world, into a breeding ground for solar power plants that could supply half the world’s electrical energy requirements by 2050.

10 States Sign the North Seas Countries Offshore Grid Initiatve

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 10:03:27 -0800

An important step considering that the energy capacity from the European offshore is greater than the oil capacity of the Middle East.

SolarWorld supplies haitian hospitals with PV panels

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 09:36:55 -0800

SolarWorld is supplying five medical centers in Port-au-Prince, Haiti with 440 of its 230-watt Sunmodule PV panels to power equipment, refrigeration and air conditioning.

Port of Los Angeles boasts new 1MW Solar PV Installation

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 09:26:58 -0800

The recently completed installation is expected to send 1.2 million kWh of electricity per year to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power energy grid.

Department of Energy Pours Funds into Cleantech industry

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:53:14 -0800

When Congress passed the landmark stimulus bill in 2009, more than $90 billion was targeted at clean energy -- the largest investment of federal dollars in the energy sector ever. Nearly $3 billion was awarded to the Bay Area from the Department of Energy alone.

Germany's Power Grid Could Handle 1 Million Electric Vehicles!

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:00:55 -0800

Germany’s utilities believe that the Federal Government’s objective of having roughly 1 million electric vehicles on the country’s roads by 2020 would not pose any problems for the electricity grid.

Tidal Power: Could Waves Provide 10% of America's Electricity

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 13:44:35 -0800

Last month, in the swells off Oahu, a company called Ocean Power Technologies connected a small test buoy to the power grid that serves the Marine Corps Base Hawaii. It was a first for a wave energy device in U.S. waters.

Report Says Clean Energy Gets Fewer Subsides & Investment than Fossil Fuels

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 12:46:47 -0800

Energy from fossil fuel gets 12 times more in subsidies worldwide than sustainable energy, says a new report from the USC Marshall School of Business.

Thailand: 4300 MW of Renewables using Feed-In Tariffs

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 12:30:51 -0800

Since the introduction of its small power program in 2006, Thailand has signed contracts to develop 4,300 MW of renewable generation. Nearly half of the contracts--1,800 MW--are for solar energy alone.

GE Announces Largest Single Electric Vehicle Commitment

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 12:16:25 -0800

GE announced today it will purchase 25,000 electric vehicles to convert half of its Capital Fleet Services business by 2015 - making it the largest-ever single electric vehicle commitment.

Gore says US Ethanol Was Not a Good Policy

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 12:00:42 -0800

Former vice-president Al Gore said support for corn-based ethanol in the United States was "not a good policy", weeks before tax credits are up for renewal.

FERC & DOE Seek Better Integration of WInd and Solar Energy

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:33:56 -0800

Washington, DC, United States -- Today, the nations regulatory commission, FERC, proposed a reform to its rules that would help integrate renewable energy into the nation's energy mix.

Nations That Debate Coal Use Export It To China

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:16:27 -0800

Even as developed countries close or limit the construction of coal-fired power plants out of concern over pollution and climate-warming emissions, coal has found a rapidly expanding market elsewhere: Asia, particularly China.

Current Government Policies Inadequate to Address Climate Change

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 09:48:47 -0800

The broad greenhouse gas policy commitments and plans of countries around the world will not be sufficient to avoid significant increases in average global temperatures, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Japanese Firm Partners with Russian Institute to Product Hydrogen using Wind Power

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 09:33:27 -0800

A Japanese company and a Russian institute will start a feasibility study soon on producing hydrogen through wind-power generation in Sakhalin in Russia's Far East for export to Japan.

HVDC Investment to Skyrocket Over the Next Five Years

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 09:13:37 -0800

Investment in the high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission market will increase by 44% over the next five years, rising from $8.4 billion in 2010 to $12.1 billion in 2015, according to a new study from Pike Research.