Tag Archives: renewable energy

Companies Exploring Solar Energy, Establishing Foothold in Hot Industry

Network News Wire Editorial, PR Newswire

With climate change a hot topic and the Green New Deal providing a possible pathway for
progress, solar power may be a more viable — and profitable — source of energy than ever
before . . . Network News Wire holds no shares of any company named in this news release.
Read more here.

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED READING

Texas’ largest solar project, a behemoth of national scale, breaks ground, PV Magazine
Texas is about to enter into a prolific solar boom and this project is just the start.
North Dakota’s first commercial solar energy project gets OK, Grand Forks Herald
The [200MW] Harmony solar project, 15 miles west of Fargo, is estimated to generate $24 million in direct economic impacts over 20 years, including $5.7 million in revenues to school districts and $2 million to the county over the period, according to Geronimo Energy of Edina, Minn., a renewable energy developer.
‘Committed to sustainability:’ Common Council approves solar energy systems at 3 libraries, Fox6 Now. Alderman Nik Kovac, primary sponsor of the legislation and member of the Milwaukee Common Council’s Public Works Committee said the city would own 100 percent of the solar systems and use an existing capital appropriation from the Better Buildings Challenge capital account and Focus on Energy rebates to fund the construction.
Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy
Solar arrays to be built in three Illinois municipal-run electric territories, Energy News Network
Demonstration solar projects like the ones just announced — which incur minimal cost for the agency and municipalities — are a chance for the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency and its members “to get real experience in developing a project and studying the solar energy output of the facilities.”
Maryland Advances “Customer-Centric” Solar & DER Planning, CleanTechnica
Donated solar power system to help local food bank, Mohave Valley Daily News
The system is expected to cut the food bank’s summertime power bills by $500 a month.
California Solar Rights Bill Up for March Hearing, CleanTechnica
UI issues request for bids for Solar Farm 2.0 project, Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette
The University of Illinois has issued a request for proposals for a second large solar array to help meet its clean-energy targets.
Northwest campus to add solar panels, Northwest Missourian
Deloitte sees drivers for continued renewable energy growth, American Public Power Association
The green new deal that the market loves, Axios

Wind energy, tax breaks sought to bring Google to Becker, Minn.

By Kirsti Marohn – Collegeville, Minnesota, Minnesota Public Radio News

Google proposes to build the 375,000-square-foot data center on roughly 300 acres owned by Xcel Energy next to the Sherburne County Generating Station, the largest coal-burning plant in the Upper Midwest. Xcel will retire two of Sherco’s three generators in the next seven years. Google is working with Xcel to ensure that electricity used to power the data center will come from renewable sources. Continue reading here.

Previously Posted

Google announces plans to build data center in Nebraska; signs point to Omaha area, Omaha World-Herald
Google And Apple Lead The Corporate Charge Toward 100% Renewable Energy, Forbes
Emerging Green Tariffs In U.S. Regulated Electricity Markets, World Resources Institute
Nebraska – Omaha Public Power District, Page 17.

HAPPENING IN OTHER STATES

Have You Heard The Buzz? Displaced Coal Workers Follow In Tradition of Appalachian Apiculture, CleanTechnica

Appalachian Headwaters operates the Appalachian Beekeeping Collective, continuing a long-standing tradition of Appalachian apiculture. They say the Beekeeping Collective has the potential to bring millions of dollars into the region, offering job options and supplemental incomes for hundreds of people.

IL’s Adjustable Block Program Meets Staggering Interest, Natural Resources Defense Council
The Illinois Adjustable Block Program recently began accepting project applications, launching what has the potential to be a massive build out of distributed generation and community solar projects bolstered by the program’s Renewable Energy Credit (REC) incentives.
Adjustable Block Program Website
Adjustable Block Program Guidebook
State incentives have solar energy surging in Illinois, Chicago Daily Herald
Proposal aims to juice incentives for energy storage systems, Deseret News
A proposal before Utah legislators to incentivize the purchase of battery storage systems for solar and/or wind-powered energy systems would be a boon for those who want to become energy independent while lowering their carbon footprint.
Ford signs deal with DTE for 500,000 megawatt hours of wind energy, Daily Energy Insider
Just Ask Alaska: Yes, Diesel-Killing Solar Panels Work In The Cold, CleanTechnica
Shine touts success of Fort Hood solar farm, wants more alternative energy for state, The Kileen Daily Herald. Alternative energy sources such as solar and wind power could turn Texas into an energy-exporting state, according to state Rep. Hugh Shine, R-Temple.
The Golden State is officially a third renewable, and it’s not stopping there, PV Magazine
California has passed its 33% renewable energy target two years before the 2020 deadline. The state’s next renewable milestone is at 44% by 2024, a 33% growth in just over five full years.
Solar energy system installers expect 2019 will be a good year, The Ledger
This is the final year American consumers can receive a 30 percent federal tax credit for having a residential solar energy system installed. That credit will drop to 26 percent in 2020, and 22
percent in 2021, before dropping altogether for residential customers.

ADVICE ON GOING SOLAR

Column: Here’s why I went with solar, by Alan Youngblood / Star-Banner photo editor.
Published by The Ledger

Solar is pretty much a no-brainer. You reduce your carbon footprint while saving money or eliminating your power bill. The federal government has also extended the 30 percent tax credit on everything connected to the installation of residential solar panels through 2019. That means that 30 percent of what you spend on a solar installation comes right off the taxes you owe. Click image to watch YouTube video of the installation in fast motion.

Residential & Business Incentives
Federal Investment Tax Credit for solar systems and small wind turbines: 30% through 2019. Small wind: 100 kilowatts or less. Source: Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE)

EV / ETHANOL NEWS

Daimler, BMW ink $1B joint mobility deal, Smart Cities Dive
Automakers Daimler AG and BMW Group announced they have signed a $1 billion-plus deal to merge their ride-hailing, parking and electric vehicle (EV) charging services to create what the companies call “a new global player providing sustainable urban mobility.”
As Electric Cars Shift Into Mainstream, The Corn Belt Begins To Ponder A Post-Ethanol Future, Harvest Public Media

Working Toward A Renewable Energy Future in Rural CO

Julesberg Advocate

MEAN projects are increasing the percentage of our energy mix that comes from coal generation through 2030. A Gunnison based research organization, Sustainable Development Strategies Group (SDSG), has identified growing concern in MEAN’s service communities about this reliance on coal. This spurred a study of MEAN’s system in Colorado, and whether their policies encourage or inhibit renewable energy generation at the local level. SDSG’s study is now public.

Recommendations from the study, A Renewable Energy Future For Colorado Communities Served by MEAN, include “that MEAN move away from its policy currently limiting municipal generation to a maximum of 2% of their energy requirement.” Read more here.

Related Article: Lights shined on city power, by Kate Gienapp, Gunnison Country Times

About MEAN
The Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska (MEAN) is the not-for-profit wholesale electricity supply organization of NMPP Energy. Created in 1981, MEAN provides cost-based power supply, transmission and related services to 69 participating communities in four states: Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska and Wyoming. MEAN members/participants

More Colorado News
Ski industry climate change efforts shift to electric utilities and their regulators, Clean Cooperative
The ski industry is increasingly focusing its sustainability efforts on decarbonizing the electric grid, by engaging with their power suppliers, regulators, and state policymakers. In the latest move, a group of Colorado ski resorts are supporting Delta-Montrose Electric Association’s efforts to end its contract with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and pursue more renewable energy.

Previously Posted
Colorado co-op seeks exit from coal-heavy Tri-State to pursue renewables, Utility Dive
Tri-State is a generation and transmission provider that supplies power to more than 40 rural cooperatives across Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming. While it has increased renewable energy in recent years, coal is still its largest source of electricity — around half its capacity
— and member co-ops are required to purchase all but 5% of their power from the company.

Flickr Photo

Decarbonizing enterprise: The path to 100 percent corporate renewable energy

Center Stage Podcast, GreenBiz

It’s clear that 100 percent renewable energy is imperative to fight climate change. And it’s already starting. Chris Clark, president at Xcel Energy; Bill Weihl, former sustainability and energy efficiency manager at Facebook; and Neha Palmer, head of energy strategy at Google talked about how to push and pull all companies, utilities and the public toward accessible 100 percent renewable energy. Listen to the Podcast
More Center Stage Podcasts

ALSO IN THE NEWS

Utility of the Year: Xcel Energy, Dive Awards
“Sun in a box” Stores Renewable Energy & Delivers It On Demand, SciTech Daily
Watertown Becomes 1st Town In New England To Require Solar Panels On New Commercial Constructions, WBUR

HAPPENING IN OTHER STATES

Solar energy companies flocking to Metro East, Illinois
St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The solar industry in Missouri is actually larger than in Illinois, producing a total of 167 megawatts versus 90 in Illinois. But experts say that Illinois, ranked 34th nationwide in solar capacity, is poised to grow to 1,856 megawatts in the next five years, putting the state in 11th place and well on its way to meeting the legislation’s goal to get to 3,000 megawatts by 2030.
City Council pledges to operate on 100 percent renewable energy by 2035, WCPO Cincinnati. With a resolution passed last week, City Council made Cincinnati the 100th U.S. city to pledge to neutralize its carbon footprint by 2035.
Solar energy co-op sells subscribers energy — and a piece of the business, Minneapolis Star Tribune. Cooperative Energy Futures develops arrays and then seeks subscribers who also essentially become shareholders.
Stanford University’s Electricity Will Be Completely Carbon-Free 24 Years Ahead of California’s 100-percent Goal, Solar Magazine
Solar energy initiative brings green jobs in Harlem, Metro USA
Rhode Island looks to spare green space with brownfield solar projects, Energy News Network
A new state incentive offers money to developers that build solar projects on polluted properties instead of forests or farmland.
Duke solar solicitation nearly 6x over-subscribed, PV Magazine
78 proposals ranging from 7 MWac to 80 MWac are vying for spots under the 680 MW solicitation, which has been issued as part of a compromise between Duke and the solar industry.
Exxon’s Power Play Points to Texas’ Future, Bloomberg
The oil giant’s big bet on Permian renewables shows how the economics of the electricity market are changing.

SOLAR MODULE NEWS

Solar module lifetime predictions are getting better, PV Magazine
NREL has proposed a new methodology for determining solar module degradation rates, taking into account measurement challenges such as sensor drift, inverter nuances, soiling and others – keeping the focus on the solar modules themselves. Image: NREL, Hit me with your SunShot

ENERGY SECURITY

100% Renewable Energy As Catalyst For Achieving Peace & Justice
By Rob van Riet, Director of the Climate Energy Program at the World Future Council and a regular contributor to The Beam
Unlike fossil fuels, which are characterized by the uneven geographical distribution of natural reserves, RE is abundant across regions and countries. Photo by Justin Holzgrove, DOE’s Hit me with your SunShot

HOW DOES THAT WORK? SERIES

Mutual Aid, by Jason Kuiper, The Wire, OPPD Blog

WHAT IS IT? Mutual aid is an agreement through which other utilities offer their restoration services after natural disasters strike and cause widespread power outages. OPPD has been on both sides of the aisle. Photo: OPPD trucks line up in Tampa, Florida, part of the mutual aid deployed to help restore power following a hurricane.

Akon Launches “Akon Lighting America” in Effort to Assist the United States in Becoming a Leader in the Global Sustainable Development Goals

News Release Posted by the Solar Energy Industries Association

NEW YORK– Philanthropist, business mogul and five-time Grammy nominated artist Akon has initiated a partnership to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030 and assisting participating US states to meet their renewable energy goals . . . As of January 2019, Akon Lighting America will begin developing utility scale renewable energy projects throughout the United States and constructing renewable energy solutions for rural and low-income housing communities. Read more here.

100% RENEWABLE ENERGY NEWS

Four Members of Congress back movement calling for 100% renewables by 2030, Green New Deal, PV Magazine. The 100% renewable energy movement is gaining steam, even in the U.S. Congress. Image: Sunrise Movement
Five new governors aim for 100% renewables, PV Magazine
Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 – An Update. With ten more recently joining in, 99 cities have now committed to 100% renewable energy in Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 initiative. The Sierra Club, founded in 1892, has 3.5 million members and supporters nationwide. Recently Released: 2018 Case Studies Reports featuring 10 new cities that are ready for 100% clean energy!
CommBank becomes first Australian business to join RE100, PV Magazine Australia
Commonwealth Bank of Australia will source 65% of its power from renewable energy by next year and will go completely green by 2030, as Australia’s first business to join 154 international companies that signed up to the global initiative RE100.
Spain Unveils ‘Groundbreaking’ Plan to Slash Emissions and Transition to 100% Renewable Energy by 2050, Common Dreams
AES Unveils Ambitious Portfolio Transition That Could Result in 100% Renewables, Greentech Media. The power producer says it is “climate-transition ready.” AES also plans to incorporate storage with many of its future renewables projects.

MORE GOOD NEWS

Battery Energy Storage Is A $1 Trillion Opportunity As Costs Continue To Crash, Forbes
Solar Costs Now Lower Than Coal and Even Natural Gas, SEIA
Greenlots and Volvo to partner on charging infrastructure for electric trucks, Utility Dive
Solar panels increase grasses for sheep and cows by 90%, PV Magazine

NEW GLOBAL REPORT

Renewable Energy Market to Garner $2,152 Billion by 2025, Reveals Report, Interesting Engineering

A new report published by global market consultancy Allied Market Research is revealing a very promising future for the renewables industry with hydro and ocean power leading the way.

FEATURED EV INITIATIVE

The EV Drive Coalition is working to urge Congress to reform the federal electric vehicle (EV) tax credit so automakers can continue producing, workers can continue building, and consumers can continue buying vehicles that produce zero emissions. Supporters of EVs and the tax credit have formed this coalition to ensure that EVs remain viable in the United States. Supporters include consumer advocates, environmental groups, free market advocates and automakers, among others. See Also: Fact Sheets

Clean Energy Funds Target Growing Demand for Renewable Energy

By Amy Brown, Triple Pundit

According to the International Energy Agency’s latest market forecast, renewables will continue their expansion in the next five years, covering 40 percent of global energy consumption growth. Their use continues to increase most rapidly in the electricity sector, and will account for almost a third of total world electricity generation in 2023.

As such, large utilities like NextEra Energy and MidAmerican Energy are making huge investments in renewables. James L. Robo, CEO of NextEra Energy, one of the country’s largest power generators, predicted that solar and wind power will be cheaper than coal or nuclear generation by the beginning of the next decade. MidAmerican Energy, the majority of which is owned by billionaire investor Warren Buffet’s holding company, Berkshire Hathaway, has set its sights on getting 100 percent of its electricity from wind power by 2020. Read more here.

Pixabay Photo

MORE ENERGY TRANSITION NEWS & RESOURCES

Photo by Rob Davis

Solar Energy Could Grow 6,500% by 2050, The Motley Fool
Shell Joins Global Wind Energy Council, CleanTechnica
In what must surely be a sign of the End Times, the Global Wind Energy Council announced last week that oil and gas megalith Shell has joined as a board-level member as the company looks to expand its wind business as part of its Shell New Energies Strategy.
4 steps to prepare your business for a carbon-neutral future, Fast Company
Want to nudge others to install solar? Actions speak louder than words, Phys.Org
Over the past several years, a Yale-led investigation has illustrated the key role of social
networks—particularly of trusted community leaders—in promoting the adoption of solar technologies.

HAPPENING IN OTHER STATES

Utility attorney says Illinois’ success a credit to stakeholder collaboration, Midwest Energy News. In a Q&A, Chicago energy company attorney Mark Johnson talks about deregulation and the Future Energy Jobs Act.
Science group to Illinois: close more coal plants, and do it quickly, Midwest Energy News
N.D. coal plant draws scrutiny as part of Minnesota utility’s resource plan, Midwest Energy News. Clean energy groups argue the Coal Creek’s profitability has plummeted in the last three years as the cost of extracting coal has increased, and that the utility has not been aggressive enough with its energy efficiency programs, which could lessen the need for the large coal plant, they contend.
Three Massive Solar Farms Going Up to Power Facebook Data Centers, Data Center Knowledge Three solar projects in Utah and New Mexico will add 160MW of generation capacity to Facebook’s data center power supply. Earlier this year, Facebook committed to powering its operations with 100 percent renewable energy.
New York State is hitting its community solar stride, PV Magazine
While not entirely due to community solar, in the last decade, New York has seen a solar explosion. The state saw its total installed capacity grow more than 1,000% in size from December 2011 to December 2017. That growth figure also includes the 728 megawatts of community solar projects developed in the Empire State. As it stands, SEIA has New York ranked as the 11th in all states for total installed capacity, up from 12th in 2017, at just over 1,460 MW. SEIA also projects New York to have the nation’s 5th highest projected growth over the next five years, with 3,265 MW expected.

EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS FUNDED BY DOE’S RECENT $53 MILLION SOLAR INVESTMENTSClick image to link to the American Solar Workforce Website.

New Funding Will Support Advanced Solar Careers for Veterans and Underserved Communities, The Solar Foundation News Release. The Solar Foundation was selected as a part of the Energy Department’s FY2018 SETO funding program, an effort to invest in new projects that will lower solar electricity costs and support a growing solar workforce. The Solar Foundation will work alongside other projects in the funding program to develop training programs that prepare the solar workforce for a more digital electric power system and enable veterans and transitioning military personnel to join the solar workforce.
Cypress Creek Renewables receives $1.5 million from DOE to test bifacial modules, Solar Power World

FEATURED VIDEO

U. S. Air Force Tech Report: Solar Power

Solar energy is playing a larger role in how the Air Force is modernizing bases, making them more resilient and less dependent on fossil fuels. Using the sun is also a cost-effective way to update aging power grids.

New EIA report shows wind pulls its weight

By Curtis Walter, Into the Wind, AWEA Blog

A new report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) found that wind and solar generated over 20 percent of the total electricity in 10 states last year. This offers yet another data point that renewables like wind power have become an important part of America’s electricity mix. The 10 states include Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, North Dakota, Vermont, California, Maine, Colorado, and Minnesota. Together, they represent a diverse sample of Lower 48 states running on more affordable, reliable, clean energy than ever before.
Continue reading here,

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED READING

Microsoft, Walmart, Iron Mountain: The corporate buyer parade continues

Kansas City utility packages clean energy with federal tax savings

Written by Karen Uhlenhuth, Midwest Energy News

Kansas City Power & Light’s plan to return federal tax savings to customers also includes measures to encourage renewable energy purchases, community solar and reduce energy usage. The package includes a green tariff, demand response aggregation and new rate designs available to about 800,000 electricity customers in the Kansas City area. Missouri utility regulators are expected to approve the plan soon. The measures also provide policy certainty for the City of Kansas City to move ahead with some of the ambitious clean energy goals it articulated just over a year ago. Continue reading here.

Photo: Caleb Zahnd

NEWS FROM OTHER STATES & PUERTO RICO

Organic Valley to share its solar power with nearby communities, La Crosse Tribune
LA FARGE — Organic Valley is moving beyond its initial goal of achieving 100 percent renewable power at its corporate facilities in La Farge and Cashton to share solar power with 13 Midwest communities and energy credits with a California-based natural soap company.
Photo by Prairie Restorations Inc: Organic Valley will build and seed pollinator-friendly solar farms, such as this one near Downsville, Wisconsin, which has a flowering meadow under and around its panels.
Free beer for going solar: Montana brewery teams up with electric coop for community panels, Independent Record
Solar array by Missoula Electric finds eager partner in KettleHouse Brewing,, Missoula Current
Clean Power Flows for Portland Brewer, reNEWS
Clif Bar begins work on region’s largest solar power system, Magic Valley
Fort Collins, Colorado to go 100% renewable by 2030, PV Magazine
The city becomes the 9th in Colorado to adopt a 100% renewable energy transition mandate.
Power play: Solar energy developers sought for properties on South, West sides, The Real Deal
A new Chicago program aims to turn brownfields into energy generators.
Solar heats up in S.C. as business installations surge, Charleston Regional Business Journal
The Magic Kingdom Is Going Green, New York Times

How an architect is using solar power to prevent Puerto Rico’s next disaster, The Architects Newspaper
We Want Sun: A 100% Renewable Puerto Rico?, Microgrid Knowledge

We Want Sun: A 100% Renewable Puerto Rico?

AGGREGATION NEWS

Hawaiian Electric selects 7 solar-plus-storage projects for a combined 260 MW of renewable energy, Pacific Business News

ZERO-ENERGY HOMES

Zero energy homes makes cents – as Vivint builds in Rhode Island,
PV Magazine
RMI has released an economic analysis of Zero Energy homes, suggesting their economics meet industry standards and stay within homeowner appetites for larger investments, while Vivint Energy has built such a home in Rhode Island

The Sun Haven: Solar-Powered, Net-Zero Energy Home in Lincoln
Lincoln-based GRNE Solar teamed up with Wilderness Construction to build this net-zero energy home, with solar on the roof and outlets for electric vehicles in the garage. The home, called the Sun Haven, is located at 6077 Chartwell Lane in Lincoln. Through the use of solar power this home will produce as much energy as it consumes. YouTube Video: Drone View of The Sun Haven

FREE SEPA REPORT – CLICK IMAGE TO ACCESS IT

Over 1 GWh of Energy storage deployment by utility type and market segment
Overviews of 10 projects showcasing diverse energy storage applications
Easy to grasp summary of every state-level storage mandate and incentive

FYI FOR SOLAR SYSTEM OWNERS

Is It Necessary to Clean Solar Panels?
Mr. Green shines a light on the answer, Sierra Magazine

Could solar be a better deal than demand response for Iowa customers?

Written by Karen Uhlenhuth, Midwest Energy News

An Iowa clean energy advocate is trying to convince the state’s largest electric utility to rethink the way it manages peak demand. Kerri Johannsen, energy program director for the Iowa Environmental Council, thinks MidAmerican Energy could deliver better value for ratepayers by investing in solar instead of its expensive demand response programs . . . Johannsen calculated the cost to MidAmerican’s ratepayers at about $60,347 per megawatt hour. About $48,000 of that was for capacity, or the guarantee of access to power when needed. Continue reading here,

iStock Photo

MORE IOWA NEWS

Iowa, already a leader on wind, looks to take the next steps on storage, by Karen Uhlenhuth, Midwest Energy News
200 MW wind farm planned for Cherokee County: 88 turbines north of Marcus to be online by December 2019, Chronicle Times. EDF RE is a leading developer among corporate buyers of renewables which demonstrates the trust that environmentally-conscious companies place in EDF RE to deliver value. The Company’s growing North America portfolio of corporate purchasers includes Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, Walmart and Yahoo. Glaciers Edge will bring the EDF RE’s portfolio of wind project development in Iowa to 1.1 GW.

How Much Power is 1 Gigawatt?, U.S. Department of Energy

NEWS FROM OTHER STATES

Michigan rules on five solar programs: three move forward, PV Magazine
State regulators have authorized two Consumers Energy green pricing programs, while telling a third – by DTS Energy – to do a bit more cost calculations. Additionally, Consumers’ Solar Gardens program was approved.
SEIA: Michigan Ruling Creates Some Much-Needed Certainty for the State’s Solar Market
With 118 megawatts (MW) installed, enough solar energy to power 18,500 homes, Michigan ranks 33rd in the country for installed solar capacity. [Friday’s] decision paves the way for a dramatic increase in installed solar capacity in Michigan. Michigan’s solar market is forecast to add 605 MW of solar over the next five years, a 347 percent growth rate, the 5th largest percentage growth of any state. These forecasts could grow substantially, depending on the MPSC’s ruling on Consumers Energy’s IRP.
Indiana school district says solar farm will save it $2.2M, The Republic
Report sees economic potential for Nevada energy storage, American Public Power Association
Nevada, US primed for up to a gigawatt of energy storage, PV Magazine
A report by the Brattle Group for Nevada regulators suggests that by 2030 – depending on pricing – 700 to 1,000 MW / 2.8 to 4 GWh worth of energy storage could be cost-effectively deployed statewide.
Stage Set for Solar Comeback in Massachusetts, SEIA News Release
Massachusetts is living proof of something we are seeing across the United States: the public’s demand for solar is far outpacing the policies that support more power from the sun. An overwhelming majority of Massachusetts voters — 84 percent — say there should be more solar in the Commonwealth, according to a September WBUR/MassINC poll. Those results mirror a new national poll SEIA commissioned that shows solar is the public’s preferred source of energy.
Six Flags Great Adventure goes solar, PV Magazine
KDC Solar is building a 23.5 MW solar project to serve the theme park, which will be the largest net-metered solar plant in New Jersey.

NEBRASKA’S SOLAR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

SEIA: Nebraska Solar – Data Current Through Q2 2018
Solar Installers: Complete this survey to add your business to SEIA’s database. If you have questions or concerns about SEIA’s Nebraska stats or would like to request that additional solar projects or other information be added to our state’s data, contact SEIA research staff at data@seia.org or 202-469-3735.
SEE ALSO: Solar Energy Generation in Nebraska, Nebraska Energy Office. Updated September 28, 2018

100% RENEWABLES NEWS

RE100: Why a successful energy strategy calls for a board-level commitment, PV Magazine Contributor, Anesco
One key topic to grab the headlines during Climate Week NYC was the news that RE100 companies – a group of organizations who have all made a public commitment to go ‘100% renewable’ – are outperforming their peers.

NEW REPORT

Renewables 2018: Market analysis and forecast from 2018 to 2023, International Energy Agency
Solar PV capacity is forecast to expand by almost 600 GW – more than all other renewable power technologies combined, or as much as twice Japan’s total capacity, reaching 1 terawatt (TW) by the end of the forecast period. Despite recent policy changes, China remains the absolute solar PV leader by far, holding almost 40% of global installed PV capacity in 2023. The United States remains the second-largest growth market for solar PV, followed by India, whose capacity quadruples.

AWEA FACT CHECK

No, wind turbines do not cause global warming,
Into the Wind, AWEA Blog

Two researchers, David Keith and Lee Miller, released a new paper [Thursday] and their findings are problematic for several reasons. Furthermore, certain media outlets are misreporting what the paper actually says.

Pairing Wind + Solar for Cheaper, 24-Hour Renewable Energy

By Dan Gearino, Inside Climate News

Along a country road east of Lima, Ohio, a company is preparing to build one of the world’s largest renewable energy projects that pairs wind and solar to create a hybrid power source. It’s a rare combination now, but one that’s expected to become more common because of its potential to cut costs while providing a more consistent flow of clean energy. Invenergy is starting with a 175 megawatt wind farm. Within the wind farm, it plans to build a 150 megawatt solar farm. Together, they would produce enough electricity for about 175,000 homes. The wind and solar energy complement each other. Learn more here.

Photo: Invenergy’s Grand Ridge project in Illinois is one of a small number of hybrid power projects to combine wind and solar energy in one site. A larger one with more solar is planned for Ohio. Credit: Invenergy

NEWS FROM OTHER STATES

Virginia 10-year energy plan includes 5 GW of renewables, EVs, grid modernization, Utility Dive
Solar Industry Welcomes 2018 Virginia Energy Plan and Commitments to Expand Solar Energy, SEIA News Release
University of Richmond to match energy usage with solar generation, PV Magazine
Another Colorado Community Commits To 100% Clean Energy, Solar Industry
Fort Collins will aim for 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030, The Coloradoan
Holy Cross seeking clean energy redemption, PV Magazine
The Colorado co-op has adopted a plan to get 70% of its electricity supply from clean sources by 2030, almost doubling its current 39% and far outpacing its required 10%.
Nodaway County moves forward with wind farm, Northwest Missourian

NATIONAL/REGIONAL NEWS

Your appliances can save the grid (and allow more solar), PV Magazine
A new report by Wood Mackenzie finds a surprising amount of potential demand flexibility in U.S. homes, which can make the job of integrating more solar and wind easier. Among the many dramatic changes happening in the U.S. electricity sector is entrepreneurs, utilities, policymakers and most importantly consumers waking up to the possibility of flexible demand, through the use of “smart” appliances, electric vehicles (EVs) and batteries.

Informed utility customers want more renewable energy — and utilities do too, Electric Light & Power
Commitments to renewable energy are a great start — what comes next?, GreenBiz
This essay was contributed by one of the NGOs that make up the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA), a consortium dedicated to growing large buyer demand for renewable power and helping utilities and others meet it. You can find the other articles here.
GameChange Solar says 2018 shipments to exceed 1.5 GW, Renewables Now
SunPower becomes biggest US solar panel builder with SolarWorld purchase, Utility Dive
October solar policy snapshots, Solar Power World
‘Green’ Home Improvements Can Pay Off: Appraisal Institute, PR Newswire
A New Take On Energy Conservation In The Heartland, Daily Yonder
Rural counties in Northeastern Iowa are capitalizing on an old model of local control to harness their energy future.

EV NEWS

With Volkswagen payout, states have $2.7 billion to boost EV adoption, Axios
10 Year Extension To US EV Tax Credit Proposed, CleanTechnica
All-Electric Volvo Trucks Coming To California Next Year, Forbes

ENERGY TRANSITION NEWS

Bank of the West Makes $1 Billion Commitment to Energy Transition, PR Newswire

ONLINE SOLAR CAREER PLATFORM

The Solar Training Network manages AmericanSolarWorkforce.org, a comprehensive online platform to help solar companies recruit qualified candidates; allow solar job seekers to find career and training opportunities; and help the entire industry build a strong and diverse solar workforce.

The Solar Training Network is a program led by The Solar Foundation and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. This online tool, revised and improved version of an earlier online platform, was unveiled last week at Solar Power International in Anaheim, California.

FOSSIL RESEARCH

DOE spent more than $500M on dead projects, E&E News
Nearly half the $2.7 billion in fossil research money spent by the Department of Energy over the last seven years supported nine carbon capture demonstration projects, the majority of which were canceled or withdrawn, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office.

Nebraskans for Solar

Solar: the energy of life

Tag Archives: renewable energy

Companies Exploring Solar Energy, Establishing Foothold in Hot Industry

Network News Wire Editorial, PR Newswire

Wind energy, tax breaks sought to bring Google to Becker, Minn.

By Kirsti Marohn – Collegeville, Minnesota, Minnesota Public Radio News

Working Toward A Renewable Energy Future in Rural CO

Julesberg Advocate

Decarbonizing enterprise: The path to 100 percent corporate renewable energy

Center Stage Podcast, GreenBiz

Akon Launches “Akon Lighting America” in Effort to Assist the United States in Becoming a Leader in the Global Sustainable Development Goals

News Release Posted by the Solar Energy Industries Association

Clean Energy Funds Target Growing Demand for Renewable Energy

By Amy Brown, Triple Pundit

New EIA report shows wind pulls its weight

By Curtis Walter, Into the Wind, AWEA Blog

Kansas City utility packages clean energy with federal tax savings

Written by Karen Uhlenhuth, Midwest Energy News

Photo: Caleb Zahnd

Could solar be a better deal than demand response for Iowa customers?

Written by Karen Uhlenhuth, Midwest Energy News

Pairing Wind + Solar for Cheaper, 24-Hour Renewable Energy

By Dan Gearino, Inside Climate News