Opinion:
¶ “100 Percent Renewable Energy And Beyond” While many countries still discuss whether or not a 100% renewable energy system is even theoretically possible, Germans seem no longer bothered by such unscientific doubts. [Energy Collective]
World:
¶ Wind power is set to lead Australia’s renewable energy growth for the next half-decade, rising by more than 5 GW from 2012-18. Meanwhile, solar PV capacity is also expected to rise by 5 GW from 2012-18, overtaking wind in 2018. [RenewEconomy]
¶ A drought has caused UK hydro power to produce 32% less in the 1st quarter of 2013, from the same quarter in 2012. Output from other renewable power sources increased, more than offsetting the loss of hydro, for an overall increase of 10%. [reNews]
¶ A new report by the IEA finds that worldwide renewable power generation will exceed that from gas and be twice that of nuclear by 2016 and make up almost a quarter of the global power mix by 2018. [pv magazine]
¶ The Niagara Tunnel, a massive 41-foot wide, 6.3-mile long tunnel that’s 460 feet below the City of Niagara Falls, Ontario, made its official debut during opening ceremonies at the Ontario Power Generation (OPG) Visitors’ Centre. [RenewablesBiz]
¶ The Takahama nuclear power station on the Sea of Japan coast in western Japan has received the first shipment of reprocessed reactor fuel to arrive in Japan since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, as the plant prepares to restart. [Victoria Times Colonist]
US:
¶ Wind energy and transmission developers got a boost from a recent court decision, which supports spreading out the costs of large power lines delivering remote renewable energy to population centers. [Electric Co-op Today]
¶ Once again New Hampshire legislators are raiding the state’s renewable energy funds, which are financed by increased electricity rates for green programs like the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and Renewable Portfolio Standards. [The Keene Sentinel]
¶ Exelon, the largest U.S. nuclear power producer, may begin to see a low-emissions strategy, built on nuclear and windpower, pay off — four years after it lost a fight for climate legislation it said would add $1.1 billion in annual earnings. [Bloomberg]
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