World:
¶ Britain has opened the world’s second largest offshore wind farm. It will help generate enough renewable energy to power around half a million homes . The Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm cost £1.3 billion ($2 billion) and has 140 turbines. [IBTimes.co.uk]
¶ Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited, a leading solar energy company and the world’s largest PV manufacturer, which markets its products under the brand “Yingli Solar”, announced today the official opening of its Australian operations in Sydney, Australia. [CMO]
¶ Calls have been made to ensure that the Welsh Island of Anglesey becomes a world leader in renewable energy. Segen Wales, a partnership between Marine Current Turbines and RWE npower, is consulting on plans for a tidal farm off the Skerries, and Anglesey. [North Wales Chronicle]
¶ Members of the Liberal Democrats political party in the UK have put forth a proposal that would see millions of gasoline- and diesel-burning passenger vehicles banned from British roads by 2040. [Autoblog]
¶ Vietnam’s state-run English-language newspaper published an opinion ad Tuesday objecting to planned nuclear reactor exports by Japan. The ad says , “the Japanese people are opposed to Japan’s export of nuclear technology due to the immense dangers involved.” [The Japan Times]
¶ An Industry Ministry official says the flow of contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean from Fukushima Daiichi is worse than previously thought, even as PM Shinzo Abe pledged to step up efforts to halt the crisis. The Voice Russia interviews Arnie Gundersen. [The Voice of Russia]
¶ Radioactive cesium has formed hotspots on the seabed east of Fukushima Daiichi. Several spots two to four miles from the plant had readings in excess of 5,000 becquerels, with one as high as 40,000 becquerels. [Asahi Shimbun]
US:
¶ Vermont, its largest utility and the entity that operates the New England power grid continue to have their differences over where wind power fits in. ISO President Gordon van Welie responded to a letter from Vermont Governor Shumlin complaining about ISO actions. [BurlingtonFreePress.com]
¶ Due in part to the increased deployment of wind power, average levelized prices for wind power purchase agreements have fallen about 43 percent since 2009 — going from a high of nearly $70 per MWh in 2009 to around $40 per MWh in 2012. [RenewEconomy]
¶ Washington County, Maryland is partnering with America First, Inc. to launch a waste-to-renewable energy initiative, which utilizes municipal solid waste (MSW) and converts it into a fuel source, at no cost to the County. [San Francisco Chronicle]
¶ Having failed completely in its attempt to repeal state renewable electricity standards during the spring 2013 legislative season, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is shifting gears. Their new strategy is more nuanced. [The Equation: Blog of the Union of Concerned Scientists]
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