Opinion:
¶ “Utilities shocked to find they are already dead” For utilities in the US, changes to the business model to adapt to distributed power are imminent, but the change is 20 years too late, and many utilities (and their ratepayers) are already screwed. [RenewEconomy]
¶ “Utility companies: has their business model become redundant?” Utilities in the UK, with ageing nuclear and coal plants coming offline, must make massive investments. Meanwhile, environmental legislation, energy efficiency, and distributed renewable generation undermine them. [The Guardian]
World:
¶ Societe Generale cut its estimates for German forward power prices from the €44/MWh estimate last March to €39/MWh, despite a recent surge to five-month highs. They say renewable energy generation and efficiency measures were advancing and Europe’s economic outlook is subdued. [Business Spectator]
¶ Solar panels will be installed in sixteen Wellington, New Zealand schools over the next three years under a joint venture between Wellington City Council and Genesis Energy. Wellington is very well known for its renewable wind energy and seeks to make use of its outstanding sunshine hours. [Voxy]
¶ Japan’s Trade and Industry Minister said that the government is looking into the possibility of lowering the country’s dependence on nuclear power. The trade minister said that they will still be maintaining the technology and personnel because they are still needed to contribute to the world. [The Japan Daily Press]
¶ TEPCO said on Tuesday that it dumped more than 1,000 tons of polluted water into the sea after a typhoon raked the Fukushima Daiichi facility, swamping enclosure walls around clusters of water tanks containing toxic water that was used to cool broken reactors. [Independent Online]
US:
¶ California is about to get four important new laws; two on renewables and two on electric vehicles. Two provide a shared renewable energy that everyone to get access and give utilities revenue to eliminate a cap on net metering. The others ease permitting and access for charging stations. [SustainableBusiness.com]
¶ Scientists and business leaders from the Far East are in Maine this week to talk about the worldwide progress being made in harnessing tidal power. About 11 people from Japan are among those attending the University of Maine’s second annual Marine Energy International Symposium. [WLBZ-TV]
¶ Duke Energy’s Texas-based Notrees Battery Storage Project has been honored with an innovation award at the 2013 Energy Storage North America Conference and Expo in San Jose. The project’s 36 MW advanced lead-acid battery helps smooth output from Notrees 153 MW Wind Power Project. [SmartMeters]
¶ Over 100 environmental organizations today called on US EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy to withdraw EPA’s controversial new Protective Action Guides, which would allow exposure to very high doses from radiation releases before government would take action to protect the public. [eNews Park Forest]
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