World:
¶ A Dutch organization called Better Energy puts some perspective on German power in a new study. Facts: Subsidies for Nuclear and fossil fuels are three times those of renewables; the Leipzig Insurance Forum says a meltdown could cost up to €6 trillion; … [CleanTechnica]
¶ The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to provide more than 420 megawatts of renewable energy for nine states in the northern part of the country, Secretary, National Energy Council, Ibrahim Njiddah, has said. [BusinessDay]
¶ UK renewable energy expert UrbanWind is getting new orders. It believes the government’s price guarantees for the new Hinkley Point nuclear reactor will move companies towards less expensive renewable alternatives and energy independence. [AltEnergyMag]
¶ The UK’s biggest developer of solar farms plans to spend £100 million developing 20 sites in Northern Ireland over the next two years. The same land solar farms occupy could be used for grazing or could greatly enhance biodiversity. [Ulster Star]
¶ Last year Japan became the second largest importer of fossil fuels in the world, second only to China. The main reason for this was the catastrophic failure of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and the response to it. [Energy Global]
¶ The operator of Japan’s wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant will double the pay of contract workers as part of a revamp of operations at the station, after coming under criticism for its handling of clean-up efforts. [The Malay Mail Online]
US:
¶ Massachusetts is enticing residents, businesses and public agencies to reduce emissions and heating and cooling costs by making $32 million available to seven programs that will fund renewable heating and cooling projects. [Biomass Magazine]
¶ A new paper from two Iowa State University economists concludes that an American Petroleum Institute study predicting higher fuel prices as the result of increased renewable fuel standard ethanol mandates is flawed. [Ethanol Producer Magazine]
¶ Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Mark Udall (D-Colo.), and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) have introduced the Renewable Electricity Standard Act of 2013 (S.1595), which would create a national standard of 25% renewable energy generation by 2025. [POWER magazine]
¶ Zero Waste Energy Development Company is starting the first large-scale dry fermentation anaerobic facility in the United States. It will process up to 90,000 tons per year of organic waste, generating about 1.6MW of clean renewable power. [EON: Enhanced Online News]
¶ First Wind was joined today by state and community leaders and renewable energy and solar industry representatives for a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction of its 14 MW solar project in Warren, Massachusetts. [AZoCleantech]
¶ The US DOE has unveiled a plan to cut red tape for residential and small commercial rooftop solar systems in an effort to reach the Obama Administration’s goal of doubling renewable electricity generation by 2020. [pv magazine]
¶ On the eve of a visit by NRC chairwoman Allison Macfarlane, the union that represents workers at the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant in Plymouth reported Thursday that plant owner Entergy plans to lay off “several” workers there. [The Patriot Ledger]
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