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Opinion:

¶   “BPA Addresses Inaccurate Report” Biomass Power Association President Bob Cleaves discusses a recently released study that shines a negative light on biomass energy that alleges—once again—that biomass is harmful to the environment, and, laughably, worse than coal. [Biomass Magazine]

¶   “Rebuttals To Exelon’s Anti-PTC Campaign” Several leading figures in the electric utility industry have now weighed in on wind energy’s benefits to the electricity market, supported by the renewable energy Production Tax Credit – including major owners of nuclear plants. [CleanTechnica]

¶   “Stop Killing Birds: Is This an Environmental Fallacy About Wind Farms?” According to research out of the US Forest Service, wind turbines account for less than 1% of bird deaths. The biggest culprit at nearly 60%? Buildings. Birds may just be a convenient rallying cry. [Motley Fool]

Science and Technology:

¶   An MIT team whose integrated chip restores lost power to partially shaded solar panels — achieving double the energy capture improvement of similar technologies — won big on Monday night at the seventh annual MIT Clean Energy Prize competition. [MIT News]

World:

¶   Most of France’s 58 nuclear reactors were built during a short period in the 1980s, and about half will reach their designed age limits of 40 in the 2020s, pushing France towards what industry calls “the nuclear cliff.” Replacing them with nuclear reactors will be costly. [The West Australian]

¶   More than 100,000 people were employed in the UK’s renewable energy sector last year. The industry has had almost £30 billion in private sector investment since 2010 and is set for £64 billion of investment by the decade’s end, the Renewable Energy Association says. [Western Morning News]

¶   According to a study by Agora Energiewende, both solar and wind energy are now approximately 50% less expensive than new nuclear power plants in Germany. The study suggests that this is largely feed-in tariffs have helped these two forms of clean power grow. [Hydrogen Fuel News]

US:

¶   A key part of the Obama administration’s green policies received surprisingly strong Supreme Court support over efforts to curb air pollution. A 6-2 majority of justices issued a decision upholding federal agency rules to control coal-fired power plant emissions from 28 states. [CNN]

¶   NRG Energy and partner MidAmerican Solar announced they have achieved substantial completion at their Agua Caliente Solar Photovoltaic Facility, a 290 MW photovoltaic facility located on 2,400 acres of land between Yuma and Phoenix, Ariz. [Your Industry News]

¶   The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has announced four major decisions and orders to the Hawaiian Electric Companies. These address cost reductions, renewable energy integration, improvement of customer PV integration, and demand response programs. [Hawaii 24/7]

¶   A company that was planning a wave energy installation off the Oregon coast that could have powered 1,000 homes has said it will instead undertake the project in Australia, where the Australian Renewable Energy Agency has provided a $66.5 million grant. [FuelFix]

¶   Utah Governor Gary Herbert (R) signed into law a bill that will allow the state’s Public Service Commission to charge small renewable power providers for costs their net-metering programs impose on electricity utilities. [Health Care News]

¶   Energy Future Holdings, the largest utility in Texas, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in a Delaware court. The company took on huge debt when the price of natural gas was high, but then gas bottomed out. [WFAA]

¶   The US Department of Energy has made a pair of announcements designed to promote the development of innovative renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. If market-ready, such technologies can get DOE loans. [Utility Products]

¶   The American wind industry continues the construction boom that started 2014, with more than 13,000 MW of wind energy projects under construction at the end of the first quarter [AltEnergyMag]

¶   A new report from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory estimates that there is potential for over 65 GW of new hydropower development across more than three million rivers and streams in the United States. [International Water Power and Dam Construction]

Opinion:

¶   “IPCC Report Reactions: Act Now, Agree Later” The IPCC Report says immediate action is needed to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, but global agreement on climate change not expected until 2015. We can’t afford to wait. We need to act now, agree later. [Energy Collective]

Science and Technology:

¶   Biofuels created from corn crop residues — such as stalks, leaves, cobs, etc — can generate higher levels of greenhouse gases than gasoline, according to new research from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. [CleanTechnica]

¶   German and international researchers have succeeded in converting water, carbon dioxide and sunlight into kerosene, in a project that holds the possibility of producing completely renewable jet fuel. [The Local.de]

World:

¶   Vattenfall notched a profit after tax of €0.9 billion and underlying operating profit of €1 billion for the first quarter of 2014. Sales of heat, gas, and overall electricity were all down, and the generation of wind power was the one positive factor in maintaining profits. [reNews]

¶   Siemens has completed installation of the 800 MW BorWin2 offshore transmission platform in the North Sea for TenneT and is now gearing up for commissioning. It was built by Nordic Yards at its shipyard in Warnemünde and weighs more than 12,000 tonnes. [reNews]

¶   Scotland wants to set an example to other countries. Outlining his plans to become a hub for renewable and low carbon technology, Scotland’s first minister promised the country would generate 100% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020. [Responding to Climate Change]

US:

¶   Green Mountain Power has announced that under a revenue sharing agreement stemming from the sale of Vermont Yankee in 2002, GMP will receive as much as $17.8 million. That money will be directed to GMP customers in the form of lower rates. [Green Energy Times]

¶   The 300 MW request for proposals — for solar PV plants over 5 MW — that Duke Energy put out just a few months ago, only just in February for that matter, has already been oversubscribed nearly three times over, according to recent reports. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The US Energy Information Administration says 16% of US power could come from renewables by 2040. Sun Day Campaign says the EIA is clearly wrong. Their analysis finds that renewable energy sources in the US could reach or exceed 16% by 2018. [Triple Pundit]

¶   In 2011, the US EPA agreed to delay the imposition of its greenhouse gas standard on biomass power plants for three years. The grace period expires on July 1, but the EPA has yet to indicate what  adjustments it has made to its standards for biomass emissions. [Bend Bulletin]

¶   After returning from the ski season in Europe, 2014 Olympic Winter Games biathlete Hannah Dreissigacker and other Vermont Olympians came to Morse Farm Ski Center in East Montpelier to call for action on climate change. [vtdigger.org]

¶   Hawaii expects to cut its consumption of petroleum for power generation by more than half by 2020 due to the combination of energy efficiency savings, significantly increased distributed generation and likely new utility-scale renewable energy. [Pacific Business News (Honolulu)]

¶   Vice President of Environmental Affairs Michael Deering of the Long Island Power Authority, in a remarkable podcast interview, explained how local solar energy can help offset $100 million in grid upgrades for bringing in remote power generation. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Accelerated retirements of coal-fired power plants would reduce future carbon dioxide emissions, while faster-than-expected shutdowns of nuclear facilities would boost them, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said Monday. [Washington Examiner]

¶   Lower natural gas prices and stagnant growth in electric demand will lead to the loss of 10,800 megawatts of US nuclear generation, or around 10 percent of total capacity, by the end of the decade, according to the US Energy Information Administration. [Reuters]

Opinion:

¶   “Communicating The Renewable Energy Revolution” Clean energy is not just about cleaning our air, preserving our water supplies and helping to protect our climate; it is also about democratizing the energy sector. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶   What’s The Greenest Car When You Take Fuel Sources Into Account? The better the fuel economy of a petrol car, the lower its emissions. For the electric car, the major difference is the source of electricity. The lowest emissions is the electric car using solar electricity. [CleanTechnica]

¶   An El Niño appears increasingly likely this year, according to NOAA. If it starts relatively quickly, then 2014 could well be the hottest year on record, but if it is a strong El Niño, as many currently expect, then 2015 would likely break all previous global records. [Energy Collective]

World:

¶   El Hierro, in the Canary Islands, is the first island to get 100% of its electricity by combining wind and pumped storage. Surplus power from the wind turbines will be used to pump water from one reservoir near the harbour to another 700 metres above sea level. [New Vision]

¶   The chairman of Australia’s Climate Change Authority says he is “sick and disappointed” by the rhetoric surrounding renewable energy and the effective stranding of the country’s renewable energy industry by the Tony Abbott Coalition government. [RenewEconomy]

¶   China’s chief negotiator on climate change says, the pollution visible each day outside his windows is forcing China to change regardless of what the outside world wants. Fossil fuels, mostly coal, still make up nearly 70% of its power generating capacity. [Financial Times]

¶   The EU Commission’s 2030 renewable energy target is weak and more ambitious goals should be set, according to Christian Haellmigk, an energy law expert at international law firm CMS Hasche Sigle. [Turkish Press]

¶   Due to the power crisis in many states in India, many local governments are installing rooftop PV systems. These projects will benefit the local communities and also help the country to stabilize its electrical grid. [Solar Novus Today]

¶   A poll in Taiwan says 90.7% of the public believes that climate change is currently underway and 65.3% believe the government does not pay it enough attention. As many as 85.4% feel that government efforts to reduce carbon emissions have been insufficient. [China Post]

¶   In Australia, up to $4 billion worth of gas-fired power stations are in danger of being “stranded” as gas prices explode and the renewable energy target pushes extra generation into a grid already oversupplied with excess power, a new report has found. [The Australian]

¶   The Ukrainian government has decided to dedicate an area of 45 hectares in Chernobyl in order to build a nuclear waste cemetery near the location of the most significant nuclear disaster in history. [Greenfudge.org]

¶   Officials in Taiwan say all construction will be halted at the island’s fourth nuclear power plant outside the capital, Taipei, after tens of thousands of anti-nuclear protesters marched through the city to demand the move. [Malaysia Sun]

US:

¶   The world’s largest environmental prize has been awarded to a lawyer who helps organize community-level fracking bans. Helen Slottje has won the Goldman Prize. Slottje has helped enact fracking bans in 172 communities across New York in the last five years. [Capital New York]

¶   In Maine, York Middle School, which currently serves as the town’s emergency shelter, could be the pilot site for a series of solar-powered emergency shelters in the state, under plans being devised by the York Energy Efficiency Committee. [Seacoastonline.com]

Opinion:

¶   “The Koch Attack on Solar Energy” At long last, the Koch brothers and their conservative allies in state government have found a new tax they can support. Naturally it’s a tax on something the country needs: solar energy panels. [New York Times]

Science and Technology:

¶   There are choices for biogas projects about what to do with the gas. A developer may produce power for sale to the grid, but there is increasing appeal in using it to replace natural gas, offsetting fuel costs. New chemical processes make that conversion easier. [Biomass Magazine]

¶   A new report from the Geothermal Energy Association, released at the organization’s International Geothermal Showcase in Washington, DC, reveals the international power market is doing well, with a sustained growth rate of 4% to 5%. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶   The South African Department of Energy’s projects are expected to feed a growing amount of renewable energy in forthcoming years, the Sunday Times reports. A total of 47 projects have been awarded 20-year under a new program to power 3 million households by 2030. [ITWeb]

¶   Despite the sun’s relatively rare appearance in the sky over Scotland’s largest city, experts say tapping its rays for power in this way will play a vital role in ensuring a low-pollution future for Glasgow. The City Council will soon start identifying sites for solar farms. [Herald Scotland]

¶   The Egyptian Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Development has announced plans to build solar panels on some government buildings in an attempt to reduce stress on Egypt’s overburdened electrical grid, according to an official statement. [Daily News Egypt]

¶   As France reduces dependence on nuclear power, 65% of those surveyed said that they would invest in renewable energy (wind and solar PV) if they had to personally invest in one energy source, while 15% chose nuclear, 7% chose gas and 1% chose coal. [Click Green]

US:

¶   A new report from New York state, where a de facto shale drilling moratorium has persisted since 2008, concludes that unless natural gas prices double, much of the shale gas in the state cannot be profitably accessed by oil and gas companies. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The Cuomo administration has taken the final step in approving a major expansion of the state’s NY-Sun Initiative—a program that is successfully boosting solar power across the state—extending it through 2023 and supporting a tenfold increase in the clean energy source. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Glasgow, Kentucky has a new project to convert methane gas from the city’s landfill into electrical power. At peak production, it will supply the electrical power needs of about 450 residences and serve as a back-up power source for the city’s wastewater treatment plant. [AZoCleantech]

Opinion:

¶   “Rooftop Solar — Are The Grids Really Needed?” Being offgrid in the outback makes economic sense, but the bigger question for network operators around the world is whether those in more populated areas, even in the cities, will look to adopt similar measures. [CleanTechnica]

¶   “When Should Nuclear Power Pay for Risk? Is Never Good For You?” In a secret negotiation, the nuclear industry passed along another risk to the US public. An expected $300 million loan fee for building the new Vogtle nuclear plant, was negotiated down to zero. [The Equation: Blog of the Union of Concerned Scientists]

Science and Technology:

¶   Minnesota based Skajaquoda has developed a portable wind turbine power station it calls Trinity. Trinity is a 12” cylinder that can charge any USB based device, such as your smartphone or tablet. It has a 15 W generator with a built in battery that holds 15,000 mAh. [Paste Magazine]

World:

¶   The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced plans to invest $109 billion to produce 41 GW of solar energy by 2032, which is almost 30% of its expected total energy requirement. Solar PVs will account for 16 GW of that, and concentrating solar for the remaining 26 GW.[AME Info]

¶   Driven by an energy-hungry population and unstable oil prices, countries in the Gulf and the wider MENA region are investing in various green energy options, with a focus on in solar energy. [Gulf Business News]

¶   UK Power Networks is installing a giant battery farm to supply electricity at peak times. Leighton Buzzard will have the capacity to discharge up to 10 MWh into the local distribution network at a rate of up to 6 MW. [Peninsula On-line]

¶   American majors General Electric and Westinghouse are looking to develop 12,000 megawatts of nuclear power in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, according to US Ambassador to India Nancy Powell. [Free Press Journal]

US:

¶   The board of directors of the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation on Monday approved a total of $173,709 in grants from the state Renewable Energy Fund for 25 solar electric and five solar hot water installations around the state. [The Providence Journal]

¶   In yet another signal that era of fossil fuels is drawing to a close, a jury has just awarded a whopping $3 million to a Texas family for health and property impacts linked to a nearby Aruba Petroleum fracking operation. [CleanTechnica]

¶   GE Energy Financial Services announced it has exceeded $10 billion in renewable energy investment commitments worldwide to become one of the industry’s leading investors. The projects avoid greenhouse gases equivalent to the annual car emissions in Massachusetts. [Today’s Energy Solutions]

¶   In 18 state capitals across the country, legislators are debating proposals to roll back environmental rules, prodded by industry and advocacy groups eager to curtail regulations aimed at curbing greenhouse gases. Nevertheless, the fossil fuel groups are losing. [Washington Post]

¶   Electric cooperatives are embracing solar energy—and the White House is taking notice. Representatives of seven co-ops recently attended the White House Solar Summit. The event was held to honor what the administration called “cross-sector leadership on solar.” [Electric Co-op Today]

¶   A proposed project under development by Southwest Renewable Resources aims to develop a unique biomass fuel production facility and up to 25 MW of bioenergy capacity in South Sioux City, Neb. [Biomass Magazine]

¶   After being vetoed by Maine Governor Paul LePage, a law, “An Act to Support Solar Energy Development in Maine,” was enacted by legislative override. It passed the Senate unanimously and the House with a 103-39 vote. [Mainebiz Daily]

Opinion:

¶   “The Smart Way to Power China” Imagine the energy from the hot sun beating down on the Sahara or Gobi, or from the abundant Arctic wind connected to distant countries’ grids. This future is not so far away, and we need to speed its arrival. [Wall Street Journal]

¶   “Cutting emissions without onshore wind: it may be possible, but it would cost us” Evidence from a government advisor suggests capping onshore wind farms will make it a lot more difficult and expensive to hit our climate targets. [Carbon Brief]

Science and Technology:

¶   Australia-based manufacturer of zinc-bromide flow batteries modules RedFlow has announced it has improved the manufacturability and flexibility of its batteries. The batteries’ capabilities include tolerance for daily deep charge and discharge. [Ferret]

World:

¶   Africa’s largest wind farm, at Tarfaya in southwestern Morocco, has started generating electricity and will be capable of meeting the electricity needs of several hundred thousand people, officials say. It has a capacity of 300 MW. [Al-Arabiya]

¶   Prime Minister David Cameron has been accused of putting his party before the country after pledging to halt the march of wind farms across the South West if the Conservatives win the next election. [Western Daily Press]

¶   Goldwind USA, a subsidiary of Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology, has secured a contract from InterEnergy to provide turbines for the 215 MW Penonomé power project in Panama. Goldwind will supply 86 of its 2.5MW Permanent Magnet Direct-Drive turbines. [Energy Business Review]

¶   General Electric is investing $24 million in India’s largest solar-power plant, drawn by what it called the technology’s “incredible potential” in India. GE says it plans to invest more than $1 billion a year globally in renewable projects that promise “very significant returns.” [Bloomberg]

¶   Investors in energy from Germany, Canada, China and South Africa have descended on Ghanaian capital Accra to explore ways of providing solar energy to sub-Saharan Africa. A 155 MW grid connected solar PV power plant in Ghana is one example. [Turkish Press]

¶   The results of a new study by Glasgow University and due out in June estimates that heat pumps could shrink Scotland’s carbon footprint by the equivalent of 260,000 around-the-world car journeys every year. [Scotsman]

¶   PV demand in the Middle East and Africa region is set to grow 50% year-over-year in 2014, according to a NPD Solarbuzz’s Emerging PV Markets Report: Middle East and Africa. Between 2014 and 2018, annual PV demand will nearly triple. [pv magazine]

¶   In a joint statement released after Japanese and US leaders held a meeting in Tokyo, the US said it “welcomed Japan’s new Strategic Energy Plan, which includes global, peaceful and safe use of nuclear energy and acceleration of the introduction of renewable energy.” [GlobalPost]

US:

¶   The US military’s increasing use of alternative fuels and electricity sources is making the nation stronger and helping drive down commercial prices for renewable energy, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said Thursday in Tempe, Arizona. [Arizona Republic]

¶   Solar power now accounts for about 1.1% of the total capacity of the US electrical grid, the US Energy Information Administration said in its monthly report on electricity generation in the US grid. Solar power has had a 418% increase in capacity since 2010. [UPI.com]

¶   Minnesota regulators have given the green light to EDF Renewable Energy’s 105 MW Stoneray wind project. The state Public Utilities Commission yesterday unanimously approved a site permit and certificate of need for the up to 62-turbine scheme. [reNews]

¶   ConEdison Solutions and the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey unveiled one of four new solar installations at Newark Liberty International Airport. It is a 633 kW solar system, the first at any airport buildings operated by The Port Authority. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶   Google has agreed to put up to $100 million into a new funding partnership with California-based SunPower, which will provide up to $150 million. The combined pool of cash will be used to fund thousands of domestic solar panel installations. [Business Green]

Opinion:

¶   “So You Want Solar Power, Do You?” You want solar power? These guys seem unlikely to provide it. (Cartoon found on Facebook—thanks to Greenpeace UK.) [PlanetSave.com]

World:

¶   Kenya’s economy could be boosted by as much as $45 billion by the year 2030 with a switch to a ‘green’ economy, according to a new joint study from the UN Environment Programme and the Government of Kenya. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The UK’s Conservative party has promised communities that they will have the power to block onshore wind farms if they win the general election in 2015. The energy minister will also announce that the local veto power will be installed within six months of the Tories taking office. [International Business Times UK]

¶   Funding renewable projects with Indian government-backed green bonds could lower the cost of clean power by as much as 25%, according to a study. Green bonds are sold by the government, with the proceeds loaned to wind and  solar farm developers. [Bloomberg]

¶   British electricity producer Drax said it had started legal proceedings against the government over a decision not to support the conversion of one of its coal-burning units to biomass under a new subsidy scheme. [Business Spectator]

¶   China will allow private investment in 80 projects spanning the energy, information and infrastructure sectors as part of reforms to increase privatisation. The 80 involve solar energy, hydro power, wind power, and oil and gas pipelines, previously state monopolies. [Business Spectator]

¶   Scientists at Berkeley University have come up with an alternative to a gigantic  power project in Sarawak. Instead of building mega-dams, the government can on small-scale energy sources for increasing rural electrification and developing rural areas. [Scoop.co.nz]

¶   According to analysis, new wind and solar can provide power at up to 50% lower cost  than new nuclear and carbon capture and storage. A reliable generation system of wind, and solar with gas as backup is 20% cheaper than a system of new nuclear power combined with gas. [Energy Matters]

US:

¶   On April 18th, the Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls celebrated the completion of two major renewable energy projects, making it the first university in North America to generate all of its own electricity and heat on campus. [inhabitat]

¶   A bill being considered at the Hawaiian legislature could allow apartment and condo dwellers to invest in a solar complex elsewhere. Under the proposed plan, they would buy their own panels, located on a roof or solar farm, and the energy would be credited to their electric bill. [khon2.com]

¶   Consolidated Edison encourages customers to consider using the sun to generate electricity. The utility is installing a solar array at its landmark office tower in Manhattan. The 200-panel system will generate 40 KW of renewable power. [Renewable Energy Focus]

¶   The US EPA’s Green Power Partnership has released a new list of the top 100 organizations that use electricity from renewable sources, such as solar and wind power. Intel is at the top, meeting 100% of its electricity load with renewable resources. [Solar Industry]

¶   The Obama administration announced $15 million in funding late last week under a new Solar Market Pathways program that’s designed to bolster shared or community solar programs and local funding initiatives. [GreenBiz.com]

¶   Exelon announced it hit its 2020 climate goals 7 years early. It reduced or avoided more than 18 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2013, surpassing its goal of eliminating 17.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year by 2020. [NorthcentralPa.com]

¶   Speaking to the US Energy Association Wednesday, Exelon’s Chief Strategy Officer William A. Von Hoene Jr said market-distorting policies may contribute to the early closure of as many as a quarter of U.S. nuclear plants if left unchanged. [Nuclear Street – Nuclear Power Portal]

Opinion:

¶   “As nuclear power dies, solar rises” At long last, this Earth Day we celebrate the true dawn of the Solar Age. That sunrise is hastened, here and abroad, by the slow demise of the once-touted “too-cheap-to-meter” Atomic Age of nuclear power. [CNN]

¶   “Japan must stop financing coal” As President Obama begins his visit to Japan, 33 environmental groups from 19 countries around the world released an open letter calling on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to end support for coal plants. [The Ecologist]

Science and Technology:

¶   Scientists at Harvard and MIT announced something extraordinary: they had found a way to create solar cells that can store accumulated energy from sunlight, and then, with no more than a burst of a few photons, release that energy in a steady and continuous form. [Echonetdaily]

¶   By using computers to analyze data continuously from wind turbines, wind power forecasts of unprecedented accuracy are making it possible for Colorado to use far more renewable energy, at lower cost, than utilities ever thought possible. [MIT Technology Review]

World:

¶   “Run-of-river” hydro power, gentler and smaller-scale than massive hydroelectric projects that irretrievably flood huge areas of land, may become a $1.4 billion-dollar industry in the next 10 years, according to Tocardo International BV, a Dutch turbine maker. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou says his government is committed to developing sustainable energy and the green economy in Taiwan. Ma made the remarks at an Earth Day function for environmental protection groups at the Presidential Office in Taipei City. [Taiwan Today]

¶   The UK is set to become the largest market for solar PV in Europe during 2014, confirming its status as the hottest market across the region. This is the first time that the UK will have been at the lead for installed PV in Europe, which is nearly always taken by Germany. [Solar Power Portal]

¶   The UK government has awarded early-stage Contracts for Difference to eight renewable energy projects totalling 4.5 GW. Five offshore wind farms range in size from 258 MW to 1200 MW. Three biomass plants will range from 299 to 645 MW. [reNews]

¶   The UK’s National Trust launched a new renewable energy trading company to sell electricity generated at the places it looks after. Its first large hydro turbine is expected to generate enough power for eight mansions, three castles and 45 holiday cottages in Wales. [Energy Live News]

US:

¶   America’s solar capacity has tripled during the past two years. Rooftop solar has been in the van of this development. Environment California’s new report focuses on the twenty cities on a mere 0.1% of the nation’s land that produce 7% of the solar energy. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The EIA is seriously exaggerating shale gas production in its drilling productivity report. Fortunately the EIA also publishes independent production data by shale play in its Natural Gas Weekly Update, making it possible to see how far off it is. [Resilience]

¶   Out of 600 Ohio voters surveyed, 72% responded that they favored renewable energy sources over more traditional forms of energy. When asked if they were “strongly in favor,” 52% responded in the affirmative. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Apple is offering free recycling of all its used products, at the same time it vows to power all of its stores, offices and data centers with renewable energy to reduce the pollution caused by its devices and online services. [Barre Montpelier Times Argus]

¶   Google has signed a renewable energy deal with MidAmerican. Under the deal, MidAmerican Energy, a unit of billionaire Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway will supply up to 407 MW of wind-sourced energy to Google’s data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. [RTT News]

Opinion:

¶   “People, not new power plants, are driving the clean energy future” To take full advantage of low-carbon, renewable energy sources, we need a flexible power grid to harness clean energy when it is available. That’s where people-driven demand response comes in. [Environmental Defense Fund]

Science and Technology:

¶   HELMETH EU is an power-to-gas process that can be more than 85% efficient. First, power from solar or wind turns water into oxygen and hydrogen. Then, hydrogen reacts with carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide to methane, the main constituent of natural gas. [Nanowerk]

World:

¶   Greenpeace has published a short report on recent trends in Chinese coal consumption, titled “The End of China’s Coal Boom.” The report shows plans of multiple provinces in China to reduce the use of coal. Beijing stands out with a reduction of 50% over the next couple of years. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Feldheim is a small, rural town about 40 miles south of Berlin. Historically, the population has only been approximately 150 although it has “exploded” to over 2,000 people due to its recent success as a perfect example of community resiliency. [Resilience]

¶   An experimental small-scale concentrating solar thermal demonstration plant at Newcastle’s Wallsend Pool plant will generate 30 kW of electricity and 150 kW of heat for the public swimming pool – enough to keep it heated, and thus open, all year round. [RenewEconomy]

¶   Nottingham clean-technology group Chinook Sciences has won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation, the UK’s highest accolade for business success, for its ground-breaking work on recovering recyclable metal and generating renewable energy from waste. [Nottingham Post]

¶   A First Nations community, dependent on a big oil business, is asking that company to pay for a solar system to provide them with clean energy. With fossil fuel dependence, has come pollution, inability to hunt or fish on polluted lands, and sickness. [ThinkProgress]

¶   Poland’s Prime Minister says the European Union must create an energy union to secure its gas supply because the current dependence on Russian energy makes Europe weak. The EU was also already jointly buying uranium for its nuclear power plants. [Malaysia Sun]

US:

¶   Something rare and extraordinarily positive occurred on American television. Fortunately, through YouTube and 350.org, the rest of the world got to see it too.  A new cable TV series, “Years of Living Dangerously,” is about climate change in the 21st century. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The US DOE released its comprehensive, Strategic Plan 2014. The Plan provides a roadmap for the DOE’s work over the next four years and highlights its major priorities. The Plan promises to halve the county’s net oil imports by 2020. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Climate change is real and a real problem for the world, Apple said on Monday, announcing its progress on environment targets ahead of Earth day. Apple says that 94% of its corporate facilities and 100% of its data centres are now powered by renewable energy. [The Guardian]

¶   The DOD will break ground Friday on a solar power plant at Fort Huachuca that will be the largest installation on a US military base, demonstrating the military’s increasing reliance on alternative energy. The 18-MW plant will be owned by Tucson Electric Power. [azcentral.com]

¶   US nonhydro renewable production in the US increased to account for 6.2% of total electrical supply in 2013, up from 5.4% in 2012, with 11 states producing nonhydro renewable energy at more than twice the national average, according to the EIA. [PennEnergy]

¶   U.S. Geothermal Inc, a geothermal energy company with offices in Boise, Idaho, has announced plans to acquire a late stage development at the Geysers that has shown promise for enough steam production to power up to 26,000 homes. [North Bay Business Journal]

World:

¶   Chinese Premier Li Keqiang reiterated plans to boost construction of solar and wind power plants along with projects to transmit electricity from the clean sources. The nation will also start construction of some key nuclear power projects in eastern coastal areas. [Bloomberg]

¶   The local unit of Belgium-based Enfinity Group is set to proceed with the development of its first solar power project in the Philippines this June. The company has secured confirmation of commerciality for its planned 10-MW power project in Davao del Sur. [BusinessWorld Online Edition]

¶   Some candidates for office in the rural hinterlands of Indian states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are trying to woo voters with solar lights, which are in great demand, while the EC deployed them to conduct polls in Maoist-hit and remote areas. [Hindustan Times]

¶   Agriculture wasn’t specifically named last week when Ontario announced the last of its coal-fired power plants was being closed down. But the province said it was replacing coal generation with a mix of emission-free electricity sources. And farmers like that. [Guelph Mercury]

¶   The site of Britain’s nuclear dump at Sellafield was poorly chosen. It is virtually certain to be eroded by rising sea levels and to contaminate the Cumbrian coast with large amounts of radioactive waste, according to an internal document released by the Environment Agency. [The Guardian]

US:

¶   Last year got off to a shaky start for the U.S. wind energy industry, but new project construction and installed generation capacity took off following belated Congressional extension of the federal renewable energy production tax credit. This year we have deja-vu. [Triple Pundit]

¶   There aren’t too many things former Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty and current DFL Gov. Mark Dayton agree on, but one of them is the need to protect Minnesota from emissions from coal-fired power plants in North Dakota. [WDAZ]

¶   Within three years, some Chicago area residents could be saving money on their electric bills, thanks to power generated 500 miles away. The $2 billion Rock Island Clean Line would take 3,500 MW of power created by thousands of wind turbines in Iowa and deliver it to Illinois. [Chicago Sun-Times]

¶   Around 1 billion people live in areas at risk of sea-level rise and coastal flooding. The US East Coast has a rate of sea level rise three or four times faster than the global average, with cities, beaches and wetlands exposed to flooding, according to the new IPCC report. [Climate Central]

¶   Consolidated Edison Inc. emitted 3.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases last year. Just about everyone agrees this isn’t sustainable. Even Con Ed’s new chief executive, John McAvoy. [Crain’s New York Business]

Opinion:

¶   “An In-Depth Look at the Future of American Energy and How We Get There” The U.S. is poised to spend around $2 trillion over the next two decades replacing our outdated electric infrastructure. We must make sure that investment is in clean energy. [Environmental Defense Fund]

Science and Technology:

¶   Sandpoint, Idaho is on track to be the first to replace a traditional road surface with super-strong, textured glass panels that harness solar power. Locally developed 1-inch-thick panels will melt snow and ice, power LED lights embedded in the roadway and generate electricity. [The Spokesman Review]

World:

¶   Analysts at French-based energy components company Schneider Electric have concluded that extending or expanding Australia’s renewable energy target would lead to lower electricity prices, lower carbon emissions and increased competition. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The Japanese government released estimates of the amount of radiation that individuals would be exposed to if they return to live in homes near the disaster-struck Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, arousing concern over some estimates perceived as high. [GlobalPost]

¶   Sharp Corp. said it will build a large 2.2-MW solar power plant in a town within an evacuation advisory area around the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Sharp plans to begin construction in December, with operations to start the following June. [The Japan Times]

US:

¶   According to the latest “Energy Infrastructure Update” report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office (FERC), 92.1% of new electricity generation capacity in the US in January through March of 2014 came from renewable energy sources. [Treehugger]

¶   Every four minutes, another American home or business goes solar. However, that four-minute mark is not good enough for the Obama Administration, which just used the Solar Summit to launch a set of initiatives to ramp up the pace of development even faster. [CleanTechnica]

¶   A federal judge ruled Friday that part of a Minnesota law designed to promote the use of renewable energy is unconstitutional because it attempts to control business that takes place outside state borders — and she barred Minnesota officials from enforcing it. [Bismarck Tribune]

¶   The Energy Department announced $15 million to help communities develop multi-year solar plans to install affordable solar electricity for homes and businesses. The funding will help with the SunShot Initiative goal to make solar energy fully cost-competitive. [Today’s Energy Solutions]

¶   Four new wind farms are poised for development in Utah after Rocky Mountain Power inked agreements with the companies to buy the power over 20 years. The farms, once in action, will have the capacity to produce 300 MW, enough to power 93,600 homes. [Deseret News]

¶   According to a new analysis by SNL Financial, more than half of all new energy generation infrastructure planned for the next few years is renewable energy, with renewable power plants replacing retiring coal. [Smithsonian]

¶   Reports released by the NRC show dozens of reactors that reassessed their vulnerability to earthquakes in the wake of the March 2011 meltdowns at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are at greater risk than they were originally licensed to withstand. [Environment News Service]

Opinion:

¶   “An onshore wind cap makes no sense” The UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, says Liberal Democrats in the UK Government will not accept a cap on onshore wind. The Coalition Government is not changing tack on onshore wind or renewables. [Liberal Democrat Voice]

Business and Economics:

¶   Tackling climate change is the only way to grow the economy in the 21st century, according to Unilever CEO Paul Polman. He says businesses are starting to understand climate risks, but governments are failing to respond. [RTCC.org]

World:

¶   Ukraine is seeking U.S. investment in its biomass, wind and solar power industries. The idea is to use renewable energy to curb its reliance on fuel imports from Russia, which annexed Ukraine’s Crimea region last month and has troops massed on the border. [Bloomberg]

¶   Residents living near the UK’s Delabole wind farm have received a £50 ‘windfall’ payment after the turbines at the site performed better than expected. In 2013, 15% of the UK’s energy needs were met through renewables with wind power accounting for 50% of this. [Blue & Green Tomorrow]

¶   E.ON and Unipart have embarked on a UK biomass heating project. The arrangement calls for E.ON to install, operate and maintain a new 995 kW biomass boiler at Unipart’s head offices in Oxford. [Renewable Energy Focus]

¶   British Airways has announced plans to power its flights using sustainable jet fuel made from landfill waste — a move it says will be equal to taking 150,000 cars off the road. The company says it’s committed to buying 50,000 tonnes of the sustainable jet fuel per year. [The Malay Mail Online]

¶   For the first time, small renewable energy generators in Ireland will be able to sell electricity on the Single Electricity Market, the wholesale electricity market across the whole island of Ireland. All sizes of turbines are welcome. [Siliconrepublic.com]

¶   Greenpeace has just put out an optimistic new report suggesting that China’s decade-long coal boom might soon come to a close, due to slowing economic growth and new crackdowns on air pollution. Citigroup and others have been making similar predictions of late. [Vox]

¶   The manager of the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant has admitted not having full control of the facility. Contrary to the statements of the Japanese PM, TEPCO’s Akira Ono said attempts to plug the leaks of radioactive water had failed. [RT]

US:

¶   More than two years after closing the last such loan guarantee, the US DOE announced on Wednesday that it intends to make up to $4 billion available “for innovative US renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that avoid, reduce, or sequester greenhouse gases.” [National Geographic]

¶   Raleigh, North Carolina ranks 15th in the country for solar projects installed between 25 and 50 watts per person, per capita, according to a new study released on Thursday by the Environment North Carolina Research and Policy Center. [Triangle Business Journal]

¶   The White House honored 10 local heroes as “Champions of Change” for their efforts to promote and expand solar deployment in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors. One was Henry Red Cloud, founder of Lakota Solar Enterprises. [Indian Country Today Media Network]

¶   Colleges across America are trying their hand at saving the planet. And if the Princeton Review’s annual listing of the country’s greenest schools is any indication, there are a handful that probably have really low utility bills. [NEWS.GNOM.ES]

¶   A small county in Northern California has become the first county government in the state to become grid energy positive. Yolo County (population 200,000), just west of Sacramento County, now produces 152 percent more energy from solar panels than it uses. [Christian Science Monitor]

¶   Over the past months, there has been a bit of a selling spree of Entergy stock. But this sell-off isn’t coming from just anybody: these sales are by corporate top executives. Between December and early April, five Entergy execs sold off large portions of their Entergy stock. [GreenWorld]

Opinion:

¶   “No, the IPCC climate report doesn’t call for a fracking boom” Interpretations of the report saying it endorses fracking, urging a “dash for gas” as a bridge fuel to put us on a path to a more renewable energy future are exaggerated, lack context, and are just plain wrong. [Grist]

Science and Technology:

¶   Newly built wind and solar with natural-gas as a backup can make power a fifth cheaper than nuclear backed by gas, the study by consultant Prognos AG shows. It says excluding the backup generation, renewables produce power 50% cheaper than nuclear. [Moneyweb.co.za]

¶   The IPCC report is positive on renewables’ ability to deal with carbon emissions. It addresses nuclear power as a possible solution, but also underscores considerable barriers for it. The combination illustrates the conclusion that nuclear is largely irrelevant. [Scoop.co.nz]

World:

¶   When the wind blows and the sun shines in Germany, electricity prices in the country plummet. Natural gas peaker plants are not needed, as the peaks are erased and they cannot compete with renewables. But the grid still needs balancing resources like demand response. [Energy Collective]

¶   Germany’s RWE expects profits to stabilise beyond 2014, albeit at a lower level. It will target customer-friendly products to offset a decline in traditional power generation. Renewable power and lower demand has made many of its fossil fuel plants redundant. [Business Spectator]

¶   Australian households are driving the country towards a clean energy future by themselves, spending billions on generating their own electricity and providing nearly two-thirds of all investment in renewables in Australia in 2013, and virtually all of it in 2014. [RenewEconomy]

¶   Turbines located in a sea-wall stretching across a Bristol Channel bay could provide power to over half a million homes while combating coastal erosion, preventing floods and regenerating the local economy, according to the company behind the idea. [Western Morning News]

¶   The Australian Capitol Territory government is set to announce the next stage of its introduction of large clean energy projects with a reverse auction for 200 megawatts of wind-generated electricity. The goal is to have 90% renewable sources by 2020. [The Canberra Times]

¶   GE’s Digital Energy is helping Scottish Power integrate renewable energy onto power grid. GE will provide series compensation capabilities to three facilities in southern Scotland, helping the utility meet and mitigate today’s highly complex and technical grid challenges. [PennEnergy]

US:

¶   President Obama will challenge companies Thursday to expand their use of solar power, part of his ongoing effort to leverage the power of his office to achieve goals that have been stymied by Congress. [Washington Post]

¶   Private sector interest may be helping drive the wind sector forward. IKEA says the Hoopeston Wind facility outside of Chicago will provide 165% of the electricity needed for its entire US retail and distribution footprint. [OilPrice.com]

¶   For the tenth consecutive year, Xcel Energy has been named the country’s top wind energy provider. As of 2013, Xcel Energy had 5,080 MW of wind energy on its systems, enough wind power to meet the energy needs of about 2.5 million homes. [AltEnergyMag]

¶   Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative has entered into a power purchase agreement with an affiliate of juwi solar Inc. to develop, design and construct the 10.0-megawatt (MW) Rockfish Solar facility on 80 acres in Charles County, Maryland. [Southern Maryland News Net]

Opinion:

¶   “Oil Limits and Climate Change: How They Fit Together” The likely effect of oil limits–one way or the other–is to bring down the economy, and because of this bring an end to pretty much all carbon emissions very quickly. There are several ways this could happen. [Energy Collective]

¶   “Keystone report can’t have it both ways” The Keystone XL Pipeline report contains more than enough information for Secretary of State John Kerry — a respected environmental champion — to conclude that the pipeline is not in the national interest. [CNN]

Science and Technology:

¶   The IPCC report says solar has the largest technical feasibility in mitigating harmful emissions from electricity production “by a large magnitude”, considering such issues as intermittency, subsidies and economic competitiveness, water use, and land availability. [PV-Tech]

¶   Researchers at Loughborough University’s Centre for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology (CREST) have developed a multi-layer anti-reflection coating for glass surfaces that can reduce glare from solar panels and boost their efficiency. [Energy Matters]

World:

¶   First quarter clean energy investment rose 9% from last year on surging demand for rooftop solar panels. New investment in renewable power and energy efficiency rose to $47.7 billion, up from $43.6 billion, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. [Bloomberg]

¶   Network operators in at least two Australian states are likely to ditch parts of their extensive poles and wire networks in regional areas as they realise that the costs of delivering centralised generation to remote areas is no longer economically feasible. [CleanTechnica]

¶   In 2013, China witnessed yet another year of impressive wind energy capacity addition. While the total capacity added was off the peak levels seen a couple of years ago, the Asian giant still managed to add 45% of all the wind energy capacity added in 2013. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Kenya’s transition to a green economy could produce major economic benefits – equivalent to an estimated $45 billion by 2030 – as well as greater food security, a cleaner environment and higher productivity of natural resources. [Environmental Expert]

¶   Sony will form a joint venture with Hydro-Quebec to research and develop a large-scale energy storage system combining their know-how in lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. The new company, to be based in Varenne, Quebec, will be formed in June. [Wall Street Journal]

¶   Tata Power, one of India’s largest private power companies, plans to increase its renewable energy capacity by about 71% to cut carbon emissions and reduce risks from fluctuating fuel prices. The utility is adding 646.7 MW of renewable energy capacity. [Economic Times]

¶   Former Prime Ministers Junichiro Koizumi and Morihiro Hosokawa will establish an anti-nuclear power forum in May to promote research into renewable energy and support anti-nuclear candidates in elections, sources said Tuesday. [The Japan Times]

US:

¶   ISO New England reported today that the volatile natural gas market in this region pushed wholesale electric prices up by 55% last year. We’re already seeing some of this at the retail level, but the real impact will likely be seen in our monthly bills next winter. [Boston Business Journal]

¶   A new study conducted by the SUN DAY campaign, projects that electricity generation from renewable sources will reach 16% of the total by 2018. This is 22 years sooner than that predicted by US Energy Information Administration. [Justmeans]

¶   California’s recent revisions to Title 24 put in place ambitious performance goals: all new residential buildings must be Zero Net Energy by 2020, and commercial buildings by 2030. This is likely to have ripple effects through the whole nation’s construction industry. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The US Army announced plans on Monday to begin construction on the Department of Defense’s largest solar array on a military installation. Groundbreaking for the 20-megawatt project will take place on April 25, with operations slated to begin late this year. [ThinkProgress]

¶   US greenhouse gas emissions fell nearly 10% from 2005 to 2012, more than halfway toward the U.S.’s 2020 target pledged at United Nations climate talks, according to the latest national emissions inventory. [Scientific American]

Opinion:

¶   “Biomass Emissions Question Arises Again” A wide variety of publications have picked up a study from an anti-biomass organization. Rebuttals are coming from a number of sources, ranging from the biomass industry itself to environmental groups. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶   Despite a rise in clean, renewable energy supplies in certain countries, and a partial shift from coal to natural gas in others, global greenhouse gas pollution continues to rise—and at an increasing pace in the most recent years. [Scientific American]

¶   A University of Delaware environmental engineer, researching areas where powerful winds called low-level jets could power tethered airborne wind turbines, estimates they have a potential for 7500 GW, about three times the world electricity demand. [The Weather Channel]

¶   Experts from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory say the bad news is that a major transformation of our energy supply system is needed to avoid a dangerous increase in global temperatures, and the good news is that we have about all the technologies we need to do it. [EIN News]

World:

¶   The Platts Continental Power Index for electric prices in Germany and neighboring countries decreased to €35.06 ($48.50) per MWh in March, an 18% drop from February. Overall, the index is down by more than 39% since peaking at €50.50/MWh last November. [Triple Pundit]

¶   The largest wind project in Canada is now up and running. Samsung Renewable Energy and Pattern Energy Group announced their South Kent Wind project is fully operational. The 270 MW project has the capacity to power 100,000 homes. [Power Online]

¶   China may soon scrap its plans to construct a $5 billion solar power plant in Nevada and embark on massive renewable energy projects in Crimea, according to the Voice of Russia. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is scheduled to visit Russia in October. [Dallas Blog]

¶   About 75% of New Zealand’s electricity comes from renewable sources, and the Government has pledged to raise that to 90% by 2025. But a senior executive from Citigroup told a conference audience the percentage could be greater. [Radio New Zealand]

¶   Wales’ First Minister officially opened the country’s first purpose-built anaerobic digestion for generating power from food waste. The £6 million should process 11,000 tonnes of food waste from the local area, producing green energy and fertiliser in the process. [Business Green]

¶   Pakistan’s Ministry of Water and Power has reportedly decided to give biomass and bagasse-fired power projects fiscal benefits that are available to independent power producers. [Business Recorder]

¶   Articles in the Daily Mail, Sun and Sunday Times focus on comments in the IPCC reports Summary for Policy Makers and by an IPCC spokesperson on the role natural gas could play in the world’s emissions-reduction efforts, saying shale gas could help wean us off coal. [Carbon Brief]

¶   The Czech state-run power utility says it has canceled a tender to build two more nuclear reactors because falling electricity prices have made the multi-billion dollar project less feasible. Westinghouse and a Russian consortium were bidding to build the reactors. [Utility Products]

US:

¶   First Wind and Hawaiian Electric Company have announced that a request has been filed with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to provide energy to the Oahu grid from a planned 20 MW AC solar photovoltaic energy facility near Mililani, Oahu. [Utility Products]

¶   Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz issued his statement on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Working Group report on climate change mitigation, in which he said the report makes the need clear, and that the US is committed to doing its part. (Full text) [PennEnergy]

¶   Babcock & Wilcox has announcing plans to restructure its mPower Small Modular Reactor program to focus on technology development. They still believe in the program, but it is hard to finance because of a lack of investors. [Utility Products]

Opinion:

¶   “UN: Time Is Running Out for Climate-Change Action” A worldwide push over the next 15 years is the only way to avoid the disastrous effects of climate change, experts appointed by the UN said Sunday. [TIME]

¶   “Time to think big and turn to renewable energy” Here’s what we know so far from the IPCC report: we are in the era of man-made climate change. The risks are increasing and we are not doing nearly enough to manage them. Nevertheless, a different pathway is possible. [Herald Scotland]

Science and Technology:

¶   A Toronto company has yet another way to store energy. Off-peak energy can be used to compress air into huge balloons in deep water. When demand is high, you turn a valve on land and the compressed air rushes out through a hose, powering an electricity generator. [Windsor Star]

World:

¶   Independent power producers (IPPs) using renewable energy had created about 14 000 jobs in South Africa over the past three years, Energy Minister Ben Martins said on Friday. IPPs either own and or operate facilities that generate electric power, typically to sell. [Independent Online]

¶   Negotiations between London and Dublin over cross-border trading of onshore wind power have failed, according to the Irish Energy Minister. The breakdown leaves gigawatt-scale ambitions of various organizations unlikely to progress before 2020, if at all. [reNews]

¶   Some reports have suggested Germany is slamming on the brakes to prevent renewable energy further pushing up prices. In fact, with these new reforms, the government’s main priority seems to be protecting big business while continuing to roll out renewables. [Business Spectator]

¶   Unless Australia quadruples its use of low carbon energy by 2050 agriculture, coastal areas and their tourism industries and trade will be jeopardized, according to Australian National University’s Dr Frank Jotzo. [Yahoo!7 News]

¶   There is enough uranium available on the planet to keep the world’s nuclear industry going for as long as it is needed. But it will grow steadily more expensive to extract, because the quality of the ore is getting poorer, according to new research. [eco-business.com]

US:

¶   Solar power was once derided as a pipe dream and many industry players have floundered, but while the use in this renewable energy remains tiny compared with fossil fuels, it may be poised to completely reshape the energy market. [CNBC.com]

¶   Delaware Technical Community College is home to the state’s largest combined use of carport, rooftop, and ground mount arrays in a solar installation. Standard Solar Inc. installed the 800 kW solar system at the college’s four locations. [Today’s Energy Solutions]

¶   The United States DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory has warned that failing to renew the production tax credit could cause growth in the wind sector to fall from 8.7 GW per year in 2008-2012 to between 3 GW and 5 GW per year. [Tax-news.com]

The IPCC Report:

¶   The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report was released today. It says there must be a “massive shift” to renewable energy, and the world must rapidly move away from carbon-intensive fuels. [BBC News]

¶    The IPCC report says greenhouse gases need to be cut 70% before 2050 to control climate change, and the job will become harder and more expensive unless the transformation is made within 15 years. [Daily Mail]

¶   The IPCC report says catastrophic climate change can be averted without sacrificing living standards. It concludes the transformation to a world of clean energy, ditching dirty fossil fuels, is eminently affordable. [Business Green]

Opinion:

¶   “Fossil Fuel Industry’s Tired Battle Against Clean Energy Is Also A Losing One” The assault on successful renewable energy legislation continues, long after the facts have proven that state renewable policies deliver clean, affordable, and reliable energy solutions. [Forbes]

World:

¶   Data from the Global Wind Energy Council show that 35,000 MW of new generating capacity was added worldwide in 2013, down from 45,000 MW in 2012. Now Windpower is poised for a comeback. Currently, 7000 MW is under construction in Texas alone. [CleanTechnica]

¶   David Cameron’s commitment to the green agenda will come under the fiercest scrutiny yet this week when top climate-change experts will warn that only greater use of renewable energy – including wind farms – can prevent a global catastrophe. [The Guardian]

¶   The basic energy plan approved by the Japanese Cabinet on Friday did not present numerical targets on the future proportions of electricity sources such as nuclear power and renewable energy, while stipulating a policy to reactivate idle nuclear reactors. [The Japan News]

US:

¶   Geologists in Ohio have for the first time linked earthquakes in a geologic formation deep under the Appalachians to hydraulic fracturing, leading the state to issue new permit conditions Friday in certain areas that are among the nation’s strictest. [Huffington Post]

¶   Apple has acquired a hydroelectric project near the company’s new data center in Prineville, Oregon. Data centers use lots of electricity to power thousands of computers that hold digital information. [Greenfield Daily Reporter]

¶   The growth of US wind energy, though 43% cheaper to produce now than four years ago, slowed down in 2013. It added a record 13,131 MW of power in 2012, but that fell 92% to only 1,087 MW last year — the lowest level since 2004. [The Sheboygan Press]

¶   Oklahoma ranks fourth nationally in the amount of electricity generated from wind, according to the American Wind Energy Association’s annual report. More than 10.8 million MWh of electricity was generated by wind in Oklahoma, enough for about one million homes. [Enid News & Eagle]

¶   Despite strong bi-partisan support, Maine Governor Paul LePage (R) vetoed a bill on Friday designed to fund a statewide solar energy program, calling the estimated 5-cent per month tax increase on power bills “regressive.” [Raw Story]

¶   More than 7,000 MW of new wind turbines are scheduled to be built in Texas by the end of next year, potentially increasing Texas’ wind power capacity by almost 60%. The amount being installed is greater than any other state already has in place. [Dallas Morning News]

Opinion:

¶   “Are We Halfway to Market Dominance for Solar?” Electricity output from solar PVs is approaching 1% of total global electricity production, according to the IEA. That may not seem like much, but that 1% is actually halfway to the goal of market dominance. [Greentech Media]

Science and Technology:

¶   In Europe, there are over 13,800 biogas plants pumping out 7.4 GW of energy. The market is expected to double there by 2020. Biogas is spreading rapidly in the US, used at 1500 wastewater treatment plants and about 200 at dairy and pig farms. [SustainableBusiness.com]

World:

¶   Eminent bishop and Nobel peace prize winner Desmond Tutu has called on businesses to cut ties with the fossil fuels industry, in the same way as they did with South African companies during apartheid. [Blue & Green Tomorrow]

¶   A radical shift from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy would slow world economic growth by only a tiny fraction every year, a new draft U.N. report on tackling global warming said on Friday. [The Japan Times]

¶   The IPCC report says clean energy will have to dominate world energy supplies by 2050 to avoid catastrophic climate change. Right now, Over half a trillion dollars a year are spent subsidising fossil fuels – six times more than spent supporting renewable energy. [The Guardian]

¶   When given the choice, 62% of UK residents polled said they would rather have a wind farm in their local council area than a fracking site, with just 19% preferring to have fracking nearby. [Smallholder]

¶   In the UK, Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles has taken personal control over blocking unpopular renewable energy projects until the election, as the war over wind farms intensifies. [Western Morning News]

¶   Russian President Putin threatened the “extreme measure” of cutting off Russian gas for Ukraine unless paid for in advance. In a stark letter to 18 world leaders, Mr Putin said that, in such a “critical situation”, gas deliveries to the European Union could also be jeopardized. [Canada Free Press]

¶   A UK community solar project launched in March in Plymouth has revealed it has raised £400,000 in just five weeks, meaning it can go ahead with plans to install free solar panels on schools and community buildings. [Blue & Green Tomorrow]

¶   The growth in projects in some countries, notably China, Russia and India, does not offset the fact that many more nuclear power stations will reach retirement age over the next 15-20 years than will be constructed. [HotnHitNews]

¶   US nuclear power giant Westinghouse Electric, a unit of Japan’s Toshiba, said Friday it has extended its contract to supply fuel to Ukraine’s nuclear power plants through 2020. Westinghouse Electric said the contract, originally signed in 2008. [Kyiv Post]

US:

¶   Maryland’s Republican candidates for governor say fracking for natural gas in Maryland is a better energy source than alternative methods such as wind or solar. Democratic candidates are wary of fracking and want to go with more renewable energy. [Patch.com]

¶   Arizona Governor Jan Brewer has signed into law a bill providing a $5 million tax credit to a company that installs at least $300 million in renewable power capacity to supply its own plant. Conservative Republicans say the bill is unfairly tailored to benefit Apple. [Greenfield Daily Reporter]

¶   Ikea announced it will purchase its first wind farm in the US – a 98 MW project about 100 miles south of Chicago. It will be Ikea’s single biggest renewable energy project to date. Ikea’s goal is to produce as much as it consumes by 2020. Other companies are doing the same. [Energy and Capital]

¶   Environment New York released a new report, “Shining Cities: At the Forefront of America’s Solar Energy Revolution,” ranking New York City number 8 of major cities for the amount of solar power installed. [Long Island Exchange]

World:

¶   The Japanese government has approved an energy plan that backs the use of nuclear power, despite public anxiety after the Fukushima disaster. The plan reverses an earlier decision to phase out nuclear power by a previous government. [BBC News]

¶   When nuclear reactors went offline after the Fukushima Disaster, Japan managed to replace half the missing capacity through energy efficiency and conservation measures that still endure, three years later. [ThinkProgress]

¶   The UK Conservative manifesto will be putting focus on solar and offshore wind as it blocks any further spread of turbines on land. The Royal Academy of Engineering has warned government that this will lead to an increase in household energy bills. [H&V News]

¶   Tynwald [The Manx legislature] voted overwhelmingly for a strategy on offshore energy production that could see wind farms developed in Manx territorial waters. The Council of Ministers’ report suggests that each wind farm could earn government £5 million a year. [Isle of Man Today]

¶   The future for small-scale renewable power projects has been thrown into doubt by changes to European state aid rules, industry leaders have claimed. The European Commission changed its guidance on state aid for renewable energy. [Building.co.uk]

¶   Lord Nicholas Stern, author of a landmark 2006 study on climate change, says his conclusion that global output could dive 5% to 20% without action to curb greenhouse gases was an underestimate. [Sydney Morning Herald]

¶   A large renewable energy tidal array could be built off Alderney by 2020. OpenHydro and Alderney Renewable Energy have announced a joint venture to develop a 300 MW array, made up of 150 turbines. The array would produce power more than 150,000 homes. [BBC News]

¶   The UK has successfully lobbied to have an article containing the phrase, “the measure should in principle not reward investments in generation from fossil fuel plants,” removed from the new EU state aid guidelines. [Solar Power Portal]

US:

¶   These days, Ikea is assembling more than just furniture. About 150 miles south of Chicago, in Vermilion County, the home goods giant is building a wind farm large enough to ensure that its stores will never have to buy power again. [Chicago Tribune]

¶   A study released by the nonprofit Environment California Research & Policy Center ranked more than 50 U.S. cities according to their solar energy capabilities. San Diego ranked No. 2, overshadowed by celebrity neighbor Los Angeles. [U-T San Diego]

¶   Kansas moved up to No. 8 among states in the amount of installed wind energy capacity and was No. 6 in the total amount of electricity generated by wind in 2013. Only Iowa and South Dakota produced higher percentages of their power from wind energy than Kansas. [Kansas City Star]

¶   Kentucky Governor Beshear announced funding for an environmentally-friendly methane gas recovery system in the city of Glasgow that will also save taxpayer dollars. The new system will capture gas from the Glasgow Regional Landfill and turn it into electricity. [RenewablesBiz]

Science and Technology:

¶   Scientists said on Wednesday they have developed a new way to make liquid ethanol efficiently without using corn or other crops needed in the conventional method for producing the biofuel. Instead, they use carbon monoxide. [Thomson Reuters Foundation]

¶   Sustainable Innovations, LLC of East Hartford, Connecticut announced an advance for its hydrogen separation and compression systems. Sustainable Innovations’ system supports hydrogen generating systems for megawatt scale power-to-gas applications. [PR Web]

¶   The team working on Solar Impulse 2, a completely solar-powered aircraft, intend to have it take off from the Persian Gulf and make its way to India, as its starts on a trip around the world. The only time it will touch down would be to switch pilots. [Ubergizmo]

World:

¶   Europe is stitching together a patchwork of measures that could reduce its natural gas imports from Russia by over a quarter by the end of the decade as a result of the Ukraine crisis, halting Moscow’s tightening grip over the region’s energy. [Investing.com]

¶   In Romania, renewable capacity of 4,852 MW in end-February 2014, surpassing the 2020 goal. Wind projects reached 2,792 MW, PVs were at 1,149 MW, micro hydro was 542 MW, and biomass-based projects had a capacity of 99 MW. [ACTmedia]

¶   The European Commission is curbing subsidies for renewable energies to reduce drive electricity prices. They laid out stricter rules on the extent to which member states may support the generation of power from renewable sources such as solar, wind or biomass. [Utility Products]

¶   The UK may not buy electricity from an independent Scottish state if imports from alternative markets are cheaper, the UK government has warned, putting further pressure on Scotland five months before its independence vote. [www.worldbulletin.net]

¶   The Fukushima Renewable Energy Institute is opening three years after the Fukushima nuclear power plant suffered catastrophic meltdowns after the massive earthquake and tsunami that hit east Japan in March 2011. [The Japan Daily Press]

¶   Marketwired Martifer Solar, successfully connected 78.4 MWp to the UK grid before the March 31st 1.6 Renewable Obligation Certificate deadline. Construction was completed in record time, only nine weeks, under the UK’s worst winter rainfall in 250 years. [RenewablesBiz]

¶   An investigation of possible price collusion by British energy suppliers is likely to undermine the market framework that has helped make them more valuable than their European rivals. [Business Recorder]

¶   Emissions from transportation may rise at the fastest rate of all major sources through 2050, the United Nations will say in a report due April 13. Heat-trapping gases from vehicles may surge 71 percent from 2010 levels, mainly from emerging economies. [Businessweek]

US:

¶   EPA administrator Gina McCarthy went to lengths to emphasize the fact that states will have flexibility when deciding on how to implement new greenhouse gas regulations on existing power plants under new rules expected to be unveiled in June. [OilPrice.com]

¶   Tucson Electric Power plans on reducing its coal-fired by 492 MW, or 32%, over the next five years, the company announced in its 2014 Integrated Resource Plan. The plan outlines how the company intends to meet energy demand requirements through 2028. [PennEnergy]

¶   Hanwha Q CELLS celebrated the completion of the first utility scale solar project constructed on an active EPA Superfund site. The 10.86 MW Maywood Solar Farm is on 43 acres of the Reilly Tar & Chemical Superfund site in Indianapolis. [Inside Indiana Business]

¶   Entergy is asking federal regulators for permission to end off-site emergency planning 16 months after the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant shuts down. NRC staffers are evaluating Entergy’s request. [vtdigger.org]

¶   Disagreements between Entergy Nuclear and the Agency of Natural Resources surfaced this week in an exchange of letters over the proposed draft permit for Vermont Yankee’s continuing thermal discharge into the Connecticut River. [Barre Montpelier Times Argus]

Opinion:

¶   “What Made Vermont’s Net Metering Expansion Process So Unique?” Among other things, Green Mountain Power, Vermont’s largest utility (which is investor-owned) not only embraced but actively championed expanding the state’s net metering program. [Greentech Media]

Science and Technology:

¶   Oregon State University chemists have found that cellulose — the most abundant organic polymer on Earth and a key component of trees — can be heated in a furnace in the presence of ammonia, and turned into the building blocks for supercapacitors. [Science Daily]

¶   Dan Arvizu, the head of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in the US, the world’s largest renewable energy research facility, has some simple points to make when he says that the energy system of today is unsustainable. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶   Unilever, Shell, BT, and EDF Energy are among 70 leading companies today calling on governments across the globe to step up efforts to tackle climate change. The companies say the world needs a “rapid and focused response” to the threat of rising global carbon emissions. [The Guardian]

¶   India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has increased its faith in solar PV technology at the expense of concentrated solar power (CSP) technology. As a result, it has increased its target for installed solar PV capacity 30% in FY 2014-15 while slashing its CSP target 90%. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The UK government launched its long-awaited domestic Renewable Heat Incentive, in a bid to stimulate investment in new green technologies such as biomass boilers, solar thermal panels, and heat pumps. [Business Green]

¶   The German government approved a reform of their energy transformation to reduce subsidies for renewables and stem rising electricity prices. The reform plan is still designed to meet 80% of its energy needs with renewables by 2050. [The Local.de]

¶   Emissions from transportation may rise at the fastest rate of all major sources through 2050, the United Nations will say in a report due April 13, increasing up to 71% from 2010 levels, according to a leaked draft of an upcoming IPCC report. [eco-business.com]

¶   Tony Abbott’s handpicked head of the panel reviewing Australia’s renewable energy target, the self-avowed climate “sceptic” Dick Warburton, is no fan of renewable energy and has insisted that nuclear energy was the only alternative to fossil fuel generation. [RenewEconomy]

¶   Poland’s government approved a long-awaited draft law on Tuesday that lays out new long-term subsidies for renewable energy, aiming to cut costs to consumers as well as help the coal-reliant country meet EU climate targets. [Scientific American]

¶   Renewable energy installations are forecast to rise 37 percent in the next two years, driven by a drop in the cost of wind and solar power that cut the value of investment, according to Michael Liebreich, chairman of the advisory board of Bloomberg New Energy Finance. [Businessweek]

US:

¶   As the fracking boom continues unabated across the U.S., scientists, engineers, and government experts are increasingly focusing on the complex task of identifying the sources of these methane leaks and devising methods to stop them. [Resilience]

¶   Ameresco, Inc. announced that its biomass cogeneration facility in Aiken, South Carolina is utilizing storm-damaged timber as a result of the major ice storm which impacted the U.S. southern region during February 11-13, 2014. [AZoCleantech]

¶   The role of utilities is being questioned as technology changes. Dominion Virginia Power is establishing microgrids, which can be separated and provide power to communities without any support from the bulk power grid, as pilot projects. [Platts]

¶   Of the decline in investment in renewable power capacity, 80% resulted from falling cost of renewable energy technology, primarily solar panels. The remaining 20% a drop in actual construction activity, thanks largely to the uncertain fate of government subsidies. [Mother Jones]

¶   The company that owns the wind farm near the Balsams is open to reducing the buffer zone between its wind turbines and the slopes, a key to a developer’s plan to greatly expand the size of the ski resort. [New Hampshire Public Radio]

¶   UK renewable energy supplier Good Energy has revealed 2013 saw its customer base increase by 32% and its pre-tax profits more than double to £3.3 million in 2013, as a result of dissatisfied ‘big six’ utility customers switching. [Blue & Green Tomorrow]

Opinion:

¶   “Ukraine crisis underscores need for renewables push” At the heart of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine is the question of energy independence and energy security. Energy will continue to dominate our geopolitical agenda unless the United States and its allies decide to act. [CNN]

¶   “Is US wind energy already as cheap as shale gas?” As the US gears up for another lengthy debate about future subsidies for wind power, two new reports have highlighted the cost competitiveness of the green energy source compared to natural gas. [Business Green]

Science and Technology:

¶   A recent study from NREL and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory specifically addresses the value of demand response [adjusting customer demand during peak times] by putting demand response resources into a commercial production cost model. [Energy Collective]

¶   Most scenarios that meet the 2°C global warming target require “tripling to nearly quadrupling” the share of energy from renewable and nuclear sources and capture and storage of emissions from fossil fuel plants, according to a leaked draft of an upcoming IPCC report. [Rappler]

World:

¶   Renewables, excluding hydropower, accounted for 8.5% of global electricity generation, up from 7.8% in 2012, according to research by the United Nations’ Environment Programme and Bloomberg New Energy Finance. [Thomson Reuters Foundation]

¶   Global investments in renewable energy slumped 14% last year, with China pouring more money into the sector than Europe for the first time on record. Investments in non-hydro renewables fell $35.1 billion to $214.4 billion in 2013, according to a report from the UN. [Rappler]

¶   Almost half of new electricity generation is now renewable, and the costs of wind and solar power are falling sharply. It “should give governments confidence to forge a robust climate agreement” next year, says the director of the United Nations Environment Program. [New Scientist]

¶   Enel Green Power SpA, the clean energy company majority owned by Italy’s largest utility, sees Africa as “the next big place” for renewables as it seeks to expand in markets with faster growth in power demand. [Bloomberg]

¶   Bord na Mona will turn waste into 5.6 MW of renewable power at its new state of the art landfill-gas plant in Drehid, Co Kildare. The methane captured will be used to produce sufficient power for 8500 homes. [Irish Independent]

¶   First Solar, the company building the southern hemisphere’s biggest solar plant, said it was reconsidering its future investment plans for Australia, citing increased policy uncertainty. About $90 million to $110 million worth of projects have been put on hold. [Sydney Morning Herald]

¶   WindMW GmbH has completed the $1.7 billion Meerwind Süd │Ost wind farm in the German North Sea on schedule in 18 months. Meerwind is comprised of 80 Siemens SWT-3.6 120 wind turbines, which are expected to help power an estimated 360,000 homes. [PennEnergy]

¶   According to GTM Research’s Latin America PV Playbook, Q2 2014, Chile installed 153 megawatts of utility-scale PV in the first quarter of this year. That’s more than three times the amount that any Latin American country has ever before installed in a single quarter. [Greentech Media]

US:

¶   A Norwegian company, Scatec Solar, will build an 80 MW PV plant in Utah. The Utah Red Hills Renewable Energy Park will generate some 210 GWh of electricity per year, which will be fed into the grid under a 20-year power purchase agreement with PacifiCorp. [pv magazine]

¶   Proposed state legislation that would bring large amounts of hydropower to Massachusetts from Canada could crash the regional power market and kill off other needed energy-generating resources, according to some environmental advocates. [Boston Globe]

¶   American Electric Power is revising coal’s projected share of the company’s nearly 38,000 MW generation capacity in 2020 to 51%, displacing natural gas capacity. Volatile gas prices might be the reason, though none was explicitly given. [Platts]

¶   Kansas lawmakers passed a compromise plan that would preserve net metering in the state, handing another defeat to ALEC, a conservative group seeking to repeal the state’s renewable energy laws. [Midwest Energy News]

Opinion:

¶   “Exxon’s Climate Response ‘Consummate Arrogance'” After ExxonMobil’s uncharacteristically public response to shareholder requests for information about the company’s climate change mitigation efforts, climate activist Bill McKibben denounced its report as arrogant provocations. [Energy Collective]

World:

¶   Nations are running out of time to cut their use of fossil fuels and stay below agreed limits on global warming, according to a draft UN study to be approved this week. Temperatures have already risen by about 0.8° since 1900 and are set to go past 2° in coming decades. [Business Spectator]

¶   Scottish ministers have accused Westminster of failing to guarantee the UK’s future energy needs, warning of the “highest blackout risk in a generation”. They say the UK government must prioritize supply security as the gap between electricity supply and demand tightens. [Evening Telegraph]

¶   Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government stopped short of setting goals for renewable energy in the final version of a draft plan that reinforces atomic power’s role in Japan’s energy future, calling it a vital source of generation. [Bloomberg]

¶   The UN will this week bend to intense pressure from Berlin and relax planned curbs on subsidies for clean energy, clearing the way for the German government to pass a crucial renewables law. [Financial Times]

¶   Israel’s power grid will receive a boost this week, as 11 new solar power plants go online in the Negev and Arava. Arava Power’s six new fields will generate a total of approximately 36 MW worth of electricity, while the five belonging to EDF-EN will produce 32 MW. [Jerusalem Post]

¶   The new solar strategy from the UK’s Department of Energy & Climate Change envisions building a vast distributed network of “solar hubs” on buildings and brownfield sites. Unfortunately, it additionally envisions building new nuclear power plants. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The German energy industry association, BDEW, says that 43% or 32 of the power plants planned for construction in Germany may never come to fruition, due to lack of economic viability caused by competition from renewables and lack of clarity on future markets. [Power Engineering International]

US:

¶   In many parts of the U.S., wind energy is now the cheapest form of electricity generation – cheaper than natural gas and even coal, NextEra chief financial office Moray P. Dewhurst recently stated on an earnings call. [Triple Pundit]

¶   The $14 billion wind industry, the world’s second-largest buyer of wind turbines, is reeling from a double blow – cheap natural gas from hydraulic fracturing and the termination of federal subsidies that made wind the most competitive renewable energy source in the US. [Bloomberg]

Opinion:

¶   “Solar Power To Surge in 2014?” t looks as though solar power may be seeing an unprecedented surge in 2014, only 175 years after the photovoltaic effect was first identified. Well, better late than never, right? [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶   Two studies released by the Alberta government separately show that the incidence of cancer downstream of tar sands development is higher than expected and that air emissions from a certain type of drilling tar sands operation is likely causing health problems. [Energy Collective]

World:

¶   Reuters reported that the full start-up of Swedish utility Vattenfall’s new German coal-fired power station at Moorburg, near Hamburg has been postponed after small cracks were found near some tube welding seams in a part of the plant’s two units. [SteelGuru]

¶   The total grid-connected solar capacity, commissioned under the National Solar Mission, crossed the 2,500-MW mark and stood at 2,632 MW as on March 31, 2014. Of the total, a little over a third of capacity was commissioned in Gujarat. [The Hindu]

¶   The UK’s Conservative party plans to pledge in its manifesto for next year’s general election that it will introduce a moratorium on future onshore wind farms from 2020 on the grounds that they have now become “self-defeating.” They will intensify building offshore wind farms. [Greenwise Business]

¶   France’s wind energy sector has set ambitious goals: the country plans to install 19,000 MW of onshore wind farms and 6,000 MW in offshore farms by 2020. At the current rate of installation, the country has a slim chance of reaching the goal, but there is hope. [Global Voices Online]

¶   The current Crimean crisis in Ukraine has resulted in Finns having second thoughts about the construction of a nuclear power plant with Russian technology. In a poll, only a third of the respondents said permission to build a nuclear power with a Russian reactor should be accepted. [Helsinki Times]

US:

¶   The Energy Efficiency Tax Incentives Act, S. 2189, introduced three Democratic senators, would improve the efficiency of our homes, workplaces, and industry by reinstating and improving important efficiency tax incentives. [Energy Collective]

¶   Florida Power & Light has announced a new solar power option that may soon be available to its customers in The Sunshine State. The proposal is for a voluntary, community-based, solar partnership pilot, under which FPL will install solar-powered facilities in Florida communities. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Despite Nebraska’s strong potential for wind, the state has had difficulty getting major wind development because of a lack of significant tax incentives and the public power structure with a mandate for low-cost energy. Some lawmakers are seeking to change that. [Sioux City Journal]

¶   Owners of at least two dozen nuclear reactors across the US will be required to undertake extensive analyses of their structures and components because they cannot show that their reactors would withstand the most severe earthquake revised estimates say they might face. [Indiana Gazette]

Opinion:

¶   Three major atomic accidents in 35 years are forcing the world’s nuclear industry to stop imagining it can prevent more catastrophes and to focus instead on how to contain them. When the next nuclear accident occurs, we to need to know how to limit damage. [Bloomberg]

Science and Technology:

¶   Energy efficiency contributed 63 exajoules (EJ) of avoided energy use in 2010 – that’s larger than the supply of oil (43 EJ), electricity or natural gas (22 EJ each), said a first- ever “Energy Efficiency Market report.” [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶   Norway may seem like an odd place for electric cars to thrive, but the 1,493 Tesla Model S new registrations last month set a new single-model sales record. That’s more than sales of the two next-best selling models, the Volkswagen Golf and Nissan Leaf, combined. [CleanTechnica]

¶   A London-based firm is using coffee waste from cappuccinos and lattes to generate clean energy. Beanergi collects waste from coffee shops in the capital and processes it in its facility, which can use 50,000 tonnes per year, producing 260 GWh of electricity. [Energy Live News]

¶   For UK businesses, rooftops are about to become solar energy goldmines. At least, that’s the hope of ministers who today brought out the Government’s first ever solar strategy with plans to slap solar panels on thousands of government buildings, factories and schools. [Energy Live News]

US:

¶   The White House recently released its long-awaited Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions. Promised in President Obama’s Climate Action Plan last June, the methane strategy is a big step in the right direction. [Energy Collective]

¶   NAACP leaders Thursday called for policies promoting renewable energy and efficiency programs. Most African-Americans live near coal-fired power plants and are disproportionately affected by them, with both health and wealth suffering. [Lake Expo]

¶   Wind power in the US is putting a significant dent in emissions, according to a forthcoming report from the American Wind Energy Association. Wind power avoided 95.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2013, and produced a  4.4% cut to power sector emissions. [Huffington Post]

¶   US clean energy continues to be hurt by policy uncertainty, with 2013 investment down 9% from 2012 to $36.7 billion, according to a report from The Pew Charitable Trusts. It finds that steep declines in wind installation overshadowed a record annual deployment of 4.4 GW of solar. [Renew Grid]

¶   Americans used more energy in 2013, according to the most recent energy flow charts released by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Americans’ carbon dioxide emissions increased to 5,390 million metric tons, the first annual increase since 2010. [Daily Fusion]

¶   Boeing and NRG Energy have partnered to build a solar plant in Guam designed to deliver up to 25 MW of locally-based renewable energy. The Guam Power Authority will acquire power from the facility over 25 years to supply electricity to as many as 10,000 households. [ExecutiveBiz]

Science and Technology:

¶   While energy storage is a small fraction of total power generation capacity, promising examples suggest that distributed energy storage could change the electricity system during the next decade as fundamentally as distributed renewable energy has in the last decade. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The UN IPCC report said that during the next 100 years, bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration could pull 125 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide from the sky, while biochar energy systems could draw down 130 billion tonnes. There were 40 billion tonnes emitted in 2013. [Environment & Energy Publishing]

World:

¶    The UN’s climate chief called on the oil and gas industry on Thursday to make a drastic shift to a clean, low-carbon future or risk having to leave three-quarters of fossil fuel reserves in the ground. She urged an “urgent transformation” to greener production. [gulfnews.com]

¶   The European Commission appears to have shelved plans to force mature renewable energy technologies, such as solar and onshore wind, to compete for subsidies. The move raises fresh questions over the UK’s case for launching so-called technology neutral auctions. [Business Green]

¶   A committee set up by India’s Department of Telecommunications has recommended that all telecom sites should use renewable energy technology units to run the network. The units would help maintain service quality without depending on the external power grid or diesel. [Hindu Business Line]

¶   Investment in the UK wind industry surged by almost 50% to £3.5 billion in 2013, according to a report from the Pew Charitable Trusts. The document “Who’s Winning the Clean Energy Race?” also states that investment in all clean energy technologies grew by 13% to £7.5 billion. [reNews]

US:

¶   A report released by Exxon Mobil the same day about how greenhouse gas emissions and climate change factor into its business model found that climate change, and specifically global climate policies, are “highly unlikely” to stop it from selling fossil fuels for decades to come. [Resilience]

¶   At the same time ERCOT saw a new record set for Texas, wind power accounted for more than 7,200 megawatts of electricity generated on March 18 for the Southwest Power Pool, the regional transmission organization that covers Oklahoma and parts of eight other states. [NewsOK.com]

¶   The Vermont Supreme Court reversed a ruling made by the Public Service Board that classified two potential local solar projects as being one in the same for the purposes of an energy subsidy program. [Bennington Banner]

¶   A private company wants turn Sandy, Utah into America’s first total recycling city, using recycled garbage turned to generate methane gas, which would be used to generate power,  by building a garbage collection and recycling plant-based on innovative technology. [fox13now.com]

¶   Xcel Energy is proposing plan that would enable customers to get the equivalent all over their power from solar energy by purchasing it by subscription. The program, Solar Connect, would purchase 50 MW of electricity, enough for up to 14,000 homes, from a large-scale solar plant. [The Denver Post]

¶   Renewable energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) and Investment Tax Credit (ITC) were included with bipartisan support, as the Senate Finance Committee reported out a tax extenders package whose passage is critically important to the wind energy industry. [AltEnergyMag]

¶   For the second year, an annual Pew Charitable Trusts report, “ Who’s Winning the Clean Energy Race? ”, shows that China is the world leader in clean energy investment, with $54 billion in investments in renewables in 2013, well above total U.S. investment of $36.7 billion. [Kitsap Sun]

¶   More than 50 experts and officials met in Putney,Vermont to begin to plan a national conference for regions facing nuclear plant closings. Though many plants are likely to close soon, there is not much information on how host regions can protect their interests when they do. [Vermont Public Radio]

Science and Technology:

¶   The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has issued its second of four planned reports examining the state of climate science. This one summarizes what the scientific literature says about “Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability” [Energy Collective]

¶   The IPCC report is the definitive scientific consensus on the damages of climate change. The findings of this new report are clear: damages from climate change have already been set in motion and major impacts will hit humanity if we fail to act aggressively. [Energy Collective]

World:

¶   Canada received $6.5 billion in clean energy investments in 2013, advancing the country to seventh from 12th in the G-20 rankings, according to research released today by The Pew Charitable Trusts. [Greentech Media]

¶   GE and PowerStream Inc., an energy portfolio company, have launched their first joint microgrid demonstration project in Ontario. The project will demonstrate generation and distribution of renewable energy for safe, sustainable and reliable energy resources. [ElectricNet]

¶   State and federal politicians have renegotiated planned reforms to Germany’s Renewable Energy Act at a summit in Berlin. They agreed to drop proposed limits on the country’s wind power facilities. [Deutsche Welle]

¶   NEC Corporation today announced the commissioning of an energy storage system for Enel Distribuzione, Italy’s largest distribution system operator. The system can store 2 MWh of renewable power for release into the grid as required. [AltEnergyMag]

¶   A landmark biomass-to-energy plant is being built near Stroevo, in Plovdiv province. The 5 MW Karlovo plant will use three of GE’s fuel-flexible Jenbacher engines, powered by syngas derived from straw and wood chips and will produce enough electric power for 2,000 homes. [Utility Products]

¶   The people of Angus and Perthshire will be offered the chance to own a wind turbine, thanks to a new local renewable energy cooperative. The Glen Isla project will be the second wholly cooperatively-owned wind turbine development in Scotland. [The Courier]

¶   Greenpeace said efforts by the Japanese government should serve as a model for the fight against climate change. They said they were concerned by Tokyo’s efforts to reintroduce nuclear power, but some of the renewable and clean-energy momentum is irreversible. [UPI.com]

US:

¶   In its report to shareholders on stranded carbon asset risk, ExxonMobil said there is limited basis for concern. Shareholder advocates, which withdrew a shareholder resolution when ExxonMobil agreed to release the report, were disappointed with aspects of the response. [Investorideas.com]

¶   American-made wind power has long enjoyed popular support across the country. There’s even evidence to suggest that the more wind power there is in a state, the more support wind power receives. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Noting that electricity rates from Hawaii Electric Light Co. are consistently more than 37¢ per kWh despite nearly half of the island’s power being renewable, Parker Ranch announced it has created a new subsidiary aimed at providing electricity on its own microgrid. [Big Island Now]

¶   The Obama administration is defiantly reviving a green-technology loan program that became a magnet for GOP political attacks. Energy Secretary Moniz has been a staunch defender of federal green-tech loan programs. [National Journal]

¶   In a new study done by Greenpeace,  Apple Came in first place with 100% clean energy being used, followed by Yahoo with 59%, Facebook with 49% and then Google with 48% clean energy being used. [Android Headlines – Android News]

¶   Invenergy Wind has announced the completion of construction and the start of commercial operations of its 94 MW Orangeville wind power farm in Wyoming County, New York. The power will be sold into the wholesale markets of the New York Independent System Operator. [PennEnergy]

¶   Researchers say they have found that creating a bioenergy grid with small biomass power plants could benefit people in rural areas of the country as well as provide relief to an overworked national power grid. [Midwest Producer]

Opinion:

¶   “Which Costs More? Transmission Lines for 10x More Renewable Energy, or Pipelines for 2x More Natural Gas” Two recent reports show long-distance gas pipeline infrastructure will cost more than the transmission investment needed for achieving 80% renewable electricity. [The Equation: Blog of the Union of Concerned Scientists]

Science and Technology:

¶   Researchers at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering have improved the performance and capacity of lithium batteries by developing better-performing, cheaper materials for use in anodes and cathodes (negative and positive electrodes, respectively). [Science Daily]

World:

¶   New research from the Center for Economics and Business Research and RenewableUK has found what many had already deciphered, that the presence of wind farms has “no significant effect” on the price of houses within 5 kilometers of wind turbines. [CleanTechnica]

¶   New figured published by the UK DECC have shown that renewable energy is becoming more important for national energy production, with wind energy generation up 40% and coal and gas production and generation both decreasing over the 2013 period when compared to 2012. [CleanTechnica]

¶   West Lindsey District Council has granted planning permission for a 50 MW solar park on the site of a former RAF base in Lincolnshire. When completed, the project is anticipated to share the title of the largest solar farm development in the UK. [Solar Power Portal]

¶   Germany’s regional states succeeded in watering down the federal government’s plans for cuts in future wind energy projects in conjunction with a landmark renewable energy law reform, Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel and state leaders said on Tuesday. [Business Spectator]

¶   Northern Ireland’s biggest power generator plans to build a huge battery facility that can store energy produced by wind farms. AES, owner of Kilroot and Ballylumford power stations, plans to build the 100 MW facility at Kilroot. [BBC News]

¶   Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks said Germany should never consider turning to fracking as a solution for its energy needs, despite the success of the technology in the USA. Her comments came ahead of an emergency energy summit. [The Local.de]

¶   Of Japan’s remaining four dozen nuclear reactors, 14 will probably restart at some point, a further 17 are uncertain and 17 will probably never be switched back on, Reuters analysis suggests. As a result, nuclear energy could remain below 10 percent of Japan’s power supply. [Bangladesh News 24 hours]

US:

¶   In a letter to the US State Department, members of Environmental Entrepreneurs call on Secretary John Kerry to reject the Keystone XL pipeline. They cite the 35 permanent jobs promised by the project, compared with 78,600 offered by clean energy last year alone. [InvestorIdeas]

¶   A credit to help the wind industry could soon be renewed, as lawmakers are expected to take it up this week. The tax breaks are part of a proposal released by Sen. Wyden (D-Oregon), chair of the Senate Finance Committee, and the panel’s top Republican, Sen. Hatch (R-Utah). [DesMoinesRegister.com]

¶   Free Flow Power, a Boston-based renewable energy company, would like to build 10 small hydropower stations near existing locks and dams on the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio rivers near Pittsburg. The project would power 65,000 homes. [Pittsburgh Post Gazette]

¶   In a major new analysis released last week, Citigroup says the big decision-makers within the US power industry are focused on securing low-cost power, fuel diversity and stable cash flows, and this is drawing them to the increasingly attractive economics of solar and wind. [Greentech Media]

¶   Vestas announced Tuesday that EDF Renewable Energy ordered 97 of their V100-2.0 MW turbines for wind farms to be built in Texas. The turbines will be capable of generating up to 194 MW of power, or enough to support the electricity demands of 58,200 homes. [Denver Business Journal]

¶   In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, states in the Northeast have been putting the weight of government policy and budgets behind microgrids, self-sustaining islands of electric power to keep critical services running in the midst of broader grid blackouts. [Greentech Media]

¶   Italian developer Enel Green Power is adding a 17 MW concentrating solar plant to the Stillwater geothermal-PV hybrid plant in Nevada. The parabolic trough system will be added to the 26 MW PV array and 7 MW geothermal system already in place. [reNews]

Opinion:

¶   “Heads in the Sand: Koch Brothers Push States to Avoid Carbon Rules” ALEC wants to preempt EPA carbon pollution standards at the state level, despite analyses showing they will help protect the climate and yield up to $60 billion in avoided damages in 2020. [The Equation: Blog of the Union of Concerned Scientists]

Science and Technology:

¶   Renewable energy has opened up possibilities for atmospheric satellites. The latest contender is StratoBus. Operating at an altitude of about 20 kilometres, the solar-powered StratoBus will be able to carry payloads up to 200 kg. [Energy Matters]

World:

¶   Mitsubishi and Vestas formally established  a 50:50 joint venture responsible for the design, further development, procurement, manufacturing, installation, commissioning and service of the next-generation V164 8 MW offshore wind turbine. [reNews]

¶   First Solar has said it will develop a series of diesel-PV hybrid power plants for mines in remote parts of Australia. The thin-film module manufacturer and project developer told Bloomberg that mining firms in the country are looking to cut costs as profitability has fallen. [eco-business.com]

¶   With 11,000 miles of coastline rich with energy potential and pollution that is getting worse, China is seen by many experts as an ideal location to pioneer and commercialize ocean-energy technologies. [Wall Street Journal]

¶   Petkim, Turkey’s largest petrochemical complex, has signed an agreement with French power generation and transport systems giant Alstom for the construction of a 51 MW wind power plant at an investment cost of around €55 million. [Balkans.com Business News]

¶   The UK’s Green Investment Bank yesterday unveiled its biggest pay-out since its launch with the £461 million backing for two offshore wind projects. Combined, the projects will produce enough power for 600,000 homes. [Scotsman]

¶   In an about-face, Germany’s ‘superminister’ for energy and the economy, Sigmar Gabriel, has announced that on-site power plants serving the nation’s industrial sector will not be subject to a renewable energy surcharge under a reformed EEG (Renewable Energy Act). [PennEnergy]

¶   Concentrated Solar power markets at $1.3 billion in 2013 are anticipated to reach $53.7 billion by 2020 because the systems are able to be built at utility scale and to provide 24 x 7 solar renewable energy power, according to a newly released report. [PR Web]

¶   A second Japanese nuclear operator is seeking a government bailout. Hokkaido Electric Power Co, facing a third year of financial losses, is seeking a capital infusion from a state-owned lender, a source with knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday. [Reuters]

US:

¶   The state of New Jersey is trying to flesh out details of a proposed $200 million Energy Resiliency Bank that would dole out federal funds to projects aimed at curtailing outages during extreme weather. [NJ Spotlight]

¶   Depending on energy usage, customers of California’s investor-owned electric utilities will get a climate credit with their April and October power bills. PG&E residential customers will get nearly $30 credit. The state hopes the money will be spent on efficiency. [Stockton Record]

¶   The Oklahoma City Thunder has become the first team in the NBA to commit to offset 100 percent of its electricity consumption with renewable wind power, following a recent agreement with Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company (OG&E). [Thunder.com]

¶   Vermont’s “net metering” bill that nearly quadruples the amount of power that utilities can buy from renewable energy projects is becoming law, raising  that amount to 15% of peak load. Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin will sign the bill into law on April 1. [WPTZ The Champlain Valley]