Opinion:
¶ “Walmart Is the Biggest Corporate Solar User. Why Are Its Owners Funding Groups That Oppose Solar?” Walmart has 89 MW of installed solar capacity on its retail rooftops. But in 2010-2013, the Walton Family Foundation has donated nearly$4.5 million to groups working to impede clean energy development. [Mother Jones]
Science and Technology:
¶ Wind power is on track to achieve cost parity with fossil fuels thanks in part to an open-source software tool being developed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The software enables high-fidelity analysis of wind turbine and wind plant performance under a full range of atmospheric and land conditions. [HPCwire]
World:
¶ Poland says it will need cash and help in curbing its emissions if it is to sign up for a new decade of EU green energy policy at talks this month, according to a document seen by Reuters. The document shows the 28 EU member states are broadly ready to agree a new set of 2030 goals. [EurActiv]
¶ In Pakistan, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority has awarded licences to two sugar mill-owners for setting up bagasse-based power generation with a cumulative capacity of 45 MW. The licencees were Mehran Sugar Mills Limited and Alliance Sugar Mills Limited. [The News International]
¶ India Inc cumulatively promised to invest upwards of 1 lakh crore rupees ($16 billion) in different sectors in Madhya Pradesh after Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Chouhan asked them to take full advantage of the “ease to do business” policies that have been rolled out by the state government. [The New Indian Express]
¶ GE’s Wind PowerUp service has helped Eon boost output from 283 turbines. Eon signed a total of 469 GE machines up for the manufacturer’s software scheme, which was launched last year and increases a wind farm’s output by up to 5%. Once validated, it could provide a projected increase of 87 GWh per year. [reNews]
¶ Less than 4 GW of natural gas-fired power plants are being built in Western Europe, the lowest level in more than 10 years, according to the Platts Power in Europe Project Tracker. The Tracker which shows electric power generation capacity and construction in Europe. [Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide]
¶ In line with a campaign promise by President Francois Hollande in 2012, the French parliament has voted to reduce the share of nuclear energy in electricity generation to 50% from the current level of 75% and has also adopted a program to drastically reduce energy consumption before 2050. [Kuwait News Agency]
¶ The Austrian government will challenge at the European Court of Justice the European Commission’s OK to use of billions of taxpayer pounds to back the planned Hinkley Point C nuclear plant in the UK. Vienna believes the EC decision could pave the way for the construction of other new nuclear power stations closer to home. [Recharge]
¶ A former Irish minister of state has called on the Government to join Austria in a legal action it plans against a proposed nuclear power station at Hinkley, Somerset, in southwest England. He said the EU Commission’s decision to allow the proposed €31.2 billion deal to build the power plant was surprising. [Irish Times]
US:
¶ First Wind has implemented GE’s PowerUp services in Utah, and plans to expand its use further into US GE wind turbine fleet. In one year, more than 1,400 wind turbines contracted under the software platform realizing up to 18,000 MW/h of additional generation, an improvement of 5%. [Newswire Today]
¶ A new report from the Pew Charitable Trusts says North Carolina “has emerged as a clean energy leader” in the southeast. The state ranks third in new renewable energy capacity, third in private investments and eighth in energy- and environment-related jobs, according to Pew. [WRAL Tech Wire]
¶ SolarCity Corp, which is the leading residential solar service provider of the US, now has plans to offer loans to homeowners for solar systems, under a program called MyPower. The company says this move could reshape the rooftop solar market and drive rapid adoption. [Zacks.com]
¶ The California Utilities Commission on Thursday issued proposed modifications to a settlement between utilities and ratepayer groups regarding the financial responsibilities in shutting down the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. Consumers would pay about $3.3 billion over 10 years. [Seaside Courier]
geoharvey 