geoharvey

Opinion:

¶   “Reasons for Optimism on Climate Action” There have been a series of very positive developments over the past few years. Climate changing gas emissions are down 12% since 2005, and are going down each year. [Huffington Post]

¶   “Are EV Battery Prices Much Lower Than We Think? Under $200/kWh?” A look at the EV battery market shows GM is selling batteries in the range of $131 to $187 per kWh. McKinsey had predicted a drop to $200 by 2020. Could the current numbers be true? [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶   A team of Harvard scientists and engineers has reported development of a metal-free flow battery that relies on the electro-chemistry of naturally abundant, inexpensive, small organic molecules called quinones. [TG Daily]

¶   A team of nuclear scientists in Japan said today they plan to create a controlled reactor meltdown in a bid to learn how to deal with future disasters like that at Fukushima. [The Malay Mail Online]

World:

¶   The UK broke a series of wind energy records in December 2013 – including the record for most wind power produced in a single month. In December, Britain generated a total of 2,841,080 MWh – about 10% of the country’s total power demand. [inhabitat]

¶   Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator has said the country has almost reached 2 million small-scale solar systems installed, just 8 months after Australia reached the milestone of having 1 million rooftop solar systems installed. [The9Billion]

¶   The Australian government’s main economic advisor has significantly revised its cost estimates for leading energy technologies. The latest report makes clear that the cheapest avenue forward for Australia is renewables, and solar in particular. [RenewEconomy]

¶   The European Commission has dismissed reports it has ordered the UK to end wind farm subsidies by the end of the decade, as part of a review of renewable energy support schemes. [Business Green]

US:

¶   Sales of 100% electric cars in the US increased 228.9% in 2013 compared to 2012, with the number of sales, 46148, almost catching up with the 48951 sales of plug-n hybrids. Plug-in hybrid sales increased by 26.9% in the same time. [CleanTechnica]

¶   After reports from October exposed the utility for lying about funding anti-solar ad campaigns and phony grassroots organizations, a web of dark money surfaced. A new report says dark money accounts for about 75% of funds for anti-renewable campaigns. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Complaints of water contamination in two states have been tied to oil or gas drilling, according to an Associated Press investigation. Fracking has been tied to other instances of water contamination as well, such as from waste pits. [ThinkProgress]

¶   The Shumlin administration has proposed several changes to allow expansion of the state’s popular net metering program for three more years while a more permanent solution is crafted before solar tax credits expire at the end of 2016. [Rutland Herald]

¶   Developers of a renewable biogas project in sparsely populated north-central Missouri are hoping to turn hog manure into energy. Plans, announced Wednesday, call for construction of the $100 million project to begin in April. [KSDK]

¶   The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association announced that Iowa biodiesel production was up 25 percent in 2013, setting a new record with production topping 230 million gallons of biodiesel. [Biodiesel Magazine]

¶   Renewable energy critics harp on the variability of wind and solar but ignore that conventional power sources are no sure things themselves. In an extraordinary cold snap, with conventional generators struggling, wind power capacity helped a lot. [EarthTechling]

¶   The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will soon downgrade the Pilgrim nuclear power station’s performance, placing the 685-megawatt plant on a list with seven others deemed as degraded. [The Patriot Ledger]

Opinion:

¶   “Are Wind Power Subsidies Still the Answer?” The EPA estimates that the social costs of carbon dioxide emissions are $12 to $116 per ton. (That is $0.12 to $1.16 in health and other costs per gallon of gasoline, and the victims, all of us, are uncompensated.) [EarthTechling]

Science and Technology:

¶   Trident Energy had a successful trial of a real-time control system designed to optimise linear wave generators. The demonstration took place at the company’s wave technology test facility. An offshore demonstration is the next target. [reNews]

World:

¶   In their call for a goal for carbon emissions cuts for 2030, the EU’s top four economies – Germany, France, Britain and Italy – are calling for a reduction of at least 40%. Current targets foresee a 20% reduction on 1990 emissions by 2020. [London South East]

¶   China, already the world’s largest producer of wind power, has embarked on the greatest push for renewable energy the world has ever seen. From a current installed capacity of 75 GW, the aim is to achieve a staggering 200 GW by 2020. [BBC News]

¶   Nordex has won a contract from WPD to supply turbines for the 33 MW Mäkikangas wind farm on the west coast of Finland. The German manufacturer will deliver and install 11 machines of 3 MW each from its Generation Delta platform. [reNews]

¶   Germany’s will risk losing its big industries unless they are sheltered from the cost burden of renewable energy, its economy minister said while restating his commitment to a shift to low-carbon fuel. [EurActiv]

¶   Azerbaijan plans to build three wind power plants by 2015. The project is part of a  renewable energy policy to improve non-traditional energy sector and reduce dependence of Azerbaijan’s economy on oil and gas reserves. [News.Az]

¶   Corporate and project funding for the solar power sector increased in 2013, according to consultancy Mercom Capital. The group’s annual funding report claims that large-scale project funding shot from $8.7 billion in 2012 to $13.6 billion last year. [PV-Tech]

¶   A recent order by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has listed 134 solar panel companies eligible to receive credit support from financial institutions. This withdraws credit from about 75% of solar manufacturers. [CleanTechnica]

US:

¶   The New York state Energy Planning Board approved an long-delayed plan calling for reduction of carbon emissions from the energy sector of 50% by 2030. The state will expand solar, wind, bioenergy, geothermal and hydrokinetic energy sources. [Capital New York]

¶   Renewable energy development at the Salton Sea could generate up to $4 billion in revenue over 30 years. Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors are backing renewables projects as a way to provide with $2 billion for environmental restoration. [Imperial Valley Press]

¶   Five schools in the US state of South Carolina will soon begin generating electricity using roof-top solar panels as a result of being provided financial assistance from Palmetto Clean Energy, a nonprofit that promotes renewable energy resources.[Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶   As wind energy’s costs have fallen precipitously over the last several years, a growing number of utilities in traditionally conservative states without Renewable Portfolio Standard requirements have made sizeable investments in clean energy. [Clean Energy News]

¶   A frigid arctic air mass that brought record low temperatures to Pennsylvania, closing schools, courts and even some ski slopes is also being investigated as the possible cause of a nuclear reactor shutdown. [Youngstown Vindicator]

Opinion:

¶   “60 Minutes Show On Cleantech Looks Like Its Going To Be ‘Dumb & Dumber Part 3’ (+13 Charts)” The show’s title is “The Cleantech Crash.” Oy, someone hasn’t been reading CleanTechnica, or keeping up to date at all. [CleanTechnica]

Not Energy, but Interesting:

¶   Under pressure from consumers and activist groups, General Mills says it has stop using genetically modified ingredients to make its original Cheerios cereal. The change was made many weeks ago, according to a company spokesman. [USA Today]

World:

¶   Ministers from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Portugal called for the European Union to adopt a 2030 goal for renewable energy use. The UK opposes this and wants a sole greenhouse gas emissions target. [Power Engineering International]

¶   Hydrotec Renewables Inc has bagged several renewable energy service contracts from the Philippine Department of Energy for the development of small hydro power projects along the Marikina River. [InterAksyon]

¶   Wind power generated 21.1% of Spain’s energy needs in 2013, becoming the top source of electrical power in the country. New renewable energy is predicted to have reduced the greenhouse gas emissions by 23.1% from 2012 levels. [EconomyWatch.com]

¶   The Chinese firm behind inverter technology which converts both solar power and wind so it can be used on the grid believes it is “perfect” for Britain. The inverter converts DC electricity from both solar PV panels or wind turbines to AC. [Energy Live News]

US:

¶   Vestas has received another 220 MW order for V100-2.0 MW turbines from EDF Renewable Energy for two wind-energy projects in the US. Both projects, Hereford 1 and Longhorn North, are in the Texas Panhandle. [Windpower Engineering]

¶   When it fired up Dec. 20, a fuel cell power plant manufactured and built by Connecticut-based Fuel Cell Energy became the first such plant in North America. And at 15 MW, it is the second largest in the world. [The Connecticut Mirror]

¶   EPC contractor Leidos has completed the 37.5 MW Plainfield renewable energy project in Plainfield, Connecticut. The project will be fueled by a variety of sources including waste wood from construction, demolition, industry, and land clearing. [Energy Business Review]

¶   Council members in Grand Junction City, Colorado voted unanimously to move forward with a project that would take the methane already produced at the city’s wastewater treatment facility, clean it up, and transfer it to the city’s slow-fill station. [KJCT8.com]

¶   Controversy flared in Colorado after Glen Vaad, a nominee for the state’s Utility Commission, was shown to have close ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council, an organization that has been lobbying against renewable power. [EIN News]

¶   Enbridge has inked a $200 million deal with Renewable Energy Systems Americas for construction of the 110 MW Keechi Wind Project in Texas. Construction has already commenced, and the facility expected to be completed early next year. [Energy Matters]

¶   Duke Energy officially has the green light from the North Carolina Utilities Commission to launch a new renewable energy program in North Carolina, enabling select large customers to secure up to 100% of new electricity needs from renewables. [EarthTechling]

¶   Over the weekend, the New York Times noted that the solar power “craze” is partly responsible for Wall Street’s recent good times. The Times used the example of SolarCity, with a sevenfold increase in its share price to $59.27 since it went public. [Energy Collective]

¶   Workers at the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant say they’re ready to go on strike if bargaining talks break down. Officials from the Utility Workers Union of America say they’ve authorized a strike against the plant’s owner, Entergy. [NY1]

Science and Technology:

¶   Ford announced its vision to build out new charging infrastructure for its plug-in hybrid vehicles based exclusively on off-grid solar. If rolled out as planned, the automaker says it could cut grid charging of its C-MAX hybrid by up to 75%. [Energy Collective]

¶   Researchers at North Carolina State University and Johns Hopkins University say the variability of wind power might actually worsen instability when there are disturbances on the grid. The problem can be reduced with storage and computers. [Energy Collective]

World:

¶   UBS analysts say utilities in Europe need to shut down 30% of their gas, coal, and oil-fed power capacity by 2017, not to fight global warming, cut pollution, or cut fuel imports, but because renewable energy is pushing fossil fuels off the grid. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Chinese manufacturer ReneSola won a contract to supply 420 MW of PV panels to a developer in Japan. The company will provide its Virtus 2 300 W units to be installed at more than 10 ground-mounted solar projects in the mountain regions of Japan. [reNews]

¶   In India The Energy Resource Institute (TERI) says in a study that a 100% renewable energy supply by 2050 in India is possible. In 2010, fossil fuels accounted for 74 per cent of the total energy consumed in India. [EE Herald]

¶   In Kuwait, a specialized economic report has asserted that the time has come to exploit renewable energy sources efficiently in the Gulf states especially as the establishment of strategic projects depends on the energy availability. [Kuwait News Agency]

¶   China WindPower, an operator of renewable-energy projects with a market value of$725 million, said it will get as much as 5.7 billion yuan ($942 million) in loans from the China Development Bank Corp.’s Qinghai Branch for solar farms. [Businessweek]

¶   Danish turbine maker Vestas Wind Systems has received its highest ever monthly total of orders in December, 1346 MW, as wind farm developers in the United States rushed to meet a year-end deadline to qualify for a tax credit. [Business Spectator]

¶   A former employee at Fukushima Daiichi has come out saying that one of the reasons for leaks may be the cost-cutting measures being applied by TEPCO, such as using duct tape and wire nets to mend the leaking tanks. [The Japan Daily Press]

US:

¶   Secretary of State John Kerry’s aggressive pursuit of a new global climate agreement, has some clear implications for approval of the controversial Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline. In a nutshell, things ain’t looking so good for Keystone XL. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The Vermont Public Service Board has approved an application to construct a 149.5-kilowatt solar array at a former landfill off Grafton Road in Townshend. The project will be funded by private investors and constructed by Westminster-based Soveren Solar. [Brattleboro Reformer]

Opinion:

¶   “Time to stop investing in carbon capture and storage” Government investment in carbon capture and storage is a large and expensive fossil-fuel subsidy with a low probability of eventual societal benefit. [Resilience]

¶   “Fukushima Meltdowns: A Global Conspiracy of Denial” If any government or non-government authority in the world is addressing the disaster at Fukushima openly, directly, honestly, and effectively, it is not apparent what entity that might be. [Center for Research on Globalization]

Science and Technology:

¶   NewLight Technologies is promoting a new set of plastics it calls AirCarbon. AirCarbon plastic is not only biodegradable and recyclable, but because it is made from carbon dioxide and methane, it sequesters carbon and so is carbon-negative. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Ford is planning to unveil a solar-powered concept car at this month’s International CES gadget show that offers the same performance as a plug-in hybrid but without the need for a plug. [Associated News]

World:

¶   UK wind farms generated a record amount of electricity in December as well as hitting weekly and daily highs after installed capacity rose 45% in one year, according to a lobby group. [Business Mirror]

¶   The Spanish company Gamesa will be responsible for building a wind farm of 50 MW in the province of Guanacaste, which will be owned by the company Globeleq Mesoamerica Energy. [The Costa Rica News]

¶   In Sri Lanka, the National Electricity Consumer Movement is alleging that the Ceylon Electricity Board delaying action on the Non-Conventional Renewable Energy Tariff to deter local developers and hand over the renewable energy sector to foreign investors. [Sunday Leader]

US:

¶   Siemens and Cape Wind have signed a contract in which Siemens will supply its industry leading 3.6-MW offshore wind turbines, an offshore Electric Service Platform and a service agreement for 15 years of commercial operations to Cape Wind. [4-traders]

¶   The rise of SolarCity, America’s largest provider of rooftop solar systems with more than 80,000 customers, is either a sign that solar power is finally having its day or yet another mania is gripping the markets. [Financial Express]

¶   More than 40 sisters live at Mount Saint Mary’s Abbey in Franklin, Massachusetts, and many of them are too old to milk cows or garden, so they are having more than 20,000 solar panels installed in a field on the Trappistine order’s property. [Boston Globe]

¶   It’s now officially a requirement in Lancaster, California, a first for the US and possibly for the world. Each new single-family residential unit must include at least 1 kW of solar power capacity at its development site. [CleanTechnica]

¶   FirstEnergy has asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to gather information from the US Army Corps of Engineers on several federally owned dams upstream of the Shippingport plant. [Timesonline.com]

World:

¶   The International Desalination Association announced a Desalination Academy course, “Integration of Hybrid Technologies with Renewable Energy to Improve the Sustainability of Water Desalination,” at that the International Water Summit. [Pollution Solutions]

¶   China has become a powerhouse for renewable energy. China’s electric capacity additions of hydro, wind and solar PVs have totalled 33.8 GW so far this year, while capacity powered by fossil fuels amounts to 27.0 GW and by nuclear is just 2.2 GW [The Ecologist]

¶   Bolivia has inaugurated its first wind farm after Hydrochina Corporation completed construction and commissioning work. The $7.6 million scheme features two 1.5 MW machines by Chinese manufacturer Goldwind, and may be expanded to 15 MW. [reNews]

¶   UK wind turbines, many in world-leading offshore arrays, sent 2,841,000 MWh of electricity to grid operator National Grid – 10 percent of Britain’s total electricity demand during the month, according to the industry group RenewableUK. [EarthTechling]

¶   TEPCO, the utility that owns the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, has confirmed the presence of a steam plume coming from what looks like the fifth floor of the building [Unit 3], but the source of the plume is unknown. [WND.com]

US:

¶   New York City’s climate change pollution is down 19% since 2005. As he leaves office, May Bloomberg announced a new initiative focused on large buildings, and ten of the city’s leading residential property management firms say they are accepting the challenge. [Energy Collective]

¶   In December, the wind power industry in the United States was in the middle of what seems to have become a holiday season tradition: the mad dash to get wind projects in the ground before the impending expiration of a federal production tax credit. [Energy Collective]

¶   For the first time, California’s utility-scale solar power production has topped 3 GW. The California ISO, which oversees the grid for much of the state, tweeted that solar generation hit a record 3,048 MW at 12:02 p.m. January 3. [EarthTechling]

¶   Arizona added about 410 MW of solar capacity to its generating portfolio in 2013. This represents the company’s largest annual increase in solar capacity and nearly triples the total brought online in 2012, when it added nearly 150 MW of capacity. [reNews]

¶   Back in 2010 Colorado saw efforts to legalize solar gardens, and that effort appears to have paid off. Now Business Green reports that Fort Collins is actively encouraging the development of solar gardens, starting with a 300 kW array. [Treehugger]

¶   According to a new consumer survey from Navigant Research, favorable attitudes toward a number of clean and renewable energy concepts, particularly solar, wind, hybrids and electric cars, have rebounded significantly from their 2012 levels. [Domestic Fuel]

Opinion:

¶   “Science Smackdown: Key Points On Renewable & EV Revolution From Mark Z Jacobson” Wind, Water, & Sun: Best Overall Solution To Global Warming, Deadly Pollution, Reliable Energy Needs, and Disaster Protection. (Old points, but good.) [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶   Researchers at the US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have discovered that an enzyme from a microorganism in 1990 can digest cellulose almost twice as fast as the current leading component cellulase enzyme on the market. [4-traders]

World:

¶   Renewable energy firm Enel Green Power announced it has successfully completed and grid connected its new Valle de los Vientos wind farm in Antofagasta, Chile. The wind farm has 45 wind turbines, for a total installed capacity of 90 MW. [PennEnergy]

¶   Sugar mills in Pakistan are currently using bagasse – a renewable fuel produced as a by-product in the sugar manufacturing process – inefficiently. The Economic Co-ordination Committee of the Cabinet is set to change regulations. [Business Recorder]

¶   The European Commission is to order Britain to end wind farm subsidies. The commission is preparing to argue that the onshore wind and solar power industries are “mature” and should be allowed to operate without support from taxpayers. [Telegraph.co.uk]

¶   Trina Solar has signed an investment framework agreement to develop a 1-GW solar project in western China’s Xinjiang region. The local government authority of Turpan Prefecture agreed to back the phased development. [reNews]

¶   Mainstream Renewable Power is planning to erect 400 turbines across seven Irish counties as part of a 1,200-MW first phase of an overall 5,000-MW plan to export wind energy to the UK. [Westmeath Independent]

¶   The solar industry will be the main focus of investment in the renewable energy market of Russia and the CIS region, according to a forecast by the international group IBCentre, which tracks renewable energy development in Eastern Europe. [pv magazine]

¶   Three new nuclear reactors were connected to the grid in 2013 and four were permanently shut down, dropping the total number of reactors in operation around the world to 436 with an installed capacity of 372 GW. [Nuclear Engineering]

¶   Beijing has agreed to lend $6.5 billion to Islamabad to help Pakistan build nuclear power plants. The loans are to be provided by China’s state-owned Exim Bank and will be repaid at a concessional rate over 20 years, according to reports. [Newsweek Pakistan]

US:

¶   Massachusetts has joined a growing list of states demanding that its investor-owned utilities invest in the smart grid — and find new models for how those investments should be valued. [Energy Collective]

¶   A report from the Edison Electric Institute paints a bleak picture for the future of investor-owned utilities.  It essentially says their business model, in the current regulatory environment, is not sustainable, given expected growth in rooftop PVs. [energycentral]

¶   Overall, utility-scale renewable energy including hydropower meet 21.3% of California’s demand during 2013. Utility-scale solar power peaks at 2.83 GW, providing 2.36%. The figures do not include an estimated 2 GW of unmetered private PVs. [solarserver.com]

¶   California already leads the United States in most measures of the clean energy economy, but two new initiatives by the state’s grid operator could ensure its electricity system can handle far more renewables, electric vehicles, and power demand. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory has unveiled a new wind turbine test facility capable of simulating thousands of hours of real-world operations on the largest on-shore turbines currently commercially available. [Energy Matters]

¶   Last year saw many of changes for coal as solar and wind generation hit record highs and prices declined. Installation of renewable energy capacity outpaced coal, oil, and nuclear growth combined. Nationwide, 30% of existing coal plants is set to retire. [Fierce Energy]

¶   The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has decided not to accept Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power’s application for certification of its APR-1400 reactor design, as it contains insufficient information in some areas. [Nuclear Engineering]

¶   The deal between the state and the owners of Vermont Yankee offers a useful model for decommissioning as it tackles some of the key areas of conflict between the industry and the areas in which it operates.  [OilPrice.com]

World:

¶   Legislation enacted by the Manitoba government to ban petroleum coke and coal heating came into effect January 1, 2014. The move is a first for any jurisdiction in North America. [CTV News]

¶   Almost one year after air pollution in Beijing went off the charts, the country’s top research agency, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has released a study clearly identifying fossil fuel combustion as the biggest contributor to the deadly smog. [ThinkProgress]

¶   Yingli Energy China, a photovoltaic module manufacturer, is forming a joint venture with Shuozhou Coal Power to develop and construct solar plants in Shuozhou in Shanxi province. The companies have previously built a 20-MW solar project together. [reNews]

¶   A £1 million hydro-electric scheme will generate more than 1,100 MWh of renewable energy each year on the Allt Achadh na Moine watercourse on the east coast of the Scottish island of Mull with profits benefitting local island non-profit projects. [The Guardian]

¶   South Korea’s nuclear regulator approved on Thursday the restart of three reactors that were shut in late May to replace cables supplied using fake certificates. South Korea has 23 nuclear reactors, which generate about a third of its electricity. [Reuters UK]

¶   Fifty-one American sailors and marines, many of whom served on the USS Ronald Reagan, are suing TEPCO over a variety of cancers and other severe health ailments they say were caused by the Fukushima meltdown. [American Free Press]

US:

¶   The Texas Clean Energy Coalition, in conjunction with other organizations, conducted a study to test energy models and concluded that Texas grid power systems are likely to combine renewable energy and gas-fired power for all new generation. [Energy Collective]

¶   The Tennessee Valley Authority plans to increase its solar energy capacity to 126 MW by the end of 2014. By the end of 2014, the utility is expected to have increased its solar capacity by 7% over what it had been in 2013. [Hydrogen Fuel News]

¶   The University of Delaware’s Atmosphere and Energy Research Group found that staggering and spacing out turbines in an offshore wind farm can improve performance by as much as 33%. [YottaFire]

¶   Credit Suisse estimates that approximately 85% of US future demand growth for power through 2025 (including the impact of coal plant retirements) could be met by renewable generation with compliance to existing RPS programs. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The Northern Pass, a proposed transmission line carrying low-cost renewable hydroelectric power to New England, cleared a major regulatory milestone by securing “I.3.9 approval” by ISO New England, the operators of the region’s power grid. [AZoCleantech]

Opinion:

¶   “The #1 Reason Why Electric Cars Will Dominate The Car Market” Logic does not often prevail in the marketplace — love, enthusiasm, and emotional desires do. And that’s actually why I think electric cars will quickly come to dominate the market…. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶   Climate change may be far worse than scientists thought, causing global temperatures to rise by at least 4 degrees Celsius by 2100, or about 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a new study, published in the journal Nature. [Huffington Post]

World:

¶   The Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association national conference in London last month heard the UK cannot afford not to recycle nutrients and organic matter. Experts urged the Government to increase its focus on the wider benefits of AD. [Salisbury Journal]

¶   The Indian state of Kerala can meet over 95% of its energy demand using renewable energy sources by the year 2050, according to a report  prepared by WWF-India and the World Institute of Sustainable Energy Pune. [The New Indian Express]

¶   Nicaragua has logged a record 50.51% of power generation from renewable sources and voiced ambitions to hit 90% by the end of the decade. The new goal was set in a five-year expansion plan unveiled by Minister of Energy and Mines Emilio Rapacciolli. [reNews]

¶   Irish developer Gaelectric is set to kick off a third round of consultation on a 268-MW energy storage facility in Larne, Northern Ireland. The intent is to build a combined storage and generation facility operated with compressed air. [reNews]

¶   ReneSola Ltd announced its collaboration with Solar Power Systems of Mexico in implementing a 192-KW project for glass manufacturer Vidrio Formas in Lerma, Edo, Mexico. [CIOL]

US:

¶   Rising natural gas prices and – to a lesser extent – California’s drive to use more renewable power will add $3.38 to the average homeowner’s monthly Pacific Gas and Electric Co. bill in the new year, the utility reported Tuesday. [San Francisco Chronicle]

¶   The wind industry faces uncertainty again as a key federal incentive for wind farms expired, almost one year after getting a reprieve. Unlike last year, there’s no “fiscal cliff” deal to get Congress to act at the last minute to renew the wind production tax credit. [Tulsa World]

¶   Network transmission lines from Dallas to San Antonio are now fully operational, running 3,000 miles. The power lines have the potential produce 18,500 MW of electricity and is designed to bring wind generated power to customers. [PennEnergy]

¶   Minnesota soon could see at least a sevenfold expansion of solar power. In an unprecedented ruling, a judge reviewing whether Xcel Energy should invest in natural gas generators vs. large solar power arrays concluded that solar is a better deal. [Minneapolis Star Tribune]

¶   2013 was not a banner year for the 40-year old Pilgrim nuclear power plant. The plant’s profitability was threatened by a number of factors, from the abundance and lower cost of shale gas to a surprisingly large number of outages and days offline. [Wicked Local Plymouth]

Science and Technology:

¶   We are now in a transition period where battery prices are dropping by 20-30% each year. Volkswagen stated that it would be possible to manufacture a 100% electric vehicle more cheaply than a car with a combustion engine within three years. [CleanTechnica]

¶   One critical obstacle that cities face is the skyrocketing cost of wastewater treatment, so the prospect of offsetting costs by generating and reclaiming energy would enable more wastewater treatment projects to get off the ground more quickly. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶   Scotland is meeting targets for renewables to generate 50% of consumption by 2015, and 100% by 2020. In 2012, it reached 40.3%. In September 2013, installed renewable capacity was 6.5 GW, and 4.6 GW of wind power is under construction or planned. [Triple Pundit]

¶   The UK’s Energy minister wants four million solar panels installed on government land and buildings. His desire to increase dramatically the Government’s commitment to renewable energy will dismay many senior Conservatives. [Telegraph.co.uk]

¶   A dairy farmer with 300 acres of land in Northern Ireland could pay over £25,000 per year on heat and electricity. A lease agreement makes it possible to install an anaerobic digester with other equipment to offset the bills and make extra income. [Farming Life]

¶   JinkoSolar Holding Co. announced that four of its solar PV projects in China, totaling 80 MW, have been successfully connected to the national grid. As of the end of 2013, the company has approximately 213 MW of PV capacity on the grid. [Your Renewable News]

¶   Broadband and television company UPC has gone green, after signing a deal with Irish energy supplier Vayu to supply their 96 metered sites with renewable energy. The deal will provide UPC with direct access to wholesale market prices for electricity. [Irish Examiner]

¶   Renewable energy provided 42.4% of the electricity demand in Spain this year, 10.5 percentage points higher than in 2012. Wind power contributed most to the annual electricity demand coverage with a share of 21.1%, an increase of 3% from 2012. [Energy Matters]

¶   Japan’s first lady again questioned the wisdom of exporting nuclear technology, a pillar of the growth strategy championed by the administration of her husband, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. [Asahi Shimbun]

US:

¶   Residential and large commercial solar has grown by leaps and bounds by using third-party solar financing, including such things as the solar lease and power purchase agreement or ‘PPA.’ [CleanTechnica]

¶   After successful lease auctions for offshore wind development in New England and Virginia, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is setting sail for a new location in the race to develop America’s wind potential – Maryland. [Energy Collective]

¶   The TVA is offering a total of 126 MW of renewable capacity in the coming year through a variety of power-purchasing programs for homes, businesses and commercial installations, marking a 7% increase over 2013. [Clarksville Online]

World:

¶   The second edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week will be on January 18-24. It will focus on the interconnected challenges and opportunities of sustainable growth, with particular focus on the energy-water nexus and sustainable waste management. [gulfnews.com]

¶   The new German Minister of Economics and Energy, Sigmar Gabriel, says that Germany’s changeover to renewable energy sources needs revamping, as it is the biggest problem facing the new government. [Deutsche Welle]

¶   A 32-year-old Indian man from the area with protests against Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, created a flutter by handing over to the local police station five country-made bombs allegedly given to him by two persons for “hoarding.” [NDTV]

US:

¶   The Shumlin administration and a key lawmaker are pledging action to update Vermont’s net metering program next month. This will likely result in raising caps now in place that prevent new, small-scale renewable energy projects from going online. [Rutland Herald]

¶   Renewable energy is a multi-billion dollar industry. Investment in technologies such as solar power, wind power and hydroelectricity, reached $257 billion in 2011 alone. This has created a niche market for executive search organizations. [The Suit Magazine]

¶   Two new partnerships have been announced, in New York City, that will reduce the amount of organic waste sent to landfills, produce a reliable source of clean energy, and improve air quality, by turning food waste into gas, used to generate electricity. [4-traders]

¶   Minnesota Gov. Dave Heineman is one of a group of Midwestern governors, all members of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, who have sent letters to President Barack Obama expressing their support for the Renewable Fuel Standard. [Grand Island Independent]

¶   Closing the San Onofre nuclear plant has created a series of energy and green-technology issues in southern California. They will likely continue to be key drivers, as the area works on replacing nuclear plants without resorting to fossil fuels. [The Desert Sun]

¶   Chesapeake Energy is front and center in the nation’s natural gas fracking boom and it just got hit with one of the largest ever civil penalties for violating Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The penalty was levied against a subsidiary, Chesapeake Appalachia. [CleanTechnica]

¶   A new report was released by the EPA Inspector General regarding drinking water contamination in Parker County, Texas. The report says the EPA should be acting to protect citizens from pollution linked to natural gas operations. [Energy Collective]

Opinion:

¶   “Fossil Fuel Industry and Koch Brothers Align to Kill Extension of Wind Energy Tax Credits” Americans for Prosperity is targeting vulnerable Republican legislators with an estimated $75 million ad campaign to end windpower incentives. [Environmental Defense Fund]

World:

¶   The Indian Government said it is willing to invest in Nepal’s potential hydropower sector and help the nation in developing its renewable energy resources, suggesting Nepal had great potential particularly for hydro, solar and biomass. [Energy Live News]

¶   Enel Green Power has achieved full commercial operations at the 90-MW Valle de los Vientos wind farm in Chile. Total investment at the 45-turbine project in the Antofagasta region is $170 million, according to the Italian developer. [reNews]

US:

¶   Dominion has begun operations at a fuel cell facility in Bridgeport, Connecticut and a solar center in Somers, Connecticut. Together, the two facilities produce about 20 MW of clean energy, enough power for about 20,000 homes. [AZoCleantech]

¶   During 2013, 42 ethanol plants in Iowa produced 3.7 billion gallons matching 2011 and 2012, according to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association. Iowa is estimated to account for nearly 28% of national ethanol production for the year. [Domestic Fuel]

¶   Siemens Energy confirmed a 1,050-megawatt wind turbine order it recently received from MidAmerican Energy Company. The news was announced at a commemoration event at Siemens’ blade manufacturing facility in Fort Madison, Iowa. [4-traders]

¶   Invenergy has clinched project debt and tax equity financing for its 288.6 MW Miami wind farm, which is under construction in northern Texas. The project debt includes a construction loan and term loan commitment. [reNews]

¶   Just two months ago, a large tract of land owned by Coastal Electric Cooperative was growing grass; now it is the largest solar farm in South Carolina, capable of producing 3 MW of electricity — enough energy to power an estimated 500 homes. [Collection Today]

¶   The planning, construction and operation of wind turbines in Rhode Island does not depress nearby property values, according to a study conducted by a University of Rhode Island economist. [North American Windpower]

¶   Attorneys general from four states including Massachusetts have sharply questioned assurances by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that the storage of spent nuclear fuel in America is safe. [Enterprise News]

Opinion:

¶   “Conservatives must lead on renewable energy” It’s time to dispel the myths and end the distortions. It’s time for conservatives to lead on the issue of renewable energy. “As a free market conservative, I believe it is important to set the record straight…” [MLive.com]

¶   “Time to Break Free of Net-Metering; We Need a ‘FIT’ Policy for Renewable Energy to Soar” It is time to liberate Americans from the tyranny of utility-company control of our lives and from the politicians and regulators who serve these companies. [National Geographic]

World:

¶   The Indonesian Transportation Ministry and the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry on Friday signed an agreement on the use of aviation biofuel and renewable energy sources at airports. [Jakarta Globe]

¶   Austrian Solar plans to build a $212 million solar PV plant in Chile. The new plant will be located in the northern region of Chile in Coquimbo. Upon completion, the plant is expected to have 100.8 megawatts of nominal generating capacity. [PennEnergy]

¶   The Alberta government is handing over the regulatory responsibility for the province’s tar sands industry to a corporation that’s funded entirely by Canada’s oil, coal and gas industry. [ThinkProgress]

¶   TEPCO and a state-backed fund submitted a new business plan to the government. It aims to revive the utility through more financial support from the state and the resumption of its suspended nuclear reactors. [GlobalPost]

US:

¶   “A Solar Boom So Successful, It’s Been Halted” Photovoltaics proved so successful in Hawaii that the local utility, HECO, has instituted policies to block further expansion. The utility says too much solar energy poses a safety issue. [Scientific American]

¶   The Cape Wind Project is getting into high gear. It will consist of 130 wind turbines with a combined capacity of up to 420 MW. The DOE already anticipates that installed US offshore wind capacity will grow from nearly zero to 3.5 GW by 2019. [CleanTechnica]

¶   A new agreement will cut electricity used by more than 230 million set-top boxes installed in America’s homes by cable, satellite, or telephone companies by 10% to 45%, depending on model, saving consumers a whopping $1 billion annually. [Energy Collective]

¶   The expiration of the production tax credit for wind power  usually brings the development of wind projects to a screeching halt. This year is different, as the development pipeline is going to carry on into 2014 and likely even into 2015. [Platts]

¶   EDP Renewables has awarded Spanish wind turbine manufacturer Gamesa a framework contract in the US for the supply of up to 225 wind turbines in 2016. The agreement, totalling 450 MW, is the largest such agreement ever for the G114-2.0 MW. [reNews]

Opinion:

¶   “Despite New Obstacles, Germans Still Aim for Future Without Nukes or Fossil Fuels” One of Germany’s greatest resources is neither economic nor a traditional energy source—rather, it is a remarkable consensus on leaving nuclear and fossil fuels. [Kitsap Sun]

¶   “Fossil fuel’s ‘double whammy’ to wildlife” The direct impacts of fossil fuel extraction included noise disturbance, pollution, destruction and fragmentation – splitting up forests or landscapes into fragments too small to sustain wildlife populations. [The Almagest]

¶   “Abe’s nuclear energy policy ignores reality” Nuclear power generation, with its radioactive waste, will also be a big obstacle to the envisioned power market reform, which should be based on healthy competition among power suppliers. [Asahi Shimbun]

World:

¶   The Italian Government approved the “Destinazione Italia Decree,” which, among other things amends the regulatory framework applicable to renewable energy source plants, giving them a right to sell electricity at an established price. [The National Law Review]

¶   In March 2009 just one Synergy solar household customer was registered in Western Australia’s Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme. By November 2013, that had grown to 130,000 households, around 13% of Synergy’s entire customer base. [Energy Matters]

¶   A Western Australian renewable energy expert wants the State Government to ensure any shake-up of power bills to recover the cost of Perth’s multibillion-dollar energy grid does not target solar panels. [The West Australian]

¶   The European Commission announced today that it would launch a formal in-depth inquiry into the Renewable Energy Sources Act. The official decision will be served on Germany in the near future. [4-traders]

US:

¶   The expense of utility-scale batteries has been prohibitive until now, but solar has changed the equation in California. Massive banks of batteries and will store surplus power surplus from solar panels in the afternoon for use in the evening. [TheDay.com]

¶   Legislation is moving through both houses to tweak the tax code to let clean energy developers form a master limited partnership, or MLP, a type of publicly traded company structure not subject to corporate taxes. [Kitsap Sun]

¶   A messy legal dispute has broken out between San Diego Gas & Electric and the owners of a Montana wind farm supplying renewable energy credits to the local utility over disclosure of how dangerous the windmills are to golden eagles and other birds. [U-T San Diego]

Opinion:

¶   “Is Interior’s eagle plan good for the birds?” The kill permits for protected birds have been issued before, and have induced developers to act to reduce avian deaths by retrofitting poles and removing features attracting eagles to the areas. [Environment & Energy Publishing]

World:

¶   A “flood” of investment is expected into the Humber region after the Government gave the green light to a £450 million renewable energy project last week. Able UK Marine Energy Park, will create about 4,000 jobs. [Hull Daily Mail]

¶   On a confrontation course with Brussels, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has pledged to defend the renewable energy tax (EEG-Umlage) rebate currently benefiting energy-intensive companies in Germany. [Tax-news.com]

¶   A preliminary report from the EU monitor, EurObserv’ER, estimates put the renewable energy share of gross final energy consumption for the EU at 14.4% in 2012, compared to 13.1% in 2011. [Hydrocarbon Processing]

¶   A report by the World Economic Forum and Accenture indexes countries on energy. It says that Norway is number one, with seven other European countries plus New Zealand and Colombia in the top ten. The US is at 55th place. [EarthTechling]

¶    Through 2020, the UBS analysts predict negative growth of power demand in Europe and Australia, zero growth in the US, and substantially slower growth in developing countries where new power supplies are being added most rapidly. [Energy Collective]

¶   Renewable energy supplier, Good Energy has been granted provisional planning permission for a 49.9-MW solar plant  on a 91.1-hectare site that used to be an RAF airfield but has been disused for 20 years. [Solar Power Portal]

¶   According to a survey of volcanologists by the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper, a number of Japan’s nuclear power plants are at risk if a large-scale volcanic eruption occurs. [The Japan Daily Press]

US:

¶   Reacting to the declining price of wind energy, which is now cheaper than all other forms of energy, Michigan utility DTE altered its renewable energy surcharge downward by 85%, bring the fee down from $3 to 43¢ per month. [AltEnergyMag]

¶   S.C. Johnson is meeting its energy goals. Two wind turbines and cogeneration systems make the company’s largest facility, which is the size of 36 football fields, able to generate, on average, 100% of its electrical energy onsite. [Windpower Engineering]

¶   A report, from the US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Intertek for 21st Century Power Partnership found that modernising coal pants could make them part of a cleaner energy network, working with renewable sources. [Blue & Green Tomorrow]

¶   The Shumlin administration and Entergy Corp. have reached an agreement that, if all goes according to plan, would see the decommissioning of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant decades earlier than originally planned. [Valley News]

World:

¶   Vestas has clinched an order to supply hardware for the 117-MW Al Tafila wind farm in Jordan. The turnkey contract with Jordan Wind Project Company covers installation and commissioning of 38 of the Danish manufacturer’s V112 3-MW turbines. [reNews]

¶   Vietnam and the World Bank’s Carbon Partnership Facility (CPF) have entered into an agreement on  carbon credits. The CPF will buy the first three million metric tonnes of carbon credits generated through new small hydropower in Vietnam. [VietNamNet Bridge]

¶   The 86,000 residents of the Isle of Man could see thousands of wind turbines installed around their coasts in the next decade, as the Irish Sea becomes the center of a burgeoning industry aiming to help the UK meet its renewable energy targets. [Business Green]

¶   Blackouts in Philippine areas devastated by Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ could have been mitigated if renewable energy sources were in place, according to proponents of these alternatives to fossil-fuel power plants. [InterAksyon]

¶   Farming is to deliver one quarter of Britain’s green energy needs this decade, the National Farmers Union said. One in three businesses within the agriculture industry is already diversifying into renewables. [Farming UK]

US:

¶   The US DOE and the bioenergy community are using cellulosic ethanol R&D successes to accelerate cellulosic and algal “drop-in” biofuel technologies that can be used to displace petroleum-based gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. [Oil & Gas Journal]

¶   Duke Energy has a subsidiary business solely focused on developing and selling renewable energy across the country. WFAE’s Ben Bradford spoke to the president of Duke Energy Renewables for a businessman’s perspective on the green revolution. [WFAE]

¶   Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today joined a bipartisan group of 16 senators to meet with EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy to urge changes to the proposed Renewable Fuel Standard 2014 rule. [MENAFN.COM]

¶   A new report from UBS, a Swiss financial services company, finds that renewable energy and energy storage are together presenting a “perfect storm” for big utilities because of the declining cost of solar, energy efficiency, and EV technology. [OilPrice.com]

¶   In recent months, construction has been booming on several large renewable energy projects in the Imperial Valley just east of San Diego. The result is economic growth and the creation of many thousands of jobs in the area. [U-T San Diego]

¶   Senators Markey and Warren, and Representatives Tierney, McGovern, Lynch, Keating, Tsongas, and Kennedy sent a letter to the NRC saying that they believed the  Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant should not be relicensed, because of concrete issues. [MENAFN.COM]

Opinion:

¶   “Put some green in your portfolio” Renewable energy can be a good option for investors as subsidies wind down and fundraising cranks up. Wind turbines, solar farms, and tidal power – renewable energy is moving into the investment mainstream. [The Independent]

¶   “We are all children of corn subsidies” There’s something in the ethanol mandate for almost everyone — but corn farmers — not to like. Supporters of the mandate meant well, but the law of unintended consequences has created an odd assortment of anti-ethanol bedfellows. [Jackson Sun]

World:

¶   Crowdfunding of renewable energy projects is growing fast in Europe. If this grassroots movement gets organized in time to access the big money available in the next round of cohesion funding, it could have far-reaching effects on the European energy sector. [Energy Post]

¶   Nepal can reduce its trade deficit with India by selling surplus electricity, Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah has said. The minister said both sides will be in a “win-win situation” if they cooperate to harness Nepal’s “God-gifted” hydropower potential. [Business Standard]

¶   India is well on her way with solar power, having grown from an installed solar capacity of only 30 MW in 2010 to 2,000 MW in 2013. The World Bank leadership foresees growth to 20,000 MW by 2020. [Energy Collective]

¶   It was a historic moment for the village of Rukua in Beqa when it became the first village in Fiji to take ownership of a solar smart grid. Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama said that the project will promote energy independence in Fiji. [Fijivillage]

¶   For the first time, some 200 residents of Rumah Michael Jantan in Nanga Bekatan, Julau, could enjoy 24-hour electricity, powered by the new micro hydro. The 10-kW micro hydro is a community-based project and part of a Malaysian social development initiative. [The Borneo Post]

¶   TEPCO says it has detected record levels of radiation at the Japanese Fukushima nuclear power plant’s Reactor 2. TEPCO said on Saturday that it found a record 1.9 million becquerels per liter of radioactive substances at the damaged reactor. [Press TV]

US:

¶   November was the second month this year in which renewables accounted for 100% of new power capacity. The same thing occurred in March. Actually, in March, solar power alone accounted for all new power capacity. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant violated a federal security regulation earlier this year, the NRC announced. The NRC’s report said it involved “an armed responder” — a security guard, but practically no information is public under NRC security protocols. [Barre Montpelier Times Argus]

Science and Technology:

¶   Scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have created a continuous chemical process that urns wet algae into useful crude oil. Using wet algae eliminates costly drying and extraction steps and brings the processing time to about one hour. [CleanTechnica]

¶   A team of researchers based at the University of Houston has discovered a catalyst that can quickly generate hydrogen from water using sunlight, potentially creating a clean and renewable source of energy. [BioNews Texas]

World:

¶   France’s offshore wind support regime has fallen foul of European state aid rules. The Court of Justice in Luxembourg ruled this week that the country’s feed-in support mechanism “falls within the concept of an intervention” and should be annulled. [reNews]

¶   Thirteen community energy projects received Nova Scotia government clearance to proceed to the next stage of development. The projects from eight different groups will operate under the province’s Community Feed-In Tariff program. [TheChronicleHerald.ca]

¶   Most islands have very high energy costs, because they are dependent on fossil fuels. Solar with some wind have typically been the technologies of choice, but Nevis, in what is becoming something of a Caribbean trend, is turning to geothermal. [EarthTechling]

¶   E.ON reports it has submitted a planning application for the Strathy Wood wind farm development to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit. The wind farm facility would be able to generate up to 78 MW, enough power for about 52,535 homes. [SmartMeters]

¶  Vestas has installed the nacelle of its V164 8.0-MW offshore wind prototype at the Osterild onshore test site in Denmark. The company lifted the 390-tonne unit into place on its 140-metre tower on 19 December. [reNews]

¶   A bid by the National Trust of Ireland to quash a decision giving permission for a new nuclear power station on the west coast of England has failed. An Taisce had challenged the legality of planning permission granted for Hinkley Point, Somerset in March. [BBC News]

US:

¶   According to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, solar, biomass, wind, geothermal, and hydropower units provided 394-MW – or 100% – of all new electrical generation placed in-service in November 2013. For 2013 so far, they have provided 35%. [Today’s Energy Solutions]

¶   Now that N.C. regulators approved a three-year pilot that lets Duke Energy sell renewable energy at premium prices to large customers, the company expects to sign up customers quickly. Google will probably be first, but Facebook and others are expected to follow. [Charlotte Business Journal]

¶   The Solar Electric Power Association is partnering with ScottMadden Management Consultants to conduct a benchmarking study on renewable energy organizational structure within North American electric utilities. [Solar Industry]

¶   Vestas Wind Systems announced Friday that it is continuing to hire hundreds of production workers in Colorado after receiving a 220-megawatt order from EDF Renewable Energy for two wind-energy projects in the Texas Panhandle. [Denver Post]

¶  US nuclear plant operators must provide information to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission by February about an electrical vulnerability that could affect safety systems and how each plant plans to mitigate it. [Platts]

World:

¶   Statistics from the UK Government’s Department of Energy and Climate Change showed 40.3% of Scottish energy consumption in 2012 was met by the sector – up from 36.3% the previous year and 24.1% in 2010. [Herald Scotland]

¶   The cost of battery storage is falling quicker than most analysts presume and could be competitive with gas-fired generation –  even in the US, where gas prices are low – within the next 18 months. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The European Union has published new guidelines for renewable energy support that will determine how member states can support solar PV deployment. The guidelines call ‘feed-in premiums,’ granted through a lowest-cost-wins auction to encourage competition. [Solar Power Portal]

¶   Property management giant Knight Frank has become the latest company to sign a new energy supply deal guaranteeing it 100 per cent renewable power, in a move that could deliver clean energy to hundreds of commercial tenants across the UK. [Business Green]

¶   The University of St Andrews, Scotland’s oldest university, is aiming to slash its soaring electricity bill by establishing its own £25 million renewable energy center on the site of the former Curtis Fine Papers Mill at Guardbridge between Leuchars and St Andrews. [Scotland on Sunday]

¶   On October 7, 2013, the Nordic Orion completed a voyage through the Northwest Passage, from Vancouver to Finland. It was the first large commercial ship freighter to use the route. It saved five days and $80,000 in fuel, and allowed it to carry more of its cargo: coal. [Treehugger]

¶   Mainstream Renewable Power Chile has presented plans for a 273-MW wind farm to Chile’s environmental evaluation service. The $324 million project will be located on 258 hectares of federal land in which Mainstream obtained a concession in April. [Business News Americas]

¶   Scotland has accused the UK government of being “hell-bent on ploughing billions of pounds” into nuclear power stations but restricting support for renewables, after three of its offshore wind farms were left off a list for fast-tracked funding yesterday. [Business Green]

US:

¶   REC Solar, a national leader in solar electric system design and installation, and Integrated Solar, a Vermont renewable energy company, today announced they have been selected to build a 2.5-MW DC solar array in Brattleboro, Vermont. [Your Renewable News]

¶   Vestas is to supply 220-MW of hardware to EDF Renewable Energy for two wind farms under an agreement with the developer. The agreement covers 110 2-MW turbines for the Hereford 1 and Longhorn North facilities, both in the Texas panhandle. [reNews]

¶   North Carolina regulators have approved the Green Source Rider, an experimental Duke Energy Carolinas program to let large customers, such as data centers, offset their new energy needs with green power. [Charlotte Observer]

¶   Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Don Berwick said Thursday that if elected, he would increase the state’s focus on investing in clean energy and work not only to benefit the environment, but to spur job growth in Massachusetts. [MassLive.com]

¶   Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) announced his framework for Michigan’s energy future. While the framework lacked key specifics, if enacted into law it would pave the way to reduce Michigan’s reliance on coal and boost the use of affordable clean energy resources. [Union of Concerned Scientists]

¶   The early release of the U. S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Annual Energy Outlook 2014 continues to show a trend of “low-balling” forecasts for contributions of future renewable energy resources that are not supported by actual experience. [Fierce Energy]

¶   University of Vermont trustees have decided not to divest from fossil fuels, officials announced Wednesday. The university’s Socially Responsible Investing Advisory Council had made the proposal to divest. [Vermont Public Radio]

¶   The NRC must start taking into account the full cost of nuclear waste disposal and storage, which would add up to a third of a trillion dollars to the cost of nuclear power, according to a declaration filed today with the NRC by economist Mark Cooper of the Vermont Law School. [IT Business Net]

¶   Power generation at the single-unit Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant in Nebraska has resumed after the US regulator gave permission for its restart. The plant had been offline for almost three years for operating and safety system upgrades. [World Nuclear News]

Opinion:

¶   “Why Tony Abbott may spark an Australian energy revolution” I hate to break the news to you, great leader, but there is no longer any such thing as cheap fossil fuel energy in Australia – the gas export boom and greedy network operators have put paid to that. [RenewEconomy]

¶   “The 13 major clean energy breakthroughs of 2013” Amid bad news about climate change, clean energy provides a bright spot in the march toward a zero-carbon future. 2013 had may clean energy milestones, but here are thirteen key breakthroughs that happened this year. [RenewEconomy]

Science and Technology:

¶   Solar Frontier, a Japan-based thin-film solar technology company, has reportedly broken the CZTS (copper, zinc, tin, and sulfur or selenium) solar cell efficiency record, in partnership with IBM and TOK. The new efficiency record is 12.6%. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶   After six years on the drawing board, a Perth-based company has finally started building the world’s first wave energy farm off the West Australian coast. Carnegie Energy is building the plant five kilometres off Rockingham and will supply electricity and desalinated water. [ABC Online]

¶   Canadian developer Innergex Renewable Energy and the Saik’uz First Nation will partner to get an environmental assessment certificate from the province of British Columbia for the 210 MW Nulki Hills wind project and an electricity purchase agreement from BC Hydro. [reNews]

¶   Quebec has launched a call for tenders for 450 MW of wind power, part of the province’s plan to add 800 MW of new wind-generated electricity to the grid. Bids are due into provincial utility Hydro-Québec Distribution by 3 September 2014. [reNews]

¶   Renewables saw their share of UK electricity generation hit some 13.2% in the third quarter of 2013 compared with 11.7% in the year-ago period. Offshore wind generation increased by 7% while onshore wind generation was down 8% due to low wind speeds. [reNews]

¶   The Japanese government’s financial assistance to TEPCO, the operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, is set to be raised from 5 trillion yen to around ¥9 to ¥10 trillion ($86 to $90 billion) to help rebuild the troubled company. [The Japan Daily Press]

¶   The UK government has formally agreed to support construction of the Wylfa Newydd nuclear power plant on Anglesey, Wales. The news is seen as a strong indicator of the government’s commitment to a new generation of nuclear power. [E&T magazine]

US:

¶   Admirals Bank and EmPower Solar will offer Breezy Point, New York residents financing options to purchase solar systems for their homes. The Breezy Point Green Committee started this initiative for sustainable rebuilding of buildings affected by Hurricane Sandy. [PR Web]

¶   A public backlash against the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission’s recent decision to soften renewable-energy diversity mandates for public utilities led to repeal Wednesday of some controversial regulations. [ABQ Journal]

¶   The United States Enrichment Corporation, the leading US nuclear fuel supplier, plans to file for bankruptcy in the first quarter 2014 in order to restructure. The company will repay convertible bonds in October 2014 with $530 million raised from new equity and debt. [RT.com]

Science and Technology:

¶   NOAA reported that last month set a heat record as the warmest November on record, across Earth, since record-keeping began in 1880. They said it was the 345th straight month with above-average temperatures. [Huffington Post]

¶   A study of an uncommon sound from wind turbines known as “Other Amplitude Modulation,” (OAM) has been published. OAM is described as sounding like road traffic. The study found causes of OAM, and says that software controlling blade pitch may be a solution. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

World:

¶   The Kinangop Wind Farm in Kenya, powered by 38 GE 1.6 MW wind turbines, will be one of the largest wind power projects in sub-Saharan Africa. The 61-MW wind farm will generate enough renewable electricity to power the equivalent of 150,000 homes in the country. [Your Renewable News]

¶   The Ontario Ministry of the Environment has granted a Renewable Energy Approval for the 58.32 MW Bow Lake Wind Project. Nodin Kitagan is a partnership between Batchewana First Nation and BluEarth Renewables Inc., a developer of wind power projects. [Electric Light & Power]

¶   Nexterra Systems Corp , a global leader in energy-from-waste gasification systems, announced today that it has signed a contract with MWH to supply a biomass gasification system for the Birmingham Bio Power Ltd. renewable energy power plant in Tyseley, UK. [Your Industry News]

¶   The operator of Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear plant said on Wednesday that it will decommission two reactors at the troubled site that escaped major physical damage from the 2011 tsunami. [Independent Online]

US:

¶   Enel Green Power North America (EGP-NA)will build new wind farm in Oklahoma with 75 2.0 MW Vestas turbines . Vestas and EGP-NA also have signed an agreement for up to an additional 836 MW worth of 2 MW turbines of which 200 MW is firm. [Your Renewable News]

¶   The Interior Department announced a proposed notice of sale Tuesday for nearly 80,000 acres for commercial offshore wind development off the coast of Maryland beginning about 10 miles from Ocean City. [Cumberland Times-News]

¶   Salt River Project said Tuesday that it is buying power from a geothermal plant in Utah to help the utility meet its sustainability goals. The Cove Fort Geothermal Project is in Beaver County, about 175 miles south of Salt Lake City. [Arizona Republic]

¶   Vermont’s congressional Rep. Peter Welch was in Rutland Tuesday talking about a tax credit he doesn’t want to expire. He is sponsoring new legislation to extend and improve the tax credit for renewable energy. [WCAX]

¶   A New Jersey lawmaker has introduced a bill to spur offshore wind energy development in the absence of action by the Board of Public Utilities. The legislation requires New Jersey electric public utilities to purchase offshore wind renewable energy certificates. [reNews]

¶   EDF Renewable Energy has closed a membership interest purchase and sale agreement with Urban Green Technologies LLC, a utility-scale solar developer, on the 5.86 MW Lancaster solar project in Massachusetts. [Solar Industry]

¶   Several Michigan Republican leaders have formed a conservative group aimed at promoting renewable energy. The Michigan Conservative Energy Forum will push the state to reduce its dependence on coal and increase investment in renewables and efficiency. [MLive.com]

¶   The planned 24-megawatt Na Pua Makani wind farm on Oahu is expected to save Hawaiian Electric Co. millions of dollars in avoided fuel costs during the 20-year term of a power purchase agreement, according to the state’s largest electric utility. [Pacific Business News]

¶   The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Tuesday that the facility, the Omaha Public Power District’s Fort Calhoun nuclear plant, is safe to restart. Fort Calhoun, which is on the Missouri River about 20 miles north of Omaha, has been closed since April 2011. [New York Times]

Opinion:

¶   “Fossil fuel economy has short and painful future” On the one hand, fossil fuels have a limited future. On the other, there is basically no limit to the potential of wind, solar, geothermal, co-generation, tidal, as well as new applications for bio-fuels. [rabble.ca]

Science and Technology:

¶   Over the last few years there have been many studies which have claimed that renewables could supply near 100% of the electricity needs of the EU and indeed the world by 2050, given proper attention to energy saving and the necessary political support. [The Ecologist]

World:

¶   In China, the growth of its electric power system is now being powered more by renewables than by fossil fuels and nuclear combined. Wind and solar are growing at a great rate, while nuclear is barely moving. [Business Spectator]

¶   Germany’s new vice-chancellor wants to shape a new edition of Energy Transition that addresses the need for a fundamental change in energy markets, spurs investment in storage capacity and new transmission lines while taking onboard the concerns of all stakeholders. [Responding to Climate Change]

¶   French Minister of Ecology, Energy and Sustainable Development Philippe Martin has launched a consultation on potential means to support the growth of renewable energy in the nation. The French goal is to meet 23% of energy demand with renewable energy by 2020. [solarserver.com]

¶   A new report from the Australian Energy Market Operator forecasts 100% of new power in Australia will be generated from renewable energy sources through 2020, with wind power providing 84%, followed by solar, at 13%, and biomass at 3%. [PennEnergy]

¶   The amount raised by renewable energy companies in the UK increased from a few million in 2012 to slightly more than £1 billion in 2013, from institutional and some private investors, with five IPOs of companies specializing in renewable energy this year. [Gasworld.com]

¶   According to an article published on Bloomberg.com, Energy Minister Greg Barker has pledged to increase the nation’s use of solar power by 800%. Recent research estimates that the United Kingdom will produce 10-20 GW of solar power within the next 10 years. [Greener Ideal]

US:

¶   Vermont’s Department of Public Service has unveiled a progress report on the “Total Energy Study” that will, by sometime next summer, lay out a road map for supplying the state’s energy needs with solar, wind, hydropower and other renewable technologies. [Barre Montpelier Times Argus]

¶   Twenty-four senators are asking the leaders of the Senate Finance Committee to renew a slate of tax credits for renewable energy and efficiency, some of which are set to expire at the end of the year. [Huffington Post]

¶   Iberdrola has proposed a new wind project in New Hampshire, with 15 turbines in Danbury and eight in Alexandria. It would produce enough clean energy to power approximately 30,000 average homes each year and 90,000 homes at peak production. [Today’s Energy Solutions]

¶   Siemens will supply 448 wind turbines — its largest onshore order even — to Billionaire Warren Buffett’s MidAmerican Energy in the US. Each of the wind turbines supplied by Siemens has a nominal rating of 2.3 MW, making the total slightly more than 1020 MW. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶   A massive nuclear reactor vessel head containing low-level radioactive waste left the San Onofre nuclear power plant shortly after 9pm Monday, bound for a disposal facility about 80 miles west of Salt Lake City, Utah. [KFMB]

Science and Technology:

¶   Researchers at the Technical University of Madrid have found that real contribution to emissions targets is positive and global balance of CO2 reduction is still significant, even in energy markets with high penetration of wind energy. [YottaFire]

World:

¶   Statkraft is pumping NOK12 billion ($1.94 billion) into upgrading its ageing hydro plants in Sweden and its native Norway. The company’s schemes have an average age of 45 years and a hydro plant is technically considered ready for retirement when it hits 50. [reNews]

¶   The Queensland government has declared its hand in the upcoming review of the renewable energy target with an extraordinary – and in many places misinformed – attack on the costs of renewable energy. [RenewEconomy]

¶   Japan is incapable of safely decommissioning the devastated Fukushima nuclear plant alone and must stitch together an international team for the massive undertaking, experts say, but has made only halting progress in that direction. [The Recorder]

¶   Commercial banks that have extended loans to Tokyo Electric Power Co. have agreed to offer an additional 300 billion yen ($2.91 billion) to the struggling utility, while considering ending any future lending to it. [Asahi Shimbun]

¶   Power from the new Hinkley C nuclear generator will be too expensive for UK manufacturers, according to Jim Ratcliffe, the CEO of Ineos, one of the UK’s biggest energy consumers. Ineos owns the Grangemouth refinery plant in Scotland. [BBC News]

US:

¶   The Dallas City Council voted Wednesday to require any gas wells to be placed at least 1,500 feet from homes, a move that the gas industry says might as well be a ban on drilling. The city sits on the eastern edge of the Barnett shale. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Municipalities looking to bring new solar projects online are running into roadblocks as state policy struggles to keep up with renewable energy goals. Two Massachusetts incentives for solar power have already expired or are close to it, chilling development. [SouthCoastToday.com]

¶   As utilities have sold off hydroelectric power projects, a Wisconsin-based company, Renewable World Energies, is picking them up and investing in them. Where some see decrepit relics of a prior century, Bill Harris, head of the company, sees opportunity. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

¶   A new University of Washington institute to develop efficient, cost-effective solar power and better energy storage systems has been launched with an event attended by UW President Michael K. Young, Gov. Jay Inslee and leaders in renewable energy. [Energy Harvesting Journal]

¶   Consumers Energy has selected 31 solar-powered projects offered by businesses, homeowners and nonprofit groups across Michigan’s Lower Peninsula to supply renewable energy to customers, through the company’s Experimental Advanced Renewable Program. [CIOL]

¶   Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will once again discuss the issue of concrete degradation at Seabrook nuclear power plant during a public open house and meeting on Wednesday. [The Union Leader]

Science and Technology:

¶   Researchers in Spain, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia have developed a system to produce hydrogen from water and sunlight in a way that is clean, renewable and more cost-effective than other methods. [Nanotechnology News]

¶   A unique solar panel design made with a new ceramic material points the way to cheaper sustainable power with less manufacturing time. It also reaches an old goal of discovering a PV material that can use energy from visible and infrared light, not just ultraviolet light. [Science Daily]

¶   An algorithmic approach to grid analysis, developed by UC Santa Barbara professor Igor Mezic along with Yoshihiko Susuki from Kyoto University, can predict future massive instabilities in the power grid and make power outages a thing of the past. [Science Daily]

World:

¶   Oman holds out huge solar and wind energy potential. Several huge renewable energy projects are in the pipeline. The Public Authority for Electricity and Water is also planning to use renewable energy resources to provide potable water supplies in some remote areas. [Omanet.com]

¶   New data from Greenpeace show that while the coal industry has been busy hyping up a coal “renaissance,” coal consumption in the EU peaked one and half years ago, and in just the first half of 2013 it was down 8% compared to a year ago. So much for the renaissance. [Energy Collective]

US:

¶   A market mechanism called renewable energy credits, or RECs, makes it possible for producers to sell green power across the country to consumers who cannot or do not want to put panels on their roofs. [The Desert Sun]

¶   The average American family spends about $10,000 a year for transportation, according to Author Elly Blue’s new book Bikenomics. By biking, walking, and riding public transportation, a great deal of money could be saved by consumers. [CleanTechnica]

¶   According to a new survey from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and Consumers Union, 42% of current American drivers can use EVs with little change to driving habits or costly home charging infrastructure. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The shale revolution will not meet conventional expectations. More than 3,500 wells have been drilled in the Haynesville play, which in 2012 was the top-producing shale gas play in the U.S., yet production is falling owing to the 47% yearly field decline rate. [Resilience]

¶   Dupont senior vice president James C. Collins Jr. testified before the Senate’s Committee on Environment and Public Works, saying that changing the renewable fuel standard (RFS) would hurt his company because it had invested hundreds of millions based the RFS. [Philly.com]

¶   Two reports just issued on the Columbia Generating Station are very different. One says continuing to operate the nuclear power plant is needlessly costing utilities more than $1 billion; the other says it will save them more than $1 billion. [Bellingham Herald]

Science and Technology:

¶   According to Nobel prize winner Carlo Rubbia, the sort of risk analyses that is used for nuclear power are simply insufficient. The analyses are based on probabilities. But Fukushima showed that these calculations simply don’t work in the real world. [Ars Technica]

¶   Nobel laureate Dr. George Olah and Surya Prakash, director of the University of Southern California’s Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, hope to use solar power to create methanol efficiently from carbon dioxide and hydrogen, making it the alternative fuel of the future. [Green Car Reports]

World:

¶   More than 3300 MW of wind and solar installations and biomass stations that go online in Ontario between December 2013 and May 2015 will be used to offset the loss of about 2,150 MW in generation capacity from the shutdown of coal-fired generators. [Canadian Manufacturing]

¶   Echoing the beliefs of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a government panel has advised the central government, “Japan should embrace nuclear power as an ‘important and fundamental’ energy source.” [The Japan Daily Press]

US:

¶   Solar panels were installed on more American residential rooftops in the third quarter of 2013 than any other quarter in history, pushing US installed solar capacity over the 10-gigawatt (GW) milestone and potentially ahead of Germany for the first time. [Energy Collective]

¶   Wind energy is on the rise in Ohio and is providing huge environmental benefits for the state. That’s according to Wind Energy for a Cleaner America, a new report released by Environment Ohio. [Renewable Energy Focus]

¶   Some conservative leaders in the Kansas Legislature say they will try again during the next session to stop the state from any further efforts to require utilities to provide more wind power. [Kansas City Star]

¶   After failing in last year’s legislative sessions in 30 states, ALEC is taking new aim at state renewable energy programs. One state where the attack is particularly strong is North Carolina. The organization has drawn charges of illegal lobbying by a nonprofit. [Facing South]

¶   GE Energy Financial Services has completed an equity investment in EDF Renewable Energy’s Catalina Solar plant, one of the world’s largest photovoltaic plants, located in the Mojave Desert, southwest of the Tehachapi Mountains in Rosamond, California. [Renewable Energy Focus]

¶   The US DOE has issued an $8 billion solicitation in loan guarantees for fossil energy projects intended to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is meant to fund advanced fossil energy programs for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. [ExecutiveGov]

Science and Technology:

¶   Giant offshore wind farms could do more than provide electricity for major cities. They could suck the life and the power out of hurricanes barreling toward those cities, too, according to Stanford University research. [EarthTechling]

¶   Weather predictions may be inexact, but they can help make wind energy more powerful. IBM researchers are testing an approach using sensors, advanced imaging technologies and sophisticated analytics to make forecasts of wind conditions far more accurate, ahead of time. [Business Green]

World:

¶   China is looking to switch the emphasis of its booming domestic solar market towards the “distributed” market – essentially rooftop and small, local, plants – rather than large, utility-scale solar farms. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The past few weeks have brought new wind generation records in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Germany, with the last resulting from winter storm Xaver, which blasted northern Europe late last week. [RenewEconomy]

¶   European energy ministers have blocked an attempt by the UK government to allow biofuels to count double towards the 2020 renewable energy target. The UK ranked 25 out of 27 of the EU member states in their progress towards meeting their individual targets. [Windpower Monthly]

¶   NIB and UPM-Kymmene Corp. have signed a €50 million loan agreement to construct the world’s first industrial biorefinery producing wood-based renewable diesel in Lappeenranta, Finland. [4-traders]

¶   A full-scale investigation is being launched into whether Britain’s deal with French nuclear giant EDF, backed with money from Chinese nuclear generators, to build new stations at Hinkley Point in the west of England, is illegal state aid. [eco-business.com]

US:

¶   Wind energy is on the rise in Illinois and is providing huge environmental benefits for the state. Illinois’ wind energy is already avoiding more than 4.6 million metric tons of climate-altering carbon pollution – the equivalent of taking 971,000 cars off the road. [Saukvalley]

¶   With critical federal tax incentives set to expire on December 31, Environment New York, the National Wildlife Federation, and over 230 other organizations and elected officials urged the Obama administration to take action to facilitate the development of offshore wind power.[Long Island Exchange]

¶   The word is in from a year-long process to discuss Michigan’s energy future that included policy makers, a broad coalition of stakeholders, and thousands of state residents: Michigan should continue its commitment to renewable energy. [The Equation: Blog of the Union of Concerned Scientists]

¶   A bipartisan group of senators including Dianne Feinstein and Tom Coburn have introduced legislation to eliminate the corn ethanol mandate in the EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard, citing impacts on the cost of food and animal feed. [Farm Futures]

¶   The US DOE will give a small company in Corvallis, Ore., up to $226 million to advance the design of tiny nuclear reactors that would be installed under water, making meltdown far less likely and enabling nuclear power for small grids. [New York Times]

World:

¶   The John Lewis Partnership is the latest UK retailer to commit to reducing carbon emissions by switching to renewable energy. More than 380 stores will be supplied with 100% renewable electricity by energy supplier SmartestEnergy. [Responding to Climate Change]

¶   The Australian Energy Market Operator has released its 2013 National Transmission Network Development Plan report, predicting a coal supply surplus and undermining claims of a renewables transmission cost blowout. [Business Spectator]

¶   So far, 10,752 Indian villages have been electrified using various renewable energy systems. Over 29 GW of renewable capacity has been installed in India, including nearly 20 GW of windpower, almost 4 GW each of small hydro and bio energy, and 2 GW of solar. [Myiris.com]

¶   No fewer than 98,000 Nigerian women die annually from smokes inhaled during cooking with firewood, an official of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Bahijjahtu Abubakar, has said. [AllAfrica.com]

¶   International environmental group Greenpeace is urging Filipinos to make the world’s biggest fossil fuel companies answerable for adverse climate change impacts causing extreme weather conditions such as super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). [InterAksyon]

¶   South Korea will start a winter campaign on Monday to curb peak power demand as a quarter of its nuclear units are offline, including one shut as planned on Thursday for maintenance. [Reuters AlertNet]

US:

¶   Almost 30,000 Coloradans signed a petition that was delivered to Xcel Energy executives asking the company to withdraw its proposal to reduce the current credit rate for solar power generated by homeowners’ rooftop systems from 10.5 cents per kWh to 4.6 cents per kWh. [Huffington Post]

¶   While the EPA has been putting limits on renewable fuel for passenger vehicles, the US Navy is moving full steam ahead to use renewable fuel in their ships and planes, in a program is called Farm-to-Fleet, a cooperative effort with the USDA. [Hoosier Ag Today]

¶   Vermont regulators have ordered the Washington Electric Co-operative to suspend its net metering program, saying the small utility is violating state law. The issue is a 5 kW limit imposed by the co-op because it had reached a 4% limit for required net-metering. [WAMC]

¶   After initial studies using pilot equipment, the US Army is planning on moving West Point to 100% self-sufficiency in power generation. The technologies to be used include several types of solar power, heat pumps, and others. [EarthTechling]

¶   Ratepayers in the Northwest could save at least $1.7 billion over the next 17 years if the Columbia Generating Station nuclear power plant on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington State is closed, according to a new report by McCullough Research. [The Lund Report]

World:

¶   Suzlon subsidiary Repower has signed contracts to deliver 103 wind turbines with a total capacity of over 266 MW to 24 community projects in the Schleswig-Holstein region of Germany. [reNews]

¶   Evermore Renewable Energy has begun work on a 15.8 MWe biomass renewable power plant being built on a Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners site. The £81 million CHP plant will generate enough electricity to power 25,000 homes and businesses. [Energy Business Review]

¶   Allowing farmers to use renewable energy technology on their land will help the nation meet its future food and energy needs, experts suggest. By generating on-farm electricity, farmers would be able to cut their costs of producing food. [BBC News]

¶   The Chinese government said it was facing the difficult task of keeping its economy thriving while respecting the environment. With the IEA warning of an unstable future, the world’s climate outlook may hinge on the development of major Asian economies. [OilPrice.com]

¶   In a welcome piece of good news for the Australian renewable energy industry, efforts to close the $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation have been thwarted in the Senate, and the innovative green investment bank is set to continue at least until next July. [RenewEconomy]

¶   The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has announced that it will be introducing a new strategy to help countries switch from coal as a source of energy to cleaner, renewable technologies. [Blue & Green Tomorrow]

US:

¶   Sapphire Energy, one of the world leaders in algae-based Green Crude oil production, and Phillips 66, an integrated energy manufacturing and logistics company,  announced a strategic joint development agreement for algae crude oil commercialization. [Your Industry News]

¶   The Ross Solar Group has completed New York City’s largest rooftop solar installation for Jetro Cash and Carry in the Bronx. The 1.56-megawatt system is also the first to integrate a supervisory control and data acquisition. [Your Renewable News]

¶   Texas’ Competitive Renewable Energy Zone transmission build-out, representing nearly $7 billion in investment, is on track to completion. The final lines are expected to be energized by month’s end, eventually carrying 18.5 GW from wind farms to cities in eastern Texas. [North American Windpower]

¶   Over the next two decades, natural gas and renewable energy, particularly wind and solar, will provide all new power generation for the primary electricity grid in Texas , a new study predicts. [Austin American-Statesman]

¶   Duke’s Energy’s will have the Crystal River nuclear plant “placed in a safe, stable condition for 60 years until decommissioning work is completed in 2074,” according to a plan submitted to federal authorities for tearing down the troubled facility. [Orlando Sentinel]

Opinion:

¶   “Renewable Energy, an Aging Electricity Grid, and the Solutions that Matter” The grid is old. With or without renewables, we must spend money updating it. One way or the other, we need to make major upgrades to the way we generate, transport, and store electricity. [The Equation: Blog of the Union of Concerned Scientists]

¶   “How Much Are Solar and Wind Really Contributing?” In the end it’s generation that counts. Here are some good-looking charts that show the progress of solar and wind capacity and generation in the United States. [EarthTechling]

World:

¶   As eastern China suffered record high levels of air pollution, Chinese fossil fuel shares slid whilst environmental protection stocks received a boost. The smog has been blamed on coal-burning, factories, car exhausts and weather patterns. [Blue & Green Tomorrow]

¶   India wants to boost its nuclear power-generation to cut dependence on imported fossil fuels, but there’s one problem: global companies don’t want to sell India the equipment it needs to run nuclear power-plants under existing rules. [Wall Street Journal]

¶   Britain has proposed a way to lower the European Union’s 2020 target for renewable energy by counting the contribution from biofuels twice, once in an overall renewable energy target, and once in a transport fuel target. [The Guardian]

¶   This week the UK Government announced a 5% cut in subsidies for onshore wind developments, heralded by many as a damaging blow to the industry. The changes are likely to shift the pattern of demand rather than lead to its demise, according to one expert. [Your Renewable News]

¶   South Korea is looking to scale back plans to rely on nuclear power, but growing energy demand and the shutdown of aging reactors mean it will still likely need to build new nuclear-fired plants in the next two decades. [Reuters UK]

US:

¶   With coal plant retirement news from Maryland and Pennsylvania last week, one-third of all coal-fired power plants in the country are now scheduled for retirement, bringing the total up to 158 of the nation’s 523 coal-fired power plants. [Fierce Energy]

¶   Analysts expect a phenomenal growth for renewable solar power over the next two decades, after huge gains in the past two years: 60% growth in 2012 and 30% on top of that this year. [Times LIVE]

¶   Farmers Electric Cooperative of southeastern Iowa will soon be leading the nation in solar power. A new solar array will bring the to over 1,500 Watts of solar per customer on their system, nearly double the #2 utility. It’s also the most reliable utility in Iowa. [RenewEconomy]

¶   The Union of Concerned Scientists released new findings on viability of US coal generators, showing nearly 59 GW of coal power capacity are not cost competitive when compared with natural gas, and more than 71 GW are uneconomic when compared with wind power. [RenewEconomy]

¶   The price of new power purchase agreements for wind farms and new solar projects in the US continue to defy all expectations, making some energy experts wonder why anyone would contemplate a new fossil-fuel plant. [RenewEconomy]

¶   New England’s governors have signed an agreement committing their six states to an energy initiative they say is designed to bring affordable, cleaner and more reliable power to homes and businesses across the northeast. [Solar Industry]

¶   A study this month by Synapse Energy Economics Inc., finds that 900 MW of renewable energy on the Navajo Nation to replace one-third of the coal-fired Navajo Generating Station will provide as many jobs as are lost at the plant and the mine that fuels it. [Arizona Capitol Times]

Science and Technology:

¶   In contrast to the whizz bang high-tech stuff, constructed wetlands are just that: engineered swamps where naturally occurring microorganisms digest the organic material in municipal wastewater, pulling out harmful substances as well as cutting down on the nutrient load. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Ocean acidification is a big problem for many marine life forms, particularly shellfish and animals that depend on these creatures. That means it’s a big problem for us. The ocean, after all, is a vital food source for over 1 billion people depend on it every day for their protein. [Energy Collective]

World:

¶   Dong Energy, which claims to be the world’s biggest wind farm developer, says it is very upbeat on new investment in the North Sea. This comes days after the UK Government announced a better than expected subsidy regime for large offshore wind farms. [Greenwise Business]

¶   Plans to give UK communities a greater say over wind turbine proposals are deeply flawed and will make smaller renewable energy schemes prohibitively expensive, according to Bristol-based consultancy Sanderson Weatherall, which advises  on renewable energy schemes. [North Somerset Business Leader]

¶   The Indonesian-Swedish Initiative for Sustainable Energy Solutions will be working to assist the Indonesian government in developing its renewable energy policy, including reducing the damage to tropical forests caused by excessive development of oil palm plantations. [Jakarta Post]

¶   Britain’s coal-fired power producer Drax opened its coal-to-biomass conversion plant as part of a £700 million project to clean up emissions from the country’s biggest coal power station. The plant will have three of the six generating units converted to burn biomass in place of coal. [Interactive Investor]

¶   General Electric, the biggest maker of wind turbines in the US, says it will be making an investment of over $5 billion in building a 3,000 MW wind power plant in Turkey. The wind farm will more than double Turkey’s installed wind capacity. [Green Prophet]

¶   French group Areva has signed a cooperation deal with China General Nuclear Power Corporation to work on offshore wind projects in both China and Europe. The effort will look for other opportunities including solar power, biomass, and storage technology. [Recharge]

¶   Outdoor radiation levels reached their highest at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant, warned the operator company. Local media said radiation found in an area near a steel pipe that connects reactor buildings could kill an exposed person in 20 minutes. [Tasnim News Agency]

US:

¶   At least 29 major companies operating in the US factored a price on carbon into their long-term business planning. And in 2010, the Obama Administration released the government’s estimates for that same price, to be used as a factor in rulemaking decisions by federal agencies. [CleanTechnica]

¶   U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster, D-NH, is co-sponsoring legislation to create a national Renewable Electricity Standard. Kuster wants to require utility companies to produce at least 25% of their power from renewable energy sources like wind, solar and biomass by 2025. [Seacoastonline.com]