geoharvey

Opinion:

¶   “Hurray For EPA Carbon Rules!” New carbon rules may be going into place in America and everyone is worried about the economic effects. Don’t worry, we’ll be fine. It won’t hurt the economy or our energy security or our energy reliability. [Forbes]

Science and Technology:

¶  A new catalyst based on an enzyme called H2ase S–77, discovered at an active volcano in Japan, may prove a low cost replacement for platinum, which is the very expensive but highly efficient current “gold standard” for fuel cell catalysts. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶   Qatar Solar Energy announced the opening of the largest solar technology development and manufacturing facility in Middle East and North Africa region. It has already struck two deals to supply 150 MW of solar power each to Japan and Thailand. [reNews]

¶   The solar energy storage system market in Germany is approaching a boom period, according to many analysts, with a rapid uptick in sales likely as the technology enters wider use. The systems benefit both the consumer and the grid. [CleanTechnica]

¶   A US wind power developer that is seeking $653 million in damages under a NAFTA challenge accuses the government of Ontario of manipulating Green Energy Act rules to benefit the interests of Liberal-connected firms, according to court documents. [Ottawa Citizen]

¶   The Narendra Modi-led government has started work on a plan to ensure half of all homes in major cities receive some power from solar or wind energy sources by 2019. The plan includes fresh incentives to encourage investment in renewable energy. [Hindustan Times]

US:

¶   Analysis by the Rocky Mountain Institute found the US could transition to a 2050 economy energized by tripled efficiency and 75% renewables for a $5 trillion savings while supporting a 158% bigger U.S. economy and slashing carbon emissions 82–86%. [CleanTechnica]

¶   A Houston energy company has proposed building a multibillion dollar pipeline that would connect Boston, Massachusetts to abundant natural gas from Eastern shale fields in Pennsylvania. The plan is sparking fierce opposition. [Boston Globe]

¶   The Obama administration’s proposed regulations for power plants would give a big boost to nuclear power as the industry faces an uncertain future with increasing retirements and declining prospects for dozens of aging reactors. [Washington Times]

¶   TDI New England, a transmission line developer, wants to submerge a high-voltage line the length of Lake Champlain. Environmental groups warn the proposal could impact the health of Lake Champlain, a vital economic and ecological asset for Vermont. [vtdigger.org]

¶   The United States Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is considering a competitive lease process for an offshore wind energy development off New York. The potential project is part of the president’s Climate Action Plan. [SmartMeters]

¶   Renewable energy company First Wind has finalized seven power purchase agreements for their solar projects in Utah. Rocky Mountain Power will buy the output of the planned 20-MW Seven Sisters solar portfolio. The PPAs will be effective for 20 years. [EcoSeed]

Opinion:

¶   “An inconvenient truth: US proposed emission cuts too little too late” The maths accompanying obligations to “avoid dangerous climate change” demand fundamental change rather than rousing rhetoric and incremental action. [Resilience]

¶   “EPA proposal could spark growth, too” The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to cut greenhouse gas emissions at power plants could cause headaches for some, but could lead to opportunities for companies working in the latest technology. [Crain’s Cleveland Business]

World:

¶   The energy-starved Indian state of Karnataka plans to install 2,000 MW of solar over the next seven to eight years through public-private partnership, as the state is blessed with about 300 days of good solar radiation in a year. [ummid.com]

¶   UK generation of offshore wind power is expected to more than triple in the next six years, increasing from around 4% of the UK’s total electricity generation to 13%, according to a new report released in Glasgow this week. [Herald Scotland]

¶   The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development announced it will provide Romania with a loan worth €57 million ($78 million) to fund its eighth wind power project in the country, an 84 MW plant with 42 wind turbines. [Business Review]

US:

¶   The average fuel economy for new vehicles hit a record high in May of 25.6 miles-per-gallon, a 0.4 mpg rise from April. Vehicle fuel efficiency has increased 5.5 mpg since October of 2007, when the Institute began monitoring fuel economy. [Energy Collective]

¶   Big plans of three years ago for a BP ethanol plant in Highlands County, Florida were called off. Now after that huge false start, the biofuels industry may yet impact Highlands County and the Heartland as Southeast Renewable Fuels plans a plant to open in 2015. [Highlands Today]

¶   Already the No. 1 windpower state, Texas is on pace to increase wind capacity by about 70% within two years. Between that and new natural gas capacity, several energy analysts expect Texas to meet the EPA’s proposed goal of cutting CO2 emissions 39% by 2030. [Fort Worth Star Telegram]

¶   Even after the twin domes along I-5 are gone and the San Onofre nuclear plant is mostly a memory, fuel rods hot with radioactivity will remain behind in rows of tomb-like casks – perhaps for decades. [OCRegister]

Science and Technology:

¶    A team of students has calculated that for the low cost of $5.00, your home could be transformed into a smog-eating house that could eliminate pollution-causing nitrogen oxides from the air just by sitting there. This is done with a coating of $5 worth of titanium dioxide. [CleanTechnica]

¶   According to a new peer-reviewed scientific report from the Club of Rome, industrial civilisation is likely to deplete its low-cost mineral resources within the next century, with debilitating impacts for the global economy beginning in the next decade. [Resilience]

World:

¶   Tata Power has announced the introduction of natural ester filled distribution transformers across the Mumbai distribution area. The objective of introducing these green and fire-safe installations is to ensure safe and sustainable distribution of electricity. [Times of India]

¶   The Australian coal industry is at significant financial risk of stranded assets as major global powers act on climate change, with regulatory changes threatening to destabilise a number of Australian projects. [RenewEconomy]

¶   Europe’s power, gas and coal markets are in a sharp down from their highs. Power and coal futures are down by around 40% since peaking after the Fukushima Disaster of 2011 pushed prices up. Solar and wind power have added generating capacity while demand has fallen. [Reuters]

¶   President Michelle Bachelet of Chile has inaugurated the Amanecer Solar CAP plant, which was developed, built, and interconnected by SunEdison. The plant has a capacity of 100 MW, enough to supply 125,000 Chilean homes, at a cost of $250 million. [PennEnergy]

¶   Vestas is to supply a EnBW/Borusan joint venture with 158.4 MW for three wind farms in Turkey. The Danish manufacturer will supply, install and commission a total of 48 V112-3.3MW turbines at the Mut, Harmanlık and Koru RES wind power plants. [reNews]

¶   Snake-like buoys sitting off the coast of Scotland have been tested to the point they have proven their reliability, Pelamis Wave Energy said. Two machines sitting at the European Marine Energy Center in Orkney have logged 10,000 hours of grid-connected service. [UPI.com]

¶   A huge wind farm featuring 67 turbines built high above Loch Ness has been given the green light by the Scottish Government. The Stronelairg project is near the Highland tourist village of Fort Augustus but is not visible from areas usually visited by tourists. [Scotsman]

¶   Europe faces hotter-than-usual weather through August as German solar-energy production is set to advance to a record, potentially driving power prices lower. Power prices are projected to drop, even as temperatures hit new highs. [Businessweek]

¶   Tokyo Electric Power Company started building the big underground cooler meant to freeze the soil into a rectangular ice wall around TEPCO’s four nonfunctioning but still highly radioactive reactors to keep ground water from leaking through. [CleanTechnica]

US:

¶   Some critics of the EPA’s new requirements for power plants argue that forcing emissions reduction will curtail economic growth. But the recent experience of states that already cap carbon emissions reveals that cutting emissions may not hurt economic growth. [New York Times]

¶   The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has approved the winning bids to build the 250 MW Beacon solar PV project in Kern County, California along with 50 MW of PV within Los Angeles. Contracts still need to be approved by the Los Angeles City Council. [solarserver.com]

Opinion:

¶   “Climate action is good for New Hampshire” The new EPA draft standards on carbon dioxide pollution provide an opportunity for New Hampshire businesses and investors to continue to innovate and build a clean energy economy. [Foster’s Daily Democrat]

Science and Technology:

¶   A team of scientist from the University of Florida developed electrical cables that are augmented with nanotechnology, giving these cables the ability to transmit and store electricity in a single, lightweight copper wire. [Hydrogen Fuel News]

World:

¶   Global oil prices—which, at the current $90 to $110 per barrel range, are at historically high levels—are nevertheless too low to justify tackling ever-more challenging geology. The industry needs an oil price of at least $120 per barrel to fund exploration in many places. [Resilience]

¶   The Chinese government has established ambitious targets of 5,000 MW of offshore wind power installed by 2015 and 30,000 megawatts by 2030. They are teaming with the British Embassy in Beijing to investigate ways a China offshore wind plan could scale up quickly. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The Indian government is aggressively accelerating the solar energy program, and aiming for four giant plants of 1,000 MW each. It also wants to bundle solar and conventional power to make renewable energy more affordable. [Economic Times]

¶   Since time immemorial the home of the Dokis People has been on the shores of the French River in Ontario. Today, with private partner Hydromega, the Dokis Nation is tapping into the hydroelectricity potential of the river to power the local economy and drive job creation. [The Sudbury Star]

¶   Brazil is banking that a drop in prices and interest from foreign companies will boost the amount of energy it’s able to generate from the sun. The country will hold an auction tender focusing on solar, wind and biomass energy, the first national auction with a solar category. [Businessweek]

¶   At a summit of the G7 club of wealthy nations in Brussels, the US pledged to work with its European allies to end its energy dependency on Russia, in the hope of preventing the Kremlin from using oil and gas as tools of political influence. The West has said all this before. [TIME]

US:

¶    Jameel McCline, US House candidate in Florida Congressional District 20’s August 26 Democratic primary, is calling for congressional action to stop individual states from preventing the expansion of solar-electric power. [EIN News]

¶   The Illinois General Assembly passed a House Bill which unlocks $30 million of roughly $54 million in existing state funds for investment in new renewable generation. The $30 million is anticipated to be targeted at distributed solar generation. [The National Law Review]

¶   In Kwigillingok, Alaska, five remanufactured 95-kW Windmatic turbines not only offset the burning of diesel for Kwig Power Co., they also heat homes when the wind blows hard, as it often does in the flat, treeless region. [Alaskajournal.com]

¶   Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection issued a draft order approving an eight-turbine, 22.8 MW Canton Mountain wind project proposed by Patriot Renewables. A final determination by the end of this summer. [reNews]

¶   General Motors announced today a $24-million investment in electrical generation equipment that will allow the company to use more landfill gas at its Fort Wayne, Ind., and Orion, Mich., assembly plants, generating more than 14 MW. [Inside Indiana Business]

¶   Exelon’s Christopher Crane wants Congress to kill a wind tax break, despite the fact the nuclear industry wouldn’t be viable today without decades of federal subsidies underwriting every stage of the nuclear fuel cycle. [Huffington Post]

Opinion:

¶   “Obama Isn’t Killing Power Plants. The Sun Is.” Opponents to President Obama’ regulations for controlling carbon emissions are claiming the new rules are so onerous they will imperil the electric utility industry. Actually, it’s a little too late for that; solar power got there first. [Bloomberg View]

World:

¶   The world needs to spend $48 trillion between now and 2035 to meet rising demand for energy, according to the International Energy Agency.  The good news is that for an extra $5 trillion, we can both meet demand and avoid dangerous climate change. [Business Spectator]

¶   Wind turbine maker Suzlon Energy has bagged an order worth about Rs 750 crore ($126.4 million) for a project in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The order for 48 units of S97-120 m wind turbine generators totaling 100.8 MW. [Business Standard]

¶   The Indonesian Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry is offering nine new work areas to public bidders for geothermal projects nationwide. The ministry estimates that about 550 MW will be developed with total investment of around $2.1 billion. [Jakarta Post]

¶   The UK subsidiary of Wave energy developer Perpetuwave Power was given a $113,000 grant from the European Regional Development Fund Convergence Program to develop its ‘Wave Harvester’ technology. The company says it is cost-competitive with wind and solar. [Business Spectator]

¶   The European Commission has chosen 16 renewable energy projects that will help power around two million homes in rural Africa to receive €95 million. The EU grants were focused on improving access to modern, affordable and sustainable energy services in rural areas. [Energy Live News]

¶   China’s lower than expected demand for coal could leave 40% of the country’s coal-fired power stations at risk of being stranded by the end of the decade, according to a new report from the Carbon Tracker Institute. [Business Green]

¶   It seems Australia’s greenhouse gas emission reduction targets more than tripled on the weekend, from a 5% cut by 2020 to a reduction of more than 18%. Surprised? The Abbott Government might be too. The new target is a default, automatically generated by law. [Energy Matters]

¶   Three years and $15 billion dollars spent have been spent in Japan on disaster preparedness, and Japan’s electric utility firms hope to restart their nuclear reactors. But it seems what everyone forgot is the presence of volcanoes in the country. [The Japan Daily Press]

US:

¶   Consumers and businesses will see their electric bills go up if Gov. John Kasich signs a new bill rolling back Ohio’s energy efficiency and renewable energy standards as he is expected, according to a letter sent to Kasich by a coalition of 51 companies and 21 organizations. [Dayton Daily News]

¶   Barclays has calculated that it will not be government regulation that will phase down US coal-fired power plants first, but rather the advance of renewable technologies and the continued decline in costs of those technologies. [The9Billion]

¶   Whether solar will take off in Texas the same way wind power has remains to be seen. But the recent developments represent the strongest foothold the solar industry has achieved in a state that does not offer the lucrative subsidies found in other parts of the country. [Dallas Morning News]

¶   Warren Buffett’s $26 billion bet on western US power plants, transmission lines and wind farms is poised to pay off. The energy unit of Berkshire Hathaway is moving to unite holdings under a single market capable of dispatching power across seven states every five minutes. [Sydney Morning Herald]

¶   An explosive new report from the US DOE makes clear that Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is likely a climate-destroying misallocation of resources. That is, if one uses estimates for methane leakage based on actual observations. [ThinkProgress]

Science and Technology:

¶   A new research study has been released from the University of Georgia. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, it documents the direct conversion of biomass to biofuel without pre-treatment, using engineered bacteria. [Science Daily]

World:

¶   The Guardian reported this morning that the Queen’s Speech is to contain a surprise measure designed to make it easier for local residents in the UK to invest in wind or solar farm projects near their properties. [Business Green]

¶   The world is not moving fast enough on investment in low carbon energy to tackle climate change, new research from the International Energy Agency has found. About $1.6 trillion is invested annually in the global energy supply, but amount needs to rise to $2 trillion. [The Guardian]

¶   The number of developing countries with policies in place to support renewable energy has increased six-fold in just eight years, resulting in one-fifth of the world’s power production now coming from renewable sources, according to a United Nations-backed report. [indiablooms]

¶   The government of Germany’s regional state of Brandenburg approved a plan by the Swedish utility Vattenfall to extract extra brown coal at an open-cast mine starting in 2027. The state’s administration says coal will act as a “bridge” in phasing out nuclear power. [Deutsche Welle]

¶   At the end of 2013, China, the US, Brazil, Canada, and Germany remained the top countries by total installed renewable power capacity, according to the Global Status Report of the UN-backed Renewable Energy Policy network for the 21st Century. [GlobalPost]

¶   The European Union’s greenhouse gas emissions continued to fall in 2012, as a 1.3% decrease meant emissions have now been cut to 19.2% below 1990 levels, according to official data from the European Environment Agency. [Click Green]

¶   Almost two-thirds of Australians think the federal government should take a leadership role on climate change, while only 28% believe we should wait for international consensus – often a proxy for inaction. Just 7% think Australia should do nothing. [The Canberra Times]

¶   Britain’s growth in solar capacity could be greater this year than last as firms snap up government subsidies for new large plants before they come to an end, according to Foresight Group, a major British asset manager investing in the solar sector. [Reuters]

US:

¶   Vernon, Vermont selectboard members are touting the potential benefits of new biomass power plant — with the possibility of a natural-gas component — that could be built at the Vermont Yankee site after the nuclear facility shuts. [Bennington Banner]

¶   Three nuclear plants owned by Exelon Corporation, including the Byron and Quad Cities plants in Illinois and one in New Jersey, may close after failing to secure contracts in the annual auction to provide power to the electric grid. [The Rock River Times]

¶   Storage devices are already enabling wind farms in Texas and solar arrays in California to operate at their maximum potential, capturing excess production to be delivered when it is needed most. This allows maximized renewable energy output. [Greentech Media]

¶   Nevada recorded the steepest decline nationwide in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions between 2005-2011, a federal report today shows. Nevada’s CO2 emissions in electric power sector fell 33%, according to the US Energy Information Administration. [Reno Gazette Journal]

¶   The New York Assembly Energy Committee today passed a “Shared Clean Energy Bill”, which would establish a new way for renters and other families, schools and businesses to go solar. [Business Wire]

¶   The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced it has issued a lease to Florida Atlantic University for marine hydrokinetic technology testing off the coast of Florida to evaluate the use of turbines powered by ocean currents. [The Maritime Executive]

¶   Natural gas and renewable energy will continue to dominate the Texas electric supply additions over the next 20 years, while adoption of expanded energy efficiency and demand response programs could reduce 40% to 50% of projected peak demand growth. [MarketWatch]

Opinion:

¶   “America’s Market Based Economy Must Have a Price on Carbon Dioxide Emissions” The 3rd National Climate Assessment was recently released, painting a frightening picture of the spiraling costs of climate disruption and highlighting the need to price CO2 emissions. [CleanTechnica]

¶   “New EPA Carbon Rule Can Help Preserve Michigan’s Way of Life” The EPA’s new carbon-power plant emission standards will do more than just clear the air. Leaders from various sectors say the rules stand to create jobs, save money, and help preserve the way of life. [Public News Service]

World:

¶   The work of erecting 40 wind turbines at Trianel’s 200MW Borkum West 2.1 offshore wind farm in the German North Sea has been completed. Installation of the Areva M5000-116 machines took 11 months. Grid connection is targeted later in the summer. [reNews]

¶   A report from the International Renewable Energy Agency, the report says that proper investment in wind, solar, and other renewable energy generating technologies can lead to an economic boom. [Triple Pundit]

¶   An Australian solar thermal demonstration project has notched up a significant win for the technology, generating the highest temperature steam ever produced using energy from the sun. It has been hailed as a game changing breakthrough for renewables. [RenewEconomy]

¶   A new initiative launched by the Association for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles is aimed at stimulating innovation in the electric vehicle sector and its related ecosystem, providing a significant global growth opportunity for New Zealand. [Voxy]

¶   Reshaping the European energy system could reduce annual energy expenditure by an amount between €27 billion and €81 by 2030, according to a new study carried out by Accenture for EURELECTRIC. [WebWire]

US:

¶   Vermont is the only state not covered by the Obama administration’s sweeping new plan to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent over the next 15 years, but the state will still benefit by working with other states to meet the goals. [Greenfield Daily Reporter]

¶   US solar panel installations climbed to a record 1.3 GW in the first quarter of 2014, according the SEIA quarterly report. Solar PV installations jumped 79% from the first quarter of 2013, with 744 MW added. Only 2013 Q4 had more installations, with 2.1 GW. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Since 2005, New Jersey has cut its greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector by 24%, according to the Georgetown Climate Center, a nonpartisan organization that is part of Georgetown Law in Washington DC. [NJ Spotlight]

¶   In Florida, political hostility toward programs like the new EPA rules on carbon emissions raises questions about whether the state will cooperate with federal efforts to regulate carbon emissions, with some speculating that the deciding factor could be the 2014 governor’s race.[Sarasota Herald-Tribune]

¶   Under the new EPA rule, Iowa power plants would be required to cut carbon emissions 16% by 2030, a lower burden than the national average because of the state’s investment in renewable energy development and energy efficiency. [DesMoinesRegister.com]

¶   The EPA plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions suggests a cut of nearly 45% by 2030 for Arkansas, where nearly 44% of the energy came from coal in 2012, according to EPA figures. Natural gas placed second at 26%; nuclear power accounted for nearly 24%. [Fairfield Citizen]

¶   The announcement that the coal-fired Mount Tom Power Station near Holyoke, Massachusetts will close permanently thrilled an alliance of community and environmental organizations which have been trying to reduce pollution in the city. [MassLive.com]

¶   Under a proposed rule out of the EPA Monday, New Hampshire will have to come up with its own plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. However, many of the building blocks for that plan are already in place. [New Hampshire Public Radio]

¶   With the Environmental Protection Agency’s new rules capping carbon emissions from power plants, Chicago-based Exelon Corp. might appear to be well-positioned thanks to its nuclear power holdings. However, those benefits aren’t likely to be realized for several years. [Chicago Business Journal]

World:

¶   Denmark has given the green light to investment in the 700 MW Cobra interconnector with the Netherlands. Energy minister Rasmus Helveg Petersen issued the all-clear this morning. The 300 km subsea line will carry high voltage DC power from wind farms. [reNews]

¶   Jordan is close to awarding contracts for the next stage of its renewable energy programme, according to reports. The country’s energy strategy also calls for over 600 MW of solar power soon and around 1,200 MW of wind power to be in place by 2020. [Utilities-ME.com]

¶   The Australian Energy Market Operator is set to downgrade its energy demand forecast again, hinting at the change it its submission to the Renewable Energy Target review panel. It said the increasing prevalence of renewables would not threaten power reliability. [The Australian]

¶   The UK renewables market has dropped back to 2012 levels in terms of its attractiveness to investors as the sector continues to be “caught in the firing line.” Ernst & Young’s latest Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index ranks the nation in sixth place globally. [reNews]

¶   One of Jamaica’s largest hotels, the Grand Palladium, Hanover, has what is believed to be the largest solar plant in the country. The hotel expects to save over J$80 million ($720,000) in energy cost per year from the installation of a solar PV power plant. [Jamaica Gleaner]

¶   The Philippine Department of Energy is ramping up work on renewable energy projects to diversify the country’s energy mix. A report posted on its website said it has issued 565 renewable energy service contracts since guaranteed rates for RE projects were set. [Inquirer.net]

¶   Lake Kivu lies on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is a relatively small body of water that poses a not-so-small problem: it’s filled with 60 billion cubic meters of methane gas. A project called Kivuwatt plans to use that problem for power. [RYOT]

¶   Olkiluoto 3 was originally slated for connection to the Finnish energy grid in 2009 but has long been hampered by setbacks. Meanwhile, a lack of domestic production has led to the need for energy imports, and the government is concerned that imports are increasing. [YLE News]

US:

¶   The Obama administration will seek to cut greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants 30% from 2005 levels by 2030, potentially one of the biggest steps any country has taken to confront climate change, people familiar with the plan said Sunday. [Los Angeles Times]

¶   Many Northwest tribes have been exploring ways to get more of their electricity from renewable sources that don’t pollute, like coal-fired power plants do, or harm fish — a concern when it comes to hydroelectric dams. [Jefferson Public Radio]

Opinion:

¶   “What the Court Decision on FERC Order 745 Means for Demand Response” Demand response was dealt a blow when a US Court of Appeals vacated it in a 2-1 decision. But it may not be enough for incumbent power producers. Demand response is too attractive for states. [Energy Collective]

Science and Technology:

¶   Now that the age of fossil fuels and petrochemicals is winding down, sewage mining is obviously the Next Big Thing. The wastewater-to-biogas angle is already going strong and a number of companies are busily reclaiming other useful raw materials, too. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶   A senior official in China’s planning ministry announced the country would launch a national carbon market starting in 2018, based on the six regional carbon markets it launched this year as pilot programs. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Finland lags behind its European peers in its efforts to develop wind energy resources. However after a slow start, the renewable sector is beginning to gather speed, and Finland is now trying to catch up to with such countries as Denmark and Germany. [InterAksyon]

US:

¶   Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Tom Cole (R-OK) introduced the Rural Wind Energy Development Act to provide an investment tax credit to ranchers, farmers, and small businesses to offset the up-front costs of owning a distributed wind turbine. [Investorideas.com]

¶   The idea of replacing America’s asphalt roads with solar panels apparently has plenty of appeal. The Solar Roadways IndieGoGo campaign has raised some $1.5 million to use towards research and development of this cutting-edge solution to our world’s environmental woes. [CleanTechnica]

¶   North Dakota power plants are preparing to respond to federal regulations to be announced this week to limit carbon dioxide emissions. They expect to meet the new standards — though North Dakota may have further to go than other states. [Bismarck Tribune]

¶   The thought of turning your dinner table leftovers, old cardboard boxes and even dirty diapers into fuel for your car might sound absurd. But scientists and profit-minded business people say they can do it, and it’s becoming a part of Iowa’s advanced biofuel landscape. [Fort Dodge Messenger]

¶   The state of New Mexico is leasing land to Triangle Gallegos, a joint venture of Triangle Cattle Co. and Gallegos Wind Farm, for a 500-MW wind project. The wind turbines will go on 19,000 acres of state trust land and 31,000 acres of private ranch land. [Santa Fe New Mexican.com]

¶   According to recent Center for American Progress (CAP) studies, middle-class America is buying into the solar market. This is great news — rooftop solar isn’t just for mansions and millionaires anymore; it is accessible to suburban households across the country. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The first quarter of 2014 was another big one for the U.S. solar industry, with 74% of all new electricity generation coming from solar power. It was also the first time that residential solar installations surpassed commercial in the same time period. [ThinkProgress]

¶   Critics of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant say the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission provided insufficient information at a recent public meeting on the plant’s 2013 performance. There were several known problems that were not dealt with. [BurlingtonFreePress.com]

Opinion:

¶   “3 Reasons Why Cutting Carbon From Power Plants Is Good For Business” The new standards will protect Americans at home and provide a strong signal to the international community. But, what does it mean for business? [Forbes]

¶   “How to Cut Power Plant Carbon by 50%: New EPA Climate Rules Can Create a Foundation for Real Global Warming Solutions” New UCS analysis shows that a strong standard provides an opportunity to cut our power sector emissions in half by 2030. [The Equation: Blog of the Union of Concerned Scientists]

World:

¶   EDF en Canada, a subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles, and Enbridge, announced that the 300 MW Blackspring Ridge Wind Project is operational. The project, located Alberta, started construction in May 2013 and is comprised of 166 Vestas V100-1.8MW wind turbines. [Today’s Energy Solutions]

¶   Scottish Power’s parent firm Iberdrola has struck a major deal which will see customers in the UK supplied with gas from Texas. Under the 20-year, €4.1 billion agreement Iberdrola will buy a billion cubic metres of natural gas a year beginning in 2019 from Cheniere Energy. [Scotsman]

¶   The World Bank approved $203 million to help Ethiopia exploit its geothermal energy resources. Ethiopia will use the money to develop its geothermal energy resource to boost electricity supply. Domestic power demand is expected to grow by more than 25% a year. [Bloomberg]

¶   Ontario’s Environmental Review Tribunal has dismissed another anti-wind power appeal. The Wainfleet Wind Energy Project can now proceed, despite objections from a skydiving club, as it failed to show the turbines were likely to cause a serious skydiving accident. [Mondaq News Alerts]

US:

¶   Legislation that calls for the three investor-owned utilities in California to procure 500 MW of new geothermal energy generation over the next 10 years cleared the Senate and will next be taken up by the Assembly. [Imperial Valley News]

¶   Environmental activists delivered more than 50,000 comments to New York’s Cuomo administration on Friday, urging officials to recast the state’s energy plan with specific strategies for burning less fossil fuel and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. [Greenfield Daily Reporter]

¶   A survey for Advanced Energy Economy found 58% of people say they would like to move from old power sources like coal to new renewable forms of energy like wind, solar, and hydropower, even if it costs more to do so. [The Hill]

¶   Ocean Renewable Power, of Portland, Maine, showed off its RivGen Power System in Anchorage. It is a scaled-down version of turbines for harnessing tidal power. It will be installed to power for Igiugig, a community of 50 about 250 miles southwest of Anchorage. [Alaskajournal.com]

¶   The California legislature passed AB 2145 by a 51-15 vote. A broad and diverse coalition of business, local government, community and environmental organizations have decried this as the ‘Utility Monopoly Power Grab of 2014.’ [CleanTechnica]

¶   Congressional inaction on clean energy policies and attacks on state renewable energy programs led to a dramatic decline in clean energy job announcements in the first quarter, according to a report from the nonpartisan business group Environmental Entrepreneurs. [Windpower Engineering]

¶   MidAmerican Solar and SunPower are making significant progress at the Solar Star projects in California. The millionth photovoltaic module has been installed at the Solar Star development, which is now delivering more than 170 MW to the California ISO grid. [PR Newswire]

¶   Everyone understood that solar power, as a promising renewable form of energy, needed to eventually compete with nuclear, oil, coal and gas — without any government subsidies. Much faster than anyone expected, we’re almost there. [NASDAQ]

¶   Green Mountain Power announced it has reached an agreement with the Vermont Department of Public Service and other stakeholders to decrease electric rates by 2.46%. The rate decrease will take effect on October 1, 2014. [Green Energy Times]

Science and Technology:

¶   Species of plants and animals are becoming extinct at least 1,000 times faster than they did before humans arrived on the scene, and the world is on the brink of a sixth great extinction, according to a new study published by the journal Science. [Huffington Post]

World:

¶   The burgeoning North American grid energy storage market could develop into a multibillion-dollar industry within a few years. Vancouver-based American Vanadium hopes to become North America’s first vanadium redox flow energy storage system provider. [Creamer Media’s Mining Weekly]

¶   In Australia, the NSW government has demonstrated support for the Renewable Energy Target in a submission to the review panel, according to the Clean Energy Council. There are concerns about the review panel, creating uncertainty. [EcoGeneration]

¶   Samsung Renewable Energy and Pattern Energy’s 180 MW Armow wind project in Ontario has taken another step toward construction. With a pledge of contributions to the community and a road use agreement, construction is to begin late this year. [reNews]

¶   In the past week renewable energy support schemes in Australia described as “plain crazy.” It may be time to review a study published by Agora Energiewende showing European subsidies for solar and wind are essentially half those for nuclear or CCS. [CleanTechnica]

US:

¶   The US Department of Energy has unveiled $10 million in funding for six new research and development projects that will advance concentrating solar technologies. The projects will target cost savings by developing thermochemical energy storage systems. [reNews]

¶   Xcel Energy announced that, as of 2013, it had reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 20% since 2005, exceeding President Barack Obama’s announced goal of achieving a 17% reduction by 2020. [Boulder Daily Camera]

¶   On June 2, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will announce draft regulations under the Clean Air Act that will set the stage for the 50 states to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from electric power plants. [AZoCleantech]

¶   Some leading conservatives have a new talking point on climate science: They’re not qualified to talk about it. House Speaker John Boehner became the latest top Republican to say so, as the issue has given Democrats an opening to brand the GOP as “anti-science.” [Politico]

¶   The US solar manufacturing industry awaits the first ruling from the Department of Commerce in trade cases against China and Taiwan. The preliminary decision next week addresses the level of illegal Chinese government subsidies benefiting its solar producers. [Your Renewable News]

¶   A new report from the fledgling Energy & Policy Institute seeks to pull back the curtain on coordinated efforts to repeal or put moratoriums on renewable energy standards, revealing just where the influence and money are coming from. [Greentech Media]

¶   The National Resources Defense Council says new federal standards that aim to cut greenhouse gas emissions from power plants would save the nation’s consumers $37.4 billion in 2020 via reduced electricity bills by the time the rules are fully implemented. [Denver Business Journal]

¶   Two legislative efforts nearing the Ohio governor’s desk would result in significant challenges for the company developing wind farms in Hardin and Logan counties. One is the freeze on the renewable energy standard, the other would increase setbacks for wind turbines. [RenewablesBiz]

¶   Chevron’s renewable power group produced profits for 2013 that were nearly double what the company hoped for. Nevertheless, managers told the group that funding for the effort would dry up and encouraged staffers to find jobs elsewhere. [Businessweek]

¶   Vermont is getting warmer. And wetter. And without significant global reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, that trend will continue, according to a comprehensive report on climate change released by the White House this month. [Addison County Independent]

Science and Technology:

¶   Acta has developed a product it calls the Acta Power which provides the whole hydrogen system on-site – hydrogen generation, storage and conversion to electricity. Acta refers to this system as the ‘Hydrogen Battery’. [Cogeneration & On-Site Power Production Magazine]

World:

¶   A report by Goldman Sachs’ global commodities team said that Chinese demand for imported coal is past its peak, so demand for seaborne thermal coal will grow just 2% per year on average to 2018, leaving coal prices too weak to generate profits on new mines and infrastructure. [Courier Mail]

¶   Tata Power Solar, one of the pioneering solar manufacturers in the world and India’s largest specialised EPC player, today announced a 60% expansion of its manufacturing facility in Bangalore, taking the total production capacity to 200 MW. [Your Renewable News]

¶   Germany’s Energiewende is very much alive. The biggest “winners” in the first quarter were solar power, whose production was up 82.5%, and offshore wind, up 33%. Natural gas production was down 19.7%, hard coal down 17.4%, and nuclear energy down 4.6%. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Greenpeace has launched a petition that they will deliver to the headquarters of Origin, AGL and Energy Australia, which control 77% of the Australian residential energy market,  ‘in a spectacular, public way that they won’t be able to ignore’. [Energy Matters]

¶   France’s highest administrative court on Wednesday annulled the decree setting wind power feed-in tariffs, marking the end of a complex legal procedure that has stifled investment in the French onshore wind sector. [Scientific American]

¶   Scotland is arguably one of the greenest countries in Europe. It produces 40% of Scottish electricity demand from renewable sources, and models suggest this could rise to 67% by 2018. Some question what effect the independence vote on September 18 will have. [New Scientist]

¶   Trade Association RenewableUK has said that if the UK is to meet its legally-binding target of generating 15% of all energy from renewable sources by 2020, more onshore wind may be needed to make up for a possible shortfall in other parts of the energy mix. [Click Green]

¶   The new Indian government may de-emphasize the previous government’s plan to install 20 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2020, and instead focus on wind and solar to achieve energy security, according to global auditing firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers. [domain-B]

US:

¶   The Massachusetts-based Millbury Solar project will produce cost-competitive clean energy for UMass and surrounding communities. The 3 MW project is part of First Wind’s first solar development and first renewable energy project in its home state of Massachusetts. [Renewable Energy Focus]

¶   Illinois lawmakers have advanced a plan urging environmental agencies to adopt nuclear power-friendly rules following financial struggles at Exelon. Exelon has said several of its nuclear power plants could be closed if their financial outlook doesn’t improve. [DeKalb Daily Chronicle]

¶   An Asheville, North Carolina company has proposed a dozen solar megafarms. Innovative Solar Systems has filed applications for 12 solar farms of between 25 and 80 MW, mostly in Eastern North Carolina. [The State]

¶   After more than an hour of passionate debate, the Ohio House voted Wednesday 53-38 in favor of Senate Bill 310, which calls for freezing renewable energy benchmarks and energy conservation measures for the next two years. The bill is going to the governor. [Springfield News Sun]

¶   The future of three Exelon nuclear power plants is in question after they failed to secure a capacity payment which would have that supported their operation in a difficult power market. The capacity payment is worth $5 per MWh. [World Nuclear News]

¶   Electric school buses that feed the power grid could save school districts millions of dollars — and reduce children’s exposure to diesel fumes — according to research by the University of Delaware’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment. [University of Delaware]

Opinion:

¶   “Are Shales a Bubble?” Hype works. Hype has been the primary tool used by the oil and gas industry with regard to shales and it has worked brilliantly. There is just one problem. When considering shale economic viability, hype was the only aspect that actually existed. [Resilience]

¶   “German Electricity Suppliers Not Passing On Wholesale Electricity Cuts” The support scheme for renewables is not the primary reason for high electric prices in Germany. The real reason is that suppliers are in effect keeping prices artificially high. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶   Solar panel technology is improving so rapidly that petrol stations could be replaced in the near future by drivers plugging their electric cars into their homes, according to Keith Barnham, emeritus Professor of Physics at Imperial College. [Telegraph.co.uk]

World:

¶   While EV sales still make up a small part of the market, they are actually selling faster than the first generation of hybrid cars did. When you put the first three years of EV sales side by side with the first three years of hybrid sales, electric cars are doing remarkably well. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The Australian government review of the renewable energy target has come under more scrutiny, with questions being asked about the consultancy hired to advise the panel. The contract did not go to the lowest bidder, who has close ties to traditional fuel markets. [Echonetdaily]

¶   A new report by the Danish Energy Agency has found it would be technically possible to construct a secure and reliable national energy system based on 100% renewables by 2050. The report also supports scenarios for 100% renewable electricity and heating by 2035. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The Committee on Climate Change reiterated that an increase in onshore wind capacity during the 2020s is likely to represent the most cost-effective means for the UK to meet its carbon targets after questions arose about its position. [Business Green]

¶   Of the about 600 TWh hours Germany consumes each year, 50 TWh are self-produced in a trend that has seen solar panels installed on home roofs and gas plants set up in factories. Home-made power is not taxed to support the move from nuclear and toward renewables. [Expatica Germany]

US:

¶   Large parts of the Southwest are drier than they were during the 1930s Dust Bowl. And the latest science says unrestricted carbon pollution will make this a near-permanent situation post-2050 in a growing portion of this country and around the world. [Energy Collective]

¶   Californian solar company SunPower is set to collaborate with Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy to build a 50 MW solar PV plant in Colorado. The plant is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2016, and will generate enough power for 13,500 households. [pv magazine]

¶   A bill that at least temporarily halts Ohio’s march toward green energy, pitting business against business in the process, moved closer to the governor’s desk Tuesday, when the House Public Utilities Committee voted largely along party lines to send it to the full House. [Toledo Blade]

¶   On Obama’s climate rule, the US Chamber of Commerce (CoC) and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) are both releasing economic impact studies this week. CoC says the rule will kill jobs and cost money, NRDC says it will create jobs and save money. [Businessweek]

¶   A proposal for a 23-turbine wind farm in central New Hampshire is dead because of what the project developer calls an unfavorable political and regulatory climate in the state. Iberdrola Renewables says it’s abandoning the Wild Meadows project. [Eagle-Tribune]

¶   President Barack Obama is about to unveil the centerpiece of his agenda to fight climate change, calling for each state to meet carbon emissions reductions and giving each state the job of deciding how they are met. Cap-and-trade is one option among many for states. [Times Record]

¶   Wind energy reduced power sector emissions by more than 5% last year, saving the same amount of CO2 as taking 20 million cars off the road, according to a new report published by the American Wind Energy Association. [ThinkProgress]

Science and Technology:

¶   The emissions from two very large coal-fired power plants in the Four Corners area of northwest New Mexico have been measured through space-based techniques, the first time remote emission measurements have been made from space. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Carbon dioxide levels throughout the northern hemisphere hit 400 ppm for the first time in human history in April, an ominous threshold for climate change, the World Meteorological Organization said on Monday. [Huffington Post]

World:

¶   Russian authorities will continue to rely on nuclear power and drilling the Arctic shelf for a bright future, as Moscow continues to turn its back on the worldwide boom in the renewable energy sector and place its bets on nuclear power and fossil fuels. [Bellona]

¶   The Board of the Green Climate Fund – the new multilateral fund to support developing countries in efforts to address climate change – finalized its overarching business model so that countries can begin to direct resources through the fund. [Energy Collective]

¶   German developer RWE Innogy is kicking off construction of the 90 MW Zuidwester wind farm in the Netherlands. The 12-turbine scheme will feature 7.5 MW Enercon E126 machines costing a total of  €150 million, currently the world’s largest onshore units. [reNews]

¶   Japan’s campaign to boost renewable power supplies since the Fukushima nuclear disaster is producing some unlikely winners: vegetable farmers. The solar sharing programme allows them to harvest dual incomes from sunlight, as solar PVs are put up amongst the crops. [eco-business.com]

¶   The Fukushima crisis may have left Japan with a major energy challenge, according to Simon Clements of Alliance Trust Investments, but it has opened the door for a renewables boom. [Business Green]

¶   The government of the Philippines is considering increasing the capacity allocation for wind power projects under the feed-in tariff program. This after the Department of Energy decided to hike the solar project installation under the program to 500 MW from 50 MW. [BusinessWorld Online Edition]

US:

¶   Tesla Motors is now the largest auto-industry employer in California — employing more than 6000 people within the state, with a further 500 jobs expected to be added to that figure before the end of 2014. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC) hold on South Carolina is weakening. The state’s House of Representatives just passed a solar energy bill that appears to show that South Carolina sees the light about solar energy and ALEC. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The Obama administration will unveil a cornerstone of its climate-change initiative with a proposed rule to allow states to use cap-and-trade systems, renewable energy and other measures to meet aggressive goals for reducing carbon emissions by existing power plants. [Fox News]

¶   The Sun Day Campaign has just released a press release proclaiming the fact non-hydro renewables has outproduced hydropower for the first time. Also, for the first time, wind contributed 5% of the nation’s electricity. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Commercial buildings could cut their heating and cooling electricity use by an average of 57% with advanced energy-efficiency controls, according to a year-long trial of the controls at malls, grocery stores and other buildings across the country. [Daily Fusion]

Science and Technology:

¶   As mobile tech-savvy people are looking for reliable public places to recharge electronic devices, a few innovative companies are finding ways to offer renewable, free solar energy charging stations for community use. [Triple Pundit]

¶   Close to half of the food that the world produces goes to waste, whether it’s on the farm, at the production or packaging plant, or from the dinner plate. A company in Israel has stepped up to the plate in America, aiming to transform food waste to biofuel. [ISRAEL21c]

World:

¶   GE Power Conversion is currently in the process of testing out new tidal turbine generators and “other underwater technology in turbines standing on the sea floor near the Orkneys in Scotland and at Ramsey Sound in Pembrokeshire, Wales.” [CleanTechnica]

¶   A Bloomberg report warns it would cost Australia billions of dollars and thousands of jobs if the Abbott government chooses to scrap the country’s renewable energy target. An expert panel is currently reviewing Australia’s goal of 20% renewable power by 2020. [International Business Times AU]

¶   It was, perhaps, a mirror image of the perfect storm: An abundance of sunshine and wind in Germany on May 11 stimulated solar and wind energy generators to the point where the price of electricity cost literally less than nothing for about an hour. [OilPrice.com]

¶   Billionaire investor Alex Waislitz has launched an unprecedented attack on Australia’s federal government for its budget changes affecting the biodiesel industry, claiming it will prompt investors to reassess companies relying on government promises enshrined in law. [Business Spectator]

¶   In another potential blow to Australia’s magnificently expensive seven liquified natural gas (LNG) projects, Citigroup has released a research report forecasting a “slump” in Japanese LNG demand from 2015. [MacroBusiness]

¶   Western Australia’s solar households and businesses are generating as much power together as a major traditional power plant. As growth is solar PVs may continue, the State Government now says a new power station may not be needed in the state until 2029. [Energy Matters]

¶   RWE’s CEO says the company should start to see an improvement in its fortunes in two years as power prices rebound and Germany reforms its electricity market in ways that will benefit traditional energy suppliers. [Financial Times]

US:

¶   Lawsuits filed in Illinois by Farmers Insurance claim the City of Chicago, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, and other municiaplities knew their stormwater infrastructure was insufficient to deal with extreme precipitation brought on in part by climate change. [Energy Collective]

¶   Just two weeks after the US Navy announced a major research partnership to ramp up its solar power and other clean energy programs, Barclays has warned that the solar market is likely to “disrupt the status quo” for the electric utility industry sooner rather than later. [CleanTechnica]

¶   In South Carolina, Black state legislators have been instrumental in passage through both the state House of Representatives and Senate of new legislation enabling The Palmetto State to become a more active participant in the renewable energy sector. [Politic365]

¶   Protesters are planning to gather near the Sagamore Bridge on Memorial Day to highlight concerns about the safety of the Pilgrim nuclear power plant in Plymouth. The protesters called the current emergency plan unacceptable for those on the Cape. [Greenfield Daily Reporter]

Science and Technology:

¶   Miscanthus could be called the king of biomass fiber. It is a relative of sugar cane that looks like bamboo, could be the Midwest’s next energy crop. But in a region dominated by corn and soybeans, it has yet to fully catch on, even as advocates tout its advantages. [HPPR]

World:

¶   Pakistan’s Alternative Energy Development Board is working on development of 33 windpower, half of which are under construction or to a point that they will be ready for funding in 2014. Also, 24 solar power projects and 9 biomass plants are being pursued. [The Nation]

¶   In Sri Lanka, the controversial coal-burning Norochcholai Power Plant has been confirmed to be operating as expected and is currently producing 600 MW of power – or the equivalent of 40% of the national grid. [Sunday Leader]

¶   Power companies are eyeing new generation plants in the Philippine island of Cebu in preparation for a projected power shortage that could be critical in 2018. First Gen, Aboitiz Power, and other companies are looking into building generating plants in the province. [Sun.Star]

¶   Swiss-Swedish engineering giant ABB sees an uptick in demand for its power systems business after a tough 2013. The power systems segment designs turnkey systems and services for distribution and transmission grids and power plants. [Business Standard]

¶   Replacing fossil fuels with renewables as the world’s primary source of energy will not only save the planet from dangerous levels of warming – it will also save the global economy $71 trillion by 2050, according to a report released by the International Energy Agency. [CounterCurrents.org]

¶   IKEA doesn’t just sell affordable home decor to the masses anymore. The furniture giant has added eco-friendly to its repertoire in the past and is now launching an electric bike that they’re calling the FOLKVÄNLIG. [Ecorazzi]

¶   Dublin-based hydro-power firm OpenHydro has teamed up with Alderney Renewable Energy to set up a new company called Race Tidal that aims to generate 300 MW of power for export to Britain and France. [Afloat]

US:

¶   Because the current automotive industry is likely unsustainable, General Motors recently announced it is aiming to overhaul many of its operations. Now GM is more or less on track to achieve its goal of 500,000 electrified vehicles on the roads by 2017. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Construction of the world’s largest single-axis tracking solar PV plants – the 206 MW Mount Signal Solar farm in southeast California – has been completed and is ready to generate enough electricity to power 72,000 households in the San Diego area. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Calling a nuclear waste dump proposed for Ontario, less than a mile from Lake Huron, “not safe” and “not acceptable,” a contingent of state legislators asked last week for President Obama and other parties to intervene and stop the so-called Deep Geologic Repository. [New Baltimore Voice Newspapers]

World:

¶   A solar-cum-wind energy system co-developed by India’s National Aerospace Laboratories promises to bring power to remote and rural areas that cannot be brought on to the electric grid. A unit consisting of 500 W of solar and 500 W of wind costs about Rs 3 lakh ($5125). [The Hindu]

¶   As the UK seems to be gearing up for fracking, a professor from Durham University has identified three physical problems he thinks could affect the exploitation of reserves identified in the Weald area spanning Sussex, Hampshire, Kent and Surrey, making its value doubtful. [Wiltshire Times]

¶   Participants at the World Economic Forum on East Asia urged countries, especially those in Asia, to adopt a holistic approach in dealing with the effects of climate change. They want climate change to be viewed as an economic issue, and not merely environmental. [GMA News]

¶   Nottingham-based Chinook Sciences have won a £300 million contract to build the world’s largest thermal energy facility making energy from waste. The contract with the United Arab Emirates will see the innovative plant being built in the Emirate of Sharjah. [E&T magazine]

¶   Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi lauded a recent court ruling ordering an electric power company not to restart its reactors, saying the decision is in line with the “common sense” of the people. [Asahi Shimbun]

US:

¶   The US energy world was rocked by a new Energy Information Agency report that significantly cut the projection of recoverable oil from the massive Monterey Shale formation in California. The cut was 96%. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Writing on the NPD Solarbuzz blog, senior analyst Michael Barker has predicted that the US PV market is set to reach a cumulative total of 20 GW by the end of 2014, doubling capacity from 2013, thanks primarily to continuing declines in cost. [CleanTechnica]

¶   There are big profit margins in renewable chemicals as corporations like Coca-Cola and Wal-Mart demand cleaner chemicals for their efforts to promote being green. But US policy has emphasized biofuels and biopower production and has yet to catch up with demand. [Environment & Energy Publishing]

¶   U.S. wood pellet exports nearly doubled last year, from 1.6 million short tons (approximately 22 trillion BTU) in 2012 to 3.2 million short tons in 2013. More than 98% of these exports were delivered to Europe. [Daily Fusion]

¶   Calling environmental protection a civil-rights issue, the NAACP is asking Ohio lawmakers to oppose a proposal that would pull back on renewable energy and energy efficiency requirements. [Columbus Dispatch]

Opinion:

¶   “6 electric utilities charging a new energy course” If the $370 billion-a-year US electric utility sector truly is on the brink of disaster, then it seems very strange to see some utilities already deeply engaged with some of the very forces that someday could be their undoing. [greenbiz.com]

World:

¶   EDP, a major European utility with equal exposure to fossil fuels, wind, and hydro, says that onshore wind is the cheapest of any new utility scale technology. The levelized cost of electricity of onshore wind in Europe is 20% cheaper than gas and 30% cheaper than coal. [RenewEconomy]

¶   The UK’s Prime Minister, an avid supporter of fracking for shale gas, is set to boost extra compensation offered to communities affected by controversial fracking to an average of £800,000 in a bid to bypass opposition in Tory heartlands. [Huffington Post]

¶   The government of the UK has been accused of cynically releasing a report that is expected to say several billion barrels of oil reserves could be extracted by fracking in southern England a day after the European and local elections in order to bury controversial news. [The Guardian]

¶   The Kype Muir wind project, located five kilometres south of Strathaven in South Lanarkshire, has been granted planning consent. It will consist of 26 turbines and have a maximum generating capacity of 104 MW. [Energy Live News]

¶   The European Commission is drafting a note on how to reduce energy dependence. Energy consultants Ecofys looked specifically at natural gas consumption, and estimated that building upgrades could cut the sector’s gas use by 95% by 2050. [Responding to Climate Change]

¶   French Energy Minister Segolene Royal told a parliamentary hearing that she is “looking very carefully” at planned increases in state-set tariffs. While she said France is not ready to pull out of nuclear power, she sees less dependence on it in the future. [Businessweek]

US:

¶   In a move that reeks of desperation (or perhaps it’s just a show for their owners?), three Republican state senators in North Carolina recently introduced a bill to the state legislature that would make the disclosure of fracking chemicals a felony offense. [CleanTechnica]

¶   An environmental advocacy group backed by hedge fund tycoon Tom Steyer is set to unleash a seven-state, $100 million offensive against Republican “science deniers” this year that could help decide which party controls the Senate and key statehouses come November. [CNN]

¶   The California Energy Commission and the US DOE dedicated EnerVault Turlock, the first grid-scale iron-chromium redox flow battery deployed in the world. Some of the funds EnerVault used for the system included grants from the DOE and the Energy Commission. [Imperial Valley News]

¶   Wind is going head to head with natural gas at the heart of the fracking boom—and wind is winning. In 2003, wind made up less than 1% of the Texas power supply. By 2013, that share had risen to roughly 10%. [National Journal]

¶   Rocky Mountain Power is considering charging customers who use solar panels an additional $4.25 each month. Members of the group Utah Citizens Advocating Renewable Energy expressed their displeasure in a protest. [fox13now.com]

¶   Eolian Renewable Energy of Portsmouth, NH, the developer of the Seneca Mountain wind project, has withdrawn its request to connect to the New England electric grid because of expensive upgrades to the regional transmission network before it could distribute its power. [Vermont Public Radio]

World:

¶   Good Energy released data showing that the UK now imports over 60% of the fuel it used to generate electricity in 2012, up by 12 percent since 2011. However, solar, wind, and other renewable technologies provided over a quarter of all the UK-based electric power in 2012. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶   A 300-year-old country mansion in Wales is to get environmentally-friendly heating from the ocean with the UK’s biggest marine source heat pump. The 18th century stately home was the National Trust’s biggest oil consumer, using 1,500 liters of oil on some winter days. [The Guardian]

¶   The Philippines’ first large-scale, commercially financed and commissioned solar power plant has officially started operations. The 22 MW San Carlos Solar Energy project officially started operations on May 14 in Negros Occidental province in the Visayas region. [EcoSeed]

¶   A delegation from the European Union is in Indonesia to explore the potential to develop waste to energy facilities with nine regional administrations. The delegates are on an official visit to Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. [Jakarta Post]

¶   Renewable energy projects developer Enel Green Power has started construction on two photovoltaic plants totaling 100 MW capacity at Lalackama and Chañares in northern Chile. Both projects have power supply contracts to sell the electricity on the regulated market. [Energy Business Review]

¶   Australia’s major energy utilities are now united in pushing for an end to rooftop solar subsidies – pitching the incumbent utilities into a major battle with the solar industry and consumer groups over the treatment of household solar. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The 600 MW offshore Gemini wind power project being developed off Dutch North Sea just took another step forward, with the consortium behind the project purchasing 150 4 MW, 130-meter-rotor-diameter wind turbines from Siemens. [Transmission and Distribution World]

US:

¶   Conservative Republican Rep. Ron Ryckman Sr of Meade, Kansas, said voting against repealing support for renewables was a “no-brainer,” despite his feelings about government mandates. He sees the benefits from four wind farms in his own district. [HPPR]

¶   Helios Power Capital, the owner of the Danskammer power plant in the Mid-Hudson Valley, no longer plans to burn coal if it is allowed to repower the plant, according to a document filed Monday with the New York Public Service Commission. [Times Herald-Record]

¶   Construction is now complete on the Mt. Signal Solar facility in southern California, which consists of more than 3 million solar panels. Covering 801 hectares (1979 acres), the solar farm is the largest PV power station to use single-axis tracking technology. [Energy Matters]

¶   GE has inked a deal to supply hardware for a 400 MW Texas wind farm. The contract with New Generation Power Texas covers 235 1.7-103 turbines and related services. The project, which will cover 30,000 acres is expected to be fully operational before the end of 2015. [reNews]

¶   The Environmental Protection Agency will leave it up to states to decide how nuclear power plants and other facilities that use large amounts of water for cooling should be required to minimize harm to fish and other aquatic creatures. [TheDay.com]

¶    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold a public meeting to evaluate the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant’s performance for the final time before the plant shuts down at year’s end. The annual review is set for Wednesday, May 28. [The Keene Sentinel]

Science and Technology:

¶   Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have developed a novel nanometer scale ruthenium oxide anchored nanocarbon graphene foam architecture that improves the performance of supercapacitors, and so has implications for power storage. [ScienceDaily]

¶   Once again, the world hit record heat levels. The average global temperature last month tied the hottest April on record four years ago. It was 1.39° F (0.77° C) warmer than the average last century. [Huffington Post]

World:

¶   Narendra Modi, India’s new prime minister, has promised to bring solar power to the 400 million Indians currently without electricity. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party – which swept to power on May 16 – has prioritized solar power in its energy strategy. [Blue & Green Tomorrow]

¶   The world’s first community-owned tidal turbine is exporting power in North Yell, Shetland. The machine will power up to 30 homes, a locally owned ice plant and Cullivoe Harbour Industrial Estate on the island. [reNews]

¶   Leading Australian economist Ross Garnaut has flagged the decline of centralized generation, saying Australia’s best prospects for a cheap energy future lie in a decentralised, and decarbonized grid, accepting environmental considerations rather than fighting them. [The Conversation]

¶   The Australian Industry Group, representing over 60,000 companies, has said removing the Renewable Energy Target, currently under review by a government-appointed panel, would not lead to better outcomes for power users, and will not decrease costs. [Ferret]

¶   Swedish value-added steel producer SSAB and Stockholm-based Hexicon AB, a leading designer and developer of floating solutions for the growing offshore renewable energy market, have joined forces to develop far offshore windpower platforms. [Steel Times International magazine]

¶   Mexico announced a goal to increase its share of renewable energy to 32.9% of installed electricity generation capacity by 2018 at the Fifth Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM5) in Seoul. [solarserver.com]

¶   Bypass of clean groundwater around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station has started, marking a major milestone in the resolution of water management issues. Uncontaminated water from above the plant is going to the sea, keeping it out of the plant. [Nuclear Engineering]

¶   A regional Japanese court has ruled that two reactors of Ohi nuclear plant could not be restarted – at least for the time being. It’s the first time that a lawsuit brought by anti-nuclear plaintiffs has been successful in Japan’s forty-year history of nuclear power. [Deutsche Welle]

US:

¶   Ohio is debating the sharpest break from a three-decade campaign by 29 U.S. states to reduce reliance on fossil fuels by promoting power from renewable sources. The Senate has passed the measure, and it is backed by Republican Governor John Kasich. [Bloomberg]

¶   Yet another milestone in California’s quest to go solar. According to the California Independent System Operator, utility-scale solar power plants set a new record of 4,566 MW of output at 12:03 p.m. on May 19, as renewables provided about 24% of grid demand. [KCET]

¶   The company proposing to bury a transmission line under Lake Champlain to bring renewable power from Canada to New England filed for a Department of Energy permit. The 154-mile, $1.2 billion underground transmission will transmit 1000 MW. [vtdigger.org]

¶   Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority has approved a New Hampshire-based, 75-MW biomass power plant as eligible to generate Class I renewable energy certificates. The facility has a 20-year PPA with Public Service Company of New Hampshire. [Platts]

¶   Georgia energy regulators Tuesday unanimously approved Georgia Power Co.’s first foray into wind energy, a plan to buy 250 MW of power produced by two wind farms in Oklahoma, enough electricity to run more than 50,000 homes. [Atlanta Business Chronicle]

¶   New Mexico environment officials say more than 500 barrels of waste from Los Alamos National Laboratory were packed with kitty litter suspected of causing a chemical reaction and radiation release at the government’s underground nuclear waste dump. [El Paso Times]

World:

¶   Many of the constituent states of the European Union are facing severe, critical shortages of fossil fuels and other natural resources in the near future, according to the recent report from the Global Sustainability Institute at Anglia Ruskin University. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Australian technology developer Vast Solar has begun construction of a 6 MWth (1.1MWe) concentrated solar thermal power station with three hours storage – the first stand alone plant of its type to be built in Australia. [RenewEconomy]

¶   US has announced charges against five Chinese military hackers for cyber espionage targeting the US private sector for commercial gain. The group allegedly conspired to target information in industries ranging from nuclear power, to renewable energy, to steel. [PennEnergy]

¶   Australia’s largest renewable energy generator Hydro Tasmania has warned major projects will not go ahead if the Federal Government scraps the Renewable Energy Target Scheme, which aims to have 20% of Australia’s electricity coming from renewables by 2020. [Yahoo!7 News]

¶   India will have to invest $834 billion in the two decades ending 2030 to reduce its emission intensity to gross domestic product by 42% over 2007 levels, according to a Planning Commission expert group. [Economic Times]

¶   The UK will very likely be the biggest solar photovoltaic market in Europe in 2014, according to the new NPD Solarbuzz UK Deal Tracker report. The dominance will be largely fueled by big growth in ground-mounted solar PV projects. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The Blackspring Ridge Wind Project is now connected to the Alberta grid to provide 300 MW of clean renewable energy to the province, enough to power the equivalent of 120,000 homes, said a project update from the two project owners, EDF Canada and Enbridge. [Vulcan Advocate]

¶   A group of Michigan legislators announced measures Monday that would increase pressure on Canada not to let a power company bury waste from nuclear plants less than a mile from Lake Huron. [The Southern]

US:

¶   Tennessee reduced its carbon emissions 26% from 2005 to 2011 and is on track to reduce a further 5% by 2020, according to World Resources Institute. They said the state could reduce its emissions by 41% by building more sources of renewable energy. [The Tennessean]

¶   After years of failing to generate a profit by selling electricity generated from cow manure, George DeRuyter & Sons dairy in Outlook, Washington is ready to try selling biogas on the  natural gas market, connecting their digester to the Williams Northwest Pipeline. [Yakima Herald-Republic]

¶   Last week Friday, Hawaiian Electric Co. submitted applications for a $170 million, 50 MW power plant on Oahu to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission. It would be powered by locally grown biofuels as well as other fuels such as liquefied natural gas. [Pacific Business News (Honolulu)]

¶   NextEra Energy, one of the nation’s top renewable energy suppliers, said it will no longer trade Vermont’s renewable energy credits, claiming that Vermont is selling its renewable energy to other states while importing fossil fuel-generated electricity. [vtdigger.org]

¶   CBD Energy Limited today announced that Westinghouse Solar, its US subsidiary, will begin offering financing of up to $45,000 on residential solar systems for qualified customers from $20 million of third-party funding capacity allocated to the company. [RenewablesBiz]

¶   Boston-based First Wind is pushing Maine utilities regulators to approve for a second time its multimillion-dollar partnership with Nova Scotia-based power company Emera, in a case that was sent back to the Maine Public Utilities Commission by a court order. [Bangor Daily News]

¶   Green Mountain Power has announced a new initiative called “eHome,” a first in the nation holistic home energy services program. The first home in the program is in Rutland and is called the Energy Home of the Future. GMP will establish 99 such homes as models. [Green Energy Times]

Science and Technology:

¶   A NOAA-led study finds the location where tropical cyclones reach maximum intensity has been shifting toward the poles at roughly 35 miles per decade. Scientists attribute the shift to human-caused greenhouse gases, stratospheric ozone depletion, and increases in pollution. [Energy Collective]

World:

¶   China intends to accelerate its deployment of solar power, after setting a new target to more than triple installed capacity to 70 GW by 2017 as part of its drive to cut its reliance on coal. The new solar target is double the previous one set for 2015. [Business Green]

¶   Global investment bank UBS says solar is likely to account for 10 per cent of global electricity capacity by 2020, as production costs continue to fall, and demand soars in the world’s major economies and in other markets. [CleanTechnica]

¶   In Oman, the CEO of the Rural Areas Electricity Company, said the company is working towards having 25% of the total energy production from the renewable sources by 2019, including solar and wind power, with special emphasis on the solar. [Omanet.com]

¶   Dutch trains will start running on wind energy from next year and the country’s entire rail network could be fully powered by green electricity by 2018. Wind farms in Holland, along with some in Belgium and Scandinavia, will supply 1.4 TWh for the trains. [Business Green]

¶   According to figures published by Brussels’ official database Eurostat, the output of environmental goods and services grew to represent 5.25% of GDP across the EU 28 bloc, reaching a total value of €667 billion in 2011, the most recent year with finalised data. [Business Green]

¶   Energy Minister Fergus Ewing granted full planning permission to ScottishPower Renewables proposed 51 MW, 22-turbine Ewe Hill development, after Dumfries and Galloway Council initially granted planning permission for six of the turbines. [Business Green]

¶   Commercial operations are underway at the 138 MW Jeffreys Bay wind farm in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. Developer Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm said the facility, which features 60 Siemens turbines, hit its target date and came in on budget. [reNews]

¶   The Middle East and Africa region is set to see massive growth in solar PV demand in the coming years. Year-on-year growth in the market in 2014 is expected to be as high as 50%. And, between the years of 2014 and 2018, annual PV demand is expected to triple. [CleanTechnica]

¶   While the Japanese government has initially determined the currently evacuated municipalities of Okuma and Futaba to store radioactive waste from Fukushima Daiichi, both towns have remained reluctant to come to an agreement with the government. [The Japan Daily Press]

US:

¶   Vermont congressman Peter Welch plans to introduce the Electric Vehicle Act, legislation to increase the tax incentive for purchasing low and moderately priced EVs from $7,500 to $10,000, when he returns to Washington. The price cap for extra incentive is $45,000. [CleanTechnica]

¶   David Blittersdorf, CEO at AllEarth Renewables has long tried to walk the talk as a maker of renewable energy equipment. In 2011, he proposed a car tax on his 31 employees, but some balked and helped find another solution: a $6,000 annual bonus, offset with a carbon tax. [Barre Montpelier Times Argus]

Tea and Turbines:

¶   Elaine McGonnal, 55, moved to her current home five years ago to enjoy views over one of the largest wind farms in the UK. She says she loves nothing more than sitting in her back garden with a cup of tea, watching turbines turning. [allmediascotland.com]

¶   A landmark hydro scheme that illuminated a Scottish stately home when electric power was in its infancy is being brought back into service. Now, the pioneering Victorian scheme has helped a botanical garden near Peebles become the greenest in the UK. [Scotsman]

World:

¶   European cross-border energy infrastructure projects are to receive a boost, with the European Commission allocating €750 million to finance key energy schemes. The Ukraine crisis is cited as an impetus to upgrade infrastructure and connections. [Prague Post]

¶   Welspun Renewables Energy Private Limited, India’s leading renewable energy generator commissions Karanataka state’s largest solar project with a capacity of 19 MW (DC) implemented as two projects of 8 MW (DC) and 11 MW (DC). [PR.com]

¶   Leading utility AGL Energy has called for the scrapping of Australian government support for rooftop solar PV, and has indicated the renewable energy target should also be diluted or deferred because it would be impossible to meet the current target in the current timeframe. [RenewEconomy]

¶   While Indonesia struggles to fuel its fast-growing economy, people on the island of Sumba are harnessing power from the sun, wind, rivers and even pig dung in a bid to go 100% renewable by 2025. [Business Recorder]

¶   In Jordan, the National Society for Consumer Protection urged Jordanians to turn to solar energy to meet their electricity needs in the form of government-financed small- and medium-sized enterprises. [Zawya]

¶   Plans to start construction in June of frozen underground soil walls at the crippled Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant are now askew after concerns were raised by the nation’s nuclear watchdog body. [Asahi Shimbun]

¶   Ukrainian police stopped a group of armed men from entering Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, located in southeastern Ukraine. In video footage allegedly showing the attempted break-in, the men say they are members of the Right Sector group. [RT]

US:

¶   Vermont Technical College will launch a bachelor’s degree program in renewable energy this fall. David Blittersdorf, renewable energy entrepreneur and president and CEO of Williston-based AllEarth Renewables, has committed $120,000 to support the new program. [Valley News]

¶   The Pasadena Housing Department partnered with nonprofit company GRID Alternatives to help low-income households enhance their energy efficiency. One result is that solar power from PVs is available to more people. [Pasadena Star-News]

¶   In Texas, use of wind, solar and other renewable energy sources increased 12% in 2013, according to an Electric Reliability Council of Texas report. Renewable energy produced 38.1 million megawatt hours of power in 2013 compared to just 33.9 million MWh in 2013. [Dallas Business Journal]

World:

¶   Germany’s state incentives for solar storage systems are entering their second year. Since the program was launched last May, around 4,000 solar batteries have been received low-interest loans totaling roughly €66 million and subsidies exceeding €10 million. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶   Last year Japan invested more than any other country in solar energy.  In 2013, 6.7 GW of solar capacity was approved for the feed-in-tariff scheme. Almost half of this was utility-scale solar. This year, it will be over 10 GW, with more than half of this being utility-scale solar. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Aberdeen-based Pilot Offshore Renewables aims to moor eight floating wind turbines ten miles off the Kincardineshire coast of Scotland. This would be the world’s first floating wind farm. Semi-submersible platforms would cut construction and installation costs. [Scotsman]

¶   The International Energy Agency says solar energy – a combination of solar PV and concentrated solar thermal with storage – is likely to become the dominant source of energy across the world, accounting for more than 27% of all electricity produced by 2050. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Consent has been granted for 51 MW wind farm in Ewe Hill, Scotland. When complete, the 22-turbine wind farm will power the equivalent of approximately 24,000 homes. The Ewe Hill project represents a £65 million investment by developer ScottishPower Renewables. [Renewable Energy Focus]

US:

¶   Connecticut recently began a new program aimed at boosting EV sales though the somewhat unconventional approach of incentivizing the dealers themselves, rather than the customers. This will help motivate dealers to put more effort into selling EVs. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Power Company of Wyoming has submitted an application to construct and operate the up to 3 GW Chokecherry and Sierra Madre wind project in Carbon County. The project will feature 1000 wind turbines. [reNews]

¶   Dartmouth, Massachusetts (population 34,032) has a total of 177 solar projects with the capacity to produce 26.7 MW of energy. Net metering credits and taxes from six large solar farms are projected to be at about $1.18 million for fiscal year 2016. [SouthCoastToday.com]

¶   Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley vetoed a 13-month moratorium on building wind turbines within 56 miles of the US Naval Air Station Patuxent River, saying the bill is unnecessary and would send a chilling message to renewable energy developers. [El Paso Inc.]

¶   An energy tax incentive bill, which failed to clear a procedural vote in the Senate May 15, may be revived. Largest among the energy tax credits in was an extension of the production tax credit of 2.3 ¢/kWh for generating new renewable electric power. [Bloomberg BNA]

¶   The California Senate is expected to debate a bill to require energy retail sellers and local publicly owned electric utilities to use more geothermal energy. By 2024, utilities would need to get 500 MW from geothermal power plants. [The Desert Sun]

¶   Since 1983, the US DOE has collected $750 million each year to cover the cost of a national high-level nuclear waste facility. But a federal appeals court last year told the DOE to stop since there is no such site or even definite plans. The DOE has now stopped collecting the fee. [Poughkeepsie Journal]

Opinion:

¶   “Five things we learned about … the Far Right and renewables” It seems like the Australian government’s antipathy towards green energy runs deeper than anyone had suspected – it must be a tool of the Left, and so must be eradicated. [RenewEconomy]

¶   “Up To $90 Billion Needed To Scale Up Small Modular Reactors Would Snuff Out Financing For Wind And Solar Power” Dr Mark Cooper of the Vermont Law School writes that SMRs would have the same problems as large reactors while using money better spent on renewables. [PR Newswire]

Investment and Economics:

¶   While responses to the landmark climate change report may not make immediate ripples in the stock market, there is a growing movement toward divesting from fossil fuel production in favor of alternative energy generation. [Investopedia]

¶   The Collaborative Commons is the first new economic paradigm to take root since the advents of capitalism and socialism. The Collaborative Commons is already transforming the way we organize economic life, with profound implications for the future of the market. [MarketWatch]

World:

¶   The Global Sustainability Institute has done research indicating Britain has just 5.2 years of oil, 4.5 years of coal and three years of its own gas remaining. This would increase the UK’s dependency on countries like Russia, Norway and Qatar. [Fresh Business Thinking]

¶   Siemens will deliver 150 wind turbines with a capacity of 4 MW and a rotor diameter of 130 meters each for the Gemini project. The wind power plant is to be located in the North Sea, 85 km off the coast of Groningen, Netherlands. [PennEnergy]

¶   Austrian utility Verbund announced it would close gas-powered generating plants with a combined output capacity of 1.2 GW. Utilities in Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg have made similar announcements about 11 GW of capacity to beclosed by 2018. [PennEnergy]

¶   Philippines President Benigno Aquino III officially opened the country’s first commercial-scale solar farm. He urged investors to focus on clean energy to help reduce risk of climate change highlighted last year by the hurricane that devastated parts of the country. [Business Green]

¶   Linde AG will begin making hydrogen from surplus wind power at a €17 million ($23 million) plant in Germany that will be the biggest of its kind when completed next year. The facility will be able to use 6 MW of excess power to make hydrogen. [Businessweek]

¶   An eight-year study of South Australia’s electricity sector has found that large-scale wind energy deployment has dramatically reduced carbon emissions without increasing electricity prices and without the need for additional back-up generating capacity. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

US:

¶   An effort in Springfield to overhaul Illinois’ clean-energy law to jump-start stalled renewable power projects in the state is dead for this legislative session. The effort died after Exelon threatened to close two or three of its six nuclear power plants in the state. [The Capitol Fax Blog]

¶   The president and CEO of Exelon says market dynamics are better than a few months ago for a handful of Exelon nuclear energy units that have been losing money. Improved forward power prices have encouraged him about five nuclear units that had been losing money. [Utility Products]

¶   The Obama administration is considering ways to cut greenhouse-gas emissions by as much as 25% by reaching beyond the power plants themselves and encouraging owners expand to renewable energy, improve the grid efficiency or encourage customers to use less power. [Businessweek]

¶   Georgia Power today announced plans to build, own and operate three separate solar generation facilities on U.S. Army bases in Georgia. The generation facilities are each capable of producing approximately 30 MWac. [AZoCleantech]

¶   A team of veterans and national security experts who promote green energy has entered the debate over Ohio’s energy efficiency and renewable standards, saying America’s dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oil poses a national security threat. [WCBE 90.5 FM]

World:

¶   Chinese consumption of coal increased for the 13th consecutive year in 2012. China is by far the world’s largest consumer of coal, accounting for 49% of global coal consumption—almost as much as the rest of the world combined. [EIA]

¶   Northland Power has achieved financial close on the 600 MW Gemini offshore wind farm in the Netherlands. The €2.8 billion in debt and equity was raised from more than 22 parties including 12 commercial creditors, four public financial institutions and a pension fund. [reNews]

¶   The city of Sydney, Australia is exploring the use of new advanced waste treatment systems, in hopes it could divert more than 95% of Sydney’s household waste from expensive landfill and turn it into renewable gas to power, heat, and cool city buildings. [Government News]

¶   France will launched an ambitious bid to boost its renewable-energy credentials and harness the power of the wind off its western coast. The plan will create 100,000 jobs in sustainable energy over the next three years and will go before parliament in July. [European Voice]

¶   Iran is aiming big with renewables, according to the Iranian Energy Minister. The country’s new goal is to add 5,000 MW of new solar energy and wind energy capacity by the year 2018. That’s a big increase over the country’s previous aims. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Despite international efforts to shift to cleaner and safer fuels, Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party government wants to almost double the share of domestic coal in energy generation. [Today’s Zaman]

¶   Danish manufacturer Vestas is to supply hardware for the 62.7 MW Klettwitz 2 wind farm repowering project in Brandenburg, Germany. The contract covers at least 19 V112 3.3 MW turbines, and includes a 15-year full-scope service agreement. [reNews]

¶   April figures from Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator bring the total installed capacity of rooftop solar systems that have been installed in that country to 3,368 MW on 1,225,494 rooftops. April additions were over 14 MW on 3500 rooftops. [PV-Tech]

¶   Assured Asset Energy Ltd has launched a £27 million fund to finance 30 new farm biodigesters, creating 180 construction jobs. The plants will process 450,000 tonnes of farm waste annually and generate up to 8.5 MW of electricity, enough to power 5,000 homes. [Agriland]

US:

¶   In addition to the explaining how climate change is already impacting health, agriculture, and  the environment, the US National Climate Assessment details threats of storms, droughts, heat waves and other severe events that could disrupt energy infrastructure. [Energy Collective]

¶   Conservation advocates plan to rally Thursday in Albuquerque as part of their effort to encourage Public Service Co. of New Mexico to use more wind and solar power, as the utility retires two coal units at the San Juan Generating Station in the Four Corners area. [Public News Service]

¶   The Tennessee Valley Authority is considering a plan to purchase wind-generated electricity from Oklahoma and transporting it 700 miles to Memphis, Tennessee. There is opposition to the plan from US Senator Lamar Alexander, who opposes federal tax credits. [The Tennessean]

¶   Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin this week reiterated his opposition to the Keystone XL oil pipeline, but is more bullish on proposals to transport electricity generated from Canadian hydro power through Vermont to southern New England and New York. [Valley News]

¶   SolarCity and HP, along with the City of Palo Alto, City of Palo Alto Utilities and SolarCity financing partner Direct Energy Business, worked together to enable the 1 MW system that is expected to offset more than 20% of HP’s current power usage onsite. [AZoCleantech]

¶   Drought and windy conditions have spawned wildfires in California. One of them has resulted in a precautionary evacuation of the San Onofre nuclear power plant, which has been offline for two years. [CNN]

¶   In a US Senate committee hearing on nuclear plant decommissioning, Chris Recchia, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Public Service, said emergency planning efforts should continue as long as any fuel rods remain in the spent fuel pool. [vtdigger.org]

World:

¶   Austrian electricity utility Verbund has announced plans to mothball or permanently shut around 2.5 GW of power generation capacity to minimize losses at the power plants that are being squeezed out by subsidized renewable energies. [Wall Street Journal]

¶   The UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change confirmed that it is planning on removing support for solar power under the Renewable Obligation scheme from 1 April 2015 for developments over 5 MW. [Solar Power Portal]

¶   Germany has set yet another new record for itself. Last Sunday, renewable energy, including wind, solar, hydro, and biomass, accounted for 74% of national demand during the middle of the day (when the sun was at its peak), Renew Economy has reported. [The9Billion]

¶   Woodfibre LNG announced Tuesday it will use electricity from hydro facilities instead of gas to power cooling compressors for its proposed $1.6 billion liquefied natural gas plant near Squamish. The move will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the compressors by 80%. [Vancouver Sun]

¶   The percentage of onshore wind farms being rejected rose dramatically in the UK last year, leading the renewable energy trade body to accuse the Conservative party of “heavy-handed intervention” in the planning process. [Business Green]

¶   If there was any doubt that the election of the Abbott Government might slam the brakes on Australia’s climate and clean energy progress, it’s now over. With the Government’s first budget, it’s reversing at full speed. [ABC Online]

¶   Northland Power has begun off commercial operations at the 60 MW McLean’s Mountain wind farm on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. The project was completed on time and on budget, and has a 20-year power purchase agreement with the Ontario Power Authority. [reNews]

¶   Hanergy Solar Group, a Hong Kong-based renewable-energy company, is planning a 50-MW solar project in eastern China that will cost 627.6 million yuan ($100.8 million). The project is expected to begin construction next month and will be completed by March 2016. [Businessweek]

US:

¶   Increases in efficiency, solar, wind and biomass are seen as long-term threats to fossil fuel interests. A report from the Edison Electric Institute warned that if state incentives are not rolled back, “it may be too late to repair the utility business model.” [The Rock River Times]

¶   A Colorado federal district court Friday rejected a constitutional challenge to the state’s renewable energy portfolio law, concluding that it did not impose an impermissible burden on interstate commerce. [The National Law Review]

¶   Since last summer, California has had a net increase in generating capacity of 3,243 MW, 68% of which is renewables the rest comes from added gas. This is sufficient to meet summer peak conditions state despite low hydroelectric supply from the state’s drought. [Natural Gas Intelligence]

¶   Massachusetts is accepting applications for SREC II, the second phase of the commonwealth’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS) solar renewable energy certificate (SREC) program. SREC II is intended to meet the goal of reaching 1.6 GW of installed solar capacity by 2020. [Solar Industry]

¶   NRG Residential Solar Solution has built a solar project in Rutland, Vermont. The 140 kW photovoltaic solar array can provide energy to around 50 Green Mountain Power customers, mainly signed up for the project. [Argyll Free Press]

¶   Florida Governor Rick Scott and his cabinet granted Florida Power & Light permission to build two nuclear generators and 88 miles of transmission lines in Miami Dade County. Various local governments and groups are expected to mound challenges. [Tampabay.com]

¶   Senators Barbara Boxer, Ed Markey, and Bernie Sanders introduced a trio of bills meant to tighten safety and security at plants winding down operations around the country, and to give local governments more meaningful roles in the process. [The Hill]

Opinion:

¶   “5 things you can do about climate change” Climate change isn’t something in the far-off future: It’s a potentially disastrous reality that’s already starting to have effects that are expected to worsen, experts say. Here are some things you can do. [CNN]

Science and Technology:

¶   The complete melting of a major section of West Antarctica’s ice sheet appears inevitable, and the process could lead to higher end-of-century global sea levels than previously anticipated, according to NASA researchers. [CNN]

¶   A professor of hydraulic engineering at the University of Duisburg-Essen, believes pumped storage at abandoned mines could be used to store the surplus electricity from wind and solar power generating to counteract the problem of intermittent supply. [Sourceable]

World:

¶   The International Energy Agency says $44 trillion will have to be spent through to 2050 in order to decarbonise the energy sector and keep the average temperature rise to 2° C. This is a 22% increase from the 2012 figure, with the difference due to increased use of coal. [PennEnergy]

¶   Ikea Australia has begun to install solar panels across its seven stores and warehouses in Australia’s east coast. The plan is to install 16,000 solar panels on the buildings as part of the Ikea’s global campaign to solely use renewable energy by 2020. [eco-business.com]

¶   Prime Minister Tony Abbott may be abandoning support for clean and renewable energy in Australia. There is speculation that the government is planning to cut the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) in the budget to be released tonight. [International Business Times AU]

¶   Kingspan Energy has completed the UK’s largest rooftop solar energy installation to date. The 5.8 MW installation was completed in the first quarter of 2014 and spans nearly 115,000 square feet. [PennEnergy]

¶   As two community leaders fighting the Batang coal plant in Indonesia begin their seven month prison sentence this week in Indonesia, thousands of anti-coal activists are protesting in solidarity. [Energy Collective]

¶   In Canada, the Progressive Conservatives would, if elected, refuse to sign any more renewable energy deals at high rates of return, and focus instead on creating an electricity system reliant on gas, hydro operations and nuclear power. [CANOE]

¶   In the past 10 years, the number of solar systems in Bangladesh has jumped from 25,000 to 2.8 million, according to IRENA. That in turn has created some 114,000 jobs, from assembling solar panels to selling, installing and maintaining them. [The Atlantic]

US:

¶   A new round of Massachusetts state solar incentives announced Tuesday puts a priority on cleaning toxic contamination that can be cleaned with zero-emissions renewable energy providing extra credits to toxic sites providing their own electricity. [SouthCoastToday.com]

¶   In a Senate briefing, Greenpeace released the Energy [R]evolution: Sustainable USA Energy Outlook. The E[R] aims to wean the economy off dirty fuels as thoroughly and quickly as possible, and in a way that is technologically, politically and ecologically realistic. [Huffington Post]

Economics and finance:

¶   There were 6.5 million people employed in the renewable energy sector worldwide in 2013, a 14% rise from 5.7 million a year earlier, according to a new report by the Abu Dhabi-based International Renewable Energy Agency. [Utilities-ME.com]

¶   Global consulting firm PwC says the utility industry is about to go through an unprecedented and rapid transition as dramatic as that which affected other industries. The key is the emergence of enabling technologies such as rooftop solar, and its cheap electricity. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶   Manufacture of a new black silicon wafer can reduce the cost of manufacture by 23.5%. The pilot manufacturing batches produced wafers of 15.7% efficiency, and this is expected to improved with mass production, becoming about the same as current production wafers. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Indoor vertical farms are on the rise, thanks partly to new high efficiency LED growing lights that cut electricity costs to the bone. LED farming translates into new opportunities for siting year-round hyperlocal, organic farm-to-table operations, sustainably powered. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶   A new study by ROAM consulting shows that future power prices will be lower with Australia’s Renewable Energy Target in place than they would be if it was removed. The RET is minimizing the costs of generating power with natural gas. [EcoGeneration]

¶   A new report from the University of East Anglia says the UK government is not doing enough to support the growing number of communities wishing to install wind turbines, solar panels and other renewable energy technologies. [Business Green]

¶   A new report published by the International Energy Agency says electricity is set to rival oil as the power behind the global economy in the 21st century, but a huge decarbonisation effort will be necessary to limit emissions, and the “overall picture of progress remains bleak.” [Business Green]

¶   The National Bank of Canada will provide Canadian Solar with C$115.5 million in short-term construction financing to help build three solar power projects in Ontario, Canada, totaling 30 MW alternating current. [SmartMeters]

¶   Energy ministers and senior energy officials from 24 countries, including Saudi oil minister Ali Al-Naimi and US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, are meeting in Seoul for two days to discuss how to reduce fossil oil consumption and promote renewable resources. [Platts]

¶   German utilities have discussed the creation of a state-owned foundation to oversee the decommissioning process for nuclear plants. They want to transfer decommission funds to the state and have the state shoulder the risk for any cost overruns. [Financial Times]

US:

¶   The last snow survey this year (taken just last week) showed that California snowpack was just 18% of normal. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 100% of California is now in moderate to exceptional drought. The drought is expected to continue with climate change. [Energy Collective]

¶   Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that $285 million will be available in the form of rate incentives to decrease demand by up to 125 MW in New York City and Westchester, the county just to the north of the city, using combined heat and power systems. [Energy Collective]

Opinion:

¶   “Wind Security Guards, Bald Eagles, Bats, High School Wind Manufacturers… (WINDPOWER 2014)” Mike Barnard, Senior Fellow – Wind, with the Energy and Policy Institute, provides his take on the American Wind Energy Association conference. [CleanTechnica]

¶   “Stop global warming? Disputes over Md. wind farm, natural gas project show how hard it is” The scientists have given us dire warnings. So why is it so hard to do anything serious to cut greenhouse gas emissions to protect the planet? [Washington Post]

World:

¶   More than 10,000 protesters have taken to the streets in Berlin. Members of one of the largest environmental NGOs called B.U.N.D. said the German government is endangering the energy transition with their new policies. [Press TV]

¶   India missed its target for new renewable energy the second year in a row. The target of 4325 MW, but the new capacity addition was 3640 MW. Renewable energy components include power from wind, small hydro, biomass, bagasse, waste to power, and solar. [Energy Sector News in India]

¶   A few years ago social participation in the energy system was not possible in Spain. Now thousands of people from all walks of life are now taking part or investing in clean energy projects, like Viure de l’aire, a community wind energy project in Catalonia. [Truth-Out]

¶   The Philippine island of Mindanao is currently suffering from a power deficiency of more than 300 MW because of drought causing reduced output from two hydropower facilities that supply up to 60% of the power. Investors are considering solar power. [Inquirer.net]

US:

¶   As President Obama made his way to California to preach the gospel of solar power, his words have become action back home in Washington DC. After years of waiting, the White House solar array is now fully installed and has been switched on. [inhabitat]

¶   Westport, Massachusetts selectmen signed a contract to provide the town with low-cost solar-generated electricity at their April 28 meeting. The contract signed with Borrego Solar Systems last week will lower the town’s municipal electricity costs by between 25% to 30%. [SouthCoastToday.com]

¶   A Walgreens drug store in Evanston, Illinois is going totally off the power grid and generating its own energy. After installing 800 solar panels, two wind turbines and geothermal technology, the store will produce 28% more electricity than it needs. [Murfreesboro Post]

¶   After three months work and at a cost of $600 million, two steam generators at the Davis-Besse nuclear power plant have been replaced and the plant is running. FirstEnergy Corp, the plant’s owner, says it should be back to full power within a few days. [NewsNet5.com]

World:

¶   Thermal coal prices are unlikely to rise over the next two years due to oversupply and stagnating demand, with analysts forecasting prices in a range of $70-85 per tonne. Prices of coal for use in power generation have dropped around 40% during the last three years. [DAWN.com]

¶   Abengoa won a favorable environmental rating from the authorities of the Chilean Environmental Service to develop a solar-thermal plant using molten salts tower technology with an installed capacity of 110 MW. [Utility Products]

¶    The UN’s top climate change official says it is critical for all political parties to put aside their differences and unite in the battle to prevent catastrophic climate change. She says the political right to see global warming as “a huge business opportunity.” [The Independent]

¶   Australia’s largest renewable energy producer, Hydro Tasmania, faces projected losses of up to $20 million a year on wind power deals and blames uncertainty surrounding the ­Renewable Energy Target. [The Australian]

¶   The amount of Cesium-137 leaked from the Fukushima nuclear power plant could be worse than expected, a Japanese research team has concluded. They believe 50% more of the radioactive material could have escaped into the atmosphere and seawater. [RT]

US:

¶   According to tweets from the American Wind Energy Association conference in Las Vegas, prices for power purchace agreements for utility scale solar averaged just over 5 cents/kWh in 2013, and those for utility scale wind in US interior averaged 2.1 cents/kWh. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The only active landfill in Vermont, located in Coventry, is going solar. The 2.7-MW will be installed on the landfill site’s buffer zone, alongside an existing 8-MW gas-to-energy generating facility that utilizes the methane from the landfill. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The biggest utility in the whole of Hawaii, the Hawaiian Electric Company, will soon be required to help customers reduce their energy costs and install solar energy systems, according to recent reports. [CleanTechnica]

¶   One of the largest banks in the world, Wells Fargo, is investing $100 million of tax equity financing into nine new solar PV projects being developed by Strata Solar in North Carolina, according to recent announcements. [CleanTechnica]

¶   President Obama urged US businesses to curb emissions to reduce environmental threats that are causing climate change. He announced a series of carbon-reducing steps, which are designed for private companies to boost solar power and promote energy efficiency. [Industry Leaders Magazine]
… During a visit from President Barack Obama, Walmart announced that it will double the number of on-site solar energy projects at its US stores, Sam’s Clubs and distribution centers by 2020. [Sustainable Brands]

¶   A federal judge denied a challenge to Colorado’s renewable-energy standard. US District Court Judge William Martinez dismissed the challenge of the Colorado law that requires larger utilities to get 30% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020. [The Denver Post]

¶   Healthcare provider Kaiser Permanente says it plans to increase its onsite solar generation capacity to as much as 50 MW with additional installations planned for its medical campuses and other locations. That would be a quadrupling of its existing solar power generation. [Central Valley Business Times]

¶   According to results from a recent job modeling analysis, a single 150-MW wind project in Montana would pump $6.1 million into the local economy each year. But now, with the expiration of the production tax credit, future projects could be put on hold. [KAJ18 Kalispell Montana News]

¶   Jonesborough was named “Community of the Year” on Tuesday by the TVA at the federal agency’s Third Annual Green Power Switch Leadership Awards. The town won the award because of its dedication to renewable power generation and its existing recycling programs. [Johnson City Press]

¶   A campaign is being waged to hamper investment in distributed energy. A recent editorial in The New York Times exposed the Koch brothers, wealthy from fossil fuels, as principal funders of a huge lobbying campaign to reduce incentives and impose burdensome charges. [Hartford Courant]

Science and Technology:

¶   According to a spate of recent scientific studies from the United States and Australia, the shale gas industry has generated another formidable challenge: methane and radon leakage three times greater than expected. [Resilience]

¶   Grid managers want to know the power will be there when needed. Demand response provides a measure of security, as consumers can switch off power-using equipment, or even switch on generating stations to balance the grid. [The Economist]

¶   New Energy Technologies, developer of see-through SolarWindow coatings, capable of generating electricity on glass and flexible plastics, today announced that its technology has set a new record, generating 50% more electricity while remaining see-through. [Broadway World]

World:

¶   The EU’s carbon emissions dropped by 2.5% in 2013, though Germany and Denmark both saw significant rises as they burn more coal. The bloc emitted just over 3.35 billion tonnes of CO2 in 2013, down by 87 million tonnes from to 2012. [tce today]

¶   North America solar developer Recurrent Energy has brought online 10 solar projects totaling 108 MWp/78 MWac in Ontario in Canada. The projects will provide electricity to the Ontario Power Authority for the next 20 years through feed-in-tariff agreements. [reNews]

¶   The share of renewable energy in German electricity consumption rose by 4 percentage points to 27% from a year earlier in the three months of January through March, industry group BDEW said. Windpower production was up 19%, and solar up 70%. [Economic Times]

¶   Greenpeace Philippines on Wednesday released a new report on the environmental and economic impacts of coal use in the country, citing how the Philippines could lose billions in revenues on top off incurring additional external costs. [eco-business.com]

¶   The off-grid solar market is booming, and investors are sitting up and taking notice. In just the past four months, almost $45 million has been invested in this fast-growing market — with plenty more in the pipeline. [Energy Collective]

US:

¶   Stanford University is the first major US university to officially divest from coal companies. The Board of Trustees voted that the university’s $18.7 billion endowment would not be used to invest in 100 companies that mine and produce the dirty energy source. [inhabitat]

¶   The Ohio Senate has moved legislation that would freeze renewable energy and efficiency mandates for two years while a new study committee develops recommendations for future standards. The vote of 21-12 on Senate Bill 310 capped months of debate. [The-review]

¶   A report released by the US Energy Information Administration projects national growth amongst renewables — including hydroelectric power — in coming decades. The EIA forecasts growth for gas, while nuclear, coal, petroleum liquid and other forms will flatline or decline. [HydroWorld]

¶   Pennsylvania State University won the first-ever US DOE Collegiate Wind Competition. The competition challenged undergraduate students from multiple disciplines to design and build a lightweight, transportable wind turbine that could power small electronic devices. [North American Windpower]

¶   Vermont Governor Shumlin and PSD Commissioner Recchia announced the receipt of $5.3 million from Vermont Yankee for clean energy development, and confirmation that Entergy has deposited $10 million as its first payment into the Vermont Yankee Site Restoration Fund. [Green Energy Times]