geoharvey

Opinion:

¶   “Half the Oil, Not Crude-by-Rail: Lynchburg Oil-Train Accident is Fifth in Ten Months” We have just had the fifth major oil-train accident in the last ten months at just the time the world’s leading climate scientists say we need to leave most fossil fuel reserves in the ground. [The Equation: Blog of the Union of Concerned Scientists]

World:

¶   G7 energy ministers in a meeting to discuss the implications of Russia’s actions in Ukraine say renewable energy will be central for energy security. They confirmed that strong climate change policies would support their energy security agendas. [Responding to Climate Change]

¶   Investors could spend up to $1.1 trillion over the next decade on oil projects and assets that never reach production if governments enforce measures to curb climate change. The projects require a market price of at least $95 a barrel to break even. [MarineLink]

¶   A new study of South Australia’s electricity sector found that wind energy greatly reduced the state’s carbon emissions without increasing wholesale electricity prices or requiring back-up. In South Australia, wind energy now accounts for 28% per cent of electricity produced. [eco-business.com]

¶   A SkyPower Global and FAS Energy joint venture signed a deal to build 3 GW of solar projects in Nigeria at an estimated cost of $5 billion. SkyPower FAS Energy expects to build the projects in phases over five years with initial commercial operation to begin in 2015. [reNews]

¶   Only 12% of people living in cities for which air quality data is available, are breathing “safe” air. About half urban population being monitored is exposed to air pollution that is at least 2.5 times higher than the levels recommended by the WHO. [The Hindu]

¶   Lincolnshire vegetable supplier QV Foods has opened an anaerobic digestion facility to power its processing operations. The 1.5 MW facility will provide renewable energy from 30,000 tonnes per year of wastes from QV Foods’ operations, with biofertiliser as a byproduct. [Materials Recycling World]

US:

¶   Unilever Plc is getting cleaner with its electricity. The company announced it would work with NRG Energy Inc. for renewable power generation at its US offices, plants and distribution centers, which produce 16% of Unilever’s revenue. [Livemint]

¶   US developer Deepwater Wind has agreed to protective measures to limit impacts to the endangered North Atlantic right whale while it develops a 1 GW utility scale offshore wind project. [reNews]

¶   GE’s renewable energy business announced a cumulative 3.9 GW of firm wind turbine supply orders in the United States since January 1, 2013, the date of the Production Tax Credit extension. Of these, 2.8 GW will go into service in 2014 and 2015. [AZoCleantech]

¶   The US National Climate Assessment forecasts increased vulnerability for forest ecosystems through fire, insect pests, drought, and disease, and suggests that bioenergy could emerge as a new market for wood, helping restore forests damaged by climate change. [Biomass Magazine]

¶   The Secretary of the Interior today announced the approval of the 200-MW Moapa Solar Energy Center Project on tribal trust land in Nevada and that nine tribes have been awarded Tribal Energy Development Capacity grants totaling over $700,000. [Native Times]

¶   The US DOE has selected three projects to proceed to the second phase of its offshore wind advanced technology demonstration initiative: Fishermen’s Atlantic City Windfarm, Principle Power’s Oregon project, and Dominion Virginia Power’s Virginia Beach project. [POWER magazine]

¶   The Tennessee Valley Authority will cut more than 10% of its staff positions. The TVA has accepted 750 early retirements and resignations under a buyout program, with additional layoffs expected and additional cuts planned in TVA’s nuclear power program. [Memphis Business Journal]

Opinion:

¶   “Coming Coal & Nuclear Power Plant Retirements, & What That Means” Large-scale simultaneous retirements of both coal-fired and nuclear capacity could have a significant effect on the electric power system. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶   Now, we are at another critical moment for agriculture. Climate change is bringing more frequent and severe weather challenges, unlike any that farmers have seen before, and already farmers are feeling the effects. [Energy Collective]

¶   Climate change is no longer a distant threat, but a real and present danger in the United States, according to a new US government report. The US Global Change Research Program says that climate change is already being felt across the country. [CNN]

¶   The New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium and its partner DNV GL have opened the Battery and Energy Storage Technology Test and Commercialization. New York State provided $6.9 million in funding out of the total $23 million in investments. [PennEnergy]

¶   Wind plant wake management, from GE Predictivity™, is the first farm-level management application launched by GE and enables customers to recapture lost power output from waking effects. [Newswire Today]

World:

¶   Continued low levels of trust in the UK’s energy industry could be remedied by an increase in Government intervention in the market, according to new analysis from Edelman’s 2014 Trust Barometer. [CleanTechnica]

¶   German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet on Wednesday signed off on a draft law that grants energy-intensive firms a partial rebate on a renewable energy surcharge after months of wrangling with Brussels. [Reuters Africa]

¶   Good Energy Group is to acquire an option over 10% of the output from the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon project, currently forecast at 495 GWh per annum, in a deal that includes a £500,400 equity stake in Tidal Lagoon (Swansea Bay) PLC. [Stock Market Wire]

¶   Deutsche Welle reported that the energy ministers of G7 countries met in Rome Tuesday to talk about how Europe can reduce its dependence on Russian natural gas. Russia was expelled from the G8 following the start of recent tensions between Russia and Ukraine. [Resource Investing News]

¶   According to a recent report from Navigant Research, annual wind power installations in 10 selected markets in Africa and the former Soviet Union will grow from 1,636 MW in 2014 to 3,350 MW in 2023. [AltEnergyMag]

¶   Solar technology manufacturer SunEdison has completed construction on seven separate utility-scale PV solar plants in the UK. Together the plants represent a 100 MW renewable energy portfolio for the company, establishing a strong foothold in the UK solar market. [PennEnergy]

¶   GE has unveiled the latest addition to its so-called ‘brilliant’ turbine platform, the 2.2-107, and inked an agreement to supply the machines to a wind farm in the Piaui region of Brazil. The deal with Omega Energia covers 32 of the turbines and is the model’s first order. [reNews]

US:

¶   The Boulder, Colorado City Council unanimously approved Tuesday night an ordinance creating a municipal electric utility, paving the way for the city to seek financing to form its own utility. It will go into effect in 30 days. [Boulder County Business Report]

¶   Helios Solar and Renusol America have completed redevelopment of a 100 year-old community waste landfill as Michigan’s first brownfield location to generate renewable energy. The landfill is now the site of a 535.5 kW solar system with 2100 PV panels. [Solar Novus Today]

¶   When the lights go out in California, classes at Santa Clara University will keep running–and their new micro-grid could also help other city residents get cleaner and cheaper electricity. Several other schools are doing the same thing. [Co.Exist]

¶   First Solar boasted a strong first quarter, with growing demand and robust bookings contributing to a 26% year-on-year increase in net sales to $950.16 million and an 89% boost in net profit to $112 million. Operating profit more than doubled to $139.27 million. [pv magazine]

Opinion:

¶   “Revealed: ALEC’s 2014 Attacks on the Environment” An internal tracking document – obtained from ALEC by the Center for Media and Democracy/the Progressive Inc. under Texas public records law – reveals the scope of ALEC’s anti-environmental efforts in 2014. [Huffington Post]

¶   “Crowdfunding could break stranglehold of the ‘big six’ energy firms” A publication from ResPublica last week, which is supported by Co-operative Energy, sets out how crowdfunding could help realise a community energy revolution in the UK. [The Guardian]

Science and Technology:

¶   Mile for mile, there are almost as many earthquakes rattling Oklahoma as California this year. Many researchers suspect the deep injection wells used for the disposal of fracking wastewater could be causing the earthquake activity. [Huffington Post]

¶   New turbine technology can create electricity without using dams or reservoirs, which carry environmental impacts. A Canadian company is testing out a turbine in the Roza Canal, just south of the Yakima Canyon. [Yakima Herald-Republic]

¶   Researchers have developed an algorithm that can be used to simulate the hour-by-hour power output of both photovoltaic and concentrated solar thermal power systems for any location in the south-west corner of Australia. The model can be adapted for use elsewhere. [Science Network Western Australia]

World:

¶   Siemens Energy has received an order to supply turbines for the 270 MW K2 wind project in Canada. Located in Goderich in southwestern Ontario, the wind farm will feature 140 units of the Siemens SWT-2.3-101 wind turbines. [Energy Business Review]

¶   Energy experts in China are divided in polarized camps over inland nuclear power projects. Debate over building nuclear power plants in China’s interior has arisen because they may be included in Beijing’s next five-year national development plan. [WantChinaTimes]

¶   Coal mining in Australia is entering a “structural decline”, with projects set to become unviable due to unrealistic expectations over the potential to export the fossil fuels to China and India, according to a new report. [The Guardian]

¶   The president of Academia Sinica pointed out to legislators in Taiwan that while Taiwan is fiercely debating the future of nuclear power, other countries are aggressively developing renewable energy, and solar is making significant technological advances. [Focus Taiwan News Channel]

US:

¶   A White House climate report due to be released today will be the most comprehensive source of scientific information ever produced about how climate change would impact all regions of the US, according to John Podesta, senior adviser to the president. [London South East]

¶   Jonathan Weisgall, Berkshire Hathaway Energy’s vice president of legislative and regulatory affairs, says Iowa and other Midwestern states are unlikely to see large utilities invest in solar energy without setting standards that require it. [DesMoinesRegister.com]

¶   Innovative Solar Systems is seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for a solar project under development by affiliate Innovative Solar 42 LLC. The project will be a 75-MW solar photovoltaic system costing $135. [PennEnergy]

¶   A compromise emerged Monday in the standoff between Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Ohio Senate Republicans over energy efficiency and renewable energy rules. The proposal would retain efficiency and renewable energy standards. [The Plain Dealer]

¶   To meet its goal of adding more renewable generation to the Oahu grid, Hawaiian Electric Co. is seeking proposals for one or more large-scale energy storage systems able to store 60 MW to 200 MW for up to 30 minutes. [North American Windpower]

¶   Despite being known as a longtime fiscal conservative, Senator Grassley (R-IA) strongly favors reinstating the renewable energy Production Tax Credit through 2015 in the absence of comprehensive energy tax reform. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶   The return of tornado season with a vengeance has people asking again about a possible link to climate change. At the same time, tantalizing new preliminary research finds “some evidence to suggest that tornadoes are, in fact, getting stronger.” [Energy Collective]

¶   The annual Seismological Society of America meeting had a daylong session on “Induced Seismicity” that featured new research indicating that oil and gas fracking, and the practice of disposing wastewater underground, can alter the state of an existing fault. [CleanTechnica]

¶   For the first time in at least 800,000 years, the average level of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere exceeded 400 ppm for a full month in April. Measurements made at a NOAA observatory in Hawaii showed that the monthly average in April reached 401.33 ppm. [Blue & Green Tomorrow]

World:

¶   China-based JinkoSolar has secured contracts to supply 100 MW of solar PV modules for two projects in Chile. The plants, one with 60 MW of capacity and one with 40 MW, will be located in Chile’s Atacama Desert region. [Energy Business Review]

¶   Wind energy’s share of Australia’s main electricity market jumped to a record last month, helping to curb emissions from the power sector even as hydro output shrank, according to energy consultancy Pitt & Sherry. [Sydney Morning Herald]

¶   Three years after the 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima, and news of possible restart of offline reactors abound, anti-nuclear demonstrators staged their 100th rally in the country’s capital last Friday. [The Japan Daily Press]

US:

¶   New York State is proposing to turn its electric utilities into a new kind of entity that would buy electricity from hundreds or thousands of small generators and set prices for that electricity and for the costs of running the power grid. [New York Times]

¶   First Wind has closed financing for a 148 MW wind power project in Maine. The Oakfield Wind project in Aroostook County began construction in late 2013, with commercial operations expected in the fourth quarter of 2015. [EcoSeed]

¶   Progress by battery startup Ambri suggests that the market for long-duration grid energy storage is finally taking shape. Storing wind and solar power using current technology is too expensive, but new technologies could make it affordable, enabling wider use of renewables. [MIT Technology Review]

¶   Young people across the country are suing several government agencies for failing to develop a climate change recovery plan, conduct that amounts to a violation of their constitutional rights, says their lawyer Julia Olson. [Al Jazeera America]

¶   According to news posted on the Iowa Utilities Board website, the IUB issued an order on April 9, 2014 in the matter of granting a franchise to MidAmerican Energy to construct, operate and maintain a new transmission line that’s approximately 121 miles long. [Chronicle Times]

¶   Over the past decade, the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in eastern Oregon reduced electricity and natural gas usage by 63% and 76%, respectively, saving nearly $750,000. Now it has a new wind turbine. [KVEW]

Fossils, Finance, and Folly:

¶   “Colorado Anti-Fracking Activism: A Game for Millionaires and Billionaires” San Francisco billionaire Tom Steyer is reportedly interested in bankrolling “ban fracking” activists in Colorado. [Energy Collective] (The author is pro-fracking, and does not seem to mind billionaires meddling with government to get support for fossil fuels.)

¶   Exelon is technically a “utility,” but that’s misleading: No widow or orphan would have been safe investing in Exelon in recent years. Revenue from the company’s fleet of nuclear plants is essentially tied to the cost of natural gas, putting earnings on a roller-coaster ride. [Crain’s Chicago Business] (Lesson: Only a fool would bet on the future of natural gas prices.)

¶   Entergy CEO Leo Denault is predicting above-average growth in the next five to 10 years, thanks to an industrial boom along the Gulf Coast powered by low natural gas prices. He said the company hopes to acquire customers who will use as much as 2,500 MW. [Jackson Clarion Ledger] (He is betting on the future of natural gas prices.)

World:

¶   Hundreds of customers moved around AU$ 4 million out of Westpac, ANZ, NAS and the Commonwealth Bank in a protest organised by campaign groups Market Forces and 350.org to mark Australia’s first ‘National Days of Divestment Action’. [Responding to Climate Change]

¶   Denmark is leading the world in making changes regarding energy sources. The nation has a plan to be 100% dependant on renewable sources by 2050. This will create new jobs, decrease dependency on international resources and increase their exports to other nations. [Guardian Liberty Voice]

¶   Africa is blessed with plentiful resources. The continent has prodigious sunshine, ideal conditions for solar power. Hot rocks store geothermal energy. Vast plains are great sites for wind turbines. Mighty rivers can provide for hydropower projects. Biomass is abundant. [The National]

¶   Nearly half, or 44%, of the Earth’s new electricity production comes from renewable sources, such as wind, solar and water power. With costs declining renewables grow, even though investments into renewable energy production decreased 14% in 2013. [Helsinki Times]

¶   Abandoning nuclear power has long been a plank of Taiwan’s opposition party, but the idea got popular after the Fukushima Disaster. Now, the president of Taiwan has bowed to street protests, and the country’s nuclear policy lies in tatters. [The Economist]

US:

¶   Support continues to grow for including clean and low cost energy efficiency in the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rules for cutting dangerous carbon pollution from existing power plants, with two more positive developments just this week. [Energy Collective]

¶   A federal judge has ruled in favour of the 468 MW Cape Wind project following a legal challenge, the 26th failed legal challenge the project has faced. The judge said, “There comes a point at which the right to litigate can become a vexatious abuse of the democratic process.” [reNews]

¶   Pacific Gas and Electric Company has been recognized by the Solar Electric Power Association as a national leader in solar power. For the sixth consecutive year, PG&E earned a first-place ranking in the Solar Megawatts category with more than 1,400 MW installed. [Paso Robles Daily News]

¶   Not everything Walmart does is terrible. In fact, when it comes to cutting our nation’s energy footprint, Wal-Mart is doing more for you and me and everyone we know than any other American retailer. [Motley Fool] (Not sure about that last bit.)

¶   In 2007, solar panels throughout Massachusetts could generate a total of 3 MW, enough for a little less than 500 homes. Now, there’s a total capacity of 475 MW — enough for more than 230,000 homes. By 2020, state officials want to see 1,600 MW. [The Sun]

Opinion:

¶   “Poland’s Renewable Energy Story (Warning: It Sucks)” The Polish government published yet another version of their renewable energy legislation in April. It’s hard to tell which version it is. Everyone has lost track, including the government itself, I believe. [CleanTechnica]

¶   “Insurance Industry And Renewable Energy Go Hand-In-Hand” Renewable energy is becoming more prominent throughout the world, and the insurance industry may play a major role in the future success of several fields of clean energy. [Live Insurance News]

Carbon and Money:

¶   According to the International Monetary Fund, when you factor in implicit subsidies from the failure to charge for pollution, climate change and other externalities, the post-tax cost of support for fossil fuels comes in at close to $2 trillion each year. [CleanTechnica]

¶   The global fossil fuel industry faces a loss of $28 trillion in revenues over the next two decades, if the world takes action to address climate change, cleans up pollution and moves to decarbonise the global energy system, according to European broking house Kepler Chevreux. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶   Siemens Energy has received its second order from Spanish wind developer Cobra Energia to expand its onshore wind power fleet in Peru by 97 MW. The plant includes a combination of 25 direct drive SWT-3.0-108 wind turbines and eight geared SWT-2.3-108 units. [Today’s Energy Solutions]

¶   The International Renewable Energy Agency is advocating action-oriented initiatives to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy at a high-level meeting hosted by the UAE on May 4-5 is in preparation for the September UN Climate Summit in New York. [Abu Dhabi City Guide]

US:

¶   The Salton Sea, a lake formed in 1905 by a flooding Colorado River, may become the site of a 50 MW geothermal power plant. About a mile beneath Salton’s southern tip, the earth burns at 680º F, making it a perfect place to convert natural heat into electricity. [Barron’s]

¶   FuelCell Energy announced that it will construct a 1.4 MW fuel cell power plant at the University of Bridgeport, CT. The project is a part of the state of Connecticut’s Low-emission Renewable Energy Credit program. [Zacks.com]

¶   North Texas area homeowners can now harness the power of the sun as NRG and Reliant help make residential solar an affordable option for Texas homeowners. The solar installation will power the home directly with renewable energy, and deliver electricity back to the grid. [Today’s Energy Solutions]

¶   Kansas House members voted 63-60 against advancing a bill that would gradually end the state’s renewable portfolio standard, which requires the state’s utility companies to get 20 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2020. [Kansas City Star]

¶   Citing already-apparent climate change impacts to his state’s economy and environment, Governor Jay Inslee of Washington signed an executive order designed to cut fossil fuel emissions and boost renewable energy. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Invenergy has completed construction and kicked off commercial operation at the 200.6 MW Prairie Breeze wind farm in Nebraska. The project features 118 GE 1.7 MW turbines. The Omaha Public Power District will purchase output under a long-term agreement. [reNews]

¶   In a letter sent today to the NRC chair, senators from Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, and California called on the agency to stop issuing exemptions for emergency response regulations to decommissioning nuclear reactors housing spent nuclear fuel. [vtdigger.org]

Opinion:

¶   “Here’s What Happened When I Told Fox News I Wanted to Talk about Climate Change” Fox & Friends producer wanted to talk about future trends. I said #1 will be impacts of climate change. I was told to pick something else. [Scientific American]

World:

¶   Unit 3 at the Boundary Dam Power Station in Saskatchewan will switch on later this year after a lengthy refit. It will be the first time that a commercial-scale plant supplying electricity to the grid captures and stores a large fraction of its carbon dioxide emissions. [Scientific American]

¶   By 2020, Denmark aims to produce 70% of its energy from renewable sources, and it is already at 43%. The plan seems to be working: The Danish economy has grown by 78% since 1980, even though energy consumption has remained nearly the same. [Deutsche Welle]

¶   Swedish thin-film solar cell production line supplier Midsummer has increased its revenues by 192% in 2013 compared to 2012 according to the company’s financial report. Their success is based on an innovative CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide) technology. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶   Vestas has bagged a 63 MW order for the second phase of the Burgos wind farm in the Philippines. The deal with EDC Burgos Wind Power Corporation covers 21 of the Danish manufacturer’s V90 3 MW turbines. [reNews]

¶   Australian network operators have begun to accept that new technologies – mostly centred around localised renewable generation, energy storage, and some smart software – are a better and cheaper option than just adding more poles and wires. [RenewEconomy]

¶   An international nuclear expert expressed skepticism Thursday over Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s plan to set up an ice wall to ultimately stop radioactive water from further increasing at the troubled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear complex. [The Japan Times]

US:

¶   Boston-based sustainability non-profit Ceres is out with a followup study on the sustainability progress of 613 US companies. It indicates that our US business community has still found a few hundred holes in which to bury its collective head. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Strata Solar, a leading utility-scale solar provider, announced today it has installed nine utility-scale solar projects across North Carolina. The projects produce enough electricity to power 5,000 households and displace 28,000 metric tons of CO₂ per year. [AZoCleantech]

¶   Green Mountain Power has announced it will use a planned solar farm at the former Rutland city landfill to test battery technology that would allow it to store power generated at peak times and release it into the grid as needed. [Barre Montpelier Times Argus]

¶   US utility Xcel Energy reached a record this week when wind power met 46% of customers’ electricity needs in the company’s Upper Midwest service territory. The previous record was set in April 2013, when wind generation met 42% of customer demand. [reNews]

¶   The city council of San Luis, Arizona approved construction of a 2,250-foot concrete tower that would generate enough electricity for over 700,000 people by spraying water on hot desert air at the tower’s top, causing the air to sink and turn turbines at the base. [The Atlantic]

¶   Entergy Nuclear has again filed suit against the federal Department of Energy, seeking $88 million it has already spent on handling and storing its high-level radioactive waste at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant in Vernon. [Barre Montpelier Times Argus]

¶   The Pilgrim Nuclear plant was rated among the country’s nine worst performers because of its number of unplanned shutdowns, and people attending a forum on the plant’s record asked why federal regulators aren’t applying more pressure on the owner to make it safer. [Capecodonline]

World:

¶   Last week, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature, approved major amendments to the country’s Environmental Protection Law, the first since the law was enacted 25 years ago. These amendments are a game changer. [Energy Collective]

¶   There’s no shortage of blame being passed around in the wake of another delay in the US regulatory approval process with respect to TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline which, it was announced last Friday, will now drag on for at least another six months. [Energy Collective]

¶   The largest utility-scale solar PV power plant yet constructed in Japan, the 82 MW Oita Solar Project, is now online. Commercial operations at the plant are now ongoing, helping to notably boost the country’s, and region’s, renewable energy capacity. [CleanTechnica]

¶   Sunpower Corporation, one of the largest solar companies in the world has chosen Australia as the proving ground for a new model of power production that promises to give householders more control – and cut bills. The model combines solar PVs, storage, and load management. [ABC Online]

¶   A poll commissioned by RenewableUK Cymru, has shown continued support for renewable energy in Wales. A total of 64% said they favor large-scale wind projects in their local council area. Just 22% support shale gas, and 31% support nuclear, but 81% support local solar. [WalesOnline]

¶   According to a Clean Energy Council commissioned report, removing Australia’s Renewable Energy Target would see Australian households paying over half a billion dollars a year extra for electricity in 2020, and up to $1.4 billion more each year beyond that. [Energy Matters]

¶   China added nearly 40% less coal- and gas-fired power capacity in the first quarter than it did a year ago mainly due to stronger pollution controls and slower economic growth, according to a senior government advisor. [The Canberra Times]

US:

¶   Platts confirmed CSX Corporation’s train that exploded in Lynchburg, Virginia was carrying sweet crude obtained via hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) in North Dakota’s Bakken Shale basin. CSX CEO Michael Ward has also confirmed this to Bloomberg. [De Smog Blog]

¶   US-based food products manufacturer Mars has agreed to purchase the electricity from the 200 MW Mesquite Creek wind farm, near Lamesa in Texas. The wind farm will feature 118 1.7 MW GE turbines, generating enough electricity to power all of Mars’ US operations. [Energy Business Review]

¶   The United Illuminating Co. has selected FuelCell Energy two build a pair of 2.8 MW fuel cell power plants. The plants are expected to be operational early next year. One will be built at the former Bridgeport landfill, where there will also be a solar array. [New Haven Register]

¶   Reduced electricity demand would cause the percentage of US power generated by fossil fuels to decrease and an increase in the share of both renewable and nuclear energy, according to a report by the US Energy Information Administration. [PennEnergy]

¶   A new study by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy says we can reduce CO2 levels with no net cost to the economy. The study shows how the EPA could use four energy efficiency strategies to reduce emissions to 26% below 2012 levels. [The Idaho Statesman]

¶   The Vermont Yankee nuclear plant experienced a small leak of radioactive steam last week. But state and Yankee officials say the leak was contained and the public was not in danger. [Vermont Public Radio]

Opinion:

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

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

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

Science and Technology:

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

World:

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

Science and Technology:

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

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

World:

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

Science and Technology:

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

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

Opinion:

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

Science and Technology:

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

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

World:

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

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

Science and Technology:

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

World:

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

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

Science and Technology:

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

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

Science and Technology:

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

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

Science and Technology:

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

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

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

Science and Technology:

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

World:

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

Business and Economics:

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

Science and Technology:

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

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

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

Science and Technology:

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

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

Science and Technology:

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

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

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

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

Science and Technology:

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

The IPCC Report:

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

World:

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

Science and Technology:

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

Science and Technology:

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

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

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

Science and Technology:

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

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

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

Science and Technology:

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

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

Opinion:

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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