LEARN WHAT ENERGIEWENDE MEANS

Book of the Year: Clean Break, the Story of Germany's Energy Transformation -- and What Americans Can Learn From ItJeff Biggers, December 20, 2012 (Huffington Post) “Energiewende might be the most important German word to ever enter our American vocabulary…[J]ournalist Osha Davidson's riveting [inspiring and downright revelatory] new ebook, Clean Break: The Story of Germany's Energy Transformation -- and What Americans Can Learn From It, the story...

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FIVE CORPORATE TRENDS TOWARD NEW ENERGY

5 Energy Trends That Will Impact Your Business In 2013Brian O’Connell, December 21, 2012 (Forbes) “…[M]ore and more executives are locked in on the energy market and are promising to leverage that market to improve sustainability at their firms…[According to A New Era of Sustainability from Accenture and the UN Global Compact] 93% of the 766 CEOs surveyed say that energy sustainability is either ‘important’ or ‘very important.’ …100% of CEOs in the...

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THE FALL OF COAL

2012: After Repeated Losses, Coal Industry Continues Downward Spiral; One Coal Plant Retired Each Week in 2012December 20, 2012 (Sierra Club) Over the past twelve months, the nationwide campaign to phase out coal burning in the United States continued to win victories from coast to coast, including securing dozens of coal plant retirements and record investments in wind and solar…[An unprecedented coalition including Sierra Club and more than a hundred...

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U.S. OFFSHORE WIND TO GROW SLOWLY

Report: U.S. Offshore Wind Energy Progress Expected To Be 'Lackluster' Through 201617 December 2012 (North American Windpower) “Offshore wind energy installations are expected to achieve a compound annual growth rate of 44% between 2011 and 2016, with 18 GW of installations expected by the end of that period, according to a new analysis from MAKE Consulting. Much of that growth can be attributed to favorable policy in Europe and China…Europe will...

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RAPIDLY RISING DISTRIBUTED RENEWABLES

Renewable Distributed Energy Generation Installations Will Reach Nearly $86 Billion in Market Value by 2017December 12, 2012 (Pike Research/Navigant) “Renewable distributed energy generation (RDEG) technologies, which contrast sharply with the traditional centralized utility model of large-scale power generation, represent a growing opportunity for the electric power industry. Worldwide, utility companies, investors, and policymakers are testing...

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SMART METERS COMING ON

Worldwide Smart Meter Shipments Surpass 15.4 Million Units in 3Q 2012, According to IDC Energy Insights; Cellular AMI Communications Will Present Growth Opportunity Through 2016December 10, 2012 “Worldwide smart meter shipments surpassed 15.4 million units in the third quarter of 2012 (3Q12), representing year-over-year growth of 126.9% and a 58.6% increase over the second quarter, according to the IDC Energy Insights Worldwide Quarterly Smart Meter...

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THE EMERGING WIRELESS CAR CHARGING MARKET

Wireless Charging Systems for Electric Vehicles4Q 2012 (Pike Research/Navigant) “During the past few years, wireless charging for electric vehicles (EVs) has appeared to be mainly a promising technology with no viable market. In the last 6 to 12 months, however, these factors have begun to shift… “…Nearly all of the major EV manufacturers have announced partnerships to develop wireless charging systems and there are signs that such systems, installed...

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FEDS BACK GREAT LAKES WIND

Lake Erie Wind Turbine Project, ‘Icebreaker,’ Wins $5 Million in New Funding; $4 Million Awarded by U.S. Department of Energy Plus $1 Million Private Cost ShareDecember 12, 2012 (Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation) “The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today $5 million in new funding for Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo), the non-profit corporation leading the effort for the first freshwater offshore wind project in...

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AFTER THE STORM, BRINGING SOLAR HOME

Solar Panels for Every HomeDavid Crane and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., December 12, 2012 (NY Times) “…Residents of New Jersey and New York have lived through three major storms in the past 16 months, suffering through sustained blackouts, closed roads and schools, long gas lines and disrupted lives, all caused by the destruction of our electric system. When our power industry is unable to perform its most basic mission of supplying safe, affordable and...

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SUN SCORES HIT ON WALL STREET

SolarCity's Stock Debut: Wall Street Success In A Struggling Market?Jessica Lillian, 13 December 2012 (Solar Industry) "Shares in…PV integrator SolarCity (NASDAC:SCTY) began trading on the NASDAQ Global Market this Thursday, following months of anticipation…[Marketer and installer] SolarCity has been heralded by some industry analysts and executives as the next great hope in a solar stock market dominated by acutely suffering module manufacturers…SolarCity...

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MORE GEOTHERMAL FROM LASER DRILLING

Laser drills could relight geothermal energy dreamsJeff Hecht, 13 December 2012 (New Scientist) “From fossil fuels to geothermal heat, accessing the planet's energy riches usually involves boring deep into the Earth with giant metal drills. But could lasers do the same job?...Foro Energy, a start-up company in Littleton, Colorado, has developed what it claims is an inexpensive system of high-powered lasers that can rip through rock, potentially revolutionising...

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TRADE WAR OVER WIND TOWERS

US wind tower producers plead for duties on China, VietnamDoug Palmer, December 13, 2012 (Reuters) “U.S. wind tower manufacturers, already facing the expiration of a tax credit that has pumped up demand for wind energy projects…[pleaded] for a U.S. government panel to approve steep duties on imports from China and Vietnam…[at a hearing ahead of] a final Commerce Department determination…of whether Chinese and Vietnamese wind tower manufacturers are...

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SOLAR LABOR COST V. QUALITY FIGHT

Behind The Controversy Over Unlicensed Workers At Mass. Solar SiteJessica Lillian, 5 December 2012 (Solar Industry) “…Massachusetts has seen growing controversy over PV installation staffing - particularly at large-scale, ground-mounted commercial solar farm sites…[A]nyone who installs ‘wires, conduits, apparatus, devices, fixtures or other appliances for carrying or using electricity for light, heat, power, fire warning or security system purposes’...

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COMING FROM UTILITIES NEXT YEAR

…Top 10 List: What Utilities Should Expect In 201310 December 2012 (Renew Grid) “…[IDC Energy Insights’] top 10 predictions for the North American utility industry in 2013…[were]…1. Utilities will make outage prevention, readiness and response a top priority in 2013…2. Smart meter shipments will fall below 9 million units… “…3. In the next five years, consumer spending will transform home energy management…4. By 2017, 70% of advanced metering infrastructure...

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BIGGER BETTER BLADES FOR MORE CHEAPER WIND

Wind Blades: The “Fabric” of Our Clean Energy Future; GE, Virginia Tech, and NREL begin project that could change how wind blades are designed, manufactured, and installed.December 2, 2012 9Today’s Energy Solutions) “…[M]ost of the cost of electricity for wind [is] in the initial capital investments made in the wind turbines…[A new blade design from a GE, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Virginia Tech), and the National Renewable...

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A WHOLE NEW BIG WIND CONCEPT

CWE gets Arizona planning OK for second wind towerDarius Snieckus, December 4, 2012 (ReCharge News) “Authorities in Arizona have approved a plan by US renewables developer Clean Wind Energy (CWE) to build a second 685-metre, wind-powered downdraft tower near the city of San Luis, clearing the way for a proposed two-unit project that hopes to supply power to one million homes. “CWE’s scheme is built around hollow cylindrical structures equipped with a water-spray system, designed to each generate 850MW from high-speed ‘downbursts’ of air that turn...

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CALIF SUN SHINES BRIGHTER

California Poised to Regain US Solar PV Dominance…December 4, 2012 (SolarBuzz) “Driven by a combination of policy initiatives, California is poised to regain its dominant position in the US solar PV market in 2013…Once the dominant player in the US on-grid PV market, California’s share gradually declined as New Jersey, Arizona, and other states on the East Coast launched their own initiatives to deploy PV and to diversify their energy portfolio....

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CONTROLING ENHANCED GEOTHERMAL’S SEISMIC ISSUE

Major stimulation completed at Habanero 410 December 2012 (Geodynamics Ltd) “Geodynamics Limited…has successfully carried out a major stimulation of the Habanero 4 well over a 14 day period from 17 to 30 November 2012…During the stimulation and the subsequent pressure decline after the stimulation ended, Geodynamics’ seismic monitoring network detected more than 24,000 micro-seismic events…extending up to 1,500 metres away from the well. “The data...

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THE BEST WAYS TO CONNECT WIND AND SUN

Wind integration best practices report underscores industry experience, knowledgeDecember 7, 2012 (Wind Energy Weekly) “…Review of Industry Practice and Experience in the Integration of Wind and Solar Generation…[examines] a number of scenarios for various levels and combinations of penetrations of various technologies including solar and land-based and offshore wind [on the electricity grid]. “…[It] provides [for Mid-Atlantic grid operator PJM Interconnection...

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LOOK FOR THE RENEWABLES LABEL

Consumer Demand For Climate Solutions Leads To Expansion Of WindMade Label; Supported by UN Global Compact, WWF, GWEC and Vestas, WindMade announces development of new renewable energy label to recognize a wide variety of renewable energy sources4 December 2012 (WindMade) “…[The WindMade organisation will develop] a new consumer label for companies and products made using renewable energy. This will be backed by the UN Global Compact, WWF, Vestas Wind Systems, and the Global Wind Energy Council, the partners behind the WindMade eco-label… “WindMade...

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THE REMADE LEAD ACID BATTERY MARKET

Advanced Lead-Acid Batteries; Enhanced Flooded, Valve-Regulated, Lead-Carbon, and UltraBatteries for Motive, Transportation, and Stationary Applications: Global Market Analysis and Forecasts4Q 2012 (Pike Research/Navigant) “Conventional lead-acid batteries have a significant history in providing energy storage for a variety of end-use applications, both mobile and stationary…[Their] technical deficiencies… – namely short cycle lives and slow charging...

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PV DEMAND LEVELING OUT

PV demand in 2012 below 30GW? A sobering tonic as the industry goes to rehabFinlay Colville, 30 November 2012 (PVTech) “…2012 will definitely be remembered as…a year in which forecasts and guidance were rarely achieved…[and] being able to report ‘less amount of losses’ quarter on quarter was marketed as a success…[But] failure to hit the PV manufacturers’ demand ‘consensus’ from mid-year could…sober up the industry…2013-2014 would then be the rehabilitation...

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BLDG-VEHICLE ENERGY SHARING OPPORTUNITY BEGINS

Vehicle to Building Technologies; Energy Storage, Backup Power, Peak Shaving, and Building Operations Cost Reductions: Market Analysis and Forecasts4Q 2012 (Pike Research/Navigant) “In the coming decade, the energy stored in plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) batteries will increasingly be made available to commercial buildings with intelligent building energy management systems (BEMS) to proactively manage energy consumption and costs. “…[V]ehicle-to-building...

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FEDS BACK ENERGY STORAGE

DOE-Funded Energy-Storage Hub Will Develop Solutions For Intermittent Renewable Energy03 December 2012 (North American Windpower) “The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded up to $120 million over five years to a multi-partner team led by Argonne National Laboratory to establish a new batteries and energy-storage hub that will help develop new technology to take greater advantage of intermittent renewable energy sources like wind energy and...

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WIND PUTS 25% OF POWER, 10 GW, ON MIDWEST GRID

Wind power output tops 10,000 MW in U.S. MidwestNovember 28, 2012 (Reuters) “Wind power output in the U.S. Midwest electrical grid surpassed 10,000 megawatts (MW) for the first time on Nov. 23, representing more than 25 percent of the generation being used at that time. “MISO manages more than 11,000 MW of installed wind generation in service, with more than 7,000 MW of projects under construction or development…[One megawatt] powers about 300 homes.”click...

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INDIA-U.S. SOLAR TRADE WAR

New Trade War Twist: India Now Investigating Solar Imports From U.S.Jessica Lillian, 29 November 2012 (Solar Industry) "Shortly after the completion of the U.S. Department of Commerce's investigation into Chinese solar exports, the U.S. now finds itself involved in…[India's] anti-dumping investigation into photovoltaic cells exported into India from the U.S…China, Malaysia and Taiwan…A coalition of India-based PV manufacturers, including Indosolar...

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MILESTONES FOR TIDAL CURRENT POWER

Hat Trick for SeaGen Tidal Current Turbine2012 November 28 (Siemens) “The tidal current turbine installation SeaGen in Northern Ireland's Strangford Lough has achieved three power generation milestones… “…[T]he tidal current turbine has fed [a record breaking] more than six gigawatt hours of electrical power into the grid [since installation in 2008]…” click to enlarge“…[The] leap from five to six gigawatt hours took only 68 days to complete…the...

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THREE TIMES THE WIND BY 2020

Global Wind Energy Outlook 2012: Global Wind Power Market Could Triple by 202014 November 2012 (Global Wind Energy Council) “…[The fourth Greenpeace International and the Global Wind Energy Council] bi-annual report on the future of the wind industry…shows that wind power could supply up to 12% of global electricity by 2020, creating 1.4 million new jobs and reducing CO2 emissions by more than 1.5 billion tons per year, more than 5 times today’s...

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MORE NEW ENERGY IN CHINA

China’s Clean-Energy Power Output Rises 48% in OctoberNovember 22, 2012 (Bloomberg News) “Electricity generated from clean energy in China rose 48 percent to 92.7 billion kilowatt hours in October from a year ago as installations grew…In the year to October, electricity generated from clean- energy sources, including from hydro and nuclear plants, increased 26 percent to 810.2 billion kilowatt hours, the State Electricity Regulatory Commission said…”click...

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WHAT THE PIPELINE DECISION COULD MEAN

Obama pipeline decision may preview energy policyJosh Lederman, December 1, 2012 (AP via San Jose Mercury-News) “…[President Barack Obama’s] next move on a proposed oil pipeline between the U.S. and Canada may signal how he will deal with climate and energy issues…[He] is facing increasing pressure to determine the fate of the $7 billion Keystone XL project, with environmental activists and oil producers each holding out hope that the president,...

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CHINA Q3 WIND FINANCIALS BLEAK

Sinovel, Goldwind Forecast ‘Arduous’ 2013 as Turbine Sales DropNovember 19, 2012 (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) “Sinovel Wind Group Co. (601558) and Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co. (002202), China’s biggest makers of wind turbines, forecast a difficult 2013 after reporting a decline in sales in the third quarter… “…[Sinovel foresees] grid constraints, slowing growth and [a challenging] economic environment…Goldwind also predicts tough market...

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CAPE WIND PPA APPROVED

Massachusetts DPU Approves Cape Wind's PPA With NSTAR27 November 2012 (North American Windpower) “Following an eight-month proceeding, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has approved the 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) between NSTAR Electric Co. and Cape Wind Associates for the Cape Wind project, a 468 MW offshore wind project planned for Nantucket Sound… “The DPU concluded that the benefits of the contract exceeded its...

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SOLAR PRICES CONTINUE TO FALL

Costs Of Solar Energy Rapidly Declining Throughout U.S. Market27 November 2012 (Solar Industry) “The installed price of solar photovoltaic power systems in the U.S. fell substantially in 2011 and through the first half of 2012, according to the latest edition of Tracking the Sun, an annual PV cost-tracking report produced by the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab)…The median installed price of residential and...

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BIG MICHIGAN WIND GOES ONLINE

Lake Winds Energy Park Begins Serving Customers; Consumers Energy's First Wind Park in Operation, Made Possible by Michigan's Energy Reform LawNovember 22. 2012 (PR Newswire via MarketWatch) “Consumers Energy's $250 million Lake Winds Energy Park began serving electric customers…[with its] generating capacity of 100 megawatts. It consists of 56 wind-generation turbines…The utility's investment in Lake Winds was made possible by Michigan's landmark...

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