PHEV GO, EV NO

Plug-in hybrid sales soar; all-electric cars stay in low gear; Analysts say electric cars' limited range and higher prices, as well as the lack of a widespread public charging infrastructure, have hurt the appeal of the vehicles. But sales of plug-in hybrids — vehicles that can travel miles on battery power before a traditional gasoline engine kicks in — are soaring.Jerry Hirsch, July 27, 2012 (LA Times via Seattle Times) “…Sales of what are considered...

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FEDS SPEED SOLAR PERMITS

Obama solar energy plan aims to speed up permitting processJoe Nelson, July 28, 2012 (Inland Valley Daily Bulletin) “The Obama Administration has released a sweeping environmental plan for solar energy projects in California's Mojave Desert and five other western states that aims to expedite the permitting process while protecting sensitive lands and endangered wildlife…The Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement…marks what the Departments...

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U.S. LEVIES WIND TOWER TARIFF ON CHINA, VIETNAM

Commerce Preliminarily Finds Dumping of Imports of Utility Scale Wind Towers from the People’s Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam July 27, 2012 (International Trade Administration) “…[T]he Department of Commerce (Commerce) announced its affirmative preliminary determinations in the antidumping duty (AD) investigations of imports of utility scale wind towers from the People’s Republic of China (China) and the Socialist Republic...

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GE SUFFERS FROM GOP BLOCK ON WIND INCENTIVE

GE blames drop in wind turbine sales on tax uncertaintyZack Colman, July 20, 2012 (The Hill) “General Electric, the nation's largest producer of wind turbines, is blaming a drop in orders on the uncertainty surrounding a wind-production tax credit. “GE’s wind sales fell 37 percent from the second quarter of 2011 to the same quarter in 2012…[GE] attributed most of the decrease in sales to the tax credit's uncertain future.” click to enlarge“A slew...

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A TRILLION $$$ FOR NEW ENERGY

How To Tap A Trillion Dollars For Renewable Energy InvestmentJigar Shah, July 23, 2012 (Forbes) “Since the late 1970s the U.S. has avoided creating a comprehensive energy policy. Instead, we have…[p]ermanent tax credits for the fossil fuel industry and temporary credits and subsidies for the renewable energy industry…[T]the Production Tax Credit for wind energy…is set to expire on Dec. 31 unless it is renewed for another two-year run…[Solar’s] 30%...

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HOW A COAL BURNER CAN CLEAN UP

Greenpeace Report Shows a Cheaper, Cleaner Pathway for Duke EnergyJuly 25, 2012 (EcoWatch) “…[Greenpeace’s] Charting the Correction Course: A Clean Energy Pathway for Duke Energy…details how Duke Energy can save their customers $108 billion over 20 years by investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency. “…Under Duke’s current plan, the majority of energy generated in North and South Carolina over the next 20 years will be sourced from 70-year-old...

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OFFSHORE WIND CAN BE PEAK POWER

Lesson from heatwave: Offshore project would pump lots of electricity during summer peaks, says Deepwater20 July 2012 (Wind Energy Weekly) “Record-high temperatures along the East Coast in recent weeks have spurred conversation about the availability of electric capacity during peak usage…Deepwater Wind this week released data showing that its planned Deepwater Wind Energy Center (DWEC), a 900-MW offshore wind farm that would be located 20 miles...

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NEW HAMPSHIRE WIND BOOM

Advocates voice optimism for NH's wind power potentialGerry Miles, July 15, 2012 (New Hampshire Union Leader) “New Hampshire has the potential to have its wind industry grow fivefold during 2012, according to the American Wind Energy Association…State wind production is currently 26 megawatts, with projects that will produce an additional 147 megawatts under construction…[and the use of] renewable energies in the state is growing… “The Lempster Wind...

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SOLAR’S TAX CREDIT PAYS 10% PROFIT

Study: Solar Investment Tax Credit Pays For Itself, Delivers 10% Return20 July 2012 (Solar Industry) “The solar investment tax credit (ITC) can deliver a 10% internal rate of return to taxpayers on the U.S. government's initial investment, according to [Paid In Full; An Analysis of the Return to the Federal Taxpayer for Internal Revenue Code Section 48 Solar Energy Investment Tax Credit (ITC)] published by the U.S. Partnership for Renewable Finance...

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GE TURBINES MAKE WIND CHEAPER THAN COAL IN INDIA

GE Turbines Help Greenko Drive Wind Power Cost Below CoalNatalie Obiko Pearson, July 18, 2012 (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) “The cost of wind power has dropped below the price of coal-fired energy in parts of India for the first time as improved turbine technology and rising fossil-fuel prices boost its competitiveness, Greenko Group Plc (GKO) said… “The cost of wind has closed in on coal thanks to more advanced turbines, which can produce more electricity...

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WIND IS WORTH BILLIONS TO ILLINOIS

Report: Wind farms add billions of dollars to local economiesMary Ann Ford, July 17, 2012 (Pantagraph) “Illinois’ 23 largest wind farms — several of which are in Central Illinois — will add $5.8 billion to local economies over the life of the projects, according to [ Wind Energy Development in Illinois from] Illinois State University… “The construction of wind farms…[in Illinois] generated 19,047 construction jobs and 814 local, long-term jobs…During...

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CHINA SUN COUNTERATTACKS AT U.S. POLYSILICON

Trade War Continues: China Investigating Whether U.S. Dumped Solar-Grade Polysilicon20 July 2012 (Solar Industry) “China has reportedly launched an investigation into whether exporters from the U.S. and South Korea illegally dumped solar-grade polysilicon…The probe was launched after four companies - GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Ltd., LDK Solar Co., Daqo New Energy Corp. and China Silicon Corp. - filed complaints with the [Chinese Ministry of Commerce...

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TOPS AND FLOPS OF ENERGY EFFICIENT NATIONS

ACEEE: United Kingdom Tops in Energy Efficiency, U.S. Lags in 9th Place; First International Energy Efficiency Scorecard of 12 Major Economies Also Finds Germany, Italy, and Japan Ranking Highly; U.S. Behind Most Countries, Including China, France, and Australia.July 12, 2012 (American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy) “The United Kingdom comes in first in a new energy efficiency ranking of the world's major economies, followed closely by...

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1,800 MW OFFSHORE WIND FROM SIEMENS TO UK

Siemens to supply 300 offshore wind turbines to DONG Energy; Projects in the United Kingdom to receive 300 of Siemens 6MW direct drive wind turbines2012 July 19 (Siemens) “Siemens and DONG Energy continue[d] their successful cooperation in offshore wind…[with an] agreement for the supply of a total of 300 wind turbines with a capacity of 1,800 megawatts (MW)…[The] new SWT-6.0-154 direct drive wind turbine…will be installed in wind power plants off...

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U.S. BATTERY MAKER SUPPLIES CHINA GRID

A123 Systems to Supply Energy Storage System to Ray Power for Frequency Regulation in China; System Designed to Showcase Lithium Ion Battery Energy Storage as a Fast, Accurate and Clean Resource for Facilitating the Increased Integration of Renewable Energy Generation onto China's Power GridJuly 20, 2012 (A123 Systems) “A123 Systems (Nasdaq:AONE), a developer and manufacturer of advanced Nanophosphate® lithium iron phosphate batteries and systems…will supply a 2MW grid energy storage system to Ray Power Systems Co. Ltd., a Chinese company focused...

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WHO GOT SOLAR VC $$$ IN Q2

Where The $376 Million In Solar Venture-Capital Funding Went In Q217 July 2012 (Solar Industry) “Venture-capital (VC) funding in the solar sector continued to rise steadily in the second quarter, according to Mercom Capital Group's new report on funding and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the solar market…VC funding totaled $376 million in 32 deals in the second quarter, compared to $329 million in 34 deals in the first quarter…Downstream...

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NEW AND CLEARER NEW ENERGY COST DATA SOURCE

New Database Makes Costs of Energy Technologies More TransparentJuly 16, 2012 (EERE News via U.S. Department of Energy) “As part of the Energy Department's Open Energy Information platform (Open EI) and its continued commitment to open and transparent energy data, the Department released… a new public database featuring cost and performance estimates for electric generation, advanced vehicle, and renewable fuel technologies… “…TheTransparent Cost...

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GREAT LAKES OFFSHORE WIND PICKS A TURBINE

LEEDCo Targeting Siemens' 3 MW Turbine16 July 2012 (North American Windpower) “Lake Erie Energy Development Corp. (LEEDCo)…is now targeting Siemens' 3 MW direct-drive wind turbine for its Icebreaker offshore wind farm, a proposed five- to nine-turbine project seven miles off the coast of Cleveland in Lake Erie… “…LEEDCo had selected GE Energy's 4.1 MW offshore wind turbines…[but] GE would not devote the resources necessary to make modifications in...

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WIND FOR NEW ENGLAND

While Cape Wind is debated, land-based development of wind power takes offErin Ailworth, July 9, 2012 (Boston Globe) “Despite controversy that has slowed the Cape Wind project in Nantucket Sound, land-based wind farms are expanding rapidly in the region…One company alone, First Wind Holdings LLC of Boston, has installed enough turbines in the Northeast over the past few years to generate nearly as much power as the long-awaited offshore wind farm…...

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REGULATOR’S REPORT ON SAN ONOFRE DUE

Crisis at San Onofre; What to Look For in the NRC’s Final ReportBill Walker, July 17, 2012 (Friends of the Earth) “…[T]he U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is expected to issue the final report from its Augmented Inspection Team (AIT) investigation of the steam generator crisis at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, which has kept the plant shut down since January…[Friends of the Earth experts] – including Dave Freeman, former head of the...

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PLUG IN CARS AND THE SMART GRID

Smart Grid And Electric Vehicles: A Match Made In Heaven?11 July 2012 (Renew Grid) “The widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) will lead to greater consumption of electricity. As a result, existing electricity systems will have to be reconfigured to meet these needs, and this is where the smart grid can play an important role, according to Smart Grids and Electric Vehicles: Made for each other? by the International Transport Forum. “Smart...

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BIG MONEY IN SERVICING WIND

US O&M spending to reach $6 billion by 202511 July 2012 (Windpower Monthly) “Annual spending on operations and maintenance (O&M) in the US wind industry will double from just under $3 billion this year to nearly $6 billion in 2025, accounting for 29% of total capital expenditures in the sector. “…[C]onsulting firm IHS Emerging Energy Research says it expects O&M spending to grow at a 5.5% compound annual rate as total installed onshore...

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HOUSE REPUBLICANS ATTACK NEW ENERGY

Assault On Solar? House Republicans Fire Off 'No More Solyndras Act'Laura DiMiugno, 12 July 2012 (Solar Industry) [Editor’s note: The loan guarantee was evaluated by a conservative Republican and found to be untarnished. Its less than three percent failure rate is far lower than even the best venture capitalists and it has funded some of the most promising cutting edge New Energy technologies.] “…Republicans in the House of Representatives have offered...

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THE ADVENT OF ULTRA HVDC

ABB Develops And Tests Ultrahigh-Voltage Direct-Current Transformer6 July 2012 (Renew Grid) “ABB says it has successfully developed and tested a 1,100 kV ultrahigh-voltage direct-current converter transformer. The Xiangjiaba-Shanghai link, which was commissioned by ABB, has a capacity of 6.4 GW and covers a distance of just over 2,000 km, making it the longest of its kind in operation, according to the company. The new 1,100 kV converter transformer...

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THE HVDC ADVANTAGE

Is HVDC Transmission Project Potential Just Lots Of Hype?4 July 2012 (Renew Grid) “If all of the planned transmission projects using high-voltage alternating-current (HVAC) and high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) technologies were to be built between now and 2020, cumulative global investment would be a little over $217 billion, according to Pike Research…[but] the research firm says that officially announced budgets and schedules for HVDC systems...

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A BETTER SOLAR ROOF

Companies To Develop 34-Meter Solar Module On A Roofing Membrane6 July 2012 (Solar Industry) “ISOVOLTAIC, Isosport, Renolit, Konarka AIT and Hymmen are developing a 34-meter-long flexible solar module on a roofing membrane. The companies say these modules have potential to produce more cost-effective power due to reduced production and installation costs. “Flexible solar modules that combine the roofing membrane and solar module in one structural...

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HOW WIND WILL USE NEW BIRD RULES

How Wind Developers Can Successfully Navigate FWS Siting GuidelinesDavid Stout, 5 July 2012 (North American Windpower) “The U.S. wind industry has made an unprecedented and extraordinary commitment to develop projects that are compatible with the highest environmental standards…[as laiod out by] the Secretary of the Interior's Windpower Siting Guidelines Committee…[T]he U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) [guidelines] provide the template for consistent,...

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UTILITIES’ SNEAK ATTACK ON CA SOLAR

‘Sneaky’ PV net-Metering Proposal Slipped Into California LegislationJessica Lillian, 5 July 2012 (Solar Industry) “After months of intensive lobbying to ensure maximum solar net-metering availability, California's solar sector came close to seeing its efforts undone - courtesy of a quietly introduced bill sponsored by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). “In May, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted unanimously in favor of...

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MAKING OCEAN ENERGY BETTER

Marine energy doubled by predicting wave power27 June 2012 (University of Exeter) “The energy generated from our oceans could be doubled using new methods for predicting wave power…[and] pave the way for significant advancements in marine renewable energy, making it a more viable source of power…[The study by mathematicians and engineers from the University of Exeter and Tel Aviv University…devised a means of accurately predicting the power of the...

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40% MORE NEW ENERGY BY 2017

IEA sees renewable energy growth accelerating over next 5 years5 July 2012 (International Energy Agency) “Renewable power generation is expected to continue its rapid growth over the next five years, according to [Medium-Term Renewable Energy Market Report 2012] from the International Energy Agency (IEA)…[It] acknowledges the coming-of-age of the renewable energy sector…The report says that despite economic uncertainties in many countries, global...

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THE ENERGY STORAGE MARKET RIGHT NOW

Energy Storage Projects Continue to Increase Worldwide, Rising 8% in the First Half of 2012July 5, 2012 (Pike Research) “The market for energy storage is dynamic, but still immature. To date it has been dogged by three criticisms: the market is overstated (projects have been announced but are not online); energy storage is too expensive; and advanced storage technologies are dependent on government support… “…[A]ccording to a new tracker report...

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TOP PV MAKERS TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR

Top-Tier Photovoltaic Polysilicon and Wafer Producers to be Profitable in 2013; Despite continuous price pressure, falling costs expected to enable positive margins for best of class suppliersJuly 2, 2012 (SolarBuzz) “PV (photovoltaic) polysilicon prices are forecast to drop 48% and wafer prices 56% year-over-year in 2012. With such severe price declines, only 12 Chinese PV polysilicon manufacturers are still producing, and more than half of these...

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CAPE WIND BEGINS PRE-BUILDING

Cape Wind Begins Major Offshore Operations with Commencement of Final Design & Engineering; Massachusetts-based Specialists are Part of Geology Survey TeamJuly 5, 2012 (Cape Wind) “Cape Wind [America’s first offshore wind farm] has commenced a major geotechnical and geophysical survey operation as part of its construction design and engineering process and initial mobilization of the project on Horseshoe Shoal in Nantucket Sound. “This multi-million...

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ARKANSAS WANTS NEW ENERGY

Arkansas Group Calls For CES In Long-Term Energy Plan Recommendations29 June 2012 (North American Windpower) “The Arkansas Advanced Energy Association (AAEA) has unveiled its policy recommendations for the state's long-term energy plan - which include calling for a state clean energy standard (CES)…[T]o grow its economy…the state needs to expand its energy workforce and manufacturing base through the increased development, manufacture, and utilization...

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