Trina Solar has announced that it provided Osaka Sangyo University (OSU) with its newly developed Interdigitated Back Contact (IBC) cells and modules for OSU’s Solar Car, the “OSU-Model-S”. The OSU-Model-S will compete in early August in the IFA Suzuka Solar Car Race, the largest international solar car race taking place in Japan. Green Charge Networks was named as one of …
USDA to Invest $100M in Biofuels Infrastructure
The Biofuels Infrastructure Partnership is getting an infusion of up to $100 million according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack. The funds will be used to build and update infrastructure needed to bring more biofuels to market. The announcement came on the same day that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the Renewable Fuel Obligations (RVO) for …
BioEnergy Bytes
Suntech has announced that it will supply approximately 63 MW of solar panels to 8 separate Gunkul Engineering projects being constructed across Thailand. The projects are expected to be grid connected and operational by the end of 2015. Gaelectric and Tesla today announced the purchase and planned deployment of Tesla Energy’s first battery power utility-scale project in Ireland. The two …
How Renewables Fit in Clean Power Plan
How will the electricity energy mix change with the implementation of the Clean Power Plan? This question was reviewed in the latest Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Today in Energy. Using the Annual Energy Outlook 2015 (AEO2015) as the baseline, the main compliance strategy to lower emissions rates as the proposed rule comes into effect is to increase natural gas-fired generation …
Report: LA Solar
According to the research report “Los Angeles Solar: Now and into the Future”, city utilities must overcome implementation challenges in order to continue the growth of solar energy. The report, commissioned by the Los Angeles Business Council Institute, finds that the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has the opportunity to wean itself from polluting coal-fired power – …
Wind Industry Presses Washington for Action
Republican and Democrat governors are pressing U.S. Senate and House leadership in an effort spur action on tax incentives used to grow the country’s wind energy industry. Washington Democrat Gov. Jay Inslee and Iowa Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively of the Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition, co-signed a letter insisting federal policymakers “support timely extensions” of the …
BioEnergy Bytes
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is the topic of discussion at the next EcoEngineers quarterly Business Breakfast on Friday, June 12, 2015 from 7:30 am to 9:30 am at the Renaissance Savery Hotel in Des Moines, Iowa. Stephanie Weisenbach of Iowa Clean Cities Coalition will lead a panel of experts who will discuss the evolution in the use of Compressed Natural …
Iowans Continue to Speak For RFS
With indication that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may finally announce the 2014, 2015 and 2016 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO) for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by June 1st, Iowa legislators are once again calling for forward momentum of the RFS. Iowa Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, Reps. Dave Loebsack, Steve King, David Young, and Rod Blum—Iowa’s entire federal …
DOE Offers $32M for Solar
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $32 million in funding to train Americans to enhance the country’s solar energy workforce. The monies are part of the DOE’s SunShot Initiative. The funds will also go to company’s that can develop innovative, low-cost concentrating solar power collectors and to increase access to solar data. According to the Solar Energy Industries …
BioEnergy Bytes
Navigant Research’s Electric Vehicle Geographical Forecast, analyzes the North American market for light duty plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), including detailed geographic forecasts of PEV sales by U.S. state, metropolitan statistical area (MSA), Canadian province, Canadian city, and selected U.S. utility service area. With more than 133,000 PEVs sold in 2014, North America is currently the world’s strongest market for these …