An “Election Insight 2012” report was issued shortly following the elections on November 7, 2012 by SNR Denton, and provides interesting insights into what political issues will take the forefront in the next four years. The report highlights winners and losers both at the federal and local levels as well as provides a short list of who could take over …
Delaware Offshore Wind Project Gets Green Light
The first lease for commercial wind energy development in federal waters has been given to an offshore wind energy project approximately 11 nautical miles off the coast of Delaware. This is the first lease awarded under the Department of Interior’s “Smart from the Start” program to ensure environmentally responsible offshore wind energy development along the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf. “Delaware …
CSP Plant Construction Begins in South Africa
Many in the U.S. may know Abengoa for its ethanol and cellulosic pilot plant initiatives. However, the diversified company has begun construction of two concentrating solar power (CSP) plants in South Africa: 50 megawatts (MW) solar power tower Khi Solar One and 100 MW parabolic trough plan KaXu Solar One. The two plants are just two of 28 renewable energy …
Energy Version 2.0 Website Revealed
USDA has revealed an updated version of its Energy website, launched in January 2012. The site now provides additional resources, new reporting features and investment data current through August of this year. The website is co-linked with several other USDA initiatives include their Energy Investment Maps, Renewable Energy Tool, Energy Matrix and Investment Project Reports. Some of the enhanced features of …
Field to Fryer to Fuel
Here is a new twist on an old idea: rather than simply recycling used cooking oil into biodiesel, a new initiative will locally grow canola, press the seeds into oil, deliver to local restaurants, pick up the used oil, and then repurpose it into biodiesel. The pilot project, known as Field to Fryer to Fuel (F3) received a $130,000 grant …
Solar Planet Power Helps Schools Go Solar
Solar Planet Power has helped several elementary and high schools in West Jefferson and Blacklick, Ohio go solar. The company commissioned a number of ground and rooftop solar projects during October with each project using ReneSola photovoltaic (PV) modules. Solar Planet has more than 10 megawatts of solar power projects contracts in place to install solar power systems in more …
Federal Tax Credit Success
Former Governor Mitt Romney would like to see the estate tax eliminated and he would also like to end the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind energy production. Speaking on ag issues in this Presidential election on the nationally syndicated radio program AgriTalk, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said that he appreciates Romney saying he’s for the Renewable Fuels …
WindMade Label Awarded to BD
The Windmade label has been awarded to Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) a global medical technology company, for using wind power to energize its global operations. The label, which is backed by the UN Global Compact and conservation group WWF, requires participating companies to obtain at least 25 percent of their electricity from wind power. BD uses as much as …
Sancton Hill Wind Farm Fully Financed
The 10 megawatt Sancton Hill Wind Farm has been fully financed according to REG Windpower using a 10 year non-recourse debt facility from the Co-Op Bank. According to company statements, the wind regime was analysed on-site through a relatively novel approach, which utilized long-term reference data from short 16 metre met masts combined with a short ZephIR lidar deployment. ZephIR provides …
CESA Releases Clean Energy Development Trends
This week Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) has released a comprehensive analysis of state clean energy trends and development. “The Rising Tide of State-Supported Renewable Energy Projects: Results from the CESA Database, 1998-2011,” reports that state clean energy funds have been key major drivers of renewable energy development in the U.S. with nearly 130,000 projects and adding around 4.8 new …