In 2013, there were $2.2 billion in benefits from reduced greenhouse gas emissions and $5.2 billion came from reductions in other air pollution for states with renewable portfolio standards (RFS) according to a new study. “A Retrospective Analysis of the Benefits and Impacts of U.S. Renewable Portfolio Standards,” evaluates the benefits and other impacts of RPS policies and was conduced …
Wind Power Gains Speed in Canada
Wind power is gaining speed in Canada. At the end of 2015, the country was the seventh largest in the world for total installed energy capacity with 11,205 MW and sixth in the world for the amount of capacity added in 2015 according to the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA). In total for 2015, Canada added 1,506 MW of new …
Missouri Can Meet Clean Power Plan with Policies, Efficiency
Missouri can meet targets under the Clean Power Plan (CPP) through clean energy policies and better power plant efficiency according to an analysis from World Resources Institute. Under the CPP, the state has a mass-based emissions reduction target of 29 percent below 2012 levels by 2030. The analysis shows that if Missouri achieves its current energy efficiency and renewable energy …
New Hampshire Favors Solar
New Hampshire is one of several states that has a cap on solar net metering placing a cap on in-state solar growth. To assess how consumers living in the state feel about solar, The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC) conducted a poll and found that 4 out of 5 New Hampshire voters favor solar as an energy source. In addition, …
United Wind Offers $200M to Fund Distributed Wind
United Wind‘s WindLease program has been infused with $200 million to fund distributed wind power projects across the U.S. In partnership with Forum Equity Partners, the financing will expand the WindLease program that enables residential and commercial property owners to lease distributed-scale wind turbines. According to United Wind, the program allows customers to tap wind energy through a fixed-rate, 20-year …
Vaisala Partners to Assess Growth of Wind Energy
Vaisala is partnering with several groups to assess the potential of growth for wind energy. Southeastern Wind Coalition (SWEC) members Southern Company and Santee Cooper will be working with Vaisala on a wind feasibility study to assist the utilities in identifying the potential for utility-scale wind development. Currently, the region has very little wind energy production. The southwest has a …
SolarCity Stops Sales in Nevada
SolarCity has stopped sales in Nevada due to the decision by the Nevada Public Utilities Commission to “undermine Nevadans’ ability to go solar” according to the company who opened an office in the state in 2013. The company says the decision by the PUC to raise fees for rooftop solar” amounts to a “massive bait and switch” for both the …
American Wind Power Blows Beyond 70 GW
American wind power has blown beyond the 70 gigawatt (GW) mark. There is now enough power generated from wind to supply more than 19 million average American homes. This milestone was achieved in November leading into a historic climate agreement by global leaders to reduce carbon emission. This, along with the Clean Power Plan will continue to drive demand for …
New Report, Some Hits…Some Misses for Renewables
A new report, “Some Hits, Some Misses…All-in-All…To Be Taken with a Grain of Salt,” looks at the accuracy of the forecasts for renewable electricity made by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) in its monthly “Short-Term Energy Outlook” (STEO) reports. Published by the SUN DAY Campaign, the report finds 2015 forecasts have generally followed the actual pattern of ups-and-downs in …
Solar Industry Celebrates Passage of Tax Extenders
The solar industry is celebrating the passage of the tax extenders package on Friday, December 18, 2015 that included several clean energy credits. The omnibus appropriations bill included a 5-year solar investment tax credit (ITC) extension. The 30 percent ITC for solar will be extended for another three years. It will then ramp down to 26 percent in 2020 and …