US Solar Nears 16GW of Installed Capacity

Joanna Schroeder

According to a new report from GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the U.S. installed 1,133 MW of solar photovoltaics (PV) in the second quarter of this year. Q2 2014 U.S. Solar Market Insight report finds that more than half-million homes and business are now generating solar energy and they account for nearly half of all solar …

Electricity, Research, Solar

Kyocera’s Largest Floating Solar Farm Underway

Joanna Schroeder

Kyocera Corporation, Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation and Ciel et Terre International will begin construction this month on what they say is the world’s largest floating solar installation. Kyocera TCL Solar will develop and operate utility-scale floating solar power plants utilizing Ciel et Terre’s Hydrelio floating solar platforms in two installations, totaling 2.9 megawatts (MW) at Nishihira Pond and Higashihira Pond …

Electricity, International, Renewable Energy, Solar

Duke Energy to Build Los Vientos V Wind Project

Joanna Schroeder

Duke Energy Renewables has announced it will build, own and operate a 110 MW wind power project known as Los Vientos V located in Starr County, Texas. Garland Power & Light, Greenville Electric Utility System and Bryan Texas Utilities (BTU) have signed 25-year agreements to purchase the power produced by the project. With an expected completion date in late 2015, …

Electricity, Renewable Energy, Wind

Masdar Completes First Samoan Wind Farm

Joanna Schroeder

Somoa has its operational first wind farm. The ‘cyclone proof’ project is located on the Samoan island of Upolu. Home to nearly 75 percent of the population the wind farm will supply 1,500 MWh of power per year, delivering U.S. $475,000 in annual fuel cost savings. The pioneering project in Samoa includes two 55 meters high turbines that can pivot …

Electricity, International, Renewable Energy, Wind

Verizon Goes Big With Solar

Joanna Schroeder

Verizon is set to become the number one solar producer among U.S. communication companies. They have announced an investment of nearly $40 million to expand their onsite green energy program. This year, the company will install 10.2 MW of new solar power systems at eight Verizon network facilities in five states: California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. This …

Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar

Empower Energies Completes Mass Solar Project

Joanna Schroeder

Empower Engeries has completed and commissioned a 3.3 MWDC solar project in Shirley, Massachusetts. The ground mounted installation features 13,047 6.5′ by 3′ PV solar panels and is located on 27 acres of Shirley Water District land. The project was co-developed with Washington, DC-based EPG Solar. It will deliver over 4.9 million kWh of electricity annually to the contiguous Devens …

Electricity, Renewable Energy, Solar

MIT Researchers Convert Lead to Solar Power

Joanna Schroeder

Researchers at MIT are recycling materials from discarded car batteries into long-lasting solar panels that provide emissions free power while keep lead out of landfills. The system was described in the journal Energy and Environmental Science and was co-authored by Angela M. Belcher and Paula T. Hammon along with graduate student Po-Yen Chen, and three others. The system is based …

Alternative energy, Electricity, Solar, Video, Waste-to-Energy

Albion Community Power Funds Biogas Project

Joanna Schroeder

Albion Community Power (ACP) has funded the development of a small scale landfill gas engine in Docking, Norfolk (UK). The project will be developed in conjunction with ACP’s biogas partner AlphaGen Renewables who will oversee the installation and operation of a 50kW microgeneration landfill gas engine. The project will generate power from the landfill gas resource at the site under …

biogas, Electricity, International, Waste-to-Energy

Some Retiring Utility Plants Need No Replacement

Joanna Schroeder

According to Black & Veatch’s 8th annual Strategic Directions: U.S. Electric Industry report, many retiring nuclear and coal power plants may not need to be replaced on a megawatt-to-megawatt basis. With new technologies and distributed generation along with soft energy demand growth, utilities will be able to replace those retiring with ones that produce less energy. “This year’s Strategic Directions: …

Electricity, Research, Utilities

New Jersey Home to First Energy Resilience Bank

Joanna Schroeder

New Jersey has created what they term the first of its kind in the U.S. “Energy Resilience Bank” (ERB) to focus on energy resilience. The bank was created in response to the impacts of SuperStorm Sandy where over 8 million people lost electric power in the region – many for several days. The ERB will provide $200 million for municipalities …

Alternative energy, Clean Energy, Electricity