Airborne Wind Energy Systems See Advancements

Joanna Schroeder

According to Airborne Wind Energy Labs, a major problem stalling the advance of renewable energy is that electrical energy cannot be stored economically. However, the company says that an airborne wind conversion system, directly charging thermal energy storage, could become the first economical energy storage technology not dependent on specific and rare location features. The proposed system converts wind energy …

Electricity, Energy Storage, Wind

Army Awards Wind Technologies Under MATOC

Joanna Schroeder

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, working with the Army Energy Initiatives Task Force (EITF), has awarded its third round of funding as part of the Multiple Award Task Order Contracts (MATOC) to a 17 wind technology contractors. The contractors qualified through this process will be able to compete for future wind renewable energy task …

Alternative energy, Electricity, military, Wind

Ngatamariki Geothermal Power Plant Completed

Joanna Schroeder

Ormat has announced the successful completion of the 100 MW installed capacity Ngatamariki geothermal power plant in New Zealand. Mighty River Power’s modular Ngatamariki geothermal power plant is the largest singular binary power plant ever constructed. The Ormat Energy Converters are directly fed by a high temperature (380°F / 193 ºC) geothermal fluid. Until now, on such resources, only steam …

Alternative energy, Electricity, Geothermal, International

Rothes II Wind Farm in Scotland Powers Up

Joanna Schroeder

Fred. Olsen Renewables (FOR) has announced that the Rothes II Wind Farm in Scotland has commenced operation. The wind farm has an installed operational capacity of  41.4 MW, equivalent to generating enough electricity to power over 20,500 homes. The project is located adjacent to the existing Rothes Wind Farm, 20km south west of Elgin and consists of 18 x Siemens …

Electricity, International, Renewable Energy, Wind

Global Solar PV Module Installations to Increase

Joanna Schroeder

According to a new report, “Solar PV Modules – Market Size, Annual Production, Average Price, Competitive Landscape and Key Country Analysis to 2020,” solar module installations saw a significant increase from approximately 1.4 GW in 2006 to 29 GW in 2011, but the industry has started to move away from the initial spur. GlobalData’s latest report finds that the growth …

Electricity, Energy, Research, Solar

Renewables Top 14% of Electrical Generation

Joanna Schroeder

According to the latest issue of the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) “Electric Power Monthly” renewable energy sources provided 14.20 percent of the country’s net electric generation during the first half of the year (through June 30, 2013). During the same period in 2012, renewables accounted for 13.57 percent of net electrical generation. In addition, the report found that non-hydro …

Electricity, Geothermal, Hydro, Solar, Wind

Clay County, Iowa Hosting Iowa Wind Day

Joanna Schroeder

The Clay County Fair in Clay County, Iowa is hosting an Iowa Wind Energy Day on Sunday September 8, 2013. The Iowa Wind Energy Association along with 14 co-sponsors will provide educational and interactive exhibits for fair-goers to learn about the state’s robust wind industry. Iowa was the first state in the U.S. to exceed 24 percent of all electrical …

Electricity, Renewable Energy, Wind

Army Awards Solar Contracts

Joanna Schroeder

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, working with the Army Energy Initiatives Task Force (EITF), awarded Multiple Award Task Order Contracts (MATOC) to a group of 22 solar technology contractors. Solar is the second of four technologies being awarded under the $7 billion Renewable and Alternative Energy Power Production for DoD Installations MATOC. The …

Electricity, military, Renewable Energy, Solar

Mosaic Investors See Good ROI

Joanna Schroeder

Every day consumers and businesses purchase energy from utility companies. But now, some consumers are actually earning an income from utilities that purchase solar power. Now in California, residents can earn income as PG&E energy from a solar installation completed by Pristine Sun, 322 KW solar installation constructed on dual-use farmlands. Today, Mosaic is offering California residents the ability to …

Electricity, Energy, Renewable Energy, Solar, Utilities

Vestas Delivers First V110-2.0 Wind Turbines to U.S.

Joanna Schroeder

Vestas is now manufacturing its first V110-2.0 MW wind turbines that will be delivered to EDP Renováveis (EDPR) for several wind energy projects in the United States. The turbines are part of a supply agreement to deliver 1,500 MW to wind power plants in the Americas and Europe. EDPR said it selected the V110-2.0 MW because of its competitive cost …

Electricity, Energy, Renewable Energy, Wind