NRDC Report: U.S. Energy Economy Healthy

Joanna Schroeder

America’s energy economy has never been better according to a new report, “A Tectonic Shift in America’s Energy Landscape,” from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). One key finding is that innovative energy saving techniques have enabled the country to more than double its economic productivity from oil, natural gas and electricity over the past 40 years. This means, finds …

Climate Change, Electricity, energy efficiency, Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind

DC Water Turns Poop to Electricity

Joanna Schroeder

DC Water has unveiled it’s $470 million Blue Plains waste-to-energy project that converts biosolids waste to electricity. The facilities include a dewatering building, 32 thermal hydrolysis vessels, four concrete 80 foot high anaerobic digesters that each hold 3.8 million gallons of solids, and three jet engine-sized turbines. The company said the project was viable through CAMBI thermal hydrolysis process, the …

biodigester, Clean Energy, Electricity, Waste-to-Energy

Dong Opens Offshore Wind Farm

Joanna Schroeder

DONG Energy and LEGO Group along with William Demant, have opened BorkumRiffgrund 1, an offshore wind project expected to power more than 320,000 homes. The wind farm was officially commissioned by His Royal Highness, Prince Joachim of Denmark. Thomas Thune Andersen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of DONG Energy said during the opening event, “BorkumRiffgrund 1 is our first …

Clean Energy, Electricity, International, offshore wind

New Holland Hero Growing for Energy

Joanna Schroeder

This year during the Expo Milano New Holland announced its “heros” as part of its “Seeds of Life Series“. One such hero was Brazilian Victor Campenelli, who grows 37,000 acres of corn and sugarcane and also has a cattle operation in Southern Brazil. Looking in to the future, Victor is looking forward to building a power plant utilizing cane straw. …

Agribusiness, bioenergy, biomass, Brazil, Electricity, New Holland

Alliant Launches Solar Demonstration Project

Joanna Schroeder

Alliant Energy is launching a solar demonstration project at its headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin. As part of the initiative, Telefonix, Inc. installed 13 L2 PowerPost electric vehicle charging stations. The goal of the program is to evaluate solar technologies in climates with varying weather including extreme cold. Alliant is planning on installing more than three dozen unique renewable energy features …

Clean Energy, Electric Vehicles, Electricity, Solar

Michigan Consumers Could Save Millions with Wind

Joanna Schroeder

“A wind vision for new growth in Michigan,” finds Michigan energy consumers could save millions of dollars while Michigan farmers could reap millions in land lease payments by building new wind farms. The new report was released today by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and the Wind Energy Foundation (WEF) who held a roundtable discussion at Macomb Community College …

Clean Energy, Electricity, Renewable Energy, Wind

Interior to Auction 344,000 Offshore Acres

Joanna Schroeder

The U.S. Department of Interior has announced the auction of 344,000 offshore acres off the coast of New Jersey for development of offshore wind projects. The lease sale will take place on November 9, 2015. Should the area be fully capitalized, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates at least 3,400 MW of wind power could be developed. “On the heels …

Electricity, offshore wind, Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy Future Postcard

Joanna Schroeder

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) has released a new paper, “Hawai’i at the Energy Crossroads“. The report highlights the fight in Hawai’i to control and harness it’s vast renewable energy resources including solar energy. The paper demonstrates the choice between utility-promoted strategies and the distributed energy resources that are gaining ground on their own. The report also provides a …

Clean Energy, Electricity, Renewable Electricty Standard (RES), Renewable Energy, Solar

Will Steger Wilderness Center Renewable Showcase

Joanna Schroeder

Will Steger, a globally renowned climate expert, has announced a major milestone toward the completion of the Will Steger Wilderness Center, that will be used as a leadership retreat center. The facility now features a stand-alone, carbon free power system that will provide electricity to buildings and workshops throughout the site located outside of Ely, Minnesota near the protected Boundary …

Climate Change, Electricity, Energy, Environment, Renewable Energy, Solar

BNEF: Wind, Solar Competing with Fossil Fuels

Joanna Schroeder

According to a new analysis by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), this year has seen a shift in the generating cost comparison between renewable energy and fossil fuels. The report, “Levelised Cost of Electricity Update,” for the second half of 2015 based on extensive data and global projects shows that onshore wind and crystalline silicon photovoltaics – the two most …

Electricity, Energy, Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind