EPA Names DC Leading Green Power City

Joanna Schroeder

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named Washington D.C. as the leading EPA Green Power Community. Combined, government, businesses, institutions, and residents in the nation’s capital are collectively purchasing nearly 756 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power each year. This is enough to meet 8 percent of the city’s total electricity use. All voluntary, this feat catapulted the city into …

biogas, biomass, Electricity, Energy, Environment, Geothermal, Hydro, Solar, Wind

Largest PV Solar Power Plant Operating in Colorado

Joanna Schroeder

The largest photovoltaic solar power plant (PV) in the state of Colorado is now operating. The 19-megawatt (mW) Greater Sandhill solar power plant began generating power on December 22, 2010 and is now complete. It will generate enough power to meet the electricity needs of approximately 5,000 homes. The Xcel Energy and SunPower Corp. project was completed in nine months. …

Electricity, Energy, Solar

1st Wind Farm in South Texas Holds Dedication Event

Joanna Schroeder

The Cedro Hill wind project, located in Bruni a rural south Texas town, went online in December 2010. Today, Edison Mission Group (EMG), a subsidiary of Edison International, officially dedicated the first wind farm in the Southern part of the state. When the conditions are favorable, the wind farm has the capacity to generate up to 150 megawatts (MW) of …

Electricity, Energy, Wind

GE Introduces Next Gen Offshore Wind Turbine

Joanna Schroeder

General Electric (GE) has introduced its 4.1-113 wind turbine, a four-megawatt (MW) class machine that is optimized for offshore use. In addition, the company has signed a contract to supply the turbines, along with other services, to Göteborg Energi for installation in the Gothenburg, Sweden harbor later this year. The project is supported by the Swedish Energy Agency. The announcement …

Electricity, Energy, International, Wind

Ford Michigan Assembly Plant Goes Solar

Joanna Schroeder

Ford Motor Company is now manufacturing American made-cars with solar power. The Ford Michigan Assembly Plant’s solar installation currently provides 500 kilowatts (kW) of power for the plant and the solar facility will be integrated with a 705 kW energy storage facility that can store 2 million-watt hours of energy using batteries. This is enough to power 100 average Michigan …

Car Makers, Electric Vehicles, Electricity, Solar

350Green To Build EV Charging Network in PA

Joanna Schroeder

350Green, a national developer of electric vehicle (EV) charging station networks, has announced a partnership today with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to design, build and operate a network of 22 EV fast charging and 44 Level 2 charging stations across the state. This announcement comes on the heels of an announcement during the 2011 Chicago Auto Show where Illinois Governor …

Electric Vehicles, Electricity

2 Energy Companies Team Up to Form Alterra Power

Joanna Schroeder

Canada is now the home to a giant renewable energy company. Vancouver-based Magma Energy, a geothermal company, has purchased wind, solar and hydro energy company Plutonic Power, also based in Vancouver, to form Alterra Power Corp. The deal is worth around $190 million but when the two companies are combined, their net worth is estimated to be worth $575 million. …

Electricity, Energy, Geothermal, Hydro, Solar, Wind

City of Hayward Adds Solar Power to City Water Facility

Joanna Schroeder

The City of Hayward, California has completed the installation of a 1 megawatt (MW) solar energy system  for the city’s Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF). The system will generated an estimated 1.95 megawatt hours of energy each year offsetting approximately 24 percent of the need’s of WPCF. The facility treats nearly 12 million gallons of wastewater per day for the …

Electricity, Energy, Solar, water

U.S. Embassy Installs Micro-Wind Turbines

Joanna Schroeder

The U.S. Embassy in Helsinki, Finland is installing TurboMill micro-wind turbines to generate renewable energy. The wind turbines are manufactured by WindStream Technologies and the initiative is part of the embassy’s membership in the “League of Green Embassies” program that encourages energy efficiency and green building strategies. The TurboMill is durable enough to survive for years in harsh winters as …

Electricity, Energy, Wind

Kyocera Installs 2 Solar Systems at Phoenix Schools

Joanna Schroeder

Kyocera Solar has completed the installation of solar electric systems in two Phoenix, Arizona schools: Copper Ridge in Scottsdale and Cholla Elementary in Casa Grande. The solar arrays were installed in partnership with SolarCity and featured Kyocera solar modules. Combined, the two solar systems will produce 764 kilowatts (kW) of electricity. The Copper Ridge School’s solar system is comprised of …

Electricity, Energy, Solar