According to research released by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the global clean energy sector is undergoing geographic and technological shifts as new markets emerge renewable capacity grows. There were 88 gigawatts (GW) registered in 2012 even though investment levels declined 11 percent to $269 billion from 2011. Among the Group of Twenty (G-20) nations, the United Kingdom (UK) maintained its …
Report: More Wind & Solar = Reliable Grid
According to a new report by Synapse Energy Economics prepared on behalf of the Civil Society Institute (CSI), if the U.S. ceases to burn coal, shuts down a quarter of existing nuclear reactors the trims its use of natural gas by 2050, the resulting increased reliance on wind, solar and other renewables will not result in a less reliable electricity …
Envision Solar Int’l Installs Solar Tree for NREL
Envision Solar International (EVSI), has completed the installation of a second Solar Tree array for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) at their Vehicle Testing and Integration Facility (VTIF). Envision Solar completed the installation of the Solar Tree array for NREL four and a half days after the components arrived at the site on a single …
Camp Pendleton Increases Its Solar Power
Camp Pendleton has increased its commitment to renewable energy with the addition of two more solar power systems at Edson Range and Chappo Dining facilities. The 221 kilowatt and 125 kilowatt systems, respectively, installed by local firm Sullivan Solar Power should save the military base hundreds of thousands of dollars’ in electricity costs over the life time of the system. …
IU Bloomingdale Achieves GHG Emission Reductions
Indiana University Bloomington has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 43 percent last year from the previous year and has now cut its direct emissions by more than half in the past two years, according to campus officials. The major reduction in GHG emissions over the past two years reflects a concerted shift from coal to natural gas usage …
NREL, Sandia Extend Support for truSolar
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and DOE’s Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) have extended their support for the truSolar Working Group’s efforts to develop uniform open source risk scoring standards and rating criteria for solar projects. These standards would facilitate lower transaction and capital costs and improve project finance liquidity within the commercial and industrial …
New Technology for Offshore Wind
A new technology has been released for the offshore wind turbine industry. According to DNV who developed the software, it includes dynamic simulations, advanced fatigue calculation and code check in one analysis package. The module is powered by FEDEM Windpower and is integrated with Sesam. Sesam Wind Coupled Analysis powered by FEDEM Windpower has capabilities ranging from the purely mechanical …
Passive Solar Conference Offers Free Public Lectures
As part of the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) National Solar Conference that is kicking off tomorrow, April 16-20 at the Baltimore Convention Center, the 38th Annual Passive Solar Conference will explore two broad themes – the emerging architectural discipline of passive solar design, and the rapidly growing science of building technology. A free lecture open to the public will …
U.S.-Israel Bio-Energy Challenge Heads to DC
More than a dozen of Israel’s top academic and industrial biofuels research scientists and innovators will be arriving in Washington this week to begin a week-long dialogue with their American counterparts at the U.S. Departments of Energy (DOE) and Agriculture (USDA), as well as with the Navy, FAA and the private sector. The group be meeting with White House officials …
Short-Term Energy & Summer Fuels Outlook Released
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has released its April Short-Term Energy and Summer Fuels Outlook. Some report highlights include the prediction that the price for West Texas Intermediate crude oil will average $94 a barrel this year, the same as last year. The international benchmark Brent crude oi is forecast to be $4 less than last year at $108 per …