Three 20-kilowatt vertical axis wind turbines are now generating energy for Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi. The turbine trio is the largest vertical axis wind turbine installation of its kind in the United States as well as the largest of their kind. The main campus also installed a 4-kilowatt wind turbine that can be horizontally lowered and opened for …
Porterville Unified School District Adds Solar
School systems continue to be high adopters of solar energy. This week Porterville United School District (PUSD), located in California, has begun generating electricity from its 3.7 megawatt solar system. Installed across six schools, the system in its entirety has the capacity to reduce the district’s electricity costs by nearly $44 million over the next 25 years. “This project will allow Porterville …
Oregon New Home to Large Wind Farm
The Shepherds Flat Wind Farm, owned by Caithness Energy, is operating near Arlington, Oregon, and has the ability to generate 845 Megawatts of clean energy per year. A kick-off event marked the official commissioning of the wind farm. “This is a great day for Gilliam and Morrow counties, for Oregon, and for the rest of the United States,” said Senator …
Energy Mix Must Reflect Future
A new report released by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) argues that European Union (EU) electricity market rules must reflect the energy production mix of the future. This will help ensure a flexible power system with a large-scale uptake of wind power and other renewable energy sources. The report comes as the Single European Act – creating a single …
PTC Stalls, Wind Energy Workers Laid Off
As the Production Tax Credit (PTC) remains stalled in Congress, worker layoffs in the wind energy industry are rising. The Iowa Wind Energy Association has been forewarning legislators that if the PTC is not extended, thousands of Americans could lose their jobs. Proof: Siemen’s has laid off more than 400 workers in its Fort Madison wind turbine blade plant. Other companies that …
Wind Tax Credit Extension Critical
The Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy, an information network for local chambers of commerce, is calling for Congress to extend the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for the wind industry. There are 240 chamber of commerce members from 47 states supporting PTC and in a letter explained that the expiration of the PTC would hurt local economies, send jobs elsewhere …
Eisenhower Corporate Campus Goes Solar
The Eastman Companies’ Eisenhower Corporate Campus in Livingston, NJ has flipped the switch on a 500 kW solar PV system. New Jersey is one of the leading states for solar installations. A portion of the solar system, 68kW, was installed on a hillside near the campus allowing those passing by to see the solar array. The solar system is just …
Offshore Wind Part of Europe’s Blue Growth
The European Commission is looking at the marine and maritime industry to help Europe’s economic recovery. The European Commission has released its ‘Blue Growth‘ strategy and included in areas of growth is the offshore wind energy industry. The European Wind Energy Association (AWEA) is predicting the offshore wind energy industry will have a five-fold increase in offshore wind jobs within …
AWEA Wants New 2030 Renewable Energy Target
Several Ministers met earlier this week at an informal Energy Council meeting in Nicosia. In response, the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) warned that their credibility was at risk if they debated future renewable energy policy without considering a new 2030 European Union (EU) Renewable Energy target. The discussion was not on the group’s agenda. “There is no point debating …
Ag Energy Coalition Urges Passage of Farm Bill
The 2012 Farm Bill has been big news this week as the agricultural industry, along with dozens of other groups, call for Congress to pass the bill before it sunsets on September 30, 2012. Earlier this week the Farm Bill Now coalition held a rally in Washington, D.C. that included participation of all Iowa legislators. The Agriculture Energy Coalition (AgEC) …