I’ve been traveling around the country quite a bit this summer and I can’t get over the growth of the wind industry. On a few occasions I’ve watched components of wind turbines pass me by and I’ve always wanted to get up close just to see how big these blades and the base really are. Well now I know. I …
Rollins Wind Project Completed
First Wind has completed a 60 megawatt (MW) wind farm in Penobscot County, Maine. The Rollins Wind project is comprised of 200 wind turbines that are estimated to power nearly 23,000 average sized homes each year. The power is being delivered to Maine homes and businesses and is cost-competitive due to two long-term electricity supply contracts with Bango Hydro and …
Clean Energy Policies Could Boost Midwest Economies
According to a new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), clean energy policies would boost Midwestern economies. Last week, the Brookings Institution released a study that found the private-sector “green” economy in the Midwest already employs nearly 40,000 people. However, “A Bright Future for the Heartland: Powering the Midwest Economy with Clean Energy,” estimates that this number is …
San Juan Water District Goes Solar
San Juan Water District (SJWD) is now powered by solar energy. The solar panels will now supply up to 90 percent of the electricity consumed by the water treatment plant, administration buildings and booster pump station. The district estimates that the solar panels will save them $12 million in energy costs over the 25-year life of the system. SunPower designed and …
Beer Brewed With Wind Power
Yards Brewing Co. is now brewing its beer with wind power. The company is one of Pennsylvania’s largest breweries and to fulfill its mission of “going green” the company is participating in Washington Gas Energy Services’ (WGES) 100% CleanSteps WindPower to Yards program. One reason the company chose wind power to provide renewable energy is because they said it produces …
DOE Awards $2.85M to GeoTek Energy
The Department of Energy is funding several geothermal projects in the United States including a project by GeoTek Energy to design its Gravity Head Energy System (GHES). The company received $450,000 with the potential for an additional $2.4 million to validate the design and for further development of the technology. Geothermal energy uses heat from the earth to produce steam …
Kenya to Construct Largest Geothermal Plant in Africa
In my latest book review, Energy, Convenient Solutions, author Howard Johnson predicts that geothermal energy will play the biggest role in our energy future. Maybe because I’m now paying more attention to geothermal energy, it seems that some pretty significant geothermal projects have been announced recently. For example, Kenya has unveiled its plans to build the largest geothermal power plant …
Dominican Republic To Build 2 Wind Farms
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved two loans totaling $78.3 million to help build two wind farms in the Dominican Republic. Once completed, the renewable energy projects will combined provide 80.6 megawatts to the grid. The wind farms are being developed by private companies, and demonstrate the growing confidence in the Dominican energy sector. The Corporación Dominicana de Empresas …
DOE Unveils SUNPATH to Support Solar Growth
In February of this year, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) unveiled its SunShot Initiative designed to help reduce the costs associated with solar power by at least 75 percent by the end of the decade. This week, during the InterSolar North America conference, Minh Le, a principal scientist with the DOE, introduced SUNPATH – Scaling Up Nascent PV at …
Book Review – Energy, Convenient Solutions
I read an unusual book this week. “Energy, Convenient Solutions,” by Howard Johnson. The book was part Energy 101, part manifesto, part conspiracy theory. It began with a look at various forms of energy ranging from fossil-fuels to biofuels – to nuclear energy. From there, Johnson laid out his manifesto, per se, or his ideas on energy, our current state …