The Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) recently gathered in for its third annual National Geothermal Summit and the key topic was how to move geothermal forward. One way, as identified by Stacey Crowley, director, Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy and Karen Edson, vice president, policy and client services for California ISO, noted that as intermittent power grows, states have an urgent …
ECC Renewables Awarded Gov Geothermal Contract
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineering and Support Center has awarded five contractors for the development of geothermal energy for a total $7 billion joint total. ECC Renewables LLC was one of the five companies awarded a contract. Under the 10-year contract, ECC will compete for projects to develop, construct, finance, own, and operate geothermal energy projects on Department …
Renewable Energy Roadmap for Central America
According to a new report, The Way Forward for Renewable Energy in Central America, authored by the Worldwatch Institute, Central America is far from harvesting its enormous renewable energy resources to their fullest potential. The region is a worldwide leader in hydropower and geothermal and is developing wind energy, yet has room to expand. “Central America is at a crossroads,” …
Africa Mecca for Clean Energy
According to a recent study by the United Nations, less than 1 percent of all patent applications relating to clean energy technology have been filed in Africa, with the majority of this 1 percent filed in South Africa. The study find that Africa is a mecca for clean energy and has the ability to leapfrog existing fossil-fuel energy sources. “Patents …
Enhanced Geothermal System Changing Energy Future
Ormat Technologies, the U.S. Department of Energy and GeothermEx have successfully produced 1.7 additional megawatts from an Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) project inside an existing wellfield in the U.S. –the first EGS project to be connected to the electricity grid. Using subsurface technologies, research and development teams stimulated an existing sub-commercial injection well resulting in a 38 percent increase in …
Walmart: 100% Renewable Energy by 2020
Walmart President and CEO Mike Duke has announced the company’s next step on the path to achieving its goal of being supplied 100 percent by renewable energy. Unveiled at Walmart’s Global Sustainability Milestone Meeting, the company committed to achieving the following by Dec. 31, 2020: drive the production or procurement of 7 billion kWh of renewable energy globally every year, …
Pew Report: Clean Energy Capacity Up, Investment Down
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 …
Renewable Energy Up, Enery Consumption, CO2 Down
According to the most recent issue of the “Monthly Energy Review” by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), with data through December 31, 2012, renewable energy sources and natural gas expanded rapidly during the Obama Administration’s first term while coal, nuclear power, oil imports and use, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions all declined significantly. Comparing data for 2008 (last year …
GRC Hosting Geothermal Workshop
The Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) is holding a two-day geothermal workshop in Sacramento, California, on June 10-11, 2013. Titled “Resource Assessment and Optimization,” the workshop will provide practical information to anyone interested in geothermal energy, including developers, financiers, utilities, regulators, public-interest organizations, and members of the academic community. The goal of the workshop is to educate attendees on how to …
Solar Takes Lead in Renewable Energy Growth
According to the latest issue of the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) “Electric Power Monthly,” renewable energy sources (biomass, geothermal, solar, wind) increased by 12.8 percent last year compared to 2011 and provided 5.4 percent of net U.S. electrical generation. Solar increased by 138.9 percent while wind grew 16.6 pecent, geothermal by 9.6 percent, and biomass (i.e., wood, wood-derived fuels, …