A bright power deal was struck this week when Apple committed $848 million to purchase clean energy from First Solar’s California Flats Solar Project in Monterey County, Calif. Apple will receive electricity from 130 MW AC of the solar project under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA), the largest agreement in the industry to provide clean energy to a commercial …
EIA: Ethanol, Biodiesel, Renewables to Grow in 2015
The latest government numbers show the amount of ethanol and biodiesel, as well as energy produced from wind and solar will increase in 2015. The latest Short-Term Energy Outlook from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows growth for the biofuels, while total renewables used for electricity and heat generation will grow by 3.8 percent this year. Ethanol production averaged …
DOE Commits $13M in Community Solar Funds
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated $13 million in funding as part of the Solar Powering America by Recognizing Communities (SPARC) program. The funds are designed to aid communities in reducing market and policy barriers to solar deployment and also recognize communities for taking solar initiatives. The DOE believes the program will make it faster, cheaper and easier …
Desert Sunlight Solar Farm Commissioned
The 550 MW Desert Sunlight Solar Farm, located in Desert Center, Riverside County, California has been commissioned. On hand for the “flipping of the switch” was U.S. Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell along with nearly 150 federal, state and local officials, and energy industry leaders. Project owners include NextEra Energy Resources, GE Energy Financial Services and Sumitomo Corporation of Americas. …
Solar Farm Commissioned In East Malaysia
One of East Malaysia’s first solar power plants has been commissioned. The 1 MW solar farm in located in the state of Sabah on the island of Borneo. The project was developed by Cahaya Metro Sdn. Bhd. (Cahaya Metro), a solar energy company in East Malaysia. “We are pleased to have selected Yingli as our panel supplier for Sabah’s first …
DOE Announces $59M for Solar Support
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced more than $59 million in funding to support solar energy acceleration. DOE is allocating $45 million in funding to quickly move innovative solar manufacturing technologies to market, and is also awarding more than $14 million for 15 new projects to help communities develop multi-year solar deployment plans to install solar electricity in …
GreenLight Planet Lights Up Developing World
Greenlight Planet has raised $10 million in financing with the aid of Fidelity Growth Partners India and with the money the company has been able to provide solar energy products for off-grid homes in the developing world, in particular Sub-Saharan Africa and India. The company sells rooftop solar lighting and phone charging devices. GreenLight Planet says the devices will generate …
RMI Launches Business Renewables Center
The Business Renewables Center (BRC) has been launched with more than 25 founding members, including major corporations, renewables project developers and transaction service providers, by Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI). The BRC is a collaborative platform designed to accelerate renewable energy procurement. The Center’s goal is to add another 60 GW of wind and solar by 2025, which will nearly double …
Gigawatt Global Grid Connects Solar Project
The Rwanda field, a $23.7 million, 8,5 MW solar energy plant has been connected to the power grid. Developed by Gigawatt Global, this is the first utility-scale project to reach financial close and come online under the Africa Clean Energy Finance (ACEF) program that is part of the Power Africa Initiative. The Rwanda field – constructed in the shape of …
Pioneering Solar-Powered H2O Desalination Plant
Abengoa has been selected by Advanced Water Technology (AWT) to jointly develop a large-scale desalination plant powered by solar energy. The plant will be located in Saudi Arabia and the according to AWT, when complete will the first and largest of its kind in the world. It will produce 60,000 m3 of water each day to supply Al Khafji City …