The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on June 19 finalized its long-awaited carbon emission rules for the nation’s power sector, replacing more stringent Obama-era restrictions. The agency described the “Affordable Clean Energy Rule” as an effort to provide existing coal power plants with “achievable and realistic standards” to cut emissions. The rule allows states the flexibility to…
The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission received an application from a subsidiary of Avangrid Renewables LLC to construct and operate the Tatanka Ridge wind farm proposed for Deuel County, in eastern South Dakota. The 155 megawatt project will encompass about 18,000 acres and be made up of 56 turbines. Construction is anticipated to begin later this year, with…
Utility-scale solar photovoltaic plants in Southwestern states like Arizona performed better than those in the Northeast in terms of capacity factor, a measure of a plant’s electricity generation as a percentage of its summer total capacity value for plants with a full year of operation. According to the Energy Information Administration, on average, utility-scale solar photovoltaic power plants…
Maine state lawmakers approved legislation on June 18 that requires 80 percent of electricity consumed in the state to come from renewable sources by 2030 and 100 percent by 2050. The legislation, “An Act To Reform Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standard,” also requires a market assessment study and analysis of the opportunities, potential, and challenges to…