DOI has scheduled a lease sale for approximately 80,000 acres in the Maryland Wind Energy Area, estimated to support up to 1,450 MW of commercial wind generation. On July 3, 2014, the Department of Interior (DOI) announced that approximately 80,000 acres offshore Maryland will be offered for commercial wind energy development in an August 19…...
DOE has announced a conditional $150M loan guarantee commitment to the proposed Cape Wind offshore wind project. On July 1, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced a conditional loan commitment to Cape Wind Associates, LLC. to construct the Cape Wind offshore wind project off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The proposed Cape Wind…...
A 742,000 acre zone offshore Massachusetts will be available for commercial wind energy leasing, doubling the federal offshore acreage available for wind development. On June 17, 2014, the Department of Interior (DOI) announced the availability of more than 742,000 acres offshore Massachusetts for commercial wind energy leasing. The proposed wind energy area (WEA) – located…...
The New York State Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) initiative aims to answer the question of how to proceed with New York’s energy future in the face of aging electric generating plants and the need for a more resilient energy infrastructure. Overview The initiative – announced by Governor Cuomo in April 2014 – tasks the…...
Multiple energy industries rely on federal tax incentives to spur private investment in commercializing renewable technologies. However, the periodic expirations of these tax credits have led to business uncertainty and an inability to make long-term planning decisions. The most recent Senate extender bill – the Expiring Provisions Improvement Reform and Efficiency (EXPIRE) Act of 2014…...
DOE has announced funding for three offshore wind demonstrations focused on deployment of grid-connected systems in U.S. waters. On May 7, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced $141M in funding for three pioneering offshore wind demonstration projects aimed to deploy innovative grid-connected systems in federal and state waters by 2017. The proposed projects –…...
Since the turn of the century, increased scrutiny has been placed on the U.S. electric grid. The threat of weather disruption, physical and cyber-attacks, and decreased regional power generation capacity due to emissions regulations are key factors framing the debate over how to achieve power security and supply. Overview In 2012, Hurricane Sandy exposed electric…...
On February 5, 2014, The New York Green Bank (NYGB) issued its first solicitation for project funding. With project funding commencing, NYGB aims to create a sustainable stream of private capital to replace intermittent grants and subsidies from state and federal sources, and be the first U.S. Green Bank to target $1 billion in capitalization…....
DOE has released a draft solicitation for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that could provide up to $4B in loan guarantees. On April 16, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued a draft loan guarantee solicitation for innovative renewable energy and energy efficiency projects aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Renewable Energy and…...
On January 2, 2014, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission officially entered into two Memoranda of Understanding (MOU). The MOUs will provide solutions for overlapping jurisdiction and sharing information of mutual interest. Overview On March 5, 2014, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced…...
The Clean Energy Victory Bonds Act would create small-denomination treasury bonds to fund clean energy incentives. On April 8, 2014, Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Doris Matsui (D-CA) introduced the Clean Energy Victory Bonds Act of 2014, aimed to create treasury savings bonds – modeled after the victory bonds sold during World War II –…...
DOE has released a five-year Strategic Plan outlining priorities to address the nation’s energy, security, economic, and environmental challenges. On April 7, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) released its Strategic Plan for 2014-2018 to advance its mission of enhancing U.S. security and economic growth through transformative science, technology, and market solutions to address energy,…...