Alternative energy
California and Quebec have released the results of the first joint carbon auction under their integrated cap-and-trade emissions trading platform. On December 3, 2014, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment, and the Fight against Climate Change (MDDELCC) released the results of their first joint carbon allowance auction held…...
The House has passed a one-year extension of several tax provisions including the renewable energy production tax credit and several biofuel industry incentives. On December 3, 2014, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 (H.R. 5771), a one-year tax extender package for several tax relief provisions that expired at…...
State utilities – such as New York’s Con Edison – are beginning to consider non-traditional infrastructure and resource investments to meet peak load. Distributed energy resources investments and increased customer engagement will help create a more diverse, resilient energy grid. Over the next year – and beyond – State PUCs and utilities will work closely…...
The DOI will offer approximately 742,000 acres offshore Massachusetts for commercial wind energy development in a competitive lease sale scheduled for January 29, 2015. On November 26, 2014, the Department of Interior’s (DOI) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) published a notice to offer approximately 742,000 acres of the Massachusetts Wind Energy Area (WEA) for…...
The DOE’s draft Wind Vision analyzes a future wind scenario that represents wind energy penetration levels — as a share of total U.S. electricity demand — of 10 percent by 2020, 20 percent by 2030, and 35 percent by 2050. The Department of Energy (DOE) has released a draft Wind Vision analysis expanding its 2008…...
Non-hydro utility-scale energy storage solutions are landing record-setting contracts in multiple regions, marking a transition beyond small-scale ancillary services. Fast-reacting and flexible energy storage resources can efficiently provide ancillary services to free-up traditional generation assets for wholesale market participation. The U.S. Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change recently cited that by 2022, the worldwide demand…...
The EPA has announced that it will not finalize 2014 RFS requirements before the end of 2014 due to delays in evaluating comments elicited by its 2014 RFS proposal released in November 2013. On November 21, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice of delay in issuing the 2014 renewable fuel requirements under…...
The FERC has directed RTOs/ISOs to identify fuel assurance issues relevant to their respective markets and file a report on the status of their efforts to address the issues. On November 20, 2014, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order directing regional transmission organizations and independent system operators (RTOs/ISOs) to file reports on…...
The DOE’s Minorities in Energy Industry Partner Network aims to build minorities’ capacity to compete for energy sector opportunities. On November 18, 2014 — the first anniversary of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Minorities in Energy Initiative (MIE) — DOE launched the MIE Industry Partner Network to increase engagement of underrepresented communities in the energy sector…....
The DOI has offered a right-of-way grant authorizing an offshore wind energy transmission line from Block Island to the Rhode Island mainland. On November 17, 2014, the Department of Interior’s (DOI) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a right-of-way (ROW) grant to Deepwater Wind Block Island Transmission System LLC for its proposed Block Island…...
The acquisition of Massachusetts-based First Wind marks SunEdison’s entry into the global wind market, potentially making it the world’s largest renewable energy company. On November 17, 2014, global solar developer SunEdison Inc. and its indirect subsidiary TerraForm Power Inc. announced a definitive agreement to acquire Boston-based First Wind, a leading independent wind development and asset management…...
The U.S. has announced a $3B commitment to the Green Climate Fund – the largest single pledge to date. On November 15, 2014 – eve of the 2014 G-20 Summit in Australia – U.S. President Barack Obama announced that the U.S. will contribute $3B to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the financial support mechanism aimed…...