Alternative energy
Summer and winter peak electricity demand records of 33,956 MW and 25,738 MW were set in 2013 and 2014, highlighting the need for a diverse and reliable generation mix. Increased wind and solar energy installations will help meet RPS goals, with increases in imported Canadian hydropower to address future goals and EPA-proposed emissions standards. In…...
The New Jersey BPU has released a draft program guide for its Energy Resilience Bank, the first-of-its-kind energy recovery and resiliency financing initiative in the U.S. On August 22, 2014, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) released a draft program guide to develop and implement the Energy Resilience Bank (ERB), an energy recovery…...
The NY-Sun Incentive Program, a conflation of New York’s multiple solar programs, aims to establish a self-sustaining solar industry by stimulating private sector participation. On August 21, 2014, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the transition of New York’s solar programs to the single NY-Sun Incentive program to support solar industry growth through the…...
DOE has announced 83 projects aimed to advance nuclear energy research and infrastructure enhancements. On August 20, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced approximately $67M in funding for 83 projects focused on research and development (R&D) to advance nuclear energy technologies and infrastructure improvements. The projects were selected from across the U.S. based on…...
The Department of Energy’s new wind industry reports show modest growth in 2013 annual wind capacity additions and point to a more robust-growth in 2014-2015. On August 18, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) released two reports on U.S. wind industry trends in 2013. The reports show that the U.S. ranked second in the world in…...
DOE has announced 31 new projects aimed to advance critical vehicle technologies to meet the EV Everywhere Grand Challenge and facilitate fuel efficiency improvements. On August 14, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced more than $55M in funding for 31 projects focused on research and development to advance efficient vehicle technologies. The projects will…...
Vermont’s Green Mountain Power has begun work on an innovative solar project that combines energy storage and microgrid integration. On August 12, 2014, Green Mountain Power (GMP), a Vermont electricity utility, announced breaking ground on the $10M Stafford Hill Solar Farm project in Rutland, Vermont. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, it is the…...
The Wyoming Industrial Siting Council has approved the necessary state permit to construct and operate the state’s largest wind farm. On August 8, 2014, the Power Company of Wyoming LLC (PCW) announced that a seven-member panel of Wyoming’s Industrial Siting Council (ISC) unanimously approved PCW’s application for a major non-federal permit required to move forward…...
DOE has issued its final Environmental Impact Statement for a 336-mile electric transmission system between the United States and Canada, clearing the way for final Presidential Permit issuance. On August 11, 2014, Transmission Developers Inc. announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has issued the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its proposed Champlain Hudson Power…...
The United States is set to begin construction this year on its first offshore wind farm – the Cape Wind Project, led by Cape Wind Associates, LLC – located off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The 130-turbine, 468 MW Cape Wind Project would more than quadruple Massachusetts’ current wind power capacity (Figure 1),…...
IRS Notice 2014-46 provides additional eligibility clarification for renewable energy tax credits and lowers the Safe Harbor requirement from 5 percent to 3 percent. On August 8, 2014, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released guidance (Notice 2014-26) providing additional clarification regarding eligibility requirements for the renewable electricity production tax credit (PTC)…...