SOLAR POWER
Massachusetts has awarded the first round of grants under the Community Clean Energy Resiliency Initiative for six municipal resiliency projects. On September 25, 2014, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) awarded $7.4M in the first round of project implementation grants under the Community Clean Energy Resiliency Initiative. The funding will support six projects designed…...
NYC’s proposed Green Bond Program aims to expand the city’s investor base, provide a standard for the U.S. municipal bond market, and encourage a greener capital program. On September 24, 2014, New York City (NYC) Comptroller Scott M. Stringer proposed a plan titled “A Green Bond Program for New York City” to fund environmental threat…...
An innovative landscape-level renewable energy and conservation plan proposed for the California desert provides a roadmap to develop 20,000 MW on more than 22 million acres over the next 25 years. On September 23, 2014, the Department of Interior (DOI) and the California Natural Resources Agency released the draft Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP), an…...
Governor Cuomo officially broke ground for the Western Hemisphere’s largest solar panel manufacturing facility at a one million-square-foot site in RiverBend. On September 23, 2014, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced a one-million-square-foot site for the proposed SolarCity GigaFactory Facility at RiverBend in South Buffalo. The SolarCity facility will be the largest solar manufacturing…...
Massachusetts’ second Green Bond sale resulted in orders exceeding $1B for $350M worth of bonds and $429M in refinancing transaction that will save taxpayers $45M. On September 22, 2014, Massachusetts Treasurer Steven Grossman announced that the Commonwealth’s second Green Bond sale generated more than $1B in buy orders for a $350M bond offering. Retail investors placed…...
Governor Cuomo has designated September 22-28 as Climate Week, highlighting the state’s transformational clean energy accomplishments and proactive climate preparedness efforts. On September 22, 2014, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo designated the week of September 22-28 as Climate Week to increase climate awareness and highlight New York’s ongoing efforts to meet climate challenges. Governor…...
SunEdison has completed a 1.8 MW solar power plant on a remediated Superfund site in New Bedford, Massachusetts. On September 19, 2014, global solar technology manufacturer SunEdison Inc. announced the completion of a 1.8 MW DC solar photovoltaic installation on the remediated Sullivan’s Ledge landfill site – and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund site –…...
NYC has committed to reduce emissions to 80 percent below 2005 levels by 2050, beginning with a comprehensive plan to retrofit all public buildings by 2025 and set target reductions and mandates for private buildings. On September 21, 2014, New York City (NYC) Mayor de Blasio announced a new goal of reducing emissions to 80…...
New executive actions and initiatives to advance solar and energy efficiency projects include military-veterans solar job training, $68M USDA-funded rural projects, and stronger building codes. On September 18, 2014, the White House announced executive actions, public and private sector commitments, federal agency initiatives, and reports to advance solar deployment and energy efficiency. The actions are…...
On September 17, 2014, the Senate Committee on Finance held a hearing titled “Reforming America’s Outdated Energy Tax Code” to discuss possible reforms to the U.S. energy tax policy. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) underscored the need for predictable, level playing-field tax policy that puts renewables on the same footing as other…...
The USDA has announced new funding to modernize the rural electric infrastructure across 15 states. On September 9, 2014, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a funding of more than $518M to rural electric cooperatives to modernize the rural electric infrastructure, increase electric system reliability, and improve electricity delivery across 15 states. The funding,…...
The 2015 round of the Solarize Massachusetts Program seeks applications from Massachusetts communities by October 15. On September 9, 2014, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the 2015 Solarize Massachusetts program with an October 15 response deadline. MassCEC and DOER…...