SOLAR POWER
The DOE’s Lap-Corps will enable national laboratory teams to access private sector opportunities to commercialize innovative clean energy technologies. On October 29, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced the launch of Lap-Corps, a $2.3M pilot program to accelerate commercialization of innovative clean energy technologies developed by DOE National Laboratories. Lap-Corps – modeled on the…...
The Army has partnered with NREL to install net-zero energy installations at nine pilot sites, potentially replacing eight percent of its current installation site energy supply with renewable energy. On October 27, 2014, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced a partnership with the U.S. Army to advance Net Zero Energy…...
NY Green Bank’s initial transactions will produce more than $800M in investments supporting clean energy projects that would annually avoid 575,000 tons of carbon emissions. On October 22, 2014, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the NY Green Bank’s first seven transactions, which – supported and agreed to in principle – will produce more…...
The DOE has announced 40 R&D projects aimed to make solar energy more affordable by advancing system performance. On October 22, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced more than $53M for 40 research and development (R&D) projects aimed to reduce solar energy costs by addressing key technology development aspects that can expedite commercialization of…...
The majority of U.S. states utilize retail energy rate-based compensation of net energy metering (NEM) for residential solar customers. The distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) energy industry is growing rapidly and disrupting the traditional one-way power flow utility model. As residential solar PV installation levels increase, utilities are pushing for new rate structures to cover system…...
SolarCity’s first registered public offering of solar bonds provides an opportunity for individuals to access clean energy investments that were previously reserved for large institutions. On October 15, 2014, SolarCity launched the nation’s first registered public offering of solar bonds through an online investment site to make solar bonds directly available to consumers. SolarCity has…...
Massachusetts offered its first green bond sale in June 2013, and several additional states have offered green bonds over the last two years. Green bonds offer issuers access to capital to finance projects for water quality and infrastructure, energy efficiency, renewable energy, pollution cleanup, and other capital-intensive projects.. With the Green Bond Principles gaining marketplace…...
According to EIA, the share of imports in U.S. energy consumption for the first half of 2014 reached the lowest level in 29 years. On October 10, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report showing that net U.S. energy imports as a share of consumption for the January-June 2014 period reached the lowest…...
A 2.6 MW solar PV array on eight acres of Skidmore College-owned land in the town of Greenfield will supply 12 percent of the college’s energy requirements. On October 7, 2014, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced the completion of a 2.6 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) array on eight acres…...
ISO-NE’s eighth Forward Capacity Market Auction (FCA-8) rates became effective September 16, 2014, despite FERC being unable to reach agreement on whether the filing was “just and reasonable.” The final price for existing sources was set at the administrative price of $7.025/kW-month, a 123 percent increase from the FCA-7 clearing price. The Northeast Massachusetts (NEMA)/Boston…...
An innovative solar cell-battery hybrid developed at OSU is expected to reach 100-percent efficiency and reduce costs by 25 percent. On October 3, 2014, Ohio State University (OSU) reported the invention of the world’s first solar battery – a patent-pending technology that combines a battery and solar cell into one hybrid device. The new design…...
The Massachusetts Attorney General has sought DPU action to mitigate spikes in winter rates and extend the state’s Winter Moratorium by one month. On October 2, 2014, Massachusetts Attorney General (AG) Martha Coakley wrote to the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) requesting an investigation into ways to mitigate National Grid’s winter rate spikes that will…...
