SOLAR POWER
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…...
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)…...
To avoid 2012 import solar PV tariffs, Chinese manufacturers outsourced production to nearby Taiwan. Recognizing this, SolarWorld has petitioned the Department of Commerce for new antidumping and countervailing duty tariffs. Domestic manufacturers support the tariffs in an effort to become more cost-competitive and increase single-digit market shares. Installers and project developers warn that installation costs…...
Information on solar projects under NYSERDA’s open enrollment solar incentive programs have been made available on the Open NY data portal. On July 31, 2014, the New York Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced the availability of information on approximately 10,000 solar project applications and installations from 2003-2014 under its open enrollment solar photovoltaic…...
The Clean Energy Resources Bill would require minimum annual clean energy contracts of 18.9 million megawatt-hours of electricity for 20-25 years. Massachusetts’ H.3968, An Act Relative to Clean Energy Resources, introduced by Rep. Mark J. Cusack (D-MA) and Sen. Barry R. Finegold (D-MA) on June 18, would require electricity distribution companies to solicit proposals for…...
During a Trade and Investment Mission to Mexico, California Governor Brown signed agreements with Mexico to enhance cooperation on environmental issues and encourage cross-border clean energy investments. On July 28, 2014, California Governor Edmund G. Brown, Mexico’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Rodolfo Lacy, and Mexican National Forestry Commission Director General Jorge Rescala…...
The U.S. Commerce Department has announced preliminary antidumping tariffs ranging from 26-165 percent on certain solar PV products produced in China and Taiwan. On July 25, 2014, the Department of Commerce (DOC) released its preliminary findings in the antidumping duty investigations of imports of certain crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) products from China and Taiwan. DOC…...
Massachusetts’ HB 4185 would boost solar industry growth by removing net metering caps and by creating a declining block solar incentive program. On July 24, 2014, a group of 54 Massachusetts-based companies sent a letter to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in support of HB 4185 – An Act Relative to Net Metering and Solar Power. The letter emphasized…...
Revisions to New York’s Main Tier RPS will increase contract lengths for large-scale renewable projects from 10 years to 20 years, providing greater investor certainty. On July 2, 2014, the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) announced major changes to the state’s Main Tier Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) program to promote large-scale renewable projects…....
The Breakfast Series’ Solar session emphasized an industry in transition. The solar industry looks to continue its progress from a burgeoning niche market to a stand-alone provider of cost-competitive renewable energy, and the tipping point may be arriving very soon. Moderated by EnerKnol’s Janet Lin, the event panel included Laurence Mackler, Founder & CEO, Solaire…...
ARPA-E has announced $33M in funding under its new REBELS program to support innovative distributed generation technologies. On June 19, 2014, the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) announced $33M in funding for 13 projects through its new Reliable Electricity Based on Electrochemical Systems (REBELS) program. The new projects will focus on…...
DOE has awarded $100M to accelerate scientific breakthroughs for a fundamentally new energy economy. On June 18, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced a $100M award across 32 projects – as second round of funding for Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) – to support innovative energy research that will enable fundamental advances in energy generation, supply, transmission,…...
