SOLAR POWER
On February 19, 2014, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) held its sixth carbon allowance auction. Auction results over the first year show that compliance entities are becoming more comfortable with program and that investor market confidence is growing. Similarly, a secondary allowance market is also developing as market confidence grows. Overview The California Air…...
On March 4, 2014, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) held the first carbon allowance auction under the new Model Rule. Auction prices reached record levels and high market participation and allowance demand exhausted the 5 million allowance Cost Containment Reserve. Overview The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is the nation’s first mandatory market-based cap-and-trade…...
The New York Power Authority has released its updated strategic plan outlining actionable initiatives to attain a transformed energy system. On March 26, 2014, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) released its Strategic Vision 2014-2019, an updated strategic plan aimed to boost economic growth by providing more value to NYPA customers. Through the plan, NYPA…...
The traditional electricity power grid is undergoing a historic shift with the emergence of decentralized power generation. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is charged with overseeing complex state, regional, and local transmission laws and regulatory environments, which can vary significantly. This variance, combined with a more open transmission project market may lead to increased…...
Indiana’s new Feed-in tariff (FiT) program will allow customers to sell electricity produced by renewable energy facilities to their electric utilities at favorable rates. The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) will establish an electric utility FiT program, which requires utilities purchasing electricity generated from a renewable energy facility to enter a standard contract for a…...
The U.S. and Colombia have entered into an agreement to collaborate development of the first Latin America Solar Decathlon. On March 11, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced that the U.S. and Colombia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly develop a Solar Decathlon Latin America and Caribbean competition. Under the agreement, DOE,…...
California’s grid-connected solar generation has more than doubled from last year, setting a new record of 4,093 MW. On March 10, 2014, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) reported that grid-connected solar generation reached 4,093 MW on March 8, outperforming the prior-day record of 3,926 MW. The new capacity can supply approximately three million homes…...
On February 27th, the Conference of Mayors released survey findings summarizing how cities across the nation spent $2.7b in funding disbursed through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG). This program, authorized under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was designed to provide state and local governments federal support to carry out…...
The FY 2015 budget plan proposes $27.9B in DOE funding, reiterating President Obama’s commitment to a low-carbon future and energy infrastructure resilience. President Barack Obama’s FY 2015 budget plan released on March 4, 2014 allocates $27.9B for the Department of Energy (DOE), a 2.6 percent increase from the 2014 enacted level. It reflects DOE reorganization…...
Senator Monning introduces Photovoltaic Panel Collection and Recycling Act of 2014 under the Hazardous Waste Control Law. The solar industry is rapidly evolving with new and complex materials in efforts to make improvements in efficiency and economic feasibility. Environmental, health, and safety issues are on the rise with technological advancements, especially in product manufacturing and…...
The U.S. solar market grew by 41 percent from 2012-2013, with solar accounting for 29 percent of new electricity generation capacity in 2013. A report released by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association on March 4, 2014 shows that 2013 U.S. solar photovoltaic (PV) installations increased by 41 percent over 2012, reaching 4,751…...
To date, the 2009 Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy has invested $900M for innovative projects leveraging $625M in private funding. On February 25, 2014, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) announced that it has advanced 22 innovative projects over the past five years, leveraging approximately $625M private funding following its…...