SOLAR POWER

Clean Energy Banks Offer Financial Alternatives to Federal and State Subsidies

Electric Vehicles, Energy Storage, Hydropower, Renewables, Smart Grid, Solar Power, Wind Power

Development of clean energy and energy efficiency solutions are confronted by challenges including federal policy uncertainties jeopardizing grants and tax credits, state budget constraints, and insufficient capital markets. Several states are exploring ways to leverage public resources with innovative banking and financial mechanisms to facilitate large-scale deployment of low-carbon technologies. Overview Many federal energy subsidies…...

DOE Awards $30M to Advance Distributed Generation

Energy Storage, Renewables, Smart Grid, Solar Power, Wind Power

DOE has announced $30M to develop electrochemical technologies for low-cost distributed generation. On November 25, 2013, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $30M in funding to advance distributed power generation technologies under the Advanced Research Projects Agency –Energy’s (APRA-E) Reliable Electricity Based on Electrochemical Systems (REBELS).  The REBELS project will support transformational electrochemical…...

New California Legislation Supports Solar Deployment

Renewables, Solar Power

California’s AB 327 will facilitate electricity rate reforms, including extension of the net energy metering program that enables consumers to realize economic benefits from harnessing solar energy.   On October 7, 2013, California Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 327 (AB 327) into law, authorizing the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to implement residential electricity…...

NREL Study Examines Impacts of Wind and Solar on Western Grid

Renewables, Solar Power, Wind Power

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has released a study examining increased wind and solar energy integration to the Western Interconnection power system. On September 24, 2013, the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) released Phase 2 of the Western Wind and Solar Integration Study, assessing emissions and costs of fossil-fueled power plant cycling…...

NY Governor Initiates $1B Green Bank to Fund Clean Energy Projects

Biofuels, Electric Vehicles, Energy Storage, Nuclear Power, Renewables, Smart Grid, Solar Power, Wind Power

Governor Cuomo took the first step in the New York Green Bank capitalization process to facilitate private capital flow for clean energy projects. On September 10, 2013, New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo formally launched the $1 billion Green Bank initiative, the central part of innovative clean energy proposals announced during his 2013 State…...

U.S. Navy Providing $30M for Clean Energy Startups

Biofuels, Energy Storage, Renewables, Smart Grid, Solar Power, Wind Power

The Navy has announced $30 million in funding to Hawaii-based “Energy Excelerator” that supports emerging clean energy technologies. On September 9, 2013, the Department of Navy’s Office of Naval Research (ONR) announced $30 million funding to support Energy Excelerator, a Hawaii-based accelerator program for clean energy start-ups.  The funding triples investment over the three-year operation…...

Master Limited Partnerships and the Impact on Renewable Energy Industries

Renewables, Solar Power, Wind Power

Bipartisan support to expand Master Limited Partnership tax benefits for renewables could help advance long-term grid parity, but the tax provision’s impact depends on complementary and consistent support for the new technologies and industries. Overview The Master Limited Partnerships Parity Act (S. 795) and the House version (H.R. 1696) are expected to pass through both…...