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…...
Hawaii Senate Bill 2933 mirrors energy storage sector growth interest and introduces investment and utilization tax credits. Senate Bill 2933 introduces two tax credit forms on utility scale renewable energy storage properties with the requirement that all departments of business, economic, and tourism are to submit an annual joint report to legislature. Investment credit will…...
The $2.2B Ivanpah Solar Electric System can deliver 392 MW of solar power to California’s electric grid. On February 13, 2014, the Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz inaugurated the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, the world’s largest solar thermal power tower system. The three-unit power system spans approximately 3,500 acres of public desert land in…...
The NY Green Bank has issued a request for proposal to private sector lenders to facilitate financing for clean energy projects. On February 11, 2014, NY State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the start of NY Green Bank’s business operations through a request for proposal (RFP) to industry participants, private-sector capital providers, and investors for…...
The U.S. utility-scale solar PV industry is 60 percent towards the SunShot Initiative’s 2020 goal of making solar energy cost-competitive with traditional energy sources. On February 12, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced that the U.S. utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) industry is more than 60 percent of the way to achieve DOE’s SunShot 2020…...
On January 21, Kilowatt Financial announced $100 million debt facility with Citi to support residential energy efficiency upgrades. One day later, Joule Assets announced a $100 million fund to aggregate energy efficiency and demand response projects for private equity investors. Overview Although creative energy efficiency financing has existed for decades, new mechanisms are emerging to…...