Electricity Deregulation Blog

NREL Study Shows Power Grid Can Handle Large Increase in Wind and Solar Generation

PHOENIX, AZ – The National Renewable Energy Laboratory released an initial study assessing the operational impacts and economics of increased contributions from wind and solar energy producers on the power grid. The Western Wind and Solar Integration Study examines the benefits and challenges of integrating enough wind and solar energy capacity into the grid to [...]

850 Utilities Offer Green Energy: Price Parity Approaches

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently released a study that found 850 utilities across the United States now offer some form of green energy program. In 2009, green energy sales by electric utilities exceeded 6 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) or approximately 5% of total kWh consumption.
The municipal electric utility Austin Energy was the top electric [...]

Disputed renewable power bill signed

Gov. Jim Doyle on Wednesday signed into law a bill that wind power developers and environmental groups had asked him to veto.
The bill, known as the Renewable Resource Credits bill, would allow energy generation produced from waste such as garbage to be classified as renewable and qualify that electricity for the state’s renewable power mandate.
The [...]

DOE funds to stretch solar power via salt storage

The Department of Energy is funding a series of projects that marry concentrating solar power with storage, which offers the potential of solar power plants that operate 18 hours a day.
The DOE said Friday that it has made $62 million available to 13 companies to test equipment and materials, such as molten salts, to add [...]

When Clean Energy Grants Run Out, Will a ‘Green Bank’ Take Over?

When energy consultant Matthew Rogers moved to the Energy Department over a year ago, he had $36.7 billion in grants and loan guarantee authority from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to get out the door. Today, all but about $300 million has been committed to 5,000 winners in the awards competition. “My popularity [...]

NNY can take lead in developing green technology

Green technology, specifically solar power, is an integral piece of the world’s economic and environmental future. As the scale of photovoltaic (PV) production increases and costs continue to decline, demand for PV electricity will outpace supply for years to come.
China has implemented plans to foster and develop a renewable energy industry while the United States [...]

Construction begins on largest photovoltaic plant.

Florida Power and Light has announced that construction is underway on what will become the nation’s largest photovoltaic solar plant.
In a statement this week, the company reported that the 25-megawatt plant should be complete at the end of the year, and will be able to power 3,000 homes, or 20 percent of DeSoto County. [...]

RI picks Chevron for Narragansett wind project

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island has selected Chevron Energy Solutions to develop and maintain several onshore wind turbines in the coastal town of Narragansett, Gov. Don Carcieri announced Tuesday.

Chevron’s proposal beat out bids from three other firms. It plans to finance the site work and turbine construction without funding from the town or state, Carcieri’s [...]

Regulators Approve Key Contract for New 48-Megawatt Sempra Generation Solar Power Plant

Largest Operational Photovoltaic Solar Facility in North America to Start Construction in January
Sempra Generation announced today that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved Pacific Gas & Electric’s (PG&E) contract to purchase 48 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic solar power from Sempra Generation’s Copper Mountain Solar facility.
The CPUC’s approval of the contract signals the January [...]

Report calls for provincial entity to oversee renewable energy resources and commitment to biomass generation

SYDNEY — The creation of a provincial entity to oversee renewable energy resources and a commitment to biomass generation are two of the key recommendations from an interim report commissioned by the Department of Energy to ensure the province meets its renewable energy targets. Dalhousie University’s faculty of management, which studied the economic, social and [...]