Hydro

Renewables Want Level Playing Field

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Growth in renewables manufacturing is about to slow, and thousands of jobs will be lost, if Congress doesn’t level the playing field between renewables and traditional fossil energy sources, renewables advocates told the National Hydropower Association conference April 18 in Washington DC.

The wind, hydro and solar industries are all facing expiration of tax benefits that have allowed them to grow during the recession. Though the specific tax provisions vary, said NHA Executive Director Linda Church Ciocci, “We’re all in the same boat, and we sink or swim together.” Keep reading →

 /  Published April 23, 2012 at 9:00 AM

Hydro Financing Faces Hurdles

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Hydropower supplied 8% of US electricity in 2011, and 62.5% of renewable electricity, according to federal statistics, and hydro advocates say it could provide twice as much if upgrades were made to aging power plants and new technology utilized in rivers and tidal estuaries.

But with the continuing depressed price of natural gas and looming expiration of hydro’s clean energy tax credits, prospects for taking better advantage of US water power are shrinking, financial experts told the National Hydropower Association conference in Washington DC this week. Keep reading →

 /  Published April 20, 2012 at 12:30 PM

The US is Energy Independent Right Now

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With a mix of nuclear, coal, natural gas, hydro and other renewable energy sources, the US electrical grid is energy independent, Chairman, President and CEO of Duke Energy Jim Rogers told the audience at the recent New York Times Energy for Tomorrow Conference.

Going back to the 1970’s US energy crisis, the idea of energy independence has been discussed, debated, shot down and resurrected countless times. When a panel of energy and environment experts gave the concept a fresh look, technology and natural gas were two key themes. Keep reading →

 /  Published April 12, 2012 at 2:30 PM

EU On Track to Exceed 2030 Renewable Generation Target

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Renewable energy resources, according to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), are poised to meet over half of EU’s electricity demand by 2030. In a statement released in mid-January 2012, Justin Wilkes, EWEA’s Director of Policy, said that the EU had already achieved the 21% target set in a 2001 directive for the end of 2010 by generating somewhere between 665-673 TWh from renewable resources, or 21% of total EU consumption of 3,115-3,175 TWh in 2010.

That is an impressive feat. But even more impressive is what Mr. Wilkes says can be achieved by 2020 and 2030 if EU merely stays the course. If renewable electricity production in the EU continues to grow at the same rate as it did from 2005 to 2010 it would reach 36.4% and an amazing 51.6% of electricity consumption within EU block by 2020 and 2030, respectively. Keep reading →

 /  Published March 6, 2012 at 3:30 PM

GE Energy Financial Services Doubles Down On Solar Investment

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GE’s energy investment arm has more than doubled its global solar power investment commitments since early 2011. The company recently reached $1.4 billion in cumulative solar investment, and has enabled nearly $5 billion in solar project value.

“We continue to seek to invest in the best solar power projects – with solid partners, power contracts and proven technology,” says Kevin Walsh, Managing Director and leader of power and renewable energy at GE Energy Financial Services. Keep reading →

 /  Published March 1, 2012 at 9:00 AM

The Crucial Need for Alternative Infrastructure Funding in a Challenged Economy

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In his January 23 State of the Union address, President Obama emphatically pointed out that it was public research dollars that helped develop the technologies to extract natural gas from shale rock, “reminding us that government support is critical in helping businesses get new energy ideas off the ground.”

Presumably, the President also understands that it is a two-way street. While public investment has created mutually beneficial opportunities for private companies, private companies should closely partner with the public sector whenever opportunities for their participation present themselves. Keep reading →

 /  Published February 29, 2012 at 1:30 PM

IEA will acknowledge coming of age of #renewable #energy sector with annual report which analyses market http://bit.ly/zS4eRk

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IEA will acknowledge coming of age of renewable #energy sector with annual report which analyzes market http://bit.ly/zS4eRk IEA

 /  Published February 23, 2012 at 11:10 AM

Hydro, Wind Power Seek Peace In Northwest

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The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), stung by a federal regulatory ruling regarding its treatment of Northwest wind power producers, is proposing new measures-including splitting the cost for lost revenue-to mollify the wind producers when an overabundance of hydroelectric power leads BPA to curtail the wind turbines in the region.

BPA sells power from dozens of federal hydro projects in the Northwest, and it controls most of the transmission lines in the region. Federal regulators in December said BPA acted unfairly in shutting off wind power in spring 2011 when a big snowmelt gave it more electricity than it said it needed. BPA’s action was opposed by wind generators, led by Portland, Oregon-based Iberdrola Renewables, many of whom lost federal production tax credits and state renewable energy certificates when their turbines were shut down and who worried that BPA’s policy could set a precedent that would stifle future support for the industry in the region. Keep reading →

 /  Published February 16, 2012 at 1:30 PM

Navy Proves Waves Can Help Power Maritime Security Operations

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When the surf’s up on the New Jersey coast, U.S. Navy officials are stoked. The waves are helping the Navy harness the power of the ocean to generate electricity for a sea-based radar and communications system that supports maritime security operations. The Navy and Ocean Power Technologies Inc. recently completed successful testing of an autonomous buoy, called the PowerBuoy. The PowerBuoy taps the almost constant wave action on the ocean’s surface to produce the electricity that runs an on-board radar and communications payload.

 /  Published February 14, 2012 at 9:00 AM

Can The East River Power New York City?

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Could New York City’s rivers power its famous lights?

A new tidal energy project located in New York City’s East River has the potential to create electricity that would be one of the first commercial installations of “hydrokinetic” projects in the US. The wave and tidal energy business, which is still in early stages of development, has been divided between large-scale installations and a focus on cheaply-deployed units that could be more easily installed to take advantage of the natural movement of waves and tides. Keep reading →

 /  Published January 30, 2012 at 11:00 AM
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