Colombia’s state-owned Ecopetrol is aiming for dramatic growth in biofuels production by 2020 to capture what could be a rapidly-growing domestic market.
Ecopetrol plans to invest $516 million in biofuels to 2020, developing new capacity in sugarcane ethanol and palm oil biodiesel. Keep reading →
For all the discussion of federal incentives for renewable energy and the push, both in the Obama Administration and at regulatory bodies, for policies that can accommodate renewable energy generation, actual implementation remains a very local affair.
Some states are blessed with huge resources, whether hydropower in the Northwestern US, or wind sweeping across Texas plains. Even where resources are plentiful, though, earlier analysis from AOL Energy showed the importance of a conducive regulatory climate as well. See our earlier AOL Energy infographic: At The State Level, The National Energy Future. Keep reading →
The energy industry is a massive, heavily-regulated sector involved in some of the largest, most complex and most drawn-out legal issues of our time. It would be hard to find a law firm that did not count energy firms as major clients, and many of the top firms pride themselves on the excellent work they do for firms both in the US and around the world.
The list below is not an attempt to quantify the number of hours spent by attorneys, or even rate the overall profile of the firm within the golden circle of law firms themselves, much less quantify the value of the deals each firm has worked. Based on conversations with energy industry sources, these are the firms getting the most attention from insiders, and this list lays out how they are perceived. Keep reading →
Big one for big solar: DOE provides $1.2 B loan guarantee for Mojave concentrating solar project http://1.usa.gov/ndK9gD @mlamonica
We just ended a month during which our nation observed the 8th anniversary of the August 2003 Blackout (more than 50 million consumers affected and more than $6 billions in losses), the 6th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina (more than 1800 deaths and over $150 billions in economic losses), and the Aug. 1, 2007 collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis (killing 13 and disrupting traffic and the local economy for a year) – that is in addition to the hundreds of black-outs, water main breaks and daily traffic gridlocks.
These events have stimulated growing public awareness of the necessity for accelerated programs of replacement, rehabilitation and new investment in the US infrastructure. Keep reading →
Despite all the recent solar hype, the wind industry has been slowly picking up nationwide.
Duke Energy Renewables plans to build and operate its second wind farm in Pennsylvania, named the Laurel Hill Windpower Project. The 69-megawatt wind farm will be located in Lycoming County and will consist of 30 Siemens wind turbines that will generate enough electricity to power more than 2000 homes.
As part of a 25-year power purchase agreement, all of the renewable electricity generated by this new plant will be sold to Delaware Municipal Electric Corp. (DEMEC). Construction for the plant began in August and the company predicts commercial operation to be achieved by September 2012.
“The remarkable growth we’ve seen in Duke Energy Renewables’ wind and solar business lines this year is a testament to customers like DEMEC that understand the long-term value of affordable renewable energy,” said Duke Energy Renewables President Greg Wolf.
“DEMEC is a leader in the development and support of renewable energy,” said DEMEC President and CEO Patrick E. McCullar. “We’ve been providing green energy products to our members since 2004, well before the Delaware Renewable Portfolio Standard became law. The Laurel Hill Windpower Project is the perfect addition to our expanding renewables portfolio. We look forward to our partnership with Duke Energy Renewables and value the experience they bring as wind farm developers and managers.”
The introduction of the new Laurel Hill plant will contribute to the industry’s total 42,432 MW of utility-scale wind power capacity, according to the American Wind Energy Assocation.
To read more about the Kansas wind farms read: A Second Wind.
Keep reading →
With debate on cost allocation for building new transmission lines still heated in Washington DC and FERC 1000 still pending, Duke American Transmission Company (DATC) made its own decision.
On Monday, the company–a joint venture between Duke Energy and American Transmission Company–announced it would be building $4 billion worth of new transmission lines in seven distinct projects across Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. The projects, each spanning anywhere from 65 to 696 miles, would be a combination of both 345-kilovolt lines and 500-kilovolt high-voltage direct-current lines. Keep reading →
In this short video, Deputy Director of the Galvin Electricity Initiative, Jon Kelly, discusses the Perfect Power Seal of Approval Program, intended to provide a standardized measure for smart grid initiatives.
The program is backed by extensive smart grid research and supported by a wide range of scientists, energy executives and lobbyists, Galvin says. The hope is to make smart grid, like LEED, a recognizable and achievable goal for power companies. Keep reading →
The upcoming football season is looking sunny for the Washington Redskins’ stadium. Keep reading →
As expected, Illinois governor vetoes smart grid legislation http://ow.ly/6teTo #smartgrid RenewGrid
