Who wants to plunge deep into the dreary details of tax law, especially when doing so might get in the way of slapping a scarlet “B” for bailout on a renewable energy project? So it was that in the wake of our reporting on lower-than-expected production levels at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in… Keep reading →
Although the 30% business investment tax credit (ITC) for installing solar expires at the end of 2016, the window for taking advantage of the ITC is actually much sooner. Unless Congress extends the ITC – which is an open question at this time – business owners should begin planning now for solar projects to be… Keep reading →
First Wind CEO Paul Gaynor once likened federal tax credits to “heroin” for the wind power industry. And you know what happens when a junkie doesn’t get his fix. With the $1.1 trillion “Cromnibus” passed and sent on to the president, and the House home for the holidays, the Senate was left with “tax extenders” legislation that… Keep reading →
The leading U.S. wind energy industry group has to be creative when it comes to ringing alarm bells for a renewal of the Production Tax Credit. After all, it’s something they do every couple of years. Now, with the PTC already a year out of date and a presumably less renewables-friendly Congress waiting in the… Keep reading →
Whether scorched birds are a major issue at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in California is a matter of dispute. But the “power tower” solar plant and its owners – NRG Energy, Google and BrightSource Energy – might have an even more fundamental problem on their hands: generating adequate electricity. The Mojave Desert plant,… Keep reading →
US natural gas prices have trended lower since the summer, but homeowners will likely pay slightly more for the heating fuel than last winter. “For consumers, prices will be about 6.8% higher than last winter, as gas utilities sell more expensive fuel they bought in the spring and summer, according to the U.S. Energy Information… Keep reading →
Quiz time. Which of the following two statements is true: Electric vehicle sales in the United States are growing at a remarkably fast rate. Electric vehicle sales are a small fraction of what many advocates had been hoping for just a few short years ago. OK, maybe you sniffed out the gambit – both are… Keep reading →
Former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson’s endorsement last week has put the carbon tax in the spotlight. But don’t be fooled: even with increased visibility and the wide endorsement of economists – and with a proposal or two floating around on Capitol Hill – turning U.S. energy policy in a cleaner, more climate-friendly direction continues to… Keep reading →
The monthly Energy Infrastructure Update from the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has become a favorite of renewable energy advocates the past few years, often showing a large proportion – and sometimes virtually all – of new electrical generation capacity coming from renewables. There wasn’t much to crow about in April, however, and one-third of… Keep reading →
Peak solar & wind power production in Germany are considerably lower than installed capacity The EU Commission recently unveiled new regulations for the period 2014 to 2020 to gradually phase out support for renewable energy technologies. In a press release the commission stated the guidelines are intended to “promote a gradual move to market-based support… Keep reading →
