It’s no longer, if, but rather when. In study released in late July 2013, DB’s US-based Vishal Shah estimates that three-quarters of the world’s solar market will be “sustainable” within 18 months, meaning they can operate with little or no subsidy. In 2 years, he reckons, the market will have flipped from one being largely… Keep reading →
This is refreshing: the Ivanpah solar facility in California has been given a delightful media makeover at Gizmodo, where it was dubbed “insane”. The article’s author describes it, as seen from the 15 freeway, as “a rippling, mirage-like, silvery blur that feels like it might sear your retinas if you look at it too long”…a bit more… Keep reading →
The US Senate introduced the STORAGE 2013 Act in early April 2013 as a follow-up to the STORAGE 2011 Act. The proposed act offers a 20% investment tax credit for grid-tied systems up to $40 million per project along with a 30% investment tax credit for on-site systems up to $ 1 million per project. Notably,… Keep reading →
Electric car manufacturer Tesla has announced plans to dramatically expand its electric vehicle charging network – the company claims that within six months, it will connect most major metropolitan areas in the US and southern Canada. [Forbes] In somewhat related but perhaps slightly less dramatic news, the US Navy has unveiled its first solar-powered EV… Keep reading →
Notable achievements in the world of cleantech We’re just five months into 2013, and we’ve already seen a number of new records in cleantech deployment. Here are five recent stories worth highlighting. Renewables Power Portugal Into 2013 In the first quarter of this year, Portugal got 70 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. That’s three straight… Keep reading →
A crane stands next to a wind turbine mast under construction in a wind park on October 6, 2010 near Stoessen, Germany. The German government recently set ambitious goals for renewable energy sources in a new energy policy plan that calls for heavy investment in wind, solar and biogas electricity production.
The Danish wind giant is dealing with fallout from a fire on one of its turbine models. A number of operating turbines were paused following the fire, and the company responded to media questions this week with the following statement: Keep reading →
That is how Germany’s view of nuclear power was summed up by Jochen Flasbarth, President of the country’s Federal Environment Agency, at the New York Times Energy for Tomorrow Conference in New York.
Flasbarth participated in a panel discussion about the prospects for energy independence. He briefly talked about Germany’s plans to phase out nuclear power by 2020 and said that the country’s leadership determined nuclear is not a sustainable energy source, but he did not elaborate. Keep reading →
