2015-2-5 Energy Week

Please note that this post is being developed.

Thursday, January 29:

• Large-scale wind projects are the most cost-effective way for Vermont utilities to meet proposed new renewable energy requirements being considered by the Legislature, according to testimony. A bill backed by the Shumlin Administration would have 55% of the power come from renewable sources by 2017. [Vermont Public Radio]
• IKEA this week revealed demand for its greenest products jumped 58% last year to over €1 billion as consumers purchased such products as LED lighting, solar panels, and water-saving taps. Products that help customers achieve “a more sustainable life at home” are a major growth area for the company. [Business Green]
• A UK village made famous after strong anti-fracking protests has installed the first community-owned solar panel project. Residents from Balcome, West Sussex set up an energy co-operative after the protests. The co-op has installed a total of 69 panels on the roof of a cow-shed at a nearby family-run farm. [E&T magazine]

Friday, January 30:

• Germany’s newly installed onshore wind power capacity rose by a record 4,750 MW in 2014, marking what is likely to be a peak annual gain as the country gears up for a nuclear-free future. The increase production is roughly equivalent to one nuclear plant. It is a 58% percent bigger increase than 2013’s. [Reuters]
• Countries from Mexico to Germany and Malaysia are increasingly taking advantage of cheap oil by trimming fossil-fuel subsidies, easing the way for renewable power that can help the environment. The IEA’s latest report says fossil fuel producers were paid $548 billion in 2013, a $26.5 billion decline. [Bloomberg]
• New figures released by GTM Research show that the Latin America solar PV market grew by 370% in 2014, installing a total of 625 MW. In the fourth quarter of 2014 alone, Chile installed double the amount of Latin America’s annual solar PV total in 2013. Projections are for 2.1 GW of PV installed in 2015. [CleanTechnica]
• Renewable energy production has outperformed natural gas resources, contributing nearly half of new generating capacity in the US in 2014. Various renewable energy sources such as biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar and wind contributed 49.81% of new capacity. Natural gas accounted for 48.65%. [Greentech Lead]
• The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board denied the state of Vermont’s request for a hearing designed to force Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee and Entergy Nuclear Operations to maintain an operational status regarding its Site Emergency Plan. [Nuclear Street – Nuclear Power Plant News, Jobs, and Careers]

Saturday, January 31:

• Eos Energy Storage will be making its MW-scale Aurora system commercially available starting in 2016 at a price of $160/kWh, according to a recent press release. The company’s standard offering is a containerized 1-MW DC battery system that can provide roughly 4 hours of continuous discharge for cost-effective energy storage. [CleanTechnica]
• Delays and cost overruns are piling up for a new plant in Georgia that was supposed to prove nuclear energy can be built affordably. Instead, the companies building first-of-their-kind reactors at Plant Vogtle expect they will need an extra three years and $1 billion to finish construction. [Savannah Morning News]

Sunday, February 1:

• On Friday, 62 Senators approved Keystone XL. Fourteen of the 62 had voted for an amendment acknowledging that humans contribute significantly to climate change (the vote was 50-49). And nearly all of them had voted to acknowledge that climate change is no hoax and is happening now (98 to 1). [Scientific American]
• Solar power has become the poster child of renewable-energy champions, leaving power sources such as biomass, hydro and wind in the shade. Small hydro isn’t dead, however, and small hydro projects can supply both energy and income through net metering, where the circumstances are right. [The Durango Herald]

Monday, February 2:

• The two largest German power producers, RWE AG and EON SE, are keen to sell their gas-fired plants, rendered uncompetitive by the rise of renewable energy on the one hand and record low coal prices on the other. They will take them apart, move them by truck and ship and reassemble them elsewhere. [BizNews]
• SMart Wind has handed in its planning application to the UK authorities for the second phase of the 4-GW Hornsea offshore wind project. Plans for the 1.8-GW phase are built around a layout of 360 Siemens turbines installed 90 kilometers off the Yorkshire coast. The 1.2-GW first phase was approved in December. [Recharge]
• In order to curb pollution in the National Capital, Prime Minister Narendra Modi- led NDA government has approved plans to make Delhi free of petrol and diesel generators, according to the Power, Coal and Renewable Energy Minister. He also said a programme to transmit 7400 MW to Delhi has been approved. [indiatvnews.com]

Tuesday, February 3:

• President Barack Obama’s proposed fiscal 2016 budget would make federal renewable energy tax credits permanent and provide billions of dollars for climate change initiatives, while eliminating almost $50 billion in fiscal incentives for the fossil fuel industries. He faces stiff opposition from Republicans. [Recharge]
• Apple will build a $2 billion global command center in Mesa, Arizona, with 150 full-time employees. The tech giant said it would be one of the largest investments it has ever made. Apple has pledged to completely power the facility with renewable energy, building out solar projects in the process. [Yahoo!7 News]
• Newly announced support from San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee has the city kicking its potentially 100% renewable-energy power program, CleanPowerSF, into high gear. CleanPowerSF is a proposed city-run power program that would provide solar, wind, small hydro and other renewable energy to San Francisco. [San Francisco Examiner]

Wednesday, February 4:

• Frustrated by its lack of influence in the siting of solar projects in town, the Rutland Town Select Board is distributing a resolution asking all Vermont municipalities to call for more municipal involvement in the Certificate of Public Good process required in permitting renewable energy projects in the state. [Vermont Public Radio]
• A major Midwest utility holding company is teaming up with a Massachusetts equipment maker to create a statewide series of microgrids, including one in the Albany, New York Region. Microgrids using locally supplied power, including from renewable sources, can operate even during overall grid disruptions. [Albany Times Union]
• European day-ahead electricity prices went sharply lower in January as wind power generation posted new records in Germany and the UK. The Platts Continental Power Index fell 7.44% in January to €35.81/MWh compared to December’s €38.69/MWh. The Index was down 11.12% from January 2014. [Your Renewable News]

2015-1-29 Energy Week

Please note that this post is being developed.

Thursday, January 22:

• A project called Second Life Batteries is bringing Bosch, the BMW Group, and Vattenfall together to interconnect used batteries from electric vehicles to form a large-scale energy storage system in Hamburg. As part of a virtual power plant, its energy is available within seconds to help keep the power grid stable. [Autocar Professional]
• Dubai has more than doubled its target for renewables in its overall energy mix given the falling cost of solar power. The change comes days after the emirate upsized a planned solar after receiving what the consortium building the scheme said was the cheapest cost ever proposed to generate solar power. [Gulf Business News]
• The US DOE announced an incentive program for developers adding hydroelectric power generating capabilities to existing non-powered dams throughout the United States. According to the DOE, equipping non-powered dams with generating capabilities could provide up to 12 GW. [Renewable Energy Focus]

Friday, January 23:

• Vermont is considering legislation changing its energy policy. It would end a practice critics say double-counts benefits of its renewable power sources. It would also allow utilities to count for credit weatherization or efficiency projects they sponsor, such as new windows, insulation, biomass heat, or heat pumps. [San Francisco Chronicle]
• “Why utilities across the nation are embracing community solar” – The shared renewables movement is catching on, and 2015 could be community solar’s year. Utilities and private sector players are immersed in plans. Regulators from California to the District of Columbia are working on program designs. [Utility Dive]
• Powerful fossil fuel companies and energy utilities have taken control of key renewable energy lobby groups in Europe in an effort to slow the transition to clean energy, according to industry insiders. They have majorities on the boards of the European Wind Energy Association and European Photovoltaic Industry Association. [The Guardian]

Saturday, January 24:

• Mexico will add 66 GW to its power grid over the next 15 years, with investments of $90 billion expected in renewables, according to a high-ranking Mexican energy official. The energy reform will create a competitive market and encourage use of renewables by awarding clean energy certificates. [Business News Americas]
• Efforts to combat climate change will figure prominently in talks between Prime Minister Modi and President Obama this weekend. India wants more private sector partnerships and technology to support a drive to expand its use of clean energy from the US. The US wants a global climate change deal in 2015. [Bharat Press]
• Ohio utilities are asking for sweeping bailouts for aging coal and nuclear power plants, to the tune of $3 billion. And Ohioans are asking why they should shell out billions to prop up harmful fossil fuels, when they could instead create thousands of good clean energy jobs, protecting their health and prosperity. [Huffington Post]

Sunday, January 25:

• More than 800 MW of small-scale solar energy capacity was installed in Australia in 2014, according to recent figures released by Green Energy Markets. This 800 MW of new small-scale capacity was split amongst 185,950 different systems, with the average size of these systems being about 4.4 kW. [CleanTechnica]
• President Obama and the new GOP-controlled Congress face showdowns over climate change, health, and environmental safeguards. But new public opinion research shows a strong majority of Americans, including Republicans, in five key states support existing protections and tougher environmental enforcement. [Investor Ideas]
• The SunZia project, a proposed $2 billion transmission line that would carry renewable electrical energy generated by solar and wind resources in New Mexico and Arizona to markets across the West, is a single step closer to being in service following final federal approval. The line is to be 515 miles long. [National Review]

Monday, January 26:

• The Indian government is looking to set a target of 100 GW under its national wind energy mission. While the mission is being mulled for almost a year it could be launched within months, if not weeks. The plan is to add 10 GW per year of windpower for seven years, adding to the country’s current capacity of 22.5 GW. [CleanTechnica]
• The world’s largest oil exporter has chosen not to cut production, counting instead on lower prices to stimulate consumption, because consumption is declining, according to a former adviser to Saudi Arabia’s petroleum minister. The Saudis are watching investments in fuel efficiency and renewable energy. [Malay Mail Online]
• Gas and electricity prices spiked last winter in New England. So far, this winter is different. In December, wholesale electricity and natural gas prices were down 55% and 64% from last year, respectively. January saw some price increases on cold days, but much less than last year. [Foster’s Daily Democrat]

Tuesday, January 27:

• A new study has found that wave energy production, once the infrastructure is in place, would be a reliable, steady, and dependable source of electricity—even cheaper than wind power. Along the US coastline, it could make 1,170 TWh per year. That is enough to supply half the United States’ annual electricity demand. [TakePart]
• The underlying theme of the agreements the US made with China and India, and the position taken by the leaders of the world’s three most influential national economies, is that coal no longer rules. The “all of the above” credo that once dominated their thinking on energy is morphing into “anything but coal.” [RenewEconomy]
• The UK Government has been forced to perform a U-turn and concede to a number of Opposition amendments to squeeze through legislation that will allow shale gas development to go ahead. Ministers had to accept the 13 conditions laid out by Labour watering down fracking laws to pass them through Parliament. [Click Green]

Wednesday, January 28:

• Global nuclear power capacity increased slightly in 2014. Five new reactors (4.76 gigawatts) began supplying electricity and three were permanently shut down. Nuclear generating capacity increased by 2.4 GW, compared to 26 GW for windpower. Thus a long-standing pattern of stagnation continues. [Business Spectator]
• The world can enjoy higher standards of living and more travel, while drastically cutting emissions to avoid dangerous climate change, but only with sweeping changes to our infrastructure, the natural world, and agriculture, and continuation of poverty for many, UK Government analysis has found. [Greenwise Business]
• The Vermont Public Service Department has awarded two Vermont-based companies, Casella Resource Solutions, Rutland, and Grow Compost, Waterbury, with Clean Energy Development Fund grants to build and operate pilot projects to demonstrate the feasibility of anaerobic digestion of food scraps. [Renewable Energy from Waste]

2015-01-22 Energy Week

Please note that this post is being developed.

Thursday, January 15:

• “Why the Smart Money is Betting on Renewable Energy – Brewing Solar Power Boom” The price of oil may be down, for a while, but the decline in cost of renewable energy means last year’s investment brought in almost double the clean electricity capacity than what it did only four years earlier. [The Market Oracle]
• German offshore windpower had 258 turbines totalling 1049.2 MW as 2014 ended. This is more than double what there was the previous year. A further 268 turbines totalling 1218.1 MW are in place but not fully grid-linked by the end of the year, so they are already set to more than double the capacity again this year. [reNews]
• The Obama Administration is announcing a series of steps to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40% to 45% from 2012 levels by 2025, encompassing both commonsense standards and cooperative engagement with states, tribes and industry to put us on a path toward the 2025 goal. [Renewable Energy Focus]

Friday, January 16:

• Prices of natural gas prices and electric power are not connected, as a graph from Deutsche Bank comparing them reveals. It shows that while natural gas prices in the US have fallen 88% since 2008, from a peak of $13/mmb to as low as $2/mmb, consumer electricity prices actually rose 20% over the same period. [CleanTechnica]
• America’s clean energy economy is celebrating. A new report shows the solar industry’s explosive growth is creating new, highly skilled jobs at a rate nearly 20 times faster than the overall economy. One out of every 78 new jobs created in the US over the past 12 months was created by the solar industry. [Click Green]
• Florida businesses and property owners would be able to sell a limited amount of solar energy under a ballot initiative for a constitutional amendment rolled out Wednesday by a coalition, “Floridians for Solar Choice,” that brings together free-market conservatives, retailers and alternative-energy supporters. [RenewablesBiz]

Saturday, January 17:

• Wind power displaced £579 million of coal and gas imports in the UK in 2013, increasing resilience, according to Cambridge Econometrics. Coal imports were reduced by an estimated 4.9 million tonnes and gas by 1.4 billion cubic metres. Some 56% of the nation’s gas supplies and 79% of its coal were imported. [reNews]
• Scotland’s rural electricity network is to receive its most significant upgrade in decades after Perth-based utility SSE accepted a new £1.118 billion funding proposal for the project. An SSE subsidiary agreed to develop the 1.2 gigawatt Caithness to Moray subsea transmission link with energy watchdog Ofgem. [The Courier]
• The Cuban government wants to make Granma province 100% renewably powered as a model for the rest of the island. They are well on their way. In 2013, renewables supplied 37% of all the energy consumed in Granma province, and the province currently has 3,664 renewable energy systems in operation. [BillMoyers.com]
• Michigan Governor Rick Snyder says he wants to look into weaning the state off coal-fired generation. Currently, Michigan sources about 50% of its power from coal-fired plants, but Snyder told the Michigan Conservative Energy Forum that now is the time to look at a long-term transition away from coal. [Platts]

Sunday, January 18:

• European power sector emissions fell by 8% in 2014, and electricity consumption fell by 2.7%. These are fantastic numbers across the 28 member states of one of the most influential power-blocs in the world. This is according to Sandbag, which is dedicated to shining light on tracking emissions trading in the EU. [CleanTechnica]
• A report from the International Renewable Energy Agency, Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2014, concludes that biomass, hydropower, geothermal and onshore wind are all competitive with or cheaper than coal, oil and gas-fired power stations, even without financial support and despite falling oil prices. [Utilities-ME.com]
• Economic evaluation of US federal climate policies hinges on a social cost of carbon estimate of $37 per metric ton of CO2 in 2013. Unfortunately, each metric ton of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere causes $220 in economic damages, say the Stanford researchers, a staggering economic problem. [CleanTechnica]

Monday, January 19:

• The Harvard quinone flow battery got worldwide media attention in early 2014 for its inexpensive non-metal electrolytes. Now, a team of developers at Sustainable Innovations have verified Harvard’s results. This success, with funding from ARPA-E, this cleared the way for building a prototype test battery. [PR Web]
• Welspun Energy has announced fresh investment plans to expand its solar and wind capacity in India. Welspun Energy has signed agreements with the state government of Gujarat to install 1.1 GW of renewable capacity. The agreement includes 500 MW of wind energy capacity and 600 MW of solar energy capacity. [CleanTechnica]
• SunEdison has signed yet another landmark deal with a state in India to set up large-scale renewable energy projects. SunEdison will set up 5 GW of solar and wind energy capacity in the southern state of Karnataka. This is the second such deal the company has signed but the first to include wind energy as well. [CleanTechnica]

Tuesday, January 20:

• Saudi Arabia’s plans to build nuclear and solar energy projects will take about eight years longer to complete than originally intended, according to the head of the agency overseeing the projects. In 2012, the Saudi government said it would install 17 GW of nuclear power and about 41 GW of solar capacity by 2032. [Gulf Business News]
• Fracking industry claims about job creation in the UK are wildly over-optimistic and any jobs boom would be short-lived, according to a new report. It also found investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy would create up to six-times more jobs than the same level of investment in fossil fuels. [Click Green]
• Google has unveiled new plan to invest in two renewable energy projects worth more than $1.5 billion, reports Forbes. The first project consists of a $76 million investment in the 300-MW Balko Wind project in Oklahoma. The second is the 104-megawatt Red Hills solar power plant in Utah worth $157 million. [Greentech Lead]

Wednesday, January 21:

• What President Barack Obama described as the greatest threat to future generations was neither terrorism nor ISIS. It wasn’t nuclear weapons in rogue states either. “No challenge  poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change,” said Obama in his State of the Union speech Tuesday. His statement was met with scattered, muted applause. [CNN]
• Chile’s combined PV and wind installed capacity almost quadrupled in 2014 to about 1.2 GW. Solar capacity grew from 6.7 MW to 362 MW in the year, and wind capacity grew from 330 MW to 836 MW. Chile’s total installed renewables capacity of 2.2GW and another 1.2 GW is expected in 2015. [Recharge]
• A Montana pipeline burst and sent 50,400 gallons of oil gushing into the Yellowstone River. The massive oil spill happened when the 12-inch pipeline, which crosses the Yellowstone River, ruptured Saturday about 5 miles upstream from Glendive, Montana. The state’s governor declared a state of emergency. [CNN]

 

2015-01-15 Energy Week

Please note that this post is being developed.

Thursday, January 8:

• German power sector greenhouse gas emissions fell in 2014, hitting their second-lowest level since 1990, according to German think-tank Agora Energiewende. The sector emitted 301 million tonnes of CO2 last year, down from 317 million in 2013. The previous low was 294 million in 2009 [Argus Media]
• Fuel subsidies have been a constant issue for the Indonesian government for more than a decade. The growing consumption and the volatility of global oil prices have taken a toll on the state finances, reaching $19.6 billion in 2014, roughly 15% of the state budget. Now, the state is ending the subsidies. [Jakarta Post]
• Illinois governmental agencies Wednesday issued reports proposing ways to prop up Exelon’s ailing nuclear power plants. The company says that at least three of its nuclear plants in the state could be closed for economic reasons and hopes to have nuclear plants included under a clean portfolio standard. [Morris Daily Herald]

Friday, January 9:

• Mercom Capital Group tallied $26.5 billion in solar project investment from corporate funding sources during 2014. That’s an astounding 175% increase over 2013, when Mercom counted just $9.6 billion. The reason is that perception of the solar sector has moved from one of high risk to one with low-risk yields. [CleanTechnica]
• So-called grid batteries could lower the cost of renewable energy by eliminating intermittency problems. Aquion Energy, a Pittsburgh-based startup that makes one such battery, announced that the technology will allow a small electricity grid in Hawaii to run around the clock on solar power. [MIT Technology Review]
• With gas pump prices near their lowest levels in five years, greener, cleaner alternative fuels are taking a hit. Makers of biodiesel, a fuel made from vegetable oil or animal fats, are slashing prices and margins in a bid to stay competitive with the price of diesel fuel, which is down more than 20% from a year ago. [GlobalPost]

Saturday, January 10:

• Researchers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and DVGW have demonstrated that power from wind and solar power can be stored in the form of methane efficiently made from biomass-based carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The DemoSNG pilot plant constructed by the KIT will operate in Sweden. [Phys.Org]
• The first Round-The-World flight powered entirely by solar energy has begun with transportation of Solar Impulse 2 — disassembled, in the belly of a Cargolux Boeing 747 — from the Payerne aerodrome in Switzerland to the departure and final landing city of Abu Dhabi, according to the Solar Impulse team. [CleanTechnica]
• In April we reported that seismologists were hot on the trail of a “smoking gun” that would link fracking to earthquakes on Ohio. At the time the experts were a bit cautious, but earlier this week the Seismological Society of America came out with a definitive statement: yes, fracking earthquakes are real. [CleanTechnica]

Sunday, January 11:

• Noted campaigning organization Avaaz recently sent a petition with the signatures of 2.2 million people to the UN secretary general. It asked all levels of government worldwide to transition to 100% renewable energy. Avaaz is currently aiming to get at least 100 cities around the world to join its campaign. [CleanTechnica]
• Rochester Gas and Electric Corp has proposed a plan for easing the Ginna nuclear plant into retirement while lessening additional costs to clients. The proposal is part of proceedings to establish whether buyers should pay a premium for electricity from the aging plant, which is losing money. [West Valley News]
• California, a national leader in advancing energy storage, envisions this technology as a critical component in reducing global warming, improving air quality and promoting energy independence. The state currently has several pilot projects, and is working toward commercialization of energy storage. [Imperial Valley News]

Monday, January 12:

• Every year, botanists in the UK look for flowers in bloom on New Year’s Day. Even given Britain’s mild climate, it seems surprising that they usually find about twenty or thirty species flowering. This year, however, they were stunned. They found flowers of three hundred and sixty-eight species. [BBC News]
• Battery startup Aquion Energy made a deal with an off-grid residential estate in Hawaii to supply a 1-MWh Aqueous Hybrid Ion battery. The battery will be combined with the Bakken Hale estate’s 176 kW solar PV system to provide for almost all of its electricity use — allowing for a completely off-grid setup. [CleanTechnica]
• The latest ultra mega solar power project announced in India is in the state of Gujarat, the state that originated the concept of solar parks. It will also include wind energy installations. The new project announced under India’s ultra mega solar power policy will provide 5 GW of solar and wind power combined. [CleanTechnica]

Tuesday, January 13:

• In India, SunEdison and Omnigrid Micropower Company Pvt Ltd announced that they have signed a framework agreement to develop 5,000 rural projects, representing 250 MW of electricity, throughout India over the next three to five years. They hope the deal will bring electric power to 10 million people. [Power Online]
• Market research firm IHS projects growth in the global market for grid-connected residential PV solar installations with energy storage from the current 90 MW to over 900 MW in 2018. Cost reductions for storage, such as lithium-ion batteries, are starting to help drive the installation of solar systems. [SmartMeters]
• The owner of the Vermont Yankee, nuclear power plant says the fuel has been removed from the reactor and placed in the spent fuel pool. The information was contained in a letter dated Friday from Entergy Nuclear Operations to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. [Greenfield Daily Reporter]

Wednesday, January 14:

• A recently released report from the NC Clean Energy Technology Center suggests that in almost every one of America’s 50 largest cities, a solar PV system of typical size offers a better return than the stock market, and for 42 of them, the cost of solar is already less than from their local utility. [CleanTechnica]
• Analysis of the impact US tight oil has on global oil markets shows that only around one quarter of the drop in US imports of 1.7 million barrels per day since 2005 to 2006 can be explained by the tight oil boom. Oil imports dropped by about 1 million barrels per day before the tight oil boom even began. [Resilience]
• The Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation recently wrote a piece highlighting the impressive potential for offshore wind development in the US. The figures say the US has a projected 4,223 GW worth of offshore wind generating potential, with 50 GW from the Ohio waters of Lake Erie alone. [CleanTechnica]

 

 

2015-01-08 Energy Week

Please note that this post is being developed.

Friday, January 2:

• In 2000, wind farms composed just 116 MW of capacity on Texas’ main electric grid. That number has since soared to more than 11,000 MW, while wind fuels about 10% of all generation. (On average, one MWh of wind energy can power 260 typical Texas homes for an hour.) [Midland Reporter-Telegram]
• Indian Prime Minister Modi wants companies from China, Japan, Germany and the United States to lead investments of $100 billion over seven years to boost the country’s solar energy capacity by 33 times to 100,000 MW, a top official in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy said. [Economic Times]
• The Kulan is an electric-powered farmer’s utility vehicle named after a Central Asian type of donkey. It has two 2-kilowatt motors in the back two wheels. There’s a lithium-ion battery sitting there between them. Its range is 186 miles, the top speed is 31 mph, and it can carry 1 ton of cargo. [CleanTechnica]

Saturday, January 3:

• Construction of the world’s largest tidal stream turbine power plant looks set to begin next month in Scotland. The project’s majority owners, Australian-founded Atlantis Resources, say they had met all requirements for funding through the UK’s Renewable Energy Investment Fund. [CleanTechnica]
• Analysis by WWF Scotland found that last year wind turbines provided enough energy to supply the electrical needs of 98% of Scottish households, or 2.36 million homes. Wind turbines generated enough power to supply over 100% of Scottish households on 25 out of the 31 days of December. [SNP]
• Xcel Energy Inc says it wants to far more than double the amount of electricity it gets from wind and solar in the Upper Midwest. The business, which serves 1.2 million ratepayers in Minnesota, has the most wind power of any US utility, and plans for a 40% reduction in emissions by 2030. [Macro Insider]
• A coalition of US governors is calling on President Obama to implement a series of crucial changes to the country’s wind power policies. Among their goals are a multi-year extension of the renewable energy production and investment tax credits and expansion of transmission line development. [reNews]

Sunday, January 4:

• New figures from the US Energy Information Administration suggest that for the fastest-growing parts of the country, electricity is gaining share as the heating fuel choice. In the future, that electricity for heating could increasingly come from renewable sources, such as wind or solar. [Energy Collective]
• The city of La Paz, Mexico, is to be powered 100% by solar energy. It already has 39 MW of solar PVs, and another solar plant is being built with battery storage. It will have 97,000 solar panels on 44 acres, costing $80 million and with a 30 MW capacity. The battery will have 11 MW. [CleanTechnica]
• “Nuclear power is the greenest option, say top scientists” – In an open letter, more than 65 biologists, including a former UK government chief scientist, support a call to build more nuclear power plants as a central part of a global strategy to protect wildlife and the environment. [The Independent]

Monday, January 5:

• The UK’s grid operator confirmed wind power generation rose 15% during 2014 from 24.5 TWh to 28.1TWh, enough to supply the needs of more than 6.7 million households. Overall, grid-connected windpower met 9.3% of the UK’s electricity demand during 2014, up from 7.8% in 2013. [Business Green]
• Norway is close to agreeing on a €2 billion investment to construct a 700 km underwater power line that would allow the UK to import hydroelectric power as Britain attempts to solve its power crisis. A firm decision to build the line between the two countries would be made early this year. [Financial Times]
• For January through October, renewables accounted for 13% of US electric generation, up from 12% for 2013 according to the US Energy Information Administration. Only solar installations of 5 MW or more were counted. With smaller installations, the figure would be about 13.7%. [CleanTechnica]

Tuesday, January 6:

• EDF Renewable Services, the US subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles, expanded its portfolio of renewable energy projects in Canada by 52% in 2014. Over the course of the year, the company signed contracts for 27 projects in Quebec and Ontario, representing 454 MW of wind and 134 MW of solar power. [EcoSeed]
• Exelon Corp, the biggest US owner of nuclear reactors, estimates it will need to charge 83% above wholesale prices to keep the Ginna nuclear plant running. The plant, near Rochester, New York, recorded losses exceeding $100 million from 2011 to 2013. Ginna is one of ten nuclear plants considered uncompetitive. [Tulsa World]
• In his Monday inaugural address, California Governor Jerry Brown proposed an ambitious expansion of California’s renewable energy goals, from one-third by 2020 to 50% by 2030. The goal also includes big increases in alternative fuels, building efficiency, and smart grid investments to put them to use. [Greentech Media]

Wednesday, January 7:

• Prices for German solar power storage systems have reportedly fallen 25% since the spring. According to the German Solar Industry Association, about 15,000 German households now use battery storage combined with solar power, a number has been growing faster and faster as the costs have come down. [CleanTechnica]
• Solar power is growing in New York at 63% per year. The figure is not for a single year, but the average for the period of 2010 to 2013, according to a new report titled, Star Power: The Growing Role of Solar Energy in New York. At this rate of growth, the state could be 20% powered by solar by 2025. [CleanTechnica]
• The Cape Wind project planned for Nantucket Sound was dealt a significant setback as Massachusetts’ two biggest utilities, Northeast Utilities and National Grid , announced that they are terminating contracts to purchase power from the wind farm because of the project’s failure to meet contractual deadlines. [MassLive.com]
• California Governor Jerry Brown has announced a goal of cutting California’s oil use in half. This may sound like an impossible task in a state famous for freeways and sprawl. But many experts consider the ambitious climate and energy goals Brown spelled out in his inauguration speech difficult but doable. [SFGate]

Top Energy News of 2014

1. A look at peer-reviewed articles on climate change in scientific journals, from Nov. 12, 2012 through December 31, 2013, found 2,258 articles written by a total of 9,136 authors. Only one article, by a single author, rejected man-made global warming. [CleanTechnica] 1-11
2. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and University of Connecticut analyzed more than 122,000 home sales near 26 wind facilities in densely populated Massachusetts, yet was unable to find any impacts to nearby home property values. [Windpower Engineering] 1-18
3. Decommissioning Sellafield nuclear power station in the UK will cost taxpayers at least £70 billion as costs hit “astonishing levels,” senior MPs said yesterday. “What’s worse is that the cost is likely to continue to rise.” [Morning Star Online] 2-11
4. China’s Premier Li Keqiang has declared war on pollution, outlining significant steps the Chinese government will take to improve air quality. China has suffered from truly epic smog over the last two winters. [EconoMonitor] 3-7
5. In new estimates released today, WHO reports that in 2012 around 7 million people died – one in eight of total global deaths – as a result of air pollution exposure. This confirms that air pollution is now the world’s largest single environmental health risk. [India.Com Health] 3-25
6. A small county in Northern California has become the first county government in the state to become grid energy positive. Yolo County (population 200,000), just west of Sacramento County, now produces 152 percent more energy from solar panels than it uses. [Christian Science Monitor] 4-18
7. According to the International Monetary Fund, when you factor in implicit subsidies from the failure to charge for pollution, climate change and other externalities, the post-tax cost of support for fossil fuels comes in at close to $2 trillion each year. [CleanTechnica] 5-3
8. A decision by parties to an obscure convention has huge implications for Europe’s ageing nuclear reactors. Licence extensions for nuclear reactors must follow EIAs which compare the potential impacts to those of alternatives – including wind, solar and other renewables. [The Ecologist] 6-10
9. The use of executive powers to regulate greenhouse gas emissions has been reaffirmed by the US Supreme Court in a ruling issued on Monday. This suggests President Obama’s climate policy has solid legal foundations. [Carbon Brief] 6-26
10. On Saturday and Sunday in Oklahoma, there were seven earthquakes. As of last month, Oklahoma had surpassed California in the number of earthquakes. It’s possible that hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, could have played a role in causing them. [CNN] 7-14
11. The American Wind Energy Association has just come out with some facts and figures about the so-called hidden cost of wind power. According to AWEA’s calculations the “hidden cost” for conventional power plants in Texas is 17 times more than wind. [CleanTechnica] 7-29
12. A just-released Department of Energy and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory report pegs utility-scale wind power-purchase agreement pricing as averaging $25 per MWh for projects that negotiated contracts in 2013. That’s cheap power. [Greentech Media] 8-19
13. Renewable energy sources accounted for 14.3% of net US electrical generation in the first half of the year, according to a new report by the EIA. Last year, the EIA forecast that the US would reach the 14% renewable mark in 2040. [pv magazine] 8-28
14. One of the most important pieces of news of the summer made virtually no headlines at all, and seemed to only appear on the website of the US Energy Information Administration. It is that 127 of the world’s largest oil and gas companies are running out of cash. [Resilience] 8-31
15. The transition to a global renewable energy economy could save $71 trillion by the year 2050, according to an IEA report. Put another way, $44 trillion in investment by the year 2050 would translate to about $115 trillion in energy savings ($71 trillion in net savings). [CleanTechnica] 9-7
16. After a seven-year-long investigation, scientists at the National Audubon Society issued a grim report finding that more than half of the 650 or so bird species in North America may be threatened by global warming. [Canada News] 9-14
17. Ahead of a UN climate summit, institutional investors managing £15 trillion ($24.6 trillion) of assets are also calling on governments to phase out subsidies for fossil fuels, an estimated £370 billion ($606 billion) worldwide a year, five times the £60 billion paid in renewables subsidies. [The Guardian] 9-19
18. US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced both countries will curb greenhouse gas emissions over the next two decades. The US would cut its 2005 level of carbon emissions by 26-28% before 2025. China would peak its carbon emissions and get 20% of its energy from zero-carbon sources by 2030. [CNN] 11-12
19. EON SE, Germany’s largest utility, will break itself up, spinning off fossil fuel power plants into a separate company so it can focus on renewable energy. EON also announced it will write down the value of assets by €4.5 billion, leading to a substantial full-year loss. Even so, the shares had the largest jump in more than two years on the plan. [Businessweek] 12-1
20. The Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant stopped sending electricity to the grid Monday after producing total of 171 billion kWh over its 42-year lifetime. The shutdown came just after noon as the plant completed its 30th operating cycle when workers inserted control rods into the reactor core and stopped the nuclear reaction process. [Washington Times] 12-30