Solar Power Project M&A; Hits New Record in 2011

Investors acquired approved and operating PV projects at record rates last year as investors sought high-yield assets despite subsidy cuts and a difficult financial environment London, 10 July 2012. Investors bought a record 3.9GW of solar photovoltaic projects in 2011, worth an estimated $10.8bn. The gigawatt capacity purchased was up 122% on the previous year, according to new research published by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

Regulators reject changes to Xcel solar plan

Colorado regulators are standing by a decision they made in May that caps the amount of solar-generated energy Xcel Energy Inc. can buy through its Solar Rewards program over the next two years. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission rejected changes to the program that were proposed by the Solar Energy Industries Association and the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association.

US now has largest operational PV plant, and it's not done yet

Agua Calienete, a solar photovoltaic farm being built in Yuma, County Ariz., became the world’s largest operational photovoltaic power plant when it reached 200 megawatts (MWs) of AC installed and operational power. And it’s not completed yet. The project is slated for completion in 2014, at which time it will provide 290 megawatts of AC power to Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E).

SolarCity Expands SolarStrong Program To 850 More U.S. Military Residences

SolarCity and Lend Lease will provide solar energy to more than 850 U.S. military residences at Lend Lease-managed Air Force communities in California and Colorado - the Tierra Vista at the Los Angeles Air Force Base (AFB), and the Peterson AFB and Schriever AFB, both of which are in Colorado Springs, Colo.

LADWP Plans To Expand Solar FIT Program To 150 MW

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) says it has closed the application process for its 10 MW solar feed-in-tariff demonstration program. By the end of the year, LADWP will move forward with approval and implementation of the full FIT program, which will offer 150 MW worth of renewable energy.

Colorado firm receives status as geothermal utility

Reported from Denver, Colorado, PanTerra Energy LLC is the first private company in the state of Colorado to be registered as geothermal utility. The registration with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission will allow the company to provide heating and cooling services to clients.

Shell WindEnergy is gone; now what?

As reported recently in the Times-Standard (”Shell WindEnergy pulls plug on Bear River Ridge wind project,” July 11, Page A1), Shell WindEnergy has abandoned its plans to install a 50 megawatt wind farm in Humboldt County.

Dogs search for ancient remains on wind farm project site near Ocotillo

As the rising sun bathed the desert where a controversial 112-wind-turbine project is being built, dog handler John Grebenkemper walked his forensic dog Tuesday morning hoping it would detect the scent of cremated ancient Native Americans.

Where The $376 Million In Solar Venture-Capital Funding Went In Q2

Venture-capital (VC) funding in the solar sector continued to rise steadily in the second quarter, according to Mercom Capital Group's new report on funding and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the solar market.

Ormat signs EPC contract with Enel for Cove Fort

Reported earlier here, Ormat Technologies, Inc. “announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Ormat Nevada Inc., concluded and signed the $61.4 million engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with Enel Green Power North America. Under the EPC contract, Ormat will provide two air-cooled Ormat Energy Converters at Enel’s Cove Fort geothermal power plant project in southern Utah.

BLM seeking comments on Ormat project in Nevada

Reported before the weekend, “The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Carson City District, Stillwater Field Office, has completed the Environmental Assessment (EA) to analyze potential impacts that may result from geothermal exploration and development within the Ormat Nevada, Incorporated (Ormat) Wild Rose Geothermal Project. The analyses will also include the construction and operation of an associated transmission line to bring electricity to market.

Tenaska affiliate plots California solar deal

CSOLAR Development, an affiliate of Tenaska, is planning to launch a financing by early 2013 for its 150MW Imperial Solar Energy Center West concentrated solar photovoltaic project near El Centro, California.

Why incentives and rebates work better than 'government-backed green'

Remember Solyndra? The thin-film solar cell company, founded in 2005, won $535 million from the government under the Department of Energy’s loan guarantee scheme in 2009 for being an innovative new solar tech company that could create jobs and help make America’s future green. Two years later, when its technology was beaten by a cheaper competitive technology, it filed for bankruptcy and laid off 1,100 people. Solyndra’s failure to deliver raised questions about whether the government’s green policy based on loan guarantees was sound, and, if not, what approach the government should take to make America green.