U.S. Senate confirms Gina McCarthy as EPA administrator

On July 18, the U.S. Senate confirmed Gina McCarthy as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in a 59-40 vote, following 136 days of delays by the opposition Republican Party and an intervention by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada). McCarthy is expected to oversee the creation of greenhouse gas regulations for U.S. power plants, as a policy initiative she has been involved in since before she joined the EPA in 2009. The Solar Energy Industries Association had praised President Obama's appointment of McCarthy and applauded her confirmation.

Wind energy research moves to a higher level

A new testing lab for wind technologies is the first to examine how wind turbines interact on a wind farm. The SWiFT facility (Scaled Wind Farm Technology) is open for business at the Reese Technology Center in Lubbock, Texas. A collaboration between the Department of Energy's Sandia National Labs and Texas Tech University, the goal for SWiFT is to facilitate rapid, cost-efficient testing and development of transformative wind energy technology, with specific emphasis on improving wind plant performance.

Federal agencies want Cape Wind project approval upheld

A Washington federal court has been urged by several federal agencies to discharge the claims filed against the Cape Wind project, since the agencies had complied with all relevant laws in their reviews and approval of the project, the Law360 news site writes. The U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say that their decision to approve the Cape Wind project was not subjective or capricious, as the complainants claim. The complaint against the agencies was filed by several groups opposing the offshore wind project, including the town of Barnstable and Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound.

Wind power making a difference in Alaska

Before the end of the year, energy generated by wind turbines will make significant new contributions to electrical grids in communities and villages across the state. The renewable energy generated provides, in part, an answer to issues regarding diesel fuel costs and potential natural gas supply shortages that have plagued power providers in recent years. Utility scale wind farm projects in south central Alaska and the interior will garner most of the attention this summer, but they are by no means the only places where wind is making a difference in energy production. In Kotzebue and on Kodiak Island, local utilities are adding new turbines to already existing wind farms.

1-gigawatt wind farm proposed for South Dakota

Dakota Power Community Wind is planning to build a 1-gigawatt wind energy project in Lincoln County, South Dakota. The group is working with Dakota Plains Energy to develop the wind farm, according to reports. The project would require transmission infrastructure to bring its power to market, as well as the necessary regulatory approvals and environmental surveys. A 1-gigawatt wind energy project would be able to power 300,000 average U.S. homes. Project developers pointed out that the wind project could make use of the planned Rock Island Clean Line transmission project slated for completion in 2018. The transmission line is designed to be 500 miles long and deliver 3,500 megawatts of electricity between Iowa and the Eastern U.S. The wind farm would have a footprint of as much as 75,000 acres.

Despite massive potential, California is lagging behind in offshore wind

Despite a reputation as a clean-energy pioneer and its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, California is lagging behind Maine and countries such as China and Scotland in developing offshore wind resources, writes David Helvarg, executive director of conservation group Blue Frontier. To catch up, California could begin by designating certain areas along its coast as research and development zones for offshore wind technologies, Helvarg writes.

Wind power and this bird get along fine

After studying the issue for seven years, Kansas State University researcher Brett Sandercock has determined that “we don’t have evidence for really strong effects of wind power on prairie chickens or their reproduction.” Sandercock said this was a bit of surprise because other studies have shown that oil and gas development does affect prairie chickens.

First Wind completes enclosures for endangered birds on Maui

Boston-based First Wind has completed a habitat conservation plan that aims to protect endangered bird species near its Kaheawa Wind site on Maui. The point of having a habitat conservation plan is to “minimize and mitigate” any damaging effects the company’s wind projects might have had on the land. The Makamakaole Seabird Mitigation project is intended to protect Maui’s endangered bird species through two bird enclosures that will serve as safety havens. The first of the two bird enclosures finished this past week.

Solar energy: the new gold rush?

In our most recent "gold rush," the gold was microchips and computer code. Now we're on the verge of realizing a major new wealth generation opportunity. Call it the solar rush. Nationwide, solar energy is booming, and nowhere is it booming like California. Between 1999 and 2011, the number of rooftop solar arrays in our state grew from 500 to more than 50,000. Late last year, California's installed solar capacity surpassed 2 gigawatts, the equivalent of two large coal-fired power plants and almost a third of all the solar energy production capacity in the country. Of the United States' 120,000 solar jobs, a quarter are located in the Golden State.

U.S. ranchers round up the power of the sun

Ranchers are herding more than sheep and cattle; they’re rounding up the power of the sun. Farmers too are harvesting the sun's rays to increase their energy independence and power their farming operations. In Cottonwood, California, rancher Bill Gibson installed solar panels to generate energy for his 1,000-acre ranch. Though a majority of the family’s power is derived from their 44 solar panels, the Gibsons are still connected to the grid through a PG&E receiver, which can provide backup power if needed. The solar energy is used to offset the Gibsons’ $250 monthly energy bill, which covers the air conditioning and general operations of the family ranch. Solar panels have been the most prominent way to produce on-farm renewable energy, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) On-Farm Energy Production Survey. While solar electric made the most sense when running utility lines was not feasible or too costly, today’s solar capabilities offer new prospects. “Distributed generation, backup in the case of utility grid outage, and net metering present further opportunities for grid-connected solar energy use in agricultural settings,” says the USDA.

Nevada PUC approves Duke project

The Nevada Public Utilities Commission has approved Duke Energy’s proposed Searchlight Wind project of up to 200 megawatts that would be located on federal lands administered by the U.S. Interior Department.

Georgia Power forced to adopt 525 megawatts more solar

Georgia’s Public Service Commission has accepted a motion to force utility Georgia Power to include an additional 525 megawatts of solar generation in its forward planning strategy. The agency has sought to ensure PPA payments will not drive up electricity rates.

NRG Solar's two solar photovoltaic facilities commence operations in California

NRG Solar, a subsidiary of U.S.-based NRG Energy, has commenced commercial operations at its two solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities in California. Earlier in 2013, the company acquired these solar PV projects, each with an installed capacity of 20 megawatts, from Recurrent Energy. The solar facilities are located in Lancaster, and Kings County. During the first year of operation, the projects will generate clean electricity, enough to power around 11,800 average U.S. homes annually.

Is fracking for enhanced geothermal systems the same as fracking for natural gas?

The U.S. geothermal industry recently scored a big win when its first enhanced geothermal system (EGS) project went online in April. ORMAT was able to stimulate a previously unproductive well at its Desert Peak project with EGS technology — injecting fluid into a well to reopen cracks and create a resource reservoir — and found an additional 1.2 megawatts of capacity. Renewable energy experts applauded the project, dubbing it a "game-changer" and a "shining moment" for the industry. Though the project represents a breakthrough for EGS technology and the geothermal industry in general, EGS has come under fire, with opponents accusing it as being just as dangerous as oil or natural gas hydraulic stimulation, commonly known as fracking. While traditional geothermal energy is viewed as clean renewable energy, could EGS technology, with its similar "fracking methodology," coupled with its rocky past, come under the same intensive scrutiny as natural gas fracking?

Geothermal system at Colorado state capitol to go on line

The new geothermal heating and cooling system at the Colorado state capitol building, consisting of water pumped from two wells drilled into the Arapahoe Aquifer more than 850 feet underground, is being brought on line this week and should bring hefty savings on utility bills for the Capitol, officials said Wednesday. The building, which opened in 1894, is the first state capitol to use a geothermal system to both heat and cool the building. Idaho's Capitol building is heated from an active geothermal hot spring. Governor John Hickenlooper said the project will make the Colorado Capitol "the first LEED-certified capitol building in the country."