Renewable Energy Focus
PVTech Solar News - Sep 14
The passing of legislation that will see California sourcing 50% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030 has been hailed as a “huge win” by the US Solar Energy Industries’ Association (SEIA). Senate Bill 350, which also doubles existing energy efficiency goals, was championed by California’s governor, Jerry Brown, who on Friday said the state now had the “legal mandate to reduce carbon pollution” as well as the technical means to do so. In getting the bill passed, Brown worked alongside the highest ranking leader of the California state senate, Kevin De Leon. De Leon said SB350 continued California’s “historic commitment” in leading “the world in the fight against climate change”. The amended bill now orders utilities in the state to meet a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) of 50% by 2030.
PVTech - Sep 16
The White House has announced that US President Barack Obama’s administration is providing more than US$120 million to ramp up clean energy in 24 states across the country. These new actions revolve around both a series of executive actions and private sector commitments designed to speed up solar integration in the US and spur new innovations within the sector. As part of the administration’s new initiatives, the Department of Energy (DOE) is announcing the second annual round of its US$30 million Technology to Market funding opportunity to create new tools and technologies designed to reduce the cost of solar energy systems. The DOE is also offering a US$20 million Photovoltaics Research and Development funding opportunity that is expected to support up to 35 projects in order to push new PV cell and module performance.
The Los Angeles Times - Sep 14
Fires have damaged five cooling towers at the Geysers geothermal power generation facility. The facility continues to produce electricity at more than two-thirds of its full capacity, said Brett Kerr, a spokesman for the plant’s operator, Houston-based Calpine. The Geysers, which sits on 45 square miles along the Sonoma County and Lake County border, is the world’s largest geothermal power production operation with a fleet of 14 powerhouses. In addition to the five cooling towers, the facility has sustained damage to some power lines and communications. But the powerhouses themselves have not been damaged by the fires, Kerr said.
Your Renewable News - Sep 15
With a new 7.5-megawatt (MW) solar energy farm located on the city's former Tequesquite Landfill now operational, Riverside's total solar generation has soared past the 20-MW mark – five years ahead of schedule.
Sacramento Business Journals - Sep 14
The Sacramento Kings have released the price tag for the downtown arena's huge solar panels — and how much power they expect to generate. The solar array will be installed by Solar Power Inc. (OTC: SOPW) under a deal announced in March. Officials this week provided new details, reporting that the installation will cost $2.5 million to build and will generate 700 kilowatts.
The Tribune - Sep 15
A wind-energy company is considering building a system off the coast of Morro Bay — and has reached out to the city, the owner of the shuttered power plant there and other interested groups to gauge the possibilities of a future project. Trident Winds LLC, consisting of partners from Washington and Colorado, is contemplating installing about 100 floating turbines to generate power from offshore winds. The turbines would be anchored to the ocean floor about 15 miles offshore, said Eric Markell, one of Trident’s partners. The company won’t move forward with picking a location without the support of the fishing community, he said. Trident is interested in using the city’s outfall facility at the northeast side of Morro Rock, which was leased by Dynegy as part of the water cooling system for its power plant before the plant was decommissioned in 2014.
PV Magazine - Sep 15
Sempra U.S. Gas & Power today announced a 100-megawatt (MW) expansion of its Mesquite Solar complex in Arlington, Ariz., about 60 miles west of Phoenix. When completed in late 2016, the expansion, called Mesquite Solar 2, will produce enough power for 45,000 homes. The entire output of the Mesquite Solar 2 expansion has been sold to Southern California Edison under a 20-year power purchase agreement. The contract is subject to approval by the California Public Utilities Commission.
