Wind Farms and Military Unrest

Although a number of both individuals and groups across the United States are against the development of expansive wind farms for a number of reasons (primarily their aesthetic drawbacks and potentially ecologically damaging capabilities during construction) a new opponent has recently joined in the fight against the development of wind farms – the US Military. Voicing their concerns that wind farm development could potentially pose safety risks in terms of disrupting military detection capabilities by limiting the overall maximum range and detection capabilities of RADAR and other devices plans for development of both onshore and offshore wind facilities have come under scrutiny from a new angle as if late previously unheard from in earlier wind development talks.

Solar Forecast: More Power With New Weather Data

Three universities have teamed up to create a network of observation points across the West Coast and Hawaii to provide sensor data that will help forecast solar energy patterns. Western Washington University, the University of California and the University of Hawaii are joining forces in a move they hope will eventually make it easier to integrate solar energy into regional power systems. image via Western Washington University The monitoring stations have been set up at Western Washington’s campus in Bellingham, Wash.; near Ewa Beach on the island of Oahu, Hawaii; and at University of California campuses in Merced, Davis, Berkeley and San Diego. Data from the six sites will be fed into a forecasting model that combines meteorological information, satellite data, ground sensor observations and real-time irradiance measurements.

California schools harness sunshine to cut energy costs

More schools install solar panels to tap California's sunshine and reduce energy costs. But among the snags are predictable complaints about aesthetics and an unexpected directional mixup. To plug in to solar energy, you need photovoltaic cells, controllers, inverters, combiner boxes and plenty of copper wiring.Oh yes — and a compass. Workers at Valencia High School found that out when they installed solar power arrays facing the wrong way. The 4,815-panel project is just one of an increasing number of solar arrays springing up on campuses across the state as financially strapped school systems try to save billions in electricity costs. But tapping into the sun can be trickier than it looks, schools are discovering. At Valencia High, a subcontractor apparently misread plans when bolting down some panels. "They used a crane to pick them up and do a 180-degree spin," explained Gail Pinsker, spokeswoman for the William S. Hart Union High School District. "They were aimed wrong." The repair job was free.

Chevron Says Bankrupt Co-Developer Can't Sell Solar Projects

A U.S. division of energy giant Chevron Corp. asked a Delaware bankruptcy court Wednesday to affirm its land rights in two California solar energy projects, saying its insolvent co-developer cannot sell the projects free and clear of Chevron's interests in them. Chevron Energy Solutions Co., a division of Chevron USA Inc., also said in a reservation of rights filing that any sale of the solar projects by bankrupt Solar Trust of America LLC and other co-developers without first curing $1 million in defaulted loans.

Colorado Solar Energy Company honored as Part of President Obama's "Winning the Future" Initiative

Imagine transforming every parking lot in the United States into a clean energy plant. Recognized by the White House as a Champion of Change for Innovations for Renewable Energy, Erin Geegan, CEO of Zam Energy, aims to revolutionize parking facilities by installing solar energy carports to create energy and charge electric vehicles . “It’s an opportunity to support the American economy while bringing hope to future generations and the state of the planet.” Geegan, a resident of Boulder, Colo., will be honored on April 19 as part of President Obama’s “Winning the Future” initiative that recognizes American leaders for advancing new ideas that support a sustainable future.

BrightSource Adds Red-Tailed Hawks to Solar CSP Menagerie

BrightSource Energy wants to build concentrated solar power (CSP) plants, not tend to the mating issues of desert tortoises and red-tailed hawks. But such is life as a large energy project developer in the Mojave Desert with the eyes of environmentalist and regulators upon it. The latest impediment to BrightSource's progress, following the withdrawal of its IPO last week and its ongoing tortoise conservancy program, are some mating pairs of red-tailed hawks nesting in the way of a power line. The Riverside Press-Enterprise reported on Sunday that crews won't be able to complete a transmission line upgrade for the massive Ivanpah solar project "until after the hawk nesting season ends in August."

Court Dismisses Lawsuit Filed Against Nevada's First Wind Farm

Pattern Energy Group LP has announced that its Spring Valley Wind project has settled a lawsuit by reaching an agreement, together with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the Center for Biological Diversity and Western Watersheds Project. In January, environmental groups filed a lawsuit, claiming the wind project was poorly sited and would threaten rare bird species such as the greater sage grouse and golden eagles. The settlement was accepted by the Federal District court in Nevada on March 29, and the lawsuit was dismissed. Construction of Spring Valley Wind - Nevada’s first wind farm - is currently under way, and is expected to be completed in July. The 150 MW project will use 66 Siemens 2.3 MW wind turbines and will connect to an existing 230 kV transmission line. Pattern Energy has entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement with NV Energy for the sale of energy produced by the project.

Ethics Complaint Against Leading NW Solar Advocate

A Washington state senator has filed a formal ethics complaint against one of the Northwest’s leading solar power advocates. Republican Jim Honeyford accuses Mike Nelson of using his position at Washington State University to help a company he later went to work for. But the solar power advocate in the spotlight vehemently denies the charge. For many years, Nelson directed the Northwest Solar Center at Washington State University. “The purpose of my job at WSU was to move the solar industry forward in the state of Washington. So that’s what I did pretty successfully,” Nelson says. Two years ago, Nelson retired from WSU to take a job with a Washington-based solar company called Silicon Energy. And that’s where the ethics complaint comes in. State Senator Jim Honeyford accuses Nelson of using his position while at WSU to help Silicon Energy win an important state certification.

'Save Hawaii Solar' seeks to preserve tax credits

Some of Hawaii’s solar energy companies, including one of the biggest — Kailua-based Sunetric — have formed a group called “Save Hawaii Solar” to try and stop proposed state legislation they say “would kill Hawaii’s solar industry.” The group’s website has circulated an online petition targeting Senate Bill 2288, which Save Hawaii Solar says would severely restrict the Renewable Energy Technology Credit currently offered by the state.