Senate Bill 252 requires rural electric cooperatives, such
as Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and Intermountain Rural
Electric Association, to generate 20 percent of their electricity from
renewables by 2020. The previous standard required that renewables account for
10 percent of rural co-ops’ power portfolio.
June 18, 2013
June 17, 2013
Bill Passed Increasing Renewable Energy Standard for Rural Cooperatives in Colorado
Colorado's renewable energy standard for rural cooperative
electric utilities will increase from 10 percent to 20 percent by 2020 under
Senate Bill 252, which was signed into law on June 6, 2013, by Governor John
Hickenlooper. The new law requires rural co-ops with more than 100,000 meters
and utilities that generate and supply electricity on behalf of member co-ops
to get 20 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020.
New Incentivized Sales Tax Exemption For Renewable Energy Development In Nebraska
On June 4, 2013, Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman signed into
law a bill (LB104) designed to incentivize the development of renewable energy
in the state by exempting certain purchases of renewable energy equipment and
other project costs from the state's 5.5 percent sales tax. The bill defines
sources of renewable energy to include wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric
and transmutation of elements. Under the new law, prospective renewable energy
developers will be required to invest a minimum of $20 million in qualified
property in the state to be eligible for the exemption. Separate proposals to
limit the benefit of the exemption to those spending a percentage of project
costs using Nebraska-made materials, and to those spending a percentage of
gross revenues earned with Nebraska businesses or individuals, both fell flat
and are not included in the final law. The bill falls under the Nebraska
Advantage Act of 2006 and takes effect immediately.
June 14, 2013
Changing Policy Could Attract Private Investment in Clean Energy
Like a fresh wind setting in motion the blades of a giant
turbine, a new idea for encouraging the development of clean energy has blown
into the U.S. Congress.
It is to allow renewable-energy companies to form master
limited partnerships, a business structure that has long worked to attract
investment capital to the oil and gas industry. Legislation in the Senate has
support from Republicans and Democrats alike, not to mention the White House.
We think it’s a neat idea, too.
June 13, 2013
Draft law "On Alternative Energy Sources" Being Prepared in Uzbekistan
The Ministry of the Economy of Uzbekistan, Academy of
Sciences and Uzbekenrgo State Joint-Stock Company (SJSC) will conclude the
development of the project on draft law "On Alternative Energy
Sources" by the end of June, a source in the government circles of
Uzbekistan told Trend on Friday.
According to the source, a bill, aimed at regulating
relations in the sphere of production and use of alternative energy sources,
must be submitted to the government in early July and to the parliament of
Uzbekistan in September.
June 12, 2013
Connecticut's Canadian Hydro Bill Becomes Law
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Wednesday signed Connecticut's new
renewable portfolio standards into law, opening the door to large-scale hydro
from Canada.
The bill expands the definition of renewable energy beyond
wind, solar, and fuel cells, but still calls for 20 percent of the state's
electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020.
June 11, 2013
Wind Companies Involved In FAIR Coalition To Promote MLP Bill
|
Several renewable energy companies, including prominent
wind industry developers and manufacturers, have formed a coalition to
promote and support the Master Limited Partnerships (MLP) Parity Act.
The coalition, named Financing America's Investment in Renewables (FAIR), is advocating for equal treatment between clean energy and fossil fuels that would allow average Americans to invest in renewable energy projects in the same way they do oil and gas projects. |
June 10, 2013
Shared Solar Bills Pass California Senate, Assembly
This is getting real, folks. California
legislators voted this week to advance two different bills that open up access
to solar to the 75+ percent of energy customers who can’t put it on their own
roof. Here’s the skinny on the two bills and what we need you to do to
make sure shared solar becomes a reality in California this legislative session.
June 9, 2013
Heavy Hitters Push US Tax Bill
A number of the largest renewable energy players in the
United States have joined forces to lobby for tax changes to level the playing
field for clean energy development.
Founding members of the coalition include First Wind,
Vestas, Gamesa, OWN Energy, Everpower, Invenergy, Geronimo, Pattern Energy,
juwi, Keybanc Utility, Power and Renewables, Terra-Gen Power and TradeWind
Energy.
Hickenlooper Signs Bill to Double Rural Renewable-Energy Requirement
In a move to boost renewable-energy generation in Colorado,
Gov. John Hickenlooper on Wednesday signed a controversial bill doubling the
renewable-energy target for rural electric cooperatives.
"No question that the country as a whole is looking
for, wanting cleaner fuels," Hickenlooper said.
The governor said, however, the bill was
"imperfect" and issued an executive order to review its most
contentious issues: the compliance deadline and the cost.
June 8, 2013
In Japan, New Policy Spurs Solar Power Boom
Across Japan, technology firms and private investors are racing
to install devices that until recently they had little interest in:
solar panels. Massive solar parks are popping up by the dozen, and
companies are mounting panels atop warehouse and factory rooftops as
part of a rapid buildup that one developer likened to an “explosion.” Hickenlooper Likely to Act on Rural Energy Renewables Mandate Wednesday
After nearly a month of deliberation, Colorado Gov. John
Hickenlooper is expected to take action Wednesday on a handful of controversial
bills that remain unsigned, including a measure to increase the amount of
energy that rural electricity associations must draw from renewable sources.
Backers of Senate Bill 252 are optimistic Hickenlooper will
sign it into law, but the governor’s office insists that a final decision won’t
be made until Wednesday morning.
June 7, 2013
Decarbonisation Target Narrowly Defeated in British Commons Energy Bill Vote
A bid to include a target to decarbonise the UK's
electricity generation by 2030 was narrowly defeated in the House of Commons on
Tuesday afternoon, to the dismay of green campaigners and businesses that had
backed the goal as a way of stimulating investment in renewables and low-carbon energy.
The amendment to the energy bill, proposed by the former
Tory minister Tim Yeo, was voted down by 290 votes to 267, though several
Tories and Lib Dems backed the measure against the coalition's line. It was one of the narrowest victories for the government in a whipped vote during this parliament.
June 6, 2013
Heineman Signs Bill to Offer Wind Energy Tax Incentives
Gov. Dave Heineman signed a bill into law Tuesday that will pave the way for a massive wind farm project in Nebraska.
The wind farm bill (LB104)
by Omaha Sen. Steve Lathrop will remove a barrier to the development
and export of wind energy in Nebraska. It will offer tax incentives that
could lead to Nebraska getting a $300 million to $400 million wind farm
project by TradeWind Energy of Lenexa, Kan.
Interior Department OKs 520 MW of Solar, Geothermal Projects
The U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) gave the go-ahead to 520 MW of renewable energy projects,
including two solar and one geothermal plant, on public land in the states of
Arizona and Nevada.
Among the projects that got leases on public land are the
350 MW Midland solar energy project to be developed by Boulder Solar Power LLC in Nevada.
Creating about 350 construction jobs, the facility will generate enough
renewable power for about 105,000 households, when completed.
June 5, 2013
Intersolar North America Spotlights Energy Storage Innovations and Changing Solar Policies
Intersolar North America, the most attended industry exhibition and conference in North America for solar professionals to exchange information and develop business opportunities in the U.S. solar market, will feature a variety of new products that boost system efficiency and lower costs on its 2013 exhibition floor of the Moscone Center in San Francisco from July 9 to 11, 2013. This year marks Intersolar North America’s sixth year in California, the United States’ largest solar market.
New Minnesota Solar Mandate Law Will Give Power Companies a Jolt
Large solar arrays are likely to sprout in Minnesota after
lawmakers required Xcel and other big utilities to get 1.5% of their power from
the sun by 2020.
Minnesota’s solar industry is getting a jolt of energy.
It doesn’t sound like much — a requirement that major
utilities generate 1.5 percent of their power from the sun by 2020. That’s
roughly the output of one power plant or wind farm.
June 4, 2013
ND's Business-Friendly Policies Touted at Wind Farm Dedication
A persistent rain Thursday in west-central North Dakota moved the
Bison Wind Energy Center dedication from the site of the project to a
more urban environment, but that hardly seemed to dampen the spirits of
attendees to the ceremony and luncheon marking the completion of the
massive project.
With some of the state’s most prominent political
leaders looking on and close to 200 people packing the New Salem City
Auditorium, top executives from Minnesota Power/ALLETE touted their $500
million baby — a 50,000-acre network of over 100 wind turbines in
Oliver and Morton counties.
India Combats Energy Poverty Through Renewable Sources
India’s energy program is extremely interesting, given the
sheer size of its electrical grid and the dire necessity to develop additional
forms of electric generation. Overall, it is the fourth-largest energy
consumer in the world behind the US, China and Russia. Yet over 300
million citizens in India function without electricity and over 800 million remain
with limited electrical access. What’s worse is 300,000-400,000 deaths
occur each year from energy poverty, as burning traditional things like wood
and animal waste indoors for cooking purposes lead to respiratory ailments that
would be mitigated with better electrical services
June 3, 2013
Snowmass Senator's Clean Energy Bills Become Law
Gov. John Hickenlooper signed two clean energy bills into
law Tuesday that Colorado Sen. Gail Schwartz of Snowmass Village co-sponsored.
The first bill, SB 13-212, is designed to create clean energy and construction
jobs, help Coloradans save on their energy bills, and reduce air pollution. It
creates the opportunity for new energy conservation and renewable energy
financing options for commercial property owners. Sen. Matt Jones,
D-Louisville, co-sponsored along with Sen. Schwartz.
U.K. Says Energy Law to Bring ‘Massive’ Cut in Pollution
Energy Secretary Ed Davey urged
lawmakers to back away from immediately imposing targets for
carbon emission from U.K. power plants, saying legislation being
considered now will make a “massive” reduction.
His department estimated the law being considered in
Parliament tomorrow will stimulate 110 billion pounds ($168
billion) of investment in power stations and the electric grid.
It includes guaranteed power prices for atomic reactors and wind
farms and payments for gas plants that remain available to
smooth peaks and troughs of intermittent renewable generation.
June 2, 2013
Dayton Signs Solar Energy Bill
Minnesota's investor-owned utilities will be required to get 1.5
percent of their power from solar energy by 2020 under legislation
signed by Gov. Mark Dayton.
The solar energy standard also sets a statewide goal of reaching 10 percent by 2030.
Connecticut State House of Reps Passes Renewable Energy Bill
The state House of Representatives approved a bill to revise
Connecticut’s renewable energy standards, but not before amending the
Senate-passed bill to make it tougher for the state to procure energy from
large-scale hydropower sources to meet those standards.
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