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. 

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. 

Will the new bill increase US energy sector competitiveness?

Renewable energy companies could get some of the same tax and funding benefits that fossil fuel companies enjoy under a bill now before the U.S. Congress.

The Master Limited Partnerships Parity Act would let renewable companies form businesses that are taxed as a partnership yet can be publicly traded as stock.

This means they could get more investment and pay less tax.

New CEAA Act to change Canadian RE Industries

The environmental assessment is a staple in the process of getting industrial energy projects approved and onto the construction phase. Whether the project is for a traditional or renewable energy source, or an addition to the transmission grid, projects must be reviewed by a governmental regulatory entity to make sure the addition to the area’s energy portfolio won’t have any adverse environmental impacts. The law by which this process is regulated in Canada is the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA). The first version of this act was enacted in 1992, shortly followed by the establishment of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, which is responsible for carrying out the assessments.

How did the 'Green Energy' law did in terms of jobs?

In 2008, when then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed the state's mandated alternative energy law, she said a $6 billion investment would generate 17,000 jobs. 

The majority of those jobs never materialized.

Gov. Granholm called the alternative energy mandate "perhaps the most important legislation to create jobs and diversify Michigan's economy that has crossed my desk. … This comprehensive energy plan will create all kinds of jobs for all kinds of people."

Public Lands bill will create more jobs and reduce deficit

U.S. Congressmen Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ) recently introduced H.R. 6154, The Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act, bi-partisan legislation that streamlines permitting for renewable energy projects on public lands.

”By streamlining renewable energy projects on public lands, we can reduce our dependency on foreign oil and put Californians back to work,” said Thompson. “This bill is good for our economy, our national security and our environment. It will spur job growth, grow our energy sector, support conservation and help us pay down our deficit.”

”Western states like Arizona contain millions of acres of public lands that are suitable for economic development, but bureaucracy is standing in the way,” said Gosar. “As a true supporter of an all-of-the-above energy approach, I am putting forth these common sense reforms to expand renewable energy production. We can get rural Arizona back on track by facilitating job creation, protecting recreational and tourism areas, and paying down our country’s deficit.”

Michigan Energy Michigan jobs pushes for RE measure

Supporters of a Michigan ballot measure that would require utilities to get more of their electricity from renewable sources submitted more than a half-million petition signatures to the secretary of state’s office, they announced Friday.

The Michigan Energy Michigan Jobs coalition pushing the measure said it turned in 530,000 signatures, well above the approximately 323,000 required to put a proposal on the November ballot.

The proposal would require more than 80 electricity suppliers statewide to obtain 25 percent of their power from wind, solar, biomass or hydro power by 2025. The current requirement, passed in 2008 as part of a rewrite of Michigan’s energy law, requires they get 10 percent from renewable sources by 2015.