Key offshore wind liability law is passed by German Bundestag

Germany’s Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, on Thursday approved a law intended to jump-start the country’s stalled offshore wind industry, with the upper house Bundesrat now the only remaining obstacle.

The Bundesrat is expected to vote on the law on 14 December, with industry sources optimistic that it will pass.

Only several weeks ago it was unclear whether parliament would have time for the law before the end of the year, and its passage would end a challenging 2012 for the German offshore wind industry on a high note.

ESA applauds bipartisan Gibson-Thompson Bill to create energy storage ITC

The Electricity Storage Association (ESA) applauded news this week that U.S. Reps. Chris Gibson (R-NY) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) introduced legislation that would create an investment tax credit (ITC) for energy storage technologies of all types and help jumpstart an industry that has enormous potential to increase the reliability, security, and efficiency of the nation's electric grid.  The Storage Technology for Renewable and Green Energy Act (STORAGE) Act (H.R. 4096) is the House companion legislation to S. 1845, introduced by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), and Susan Collins (R-ME). 

Maryland gov lobbies lawmakers for offshore wind

Maryland's governor lobbied lawmakers personally Tuesday for one of the key pieces of his environmental agenda, a reworked offshore wind power bill modeled on a New Jersey law.

The bill follows one that was killed the year before by lawmakers over concerns about costs. That bill would have mandated utilities enter long-term contracts with offshore wind power producers. The current bill establishes requirements for offshore wind power production, but does not require mandatory contracts.

New rules could boost New England renewable power

New England is decidedly short on coal mines and oil wells, but electricity grid watchers say a recent federal order could help the region finally unlock the power in the energy sources it does have.

A federal order issued last fall is intended to make it easier to construct transmission lines, costly and controversial projects that are notoriously tough to build.

New Hampshire: What are the implications of FERC's new ruling on interstate transmission for hydropower development?

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued Order No. 1000 on July 21. The order amends FERC's requirements for interstate electric transmission companies to allocate the costs of transmission planning and developments to their customers. This is a big step for transmission projects and planning and the effect it will have on renewable energy projects, especially hydroelectric developments, could be positive.

What is Order 1000?

Agencies to expedite new transmission lines

A memorandum of understanding between nine federal agencies designed to make it faster and simpler to build transmission lines on federal lands was announced today. The goal of the agreement is to speed the approval of new transmission lines, reduce expense and uncertainty in the process, increase accessibility to renewable energy and jumpstart job creation. Expedited siting and construction of transmission projects on federal lands will be accomplished through a more coordinated approach to the various environmental reviews and administrative process required to permit a new line. Participating agencies will coordinate their review through a lead agency, designated by either the Department of Energy (DOE) or the participating agencies. Projects qualifying for coordinated review are high voltage transmission line projects that cross jurisdictions administered by one or more participating federal agency.

Authority granted to DOE to create the agreement comes under section 216(h) of the Federal Power Act, as amended by section 1221(a) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (16 U.S.C. § 824p). Under EPAct ’05 DOE is authorized to (1) serve as the point of contact for applicants, state agencies, Indian tribes, and others regarding proposed projects; (2) coordinate preparation of unified environmental documentation that will serve as the basis for all federal decisions necessary to authorize the use of federal lands for Qualifying Projects as defined in Section III; (3) coordinate all federal agency reviews necessary for project development and siting required by relevant federal environmental law; and (4) maintain a consolidated administrative record of all federal actions taken with respect to a Qualifying Project. Agencies with statutory jurisdiction over a qualifying project will conduct their review by following guidelines established by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) found in Part 50 of Chapter 18 of the Code of Federal Regulations. FERC will retain jurisdiction over transmission projects in National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors as previously designated by the Secretary of Energy.

A more cohesive and streamlined review of transmission projects should result in two important developments. The first is an increase in the building of transmission lines to increase overall transmission capability relieving some of the stress currently on the lines. The second is to make it possible to access remote areas containing vast renewable resources and transmit power developed in those areas to population centers for sale. A lack of transmission capability has been the Achilles heel of renewable energy development, especially wind power. The long and expensive administrative processes have hamstrung transmission development in the past. This MOA is a signal that increased transmission capability to support new renewable energy developments is on the way.

Source:  Joseph Pallett