Renewable Energy Today articles from February 2006

Renewable Energy Today archives from February 2006

GreenFuel Technologies Moves to New Headquarters in MA.
February 1, 2006... Emissions-to-biofuels conversion services provider GreenFuel Technologies Corporation recently announced it has moved to new headquarters located near the company's previous base in the Kendall Square area of Cambridge, MA. According to...

MREP Purchases Wind Power From Community Energy.
February 1, 2006... Community Energy, Inc. recently announced that the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Purchasers (MREP) group is purchasing more than 20 million kilowatt-hours of wind energy from the company. According to Community Energy, the agreement...

Spire Announces Launch of New Corporate Website.
February 1, 2006... Solar energy interest Spire Corporation recently announced the launch of its new corporate website, located online at http://www.spirecorp.com. According to Spire, the site provides information about the company's technical product and...

WorldWater to Install Solar Power System at Quest Headquarters.
February 1, 2006... WorldWater and Power Corporation recently announced the signing of a contract to build and install a solar electric power generating system at Quest Environmental and Engineering Services' headquarters in Clinton, NJ. According to...

SEIA Releases Guide to Solar Energy Tax Credits.
February 1, 2006... Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) recently released a new tax manual, the SEIA Guide to Federal Tax Credits for Solar Energy, which it prepared with Chadbourne & Parke, LLP. The new guide is available online at http://www.seia.org....

Bush Announces Budget Support for Renewable Energy.
February 2, 2006... In the State of the Union address delivered Tuesday evening, U.S. President George Bush outlined a new "Advanced Energy Initiative" designed to help reduce America's dependence on foreign sources of energy, with the national goal of replacing...

Virent Announces Start-up of Biomass-to-power System.
February 2, 2006... Virent Energy System, Inc. recently announced it has successfully started up a new biomass-to-power demonstration system at its Madison, WI location. According to Virent, the system has been purchased by Madison, Gas & Electric (MGE) and...

German Company Orders 22 Wind Turbines From Vestas.
February 2, 2006... The Vestas Group recently announced it has received an order for 17 V80-2.0 megawatt (MW) and five V90-2.0 MW wind turbines from Plambeck Neue Energien AG (PNE). According to Vestas, the 44 MW of turbines will be used in wind power plants...

DynaMotive Signs Licensing Agreement With Rika, Ltd.
February 2, 2006... DynaMotive Energy Systems Corporation recently announced it has granted a master license to Latvian holding company Rika, Ltd., with Rika agreeing to market DynaMotive technology as well as develop and operate facilities in the Ukraine and...

Hydrogenics to Install Hydrogen Station at Spanish Wind Farm.
February 2, 2006... Hydrogenics Corporation recently announced it has won a contract to deliver a HySTAT-A hydrogen station to Spain's Gas Natural SDG for use at the Sotavento Galicia wind farm. According to Hydrogenics, the HySTAT-A will be powered by excess...

Enercon Orders Maxwell Ultracapacitors for Wind Systems.
February 3, 2006... Maxwell Technologies, Inc. recently announced that Enercon GmbH has placed an order for 1.5 million units of the company's ultracapacitors to be used in wind turbine blade pitch systems. According to Maxwell, Enercon currently uses the...

Diversified Energy Corporation Commences Operations.
February 3, 2006... A new company focused on the development of advanced alternative energy systems recently completed its formation in Gilbert, AZ. The company, known as Diversified Energy Corporation, is currently pursuing a variety of alternative energy...

Carmanah Commences Trading on Toronto Stock Exchange.
February 3, 2006... Carmanah Technologies Corporation recently announced it has joined the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). Carmanah noted that its common shares began trading on the TSX yesterday under the symbol "CMH". Carmanah CEO Art Aylesworth and...

New Statistics Reveal European Record for Installed Wind.
February 3, 2006... The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) recently announced that new industry statistics for the EU wind energy market reveal that cumulative wind power capacity increased by 18 percent to 40,504 megawatts (MW) at the end of 2005, up from...

SSE to Invest in Renewable Energy Fund.
February 3, 2006... Scottish and Southern Energy plc (SSE) recently announced it will invest up to 2.4 million pounds (about $4.3 million) in a fund to support renewable energy projects and technologies in eastern Scotland. According to SSE, Sigma Technology...

Weekly Update.
February 3, 2006... WIND POWER FINANCE & INVESTMENT, February 8-10, 2006, Rancho Bernardo Inn, San Diego, CA BUILDING ENERGY 06: THE CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY AND GREEN BUILDING PROFESSIONALS, March 7-9, 2006, Seaport World Trade Center,...

ENMAX Receives Approval for Wind Power Facility in Alberta.
February 6, 2006... ENMAX Corporation recently announced is has received regulatory and government approval to build and operate an 80-megawatt (MW) wind power facility in the municipal district of Taber in southern Alberta. According to ENMAX, construction is...

Pacific Gas and Electric Connects 10,000th Solar Customer.
February 6, 2006... Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) recently announced that San Francisco company Glissade Snowboards has become the utility's 10,000th solar customer. PG&E connected the factory's 18-kilowatt solar electric system last week. Under...

NanoLogix Signs Agreement for International Alliances.
February 6, 2006... NanoLogix, Inc., a company engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of technologies for the production of hydrogen as an alternative source of fuel, recently signed an agreement with A-Medica to seek strategic international...

Saint-Gobain, Shell to Develop Next-Generation PV Panel.
February 6, 2006... French glass products manufacturer Saint-Gobain Vitrage recently announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Shell for the production of next-generation photovoltaic (PV) panels. According to Saint-Gobain, Shell has...

SatCon Receives Purchase Order for 10 MW of PowerGate Inverters.
February 7, 2006... SatCon Technology Corporation recently announced it has entered into a strategic supply agreement and received a purchase order from Sun Edison, LLC affiliate New Vision Technologies for the delivery of up to 10 megawatts (MW) of PowerGate...

Spire Introduces New Solar Cell Assembly Machine.
February 7, 2006... Spire Corporation recently announced the introduction of its new SPI-ASSEMBLER 6000, the latest in its line of equipment for manufacturing solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. According to Spire, the SPI-ASSEMBLER 6000 is built upon the...

WorldWater & Power Announces Appointment of New Interim CEO.
February 7, 2006... WorldWater & Power Corporation recently announced the appointment of James Farrin, who served as its president and chief operating officer from 1999 through 2001, as the company's interim CEO. "Jim knows the company well from his prior...

Vestas Appoints New Vice President of Communication & IR.
February 7, 2006... Vestas Wind Systems A/S recently announced the appointment of Peter Wenzel Kruse as the company's new vice president of communication and investor relations (IR). According to Vestas, Kruse previously served for four years as head of...

Biodiesel Industries Recognized for Landfill Gas Recovery.
February 7, 2006... The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) presented last month during its ninth annual conference the 2005 Project of the Year award to Biodiesel Industries of Greater Dallas-Fort Worth for its...

PBR, SunEdison to Develop 18-MW Solar Project in Nevada.
February 8, 2006... Las Vegas, NV-based Powered By Renewables (PBR) recently announced that it will develop an 18-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic project in Nevada through a partnership with SunEdison of Maryland. "I'm really pleased that PBR and SunEdison...

Suzlon Signs Turbine Supply Agreement With Edison.
February 8, 2006... Suzlon Wind Energy Corporation, a subsidiary of Denmark's Suzlon Energy A/S, recently announced it has signed an agreement to supply 157 megawatts (MW) of wind turbine capacity for projects being developed by Irvine, CA-based Edison Mission...

Groups Urge Congress to Reject Budget Proposal for Renewables.
February 8, 2006... The Sustainable Energy Network recently announced that 60 business, environmental and faith-based organizations have urged Congress in a letter sent earlier this week to the members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives Committees on...

Report Suggests New Model Needed for Renewable Production.
February 8, 2006... British research and analysis firm CarbonFree recently announced the release of a new report, titled "Farming Renewable Energy," which suggests that large areas of land will be used for energy generation over the next two decades and highlights...

European PV Module Producer Orders Active Power Product.
February 9, 2006... Active Power, Inc. recently announced that a leading European photovoltaic (PV) module producer has placed an order for the company's CoolAir DC product. According to Active Power, CoolAir DC uses thermal energy and compressed air to...

Noble to Build 180-Turbine Wind Farm in Michigan.
February 9, 2006... The Associated Press (AP) reported last week that New York-based Noble Environmental Power has revealed plans to erect 32 wind turbines in Huron County, MI by June, with the goal of bringing an additional 148 to the region by 2008. AP said...

English Borough Council Explores Wind Turbine Installation.
February 9, 2006... The Scrutiny Committee of the council of Broxbourne, a borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England, recently announced it has approved the installation of three small-scale wind turbines on council buildings or in open spaces. ...

Italy to Collaborate on Renewable Research Center With India.
February 9, 2006... The Press Trust of India (PTI) recently reported that Italian Department for Environmental Research and Development director general Corrado Clini revealed earlier this month during an Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India...

Development Partners Selected for English Wave Power Project.
February 9, 2006... The South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA) recently announced it has short-listed Ocean Prospect, Ltd, Ocean Power Technologies and Fred. Olsen, Ltd as development partners for the proposed 15-million-pound (about $26-million)...

DOE Releases Details of Solar America Initiative.
February 10, 2006... The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) recently announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has released details of the President's Solar America Initiative, proposing "the largest funding increase for solar energy research in U.S....

Tom's of Maine Facility to Use Wind Energy From Nebraska.
February 10, 2006... Tom's of Maine recently announced plans to use 100 percent renewable energy at its manufacturing and fulfillment facility in Sanford, ME. According to Tom's of Maine, all of the electricity used at the company's 100,000-square-foot...

Legend Investment to Acquire Majority Control of GiraSolar B.V.
February 10, 2006... Legend Investment Corporation recently announced it has entered into a binding letter of intent to acquire 51 percent of Dutch company GiraSolar B.V. According to Legend Investment, GiraSolar's three main divisions consist of photovoltaic...

CCEF Announces Funding Increase for PV Rebate Program.
February 10, 2006... The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund recently announced that the Connecticut Clean Energy Investment Committee has approved additional funding of $3 million for the Residential/Small Solar PV Rebate Program. According to CCEF, the program...

Weekly Update.
February 10, 2006... BUILDING ENERGY 06: THE CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY AND GREEN BUILDING PROFESSIONALS, March 7-9, 2006, Seaport World Trade Center, Boston, MA RENEWABLE ENERGY FINANCE AND INVESTMENT SUMMIT: NAVIGATING OPPORTUNITIES &...

New Energy Capital Closes Bank Financing of ME Biomass Plant.
February 13, 2006... New Energy Capital Corporation (NEC) recently announced the completion of a $6.9-million project financing of its 16-megawatt (MW) biomass-fired power generation facility in Greenville, ME. NEC acquired the operating plant last August from...

Great Lakes Hydro Reports Fourth-quarter Financial Results.
February 13, 2006... Gatineau, Quebec-based Great Lakes Hydro Income Fund recently announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, reporting an income before non-cash and special items of $17 million Canadian (about $14.7 million...

Xantrex Provides Solar Electricity for Village in Israel.
February 13, 2006... Xantrex Technology, Inc. recently announced it is helping to power Darijat Village in the Negev Desert using solar electric power. According to Xantrex, renewable energy systems designer Interdan, Ltd. installed the first phase of a...

IAUS to Install Power Plant for Solar Renewable Energy-1.
February 13, 2006... International Automated Systems, Inc. (IAUS) recently announced the signing of a $150-million purchase and installation contract with Solar Renewable Energy-1, LLC of Nevada. According to IAUS, the contract calls for the installation of a...

Covanta Announces Contracts for FL Waste-to-energy Facility.
February 13, 2006... Covanta Holding Corporation recently announced the execution of contracts with Lee County, FL to manage the construction of a 636 ton-per-day (TPD) capacity expansion to the county's 1,200 TPD waste-to-energy facility in Fort Myers, as well as...

Selectpower Installs Geothermal System at Guelph Hydro Facility.
February 14, 2006... Selectpower, Inc. recently announced the installation of a geothermal power system at Guelph Hydro Electric Systems, Inc.'s newly expanded headquarters in Guelph, Ontario. According to Selectpower, the geothermal system captures heat from...

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Lays Off 32 Employees.
February 14, 2006... The Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) last week announced a reduction in its staff by 32 people to help meet a $28-million budget shortfall. According to NREL, congressionally directed projects reduced...

World Bank Approves New Loan to Support Chinese Renewables.
February 14, 2006... The World Bank approved last week an $86.3-million loan to help increase China's use of renewable energy as the country's demand for power grows. According to the World Bank, the goal of this follow-up project to the 2005 China Renewable...

New Report Indicates Scottish Renewables Goal Achievable.
February 14, 2006... The Scottish Executive recently announced that a newly published report on renewable energy generation drafted by the University of Edinburgh "confirms that the Executive's target to have 40 percent of electricity generated in Scotland from...

Evergreen Solar Announces Appointment of New VP, CFO.
February 15, 2006... Evergreen Solar, Inc. recently announced the appointment of Donald Muir as the company's new vice president and chief financial officer (CFO). From 1995 to 2005, Muir served as CFO of American Power Conversion Corporation (APC), a provider...

Western Wind Announces Listing on NASDAQ OTCBB.
February 15, 2006... Western Wind Energy Corporation recently announced it is now listed on the NASDAQ Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board (OTCBB) under the trading symbol "WNDEF." Western Wind noted that the company will continue to maintain its listing on the...

Toronto Hydro, Constellation Energy to Develop Joint Proposal.
February 15, 2006... Toronto Hydro Energy Services, Inc. recently announced the signing of a letter of intent with Constellation Energy to develop a joint proposal addressing future energy requirements for downtown Toronto. According to Toronto Hydro, neither...

Sierra Pacific Appoints New Renewable Energy Activities Leader.
February 15, 2006... Sierra Pacific Resources recently announced the appointment of Thomas Fair to the newly created position of renewable energy executive. According to Sierra Pacific, Fair, formerly the company's director of environmental services, joined...

Ormat, TPC Sign Supply Agreement for NZ Geothermal Project.
February 15, 2006... Ormat Technologies, Inc. recently announced that one of its subsidiaries has entered into a $7.7-million agreement with New Zealand's Tuaropaki Power Company (TPC) for the supply of an additional air-cooled ORMAT Energy Converter (OEC) unit for...

Cape Wind Accepts Settlement to Resolve Defamation Lawsuit.
February 16, 2006... Cape Wind announced earlier this week that it has accepted a settlement offer of $15,000 from the former technical and research director of the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound to resolve a defamation lawsuit filed against him for a...

Spire to Develop New TPV Technology Under NASA Grant.
February 16, 2006... Spire Corporation recently announced it has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from NASA's John Glenn Research Center for the development of a new type of thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power cell. "With this grant,...

IEA Publication Examines Renewable Energy RD&D Priorities.
February 16, 2006... The International Energy Agency (IEA) recently announced the release of a new publication titled "Renewable Energy: RD&D Priorities, Insights from IEA Technology Programs." According to IEA, the publication, which is designed to help...

New Study Reassesses German Solar Market Growth.
February 16, 2006... Organizers of the Intersolar 2006 conference being held this summer in Germany recently announced that the German Solar Industry Association estimates in a market study "for which the relevant figures have been increased to match the actual...

Next Week's Publishing Schedule.
February 17, 2006... EIN will not publish its newsletters on Monday, February 20 in observance of Presidents' Day. We will resume our regular production schedule on Tuesday, February 21. (EIN EDITOR: 2/16)

EU Energy, NorthWinds Sign Turbine Supply Agreement.
February 17, 2006... New York-based financial advisory firm NorthWinds Advisors recently announced it has entered into a frame agreement for EU Energy to supply the firm with up to 250 of its DeWind D8.2 - 2 megawatt wind turbines. According to NorthWinds, the...

Konarka Receives $20 Million in Latest Round of Financing.
February 17, 2006... Solar technology developer Konarka Technologies, Inc. recently announced it has raised $20 million in venture capital financing. According to Konarka, the financing was led by venture capital and private equity firm 3i. Existing investors,...

Microfield Subsidiary Announces New Wind Project.
February 17, 2006... Microfield Group, Inc. recently announced that its Christenson Electric, Inc. subsidiary has contracted with PPM Energy to provide an electrical collection system for the Big Horn Wind Farm project near Bickleton, WA. According to...

MCT Conducts Feasibility Study for U.K. Tidal Energy Project.
February 17, 2006... Marine Current Turbines (MCT) recently announced it is investigating the feasibility of building a tidal energy farm in waters 2 kilometers north-west of Lynmouth, off Foreland Point on the north Devon coast in England. "The strong...

Marina Energy to Provide Green Power to Atlantic City Casino.
February 17, 2006... South Jersey Industries subsidiary Marina Energy, LLC recently announced it has signed a 20-year contract to provide up to 5.5 megawatts of green power to the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, NJ. According to Marina Energy,...

Weekly Update.
February 17, 2006... BUILDING ENERGY 06: THE CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY AND GREEN BUILDING PROFESSIONALS, March 7-9, 2006, Seaport World Trade Center, Boston, MA RENEWABLE ENERGY FINANCE AND INVESTMENT SUMMIT: NAVIGATING OPPORTUNITIES &...

EPA Recognizes Landfill Methane Partners for GHG Reductions.
February 21, 2006... The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently honored landfill methane partners with partner and project of the year awards for excellence in reducing landfill methane emissions and creating renewable energy sources. Biodiesel...

ECD Ovonics to Expand Solar Module Manufacturing Capacity.
February 21, 2006... Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD Ovonics) recently announced that its board has approved plans to expand the solar module manufacturing capacity of its United Solar Ovonic subsidiary to 300 megawatts (MW) by the end of the decade. ...

GER Unveils Five-Year Plan to Gain EU Market Share.
February 21, 2006... New York, NY-based bio-energy supplier Green Energy Resources (GER) recently announced a five-year plan to capture 20 percent of the biomass energy market in the European Union (EU). According to GER, the plan includes a "sharp rise in...

Second Wind, Inc.
February 21, 2006... Somerville, MA-based Second Wind, Inc. provides innovative products to wind energy developers, consulting meteorologists and government agencies for both wind prospecting and wind farm monitoring. The company's Advanced Distributed...

PARC, SolFocus Partner to Develop Less Costly Solar Technology.
February 22, 2006... The Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) recently announced the formation of a partnership with SolFocus, Inc. to employ PARC technology to help reduce the cost of solar power technology by up to 50 percent. According to PARC, the venture...

EPA Announces Top 10 Green Power Retail Partners.
February 22, 2006... The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced the top 10 retail partners in its Green Power Partnership. "A company's participation in the Green Power Partnership demonstrates to its stakeholders...that it is an environmental...

GWEC Says Nearly 12,000 MW of Wind Energy Installed in 2005.
February 22, 2006... The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) recently announced that 11,769 megawatts (MW) of wind energy was installed in 2005, compared with 8,207 MW in 2004. According to GWEC, Germany now has the highest amount of installed wind energy...

SDREO Announces Excellence in Energy Award Winners.
February 22, 2006... The San Diego Regional Energy Office (SDREO) recently announced the winners of its second annual San Diego Excellence in Energy (SANDEE) Awards. The awards are presented annually to outstanding business, government and institutional projects,...

NREL to Use DOE Funding to Rectify Budget-induced Layoffs.
February 23, 2006... The Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced the transfer of $5 million in funding to National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) operating contractor Midwest Research Institute. According to DOE, these funds will be used to restore...

Internal Hydro Releases Final Design Plans for Small Hydro Unit.
February 23, 2006... Internal Hydro International, Inc. recently announced that the final engineered design plans for its 30-kilowatt Energy Commander (EC) V small hydro unit have been provided for production in Europe. According to Internal Hydro, the final...

NHA to Power Conference With Renewable Energy.
February 23, 2006... The National Hydrogen Association (NHA) recently announced Sterling Planet's donation of wind energy certificates to help offset greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other pollutants resulting from energy use during the NHA Annual Hydrogen...

Solectria Delivers Inverters for Local MA Tech Park PV System.
February 24, 2006... Solectria Renewables recently worked with the Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) Assistance Corporation for the delivery of two PVI13KW commercial inverters for a photovoltaic (PV) system at the STCC Technology Park in Springfield,...

CVPS Agrees to Purchase Glebe Mountain Wind Project Output.
February 24, 2006... Central Vermont Public Service (CVPS) recently notified state regulators of its intent to purchase the output of the proposed Glebe Mountain wind project in Londonderry, VT. Under the finalized terms of an expected 20-year agreement with...

Unity Temple Upgrade to Incorporate Geothermal HVAC System.
February 24, 2006... Architectural Record recently reported that the restoration currently underway at Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple in Oak Park, IL includes the development of an energy-efficient geothermal HVAC system. According to Architectural Record,...

International Power Group, GiraSolar to Form Joint Company.
February 24, 2006... Waste-to-energy company International Power Group, Ltd. (IPWG) and GiraSolar B.V. (GS) recently announced they have entered into an agreement under which IPWG will acquire an affiliate company specifically geared to handle the contracts it is...

Weekly Update.
February 24, 2006... BUILDING ENERGY 06: THE CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY AND GREEN BUILDING PROFESSIONALS, March 7-9, 2006, Seaport World Trade Center, Boston, MA RENEWABLE ENERGY FINANCE AND INVESTMENT SUMMIT: NAVIGATING OPPORTUNITIES &...

DOE Announces $160 Million for Biorefinery Construction.
February 27, 2006... Department of Energy (DOE) secretary Samuel Bodman recently announced $160 million in cost-shared funding over three years to support the construction of up to three new biorefineries in the U.S. According to DOE, the $160-million...

Evergreen Solar Signs Supply Contract With S.A.G.
February 27, 2006... Evergreen Solar, Inc. recently announced a four-year supply contract with German solar power station builder and operator S.A.G. Solarstrom AG. According to Evergreen Solar, the company will ship an estimated $100 million of photovoltaic...

CA Homebuilder to Outfit Residences With PowerLight Systems.
February 27, 2006... PowerLight Corporation recently announced that Southern California homebuilder Victoria Homes will pair the company's SunTile solar power systems with efficiency solutions provided through ConSol's ComfortWise program as standard features on...

Colorado OEMC Unveils 'Small Wind Applications Guide'.
February 27, 2006... The Colorado Governor's Office of Energy Management (OEMC) recently announced the availability of a new "Small Wind Applications Guide" designed to help landowners with an interest in harnessing wind energy. According to OEMC, the guide...