Renewable Energy Today articles from January 2007

Renewable Energy Today archives from January 2007

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and GE to collaborate on renewable energy projects.(Industry Report)
January 2, 2007... Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan and General Electric have announced plans to jointly develop nuclear and wind power generation ventures. GE is the industry's second largest provider of wind power technology. The companies plan to...

UK renewable energy project focused on Mersey River.(International Report)
January 2, 2007... The UK's Mersey River could be used to produce significant amounts of renewable energy in the future, according to UK researchers. The researchers from Buro Happold Consulting, Cambridge University, Liverpool John Lennon airport, the...

Green Energy TV features renewable energy projects.(Editorial, Asides & Reviews)
January 2, 2007... Green Energy TV launched last week and provides video clips of green energy projects globally including solar energy, wind power, and bio-fuel projects. Through the company's website, anyone can submit videos of green energy projects...

Idaho looks to include renewables in energy plan.(Industry Report)
January 3, 2007... The Idaho Energy, Environment and Technology Interim Committee is drafting a plan that incorporates alternative and renewable energy into the state's energy plan. The plan is used as a policy-making guide for state power companies and the...

GT Solar establishes operations in China.(International Report)
January 3, 2007... New Hampshire-based GT Solar Incorporated has announced the formation of a wholly owned foreign enterprise in China. GT Solar Co. will have a main office in Shanghai and an additional office in Beijing. "GT Solar is working with an...

India to establish zones for renewable energy projects.(International Report)
January 3, 2007... US companies are prepared to invest $2.1 billion in manufacturing systems and devices for renewable energy in an Indian special economic zone, according to Indian Minister for Non-conventional Energy Sources Vilas Muttemwar. The ministry...

Elemental Power proposes fuel cell projects for Connecticut.(Industry Report)
January 4, 2007... Elemental Power Group has submitted two proposals to Connecticut's Clean Energy Fund under its Project 100 scheme. Project 100 provides incentives for companies installing renewable energy sources in the state by 2008. If approved, the...

Indian Ministry renamed to reflect renewable energy's influence.(International Report)
January 4, 2007... India's Ministry of Non Conventional Energy Sources has been renamed the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. According to the Ministry, renewable energy such as solar, wind, bio-mass and small hydro is getting greater recognition in...

Irish Renewable Energy group asks for government assistance on green building.(International Report)
January 4, 2007... Millions of dollars will be wasted heating poorly insulated homes in Ireland this year, according to the country's Renewable Energy Skills Accel Project. The project is asking the government to intervene by offering grant incentives to...

Weekly update.(Conferences)(Calendar)
January 4, 2007... Weekly Update Northeast Sustainable Energy Association's Building Energy Conference & Trade Show, Seaport World Trade Center, Boston March 13-15, 2007

Global geothermal power increasing.(Industry Report)
January 5, 2007... Homes in Unterhaching, Germany will soon be heated by hot water piped from 3,300 meters underground starting in May. They move is part of a community-owned geothermal power generation project. Global geothermal capacity will rise as much as...

Solar Thin Films and Renewable Energy Solutions ink deal.(Industry Report)
January 5, 2007... Solar Thin Films, Inc. of Hungary has announced a research and development program with Renewable Energy Solutions, Inc. to develop manufacturing equipment for thin film photovoltaic modules. "With this R&D contract with RESI, STF plans to...

SunEnergy seeks to connect to North Carolina's power grid.(Industry Report)
January 5, 2007... The North Carolina Utilities Commission will review private solar power company SunEdison's request for support from the state's utilities and regulators on solar projects that would have the company connect to the state power grid. ...

Community Energy merges with Iberdrola.(Industry Report)
January 8, 2007... Spain's Iberdrola has acquired renewable energy developer Community Energy of Pennsylvania. According to Community Energy, Iberdrola is the world's leader in renewable energy projects. "As a developer, it gives us access to wind...

EU prepares to release energy report, address global warming.(International Report)
January 8, 2007... The European Union will call for "a new industrial revolution" on Wednesday as it tries to rein in oil imports and slash the carbon emissions blamed for global warming. In a draft paper seen by the Associated Press, the European Commission...

Indian Prime Minster calls on industrialized nations to embrace renewable energy.(International Report)
January 8, 2007... Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last week called for industrialized nations to look at alternative energy options in order to save the environment. Singh said the West has an "environmentally wasteful lifestyle." "Developed...

Oregon governor includes renewable energy in budget proposal.(Industry Report)
January 9, 2007... Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski's two-year budget proposal includes $30 million for renewable energy. The budget includes $5.2 million for a wave generation and demonstration research facility, $2 million to the state's energy department to...

Texas bio-diesel ban delayed.(Industry Report)
January 9, 2007... The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality recently delayed a decision to ban sales of B20 in several major cities because of concerns over nitrogen oxide emissions. TCEQ said it needed more scientific evidence on the level of nitrogen...

US to host 2008 Global Renewable Energy Conference.(Industry Report)
January 9, 2007... The US Department of State committed this week to be the global host for the 2008 Washington International Renewable Energy Conference to be held March 1-7, 2008. Approximately 5,000 attendees are expected at the conference, including...

PT Sinar Mas enters agreement for renewable energy project.(International Report)
January 10, 2007... PT Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology announced this week an agreement with China National Offshore Oil Corporation and Hong Kong Energy Ltd. to develop a $5.5 billion renewable energy project. The project will unfold in three phases...

Nigeria considers renewable energy potential.(International Report)
January 10, 2007... Nigeria's renewable energy potential could create 500,000 new jobs in the next 10 years, according to Nigeria's Council of Renewable Energy Coordinator Odigha Odiagha. Development of Nigeria's renewable energy sector as a major strategy...

Colorado town invests in green tags, renewable energy.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
January 10, 2007... As of January 1, 100% of the Town of Mountain Village in Colorado started receiving power through renewable energy green tags. In December, the town agreed to purchase $59,000 worth of green tag renewable energy from the San Miguel Power...

Delware considers offshore wind power.(Industry Report)
January 11, 2007... Delaware state officials and Delmarva Power are considering the use of offshore wind power, the Delaware State News reported this week. "We know the onshore wind resource is pretty poor," said Phil Cherry, energy program administrator for...

Solar power to save millions for California school district.(Industry Report)
January 11, 2007... Honeywell will install solar panels at seven schools in Pleasanton, Calif., and then sell the energy back to the school district under a recent agreement. The agreement will save the district $2.5 million in electricity costs during the...

Biodiesel plant planned for upstate NY.(Industry Report)
January 11, 2007... Renewable Power & Light (RPL), a company based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, will spend $23.6 million on a biodiesel manufacturing facility in upstate New York. Greenline Industries of California will build the 60 million gallons per year...

Weekly update.(Industry Report)
January 11, 2007... Northeast Sustainable Energy Association's Building Energy Conference & Trade Show, Seaport World Trade Center, Boston, March 13-15, 2007 Annual European NGV Conference, Strasbourg, France, June 19-21, 2007

Enel lands wind farm deals.(Industry Report)
January 12, 2007... Italy-based energy provider Enel, through its subsidiary Enel North America Inc., recently signed agreements to develop two wind farms, one in Kansas and one in Canada. In one agreement, Enel North America and Tradewind Energy, LLC, who...

Toronto chosen for Canada's largest solar research facility.(International Report)
January 12, 2007... A site has been chosen on the Toronto waterfront for what is being called Canada's largest solar research facility. The solar part at the Portlands Energy Centre will create between 500 kilowatts and one megawatt of solar power, and be able...

New wind association plans to submit bid to hydro Quebec.(International Report)
January 12, 2007... A consortium of cooperatives that are developing wind projects in Quebec, Canada, has formed a new association that expects to participate in the province's call for tender. The Cooperatives Regroupees en Energie Renouvelable du Quebec...

Turner and Dome-Tech Solar create DT Solar.(Industry Report)
January 16, 2007... Ted Turner last week announced he will launch a new business venture to provide clean power solutions. Turner will partner with Dome-Tech Solar of New Jersey to create renewable energy company DT Solar. DT Solar will initially focus on...

Drexel introduces new solar harvesting system.(Industry Report)
January 16, 2007... Drexel Metals Corporation has released its DrexelSolar harvesting system. The system integrates photovoltaic thin film laminate and the company's standing seam metal roofs and accessories. The system is designed for residential and...

Scottish enterprise plans fuel cell-powered office and demonstration center.(International Report)
January 16, 2007... Scotland will soon have a new office unit and demonstration center powered by a hydrogen fuel cell system. Scottish Enterprise is creating the development in Fife's Energy Park in Methil, Scotland. According to Scottish Enterprise, the...

Number of solar installations increasing.(Industry Report)
January 17, 2007... Solar power currently contributes only 0.1% of US energy needs but the number of photovoltaic installations grew by 20% in 2006, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. The association also estimates the cost of making solar...

Southern California to have new solar facility.(Industry Report)
January 17, 2007... The Imperial Irrigation District of southern California will break ground Friday on a new solar facility. The $6.5 million facility will consist of 20 utility grade high concentration solar panels, designed and built by Amonix Incorporated....

Staples to have new England's largest solar power installation.(Industry Report)
January 17, 2007... The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, Staples and SunEdison this week unveiled New England's largest solar power installation at a Staples distribution center in Killingly, Conn. The solar power installation was made possible through a $1.7...

Renewable Energy conference set for Vegas.(Industry Report)
January 18, 2007... PennWell Corp. and the American Council on Renewable Energy will sponsor the POWER-GEN Renewable Energy and Fuels conference March 5-8 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The conference will cover developments and trends in wind, solar,...

Minnesota may turn to wind power to meet standard.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
January 18, 2007... Democratic lawmakers propose mandating that electric utilities in Minnesota produce at least 25% of their total energy from renewable resources by 2020. The proposal places an emphasis on wind power. Rep. Aaron Peterson said Minnesota...

Canada to look at clean energy.(International Report)
January 18, 2007... The Canadian government this week announced a $230-million investment to research clean-energy technologies. Environment Minister John Baird and Minister of Natural Resources Gary Lunn said the money would be spent on finding ways to clean...

Weekly update.(Conferences)(Calendar)
January 18, 2007... Northeast Sustainable Energy Association's Building Energy Conference & Trade Show, Seaport World Trade Center, Boston, March 13-15, 2007 Annual European NGV Conference, Strasbourg, France, June 19-21, 2007 (EIN STAFF: 01/18)

Delaware residents favor wind power.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
January 19, 2007... Residents of Delaware strongly favor offshore wind power as a future source of energy for the state, according to research from the University of Delaware. In a university survey of 949 residents, more than 90% supported an offshore wind...

Wind Energy Association calls for accelerated wind power development.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
January 19, 2007... Wind power can provide a large, rapid, and cost-effective part of the solution to global warming, the American Wind Energy Association said last week. The Washington, DC-based trade group cited supportive statements from environmental...

groSolar unveils new PV modules.(Industry Report)
January 19, 2007... groSolar last week announced the release of a new line of photovoltaic modules. The String Ribbon polycrystalline modules are cost competitive and of high quality, making them useful for many different applications, according to groSolar....

Congressmen introduce act to extend solar tax credits.(Industry Report)
January 22, 2007... Congressmen Michael McNulty and Dave Camp last week introduced legislation to encourage continued solar power use. The Securing America's Energy Independence Act would extend solar energy investment tax credits for homeowners and businesses...

Colorado Governor says state will be renewable energy leader.(Industry Report)
January 22, 2007... Colorado Governor Bill Ritter recently pledged to establish the state as a "national leader in renewable energy." Ritter laid out infrastructure plans including assisting in the building of high voltage transmission lines to take advantage...

Farm Aid and ACGA to provide renewable energy workshops.(Industry Report)
January 22, 2007... Farm Aid and the American Corn Growers Association have announced their sponsorship and facilitation of a series of renewable energy and farm policy workshops slated for over a half dozen farm states this year. Workshops will focus on...

Study: geothermal energy could meet 10% of future US electricity needs.(Industry Report)
January 23, 2007... There is enough heat under Earth's crust to help supply America with up to 10% of its electricity needs by 2050, with minimal environmental impact, according to a recent study from researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. ...

Wind energy industry grows in 2006.(Industry Report)
January 23, 2007... US Wind power-generating capacity increased by 27% in 2006 and is expected to increase an additional 26% in 2007, according to a market forecast released yesterday by the American Wind Energy Association. The nation's wind energy industry...

New Zealand's Todd Energy buys 75% of Sola60.(International Report)
January 23, 2007... New Zealand's Todd Energy this week announced it is buying 75% of the country's leading solar heating manufacturer Sola60. Todd Energy Chief Executive Richard Tweedie said the company was positioning itself for more renewable energy sources...

Bush suggests renewable energy standard.(Industry Report)
January 24, 2007... In his State of the Union Address Tuesday night, President Bush announced plans to address global warming and energy dependence through a mandatory renewable fuel standard and increased development of solar and wind power. "These...

Plextronics receives grant to develop organic solar cells.(Industry Report)
January 24, 2007... The Sustainable Energy Fund of Central Eastern Pennsylvania has awarded $750,000 to Plextronics to further develop the company's Plexcore Photovoltaic technology for organic solar cells. Organic solar cells use thin layers of plastic...

List reveals countries investing in renewable energy.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
January 24, 2007... The Ernst and Young Renewable Energy Group recently published its quarterly top-ten list of countries with investments in renewable energy. In Q3 of 2006, the US took over first place, moving Spain into second; India advanced to third...

Bush issues executive order concerning renewable energy.(Industry Report)
January 25, 2007... President Bush issued an Executive Order Jan. 24 instituting new guidance for energy efficiency, use of renewable energy and reduction of environmental impact throughout the federal government. The Executive Order asks all federal agencies...

Laidlaw creating renewable energy company.(Industry Report)
January 25, 2007... Laidlaw Energy Group, Inc. announced this week it is looking to create a "vertically integrated renewable energy company." The new business, in addition to Laidlaw's current renewable power plant development business, includes a technology...

Grgich Hills winery to receive 170 kilowatt solar energy system.(Industry Report)
January 25, 2007... SPG Solar announced this week the commissioning of Phase II of the 170 kilowatt photovoltaic system for the Grgich Hills winery in Napa Valley, California. Phases I and II will produce 170.08 kilowatts of electricity during peak production...

Weekly update.(Conferences)(Calendar)
January 25, 2007... Northeast Sustainable Energy Association's Building Energy Conference & Trade Show, Seaport World Trade Center, Boston, March 13-15, 2007 Annual European NGV Conference, Strasbourg, France, June 19-21, 2007 (EIN STAFF: 01/25)

BP carbon neutralization program wins recognition.(Industry Report)
January 26, 2007... BP's targetneutral program, a program that aims to neutralize carbon dioxide emissions caused by driving, has been voted Innovation of the Year by readers of BusinessCar Magazine. "One of the prominent themes of the business car industry...

First Solar looks to expand in Malaysia.(International Report)
January 26, 2007... The Malaysian government will grant a 15-year income tax holiday to First Solar, as the company expands production in the country by building a solar module manufacturing plant worth $150 million. The manufacturing site will accommodate...

Portugal raises renewable energy targets.(International Report)
January 26, 2007... Portugal's Prime Minister Jose Socrates said last week he wants 45% of all electricity consumed in Portugal to be generated from renewable sources by 2010. The target raises the government's existing goal by 6 percentage points. The...

California adopts electricity generation policy.(Industry Report)
January 29, 2007... The California Public Utilities Commission Friday voted unanimously to adopt rules to ensure that new long-term investments in electricity generation come from sources that emit low amounts of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping emissions....

AFC and Akzo Nobel to create electricity from excess hydrogen.(Industry Report)
January 29, 2007... Fuel cell maker AFC Energy has announced an agreement with Akzo Nobel to generate electricity from excess hydrogen. AFC will produce electricity from a process of alkaline fuel cell-based electrolysis at Azko's Bitterfeld site in Germany,...

Algae potential bio-fuel source.(Industry Report)
January 29, 2007... Jim Sears, a Colorado-based entrepreneur, claims that algae could be used as a potential source for alternative fuels. Producing oil from soy or canola requires a three to five-month growing season, but some algae are so prolific, over half...

Volvo investing in Chemrec.(Industry Report)
January 30, 2007... Volvo Technology Transfer is investing in Chemrec, a company that has developed technology for gasification of black liquor, a residual product from the pulp industry. "Chemrec has shown that there is an efficient process for converting...

Long Island Power and KeySpan request proposals for fuel cell-powered electricity project.(Industry Report)
January 30, 2007... The Long Island Power Authority and KeySpan Corporation this week issued a Request for Proposals for the construction and operation of a fuel cell co-generation project capable of producing five megawatts of electricity, enough to power about...

Cuban University wins UN prize for energy project.(International Report)
January 30, 2007... The UN, European Council of Renewable Energy, World Bank and other international institutions have awarded the Energy Globe to the Renewable Energy Laboratory at the University of Oriente in Santiago de Cuba, in recognition of efforts to find...

Wells Fargo earns top spot on green power list.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
January 31, 2007... Wells Fargo & Company is now the largest purchaser of green power in the country, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. The US Air Force held the top spot last year by buying more than a billion kilowatt hours of renewable...

Wisconsin governor announces ethanol and bio-diesel funding proposal.(Editorials, Asides & Reviews)
January 31, 2007... Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced this week $40 million in funding toward renewable energy, including a $5 million grant for developing the nation's first cellulosic ethanol plant. The proposed budget picks up on Doyle's "Declaration...

Citizenre program allows for solar panel rental.(Industry Report)
January 31, 2007... Citizenre Company has launched its RenU program, allowing homeowners to rent solar panels. Through the program the company pays for, installs, owns and operates the solar installation. Customers pay for the electricity generated from the...