Geothermal Energy News - RenewableEnergyWorld.com

Warning Scotland Against Independence: Renewables Will Suffer, Says Ed Davey

Kelvin Ross, Deputy Editor, Power Engineering International — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:31:00 GMT

UK Energy Secretary Ed Davey has warned that Scotland will damage its standing as a prime mover in renewable energy if it votes to become independent.

Geothermal Energy Interests Growing Steadily in Japan

Chisaki Watanabe, Bloomberg — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Japanese companies are renewing their interest in geothermal energy after the March 2011 nuclear crisis shut down reactors for safety checks and the introduction of an incentive program for clean energy encouraged investment.

Despite Fears, New Renewables Are Not Bankrupting California

Susan Kraemer, Correspondent — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Until recently, the potential rate impact of all the new contracts for renewable energy being added to meet California's Renewable Portfolio Standard since 2006 has been a matter of some concern. According to the Division of Ratepayer Advocates in early 2012, an estimated $20.8 billion will have been spent in California on contracts for new renewable generation by 2020, and the rate impact was a big unknown.

Outlook for US Energy Independence Gaining Confidence

Power Engineering Editors — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:33:00 GMT

A survey conducted by the KPMG Global Energy Institute shows that a majority of energy executives believe the U.S. can reach energy independence by 2030. The survey also showed a decrease in the number of executives who believe the U.S. will never gain energy independence.

Creating Awareness: Geothermal for a Sustainable Future in New York City

Mark Franks — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:25:00 GMT

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has called ground source heat pumps the “most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective space conditioning systems available.” Geothermal heat pumps or exchangers, also known as geo-exchange, require no fossil-fuel burning on-site, use 70 percent of their energy from Earth’s renewabl

Renewable Energy Research Initiative Launched in UK

Kelvin Ross, Deputy Editor, Power Engineering International — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

A new inquiry investigating the role of renewable power generation in the UK’s future energy mix has been launched.

Poll: 87 Percent of Illinois Voters Want More Renewable Energy

Carl Levesque, AWEA — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Wide majorities of likely Illinois voters believe it is important that the state maintain its commitment to increase its use of renewable energy and support legislation that would achieve that goal by fixing the state's broken renewable portfolio standard (RPS) law, according to a Zogby poll released this week.

French and German Ministers Call for 2030 Renewable Energy Targets

Phillippa Jones — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:25:00 GMT

Writing in France’s prestigious centre-left daily newspaper Le Monde, Peter Altmaier, the German environment minister, and Delphine Batho, his French counterpart, underlined the need for a 2030 renewable energy target and highlighed the importance of renewables in transforming the European economy, improving energy security and reducing greenhouse

EU Should Scrap Energy Subsidies to Fight Warming, Poland Says

Ewa Krukowska, Bloomberg — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:36:20 GMT

The European Union should scrap fossil fuel and renewable energy subsidies and set a target to cut oil imports to remain the leader in the fight against global warming, according to Poland's environment minister.

Senate Committee Passes Geothermal Leasing Measure

Leslie Blodgett, GEA — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:28:01 GMT

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources met Thursday, May 16th, to vote on a series of measures that included S. 363, The Geothermal Expansion and Production Act. The legislation was sponsored by Senator Wyden (D-OR), and co-sponsored by Senators Murkowski (R-AK), Begich (D-AK), Crapo (R-ID), Risch (R-ID) and Merkley (D-OR).

Breakdown: Penetration of Renewable Energy in Selected Markets

Paul Gipe, Contributor — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

The penetration of renewable energy into the electricity supply mix has been much in the news recently. During the first quarter, Portugal generated three-quarters of its electricity with renewable energy. Meanwhile, in Germany, one-fifth of all electricity was generated with renewables, most of that from new sources of renewable energy, such as wind and solar. And recently, at a conference in San Francisco, attendees heard calls for generating not just 100 percent of electricity supply with renewable energy, but far more — 200 percent to 300 percent of generation — in order to meet the need for heating, cooling, and transportation as well.

Moniz Unanimously Confirmed As New DOE Chief

James Montgomery, Associate Editor, RenewableEnergyWorld.com — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:55:25 GMT

Ernie Moniz has been unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the next Secretary of Energy, in a 97-0 vote (with three nonvoters). He succeeds Stephen Chu who held the position for four years.

The Economic Case for Divesting from Fossil Fuels

Garvin Jabusch, Green Alpha Advisors — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Securities of fossil fuels firms, as an economic sector, may soon be on the decline.

Europe Sinks Its Flagship Carbon Trading Scheme

Paul Hockenos, International Correspondent — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:34:47 GMT

All German Chancellor Angela Merkel had to do was pick up the phone and dial her people in Brussels. Had she done so before the European Parliament's (EP) key vote last month on April 19, her party's representatives could easily have saved the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), Europe's flagship mechanism for reducing carbon emissions. But the woman once hailed as "the climate chancellor," didn't make the call, a consequence of differences of opinion on the ETS within her ruling center-right coalition, she said. The impotent ETS is now withering on the vine, where it may remain until it is dead altogether.

Russian Renewable Energy Law Could Significantly Boost Clean Energy But Obstacles Remain

Linas Jegelevicius, Correspondent — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:43:21 GMT

Hopes for Renewable Energy Source Development Measures (RESDM) in Russia's renewable power sector are high: if adopted and properly implemented, it will boost the renewable sector that is plagued with underfunding, often differing regional and federal legislation, other short-comings or simple ineffectiveness.

Fforde on Feed-in Tariffs: Literary Use of "Feed-in Tariffs" Comes of Age

Paul Gipe, Contributor — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Feed-in tariffs, the terminology at least, has come of age. The term can now be found in a prolific English novelist's most recent book. Jasper Fforde's use of the words in fiction is an open acknowledgment that the term and the idea it conveys have become mainstream in the English language.

EU Debate Over Climate Change Policy Could Dampen Renewable Energy Growth

Ewa Krukowska and Alex Morales, Bloomberg — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:39:31 GMT

Europe's program to halt climate change is in disarray with lawmakers in the region expressing concern the drift is undermining the planet's most significant effort to combat global warming.

Ten Clean Energy Stocks for 2013: April Update

Tom Konrad, Contributor — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:31:06 GMT

While the sun was shining on most clean energy stocks in April, my ten clean energy picks for 2013 (introduced here) got relative showers. The Powershares Wilderhill Clean Energy Index (PBW) was up a sunny 14.1% for April to 19.6% for the year, rising quickly past my picks, which inched up a relatively meager 0.7% to 7.5% for the year so far. Meanwhile, the broad universe of small stocks gained 2.6% for a year to date gain of 15.1%, as measured by my benchmark the iShares Russell 2000 Index (IWM).

Nigeria: Renewable Energy Opportunities Blossoming

Mon, 06 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Just like any country, Nigeria in the 21st century faces enormous challenges, and one of its most crucial is power. Nigeria has been confronted with incessant electricity problems ranging from power generation to its transmission and distribution. The main sources of its electricity are gas and hydropower, but for many decades, homes, businesses an

US, Australian Companies Taking Giant Steps for Global EGS Geothermal

Leslie Blodgett, GEA — Mon, 06 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

The 1-MW Habanero pilot plant now producing electricity in South Australia near Innamincka is a big step for Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). The company operating it, Geodynamics, has made some remarkable discoveries at the site that contribute to its value for the EGS world.