Green Power News - RenewableEnergyWorld.com

Evaluating Institutional On-site Clean Energy

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:07:47 GMT

Earlier this month, I attended EUCI’s Utilizing Clean Power Development Conference in Philadelphia. The conference attracted a variety of large institutions (hospitals, municipalities, universities, etc.), developers, and financers to discuss the opportunity and challenges surrounding deployment of on-site renewable energy. Instit

Kyocera to Launch Solar With Li-Ion Battery Storage for Homes in Japan

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:13:29 GMT

A big energy-related disaster doesn't just leave horrible marks on people's lives; it also can propel better and quicker policy and technology adoption. Kyocera on Monday said it plans to start selling a system that pairs solar panels with lithium-ion batteries for the residential market in Japan starting this summer.

Viewpoints from the Board Room: Interview with Voith Hydro CEO and President Kevin Frank

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Kevin Frank was named chief executive officer and president of Voith Hydro Inc. in November 2010. Frank discusses technology, policy and the factors driving the hydropower market.

When We Struggle, We Learn

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:42:49 GMT

If there was one key takeaway from the most recent RenewableEnergyWorld.com and Solar Power-gen webcast it was that the year ahead will be difficult for large-scale solar power development due to poor access to capital, an uncertain policy landscape, the pending trade case against China and module prices that are too low to support a healthy indust

Solar Fred Solar Marketing Tip: What If We Sold Residential Solar Like Cars?

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

While solar is making steady progress towards the main stream, it ain’t there yet. Many consumers are still suspicious of solar because it’s unfamiliar. They’ve seen panels and solar homes in pictures, but it’s not like buying or selling a car… or is it? Making analogies to something familiar can be very helpful fo

Tackling the Renewable Energy Transmission Tiger - Is There Hope? Is There Help?

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:36:00 GMT

Building transmission to accommodate utility-scale renewable energy generation in the U.S. is seen as essential by much of the renewable energy industry. But can it be justified? Doing so will necessarily involve constructing some of the longest stretches of wire ever undertaken in this country. Much of the best wind and solar resource is located quite distant from the load. Ultimately, thousands of miles of huge power lines will have to be built. It is not illogical to ask whether investment in such massive infrastructure "costs too much and provides too little." It is also not illogical to answer "no," not if the value proposition is laid out appropriately and a well crafted policy and regulatory approach can be established that effectively addresses the issues.

Clean Energy Expert Tam Hunt: Rapid Clean Energy Growth Inevitable

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 10:50:00 GMT

At Scaling Green, we periodically attempt to highlight some of the brightest, most up-and-coming stars – key industry players, thinkers, etc. - in the cleantech world. Today, we feature Tam Hunt, the “managing member of Community Renewable Solutions LLC, a renewable consulting and project development company focused on community-

Interview with the President and CEO of Hydro Green Energy LLC

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT

Michael P. Maley is the newest member of the executive team at Hydro Green Energy LLC, a developer of low-head hydropower projects. Maley discusses the company's technology, its business strategy and his decision to jump into the hydropower business.

Solar Fred's Top 5 Solar Marketing Wishes for 2012: Build Solar Communities

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT

Welcome to Solar Fred’s 3rd annual Solar Marketing Wish List for the coming year. If you haven’t granted my last two years worth of wishes, take another shot: Here’s 2010 and 2011. For 2012, the theme is focusing your marketing on building solar communities. And when I say “communities,” I’m not just tal

California Struggles To Embrace TRECs

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 05:09:49 GMT

With the implementation of AB32, many solar advocates are hoping that the California TREC program will boost solar development the way SREC markets have in the country’s fastest growing solar markets on the East Coast. After much delay, the TREC, or tradable REC or unbundled REC program, finally launched on December 10th, allowing utiliti

Baby Steps in Climate Negotiations are Still Steps in the Right Direction

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:36:14 GMT

I wasn’t able to attend the [frustrating] climate change talks in Durban, South Africa this year, although I would have loved to. South Africa is an incredible place to visit. I say the talks are frustrating because they always seem to go the same way. The European nations and some smaller countries attend the meeting armed with serious data

Enterprise Green Power News: First Solar Hot Air PPA, Military Solar Gains Momentum, and More

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT

The end of November has come with a string of new and interesting solar project announcements. The adoption of solar at military installations continued to gain momentum, as Bank of America stepped in to provide a $1 billion loan for SolarCity’s SolarStrong project to bring 300 MW to military residences and two megawatt-plus installations

Renewable Energy Groups Seek 1603 Extension; Analysts Offer Hope for Life After the Grant

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:34:39 GMT

This week more than 750 large companies, small businesses and organizations sent a letter to Congress calling for a one-year extension of the Department of Treasury's Section 1603 Program.

Why America Will Still Win the Solar Race

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:08:00 GMT

As I have said before, there is deliberate bearishness about solar power, much of it coming from the fossil fuel industries. They ignore solar economics. Install a capital good now and money comes out day-after-day, year-after-year, literally for decades. Regardless of the current price of grid electricity you will, in time, pay for that c

America and Germany Getting Their Clean Energy Just Desserts

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:57:00 GMT

Germany is the unquestioned world leader in renewable energy. By mid-2011, the European nation generated over 20 percent of its electricity from wind and solar power alone, and had created over 400,000 jobs in the industry. The sweet German success is no accident, however, and the following pie chart illustrates the results of a careful

Predictions for Cleantech in 2012

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT

It’s December again (how did that happen!?) and our annual time for reflection here at Kachan & Co. So as we close out 2011, let’s look towards what the new year may have in store for cleantech. There are eggshells across the sector for 2012. Global economic uncertainty is leaving some skeptical about the chances for emerging clean

Psst! Solar Fred Market Research Tip for PV Companies: Think Small and Think Service

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:00:00 GMT

Good news, solar PV manufacturers (and inverter companies, too). You may not be just a $/watt commodity after all, at least according to some new solar market research that was recently given to me by one of my solar market research friends, Jon Worren of ClearSky Advisors. I saw Jon at SPI in Dallas, and we started discussing the latest solar PV

America's Energy Future a Battle Between Entrenched Utilities and Clean, Local Power

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:11:20 GMT

As Americans transition their electricity system to the 21st century, they should ask this question: Does it make sense to pursue strategies such as accelerating the development of new high-voltage power lines that reinforce an outdated paradigm of electricity delivery, or should scarce energy dollars be spent to add new clean, local energy t

Insights from Renewable Energy Markets Conference 2011: What's Your REC Strategy?

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:00:00 GMT

Last week at the Renewable Energy Markets Conference, leading corporations, renewable energy generators, and utilities gathered to discuss the state of voluntary and compliance green power and renewable energy certificate (REC) markets. The conference demonstrated the growing use of green power by corporations and institutions, but also highl

Will President Obama Send Green Marines to Darwin?

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:00:00 GMT

President Barack Obama was in Australia this week and upset China and Indonesia with the annoucement of an increased miliary presence in this country, including 2500 US Marines to train and provision equipment in Darwin. When the U.S. Marine Corp establish themselves a new home in Darwin, they will bring some seriously green equipment and ideas to