Wind Power News - RenewableEnergyWorld.com

Understanding "Beginning Construction" Under Section 1603

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:00:00 GMT

The Treasury Department recently issued a series of FAQs in an effort to clarify when projects will be treated as having "begun construction" for purposes of the section 1603 grant. As you may be aware, a project that otherwise qualifies for the grant but is not placed in service before the end of 2010 may still be eligible for the grant if construction on the project is begun in 2009 or 2010 and the project is eventually placed in service before the applicable "credit termination date." The new FAQs address a number of the unanswered questions. However, the framework adopted by the Treasury Guidance and the new FAQs is complex, and there appears to be a considerable amount of confusion among developers about how the "beginning construction" requirement can be met. Therefore, we thought it important to issue this alert.

Turkish Renewable Energy May Feed EU Grid

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Turkey plans to connect to the European electrical grid this month using GE's smart grid technology. The Turkish Electricity Transmission Company (TEIAS) will now be able to buy and sell power in the European electricity market, hopefully expanding the reliability and availability of energy, especially renewable energy, throughout all of Europe.

Interested in Wind Turbine Testing? Vestas Is, Too!

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:00:00 GMT

How does a wind turbine manufacturer know that its products will be able to last in the field for 20 years? Testing. Vestas claims that it has the most comprehensive dedicated testing facility on the planet.

Colorado – A Leader in Wind Energy

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Colorado, with its high mountains and broad plains, has expansive wind resources. With an estimated six million acres of windy lands in Colorado, most of which are located on the eastern plains, Colorado ranks 11th in the United States in wind energy potential. To take advantage of its substantial renewable energy resources, Colorado has created a regulatory environment that makes it attractive to develop wind farms and other renewable energy projects within its borders.

Peace Corps to Tackle Grassroots Energy Issues

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:00:00 GMT

The Peace Corps announced late last month that the U.S. Department of State will provide $1 million to fund the program in support of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA). The money will help Peace Corps efforts that increase rural access to energy, mitigate the effects of climate change, and support the use of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies in Central and South American communities.

Next Viking Invasion? Hopefully the Big Apple.

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Good-Bye John Deere Renewables

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Back in the early days of the modern wind industry, farm equipment manufacturers in Denmark played a key role in developing the sturdy large-scale machines installed in the 1980s. Maybe that's why wind seemed like such a good fit for a company like John Deere, the world's largest farm machinery manufacturer.

The Facts About Wind Energy and Emissions

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Recent data and analyses have made it clear that the emissions savings from adding wind energy to the grid are even larger than had been commonly thought. In addition to each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of wind energy directly offsetting a kWh that would have been produced by a fossil-fired power plant, new analyses show that wind plants further reduce emissions by forcing the most polluting and inflexible power plants offline and causing them to be replaced by more efficient and flexible types of generation.

Second Wind jumps up 2,000 places on Inc. 5000 list

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Cape Wind: When Can We Start?

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

The developers of the embattled Cape Wind project got another piece of good news today, moving the nation's first federally-approved offshore wind farm closer to construction.

Grid Energy Storage a $35B Market by 2020

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Coming on the heels of yesterday's announcement that California is moving closer to setting grid energy storage mandates for utilities in the state, today Pike Research released a new report that says the grid energy storage market could reach as much as $35 billion by 2020.

Why Conservatives Are Bad on Energy

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Conservatives, let's talk about energy. And why so many conservatives are so wrong -- so liberal, even -- on wind and solar energy.

Green Tech Businesses Face Tough Realities in Sales and Marketing

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Renewable Portfolio Standards Work, But at What Cost?

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

As policymakers consider energy and environmental goals, renewable portfolio standards (RPS) are one popular tool to encourage the development of renewable power resources. These regulations, also called renewable electricity standards, typically require utilities to source a specified percentage of their power from qualified renewable sources. States adopt RPS programs to incentivize the development of new capacity, reduce their carbon footprints and mitigate volatility in fossil fuel prices. While such regulations do have cost impacts to ratepayers, proponents argue that their benefits exceed their costs.

Energy Storage Targets May Come to California Soon

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

The state of California is on its way to requiring utilities to store a portion of the renewable energy they generate for off-peak usage.

Efficient Storage of Wind Energy is in the Bag

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Researchers in Denmark have succeeded in storing wind energy in giant synthetic bags, reports the Danish trade newspaper Ingeniøren.

As Turbines Grow, So Do Wind Testing Centers

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

The Mantra of the wind industry during the recent downturn in the market has been "back to basics." That is, focus on R&D and drive down costs.

When is Wind Energy Noise Pollution?

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

As more wind projects are developed closer to communities in densely populated areas, a number of homeowners within close range are complaining about noise. This often raises the question: "When does wind become an unacceptable source of noise pollution?"

U.S. Energy Use Declines, Renewables Increase

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

A new government study shows that Americans are using less energy overall and making more use of renewable energy resources.

Filling The Gap Vermont Yankee Could Leave

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT