Renewable energy

Creating the Clean Energy Economy of Tomorrow

Having steered the economy back from the brink of a depression, the Administration is committed to moving the Nation from recession to recovery by sparking job creation to get millions of Americans back to work and building a new foundation for the long-term prosperity for all American families. To do this, the 2011 Budget makes critical investments in the key areas that will help to reverse the decline in economic security that American families have experienced over the past decade with investments in education, clean energy, infrastructure, and innovation.    » read more »

01-29-2010-- The White House has announced plans to slash the federal government’s global warming pollution by 28% over the next decade. According to the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the federal government is the nation’s largest energy consumer, with an energy bill of $24.5 billion in 2008.

“We have a responsibility to American citizens to reduce our energy use and become more efficient,” said President Obama in a statement. “Our goal is to lower costs, reduce pollution, and shift Federal energy expenses away from oil and towards local, clean energy.”

National Wildlife Federation President and CEO Larry Schweiger lauded the effort:    » read more »

New Forum report sets out 35 policy tools to finance global shift to a low-carbon economy

Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 28 January 2010 − In a report released today, entitled Green Investing 2010: Policy Mechanisms to Bridge the Financing Gap, the World Economic Forum reveals that investment in clean energy has held up better than expected during the financial crisis and resulting recession, but a considerable gap still exists between current levels of investment and what is needed to begin reducing the world’s carbon emissions.    » read more »

January 27, 2010 -- A collaboration led by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) has developed a microbe that can produce an advanced biofuel directly from biomass. Deploying the tools of synthetic biology, the JBEI researchers engineered a strain of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria to produce biodiesel fuel and other important chemicals derived from fatty acids.    » read more »

Target to Drive Energy Cost Reductions in Federal Operations, Creating Clean Energy Jobs

January 29, 2010 -- WASHINGTON, DC – President Barack Obama today announced that the Federal Government will reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution by 28 percent by 2020. Reducing and reporting GHG pollution, as called for in Executive Order 13514 on Federal Sustainability, will ensure that the Federal Government leads by example in building the clean energy economy.

Actions taken under this Executive Order will spur clean energy investments that create new private-sector jobs, drive long-term savings, build local market capacity, and foster innovation and entrepreneurship in clean energy industries.    » read more »

January 27, 2010 -- SANTA FE -- New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today announced that Spanish renewable energy company GA-Solar will be building one of the largest photovoltaic solar projects in the world in Guadalupe County. GA-Solar and their parent company, Corporación Gestamp, plan to invest $1 billion in New Mexico in the development of this project.

“I believe this unprecedented investment shows that New Mexico has not only become the center of the North American solar industry, but is ready to take its place as a global player in the production of renewable energy,” Governor Richardson said. “Building a comprehensive clean energy economy is key to the economic stability and vitality of New Mexico’s future."    » read more »

State Aims to Stimulate Economy with Bold Energy Strategy

January 27, 2010 -- HONOLULU — The Lingle-Aiona administration today reaffirmed its vision and commitment to a clean energy-driven Hawaii economy at an event marking the second anniversary of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI).

Two years ago, on January 28, 2008, Governor Linda Lingle announced the unprecedented HCEI partnership between the State of Hawaii and the U.S. Department of Energy with the bold vision to transform Hawaii from the most foreign oil-dependent state in the nation to a secure and thriving economy based on tapping our state’s abundant local energy resources.

At its two-year mark, HCEI is on target to meet its ambitious goal of 70 percent clean energy by 2030.    » read more »

Jan. 25, 2010 -- CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Duke Energy is adding solar power to its commercial renewable energy portfolio through the acquisition of a large-scale solar photovoltaic project under development in San Antonio, Texas.

Duke Energy Generation Services (DEGS), a Duke Energy Commercial Businesses unit that owns and develops renewable power assets, will purchase the Blue Wing Solar Project from juwi solar Inc., based in Boulder, Colo. The 14-megawatt (16-megawatt direct current) project will consist of 214,500 ground-mounted First Solar thin film panels.    » read more »

Jan. 27, 2010 -- CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Closer global collaboration is needed to promote commercialization of low-carbon technologies to reduce environmental impact at the lowest possible cost, Duke Energy said at the 6th Clean Energy Forum-Clean Coal 2010 being held in Tianjin, China.

“At Duke Energy, we are highly motivated to decarbonize and modernize our electric power generation fleet,” said Jim Turner, Duke Energy’s group executive, president and chief operating officer of U.S. Franchised Electric and Gas. “We believe the industry must accelerate the commercialization of low-carbon technologies to reduce our environmental impact at the lowest possible cost while at the same time protecting the interests of our customers and shareholders.”    » read more »

Los Angeles-based Station to Re-fuel Honda Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

January 27 2010 -- Honda today began operation of a next generation solar hydrogen station prototype at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas, Inc., intended for ultimate use as a home refueling appliance capable of an overnight refill of fuel cell electric vehicles.

Designed as a single, integrated unit to fit in the user's garage, Honda's next generation Solar Hydrogen Station reduces the size of the system, while producing enough hydrogen (0.5kg) via an 8-hour overnight fill for daily commuting (10,000 miles per year) for a fuel cell electric vehicle.    » read more »

01/28/2010 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and the Director of the Bureau of Land Management Bob Abbey testified today on “The deployment of solar technology on the public lands” before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The text of Secretary Salazar’s prepared testimony is below:

Chairmen Boxer and Sanders, Ranking Members Inhofe and Bond, and Members of the Committee, I am pleased to appear before you today to discuss deployment of solar technology on the public lands and the Department of the Interior’s role in building a new energy future. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak with you about these important issues.    » read more »

Installs Nearly 10,000 Mw In 2009; Manufacturing Investment, Jobs Still Lag

January 26, 2010 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. wind industry broke all previous records by installing nearly 10,000 megawatts (MW) of new generating capacity in 2009 (enough to serve over 2.4 million homes), but still lags in manufacturing, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said today in its Q4 report.

These new projects place wind power neck and neck with natural gas ¹ as the leading source of new electricity generation for the country. Together, the two sources account for about 80% of the new capacity added in the country last year.    » read more »

Hinchey, TSEC, & National Guard Officials Announce New $4 Million Federal Investment to Construct Solar Farm at Stewart Air National Guard Base

January 25, 2010 -- Newburgh, NY -- Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), officials from The Solar Energy Consortium (TSEC) and its partners, and representatives from Stewart Air National Guard (ANG) base today announced a new $4 million dollar federal investment that will pay for the construction of a solar farm at the base.

Hinchey directly secured the funds from Congress as part of the fiscal year 2010 Defense Appropriations bill, which has been signed into law.    » read more »

Will Strengthen National Security, Create Jobs in Iowa

Washington, DC – In an address to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association today, Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) announced he will introduce legislation to require country of origin labeling for fuels. Braley will introduce the bill, Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for Fuels, tomorrow when he returns to Washington, DC.

The bill will require the Department of Energy to conduct a study and implement its recommendations to ensure American consumers have the ability to decide at the gas pump whether they want to purchase domestic fuel products, such as biofuels produced in Iowa, or gasoline produced in hostile nations that many terrorists call home.    » read more »

Gov. Bredesen, Commissioner Kisber Announce Location of $200 Million Solar Manufacturing Facility

01/21/2010 -- Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen and Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisber today joined senior leaders of Missouri-based Confluence Solar to announce that the company has selected Clinton, Tennessee as the home of their new manufacturing, warehousing and distribution facility.    » read more »