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DOE today announced that it will provide up to $6 million over 2 years for the development, testing, and commercialization of domestically manufactured, midsize wind turbines (i.e. nameplate capacity of between 100 kilowatts and 1 megawatt). DOE anticipates making up to four grants under this competitive solicitation and is looking to support U.S. turbine manufacturers…

From our colleague Eric Martin:

After over two years of work, the federal Wind Turbine Guidelines Advisory Committee (“Committee”) recently released its final policy recommendations on how wind energy developers and operators can best assess and prevent adverse impacts to wildlife. Comprised of government, environmental, and wind industry stakeholders, the Committee recommends a five-tier…

The Washington State Department of Commerce (formerly the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development or CTED) has announced that it is attempting to revise Washington’s comprehensive energy plan (the “State Energy Strategy”). 

The State Energy Strategy was last revised in 2003, and it does not serve current energy realities and forecasts. Therefore, the Washington State Legislature has tasked the Department of Commerce with updating the State Energy Strategy while taking account the following three goals and nine principles:Continue Reading Washington Revising its State Energy Strategy

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today that he was approving the Cape Wind Project, the Nation’s first deep water offshore wind project. Secretary Salazar’s decision overcomes a recommendation from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) to disapprove the Project because of impacts to properties listed in or eligible for listing in the National…

Grand Valley State University (GVSU) and its Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center (MAREC) have issued a Request for Proposals seeking funding partners to develop an offshore research platform and wind assessment meteorological (MET) tower installation.  GVSU and MAREC have acquired $3.1 Million in grants and research monies to fund a portion of the Project.  Partners…

Last week, the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission rejected a power purchase agreement (PPA) between Deepwater Wind and National Grid, the state’s largest utility, stating that the deal’s projected cost of electricity did not qualify as “commercially reasonable” under a test required by state law.  Deepwater would have charged National Grid 24.4 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2013…

On Thursday March 11, 2010, the California Public Utility Commission (the "CPUC") created a market for tradable renewable energy credits ("TRECs") in the state.  That’s big news.  In its 149-page decision, the CPUC stated that investor-owned utilities ("IOUs"), energy service providers, and community choice aggregators may now use TRECs to comply with California’s ambitious renewable portfolio standard ("RPS").  These entities are now permitted to purchase a portion of their RPS compliance from generation sources other than those they own (e.g., distributed solar generation facilities within the state and certain out-of-state facilities).

Continue Reading Tradable RECs Now Count Toward California’s RPS

In late February, the Associated Press reported that the Minerals Management Service received proposals from two Virginia companies for leases on the outer continental shelf to develop offshore wind farms.  Apex Wind Energy Inc. is proposing to lease 116,000 acres for an undetermined number of wind turbines with the potential to generate up to 1,500…