On February 12, 2013, the U.S. Army Contracting Command announced that the Army Energy Initiatives Task Force ("EITF") is developing a standardized Utility Service Contract Performance Work Statement ("PWS") to be used for contracts executed under its long-term power procurement authority (10 U.S.C. 2922a). The intent is to have a PWS that is clear and understandable to both the
U.S. District Judge Rules on Ralls Corp Challenge to President Obama’s Divestiture Order
By Alex Mertens on
There has been a new development in the effort by Ralls Corporation, a company owned by two Chinese nationals, to challenge President Obama’s September 2012 order requiring it to divest its interests in four wind projects in Oregon and to remove any equipment and infrastructure it had placed on the sites of the proposed projects. …
CFIUS Annual Report: National Security Trends in Foreign Investment and M&A in the United States
By Alex Mertens on
Posted in Regulation, Wind
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) recently issued its 2012 Annual Report to Congress. My colleague CJ Voss has summarized some of the report’s key findings.
CFIUS is charged with reviewing acquisitions of U.S. businesses for national security implications. As we reported last fall, President Obama blocked Chinese-owned Ralls Corporation’s acquisition of wind…
Women of Wind Energy’s Ninth Annual Rudd Mayer Memorial Fellowships
By William H. Holmes on
Each year, Women of Wind Energy (WoWE) awards fellowships to women college students or recent graduates to attend the annual American Wind Energy Association WINDPOWER conference.
Previous awardees include engineers, lawyers, PhDs, MBAs, technicians, meteorologists, economists and more from schools like Stanford, Columbia Gorge Community College, James Madison, UC Boulder, Appalachian State, and MIT.
Applications…
#PTC Extension: Scarcity of Utility-Scale PPAs a Big Challenge for Wind Energy in 2013
By William H. Holmes on
Posted in Wind
In the wake of the extension of the production tax credit, my colleague Ed Einowski has analyzed a key challenge – the relative scarcity of available utility-scale power purchase agreement RFPs. Having a PUC-approved PPA in place is generally a prerequisite for securing financing for utility-scale wind projects. Here’s what he has to say:
The…
Congress Passes Extension and Modification of Production Tax Credit
By Greg Jenner on
News reports have already alerted people to the fact that Congress has extended the Production Tax Credit ("PTC") for wind as part of its agreement to avoid the fiscal cliff. The bill – named the American Tax Relief Act of 2012 – extended the sunset date for wind through December 31, 2013. This extension gives…
Justice Department Moves to Dismiss Ralls Corp Lawsuit over Blocked Oregon Wind Projects
By Alex Mertens on
Posted in Wind
On October 29, 2012, the U.S. Justice Department filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Ralls Corp (“Ralls”), an affiliate of Chinese-owned Sany Group, challenging President Obama’s September 28, 2012 order that blocked four planned Oregon wind projects on national security grounds. See our previous posts for more background on the Ralls Corp.
Renewables Account for All New U.S. Electricity Generating Capacity Added in September
By Sarah Johnson Phillips on
In September 2012, all new electricity generation came from solar and wind projects, according to the Energy Infrastructure Update (PDF) issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of Energy Projects. Five wind projects totaling 300MW and 18 solar projects totaling 133MW came online during the month.
The Energy Infrastructure Update also noted that nearly…
Minnesota Court of Appeals Sides with Orono Resident in Wind Turbine Permit Dispute
By Sarah Johnson Phillips on
Via my colleague Thomas Braun:
Earlier this week, the Minnesota Court of Appeals weighed in on a long-running dispute between the City of Orono and city resident Jay Nygard over the installation of a small wind turbine on Mr. Nygard’s property. The dispute began two years ago when the city denied Mr. Nygard a permit…
Economists Weigh in on the PTC Extension
By Greg Jenner on
Against the backdrop of election year politics and consideration of extension or elimination of the Production Tax Credits (PTCs), the Congressional Research Service (CRS) issued a report last week entitled, “U.S. Renewable Electricity: How Does the Production Tax Credit (PTC) Impact Wind Markets?” This report examines the possibility of an extension of the PTC, and the potential impacts such an extension (either long- or short-term) would have on the U.S. wind market. Not surprisingly, the conclusions are mixed and layered with uncertainty.
The report trumpets that 2012 will be a record year for the wind industry. Due in large part due to the pending expiration of the PTC, the U.S. wind sector deployed 10-12 GW of wind power this year—an unprecedented amount. However, all indications are that the expiration of the PTC will cause a severe market downturn in 2013 and beyond. No wonder the wind industry has been pushing Congress so hard for an extension. But does an extension make good economic sense?Continue Reading Economists Weigh in on the PTC Extension