TerraPass Inc., recently issued a Request for Information (RFI) on behalf of a client that is interested in ownership, investment and/or long-term bundled renewable energy offtake opportunities within PG&E territory.  The RFI seeks information from firms with renewable energy projects that are currently under development or construction in California and have projected online dates in 2014 or 2015. TerraPass’ …

On September 12 a U.S. wind project development company, Ralls Corporation ("Ralls"), owned by two Chinese nationals, filed suit against the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States ("CFIUS"), an inter-agency U.S. government body charged with assessing the potential national security effects of foreign acquisitions of U.S. businesses. National security concerns may arise in…

A legal update from our colleague Gary Glisson:

United States importers and purchasers of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and modules (“solar cells”) now face increased prices when sourcing their supplies from China. A recent order issued by the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration imposing an antidumping duty rate of 250% tariff against the…

A law alert from our colleague Cherise Oram:

On August 24, 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (collectively, the "Services") issued a proposed rule that would modify when and how the Services analyze economic impacts in critical habitat designations under the Endangered Species Act ("ESA"). Critical habitat designation is intended to provide special protection of essential habitat for species listed as endangered or threatened under the ESA. The ESA prohibits federal agencies from taking actions that are likely to destroy or adversely modify that critical habitat. Critical habitat designations are often controversial because they may discourage or impair private activities on private lands by requiring federal permits or otherwise devaluing the lands located within a designation.Continue Reading Proposed Changes to Critical Habitat Designations Would Gut Purpose of Economic Analysis

On Thursday, October 11, our friends at Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) are holding what promises to be a very interesting event on the important topic of clean energy and the military. Stoel Rives is pleased to be hosting this event on the 19th Floor of its offices in Portland, OR, 900 SW Fifth Avenue. 

Click here to register if you’d like to attend as a guest of E2. For those interested in Clean Energy and the Military, especially the Army’s pending $7 billion renewables RFP, please check out Chad Marriot’s postings on the subject.

What: Mission Critical: Clean Energy and the U.S. Military
When: Thursday, October 11, 2012 (5:00 PM – 7:00 PM PDT)
Where: Stoel Rives LLP, 900 SW Fifth Avenue, 19th Floor, Portland, OR 97204

The state of Oregon, on the forefront of advanced energy policy, has a new and powerful partner. The U.S. military has emerged as a formidable leader in the push for clean energy. The Department of Defense says that our current fuel mix is a national security liability, and that global warming is a threat multiplier which will heighten geopolitical instability, creating both military and humanitarian challenges beyond the armed services’ capacity to respond. As a result, DOD is setting aggressive objectives to reduce its fossil fuel dependence and invest in low carbon renewables and energy efficiency technologies. These commitments by the military are stimulating innovation and providing critical support for the emerging U.S. clean energy sector, with significant impacts for Oregon.

Join us to hear from Oregon First Lady Cylvia Hayes, Brigadier General Mike Caldwell (Oregon National Guard), and E2’s James Marvin (CDR, USN – retired and CEO of Federal Green Solutions) about the link between Oregon’s 10-Year Energy Plan and the military’s transition to clean energy, as well as the potential of this transformation to grow the U.S. economy.Continue Reading Upcoming Event – Mission Critical: Clean Energy and the U.S. Military

Seattle City Light recently issued a request for proposals f(RFP) or up to 150,000 megawatt-hours of renewable energy or renewable energy credits per year, starting in 2020.  The projects that generate the RECs or energy must qualify as eligible according to Washington State’s renewable portfolio standard. In addition, City Light will require a minimum output guarantee and credit…

The Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) Energy Storage Coaliation (ESC) will be holding an important energy storage conference at the Portland Convention Center on October 8, 2012.  ESC has worked with the Oregon and Washington public utility commissions to bring together a diverse mix of developers, utilities and regulators to share their perspectives on opportunities and barriers…

My colleague Ed Einowski didn’t mince words in a recent article published by The Sindal Report. If the federal production tax credit (PTC) is allowed to expire at the end of this year, there will be a dramatic drop-off in wind installation starting in 2013. And these diminished opportunities will add up to significant…

Last week the White House issued an Executive Order calling for 40 GW of new CHP capacity by 2020:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/08/30/executive-order-accelerating-investment-industrial-energy-efficiency

The Executive Order on Accelerating Investment in Industrial Energy Efficiency (also known as combined heat and power (CHP) or cogeneration) calls for federal agencies (including the Departments of Energy, Commerce and Agriculture), States, industrial companies…

A quick plug for the Pivotal Leaders program. Established in 2010 by venture capital firm Pivotal Investment, it seeks to promote networking among leading Pacific Northwest cleantech executives and encourage innovation and economic growth in the region. My colleague Dave Benson was recently named a 2012 Pivotal Leader in Cleantech. The annual Pivotal Leaders list…