This week, the United Kingdom proposed cutting its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 50% below 1990 levels, in its recently released proposed carbon budget for 2023 to 2027. This would put it on track to cut emissions by 80% by 2050, as required under the U.K. Climate Change Act of 2008. Moreover, this target would go beyond the
Unused ARRA Grant Funds Related to Electric Vehicles, Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Infrastructure Projects
Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition has announced that it has roughly $400,000 in unused ARRA grant funds available for alternative fuel vehicle and infrastructure projects.
Examples of eligible vehicles include:
- Vehicles using alternative fuels recognized by the Energy Policy Act (complete list here: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/epact/about/epact_fuels.html);
- Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles;
- Electric Hybrid Vehicles (including certain Plug-in
UPDATE: California Utilities Issue 2011 RFOs for Renewables
Following up on my blog Thursday, all three of California’s major investor-owned utilities, Pacific Gas & Electric ("PG&E"), San Diego Gas & Electric ("SDG&E"), and Southern California Edison ("SCE") have issued their 2011 requests for offers ("RFO") and requests for proposals ("RFP") for eligible renewable resources, triggering their timelines for new contract proposals.
Information on PG&E’s RFO, issued Wednesday May 11
Debate Heats Up over Minnesota Wind Energy Siting Standards and Setbacks
Late last week, an administrative law judge (“ALJ”) found that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (the “Commission”) is not obligated to consider or apply a county wind ordinance containing siting standards that are stricter than the Commission’s statewide standards. And even if the Commission were obligated to consider and apply the more stringent standards, the
CEC Holds Workshop on Energy Storage for 2011 IEPR
The 2011 IEPR Committee Workshop on Energy Storage for Renewable Integration was held Thursday, April 28th at the California Energy Commission (CEC) offices in Sacramento. The Workshop was presented in a three panel format, with each panel addressing specific topics, including (1) the need for energy storage in light of California’s renewable portfolio standard, greenhouse
BLM Notices Interim and Proposed Rules Protecting Renewable Energy Development From Mining Claims
Stoel Rives attorney Heath Curtiss, one of the
co-authors of "Federal Land Issues with Siting
and Permitting" in our Law of Wind, describes
a Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") plan to
protect certain land suitable for renewables
development from the location of mining claims :
As many of our clients with right-of-way (“ROW”) applications pending before BLM
New Temporary BETC Rules Issued by ODOE
The Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) has issued new temporary BETC rules. The purpose of these rules, according to ODOE, is to clarify how the Section 1603 Grant will be deducted from BETC project costs. In an apparent reversal of ODOE’s recent position during the Tier Two and Tier Three application phases, the temporary rules
California Public Utilities Commission Holds Prehearing Conference on Energy Storage Procurement Targets
As we’ve previously discussed, California’s AB 2514 requires the CPUC and municipal utilities in California to open proceedings by March 1, 2012 to determine appropriate targets, if any, for the procurement of viable and cost-effective energy storage systems by load-serving entities. Over a year before that deadline, the CPUC opened Rulemaking 10-12-007 in December of last
LexisNexis Selects Renewable + Law Blog to its Top 50 Environmental Law Blogs List
Having first reported to our readers in February that LexisNexis had nominated the Stoel Rives Renewable + Law Blog for its Top 50 Environmental Law & Climate Change Blogs for 2011 award, we are pleased to announce we made the list of winners! In publishing its Top 50 list, LexisNexis declared that our Renewable +
RFI for Substation-Size Li-ion Energy Storage System Demonstration Project
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Technology Transition Corporation recently issued a request for information (RFI) to prepare for multiple demonstrations and the market introduction of 1MW / 2MWh lithium ion battery energy storage systems (ESS) for electric utility grid management solutions. EPRI and TTC have assembled a utility team for this project, and they encourage manufacturers