Archive for July, 2008

On June 30, 2008, National Semiconductor announced that it is field testing new technology which can increase the overall energy output of solar photovoltaic systems. The product, called SolarMagic, uses the company’s expertise in power conversion and advanced algorithms to get the most energy possible out of each panel in a solar array. Today’s systems ... Read More

On July 17, 2008, the Public Utilities Commission of Texas approved a transmission plan (Case 33672) that will bring 18,500 MW of wind-generated power from West Texas and the Panhandle to the state’s major metropolitan areas. The plan, which was one of four plans proposed by ERCOT in April (see transmission study), will cost about ... Read More

On June 26, 2008, U.S. House Representative Jay Inslee, along with three other democratic representatives, introduced H.R. 6401, the Renewable Energy and Jobs Security Act, which would provide long-term (20-year), fixed rate utility contracts to renewable and other clean generators up to 20 MW. The FERC would set the technology-specific rates once every two years, ... Read More

On June 23, 2008, Delmarva Power, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, Inc., announced a 25-year purchase power agreement with Babcock and Brown to buy 200 MW of power from what is likely to be the first off-shore wind farm in the U.S. The facility, which will be built by Babcock and Brown’s subsidiary, Bluewater Wind ... Read More

On July 2, 2008, the North Dakota Public Service Commission formally accepted a letter of intent filed by FPL Energy regarding its plan to build a 1,000-MW wind farm in west-central North Dakota. (See Case PU-08-400.) The facility, which would include 667 wind turbines and cover roughly 250 square miles, would cost about $2 billion ... Read More

On July 1, 2008, the U.S. Energy Information Agency released its official 2006 statistics on green pricing and net metering programs. The data for both topics is presented by state and by customer class, and is compared to years 2002-2005. While this data is somewhat interesting, it must be remembered that much activity has occurred ... Read More

On July 2, 2008, Toronto Hydro Electric announced a residential load-shifting pilot program, called PowerShift, whereby the company will automatically cycle down air conditioners between the hours of 1 and 5 p.m. when the temperature exceeds 81 degrees Fahrenheit. Customers will receive a credit of $10 per month for July, August, and September for participating. ... Read More

On July 1, 2008, four of New Mexico’s major utilities—Xcel Energy, El Paso Electric, PNM, and the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association—issued a request for proposals for the construction of a large solar parabolic trough generation facility and an associated long-term purchase power agreement. The utilities hope to have a contract in place by year-end ... Read More

On July 8, 2008, Gatorade, a division of PepsiCo, announced that it will install a 500 kW photovoltaic system on the roof of its Tolleson, Arizona, manufacturing and distribution facility. The panels will be installed in September and are expected to be operational by November. Arizona’s Salt River Project, the largest electricity utility in the ... Read More

On July 22, 2008, the solar car team from the University of Michigan captured the checkered flag in the 2008 North American Solar Challenge. The team finished the 2,400 mile, 10-day race from Dallas, Texas to Calgary, Alberta 10 hours ahead of its nearest competitor. The University of Michigan has won five out of nine ... Read More