Update: California’s Agressive Solar Energy Plan Stalls in Committee

Date: 13 Sep 2005 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The multi-year legislative effort to establish the nation’s most agressive solar power initiative was killed in committee on the last day of California’s legislative session. Early, broadbased support for 3,000 MW of new photovoltaic capacity and bi-partisan votes wasn’t enough to overcome some sensitive last-minute amendments to the original proposal.

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Klickitat County’s Energy Overlay Zone Streamlines Future Siting of Energy Projects

Date: 6 Jul 2005 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Over three years, Klickitat County in southern Washington, studied the potential impacts of future energy projects within its borders and came up with a plan to direct those projects to the most appropriate areas. The county’s new "Energy Overlay Zone" is a zoning tool aimed at expediting renewable energy development. The Energy Overlay Zone covers more than 1,000 square miles, two-thirds of Klickitat County.

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Gas Optional Vehicles: Austin Energy Charges Ahead

Date: 7 Jun 2005 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Preferring the term “gas-optional” vehicles rather than plug-in electric hybrids, Austin Energy has adopted a strategy to diversify and grow its electric utility operations and hopes to convince cities nationwide to follow their lead.

Roger Duncan at Austin Energy is traveling the country promoting the idea that the time is ripe for a convergence of municipally owned electrical operations with the transportation sector. The fit becomes natural through the increased use of gas-optional vehicles (GOVs).

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FERC Adds Another Standard for DG Interconnection

Date: 19 May 2005 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has adopted standard rules for interconnecting distributed generation (DG) projects of 20 MW or less with the electricity grid. These new rules will operate alongside FERC’s previously issued rules that govern interconnections of DG projects larger than 20 MW. FERC also has an ongoing proceeding that is developing special rules for interconnecting wind energy projects with the grid [see FERC’s Generation Interconnection web site].

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Washington Laws Encourages Locally Manufactured DG Equipment

Date: 19 May 2005 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Two proposals unanimously passed by the legislature and signed into law earlier this month by Washington’s Governor, Christine Gregoire, should put distributed generation and renewable energy on the fast track in the state. The first bill (SB 5101) establishes a renewable energy production incentive that is larger if the equipment comes from in-state manufacturers. The second bill (SB 5111) provides corporate tax breaks for solar energy businesses in the state based on their sales.

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An Assessment of Solar Power on Rooftops

Date: 2 May 2005 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In March 2005, the Energy Foundation released a study prepared for them by Navigant Consulting and Clean Energy Research. The study was completed in September 2004 and claims to be the first of its kind to do an assessement and estimate of the rooftop solar photovoltaic market potential on a state-by-state basis.

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