Ocean Technologies are Moving Forward but Still Have a Ways to Go
It's been a long time coming, but Oregon may finally get a wave energy test center. The US Department of Energy said that it will release up to $40 million for the effort.
Utilities
FirstEnergy’s Decision to Close Coal Plants is a Sign of the Environment
FirstEnergy Corp.'s decision to retire six older coal-fired power plants with a total capacity of about 856 megawatts is a sign of the times, or a sign of the environment. The plants are located in Ohio and will cease to operate no later than 2020 -- a move that the Cleveland-based utility said was prefaced on economics, and that it
Fitch Ratings Puts Fear of the Unknown into the Possible Utility Death Spiral
Fitch Ratings has said that as utilities potentially lose more money to distributed generation, there would be less money to maintain their wires.
Natural Gas is the New King of the Hill
Natural gas is the new king of the hill -- the leading fuel used to generate electricity. That's the findings of the US Energy Information Administration, which also says that coal will dip to 30 percent while renewables will be 15 percent.
Massachusetts Community Solar Industry at Risk Due to Regulatory Changes
More and more people are interested in ‘going solar,’ but most people cannot put solar panels on their roof. Imagine this: you want to go solar, get an on-site assessment, and find out that your roof is not adequate due to tree shading, direction of the roof, or age of the roof.
Mattel Plans to Cut Utility Bills 40% Using Recycled Water
Mattel recently became a California water agency’s newest recycled water customer, which will save about 2 million gallons of drinking water per year in the drought-stricken state. The global toy maker, whose brands include Barbie, Fisher-Price and Hot Wheels, among others, told Environmental Leader that using recycled water for irrigation ... Read more »
Southern Co. Defends its Advanced Coal Plant and Says it is Committed to Safe Operations
Southern Co. is firing back at a piece in the New York Times that presents its advanced coal plant in Mississippi at as a boondoggle gone awry. In truth, the Atlanta-based utility has been a pioneer in technology development, spearheading a range of innovations ranging from solar plus batteries to the latest nuclear plants to the carbon capture coal plants.
Carbon Capture Coal Plant Gets Heat as Whistleblower Comes Forward
An advanced coal project in Mississippi is now under greater scrutiny. Documents have come to light that show that the plant’s owner, Southern Co., concealed certain technical difficulties that the plant has been experiencing. It chose to keep such information under wraps to avoid regulatory criticisms.
Three Amigos Work to Cut Carbon while California’s Amigos Work to Cut Carbon-Free Nuclear
While the "Three Amigos" are meeting in Ottawa to discuss ways to limit their carbon emissions, a different group of friends -- or shall we say 'adversaries' -- are meeting in California to ditch its remaining nuclear plant -- that provides 8 percent of the state's electricity and that is also carbon free.
Still No Deal Between Hawaii Utility and Florida’s NextEra. Local Pressure Mounts
Hawaiian regulators have not yet given their approval to the proposed utility merger there between Hawaiian Electric Utilities and NextEra Energy. But the two entities may still talking as if the deal could go through.
Bill Would Eliminate NY Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050
New York lawmakers have introduced a bill that would make Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s climate and clean energy goals law, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions from anthropogenic sources by 100 percent, compared with 1990 levels, by 2050.
Is a Nuclear Revival 15 Years Off? Energy Secretary Moniz Thinks So
US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz said that within 15 years that nuclear energy will have a resurgence because it is a carbon free and that such clean power is what the world now desires.