Empower Energies partners with Hannon Armstrong, solar in an oil field: Halloween pbMB

Empower Energies partners with Hannon Armstrong on C&I expansion – “Empower Energies and Hannon Armstrong will jointly invest in renewable energy projects in the commercial & industrial market across the United States. The collaboration unites Hannon Armstrong’s extensive experience in providing long term financing with Empower Energies’ existing platform for the development and acquisition of C&I-scale solar rooftop, ground-mount solar and canopy projects, as well as energy storage and related distributed generation technologies. “We have seen our business expand significantly, particularly with the growing demand for on-site and off-site renewable projects by corporations and institutions committed to achieving 100% renewable energy targets, like the RE100,” said John Clapp, CEO of Empower Energies. “Hannon Armstrong provides us with a world-class financing partner with a long-term commitment to investing on the right side of the climate change line.” Source: Empower Energy

SunPower + Shell in 20 year PPA at oil field – “SunPower announced construction is underway on the Lost Hills Solar Project. The 35 MWdc 29 MWac system will feature Performance Series solar panels assembled in Hillsboro, Oregon, and deliver low-carbon electricity to Chevron’s Lost Hills oil field in Kern County, Calif., under a power purchase agreement. Over the project’s term of up to 20 years, it is estimated to produce more than 1.4 billion kilowatt hours of clean solar energy, thereby reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by approximately 1 million metric tons. This is equivalent to offsetting the CO2 emissions of 118,550 homes’ energy use for one year.” Source: SunPower

4 MW carport project completed – CentraState and KDC Solar have completed a 4 MW collection of solar carports at CentraState in Freehold Township, New Jersey. The carports will allow CentraState to meet 61% of its electricity demand with solar, while saving an estimated $500,000 annually. The combined solar ground mounted system and new carport solar system makes CentraState the largest solar powered hospital in New Jersey. Source: Trentonian.com

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality develops pollinator-friendly solar kit – “The voluntary program, called Virginia Pollinator Smart, has been a year in the making. Pieces of the kit will be posted here and here as the final drafts are released. Enter the state’s Department of Environmental Quality. The regulatory agency is on the verge of rolling out a how-to toolkit crafted for solar installers intent on greening the footprint of their arrays by foregoing fescue grasses for native vegetation. The department oversees the permitting of Virginia solar facilities at or under 150 megawatts. The Pollinator Smart team the agency pulled together also included representatives from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, as well as a bevy of subcontractors under the lead of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc.” Source: Energy News

⅔ of Floridians concerned about climate change + govt. response – According to a recent poll administered by the Florida Atlantic University Center for Environmental Studies (CES) in FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, and the Business and Economics Polling Initiative (BEPI) in FAU’s College of Business, 68% of responding Floridians either agree or strongly agree that climate change has them concerned about the well-being of future generations in Florida. Furthermore, just 28% believe that Florida’s government (state, county and municipal) is already doing enough to address the impacts of climate change. What’s more is that a majority (51%) support future solar energy production in Florida. Source: FAU