Money for nothing (except ground-breaking clean-energy ideas)
With help from the California Sustainable Energy Entrepreneur Development (CalSEED) initiative, the California Energy Commission is calling all enterprising clean-energy entrepreneurs to submit proposals to get a piece of $24 million to bring their ideas to fruition.
Renewable energy advocates slam utilities for slow progress under REV
Comments filed by AEEI and SolarCity on the Supplemental Distribution System Implementation Plan (DSIP) say utilities should do more to get ready for and assist with the integration of distributed renewables and storage, and AEEI says utilities should go back to the drawing board.
$1 B-plus San Vicente pumped hydro plan flows forward
San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) has requested letters of interest due in February for the design and business model for the proposed 500 MW San Vicente Energy Storage Facility, which could include PV energy to pump water to the dam.
Enel acquires U.S. storage company Demand Energy
Through its subsidiary Enel Green Power North America, Italian multinational Enel Group has announced the acquisition of a 100% stake in Demand Energy, a U.S. company specializing in intelligent software and storage systems.
Oregon sets timetable for 10 MW energy storage review
The Oregon Public Utilities Commission has finally set a timetable for the review of energy storage projects that will be proposed by Portland General Electric and Pacificorp.
From the editor: James Hansen is behind the times on wind and solar
James Hansen has played a very important role in publicizing the dangers of Climate Change. But his remarks on renewable energy show that he is not well informed on the current state of wind, solar and grid integration.
Settlement clears the way for SunEdison FBR polysilicon sale to GCL-Poly
SunEdison Semiconductor has agreed to allow the transfer of intellectual property to the world’s largest polysilicon and wafer maker, which is seeking to develop FBR polysilicon.
Unmanned Mayflower solar trimaran aims to cross Atlantic
The Mayflower Autoship is being developed to sail under solar power from Plymouth, Devon to Plymouth, Massachusetts in 2020 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the pilgrims journey aboard the original Mayflower in 1620. This would be the first Atlantic crossing by an unmanned solar vessel.
MIT report questions value of distributed solar
The Utility of the Future report decries poor state-level rate-making, mythical cross-subsidies by non-solar customers, and economies of scale as reasons that adding more distributed PV to utilities’ portfolios make little long-term economic sense.
Tesla/Panasonic Gigafactory to begin producing PV modules in summer 2017
Panasonic also take over capital costs at the new factory in Buffalo, and its HIT technology will be used in the Solar Roof product
