• New Federal Environment Minister Peter Altmaier Announces 10-Point Programme Before Summer Break

    Updated: 2012-05-31 19:10:30
    The new Federal Environment Minister Peter Altmaier has presented initial elements of his political agenda as minister. He announced to present a 10-point programme before the summer break. It shall contain projects that he wants to implement before the elections in 2013. He is optimistic to reach a national consensus for the  energy policy shift within the next six [...]

  • PPS participates in DOE’s SunShot Grand Challenge

    Updated: 2012-05-31 17:38:04
    Princeton Power System’s Executive Vice President, Darren Hammell, will be participating as a panel member at the US Department of Energy’s SunShot Grand Challenge June 13-14. The Grand Challenge, taking place in Denver CO, will address the market and technology barriers to achieving a break through in national energy challenges. Mr. Hammell will be presenting on the panel titled “Grand Challenge Deep Dives: System Integration”, on Wednesday, June 13th, at 1pm; see the full conference agenda here.

  • European Commission: State Aid Rules for ETS Post 2012 Electricity Costs and for CCS Ready Power Plants

    Updated: 2012-05-31 17:24:11
    The European Commission has adopted a framework under which Member states may compensate certain electro-intensive users for part of the higher electricity costs expected to result from a tightening of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) as from 2013. The rules shall ensure that national support measures are designed in a way that preserves the [...]

  • Dragons Den Debut, June 3, 2012 on CBC

    Updated: 2012-05-30 22:57:04
    Global Wind Group Inc. is thrilled to announce that we will be airing on Canadian Television Sunday June 3rd at 8:00pm EST. GWG was invited to Toronto to pitch in front of a panel of investors on a show titled Dragon’s Den in May 2011. The experience had us drive one of our wind turbines [...]

  • Grid Development Plan Consultation: 3,800 km of New Power Lines and Grid Modernisation

    Updated: 2012-05-30 17:29:29
    The four German transmission system operators (TSOs) Amprion GmbH, 50Hertz Transmission GmbH, Tennet TSO GmbH and Transnet BW GmbH have presented the first national ten-year grid development plan. It contains measures to modernise, enhance and extend the electricity networks that the TSOs consider necessary over the next ten years. The grid development plan is up for public consultation from [...]

  • Thoughts and Takeaways—Wisconsin Electric Machines and Power Electronics Consortium

    Updated: 2012-05-30 14:56:46
    Last week, I attended the annual review meeting of the Wisconsin Electric Machines and Power Electronics Consortium (WEMPEC) at the ...

  • 26.6 GW PV Capacity at End of Q1 2012 – More Than 22 GW Solar Generation on 25/26 May

    Updated: 2012-05-29 19:59:20
    According to preliminary figures from the German Federal Network Agency (BNetzA), newly installed PV capacity in the first three months was about 1,800 MWp. As of 31 March 2012, this would bring Germany’s total of installed PV capacity to 26.6 GWp. According to data from the EEX transparency platform, last Friday’s solar generation peaked at 22.4 GW, with Saturday not far [...]

  • BVerwG Denies Preliminary Injunction Against Extra-high Voltage Line Connecting Thuringia and Bavaria

    Updated: 2012-05-29 18:42:42
    In a decision of 24 May 2012 (ref. no. 7 VR 4.12) the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig (BVerwG) did not grant preliminary relief against the plan determination decision (Planfeststellungsbeschluss) for the 380 kV extra-high voltage power line between Vieselbach near Erfurt and Altenfeld, both located in Thuringia. Hence the construction of this part of the 210 km-long so-called Thuringian [...]

  • US Government Should Trust the Free Market for Green Energy Investment

    Updated: 2012-05-29 12:10:00
    The loan guarantee program should be retired permanently. The path to commercialization requires brains, discipline and grit. It is rarely aided, and often impeded, by government involvement. Our government should trust the free market forces that have made America great.

  • Going With The Flow

    Updated: 2012-05-28 21:35:31
    Home by Sector Biofuels Carbon Smart Grid Renewables Solar Storage Transport Water Cleantech News Submit Blog Press Release Advertise Jobs About About Cleantech Blog What is Cleantech Bloggers Bookshelf Contact Cleantech Blog Blog With Us A Tribute to our Blogger and Cleantech Venture Capitalist , David Anthony Going With The Flow On May 28, 2012, in Blog by Richard T . Stuebi In recent months , I’ve come across more work being done in flow batteries than I’ve seen in the prior . decade I’ve been known in the past to say that fuel cells are kinda like fueled batteries . Well , flow batteries really are fueled-batteries . A traditional chemical battery is one sealed system that charges and discharges chemical elements through a set of electrodes , and the amount of charge discharge is

  • Update: High Penetration of Photovoltaic Generation Study – Flagstaff Community Power

    Updated: 2012-05-25 15:30:17
    GE Global Research and GE Energy Consulting along with NREL, ASU, and ViaSol Energy Solutions have been participating in an ...

  • Parliament Adopts Amendment of Combined Heat and Power Act

    Updated: 2012-05-25 12:07:54
    With the votes of the ruling Conservative/Liberal coalition, the German Bundestag (Parliament) adopted an amendment of the Combined Heat and Power Act (KWKG – ref. no. 17/8801 as amended by the Economics Committee, ref. no. 17/9617). The bill aims to increase the share of combined heat and power in the German energy mix from roughly [...]

  • I Call Them “Peak Day Partners”

    Updated: 2012-05-24 18:20:59
    Blog Read our latest posts on renewables and energy efficiency Authors Learn more about our passionate blog authors Xcel Energy Visit the Xcel Energy website Search : for Energy Efficiency Xcel Energy Thursday May 24, 2012 by Billy Draper tags AIR CONDITIONING BILLY DRAPER Colorado energy efficiency Minnesota Program Saver's Switch xcel energy comments 0 I Call Them Peak Day Partners” Each time I venture to Denver’s 16th Street Mall for lunch , I weave in and out of non-profit volunteers like I’m participating in some urban slalom event . Sometimes I have to dodge the aggressive ones like real-life . Frogger Don’t get me wrong , I have causes I am passionate about . I regularly donate to No Kid Hungry and The Humane Society . But beyond that , my charitable resources are tapped . At least

  • Government and Federal States to Meet Twice a Year to Coordinate Energy Policy Shift

    Updated: 2012-05-24 16:26:22
    At yesterday’s meeting of Chancellor Angela Merkel with the state premiers and the Ministers of Economics and Technology, Philipp Rösler, and the new Environment Minister Peter Altmaier, the federal government and the federal states agreed to work closer together to coordinate and implement the energy policy shift away from nuclear power towards a renewable energy [...]

  • Utility Success: Interview with Thierry Vandal, President and CEO of Hydro-Quebec

    Updated: 2012-05-24 14:00:00
    Thierry Vandal, president and chief executive officer of Hydro-Quebec, discusses methods his company uses to provide energy to customers, the differences between operating in Canada vs the U.S. and the future of hydro and its integration into other energy strategies.

  • Electric Cars & Keystone Impact on Gas Prices — R-Squared Energy TV Ep. 23

    Updated: 2012-05-24 12:00:33
    . Home About Contact Advertise Consumer Energy Report Biodiversivist Choke Points Econbrowser Editors' Corner Energy , Security , Policy R-Squared Energy Column By Robert Rapier on May 24, 2012 with 12 responses Electric Cars Keystone Impact on Gas Prices R-Squared Energy TV Ep . 23 : Tags climate change electric cars gas prices global warming Keystone Pipeline R-Squared Energy TV Tweet In this week’s episode of R-Squared Energy TV I answer the following : questions What are the chances that electric vehicles will be more than a boutique item , and will make up a noticeable portion of cars on the road by 2020 Do you agree with the recent report from the Natural Resources Defense Council NRDC that building the Keystone Pipeline will raise gasoline prices I will make one additional comment

  • Are IT Data Centers Emerging as a 'Killer App' for Green Power? Part 2

    Updated: 2012-05-24 01:48:00
    IT companies are increasingly exploring a wide range of green power solutions in response to growing energy use at their data centers and increased scrutiny from industry watchdogs. In part one of this article, we described utility-provided and offsite green power options available to IT companies.  In this post, we will discuss the onsi

  • A Tribute to our Blogger and Cleantech Venture Capitalist, David Anthony

    Updated: 2012-05-23 17:57:56
    , Home by Sector Biofuels Carbon Smart Grid Renewables Solar Storage Transport Water Cleantech News Submit Blog Press Release Advertise Jobs About About Cleantech Blog What is Cleantech Bloggers Bookshelf Contact Cleantech Blog Blog With Us Separation Anxiety A Tribute to our Blogger and Cleantech Venture Capitalist , David Anthony On May 23, 2012, in Blog by Neal Dikeman As previously reported by GigaOm and others one of our bloggers cleantech venture capital investor , David Anthony , of VC firm 21 Ventures , took his own life last month . We are saddened he is no longer with . us For those who are able to attend , there is a Facebook announcement of his memorial service on the May 31 : Details Thursday , May 31, 2012, 5:00pm in EDT First Christian Church at 4954 Valleydale Road ,

  • Munich Stock Exchange to Discontinue Trade with CO2 Emission Certificates

    Updated: 2012-05-23 16:37:10
    The Munich Stock Exchange (Bayerische Börse) announced that it is to discontinue trading with CO2 emission certificates on 30 June 2012. Trade volume at the European Stock Exchanges dramatically decreased to almost zero over the previous months, so that there was not enough volume for a functioning, liquid market, Munich Stock Exchange said. Bayerische Börse pointed out [...]

  • Separation Anxiety

    Updated: 2012-05-23 15:50:39
    Home by Sector Biofuels Carbon Smart Grid Renewables Solar Storage Transport Water Cleantech News Submit Blog Press Release Advertise Jobs About About Cleantech Blog What is Cleantech Bloggers Bookshelf Contact Cleantech Blog Blog With Us Danger : Silly Season Ahead Separation Anxiety On May 23, 2012, in Blog by Heather Rae When Home Performance with Energy Star launched in Maine in 2006, we defined the energy improvement process as test-in , upgrade , test-out . The parenthetical testing was part and parcel of the process , similar to a physician talking with a patient and running diagnostics to glean what’s going on before prescribing remedies or lifting a . scalpel Coming into home performance , energy auditors , home energy raters , and home inspectors had a predisposition for

  • Princeton Power Systems Announces Energy Storage System to Support New Microgrid at Ft. Bliss

    Updated: 2012-05-23 14:31:41
    . Home Press Releases Blog Company Updates Technology Editorial In the News Events Princeton Power Systems Announces Energy Storage System to Support New Microgrid at Ft . Bliss May 23, 2012 By ascaccianoce May 23, 2012 PRINCETON , NJ Princeton Power Systems PPS announces today its Energy Storage System ESS as a back-up source and energy resource for a new microgrid system at the U.S . Army’s Ft . Bliss in Texas . PPS is the subcontractor to the microgrid system being developed by Lockheed Martin NYSE : LMT who is leading the project . The Department of Defense DoD Environmental Security Technology Certification Program funded Lockheed Martin’s microgrid demonstration and the energy storage technology provided by Princeton Power as part of DoD’s Energy Test Bed initiatives on military .

  • BNetzA Specifies Procedure for Data Collection for 2nd Regulation Period for Grid Charges in Electricity Sector

    Updated: 2012-05-22 23:29:05
    The German grid regulator, the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) determined the procedure for collecting the data concerning the cost verification of the operation of electricity grids. The data is needed to establish the base level for setting the revenue caps on grid charges for the second regulation period pursuant to Incentive Regulation Ordinance (ARegV). The decisions handed [...]

  • OLG Frankfurt: Contractor Subject to EEG and KWKG Surcharge

    Updated: 2012-05-21 21:59:08
    In a decision of late April, the Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt (OLG Frankfurt) dismissed the appeal of a contractor against the ruling of the prior instance that had ordered him to pay an electricity bill including the surcharges pursuant to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) and the Combined Heat and Power Act (KWKG). [...]

  • Will SolarWorld's Brand be Helped or Harmed by the China Trade Dispute?

    Updated: 2012-05-21 14:00:00
    When one thinks of the solar trade dispute that has led to a 31 percent-plus tariff on Chinese solar manufacturers, the first brand that comes to mind is SolarWorld, who publicly led the CASM Coalition and filed the complaint. Now that the decision is in, will SolarWorld’ leadership benefit its brand relationship with installers or hurt it?

  • Sycamore Energy Ltd.

    Updated: 2012-05-21 00:08:51
    Global Wind Group Inc. is are proud to announce the formation of our first subsidiary Sycamore Energy Ltd. Sycamore Energy Inc is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Global Wind Group Inc. with the value proposition to deliver the most cost-effective alternative energy solutions to our customers. Customers who would benefit from the Sycamore Solution ™ are: [...]

  • The Value of a Diverse (Energy) Portfolio

    Updated: 2012-05-17 22:39:13
    Blog Read our latest posts on renewables and energy efficiency Authors Learn more about our passionate blog authors Xcel Energy Visit the Xcel Energy website Search : for Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy Thursday May 17, 2012 by Tim Laughlin tags energy bills energy efficiency energy portfolio renewable energy saving energy comments 0 The Value of a Diverse Energy Portfolio Talk to any financial advisor , and they’ll tell you diversity within your portfolio is important for long-term growth and sustainability . Diversity helps you adapt to changing markets and weather short-term storms to achieve your . goals The same can be said about energy . Diversity is a valuable asset having a variety of fuel options and program choices can help customers achieve their personal saving” . goals For

  • The Most Important Problem in Renewable Energy — R-Squared Energy TV Ep. 22

    Updated: 2012-05-17 19:36:56
    . Home About Contact Advertise Consumer Energy Report Biodiversivist Choke Points Econbrowser Editors' Corner Energy , Security , Policy R-Squared Energy Column By Robert Rapier on May 17, 2012 with 30 responses The Most Important Problem in Renewable Energy R-Squared Energy TV Ep . 22 : Tags artificial leaf artificial photosynthesis daniel nocera energy storage joule biotechnologies R-Squared Energy TV Tweet In this week’s episode of R-Squared Energy TV I answer a question about the artificial leaf being worked on by Daniel Nocera at MIT . I discuss the strengths and weaknesses of various storage schemes , and explain why I believe storage is the most important problem in renewable . energy In the video I discuss the low energy density of batteries relative to liquid fuels . Below is a

  • Rethinking the Role of Government in Cleantech

    Updated: 2012-05-17 15:38:00
    Another year, another wringing of the hands over tax credits and incentives for clean technology. Lobbyists and vendors in the U.S. are once again inging the blues, calling for continued and expanding government investments in clean technology. At the same time, political challengers continue their olyndra hootenanny, raking the curren

  • MAKE-ing Stuff Social

    Updated: 2012-05-16 23:11:53
    This coming Sunday, I will be attending and giving a talk at this year’s Bay Area Maker Faire. In case ...

  • Rethinking the Role of Government in Cleantech

    Updated: 2012-05-16 22:19:49
    Home by Sector Biofuels Carbon Smart Grid Renewables Solar Storage Transport Water Cleantech News Submit Blog Press Release Advertise Jobs About About Cleantech Blog What is Cleantech Bloggers Bookshelf Contact Cleantech Blog Blog With Us The Geopolitics of Energy Rethinking the Role of Government in Cleantech On May 16, 2012, in Blog by Dallas Kachan Another year , another wringing of the hands over tax credits and incentives for clean . technology Lobbyists and vendors in the U.S . are once again  singing the blues calling for continued and expanding government investments in clean technology . At the same time , political challengers continue their  Solyndra hootenanny raking the current administration for how it spent hundreds of millions of taxpayer . dollars One can’t help but wonder

  • Stump the Scientist: Nuclear Fusion

    Updated: 2012-05-15 21:01:51
    Thanks again for taking the time to submit your Stump the Scientist questions! We had some great questions submitted this ...

  • The Geopolitics of Energy

    Updated: 2012-05-14 14:11:40
    Home by Sector Biofuels Carbon Smart Grid Renewables Solar Storage Transport Water Cleantech News Submit Blog Press Release Advertise Jobs About About Cleantech Blog What is Cleantech Bloggers Bookshelf Contact Cleantech Blog Blog With Us Conducting Home Performance The Geopolitics of Energy On May 14, 2012, in Blog by Richard T . Stuebi The Geopolitics of Energy” : that was the title of a talk given at the Opportunity Crudes conference in Houston last week by Guy Caruso of the Center for Strategic and International Studies It’s an endlessly fascinating and urgent topic , as very few sectors of the economy shape the world in which we live as much as energy and particularly , oil . does Highlights of Caruso’s presentation many of which are not novel or unique , but are worth : restating Oil

  • Hans-Josef Fell, Father of the Feed-in Tariff

    Updated: 2012-05-14 14:00:00
    I dropped by the Bundestag office of Germany’ Green MP Hans-Josef Fell the other day. Fell is a fascinating character and is one of the figures hailed as “the father of the feed-in tariff (FiT)” — ermany’ law that guarantees private producers of renewable energy a fixed, igher-than-market rate for their e

  • DIY Do’s and Don’ts: Programmable Thermostats

    Updated: 2012-05-11 20:55:57
    : Blog Read our latest posts on renewables and energy efficiency Authors Learn more about our passionate blog authors Xcel Energy Visit the Xcel Energy website Search : for Uncategorized Friday May 11, 2012 by Billy Draper tags AIR CONDITIONING BILLY DRAPER cooling DIY DIY DO's DIY DON'TS programmable thermostat comments 0 DIY Do’s and Don’ts : Programmable Thermostats Before I moved , I resided in a second floor apartment that hadn’t been updated since MacGyver went off-air . It was the kind of apartment where you couldn’t operate the microwave and toaster at the same time without tripping the . breaker The kicker , however , was the thermostat . With Angus MacGyver pocket that first name fact for trivia night maneuvers , after removing the faceplate , I had to connect blue and red wires

  • Winners and Losers in the Renewable Energy Race

    Updated: 2012-05-10 16:23:38
    According to a recent Pew Charitable Trust report entitled, “Who's Winning the Clean Energy Race,” the United States overtook China in green energy investments during 2011 after lagging behind for the previous two years. #xD; When you add up asset finance, public markets, venture capital, and small distributed investments together, we

  • Nuclear Power in Japan, Methane Hydrates, and Gasoline Prices — R-Squared Energy TV Ep. 21

    Updated: 2012-05-10 12:00:44
    , , Home About Contact Advertise Consumer Energy Report Biodiversivist Choke Points Econbrowser Editors' Corner Energy , Security , Policy R-Squared Energy Column By Robert Rapier on May 10, 2012 with 21 responses Nuclear Power in Japan , Methane Hydrates , and Gasoline Prices R-Squared Energy TV Ep . 21 : Tags Fukushima gas prices methane hydrates R-Squared Energy TV Tweet In this week’s episode of R-Squared Energy TV I : cover Japan’s decision to abandon nuclear power which will contend for the top energy story of the year regardless of how it plays out ConocoPhillips’ successful methane hydrates drilling test in the Arctic and whether that means that methane hydrates will soon be a viable energy option The likelihood that gasoline prices have indeed peaked for now Readers who have

  • Conducting Home Performance

    Updated: 2012-05-09 14:07:24
    Home by Sector Biofuels Carbon Smart Grid Renewables Solar Storage Transport Water Cleantech News Submit Blog Press Release Advertise Jobs About About Cleantech Blog What is Cleantech Bloggers Bookshelf Contact Cleantech Blog Blog With Us Venturing Into The Future Conducting Home Performance On May 9, 2012, in Blog by Heather Rae Home Performance” used to sound like something musically-inclined parents forced their children to do in living . rooms It’s catching on , slowly , for what it really is , and that is tightening up houses with an ear for proper ventilation , humidity controls and other riffs on indoor air quality , and fuel-efficient climate controls . There are geographic oddities in Westchester , New York a common refrain of homeowners is to call all heating appliances furnaces

  • Science as Art: Images from the Materials Characterization Lab Part 3

    Updated: 2012-05-08 01:37:35
    Our next image in the series was submitted by Srinivasan Swarminathan.  This is one of the more compelling and interesting ...

  • Princeton Students Win National Competition

    Updated: 2012-05-07 21:18:53
    Princeton University students working through a course called,”Engineering Projects in Community Service” (EPICS), partnered with PPS to utilize their space and expertise in order to create what they called “Power in a Box”…and won the contest! Congratulations to the students: http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S33/55/56I53/index.xml?section=topstoriesmain/news/archive/S33/55/56I53/index.xml?section=topstories

  • Venturing Into The Future

    Updated: 2012-05-07 18:38:32
    Home by Sector Biofuels Carbon Smart Grid Renewables Solar Storage Transport Water Cleantech News Submit Blog Press Release Advertise Jobs About About Cleantech Blog What is Cleantech Bloggers Bookshelf Contact Cleantech Blog Blog With Us Living In A Material World Venturing Into The Future On May 7, 2012, in Blog by Richard T . Stuebi Last week , I attended a breakfast hosted by the Michigan Venture Capital Association at which the President of the National Venture Capital Association Mark Heesen made some comments and fielded Q A about the state of the U.S . venture capital . sector Mark presented a mixed picture . On the one hand , the VC industry is clearly contracting : about half of the firms that existed at the peak in the early 2000s have withered away . Moreover , distressingly ,

  • A Most Excellent Solar Adventure

    Updated: 2012-05-04 21:00:51
    Blog Read our latest posts on renewables and energy efficiency Authors Learn more about our passionate blog authors Xcel Energy Visit the Xcel Energy website Search : for Renewable Energy Friday May 4, 2012 by Tim Laughlin tags PlanetSolar renewable energy solar panels solar power solar technology sustainability comments 0 A Most Excellent Solar Adventure Photo courtesy of . PlanetSolar.org It’s been an incredible ride , but today will be the culmination of a truly remarkable trip . The vessel Tûranor PlanetSolar will dock in Monaco after an amazing , 32,000 mile journey around the . world The Tûranor is a catamaran that runs on solar energy only . It is the first ship to make such a voyage , and an amazing accomplishment for the entire PlanetSolar . team Planet Solar is the vision of

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