www.windaction.org | Tax Breaks & Subsidies

Wind credit foes regroup for renewed campaign
March 7, 2013 by Alex Guillén in The Politico

Just months after the wind power production tax credit won a last-minute renewal by Congress, opponents of the subsidy are circling the wagons to make sure it doesn't happen again. ...Gathering new allies - particularly in grass-roots organizations that can lean on members of Congress - is a key goal for the anti-PTC forces.

Also filed under [ USA]

Clarity on PTC 'begin construction' language expected soon
March 6, 2013 by Mark Del Franco in North American Windpower

The "commence construction" component is the missing piece from the American Tax Payer Relief Act, which was officially signed into law on Jan. 2. The PTC extension included a change in language that requires projects to begin construction before Jan. 1, 2014, in order to qualify for the PTC.

Also filed under [ USA]

Unpaid clean energy grants will be cut -- Treasury
March 5, 2013 by Nick Juliano in E&E News

Renewable energy companies awaiting payment under the stimulus-funded clean energy grant program will receive smaller checks because of newly implemented across-the-board budget cuts, the Treasury Department said today.

Also filed under [ USA]

Wind industry is still clinging onto tax credit
March 5, 2013 by Alex Guillen in Politico

Rep. Mike Pompeo remains confident the PTC will end this year. "I am convinced now there's a majority here that recognizes it's a bad policy," said the Kansas Republican, who sponsored legislation in the previous Congress that would have ended the PTC and various other energy subsidies. "Whether it is part of something bigger or we just mosey to the end of the year and it goes away again, I think the wind-production tax credit's in its final days."

Also filed under [ USA]

Winds of change blowing through wind power industry
March 3, 2013 by Ross Courtney in Yakima Herald-Republic

Californians don't want Washington state's electricity as much as they used to. In 2011, the California Legislature passed laws that encourage utilities to generate most of their renewable power from within the state. That left up to $5 billion worth of proposed projects for Washington and Oregon suddenly without investors. ...The price of natural gas has been low, making renewable energy such as solar and wind less attractive.

Also filed under [ Impact on Economy| Washington]

Southeast Minnesota wind-power project to air eagle protection plan
February 28, 2013 by Leslie Brooks Suzukamo in Pioneer Press

An embattled wind energy project proposed for rural Goodhue County is getting another chance to show state regulators that it is taking adequate precautions to avoid killing nearby nesting bald eagles. ...The commission also will consider whether the project can keep its status as a community-based project. A PUC staff report recommended the commission show why status should not be revoked.

Also filed under [ Impact on Wildlife| Minnesota]

Surplus wind power could cost Ontario ratepayers up to $200 million: IESO
February 27, 2013 by John Spears in Toronto Star

Surplus wind power could cost Ontario ratepayers millions and compromise power system, says electricity system operator. It says renewable energy market rules must change. ...The IESO has drawn up new rules that will allow it to shut output from wind and solar operators ...The renewable power generators are fighting the new rules vigorously.

Also filed under [ Energy Policy| Canada]

Sen. Grassley seeks fairness for wind energy in tax debate
February 27, 2013 by Mark Del Franco in North American Windpower

Grassley says he will continue to defend wind energy. However, there may be other battles to fight. For instance, more transmission will be needed to transport wind power from the Midwest to load centers in the East - which has the potential to spark a debate on transmission siting.

Also filed under [ USA]

Oregon reviewing tax credits for wind farm; Giveaways have drained funds from other services
February 24, 2013 in The Columbian

The state Department of Energy is reviewing whether a major wind farm in north-central Oregon should have received $30 million in tax credits. Officials decided to re-evaluate their recent approval of the tax breaks for the Shepherd's Flat wind farm after The Oregonian newspaper raised questions about whether it should have qualified for them.

Also filed under [ Oregon]

Landowners '£1 billion wind farm boom'
February 24, 2013 by Simon Johnson in The Telegraph

"We're seeing in Scotland the biggest transfer of money from the poor to the rich that we've ever seen in our history," he told a press conference in Edinburgh. "In parts of the Highlands now tourism is being effectively destroyed and people are leaving the Highlands because tourists no longer want to go there with the landscape bristling with wind factories and industrial wind turbines.

Also filed under [ Impact on People| UK]

Shepherd's Flat wind farm's $30 million in tax credits will be reviewed by Oregon Energy Department
February 23, 2013 by Ted Sickinger in The Oregonian

The Oregon Department of Energy said it will reevaluate its recent approval of $30 million in tax credits for the Shepherd's Flat wind farm, a collection of 338 turbines in Gilliam and Morrow counties that bills itself as one of the largest wind farms in the world.

Also filed under [ Oregon]

Landowners '£1 billion wind farm boom'
February 21, 2013 by Simon Johnson in The Telegraph

He suggested the wealthiest Scots are benefiting from the spread of wind farms at the expense of consumers, who have to heavily subsidise the technology in their energy bills. Among the landowners named in the book is the Duke of Roxburghe, who, he estimated, could earn £1.5 million a year from turbines erected in the Lammermuir Hills.

Also filed under [ Impact on Landscape| Impact on People| UK]

BMW adds wind power to sidestep Merkel's power bill
February 21, 2013 by Stefan Nicola in Bloomberg News

Also filed under [ Germany]

Wind, solar lobbyists scramble to shield grants from sequester cuts
February 20, 2013 by Nick Juliano in E&E News

Sweeping federal spending cuts scheduled to take effect next month have sparked a quiet lobbying campaign and veiled threats of lawsuits from renewable energy interests expecting smaller project grants. ...The wind industry is less exposed to worries about the sequester. However, several projects have yet to be reimbursed by Treasury, and it remains an open question whether anyone still awaiting payment would see their reward cut.

Also filed under [ USA]

Proposed Nebraska incentives for wind energy up in the air
February 19, 2013 by Martha Stoddard in Omaha World-Herald

The governor and State Sen. Brad Ashford of Omaha on Monday urged state lawmakers to hold off on passing new tax exemptions while they work on overhauling the whole tax system. If the Legislature's Revenue Committee heeds their calls, two bills that would add wind farms to the state's business tax incentive programs would be sunk.

Also filed under [ Nebraska]

Tax credit on solar technologies denied, appeal against decision
February 18, 2013 by Rachel Molenda in THe Journal

Also filed under [ West Virginia]

Tax credits complicate Cape Wind, South Terminal schedule
February 16, 2013 by Ariel Wittenberg in Cape Cod Times

Barton said that in order for Cape Wind to be eligible for the federal tax credit, it must "commence construction" before the end of the year, but the federal government has not yet clarified what exactly commencing construction means. ...Cape Wind may have to place the monopilings, or foundations, of at least some of the project's 130-turbines before the Jan. 1 deadline.

Also filed under [ USA| Massachusetts]

German government looks to slash renewables funding
February 15, 2013 by Sara Knight in Windpower Monthly

A joint proposal to cut the costs of increasing Germany's renewable energy capacity has been presented by the federal economy and environment ministers. If the measures are implemented, renewable energy association BEE fears a massive market collapse for investment in renewables.

Also filed under [ Germany]

Sen. Udall of Colorado to renew push in Congress to extend wind tax credit
February 15, 2013 by Raju Chebium in Gannett News

Wind energy’s most prominent Capitol Hill advocate is renewing his push for the 113th Congress to extend taxpayer subsidies for the renewable energy source.

Also filed under [ USA]

Texas' wind industry battens down
February 14, 2013 by Kate Galbraith in The Texas Tribune

As the session progresses, renewable energy advocates are bracing to defend critical policies that have helped Texas become the leading wind-power state. The ascendancy of the Tea Party, an abundance of cheap natural gas and tighter budgets have reduced the sway of the wind industry. Solar power advocates anticipate limited gains at best.

Also filed under [ Energy Policy| Texas]