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Energy Policy or Location
By far the biggest problem in attracting investors is the uncertainty surrounding the details of the government's energy policy, set to be unveiled sometime this summer. Although the government will force electricity companies to buy power from alternative-energy providers, for how many years and at what price isn't yet known.
That lack of detail has muted investor interest.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
Asia]
As exciting as alternatives may seem, the answer to Japan's future energy needs is likely to come from more traditional sources, according to Ivo Bozon, a leading energy analyst at McKinsey & Company.
"It takes a long-term commitment to get the scale necessary in renewables to produce meaningful amounts of the power ...There are physical limits on renewable energy."
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Energy Policy|
Asia]
A surge in wind power supply has raised concerns among regional utilities that a greater dependence on natural forces may destabilize their power grids.
"The bills are half-baked. The investment plan is there but financing is lacking ...There is risk that stocks of solar and wind power plants will build up but won't be utilized effectively," he added. That would not hurt new suppliers given a preset return for a preset period but possibly clinch economic growth by boosting electricity bills for the sake of un-connected new facilities.
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Energy Policy|
Asia]
Japan reconsiders plan to cut carbon emissions
October 19, 2011 by Mari Iwata in Wall Street Journal
October 19, 2011 by Mari Iwata in Wall Street Journal
"Japan's wealth has been draining out" due to buying carbon credits from East European countries and China, Mr. Nobutani said.
METI estimates Japan has paid as much as ¥800 billion ($10.4 billion) to buy 400 million metric tons of carbon credits.
The U.S. says it won't sign a new pact unless China, India and other large economies accept compulsory emissions reductions under the same standards.
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Energy Policy|
Location]
Japan's alternative energy plans ignore wind power
May 8, 2009 by Hidenori Tsuboya and Keiji Takeuchi in IHT/Asahi
May 8, 2009 by Hidenori Tsuboya and Keiji Takeuchi in IHT/Asahi
However, several years ago, a utility company that owns the grids started limiting acceptance of wind electricity from the wind farm.
Council officials were told that the large influxes of wind-generated power in the grids had caused "fluctuations in output and frequency," and "lowered the quality of the electricity supply."
In supplying electricity nationwide, the major utility companies meticulously balance output with demand to stabilize the voltage and frequency supplied by their networks.
Jay Cashman's Buzzards Bay wind project boxed out by new state rules
January 5, 2010 by Jon Chesto in Patriot Ledger
January 5, 2010 by Jon Chesto in Patriot Ledger
Environmental officials have finished charting where large-scale wind turbine projects could be built in state waters, and a Quincy company's Buzzards Bay project has been left off the map.
The state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs included only two areas where utility-scale offshore wind farms would be allowed in its final ocean management plan on Monday.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
Massachusetts]
JCIDA board approves uniform tax-exempt policy
August 5, 2010 by Nancy Madsen in Watertown Daily News
August 5, 2010 by Nancy Madsen in Watertown Daily News
All involved taxing jurisdictions will have to vote for payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreements for wind power projects before they are finalized by the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency.
The agency's board agreed on the proposed uniform tax-exempt policy during its meeting Thursday morning.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
New York]
Jefferson County legislators approve Galloo Island wind farm
February 2, 2010 in Watertown Daily News
February 2, 2010 in Watertown Daily News
The Jefferson County Legislature, after hearing from dozens of speakers both pro and con, approved the payment-in-lieu-of taxes agreement for the Galloo Island Wind Farm on an 8-5 vote. ...the acceptance of the 20-year agreement means that Upstate New York Power Corp. can now move forward with procuring the necessary permits for the project.
Jefferson County legislators lashed out Friday at New York Power Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Richard M. Kessel after he said the authority won't buy power from any wind farms in the county.
"It's an example of how downstate politics tries to pressure upstate New York into agreements and situations that we don't want," said Chairman Kenneth D. Blankenbush, R-Black River.
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Energy Policy|
New York]
Jeremy Paxman's brother launches battle against wind turbines
August 10, 2009 by Caroline Gammell in Telegraph.co.uk
August 10, 2009 by Caroline Gammell in Telegraph.co.uk
Jeremy Paxman's brother has launched a battle against plans for nine 120ft wind turbines overlooking Dartmoor national park which he said would "stick out like a sore thumb".
James Paxman also criticised the Government's policy of subsidising wind energy, arguing that turbines were one of the least cost effective and reliable ways to generate electricity.
Jeter lays out energy plan; Candidate's ideas include nuclear, wind, solar power as alternatives
June 5, 2008 by Jenny Munro in The Greenville News
June 5, 2008 by Jenny Munro in The Greenville News
The United States faces an energy crisis and must fight it in multiple ways -- conservation, additional U.S. drilling, clean coal, building nuclear energy plants and using alternative energy when available, said Charles Jeter, a candidate for the Fourth District seat in Congress. ...Jeter said the country needs to explore all alternative resources that make sense -- wind for one, he said. However, it currently provides only 1 percent of the U.S. energy mix and he doesn't expect it to ever provide more than 3 percent to 5 percent.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
South Carolina]
Pickens defended his new focus as the only practical way forward.
"Of course, I wish I had everybody with me. Does it hurt [not to]? Sure. It's not going to help. But you can't do wind because natural gas is too cheap," Pickens said.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
USA]
Jobs vs. rural way of life debated at wind hearing
February 10, 2011 by Thomas Content in Journal Sentinel
February 10, 2011 by Thomas Content in Journal Sentinel
"There are few long term jobs after the turbines are built, and the there will be no other development for years and years, no new homes or farm buildings, no industry, nothing," said Theresa Lark of Holland. "This is not progress. It's stunting the growth and development that our economy needs."
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
Wisconsin]
John Hayes: 'windfarms will not replace gas or nuclear'
November 16, 2012 by Fiona Harvey in The Guardian
November 16, 2012 by Fiona Harvey in The Guardian
"Wind turbines ... create barely a trickle of nonstorable electricity and none at all when wind speed is unsuitable. They will always have to be backed up by conventional power stations because of their unreliability. Because the wind by nature is intermittent and cannot generate a steady output of energy to supply constant demand, even thousands of wind turbines won't replace gas or nuclear power generation."
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
UK]
Connecting the nation's largest proposed offshore wind farm to the Long Island and New York City power grids is "feasible" but won't come cheap, according to a joint study by the Long Island Power Authority and Con Edison, which projected that land-based upgrades alone would eventually top $800 million.
That price tag for the project off the coast of the Rockaways matches the cost of the entire offshore wind-farm off Jones Beach that LIPA scrapped in 2007.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
New York]
Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones says the Ontario government's recent $7 billion deal with a South Korean consortium to bolster the province's green technology industry will have dire consequences for electricity consumers.
Premier Dalton McGuinty signed an agreement with Samsung C and T and the Korea Electric Power Corporation that will see $7 billion invested in Ontario to create 16,000 new jobs over six years.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
Canada]
The High Court has thrown out a legal bid that had the potential of derailing the drive to achieving the UK's ambitious wind energy targets.
Mr Justice Cranston rejected a challenge to the authority of South Norfolk Council and their decision to grant planning permission for a wind farm development at Lotus sports car factory.
Campaigners had argued that the local authority had acted unlawfully because it had not considered the impact of the scheme on local residents.
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Energy Policy|
UK]
Judge urges regulators to deny sale of Energy East
June 16, 2008 by David Schepp in The Journal News
June 16, 2008 by David Schepp in The Journal News
A state judge is recommending that state regulators turn down Iberdrola SA's proposed $4.5 billion buyout of Energy East Corp., saying terms of the deal aren't in the public interest. ...Epstein's decision, which isn't binding, recommends further conditions should the PSC OK the deal, including requiring Iberdrola to sell wind-turbine generators in New York state to prevent any possibility of electricity price manipulation.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
New York]
Judges should enforce climate bill targets, say MPs; Overuse of carbon credits ‘puts credibility at risk’
August 3, 2007 by Patrick Wintour, Political Editor in The Guardian
August 3, 2007 by Patrick Wintour, Political Editor in The Guardian
Judges should have the power to compel the prime minister to set out the remedial measures his government will take if it fails to hit targets to reduce carbon emissions, a cross-party committee of MPs and peers has recommended.
A bill due to be introduced in the next parliament places a legal duty on the environment secretary to reduce carbon emissions by 60% by 2050. The bill sets out a series of milestones, including five yearly "carbon budgets" setting out the projected carbon emissions.