News
Category:
Energy Policy
Wind energy permitting process among new NC laws
May 18, 2013 by The Associated Press in The Daily Reflector
May 18, 2013 by The Associated Press in The Daily Reflector
The legislation sets parameters for permit applications that include public hearings so opponents can raise concerns. State regulators could deny an application if a project could adversely affect the environment, private landowners or military operations.
Also filed under [
North Carolina]
Renewable energy initiative approved for signature gathering
May 16, 2013 by Yuxing Zheng in The Oregonian
May 16, 2013 by Yuxing Zheng in The Oregonian
An initiative that would allow utilities to count all hydroelectric power toward renewable energy requirements was approved this week for signature gathering. The initiative seeks to alter renewable portfolio standards approved in 2007 ...The law prohibits large utilities from counting hydroelectric power generated by dams built before 1995 towards the standard.
Also filed under [
Oregon]
Farmers and rural homeowners in Northern Colorado on Wednesday added their voices to a statewide chorus calling on Gov. Hickenlooper to veto a bill certain to raise their electric bills.
Also filed under [
Colorado]
LePage also is displeased that the bill ignores a study by Woodcock's office meant to reconsider the state's ambitious wind energy goals and shift the priority to lowering electricity rates.
Wind power policy is too big an issue to tackle in the bill, said John Cleveland, D-Auburn, Senate chair of the committee.
Also filed under [
Maine]
Renewable energy mandate opponents appeal to Colorado governor; They claim rates would skyrocket
May 10, 2013 by Marianne Goodland in Fort Morgan Times
May 10, 2013 by Marianne Goodland in Fort Morgan Times
Hickenlooper said Thursday he will meet with executives from Tri-State Generation and Transmission, which provides power to 18 rural electric co-ops and is one of the two entities targeted by SB 252 (the other is the Intermountain Rural Electric Association).
Tri-State executives claim the bill will cost the co-ops at least $2 billion to implement.
Also filed under [
Colorado]
Many city representatives say that they are unlikely to give any go-ahead that would effectively enroll customers, who would have the option to opt out, without seeing final rates and having a clearer idea of where the program will get its electricity and how green it will be. ...Benefits, including local energy projects that could create jobs, are "intriguing," Kyes said. "But there really isn't any information yet that shows that's more than talk."
Also filed under [
California]
Commission's goal is 'empowering' towns in power projects in Vermont
May 7, 2013 by Mike Faher in Brattleboro Reformer
May 7, 2013 by Mike Faher in Brattleboro Reformer
"Overall, I can say with some confidence that we have addressed the issues we consistently heard from the public and the industry developers alike -- that our current process is too complicated, too expensive, too slow, not transparent enough and not sensitive enough to cultural and environmental considerations," he said.
Also filed under [
Vermont]
Sen. Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, said he hopes to introduce a bill overhauling the 2008 law as soon as the end of the month. "It behooves any wise person to check in. No one I know of stays with an 18-year plan and doesn't make suitable changes to the plan when market conditions change."
Also filed under [
Ohio]
Power companies operating wind farms in Scotland were paid more than £1 million to shut down their turbines for a single day last month, Scotland on Sunday can reveal. ...The so-called "constraint payments" are paid by the National Grid to energy companies when energy supply outstrips demand - turbines are switched off so they stop producing electricity to rebalance the system.
Also filed under [
Impact on Economy|
UK]
State regulators voted unanimously Wednesday to cancel a planned public hearing next week over a controversial rule that defines and caps the costs of renewable energy to public utilities and their customers.
The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission also voted to launch a whole new rule-making for the so-called reasonable cost threshold.
Also filed under [
New Mexico]
The bill, which also is known as he Alabama Wind Energy Conversion Systems Act of 2013, is in trouble because of a filibuster by Democrats that has locked it up past the required introduction deadline. That forces the bill to get unanimous approval before it could be introduced.
Also filed under [
Zoning/Planning|
Alabama]
Vt. Legislature's push to address concerns about wind power projects sputters, splinters
May 4, 2013 by Andrew Stein in VT Digger
May 4, 2013 by Andrew Stein in VT Digger
On Friday, the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee agreed to the House's pared-down version of what was originally a bill regulating large wind turbine projects, including a three-year moratorium.
But although Senate bill 30 is moving forward without any controls on energy siting, some key provisions are still on the table.
Also filed under [
Vermont]
"While I understand the concerns that this bill could take funding away from other sources of renewable energy, I believe that lower electricity rates will provide families much needed relief in their household budgets and improve the prospect of jobs going forward," Kelly said after the vote.
Also filed under [
Connecticut]
House Republicans accused Democrats of waging war on rural Colorado when legislators voted Tuesday to increase the renewable-energy mandate for electricity cooperatives. ...The bill passed 37-27, with all Democrats in favor and all Republicans against.
Also filed under [
Colorado]
Hager's bill to end NC's renewables policy refuses to die
May 1, 2013 by John Murawski in News and Observer
May 1, 2013 by John Murawski in News and Observer
"This misguided policy acts much like a hidden tax. Experience has shown that renewable energy mandates, like the one on the books in North Carolina, have a negative impact on the economy and an adverse impact on your constituents' pocketbooks."
Also filed under [
North Carolina]
Siting commission recommends more transparent, inclusive permitting process for energy projects
April 30, 2013 by Andrew Stein in VT Digger
April 30, 2013 by Andrew Stein in VT Digger
On Tuesday, the Vermont Energy Generation Siting Policy Commission submitted its final report and recommendations to the governor and the Vermont Legislature. The commission recommends a revision of the Section 248 permitting process.
Also filed under [
Vermont]
Siemens says German energy switch on track for failure on costs
April 30, 2013 by Stefan Nicola in Bloomberg News
April 30, 2013 by Stefan Nicola in Bloomberg News
Germany is burning more coal because gas plants are not economical, subsidies for renewables are pushing up power prices, and a greater share of fluctuating renewables threaten the stability of electrical grids, Michael Suess, chief executive officer of Siemens Energy, said.
Also filed under [
Impact on Economy|
Germany]
Lawmakers weighing wind permit changes
April 30, 2013 by Sam Evans-Brown in New Hampshire Public Radio
April 30, 2013 by Sam Evans-Brown in New Hampshire Public Radio
The House Science, Technology and Energy Committee kicked off a summer's worth of work to reform the way the state evaluates proposals for new power plants Tuesday. They heard a whole day's worth of testimony about wind energy.
Also filed under [
New Hampshire]
Ag industry concerned about renewable energy bill that would increase electricity costs
April 27, 2013 by Eric Brown in Greeley Tribune
April 27, 2013 by Eric Brown in Greeley Tribune
"This would just be terrible for the dairies around here," said Weld County Commissioner and Platteville-area farmer Doug Rademacher, who added that Weld County's five-member Board of County Commissioners has spoken out against Senate Bill 252. "It would really be disastrous for all of ag. A farmer told me the other day this could increase his electricity costs for (groundwater) pumping by about $8,000 per month."
Also filed under [
Tax Breaks & Subsidies|
Colorado]
Green Energy Act: Ontario government still sees no evil
April 27, 2013 by Ross R. McKitrick and Kenneth P. Green in Toronto Sun
April 27, 2013 by Ross R. McKitrick and Kenneth P. Green in Toronto Sun
Earlier this month the Fraser Institute published a report sharply critical of one of the flagship policies of the Ontario government, the Green Energy Act (GEA). We found the Act is costing Ontario over $5 billion annually but yields negligible environmental benefits, and that equivalent or greater benefits could have been achieved using conventional pollution control measures at less than one-tenth the cost.
Also filed under [
Canada]
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