News

EnviraCarbon Patents Clean Biomass Technology to Replace Coal

Submitted by aburr on Wed, 2013-07-17 13:12

EnviraCarbon (ECI) commercialized a patented technology which molecularly alters renewable biomass feedstock into EnvirAnized Biofuel (EBF), a product that looks, transports, stores, pulverizes and burns like coal, but doesn’t pollute. EBF can be used interchangeably with coal or biomass and contains negligible amounts of sulfur and non-detectable levels of mercury, arsenic, and lead which are toxic elements in coal. EBF is also, by most standards, at or near carbon neutral.

GE Partners with Downer EDI Limited to Deliver $350M Boco Rock Wind Farm in Australia

Submitted by aburr on Wed, 2013-07-17 13:09

GE was awarded a contract with its consortium partner, Downer EDI Limited to supply, build and maintain 67 turbines at the $350 million Boco Rock wind farm in New South Wales, Australia. In addition to supplying and commissioning the wind turbine generators, GE will also provide $50 million worth of maintenance services over 10 years. The wind farm will be located outside of Nimmitabel, in the New South Wales Snowy Mountains region, and is permitted for potential future expansion to 121 turbines.

IKEA to Add 24 Blink Ecotality Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Submitted by aburr on Wed, 2013-07-17 13:07

IKEA extended its partnership with ECOtality with plans to add 24 Blink electric vehicle charging stations across eight more locations in the United States. The newly designated sites include seven stores in Illinois, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Texas, as well as the U.S. corporate office. Installation will be completed by end of summer 2013 and will bring the total number of Blink charging stations at IKEA locations to 55.

ABB Wins GIS substation Order for PPL’s Sunbury Project

Submitted by aburr on Wed, 2013-07-17 13:06

ABB provided a 500kV turnkey gas insulated switchgear (GIS) substation to upgrade the existing PPL Electric Utilities’ Sunbury Substation located north of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. ABB is providing all engineering, equipment and construction for the project, including the GIS switchgear, its associated foundation and enclosure and the GIS bus work that will be extending from the enclosure to the existing transformer and 500kV lines.

Minnesota PUC Adds PV Capacity Credit in Xcel Standby Tariff

Submitted by aburr on Sat, 2013-06-01 14:01

Upon review of a load profile study submitted by Xcel Energy, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) found that “it is clear … that solar PV facilities contribute to Xcel’s capacity requirements and that the existing Standby Service tariff does not reflect that contribution.” The commission ruled that $5.15 per kW per month would be a reasonable, conservative interim rate to be paid to sellers in the form of a capacity credit.

Michigan PSC OKs AMI Opt-Out for Detroit Edison

Submitted by aburr on Sat, 2013-06-01 14:00

The Michigan Public Service Commission (PSC) authorized Detroit Edison to implement an AMI opt-out program. The commission approved the specifics of the opt-out proposal submitted by the utility, except that it reduced the associated charges recommended by the company, finding that the company’s forecasted participation rate was too low. For complete regulatory coverage, citations, and analysis, subscribe to Utility Regulatory News http://www.fortnightly.com/urn-subscribe

DC PSC Nixes AMI Opt-Out for Pepco

Submitted by aburr on Sat, 2013-06-01 13:59

The District of Columbia Public Service Commission (PSC) has denied a request by the city’s public advocate, the Office of People’s Counsel (OPC), to reconsider an earlier decision in which the commission had rejected calls for it to require Potomac Electric Power Co. (Pepco) to offer its customers a chance to opt out of an ongoing AMI program. For complete regulatory coverage, citations, and analysis, subscribe to Utility Regulatory News http://www.fortnightly.com/urn-subscribe

Arizona Reopens Health Question in Metering Docket

Submitted by aburr on Sat, 2013-06-01 13:58

The Arizona Corporation Commission has reopened the record in a pending docket on advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) to examine safety and health concerns regarding smart meters. In so doing, the commission said it was particularly interested in seeing any health studies that have been conducted since the evidentiary phase of the case had closed. The commission related that such submissions would help it determine if there was a compelling reason to continue the fact-gathering process before proceeding to the deliberations phase.

Missouri OKs Lower Voluntary Rate Schedules

Submitted by aburr on Sat, 2013-06-01 13:56

The Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC) approved a proposal by Ameren Missouri to update a voluntary program which gives consumers the opportunity to finance the purchase renewable energy credits (REC). Ameren charges customers $15 per credit, including the ability to purchase amounts equal to their monthly usage or select a set number of RECs per month. The PSC said that price was about average for such programs in the United States.