SolarCity Completes Solar Power Projects in Maryland forWalmart
Submitted by aburr on Wed, 2013-07-17 13:11Walmart and SolarCity completed solar projects at eight Walmart stores and two Sam's Clubs across the state of Maryland.
GE Partners with Downer EDI Limited to Deliver $350M Boco Rock Wind Farm in Australia
Submitted by aburr on Wed, 2013-07-17 13:09GE 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 13:07IKEA 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 13:06ABB 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.
Improving Capacity Markets
FERC decision on PJM mitigation is a model for other ISOs and RTOs.
Capacity markets have been a significant source of controversy since the inception of competitive wholesale markets. While there are many regulatory questions to be answered in constructing capacity markets, the primary goal of such markets should be to attract capacity that is competitively priced.
Digest
NorthWestern Energy issues RFPs for 400 MW; FERC approves AEP's plan to spin off Ohio generation; NRG starts up 720-MW peaking plant in California; Dominion and FuelCell Energy break ground on largest North American fuel cell plant; U.S. Army and Lockheed Martin commission microgrid at Fort Bliss; Duke-American Transmission Co. acquires Path 15 transmission line from Atlantic Power; plus contracts and announcements involving ECOtality, TC Pipelines, S&C Electric, Black Hills Corp., and others.
Cycle of Innovation
IEEE revisits interconnection standards for DG, microgrids, and smart grid.
IEEE considers new standards for grid interconnection of distributed generation, even as market innovation alters the playing field.
Threat From Behind the Meter
The case for utilities to compete directly with distributed resources.
Behind-the-meter energy threatens the utility business model. Does history offer a lesson for crafting a response?
The Growing Footprint of Climate Change
Can systems built today cope with tomorrow’s weather extremes?
Climate change – heat waves, water shortages, and reduced flexibility – poses huge risks for electric utility infrastructure.
Valuing Energy Efficiency
The search for a better yardstick.
Policy analysts are right to demand a reform of the total resource cost test. The evidence that it understates the benefits of energy efficiency, the main claim against it, is convincing.