Archive for the ‘News’ category

Google Continues Green Commitment

July 22nd, 2010

Image from blog.enterpriseitplanet.com

An article from Information Week starts out, “Continuing its efforts to implement socially responsible technology, Google on Tuesday said that its Google Energy subsidiary had completed a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with NextEra Energy Resources to buy clean power.”

It talks about how the commitment to purchase wind power enables the energy producer. “By contracting to purchase so much energy for so long, we’re giving the developer of the wind farm financial certainty to build additional clean energy projects,” he said in a blog post. “The inability of renewable energy developers to obtain financing has been a significant inhibitor to the expansion of renewable energy.”

Regardless of the motivation behind Google’s commitment to be carbon neutral, good on ‘em.

  • Share/Bookmark

Colorado Bill Requires More Renewable Energy

March 27th, 2010

DENVER— A bill requiring Colorado utilities to use more renewable energy,
including smaller-scale solar projects, is now law. Gov. Bill Ritter
signed it Monday at a solar installation company based in Denver.

Utilities must now get 20 percent of their power from renewable sources by
2020. The bill increases that to 30 percent over the same time, a standard
just below California’s 33 percent requirement. Most other states with
renewable energy standards are in the 20 percent range.

The bill requires that 3 percent of a utility’s power sales be spent on
power from solar installations at homes and businesses. That’s aimed at
creating more business for Colorado’s estimated 230 small solar
installers.

Opponents said annual assessments based on information from the U.S.
Department of Energy and the U.S. Census Bureau say American families are
spending 20 percent or more of total income to cover energy expenses, with
a significant impact on low-income families.

In 2009, Colorado households with annual incomes below $50,000 spent an
average of 15 percent of their after-tax income on energy.

  • Share/Bookmark

$99M for Peetz, Colorado Wind Farm

November 24th, 2009

The Peetz Wind Farm, also known as the Peetz Table Wind Energy Center, is a 400 MW power station in north-eastern Colorado, owned by NextEra Energy Resources. The Peetz Wind Farm is capable of generating enough electricity to power nearly 120,000 homes using 267General Electric wind turbines. The wind farm has about 20 full-time employees.

Congresswoman Betsy Markey today announced that nearly $100 million has been awarded to NextEra to expand the Northern Colorado Wind Energy farm in Peetz, Colorado.

Read more here: Markey: $99M For Peetz Wind Farm

  • Share/Bookmark

Markey introduces energy tax credit

November 23rd, 2009

This bill has the potential to trickle down to all of us and will cut costs of renewable energy and create jobs.

betsy_markeyOn November 20, Congresswoman Betsy Markey was today joined by Congressman Erik Paulsen (R-MN) in introducing the Renewable Electricity Integration Tax Credit Act (REITC), which will provide a tax credit for utilities to integrate more wind and solar into their energy portfolios.

“Our corner of Colorado is today what Silicon Valley was in the 1980s,” [said] Rep. Markey. “We are on the cusp of a revolution in American energy production that will break our dependence on foreign oil and take control of the way we power America. People will look to Colorado as a leader because we’ve been doing it longer and better than anybody else. It’s time for America to take back control of our energy, our security, and our jobs.”

Read the whole story here.

  • Share/Bookmark

Wind-generated energy accounts for 100% of Larkburger’s electricity

October 21st, 2009

larkburger_hamburgerFrom the ElephantJournal blog:

Larkburger, the Vail Valley and Boulder-based quick-gourmet burger restaurant, announced today that wind-power now generates 100% of the electricity needs for its two Colorado restaurant locations.

As of September 1, 2009, the company is offsetting electric energy use through wind-power broker Renewable Choice Energy Inc. of Boulder, Colo., which

“…connects wind-power producers with wind-power consumers.”

Larkburger has purchased 201,000-kilowatt hours of wind-power, to date.

“Larkburger is committed to minimizing its environmental footprint, and using a renewable energy source reinforces this,” said Larkburger President Adam Baker. “From all-natural ingredients to compostable corn cups and containers to reclaimed wood paneling on walls to purchasing wind-power credits, it’s important to us to be as progressive as we can.”

They probably don’t have enough parking lot space to put up their own small wind turbines, but at least they they’re doing everything they can.  Good for them, all of us.

Links

  • Share/Bookmark

Palmdale parking lots to double as power plants

October 21st, 2009

Seventeen small turbines are going to be installed in a Sam’s Club parking lot in Palmdale, California atop existing light poles.  The turbines are expected to produce 76,000 kilowatts of energy (enough to power six single-family homes for a year).

According to the article, “Under a power purchase agreement, the wind development firm Deerpath Energy would own the turbines and Wal-Mart would buy the power they produce.”

Wind as a power source is part of an energy trend in the American landscape.

Last year, 10,000 small turbines were sold to homes, farms and businesses nationwide, said Ron Stimmel, who specializes in small wind systems at the American Wind Energy Assn. in Washington, D.C. The figure represents a 78% increase over the previous year, attributed in part to cheaper prices and federal tax credits. The systems are concentrated in states with the best rebate policies — and a good supply of wind — including California, Wisconsin, New York, Ohio and Vermont.

“Small wind systems have a similar potential for growth as the solar industry,” Stimmel said. “This is very well on its way to becoming mainstream.” — Palmdale parking lots to double as power plants — latimes.com

Related Links

  • Share/Bookmark

Giant wind turbine, centerpiece of research venture, switched on near Boulder – Denver Business Journal:

October 20th, 2009

Giant wind turbine, centerpiece of research venture, switched on near Boulder

One of the coolest quotes in the article: Ritter said in a statement. “Together, with public and private partners like these, we’re making our state a clean-energy research beacon and building a new energy future for Colorado and America. We’re creating a model strategy for every state in the country to follow, a model that’s creating jobs, diversifying our energy portfolio and addressing climate change.”

Related Links:

  • Share/Bookmark

Sustainability summit in Salida, Colorado

October 14th, 2009

The Mountain Mail front page included an article today announcing The Chaffee County Renewable Energy Planning Initiative summit October 15 in Salida, Colorado. Kathryn Wadsworth of Incite Consulting, LLC says this summit is the public involvement component.

Businesses, non-profits, government, and academia may attend a presentation from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. by Don Marostica, Colorado Department of Economic Development and International Trade director. Marostica will talk about renewable energy economic development for Chaffee County, Colorado.

Other meetings scheduled for the day include a sustainability round table from 1:00 to 4:30 and the Renewable Energy Economic Summit from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.

The round table  will include organizations with reservations. They currently include: the towns of Poncha Springs, Buena Vista, and Salida, representative from Chaffee County, Southwest Conservation Corps, Colorado Mountain College, Chaffee Citizens for Sustainability, Mt. Princeton Geothermal, Peak Solar Designs, Saguache County and Custer County Conservation District.

According the The Mountain Mail article the Renewable Energy Economic Summit  (at 6:00) is open to the public and will “feature discussion about the energy economy, geothermal resources and energy supplier programs and incentives.”

Related links:

  • Share/Bookmark

Great pics of Northwind 100 turbine going up at Bolton Valley Ski Area

October 9th, 2009

Workers from Alteris Renewables and Northern Power Systems install a rotor assembly on a windmill turbine tower at the top of the Vista Quad lift at the Bolton Valley Resort in Bolton on Thursday October 8, 2009.

Click here to see series of pictures on BurlingtonFreePress.com

  • Share/Bookmark

Chaffee County energy summit set for October 15

October 2nd, 2009

Incite Consulting, will be the project manager for the Chaffee County Renewable Energy Plan. According to The Mountain Mail, “An economic development summit focused on renewable energy is planned for 5-8 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Salida Steam Plant Theater and Event Center.”

Representatives from Buena Vista, Poncha Springs, Salida, and Chaffee County make up a steering committee for the Chaffee County Renewable Energy Plan development.

The purpose of the plan is “to prepare to participate in and take advantage of [Colorado Gov. Ritter's] New Energy Economy and encourage and implement conservation efforts.”

Residents, businesses, and organizations are encouraged to attend meetings and make comments on a the project’s website.

Related links:

  • Share/Bookmark

Eco Energy News is proudly sponsored by Eco Depot USA, Renewable Energy Experts