Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Alternative Clean Energy Roundup: 17 July 2013

A Move Toward Solar Inverter-Optimizer Interoperability
July 8, 2013 - The HD PV Alliance is establishing a set of standards that allow interoperability between DC optimizers and PV inverters without needing to reconfigure each individual component in a solar power plant.

The High Definition Photovoltaic (HD PV) Alliance is an affiliation of solar product manufacturers that have chosen a distributed power architecture: a direct current (DC) optimizer at each module channels voltage-conditioned electricity to compatible centrally located inverters where it is converted into alternating current (AC) for the grid. read more>>>

NY-Sun racking up solar MWs
July 12, 2013 - Under Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's NY-Sun Initiative, $54 million has just been awarded for 79 large-scale solar energy projects across the state -- adding 64 MW to the state's solar capacity. The awards have been made to 20 recipients to finance the installations at businesses, factories, municipal buildings, colleges, and other larger commercial and industrial companies and institutions.

These awards have been made under the second of three rounds of the NY-Sun Competitive PV solicitation, which is a key component of New York's Renewable Portfolio Standard program. read more>>>

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Massive ice sheets melting 'at rate of 300bn tonnes a year', climate satellite shows
14 July 2013 - A satellite that measures gravity fluctuations on Earth due to changes in the massive ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica has detected a rapid acceleration in the melting of glacier ice over the past decade, which could have a dramatic impact on sea levels around the world.

The sheets are losing around 300 billion tonnes of ice a year, the research indicates. read more>>>

Full Extent of Heavy Metal Contamination in Exxon Oil Spill Still Unknown
Levels of manganese, a neurotoxin, in the cove and in a nearby creek were 10, 20 or nearly 30 times above the EPA's safety standard for tap water.

Jul 15, 2013 - When a broken pipeline spills oil into a residential neighborhood, the most immediate health concerns are those caused by volatile chemicals—airborne toxins that leave people complaining of symptoms like headaches and nausea and worrying about long-term problems like cancer. read more>>>

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Xcel to boost its wind power in Upper Midwest by 33 percent
The utility says three planned wind farms in Minnesota and North Dakota are so competitively priced that they will save customers $180 million over the projects’ lives.

July 16, 2013 - Xcel Energy on Tuesday announced its single largest increase in wind generation in the Upper Midwest, saying it will add three large wind farms in Minnesota and North Dakota. read more>>>

U.S., China Collaborate on Climate, Oceans, Energy, Wildlife
July 12, 2013 - The U.S. and China have agreed to combat climate change through new cooperation on heavy-duty and other vehicles; smart grids; carbon capture, utilization, and storage; collecting and managing greenhouse gas data; and energy efficiency in buildings and industry.

The agreement was one of nearly 90 separate agreements – many of them environmental – reached during the Fifth Round of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, S&ED, held July 10-11 in Washington.

The U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue was established in 2009 by U.S. President Barack Obama and then Chinese President Hu Jintao, providing for annual high-level meetings alternating between the two countries. read more>>>

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NATO Armed Forces Embrace Renewable Energy
The 28 member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization are reducing the energy footprint of their defense operations as a priority, top NATO officials said this week. NATO as a military and political organization, as well as individual allies, are working with alternative energy sources and developing multinational “smart energy” projects.

“A growing dependence on oil and gas, the progressive exhaustion of fossil fuels, constant increases in the price of raw materials, threats to the security of energy supplies and concerns about the consequences of climate change make energy security a major issue,” NATO said in a statement. read more>>>

Solar Power Website SolarQuotesAmerica.com Launches its Brand New and User-Friendly Site
The Website Offers People who are Interested in Solar Power a No-Cost, No-Obligation and Risk-Free Service

July 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- SolarQuotesAmerica.com, a website that is dedicated to helping people get the best deals on solar power from local and qualified installers, has just launched its brand new and user-friendly site. The new website offers a no-cost, no-obligation and risk-free service to people who are interested in learning more about solar power. For example, those who wish to find out how much it would cost to install solar panels on their home may fill out a short form in less than a minute in order to get a solar panel quote. read more>>>

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'Green roof' atop Rockford Construction's new offices designed to thrive in hot or cold weather
July 12, 2013 - For Erik Cronk, installing a “green roof” on top of Rockford Construction Co.’s new headquarters building involves more than throwing some dirt and plants on the roof.

The co-owner of Advanced Green Architecture of Grand Rapids has developed a proprietary system designed to coddle the plantings through hot summer days and cold winter nights.

On Friday, July 12, Cronk was installing some 3,300 square feet of sedum and ornamental grasses on top of Rockford’s new headquarters building at 601 First Street NW. read more>>>

World Bank abandons coal, green light for clean micro-grids
14 July 2013 - The World Bank’s proposal to end coal financing reflects 21st century realities – severe public health and climate change impacts associated with coal are no longer justifiable in a century chock full of cheap and abundant clean energy alternatives. More importantly, coal and the centralized system it powers will not end energy poverty - only a decentralized clean energy ‘grid’ will get the job done. As other international public finance institutions (IFIs) step forward to end coal finance the real question is whether the World Bank will lead, follow, or get out of the way as this inevitable transition occurs.

The question of whether the World Bank leads is an important one. Historically the institution has helped set important policies and standards across the IFIs. read more>>>


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