How a Small County in California Went Grid Positive

Monday, 4.21.2014 - 14:06 (Renewable Energy World)

California is known for being a leader in solar energy, but a small county in Northern California has taken things a step further. It has become the first county government in the state to not only zero-out its electric bill with renewable energy, but also to become grid positive. Yolo County (population 200,000), just west of Sacramento County, now produces 152 percent more energy from solar panels than it uses. Read more

Japan installs 569 MW of solar PV in January 2014

Monday, 4.21.2014 - 19:14 (Solarserver)

Japan installed 86 MW of residential and 483 MW of “non-residential” solar photovoltaics (PV) under its feed-in tariff in January 2014, according to statistics released by the nation's Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry (METI). This is a 3% sequential fall from December 2013 levels, and is consistent with the ongoing dominance by the commercial and utility-scale sectors over residential installations. Read more

PowerREIT acquires site for 60 MW-AC solar PV project in California

Monday, 4.21.2014 - 14:44 (Solarserver)

Power REIT (Old Bethpage, New York, U.S.) has closed on its previously announced acquisition of the site for a 60 MW-AC solar photovoltaic (PV) project in California, and additionally has entered into a USD 26.2 million credit facility. The company has acquired roughly 1.8 square kilometers in California's Kern County as the site for the project, which is currently under construction and is expected to be completed during 2014. Read more

A Molecular Approach to Solar Power

Monday, 4.21.2014 - 12:56 (Renewable Energy World)

It’s an obvious truism, but one that may soon be outdated: The problem with solar power is that sometimes the sun doesn’t shine. Read more

TASC: Minnesota Value of Solar tariff will ‘entrench monopoly’ of utilities

Monday, 4.21.2014 - 9:15 (PV-Tech)

Value of solar tariffs (VOST) of the type recently adopted in the US state of Minnesota create “serious instability for the solar industry”, according to US advocacy group The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC). Read more

Making Corn Stover Biofuel May Not Be Better than Gas, Says Report

Monday, 4.21.2014 - 16:04 (Renewable Energy World)

Biofuels made from the leftovers of harvested corn plants are worse than gasoline for global warming in the short term, a study shows, challenging the Obama administration's conclusions that they are a much cleaner oil alternative and will help combat climate change. Read more

The Big Wind Energy Drive Train Technology Debate

Monday, 4.21.2014 - 12:50 (Renewable Energy World)

In the wind power industry, the debate on which generator and converter option makes for the best modern wind turbine drive trains is still raging. Numerous technology experts and industry commentators promote the use of the double-fed induction generator technology, whilst expressing doubts about the advantages of the permanent magnet generator (PMG) approach. The Switch wants to set the record straight and explain why PMG with a full-power converter (FPC) is by far the best technology, regardless of which key decision-making criteria you use. Read more

Mitsubishi sells battery manufacturing, switches focus of battery business to grid-tied energy storage

Monday, 4.21.2014 - 15:35 (Solarserver)

­Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI, Tokyo) has finalized a deal to sell its rechargeable lithium-ion battery manufacturing including machinery to Delta Electronics Inc. (Taipei). The company plans to instead shift management resources into grid-tied energy storage system (ESS) products employing these batteries, including applications to support renewable energy generation. Read more

China Reiterates Plans to Boost Clean Energy

Monday, 4.21.2014 - 15:26 (Renewable Energy World)

China, the world’s biggest investor in renewable energy, reiterated plans to boost construction of solar and wind power plants along with projects to transmit electricity from the clean sources. Read more

Renewable Energy May Help Ukraine Abandon Russian Gas

Monday, 4.21.2014 - 11:37 (Renewable Energy World)

Despite political instability and economical problems, Ukraine is pursuing the development of renewable energy in order to reduce dependence on gas supplies and economic pressures from Russia. Read more