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Renewable fight punted to lame duck
The Senate voted 89-4 to extend Federal Aviation Administration programs through September 2017, sending the measure to the White House for enactment just two days before the agency’s authorization expired. Democrats had hoped to use the measure to fix what they call an error that occurred in last year’s year-end omnibus tax package, which extended the investment tax credit (ITC) for solar for five years but left out other qualifying sources, including geothermal, fuel cells, and combined heat and power facilities. [ read more … ]
Kansas looks to become a renewables state with new Kingman Wind Energy Center
State leaders hope Kansas will be known for more than just its wheat crop. “Kansas is not only the Wheat State; it is the renewables state,” said Gov. Sam Brownback. “It is my goal that by the time I leave office in 2018, 50 percent of our energy will come from renewable resources.” The state is one step closer to that goal with the construction of the new Kingman Wind Energy Center. The center is a collaboration between Westar Energy and NextEra Energy Resources. [ read more … ]
Energy Storage Would Get U.S. Tax Credits in Bipartisan Bill
Energy storage would gain access to the same tax incentives that helped make renewable energy the biggest new source of electricity in the U.S. last year under a bill introduced in the Senate.
Batteries like the lithium-ion ones in phones and electric vehicles would be eligible for the tax incentives when connected to the utility grid at homes and businesses under a bill introduced Tuesday by Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich from New Mexico. The bill has eight co-sponsors including Dean Heller, a Nevada Republican, according to a statement.
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Recent Policy Movement In Northeast US Could Start Offshore Wind Boom
The global offshore wind energy market is growing rapidly, and at the end of 2015 was reported to have reached 12 GW — with several more GW in the pipeline. Europe unsurprisingly leads the way, with the European Wind Energy Association claiming it makes up the lion’s share of all global offshore wind capacity. What continues to baffles many analysts, however, is the lack of development across the pond in the United States. [ read more … ]
Senate bill would let energy-storage projects get tax credits
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced legislation yesterday that would allow energy storage systems to get investment tax credits similar to those available for solar power. The “Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act,” S. 3159, covers both grid-connected systems and smaller battery systems for households and businesses. The bill would let commercial storage systems receive the same tax incentive currently available for solar energy under Section 48 of the IRS code. That includes all types of storage technologies, including batteries and pumped hydropower, as long as their storage capacity is at least 5 kilowatt-hours. The language is similar to a House bill introduced in May from Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) [ read more … ]
Why Obama’s top scientist just called keeping fossil fuels in the ground ‘unrealistic’
White House science adviser John Holdren’s comment Monday that it was “unrealistic” to halt fossil fuel extraction altogether in the U.S. may have seemed like stating the obvious. But it has further highlighted the tensions that exist even among top American policy makers and environmental advocates concerned about curbing the rate of climate change. [ read more … ]
Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.