Governors' Wind Energy Coalition

House Democrats demand infrastructure funding in reform bill

Geof Koss, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-09-09 06:55:25

“Today, much of our energy infrastructure is aging, rooted in the past, and doesn’t really serve our current and future energy needs,” he told colleagues. A final product should focus on modernizing our infrastructure and reducing its vulnerabilities to extreme weather and attacks from those seeking to do us harm,” he said. “It should also facilitate the deployment of smarter electric grids that support more distributed and renewable energy generation.” [ read more … ]

Promoters of cleaner electric grid zapped by roadblocks

John Fialka, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-09-09 06:56:04

In the West, it can involve as many as nine federal agencies. States sometimes delegate their role to multiple agencies. Even counties can get involved in the deliberations. The upshot is that going through the legal hoops and keeping investment capital at the ready for several of the proposed lines has set back construction for years. Congress tried to solve this problem in 2005 and failed. In 2011, the Obama administration, which supports many of the projects, picked seven pending interstate AC and DC power lines, promising to push them through this bureaucratic mess by forming a “rapid response team for transmission.” [ read more … ]

Conferees outline priorities in first meeting

Geof Koss, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-09-09 06:59:00

House and Senate energy reform conferees signaled a willingness to bridge the many differences between their respective bills today. At the same time, they outlined a laundry list of competing priorities for a final agreement. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who is leading the first formal energy conference since 2005, pledged to use the same “open and bipartisan manner” that she and ranking member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) used to assemble and pass the upper chamber’s bill, S. 2012, with broad bipartisan backing in April.
[ read more … ]

Governor Brown signs landmark climate bill

Debra Kahn, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-09-09 06:57:27

California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) will signed a bill yesterday enshrining greenhouse gas targets in the nation’s most populous state through 2030. The measure, S.B. 32 by state Sen. Fran Pavley (D), would require the state to reduce its carbon emissions to 40 percent below 1990 emissions levels by 2030, the most aggressive target of any state.
[ read more … ]

Ohio Supreme Court strikes down challenge to wind-farm approval

By Dan Gearing, The Columbus Dispatch • • Posted 2016-09-09 06:57:53

The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected a challenge of the way state officials approved a wind farm in Champaign County. In a unanimous ruling released on Wednesday, the court found that the Ohio Power Siting Board was proper in the way it approved revisions to a proposal for the Buckeye I wind farm. But there remains a separate pending appeal that is delaying construction of the project.
[ read more … ]

Split inside solar industry spills into the open

Rod Kuckro, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-09-09 06:58:17

A long-simmering rift in the U.S. solar industry has become public just days before thousands of industry participants gather in Las Vegas for the largest solar trade show in North America. The campaign calling for a change in governance of the Solar Energy Industries Association by unhappy executives of distributed generation companies also comes at a time when the trade group is looking for a successor to the lobby’s longtime president and CEO, Rhone Resch, who left at the end of May.
[ read more … ]

Energy storage projects grow at record levels

Daniel Cusick, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-09-09 06:56:56

The U.S. energy storage sector is on track to notch another record growth year in 2016, spurred by government backing, rising utility investment and the scaling of storage systems to provide backup power over longer periods, new industry data show. The United States deployed 41.2 megawatts of energy storage capacity during the second quarter, up 126 percent from the previous quarter and slightly higher than the same quarter of 2015, according to data released yesterday by GTM Research.
[ read more … ]

Expiring tax breaks threaten baseload power — groups

Geof Koss, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-09-09 06:56:27

Renewable energy interests are once again scrambling to extend a key tax incentive that will expire at the end of the year. In a letter sent to House and Senate leaders yesterday, the National Hydropower Association, American Biogas Council, Biomass Power Association and Energy Recovery Council called for lawmakers to take “immediate action” to extend tax breaks that will expire Dec. 31. [ read more … ]

Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.

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	September 9, 2016
House Democrats demand infrastructure funding in reform bill Geof Koss, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-09-09 06:55:25 “Today, much of our energy infrastructure is aging, rooted in the past, and doesn’t really serve our current and future energy needs,” he told colleagues. A final product should focus on modernizing our infrastructure and reducing its vulnerabilities to extreme weather and attacks from those seeking to do us harm,” he said. “It should also facilitate the deployment of smarter electric grids that support more distributed and renewable energy generation.” [ read more … ] Promoters of cleaner electric grid zapped by roadblocks John Fialka, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-09-09 06:56:04 In the West, it can involve as many as nine federal agencies. States sometimes delegate their role to multiple agencies. Even counties can get involved in the deliberations. The upshot is that going through the legal hoops and keeping investment capital at the ready for several of the proposed lines has set back construction for years. Congress tried to solve this problem in 2005 and failed. In 2011, the Obama administration, which supports many of the projects, picked seven pending interstate AC and DC power lines, promising to push them through this bureaucratic mess by forming a “rapid response team for transmission.” [ read more … ] Conferees outline priorities in first meeting Geof Koss, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-09-09 06:59:00 House and Senate energy reform conferees signaled a willingness to bridge the many differences between their respective bills today. At the same time, they outlined a laundry list of competing priorities for a final agreement. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who is leading the first formal energy conference since 2005, pledged to use the same “open and bipartisan manner” that she and ranking member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) used to assemble and pass the upper chamber’s bill, S. 2012, with broad bipartisan backing in April. [ read more … ] Governor Brown signs landmark climate bill Debra Kahn, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-09-09 06:57:27 California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) will signed a bill yesterday enshrining greenhouse gas targets in the nation’s most populous state through 2030. The measure, S.B. 32 by state Sen. Fran Pavley (D), would require the state to reduce its carbon emissions to 40 percent below 1990 emissions levels by 2030, the most aggressive target of any state. [ read more … ] Ohio Supreme Court strikes down challenge to wind-farm approval By Dan Gearing, The Columbus Dispatch • • Posted 2016-09-09 06:57:53 The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected a challenge of the way state officials approved a wind farm in Champaign County. In a unanimous ruling released on Wednesday, the court found that the Ohio Power Siting Board was proper in the way it approved revisions to a proposal for the Buckeye I wind farm. But there remains a separate pending appeal that is delaying construction of the project. [ read more … ] Split inside solar industry spills into the open Rod Kuckro, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-09-09 06:58:17 A long-simmering rift in the U.S. solar industry has become public just days before thousands of industry participants gather in Las Vegas for the largest solar trade show in North America. The campaign calling for a change in governance of the Solar Energy Industries Association by unhappy executives of distributed generation companies also comes at a time when the trade group is looking for a successor to the lobby’s longtime president and CEO, Rhone Resch, who left at the end of May. [ read more … ] Energy storage projects grow at record levels Daniel Cusick, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-09-09 06:56:56 The U.S. energy storage sector is on track to notch another record growth year in 2016, spurred by government backing, rising utility investment and the scaling of storage systems to provide backup power over longer periods, new industry data show. The United States deployed 41.2 megawatts of energy storage capacity during the second quarter, up 126 percent from the previous quarter and slightly higher than the same quarter of 2015, according to data released yesterday by GTM Research. [ read more … ] Expiring tax breaks threaten baseload power — groups Geof Koss, E&E reporter • • Posted 2016-09-09 06:56:27 Renewable energy interests are once again scrambling to extend a key tax incentive that will expire at the end of the year. In a letter sent to House and Senate leaders yesterday, the National Hydropower Association, American Biogas Council, Biomass Power Association and Energy Recovery Council called for lawmakers to take “immediate action” to extend tax breaks that will expire Dec. 31. [ read more … ] Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.
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