Alternate Energy

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New Solar-cell Design Based On Dots and Wires
Using exotic particles called quantum dots as the basis for a photovoltaic cell is not a new idea, but attempts to make such devices have not yet achieved sufficiently high efficiency in converting s…..

Scotland Approves Aberdeen Wind Farm Opposed by Donald Trump
The Scottish government approved a plan to build a wind farm off the coast of Aberdeen that was opposed by billionaire New York investor Donald Trump because it’s in sight of his championship golf co…..

Vestas Vies with GE for Wind Market Lead in Rival Studies
Vestas Wind Systems A/S is vying with General Electric Co. for the lead in the global wind turbine market, with two studies disagreeing over which manufacturer topped the rankings last year. …..

Can Offshore Wind Make or Break Wave Energy?
If you read the reports from major energy agencies and industry associations, you might be tempted to conclude there is a bright future where all types of renewable energies will flourish and coexist…..

Georgia Legislature Introduces Late Bill to Allow Solar Leases, PPAs
Georgia’s legislature introduced a new bill, HB 657, The Rural Georgia Economic Recovery and Solar Resource Act of 2013 on Friday. Just one teensy problem, it’s too late for consideration this ye…..

Policy Still a Concern for Renewables Investors in Top 10 Nations
The global renewable energy sector held steady in the first quarter of 2013, as shown in the quarterly All-Renewables Index from Ernst & Young (EY). So far 2013 has seen few changes on a broad scale,…..

Alloy Developed at Sandia Has Potential for Electronics in Geothermal Wells
An alloy that may improve high-temperature electronics in oil and geothermal wells was really a solution in search of a problem. …..

Current Builds Behind Tidal Energy Take-off
These are heady times for tidal energy, says Matthew Reed, engineering director at Marine Current Turbines (MCT). “It’s all kicking off now,” he said in an interview at RenewableUK’s Wave & Tidal 201…..

Wind Power Peaks in the UK, Denmark, US
Wind energy generated more than 5 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity consistently over a 48-hour period last week in the UK, enough to power more than 10 percent of the country’s overall electricity…..

NRG Skips the Utility, Powers Consumers with Solar Energy
NRG Energy Inc., the biggest power provider to U.S. utilities, has become a renegade in the $370 billion energy-distribution industry by providing electricity directly to consumers. …..

Renewables: They Are Who We Thought They Were
Dwight D. Eisenhower once said that it is not only necessary to do the right thing, but to do it the right way, as well. Sustainability is all too often just a fluffy word that implies doing the righ…..

How Energy Efficiency’s Story is Changing
Not so long ago, news about energy efficiency focused on what the U.S. could or should do, but wasn’t doing to save energy. It was a tale of woe. That’s no longer the case. Now, report after repo…..

5 Middle East Solar Markets to Watch
Solar markets in the Middle East are poised for massive growth, but evaluating new solar market opportunities can be an extremely difficult challenge. Market potential often depends on a number of co…..

When Should Geothermal Heat Pumps Qualify for State Renewable Energy Credits?
A relatively new policy being considered for state renewable energy standards (RESs) is to allow geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) to be treated the same as traditional renewable energy sources for awardi…..

Romania To Scale Back Subsidies
Romania, which Ernst & Young called “Eastern Europe’s renewables haven” just a few months ago, now plans to follow other nations’ recent moves in scaling back renewable energy subsidies to avoid furt…..

Policy Support for Solar Power Grows in Sub-Saharan Nations
Much of sub-Saharan Africa has experienced remarkable economic growth since the start of the 21st century. Six of the ten fastest-growing economies worldwide between 2000 and 2010 were in the region …..

Dividing Lines: Energy bills
One thing is certain in any discussion of energy policy: bills are going up, regardless of how Britain generates electricity coal, gas, nuclear, wind, wave, solar . …..

Wind blowing against Alexandera s energy arguments
Sen. Lamar Alexander has long opposed a tax credit for wind energy and thinks that modern windmills are a blight on the landscape, but the sector continues to grow in some areas of the country. …..

Study to Address Question: Does a Nuclear Reactor Shutdown Lead to a Major Drop in Cancer Cases?
Beyond the Sacramento Area, Findings Also Seen as Relevant For Reactor Shutdowns Near Other Cities, Including LA, NYC, Chicago, San Diego, Portland, New Haven, Providence and Harrisburg. …..

Russia Offers S. Africa Help With Nuclear Power
DURBAN, March 26 Russia is ready to assist South Africa with construction of nuclear power plants in the country, providing a line of credit if the project is implemented by Russian specialists, Presi…..

News Summary: Nuclear waste a headache for SKorea Packed Storage:…
PACKED STORAGE: South Korea’s radioactive waste storage is filling up, but what South Korea sees as its best solution – reprocessing the spent fuel so it can be used again – faces stiff opposition fro…..

Nuclear-free future ‘not an option for UK’
Chief scientific adviser to the UK government, John Beddington, said nuclear power is an important part of the UK’s energy future. …..

Tug-of-War Over Nuclear Future
Miles of farmland around the crippled Fukushima reactor have been transformed into contaminated wastelands. …..

Nuclear waste a growing headache for SKorea
The country’s radioactive waste storage is filling up as its nuclear power industry burgeons, but what South Korea sees as its best solution – reprocessing the spent fuel so it can be used again – fac…..

OPPD wants to show progress at troubled nuke plant
The Nebraska utility that owns the troubled Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant wants to show off the progress that has been made toward preparing the plant to restart. …..

Will Hollande restore France’s supremacy in nuclear energy?
French industrial groups are up in arms as their once-celebrated nuclear-energy edge evaporates. …..

Emerging Nations To Power Nuclear Energy Expansion Over Next Decade
Nations like the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Poland and Bangladesh are looking at adding the controversial power source to their energy portfolio. …..

Let’s Coordinate Energy Policy
Let’s at least coordinate the policies across the federal government by putting in place an energy adviser that is at the same level as the national security adviser and the national economic adviser …..

Oyster Creek May Face Costly Upgrade [AUDIO]
Upgrades are required to the vents in nuclear reactors similar to those that failed in Japan after a post-Fukushima Examination conducted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. …..

India Playing Risky Games at Nuclear Parks
“After contending with droughts, rough seas and earthquakes we are staring at the possibility of a man-made disaster in the shape of a nuclear power park.” Speaking with IPS over telephone from Mithi …..

Nuclear submarines will be cut up in Plymouth
If the process works, the remainder of the UK’s retired nuclear fleet will be cut up in both Plymouth and Rosyth. …..

Ministry ignored call to enhance Fukushima off-site center
The inside of an off-site center for the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in March 2012 in Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture The industry ministry failed to improve nuclear protection at an off-site cent…..

Reactor Reax Top Stories – Market Unkind to Nuclear Reactor Plants
Today in Reactor Reax, the Wall Street Journal reports, Natural Gas: Killing Coal and Nuclear, and Maybe The Grid , nuclear regulators under fire for delay of post-Fukushima safety requirements, Imper…..

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Solar Glut Outlasting Suntech as Customers Seek New Supply
A day after Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. became the solar industry’s biggest corporate failure, workers continued to load and unload trucks at its main factory in China, adding to the global overs…..

Unlocking Renewable Potential in the Caribbean
Caribbean nations face an uncertain energy future. With an energy infrastructure designed in the era of low-priced and abundant oil, many of these nations depend almost entirely on petroleum to supp…..

European Renewables Inverter Market Could Hit $6.7 Billion
The inverter market for renewable energy systems in Europe earned more than €3.58 billion ($4.63 billion) in 2012 and this figure could rise to €5.24 billion ($6.77 billion) in 2018, according to…..

Vestas Chiefs Signal Worst Is Over as Turnaround Work Continues
Vestas Wind Systems A/S Chairman Bert Nordberg and Chief Executive Officer Ditlev Engel said the worst may be over for the wind turbine maker, which has lost 91 percent of its value since 2008. …..

Reaching New Heights: Cumulative PV Demand to Double Again by 2015
Although end-market demand in 2012 did not achieve the levels many had hoped for, it still set a new record in terms of annual installed capacity. …..

Puppy Dogs and Solar Quotes: An Example of Cause Marketing
Getting a free solar quote is probably the best way to open the door to a residential sale. People can finally see the numbers and get past their fear of solar being too expensive. The problem is tha…..

Cape Wind Finds Financing Partner, Enters Home Stretch
One of the final steps for the Cape Wind offshore wind project in Massachusetts is being made with the signing of Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (BTMU) to arrange debt financing. BTMU itself is pitchin…..

LADWP to Eliminate Coal-fired Power from Energy Mix by 2025
Following a recent pledge made by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to wean the city off of coal-fired generation within 12 years, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has unvei…..

Suntech Insolvent, Yingli Links with GCL
The inevitable has finally happened at tanking former solar star Suntech (NYSE: STP), which has been forced into bankruptcy ending a months-long battle between the company’s founder Shi Zhengrong a…..

Independence Would Damage Scotland’s Renewables Growth, Says Ed Davey
UK Energy Secretary Ed Davey has said that Scotland’s renewable energy industry would be damaged if it were to become independent from the rest of Britain. …..

Two Ways Americans May Get More Ownership of Their Energy Future
Three years ago, the prospects for Americans to own their energy future seemed relatively bleak.   There were almost no replicable models for doing community-based energy projects or investment, de…..

Integrating Variable Renewables as Germany Expands Its Grid
Until some years ago, the electricity in German grids flowed in only one direction – from a large-scale power station to transformer stations and from there to nearby consumers. …..

Greening City Grids for EVs
Short of putting a windmill on top of a car – a parody vehicle that became a source of political jesting during the 2012 U.S. presidential election – electric vehicle (EV) owners have little control …..

Greece: 2 hurt, 11 escape in prison shooting
As part of an effort to convince federal regulators that a nuclear reactor is safe to restart, the operator of the shuttered San Onofre nuclear power plant in California has disclosed it might push fo…..

Taiwan Premier claims nuclear views similar to Taipei Mayor’s
Premier Jiang Yi-huah said Friday the government stance that there could be no nuclear energy without nuclear safety was similar to Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin’s claim that he would vote against the fou…..

Ailing San Onofre nuke plant eyes summer restart
The operator of the shuttered San Onofre nuclear power plant in California disclosed Friday it might push for a rewrite of the facility’s operating rules as part of its effort to convince federal regu…..

NRC to Enhance Post-Fukushima Vent Requirements
The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission has directed its technical staff to improve venting pressure during potential accidents at 31 reactors, including the Oyster Creek Generating Station. …..

Expect your electricity bills to be a little lower next year
Starting next year, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. customers will see a modest decrease in their electricity bills as a result of a $266 million settlement received from the federal government. …..

Obama names nuclear chief Macfarlane to new term
Macfarlane, a geologist, took over the agency last summer after its former chairman, Gregory Jaczko , resigned amid complaints about an unyielding management style that fellow commissioners and agency…..

New Market man publishes second detective book
The 216-page book, which was released March 12, follows the main character Brad Stout, as he picks up on the trail of a plot to assassinate the president using the radioactive remains of a U.S. Army n…..

British nuclear support plans flout EU rules-lawyers
Britain’s plans to reward nuclear plant operators through fixed prices for low-carbon energy are illegal under existing EU rules and efforts to adapt them are likely to draw opposition from other memb…..

San Onofre design choices led to nuclear plant shutdown
An executive with the company that manufactured faulty equipment that led to the shutdown of the San Onofre nuclear plant defended decisions made in the design of the replacement steam generators. …..

Eric Millikin: Fried rat blamed for outage at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant
Eric Millikin: Self-Portrait with Nuclear Rat: Inspired by the fried rat blamed for power outage at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant The BBC says: “A rat may have caused this week’s power outage at Jap…..

Independent journalist not let to nuclear power plant’s construction site
A journalist could not get to the construction site of the Astravets’ nuclear power station despite having all the necessary documents. …..

Nuclear Medicine Heals But Could Harm, Too
The HealthCare Global hospital is equipped with facilities to manufacture and trade in nuclear medicine and offers the advantage of easy access for cancer patients. …..

Area businesses encouraged to submit nuclear ‘interim storage’ designs
In the debate surrounding Idaho’s nuclear future, there’s been one big question about what role we should take in storing nuclear waste. …..

Letters: Weaknesses that remain in developing new nuclear
You say new nuclear reactors at Hink ley Point in Somerset could provide electricity for 5 million people . …..

Steven Mirsky Joins NuScale Power As Washington, D.C. Licensing Manager
NuScale Power, LLC is pleased to announce that Steven Mirsky, P.E. has joined NuScale as Washington, D.C. Licensing Manager. …..

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China May Cut Subsidy for Largest Solar Projects
China, forecast to become the biggest solar market this year, may restructure its subsidies to favor smaller projects over larger ones to promote new plants in in areas with power shortages, an indus…..

2012 German Nuclear and Gas-Fired Generation Falls Further While Renewables Grow
Apparently my article last October documenting the growth of renewables in Germany while nuclear generation continues to decline got under the skin of pro-nuclear bloggers. …..

Energy Storage Series: Making the Case for Batteries
As the renewable energy industry grows and becomes a larger part of our energy mix, the concept of energy storage has made its way into the spotlight and has created some important pressing questions…..

India Set to Auction More Solar Capacity than Planned this Year
India, which plans to raise solar capacity eightfold by 2017, will probably auction more megawatts than planned this fiscal year in a bid to cut chronic power shortages in the world’s second most-pop…..

Loans of $2 Billion Weighed by U.S. for Clean Energy Projects
The U.S. Energy Department is reviewing nine applications from companies seeking $4.8 billion in energy-related loan guarantees, the first since the collapse of Solyndra unleashed an avalanche of Rep…..

NLP Solar Sales Training | 2 Loan Programs | Live Webinar March 20 & 21st
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Abu Dhabi Boosts Solar Power 10-Fold with Shams CSP Plant, Plans for Increased Growth
Total SA and Abengoa SA, the European energy producers behind the Middle East’s largest concentrated-solar plant, intend to expand further in the region as governments promote renewables to free up o…..

China Govt Should Oust Shi To Save Suntech
New developments have come rapidly over the past week at Suntech (NYSE: STP), leaving the former solar superstar on the brink of collapse as its founder Shi Zhengrong blocks a potential government …..

Wind Now 10% of Electricity in Nine States, Over 20% in Iowa, South Dakota
Impressive numbers from the wind industry’s record-breaking 2012 continued to come out this week with the news that American wind power generation shot up 17 percent last year, producing more than 10…..

Wind Energy Suppliers Thrown by Brazil Local Supply Rule
Brazil’s requirement that wind turbine suppliers buy locally is increasing costs for providers from Vestas Wind Systems A/S to Suzlon Energy Ltd., who say the rule will probably drive away some compa…..

Bioenergy Calling the Shots on Asian Fuel Supply
Emerging markets have tremendous biomass resources. Such fuels also enjoy commercial advantages due to grid and baseload power availability and a strong willingness from users to pay for electricity……

Improving Risk-Based Review to Enable Developers to “Fly” Through Interconnection Hurdles
Making safe, reliable interconnection of renewable energy easier is the goal. Increasing the number of interconnections, through improved application efficiency and cost-effectiveness, while maintain…..

Energy Efficiency Loans Encounter Obstacles in the Secondary Market
Although connecting energy efficiency programs and private capital may seem like an ideal partnership, program managers from New York and Pennsylvania have found it is challenging to achieve competit…..

Federal nuclear liability to hit deficit
The federal government’s anticipated cost for cleaning up its nuclear program has soared by $2.4 billion to a total of $5 billion. …..

Power Outages at Fukushima Reveal Precariousness of Damaged Nuclear Facility
Revealing the still precarious conditions at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, a power outage on Monday night has left storage pools for radioactive materials without working cooling pumps, …..

New nuclear power station gets planning consent
Plans for the first new nuclear power station for nearly a generation in the UK have got the go-ahead from the energy secretary, who has said he is granting planning consent . …..

NRC orders nuclear sites to upgrade vents
The filters are required in Japan and much of Europe, but U.S. utilities say they are unnecessary and expensive. …..

Wis. limits use of nude beach to reduce sex, drugs
Wisconsin officials say they will close down a well-known nude beach on weekdays to reduce problems with outdoor sex and drug use. …..

Point Lepreau nuclear refuelling problem costs up to $600,000 daily: NB…
The president of NB Power says a refuelling problem at the Point Lepreau nuclear reactor could cost the Crown utility company between $400,000 and $600,000 a day in replacement power. …..

3 Mass. US Reps. call for more open NRC hearings
Three members of Massachusetts congressional delegation are asking the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to use a more typical public meeting style when discussing the future of the Pilgrim and Seabrook n…..

Live Hinkley Point: Planning decision due over nuclear plant on Somerset coast
Unite’s national officer for energy Kevin Coyne said: “This is a significant milestone towards meeting the UK’s low carbon energy needs and the project will be a massive boost for jobs. …..

Power still out at damaged nuclear plant in Japan
This May 7, 2011 file image from video footage released by Tokyo Electric Power Co., shows spent fuel storage pool of the Unit 4 reactor building at the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant…..

San Onofre Nuclear Plant Could Break Down At Full Power
The troubled San Onofre nuclear power plant in California could be restarted safely and run at full power, but the risk of a breakdown would increase to vexing levels after 11 months, a report conclud…..

NRC finds flood concerns at 2 TVA nuclear plants
The NRC found a total of 6 apparent violations at the Sequoyah and Watts Bar plants on the Tennessee River. …..

Full power could trouble Cal nuke plant at 11 mos
A report from the company that oversees the troubled San Onofre nuclear power plant estimates it could run safely at full power, but only for 11 months. …..

Japan Steel May Forge Ventures to Make Nuclear Parts in Asia
The company will have a tough time generating orders in the next two years, President Ikuo Sato said in an interview in Tokyo. …..

Christopher Jue/LandovJapan Goes NuclearFukushima who? Only two years …
Fukushima who? Only two years after the devastating nuclear meltdown, Japan is set to reopen idled reactors. …..

‘SA needs more nuclear power plants’
“We need to produce electricity in other parts of the country to spread the electricity production points around the national grid,” Motlanthe said at the Nuclear Africa 2013 conference in Midrand. …..

Nuclear Power: Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don’t?
To some critics, there is no riskier source of electricity than nuclear power. For others, nuclear power’s minimal greenhouse gas footprint makes it a vital alternative to carbon-belching coal and nat…..

Federal regulators to talk about Palisades’ aging nuclear vessel in public meeting online
Nuclear regulators will discuss the risk of “pressurized thermal shock,” one of the biggest fears anti-nuclear groups have about the Palisades nuclear power plant during an online meeting Tuesday. …..

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Selects Obsidian Analysis to…
Obsidian Analysis, Inc. announced today that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has selected the company to perform a comprehensive risk-informed and performance-based assessment of radiological emerge…..

NC school offers program to meet nuclear industry
Gaston College started its nuclear technology program in the fall of 2011 after working with Duke Energy to create a program for nuclear power plant operators. …..

Nuclear expansion threatens our waters
Jerry Paul appears to be a prolific supporter of nuclear power. In his Feb. 23 letter he touts the supposed benefits of nuclear energy. …..