Some idle solar energy projects may soon connect to grid
Two federal agencies and Southern California Edison say they're close to ending a long impasse that has made renewable energy projects sit unused. Negotiations with a third agency are tougher.
January 21, 2012 | Los Angeles Times | Julie Cart
Southern California Edison and two federal agencies said Friday they are only weeks away from resolving a years-long disagreement over connecting renewable energy projects to the grid.
The parties reached a preliminary agreement one week after Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Edison urging the utility to end an impasse that had frustrated the government because solar projects were sitting idle long after they had been built. Utilities elsewhere in California have signed similar interconnection agreements with few problems or delays.
Despite the progress this week, Edison and a third federal agency, the National Park Service, remain at odds over millions of dollars' worth of solar projects on the agency's lands. (full article)
EPA finalizes tough new rules on emissions by power plants
December 16, 2011 | The Washington Post | Juliet Eilperin and Steven Mufson
The Obama administration finished crafting tough new rules Friday curbing mercury and other poisons emitted by coal-fired utilities, according to several people briefed on the decision, culminating more than two decades of work to clean up the nation's dirtiest power plants.
As part of last-minute negotiations between the White House and the Environmental Protection Agency, the regulations give some flexibility to power plant operators who argued they could not meet the three-year deadline for compliance outlined by the EPA. Several individuals familiar with the details declined to be identified because the agency will not announce the rules until next week. (full article)
First Solar Sells California Solar Farm to MidAmerican Energy
December 7, 2011 | The Wall Street Journal | Cassandra Sweet
First Solar Inc. is selling one of its large California solar farms to MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., ending the solar-panel maker's search for a buyer.
The sale places MidAmerican Energy, a unit of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc., in the solar-power business for the first time. MidAmerican operates fleets of wind farms and conventional power plants.
The companies didn't disclose terms of the deal Wednesday, but said the Topaz solar-power plant, in San Luis Obispo County, is worth more than $2 billion. Shares of First Solar rallied nearly 7% on the news, and traded at $49.16, up 6.7%. (full article)
Breaking ground in California Valley: Sun rises on new solar farm
November 12, 2011 | SanLuisObispo.com/The Tribune | David Sneed
A forest of thousands of sturdy metal posts is sprouting in the wide open spaces of California Valley.
The posts will eventually support 720,000 photovoltaic panels that will be part of the California Valley Solar Ranch, one of the world's largest facilities to turn sunlight into electricity.
Several hundred people gathered at the project site near the Kern County line in eastern San Luis Obispo County on Thursday to celebrate the beginning of construction. No mention was made of financial losses recently experienced by parent company SunPower of San Jose, which have caused the resignation of three top executives. (full article)
California hits renewable energy milestone: 1 gigawatt of solar power installed to date
November 9, 2011 | San Jose Mercury News | Dana Hull
California has hit a major renewable energy milestone: 1 gigawatt—or 1,000 megawatts—of solar power has been installed on rooftops throughout the state, according to a report to be released Wednesday by Environment California, a statewide advocacy group.
The report credits the California Solar Initiative, the state's aggressive program to encourage homeowners, businesses, local governments and nonprofit organizations to install solar panels on their roofs, with the milestone. About 600 megawatts has been installed through the California Solar Initiative. (full article)
Viewpoints: Solar merits subsidies – just like other energy sources
October 23, 2011 | Viewpoints/sacbee.com | Peter Asmus
"What the federal government should not do is be in the business of picking winners and losers," proclaims John Boehner, GOP speaker of the House of Representatives. "For the federal government to be out there picking one company over another, one type of energy sources over another I think is wrong."
What prompted this espousing of free-market rhetoric so popular with the tea party crowd?
A solar company from Fremont in the East Bay named Solyndra. When the company defaulted on a $535 million loan guarantee in September, the company suddenly became a prime political target for the right wing. Republicans made the company the poster child of failed Obama administration's stimulus programs to create green jobs. Oddly enough, Boehner was less concerned about a similar type of loan guarantee of much larger magnitude – $2 billion – for a nuclear processing facility located in his home state. If all goes well with that government handout, the U.S. government will get back $100,000 in royalties. (full article)
