Solar

Renewable Energy

Calif. company could become first REIT for solar funding

Source:

Bloomberg

San Francisco company Renewable Energy Trust Capital requested that the Internal Revenue Service consider solar farms as property that can be included in real estate investment trust, offering a new vehicle to raise funds for solar projects, Bloomberg reports.

Renewable Energy

Interior establishes renewable-development zone in Arizona

Source:

Bloomberg

The Interior Department set aside 192,000 acres of public land in Arizona for commercial solar and wind-power development and established a 2,550-acre zone that offers optimal conditions for solar projects, Bloomberg reports.

Renewable Energy

Army's largest solar array dedicated in New Mexico

By Susan Montoya Bryan, Associated Press on January 16, 2013

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. Army dedicated its largest solar energy-producing system on Wednesday at White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico.

Read More

Renewable Energy

Ohio utility chief attacks renewables on Twitter

Source:

The Columbus Dispatch

Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chairman Todd Snitchler has been a frequent critic of renewable energy on his Twitter feed, sharing no positive thoughts in more than 1,000 tweets from the past year. Snitchler and his agency ruled against a new solar-energy project last week, The Columbus Dispatch reports.

Renewable Energy

Exec sees gas exports supporting solar industry

Source:

FuelFix

CEO Arno Harris of Recurrent Energy, a California solar-panel producer, said allowing expanded exports of natural gas would support the solar industry by boosting gas prices and making renewables more competitive, FuelFix reports.

Renewable Energy

California hits solar gigawatt milestone

Source:

MercuryNews.com

State regulators say California has hit a major milestone in solar energy production, announcing that more than 1 gigawatt of solar power has been installed in the state as a result of the California Solar Initiative, MercuryNews.com reports.

Renewable Energy

First Solar expands in Latin America with Solar Chile purchase

Source:

Bloomberg

U.S. company First Solar Inc., the world's largest producers of thin-film solar products, mad the first major expansion of its activity in Latin America with the acquisition of Solar Chile, Bloomberg reports.

Renewable Energy

Chinese buyer says solar firm MiaSole will expand

By Joe McDonald on January 9, 2013

BEIJING (AP) — The Chinese company that bought MiaSole, a California producer of thin-film solar panels, says it can make the emerging technology successful where others have suffered huge losses.

Read More

Renewable Energy

MidAmerican to buy 2 Calif. Solar power projects

By Josh Funk on January 2, 2013

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — MidAmerican Energy is buying two solar power projects under construction in Southern California from SunPower Corp. that will generate 579 megawatts of electricity.

Read More

Renewable Energy

McCoy solar farm moves closer to federal approval

Source:

Los Angeles Times

The huge McCoy Solar farm in California took a step toward final federal approval with the release of an environmental impact statement by the Interior Department, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Pages

News from Around the World

Oil

Wyden calls on DOJ to join oil price manipulation probe

Source:

Reuters

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked the Justice Department to join the European Union's probe of possible oil price manipulation, Reuters reports.

Nuclear

Macfarlane: NRC can't approve San Onofre hearing yet

Source:

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Allison Macfarlane said the NRC can't consider a public hearing on the San Onofre nuclear plant until June, when an appeal period of an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board ruling ends.

Policy

Obama announces rule to streamline infrastructure approval

Source:

CBS News

President Obama unveiled an executive order to streamline the approval process for new infrastructure projects, CBS News reports.

Biofuels

Corker, Manchin introduce bill to reform RFS

Source:

The Chattanoogan

Sens. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Joe Manchin, D-W.V., introduced a bill that would ensure that only domestically-made biofuels can be used to meet the Renewable Fuel Standard, The Chattanoogan reports.

Mining

Judge won't reconsider ruling on Interior mining ban

Source:

The Associated Press

A federal judge refused to reconsider a ruling that upheld the Interior Department's power to ban new hard rock mining projects on federal land, The Associated Press reports.

Policy

Group sues EPA to enforce Utah air cleanup

WildEarth Guardians sued the Environmental Protection Agency to enforce clean air regulations in Utah, The Associated Press reports.

Oil

House Keystone vote coming next week

Source:

The Hill

The full House of Representatives is set to vote on a bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline next week, The Hill reports.

Renewable Energy

Tesla increases revenue plan to $1.08 billion

Source:

Bloomberg

Tesla Motors increased the value of its stock and debt offerings 30 percent to $1.08 billion to gather reserves and pay back its Energy Department loans, Bloomberg reports.

Policy

Poland calls for end to EU subsidies, cut in oil imports

Source:

Bloomberg

Poland called on the European Union to end energy subsidies for fossil fuels and renewable sources and cut oil imports to better combat climate change, Bloomberg reports.

Oil

Utica well data shows heavy natural gas supply, limited oil

Source:

Reuters

The first well reports from the Utica shale in Ohio show a significant supply of natural gas but not as much oil as some energy companies were expecting, Reuters reports.