Report: "Offshore Wind in the Atlantic: Potential Benefits for the Environment and for the Economy" View Executive Summary with link to download entire report.

Atlantic Wind Connection

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement

Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consotium (VCERC)

Atlantic Transmission Consortium

VA4Wind

VOW Coalition

All small wind turbines - Portal to the world of Small Wind Turbines

Clean Energy States Alliance - Offshore Wind

Clean Energy States Alliance - Solar

Offshore Wind Wire

SOLAR:

ASES - American Solar Energy Society

HR Solar Tour

Hampton Roads Solar Group

NREL - National Renewable Energy Labs

Clean Energy States Alliance - Solar

DoE's Solar Decathlon Site

Team Tidewater

MARINE/HYDRO:

EERE: Water Power Program Home Page‏

Wind | Solar | Marine/Hydro | Grid/Storage | Bio & More

Renewable Energy - General (Financing, Policy, Programs)

For the most up to date and illustrated new clips, visit the TidewaterCurrent Snip.it collection.

9.19.12 - Romney Gets a Wind Power Tax Credit Smackdown from Starbucks, Yahoo!, & Others - cleantechnica.com. Thank You: Starbucks, Yahoo, Ben & Jerry's, Johnson & Johnson, the Portland Trailblazers and 14 other american corporate icons for sending a letter to congress this week urging the extension of the wind power production tax credit.

9.18.12 - Sun-drenched Southwest needs more transmission lines to become nation's solar powerhouse - washingtonpost.com. NREL reports that renewable energy could supply 80% of electricity demand in the US by 2050, but in order for that to happen the aging transmission infrastructure needs to be upgraded. Transmission capacity is already an issue. In Arizona, the system will be overloaded by only half the projects in the works and in the North East, the lack of capacity has limited wind development.

9.18.12 - Renewable standards boosted 'green' energy. Are storage standards next? - csmonitor.com. California is looking to create the nation's first grid scale energy storage portfolio standard. The utilities are not on board but as the author notes: "Given that GE (NYSE: GE) is now working on a grid-scale battery technology, given how much GE's wind business has benefited from the expansion of RPS policies over the last decade, and given how active GE tends to be in energy policy circles, it's not a stretch to think that there will be a push for SPS-like policies" across the U.S."

9.13.12 - NWF's new report - The Turning Point for Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy: Time for Action to Create Jobs, Reduce Pollution, Protect Wildlife & Secure America's Energy Future - nwf.org. National Wildlife Federation's just released report highlights the need to develop offshore wind energy resources that could cleanly power 14 million homes while creating 300,000 jobs and generating $200 billion in economic activity.

9.13.12 - Energy democracy: Three ways to bring solar to the masses - grist.org. Good overview of Leasing, Power purchase agreements and community solar programs.

9.12.12 -The 'Silent Green Revolution' Underway at the Department of Energy - theatlantic.com. NRDC report highlights the significant economic benefits experienced by communities that develop wind and calls for extension of PTC.

9.11.12 - Freeing the Grid - freeingthegrid.org. "Today the Vote Solar Initiative (Vote Solar) and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Inc. (IREC) released our official 2012 findings for Freeing the Grid, a policy report that grades all 50 states on two key programs: net metering and interconnection procedures."

9.9.12 - The 'Silent Green Revolution' Underway at the Department of Energy - theatlantic.com. Author interviews Michael Grunwald, Time Magazine reporter and author of a book on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Grunwald highlights the endeavors of a little known agency created as part of the stimulus: ARPA-E which researches and invests (through loan guarantees) in emerging renewable technologies. Regarding Solyndra, it is noted: " A review led by John McCain's finance chairman found that overall, the $40 billion loan portfolio is doing fine; it's got reserves to cover half a dozen Solyndra-style failures, and it's financing the world's largest wind farm, a half dozen of the world's largest solar farms, America's first cellulosic biofuel refineries, and much more. The larger point is that the stimulus isn't really picking winners and losers in the traditional sense; it's picking the game of clean energy, and financing thousands of different entrepreneurial and technological approaches to the problem, so that the market can pick the winners and losers."

9.9.12 - Town Partners on First Solar Farm - carycitizen.com. Very smart - Cary, NC is partnering with FLS Energy, the company will install and maintain the system and pay the town $35,000 a year to lease the South Cary water reclamation facility site. Enough energy is expected to be produced to power 174 homes. Every community should be jumping on the band wagon. And they are in many states. Unfortunately in Virginia, this type of innovation by private companies has been mired in legalities that seemingly give Dominion a power monopoly.

9.12.12 - Typical Wind Farm Supports Nearly 1,100 Jobs; Adds Millions of Dollars to Local Communities - evwind.es. NRDC report highlights the significant economic benefits experienced by communities that develop wind and calls for extension of PTC.

9.7.12 - The Renewable Energy Components of the Democratic and Republican Platforms - biomassmagazine.com. Great review of renewable energy policy. "When you take an objective look at the information actually contained within the platform papers, the Democratic Party clearly offers far more detail of its support of renewable energy and how it will help advance the sector."

9.5.12 - For a Look at the Future of U.S. Energy, Go to Texas - triplepundit.com. New Leaf Energy, a division of energy giant Direct Energy in Texas, will offer 100% Texas produced renewable energy to consumers. It is expected to cost about $25 more per month.

9.4.12 - Drought-Stricken Farms Have 1 Lifeline — Wind Power - cleantechnica.com. There is a lot more room for growth in the wind industry. If the PTC is extended, the industry will continue to grow and support rural economies. According to the author, "More than 98 percent of wind turbines are located on farms, ranches and other private lands. And the industry pays out more than $400 million a year to property owners and local tax collectors, according to the Washington-based trade group, the American Wind Energy Association."

9.4.12 - Make Fannie Pull a U-turn for Solar (Take Action) - cleantechnica.com. Follow the included link to support property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing programs. PACE programs were very successful supporting the growth of rooftop solar, but FHFA rules ended their use without due process. FHFA now has to go through the the proper process and receive public input. You have until the 13 of this month to let them know your thoughts.

9.1.12 - Why Do We Hold Renewable Energy to a Different Standard than Fossil Fuels & Nuclear Energy - cleantechnica.com. We don't. "According to a recent report from the venture capital firm DBL Investors, the U.S. coal, oil, gas, and nuclear industries have cumulatively taken in more than $630 billion in tax credits, land grants, R&D programs, and direct investments from the government. That far surpasses the roughly $50 billion in government renewable energy investments (wind, solar PV, solar thermal, geothermal, biofuels) through these same mechanisms over the decades"

8.29.12 - Renewable Electricity Nearly Doubles with Obama in Office - cleantechnica.com. Energy Information Administration reports that non hydro, renewable energy output in the US rose from 3% in 2008 to nearly 6% today.

8.24.12 - Customers could pay for alternative energy projects under Duke plan - bizjournals.com. Triangle Business Journal - Duke Energy, Progress Energy and the NC Sustainable Energy Association are joining together to develop a "pay on bill" plan for financing alternative energy projects. The group will formally meet on August 30 to begin hammering out the details.

8.23.12 - Why Virginia lags on solar - thecontributor.com. The answer is simple: Virginia lags on solar because the utility (unfortunately not the people) have the power (political power). Good article. The Virginia Assembly should follow the solar vision provided by legislatures in a number of other states, such as Vermont, Massachusetts and more.

8.23.12 - Mayor Menino to install solar panels on his house under incentive program - The Boston Globe. Boston Mayor is participating in the Solarize Massachusetts program with a solar lease. At a cost of only $500, Solar City will install and maintain 16 panels on the Mayor's roof that will produce about 5,000 kW hours of electricity per annum. In exchange, the Mayor has contracted to purchase energy produced from his panels at a rate of $0.12/kW hour for the next 20 years, less than the current utility rate of $0.15/kWh.

8.21.12 - Xcel Energy Sells Out Community Solar Garden Program - sustainablog.org. Within half an hour the utility had 3 times the number of applications for projects than it could accept. "Xcel Energy plans to introduce a total of 4.5 MW of capacity to the grid with solar community gardens each of 500 kW or less. The first will be built by Clean Energy Collective on the property of the Golden Hoof Sustainable Farm and will be finished within a year."

8.14.12 - NY Sun Initiative Announces $107 Million in Incentives for New Solar Projects in New York - inhabitat.com. A small percentage of the funding is for small scale residential projects. The bulk of the money will go to projects over 50kW that have also derived private funding.

8.9.12 - Sustainable Communities for Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow - designbuildsource.com.au. Freiburg, Germany known as one the greenest cities in Europe is a model for sustainable development. In addition to infrastructure and building technologies that save energy, residents rely on wind and solar that is often integrated into building design for much of their energy. More clips on green building can be found in the sustainable design - green building collection.

8.8.12 - Energy policy: Follow the money | Smartplanet - With our energy policy being created by lawyers who essentially work for the folks who supported their campaigns - big corporations - oil, gas and utilities, you begin to see why renewables continue to flounder in this country despite huge public support. Meanwhile, the author notes that in technocratic nations, renew - ables are booming.

8.7.12 - Making Projects Happen with Group Net Metering Policies - renewableenergyworld.com. Author highlights the benefits of community solar programs, including siting, financing, reduced cost based on economies of scale, reduced default risk and the ability of renters to participate. States in red have some form of group or virtual net metering programs for solar. 8.7.12 - See more posts in Energy-Solar collection.

8.8.12 - China hikes 2015 solar power target by 40 pct | Reuters - China's goal is to produce over 9% of its energy through renewable resources by 2015. According to the table included, wind, hydro and ocean power production will also expand dramatically.

8.6.12- U.S. Military's Big Plan For Renewable Energy Projects - Forbes - 16 million acres to be opened up for solar, wind and geothermal projects to provide a reliable and secure source of energy for military bases. Land would be leased to privately funded projects by developers. Each of the services is looking to install 1 Gigawatt of power near its bases by 2025.

8.3.12 - Turning Unwanted Land into Clean Energy | Get Solar.com. Second only to California in solar energy production, NJ has gone from only 6 installations in 2001 to over 15,000 with 4000 more planned. Many projects are being sited on brown fields and landfills - land that would otherwise likely go unused. See more in Energy-Solar collection.

8.3.12 - The Real Deal on US Subsidies: Fossil's $72B, Renewable Energy's $12B - greentechmedia.com. Tax breaks and direct government investment in the fossil fuel industry has been much larger than that enjoyed by the wind and solar business.

8.3.12 - 2016 Olympics to be Completely Green-Powered - designbuildsource.com.au. At 105 feet, Rio's breathtaking solar city tower will be a hybrid solar water energy generator that will power the Olympic village and much of the City.

8.1.12 - The Green Future Arrives In California As Utilities Hit 20% Renewable Energy Target - Forbes - California leading the way. The next renewable portfolio standard (RPS) is 33% by 2020.

7.31.12 - Lloyds Bank Poised to Make More than $500 Million in Clean Energy Investments - cleantechnica.com. Lloyds has its eyes on offshore wind, solar power, and biomass plants.

7.30.12 - Massachusetts Launches Regional Renewable Energy Initiative with Other 5 New England States - Energy and Environmental Affairs - Mass.Gov - 6 New England Governors agree unanimously to coordinate a regional renewable energy procurement process. Massachusetts has already implemented a Green Communities Act which will promote renewable investment and sets a exemplary goal that 20% of electricity come from renewables by 2020.

7.30.12 - OneRoof Energy Planning $100M Fund, 4,000 Rooftops by Year's End - greentechmedia.com. More third party solar financing announced. Market of solar backed securities could reach $4,6 billion by the end of the year.

7.27.12 -Banks Double Down On Solar Investments - Forbes - Credit Suisse and US Bankcorp find good business funding solar leasing programs.

7.26.12 - CESA Webinar: New Developments in PACE Programs - cleanenergystates.org- Free Event to highlight PACE like financing methods being considered for clean energy projects.

7.24.12 - Conservative South Carolina Republican Going Nationwide with Clean Energy Plan - cleantechnica.com- Former Representative Inglis highlights the need to include the costs of pollution, global warming and wars into the price of fossil fuels. He wants to create a level playing field and supports shifting energy policy away from fossil fuels towards renewables.

7.23.12 - How To Tap A Trillion Dollars For Renewable Energy Investment - Forbes - Good review of our energy policy (or lack thereof). Comprehensive energy policy is needed to stimulate up to a trillion dolllars of investment money for renewables that is just sitting on the sidelines because there is no comfort in investing while there is no long term plan.

7.17.12 - On-bill repayment: Great promise, but challenges remain - renewableenergyworld.com. Paying for a renewable energy system through your power company on your bill every month is one financing option being explored for residential improvements. The author explores the issues.

7.15.12 - Changing Cities: Ending Hawaii's Oil Addiction - abcnews.go.com. Hawaii has an ambitious plan to wean itself off of oil. In order to cut oil use by 70% by 2030, planners are looking to develop renewable resources. The Navy uses about 20% of the State's energy supply, so they are helping in this endeavor. Testing of biofuels in Green Fleet exercises is taking place this month and solar, wind and wave energy sources are being developed. To distribute energy, a high voltage DC cable between islands is also planned.

7.12.12 - Crowdsourcing, Limited Partnerships and Other Tools for Financing our Clean- renewableenergyworld.com. Energy Future - Great review of financing options for renewable energy projects.

7.10.12 - Can Solar And Wind Power Save Our Rivers? earthtechling.com. Report by River Network emphasizes the large negative impact of fossil, nuclear and hydroelectric power on water resources, whereas PV and wind have a negligible impact.

7.6.12 - Community-Owned Solar / Solar Gardens for 4/5 of Americans? - cleantechnica.com. Net metering is important to participating in a community solar garden. In order to offset your energy bill with a that produced in a community system you support, a virtual program needs to be in place. A few states offer the program and more are considering it. Links are provided to the Solar Garden Institute and NR

7.2.12 - SCS Renewables Unstealths With a Solar Project Brokerage Platform - greentechmedia.com. Solar financing on-line brokerage. A link to a list of project already brokered by the firm is included (many in N.C.). The project hopes to open the door to new money and reduce financing costs. The author notes the DOE Sunshot program is also addressing financing issues.

7.2.12 - 80% Clean, Renewable Energy by 2050: More Than Possible, But Need More Political Will (& Public Demand) - CleanTechnica. NREL and more report that renewable energy reliance is feasiblle in the near term.

6.20.12 -New Fact Checking Site for Energy Issues - Forbes . Author impressed with the initiative and the level of resources devoted to the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) site. The site is at http://energyfactcheck.org/

6.19.12 - Renewable Energy Can Supply 80% of US Electricity - sustainablebusiness. NREL's RE Futures Study concludes that the abundance and diversity of US renewable energy resources (geothermal, wind, solar and wave) can support multiple combinations of technologies for energy production and supply 80% of energy by 2050.

6.17.12 - The Next War Could Be Fought with Fireflies - cleantechnica. Fascinating quick read on biomimicry research at Syracuse University and creating light using the same biochemical reactions as fireflies.

6.10.12 - Buy solar panels through town - boston. The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center has initiated a program in 17 communities to facilitate group purchases of solar panels which provide volume discounts making solar more affordable. Hopkinton is one of the communities. To find out more about how the program is being developed there, visit http://www.hopgreen.com/ -

6.7.12- Leveling the Energy Playing Field: Senate Bill to Allow Renewable Energy MLPs - ibtimes.co.uk. There are some public servants actually doing their jobs. Master LImited Partnerships utilized to subsidize the fossil fuel industry could soon be extended to the renewable energy industry. That is, if a Senate Bill with bipartisan support, is enacted. One study found that as much as $6 billion in private capital, currently excluded from renewable energy project, could be invested.

6.6.12 - Renewable energy costs falling: agency - phys. Chairman of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) reports solar energy costs have dropped 60% in recent years and other renewable sources like wind and hydro have also and they will continue to do so.

6.4.12 - Connecticut's $10M Package To Boost Residential Solar « - earthtechling. CT has committed to produce 27% of its energy from renewables. Now the General Assembly has established a a quasi public agency with $10 million to support residential PV systems through financing solutions that leverage more investment from private capital.

6.2.12 How to Make Renewable Energy Competitive - nytimes. Great article. There is still hope for renewables. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are traded publicly like stocks and could be used to finance renewable energy projects. In order to do so, first the IRS must clarify that renewables are eligible for REIT and then Congress must act to allow master limited partnerships to invest in "inexhaustible" resources as it allows them to invest in exhaustible resources.

6.1.12 - Will Scotland Dominate in Smart Grid? - greentechmedia. It looks like Scotland will dominate the smart grid. With ambitious plans to be 100% powered by renewable energy in 2020, they are also looking to commercialize smart grid technologies. A new workforce will be needed to develop and manage the infrastructure and university programs and partnerships have been created to supply a trained workforce. Are we prepared?

Wind:

For more news and the most up to date clips, visit the TidewaterCurrent Snip.it collection.

October 9-11 - American Wind Energy Association Offshore WindPower Conference & Exhibition

9.21.12 - Facing many challenges, wind power is shrinking - bendbulletin.com. Major turbine manufacturers, like Gamesa, Siemens and Vestas are laying off workers. Likewise, so are supporting industries, like component manufacturers and tower builders. The extension of the PTC could have prevented this.

9.18.12 - Siemens Develops More Efficient Wind Turbine Blades Based on Dinosaurs! - inhabitat.com. The new designs are being developed to increase efficiency and reduce noise on older turbines.

9.14.12 - Power East Coast via wind? Doable with 144,000 offshore turbines, study says - nbcnews.com. Good national coverage. The authors are not suggesting that all these turbines be sited off the coast from Virginia to Maine, but half that might be a realistic expectation.

9.13.12 - Wind energy at Cape Cod to save $1 million a year - af.mil. "Air Force Space Command is preparing to install two 1.6 megawatt utility-scale wind turbines at Cape Cod Air Force Station, Mass., located at the Massachusetts Military Reservation. The new turbines will be similar to these two already in place at the MMR and will offset more than 50 percent of the station's annual electrical purchases."

9.10.12 - The Earth Has Enough Wind Energy Potential To Power All Of Civilization - businessinsider.com. Not one but two recently published scholarly reports find that there is the potential for wind to provide 10-20 times the energy needed on earth. The issue is cost. Links included to the reports.

9.5.12 - UGE's New Hybrid Sanya Streetlight Goes Off-Grid For Big Savings - inhabitat.com. Urban Green Energy of NYC is launching their new Sanya street light with the installation of 100 units near Beijing.

9.4.12 - Japanese consortium to invest £962m in offshore wind power | Energy and Environmental Management (EAEM) Magazine. The Wind Lens designers estimate the device can provide 2-3 times the energy than a typical turbine and the base is modular so the farm can easily be enlarged.

9.4.12 -Drought-Stricken Farms Have 1 Lifeline — Wind Power - cleantechnica.com. There is a lot more room for growth in the wind industry. If the PTC is extended, the industry will continue to grow and support rural economies. According to the author, "More than 98 percent of wind turbines are located on farms, ranches and other private lands. And the industry pays out more than $400 million a year to property owners and local tax collectors, according to the Washington-based trade group, the American Wind Energy Association."

9.4.12 - Japanese consortium formed for new offshore wind push - rechargenews.com. "Hitachi-Zosen, Toshiba and five other Japanese companies are planning to build "several hundred" megawatts of offshore wind farms over the next decade."

9..3.12 - Cleveland State University wind turbines at Progressive Field are overachievers - cleveland.com. Corkscrew device lights up ball park stadium at night and deflects wind into the turbines generating more than 4 times the energy than if the turbines were sited alone.

8.31.12 - Mighty Wind: U.S. Wind Turbine Capacity Now Equals 11 Nuclear Plants (or 44 coal plants)- rdmag.com. 20% of US energy could be supplied by wind by 2030 (South Dakota and Iowa have already reached that milestone). In addition, some 30 billion gallons of water a year are currently being saved by using wind instead of coal or nuclear.

8.31.12 -Proposed N.C. wind farm on collision course with Air Force fighter jets - charlotteobserver.com. In addition to concerns voiced by the Air Force, the US FWS also have concerns about the impact of the proposed Beaufort County wind farm on eagles in the area. More info will be available after a Sept. 10 briefing.

8.31.12 - Bird-safe wind turbines soon may take flight - dailyrecord.com. NJ company is looking to develop the technology and employ veterans in the process. The technology is not discussed in great detail, but as pictured, the device funnels and concentrates flowing air into a very small turbine. In the article it seems more likely they are pursuing a residential market, instead of commercial production.

8.30.12 - The Aerogenerator X is a Huge Next-Gen Wind Turbine With More Power, Less Weight - inhabitat.com. New Vertical Axis offshore design.

8.28.12 - Vestas supplies its first wind turbines with intelligent aviation lights - evwind.es. "The Obstacle Collision Avoidance System – or OCAS – is an innovative solution that only activates the lights when an aircraft is operating in the immediate vicinity of a wind power plant."

8.28.12 - Proposed Long Island Wind Farm Could Supply 350,000 kWh of Electricity to NY - inhabitat.com. "The plans are expected to be approved in the next few weeks, which means that construction could begin within the next few months."

8.25.12 -Testa Talks Turbine: Checking In On The South Side's Wind Turbine- chicagoist.com. Testa Produce in Chicago built its LEED Platinum distribution facility among the brownfields of what used to be the Union Stock Yards. But what is catching peoples attention from miles around is the massive 250 ft. wind turbine that produces 30% of the facility's energy (and on 15 days last year 100%). The payback on the wind turbine is 10 years. Solar panels provide another 10% of energy requirements and they will also power two electric delivery trucks beginning next month. See more architecture news in Sustainable Design - Green Building.

8.23.12 - Microbes Make Methane from Waste Wind Power - renewableenergyworld. Wind farms at times produce more energy than can be used or stored. Researchers from Stanford and Pennsylvania State are developing a microbial electrosynthesis process to convert electricity to methane. The microbial methane uses atmospheric CO2 and therefor the CO2 that is released upon consumption is carbon neutral.

8.24.12 - Wind Wildlife Mapping Tool Now Includes Critical Habitat for Endangered Species in U.S. - treehugger.com. GIS Overlays of 225 endangered species included in the Wind Wildlife assessment tool developed by the Nature Conservancy and the American Wind Wildlife Institute. The tool will help companies comply with US Fish and Wildlife siting guidelines. LInks to the guidelines and the mapping tool included.

8.23.12 - Offshore wind test project planned - delawareonline.com. As many as 10 wind turbines could be erected off the Coast of Delaware if federal funding (available and applied for) is forthcoming for testing various technologies. The point of the University of Delaware project is to identify and validate reliable technologies. Several major turbine manufacturers are supporters of the project.

8.16.12 - Offshore Wind Energy Development Picking Up Pace - sustainablog.org. Great overview of international offshore wind farm development including analysis of the US policy and developments. 12 countries have offshore wind farms and another 20 are planning projects. The US has not yet developed a project and although late to the game, China is developing capacity fast and could meet 20% of their energy needs with offshore wind by 2020.

8.16.12 - Largest Building-Integrated Wind Power System in U.S. Installed in Oklahoma City- treehugger.com.

8.15.12 - First Floating Wind Turbine Receives Certification [Video] - breakbulk.com. The 2 MW floating turbine is moored off the coast of Portugal.

8.14.12 - GE unveils charge point for wind-powered cars - businessgreen.com. Urban Green Energy and GE have teamed up and are planning to deploy wind powered electric vehicle charging stations in the US and Australia later this year. See more snips in the Eco Transport collection.

8.14.12 - Feds taking input on proposed offshore wind farm - summitcountyvoice.com. The Danish company Statoil has proposed a facility some 12 miles off the coast of Maine could show feasibility of floating turbines.

8.10.12 - Migrating geese avoid wind farms - bbc.co.uk. After monitoring Pink-footed geese for several years, UK researchers find that they are avoiding offshore wind farms in their travel route.

8.9.12 - The Power Above: Kite Power Seeks High Altitude Power – ecomagination - Kite Gen of Italy aims to use kites to capture high altitude winds (the densest renewable power soure there is). Unlike other kite technologies, they plan to capture energy on the ground via a yoyo type system. Polyethylene strings tethering the kites reel in and out on a spinning drum attached to an alternator.

8.6.12 - Walmart Erects Its First Megawatt Wind Turbine In California - Forbes - With 100 stores sporting solar panels, Walmart is continuing its quest for 1000% renewable energy: A one megawatt turbine was just installed at the Red Bluff, CA distribution center that will supply 15-20% of the facility's electricity.

8.6.12 - Colorado Utility Got a Record 57% of Its Electricity From Wind Power - treehugger.com. Xcel energy on one evening in April set the US record.

8.4.12 - N.C. wind projects stalled; buyers, activists blamed - hamptonroads.com. Three proposed projects have no forward movement.

8.2.12 - Wind Tax Credit Still Alive In Capitol Haggling - earthtechling.com. "As expected, the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday afternoon passed a tax-break package that would extend the expiring wind production tax credit. If passed by the full Senate and House – not likely to happen for weeks or months, if at all – wind facilities that begin construction before the end of 2013 would be eligible for the 10-year credit. The vote was 19-5."

7.30.12 - Wind turbine with record-breaking rotors - phys.org. 75 meter blade is the largest fiberglass component cast in one piece that weigh 20% less than conventional blades. It will be installed this fall in Denmark for testing.

7.30.12 - Offshore use of vertical-axis wind turbines gets closer look - phys.org. Sandia explores VAWT design for offshore installation as they can reduce the cost power produced. They have better scalability, their center of gravity is lower so substructure costs are reduced, and they are less complex in design, requiring less maintenance.

7.27.12 - Hexicon floating wind farm proposal fails EU funding bid - maltatoday.com.mt. Investors are interested, so planning continues despite the setback.

7.26.12 - 1,000 GW of Wind Power Could be Generated in Atlantic - cleantechnica.com. Author is right on target: "The fact that the US is such a wealthy and technologically advanced country with some environmental awareness and regulations but has such a glaring absence of offshore wind power is beyond shocking." The offshore generating capacity is phenomenal off our shores. Meanwhile, Europe increased offshore generation by 50% last year.Clean Technica (http://s.tt/1j3ZZ)

7.26.12 - Wind turbine launch ceremony today - jdnews.com. Morehead City, NC - The turbine will generate power while serving as a demonstration project to help educate the public about the benefits of small wind power as a viable, clean source of energy.

7.26.12 - Brazil To Invest Heavily In Wind Power - earthtechling. As noted in the article, international investors are lining up to get a piece of the action. Here's the summation: "So – a government committed to renewable energy, a banking structure willing to be flexible to underwrite its development and a determination to site a number of the wind farms in impoverished regions of the country – it would seem that Brazil has become a wind power investor's dream."

7.24.12 - U.S. Ready to Lease Offshore Wind Areas - offshorewind.biz. Auction expected by the end of the year.

7.23.12 - Push for offshore wind power in Va. | WAVY.com | Virginia - In letter to Obama, environmental groups ask for more support developing offshore wind.

7.20.12 - Europe's offshore wind power capacity up 50% in a year - euractiv.com. In Europe, wind farms are attracting funding from pension funds and other institutional and corporate investors. If the PTC were extended, it's likely the same would happen here, creating jobs and clean power.

7.19.12 - Clear skies for offshore wind turbines off Atlantic City shore - nj.com. Fishermen's Energy project consisting of 6 turbines located 2.8 miles off Atlantic City's coast has received all approvals to move forward. Now they just have to work out the financing.

7.17.12 - Tiny Rooftop Turbine Could Make Urban Wind Farms A Reality - gizmodo.com. Not exactly tiny, the 10 ft. tall with a 12 ft. diameter, vertical axis turbine spins at low speeds with little noise or vibration and can capture winds from any direction, even turbulent city wind. The developers are working at scaling up the energy produced.

7.16.12 - Promoting wind energy in Virginia Beach | WAVY.com. Yesterday the Sierra Club rallied at First Landing State Park on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay to promote offshore wind power and renewal of the PTC.

7.7.12 - Bird Charity to Build Gigantic Wind Turbine - treehugger.com - Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in the UK is installing a wind turbine. The society is concerned about the impact of turbines on birds but feels with proper design and siting, wind is a much better option than fossil technologies.

7.6.12 - Congress Introduces Wind Energy Bills - onlinetes.com. The wind industry is suffering and jobs are being lost. The PTC could be extended through the Wind Powering American Jobs Act and companies hiring new employees could enjoy a 10% tax break through the Hire Now Act. Both Bills would support the ailing wind industry and spur the development of projects now on hold.

7.5.12 - Community Wind Arrives Stateside - renewableenergyworld.com. Common in Europe, community wind projects are now growing at faster rate than commercial projects in the US. Farmers, public and private schools, colleges, tribal governments, municipalities, electric cooperative and business are buying into wind. A number of projects are highlighted included a project in Boston that reduced the town's street lighting bill to zero.

7.4.12 - NASA researchers aim to help get airborne wind power systems off the ground - www.gizmag.com. Researcher at NASA Langley in Virginia have developed an autonomous system to fly energy generating kites. They've tested the system at low altitudes and now hope to test the system at the Wallops Island facility at high altitudes where winds are consistently strong.

7.2.12 - Hawaiian Cable Project 'May Boost Hopes' For US Offshore Wind « earthtechling.com - 25% of energy in Hawaii must be supplied by renewables by 2020. The inter-island HVDC cable will allow for the distribution of energy developed on different islands to be shared among currently unconnected grids. Planners expect that the grid will be able to support 1/3 of energy from renewable sources, considered a game changer if successful, which will have a positive impact on East Coast wind development. More info here: http://energy.hawaii.gov/resources/hawaiis-energy-future-depends-on-an-inter-island-undersea-cable-system

7.2.12 - Area offshore Mass., RI closer to seeing wind projects following US environmental assessment - washingtonpost.com. Stage being set for leasing process as Bureau of Ocean Energy Management completes offshore assessment that will simplify the process expected to begin as early as next year. Interested parties have 30 days to make comments on the assessment.

7.2.12 - Winds of Change: The Wind Industry Is Leaving the US - GreenTechMedia.com. NREL and more report that renewable energy reliance is feasiblle in the near term.

7.2.12 - Renova Strives for World's Cheapest Wind Power in Brazil: Energy - Bloomberg. Brazil is looking to double wind production and wind companies would like to take advantage of some of the most consistent winds on the globe. Renova's first of several farms just began operating and they expect to produce the cheapest wind energy in the world.

6.29.12 - The global boom in wind energy | Wind energy provides 3 percent of the global demand for electricity and will soon be delivering more electricity than nuclear power plants - DW.de. Great piece on the growing global wind energy trend. Reason for the global boom is price. Wind is competitive with coal in Europe and if you factor in the true coast of coal, the energy produced by wind would be much cheaper.

6.28.12 - Out with Wind Turbines, in with Windstalks? - designbuildsource.com.au. Windstalks containing piezoelectric disks (the same technoloyg employed in light up shoes) are planned for Masdar City in Abu Dhabi. As the stalks sway in the wind the disks compress and generate a current.

6.26.12 - 7 POPULAR MYTHS ABOUT WIND POWER (DEBUNKED) - revmodo.com. Good summary. Misinformation includes concerns regarding avian deaths, global warming, expense, noise, reliability, aesthetics, property value, and safety.

6.26.12 - Stihl Incorporated in Virginia Beach installed 2 Honeywell Windtronics turbines and is looking to install 7 more - TidewaterCurrent. The devices pictured rooftop on the ClearSense Building in downtown Durham, N.C. represent a design innovation, as energy is generated at the blade tips instead of at a hub based generator.

6.22.12 - Wind turbine built in Marshall unveiled - battlecreekenquirer.com. New vertical axis wind turbine being tested in Michigan. Built by Johnson systems and ArborWind Power, the companies hope to market the machine to industry and agribusinesses like dairy farms and greenhouses to supplement grid supplied power.

6.20.12 - Bigger Is Better for Wind Turbines - cleantechnica. Study in Environmental Science & Technology concludes that larger turbines produce more clean power without corresponding increases in material and constructions costs.

6.19.12 - Turbine Tech Turn Up: Machines for an Evolving Market - renewableenergyworld.com. Great read on the current status of the major players in wind (including offshore) with info on projects and turbines being developed.

6.19.12 - Principle Power and partners inaugurate the first (floating) Portuguese offshore wind turbine - power-eng. Vestas turbine installed on floating platform called the Windfloat. It is the first offshore turbine installed in Portugal and the first installation on this floating platform system.

6.15.12- Norwegian company touts its plan for wind farm off Maine coast - pressherald. Public meetings planned this month to discuss a floating turbine project. Statoil is looking to test 4 turbines 12 miles off Boothbay Harbor like the Hywind prototype pictured.

6.14.12 - Fort Lauderdale Hilton to Install Wind Turbines - travelhostelite. 6 Vertical axis wind turbines will be installed on the Hilton's rooftop this Fall. Solar panels are to be installed as well.

6.12.12 - Wind News Around the World - sustainablebusiness. Covers a lot of recent news from around the world, features a first: bank financing of an offshore wind project in the UK. A private equity firm is also partnering with Renovalia Energy investing in wind farms in Europe and North America. And FERC has approved a 500 mile high voltage direct current transmission line that will send renewable energy from Iowa, Nebraska, S. Dakota and Minnesota east.

6.8.12 - In Depth: Building a US offshore transmission backbone - rechargenews. The Bureau of Offshore Energy Management wants to fast track East Coast offshore wind development. Despite a petition to the shelve a right of way application by Dominion Resources, the Atlantic Wind Connection, a HVDC transmission line for offshore wind energy, will undergo an environmental review for the 61 meter wide corridor stretching from Virginia to New Jersey. Dominion either needs to bite the bullet and invest in offshore wind or stand back and watch as someone else does it. Once the AWC is operational, there will be interest.

6.7.12 - GE Readies for Waning Wind Power - businessweek. With rising costs and environmental concerns associated with fossil fuels, the wind industry should literally be taking off. Instead, anticipating a slow down in wind projects, as the PTC has not been extended, 10,000 US jobs are likely to be lost this year. If congress does not act to extend it, next year that figure will rise to a 37,0000. Even if Congress does act, it will take time for production rates (and jobs) to rebound in the industry.

6.6.12 - Even Karl Rove supports wind energy. Will Romney get on board? - leanforward.msnbc.msn. Karl Rove, and in general the Republican party, is for the renewal of the Production Tax Credit for wind. If that's the case, why hasn't it already been renewed???? Projects are being cancelled or pushed back and jobs lost. The author goes on to discuss Romney's position, which he has yet to make known. Whether he supports the PTC or not, Romney's comments on renewable energy are at best skeptical.

6.6.12 - Wind Mapping Study Looks at Turbine Feasibility for Boston High-Rises - marketwatch. A sky farm of ten 50 kW vertical axis turbines on top of high-rise can supply 10% of energy demand. Info at: http://easternwindpower.us/about/

6.4.12 - 10 COMPANIES INTERESTED IN MASS. OFFSHORE WIND DEVELOPMENT - power-eng. Massachusetts is gearing up for offshore wind development. Aside from 10 companies vying for offshore leases that would provide 4,000 MW of electricity (enough to power 1.7 million homes), a wind technology testing center has been established in the state and Siemens and other global leaders in the wind industry are also setting up shop there.

6.3.12 - Could Floating Wind Turbines Solve Our Energy Crisis? - worldcrunch. Pictured, Sway, the World's first full-scale floating wind turbine, assembled in the Åmøy Fjord (L.C.Nøttaasen). Unfortunately, the small scale test turbine sank in a storm, that would not be strong enough to take down a full scale model. Undamaged, it will be floated again so testing can resume. With so much untapped energy in offshore wind and deep water in many locations, floating turbines are the only option and represent an area of great growth for the industry.

6.1.12 - GE wind turbines installed at Vietnam's first offshore wind farm - evwind.es. Vietnam has offshore turbines before we do and we are helping to finance the the project and a US company (GE) is providing the turbines. Two turbines have been installed with 8 to follow by the end of the summer then the first phase of the project will be connected to the grid. An additional 52 are planned for the farm.

6.1.12- MAJOR WIND DEVELOPERS HAVE PLEDGED TO VOLUNTARILY INCORPORATE BIRD-FRIENDLY GUIDELINES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW WIND ENERGY PROJECTS AND TO MODIFY EXISTING TURBINES - Audubon Magazine. The Department of the Interior announces new wind farm siting guidelines to protect wildlife. US Fish and Wildlife Service to be in on siting deliberations and measures are to be taken to protect birds.

6.1.12 - Wind Program Newsletter: Energy Department Releases New Land-Based/Offshore Wind Resource Map - apps1.eere.energy.gov. Map shows predicted annual wind speeds at 80 m heights.

Solar:

For the most up to date news and even more clips,visit the TidewaterCurrent Snip.it collection.

Hampton Roads Solar Tour - 10/6-10/7/2012 - Free 2 day tour is part of the American Solar Energy Society's National Tour. October 6 - the Southside and Gloucester and October 7 - the Peninsula. 10:00 am - 4:00 pm - Registration required at hrsolartour.com. Info.

9.21.12 - Catholic U says parking lot solar panels gives it region's largest solar power installation - washingtonpost.com. 700 solar panels were installed under a power purchase agreement from Washington Gas Energy Systems.

9.17.12 - Why OPEC Likes Solar Power - wsj.com. The Saudis plan to fulfill 1/3 of their energy requirements with solar by 203so they can sell more oil.

9.13.12 - SPI 2012: President Bill Clinton addresses the solar industry - solarnovus.com. What American need to know: 100,000 people work in the solar industry and even in the economic downturn the industry is growing at 8% and "$22 is still being spent for coal, oil and nuclear for every $1 spent on our clean energy future"

9.13.12 - Sunshine for sale: Co-op offers shares in new solar farm [Chattanooga Times Free Press, Tenn.] - Overview of solar generation in Tennessee highlighting a great new cooperative solar purchase program. For $600, folks can participate in solar power production without the need to install anything on their own property and the return on the investment comes back at $.22/kWh. "The arrangement between Duck River and the Tennessee Valley Authority is a first-of-its-kind pilot program developed between a local power company and the federal utility that qualifies for TVA's Generation Partners Program, according to Duck River and TVA officials."

9.12.12 - Electric Airplane Maker Unveils Solar-Charging Trailer | Autopia | Wired.com- PC Aero of Germany unveils solar powered airplane with it's solar charging trailer at the Berlin Air Show. The company claims the plane has a range of 600 miles at a cruise speed of 90 mph.

9.10.12 - Canadian Solar to Brighten North Carolina Energy Picture - designbuildsource.ca. "Canadian Solar will handle delivery of the Laurinburg Solar Farm project, partnering with Mortenson Construction, which will take care of installation, engineering and design.All told, the site will generate roughly 3,483 megawatt/hours of clean solar energy per year. That will allow it to power 300 homes from its 10-acre site."

9.7.12 - 2012 Solar Decathlon Europe: The teams, round one - mnn.com. The US is not represented in this event, but there are some vey worthwhile entrants. Videos included. For more on eco homes visit the Sustainable Design-Green Building Collection.

9.4.12 - Interactive map shows potential for rooftop solar energy in New York City - evwind.es. According to CUNY, 40% of peak electrical demand could be meet if all of the city's suitable rooftops (some 2/3 of rooftops) sported solar panels.

8.29.12 - New River Valley Regional Jail Installs the Largest Solar Thermal System in Virginia | Correctional News

8.29.12 - Volkswagen Building Massive Solar Park in Tennessee - revmodo.com. The Enterprise South industrial Park installation developed by Phoenix solar It will be the largest solar installation in the state and supply 12.5% of the VW plants energy.

8.21.112 - PACE Clean Energy Programs May Rally With Your Help « - earthtechling.com. FHFA has a new proposal for the public to comment on. Please urge FHFA to restore PACE programs — and act now, because the comment period closes on September 13th.

8.24.12 - Tigi Solar Honeycombs Keep You Warm In Cold Climates - earthtechling.com. Highly efficient solar thermal water heating system developed in Israel could be used to heat European homes. The system recently won the Intersolar Europe grand prize and the company is looking for financial backing to fully develop the technology.

8.24.12 - IBM Researchers Have Developed Record-Breaking PV Cells - cleantechnica.com. The thin cells made from abundant natural materials are cheap and efficient (11.1%) and can be made with simple ink based technologies.

8.20.12 - BISEM Installs PV Curtain Wall Retrofit - solarnovus.com. Building integrated solar curtain system retrofitted onto the existing LEED Platinum SMUD customer service center. DC electricity generated by the thin film panels will run a cooling system in the technology demonstration center. See more clips in Sustainable Design-Green Building collection.

8.16.12 - Sunflower-Inspired Solar Power Technology Effortlessly Follows the Sun - treehugger.com. Liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE) was used by University of Wisconsin to develop a solar panel that passively follows the sun. As the material heats up, it contracts causing the assembly to bow towards light.

8.13.12 - Solar company to create more than 300 jobs in NC - sacbee.com. The Sacramento Bee- Schletter, a solar power mounting system manufacturer, supplies 25% of mounting systems in the US market. Average pay will be $41,000/year, much higher than the average in Shelby NC.

8.9.12 - New Solar Power Design Inspired by Telescope Could Produce Twice the Energy - cleantechnica.com. This looks like promising technology. University of Arizona photovoltaic solar module design uses curved mirrors to focus light and create a more efficient panel. Unlike solar thermal technologies that require water inputs to generate steam, these PV modules do not require the water or space that concentrating solar does.

8.3.12 - Turning Unwanted Land into Clean Energy | Get Solar.com - Second only to California in solar energy production, NJ has gone from only 6 installations in 2001 to over 15,000 with 4000 more planned. Many projects are being sited on brown fields and landfills - land that would otherwise likely go unused. See more in Energy-Solar collection.

8.1.2 - Taos community solar garden lets customers buy panels - santafenewmexican.com. $845 will buy a share. Seven panels totaling $5915.00 should offset half of your electric bill. The panels with a 50 year life expectancy.

7.31.12 - Ithaca homesteader powers home, car with sun - pressconnects.com. Self sufficient life-style supported with solar panels.

7.27.12 - Gazette.Net: Solar industry's prospects looking sunny in Maryland - Solar City Beltsville, MD office expands as local demand increases.

7.26.12 - Putting the sun to work - The Boston Globe - Solarize Massachusetts Program.

7.25.12 - South Pacific Island of Tokelau To Become The World's First Solar-Powered Nation - inhabitat.com. Some 4032 solar panels and 1344 batteries will be installed to provide power to the 1400 residents of the three Tokelau atolls (now currently reliant on diesel power).

7.24.12 - Switzerland Looking To Replace Nuclear Energy With Solar - revmodo.com. The goal is to replace half of the nuclear generation capacity with solar. It's still unclear how it will be achieved.

7.23.12 - NJ Solar Program Gets New Life Under New Law - nj1015.com. Christie signs legislation today that will promote solar installations in the state. Already 2nd in the Nation for solar energy generation, the move supports the industry by increasing the states solar energy requirement in it's renewable energy portfolio.

7.22.12 - Smart Grid Demonstration Project at Mueller - pecanstreet.org. In a community sporting the largest collection of solar panels and electric vehicles in the US, a study is being conducted on the integration of clean energy into the smart grid. More info on the Austin Texas project including a link to a PBS video can be found in a snip in Architecture Collection

7.22.12 - Following the Sun – Solar Touring Continues this summer as Ra begins it's 131 day Solar Odyssey along the Great Loop - tidewatercurrent.com. Tour to begin in Clearwater on July 22. Links to website included with schedule of stops.

7.20.12 - Scientists create highly transparent solar cells for windows that generate electricity - phys.org. UCLA team develops a polymer solar cell that absorbs infrared light and transmits the light into an electrical current.

7.17.12 - U.S. Military Adding Solar Roofs to More Base Housing - cleantechnica.com. Solar City is involved in a long term project to generate 300 megawatts of power from military housing rooftop solar projects. Today they announced 3 additional projects in California and Colorado.

7.16.12 - A PACE Rebirth? Sacramento and Ygrene Try to Unlock Green Homes - greentechmedia.com. Author provides a great review of the demise and potential resurgence of municipal financing programs for solar (and other green technologies). There seems to be a lot of interest from lenders to finance rooftop solar and it appears that Sacramento may have figured out a way to allow it despite issues with Fannie May and Freddie Mac. For more Solar news see the "Energy-Solar" TidewaterCurrent Collection.

7.11.12 - IKEA installs 21st PV system in Virginia - pv-tech.org. Largest solar array connected atop Woodbridge store. This the 21st installation for the retailer and 18 more are planned.

7.7.12 - Power-Generating Windows Offer New Horizons for Office Energy Efficiency - cleantechnica.com - Power generating solar luminescent windows created with the addition of a thin film added to existing windows could be available in the future. The technology not nearly as efficient as solar panels was develop at Deft University of Technology. But with no where near the expense and the opportunity to add them to existing structures, the technology has great potential.

7.5.12 - Construction of The World's Largest Solar Bridge Reaches Halfway Point in London - inhabitat.com - Solar will provide 50% of the power needed at the Blackfriars Station. The bridge project consisting of 4,400 solar panels will reduce CO2 emissions by 511 tonnes a year.

7.4.12 - Veterans Affairs Dept. to provide training for vets in the solar sector at Florida's US Solar Institute - articles.sun-sentinel.com. The school is the only all solar school licensed by the state and is connected with Underwriters Labs. The program can be completed in a few with weeks with practical job training lasting a few more.

7.1.12 - Japan opens solar energy parks - phys.org. Concern over nuclear safety has resulted in a push to develop renewables as a law became effective yesterday requiring companies to purchase renewable energy at a fixed price. Meanwhile 49 out of 50 reactors in Japan closed for safety checks. http://phys.org/news/2012-07-japan-solar-energy.html

6.27.12 - Solar Power Rises from City Dump - CleanTechnica. Re-powering America's Land Program supports developing brown-fields into renewable energy parks. A Canton, MA solar power project is one more example of landfill to solar projects. The EPA has identified 14 million acres of abandoned industrial sites that could be used in this way.

6.25.12 -These Solar Panels Are A Snap - FastCoExist. SoCore Energy's modular panels are made to stack like building blocks to any configuration, are easily moved and don't require any special tools or know-how to install.

6.20. 12 - More solar would lower energy costs for Texas in summer months – SEIA - - ecoseed. Brattle Group study finds that wholesale energy prices would decline in summer with the addition of solar to the electric grid. With capacity issues seen last summer and expected this summer, more solar would serve the state well.

6.16.12 - Comments Sought on Solar Incentives for Virginia Customers. Hampton Roads Solar Group.

6.16.12 - SCC SEEKS COMMENTS ON PROPOSED DOMINION VIRGINIA POWER PILOT PROGRAM TO BUY ELECTRICTY FROM CUSTOMER-OWNED SOLAR GENERATION -Power Engineering. Inludes info on how to submit comments. SCC Request for Comments Petition. Dominion documents filed with SCC (including petition and testimoney).

6.6.12 - A spotlight on solar energy - technicianonline. Durham based Semprius innovating solar industry with high concentration photovoltaic modules which attain higher efficiencies than standard pv modules.

6.4.12 - SoCalGas demonstrates Cogenra's cogeneration solar system for cooling purposes - gizmag. Thermal hot water generated in a dual concentrating PV/thermal system is being used for air conditioning. SoCalGas is testing the absorption chiller technology. The system is smaller than flat panel PV systems and with the production of electricity and hot water it is more efficient than a single solar system.

Marine/Hydro:

For the most up to date news, view recent snips at the TidewaterCurrent Snip.it collection.

9.15.12 - New wave energy technology - environmentalresearchweb.org. Great review of several wave/tidal energy devices, some not covered here before. Links included.

9.14.12 - Ocean Energy Flows To U.S. Grid For First Time - earthtechling.com. Bangor, Maine - Bangor Hydro Electric Company confirms that energy is flowing from the Cobscook Bay Tidal project. Ocean Power Renewable Company anticipates that their TideGen, tidal generator, will provide enough energy to power 25-30 homes over the course of the year.

9.12.12 - Ocean Energy Flows To U.S. Grid For First Time - earthtechling.com. Bangor, Maine - Bangor Hydro Electric Company confirms that energy is flowing from the Cobscook Bay Tidal project. Ocean Power Renewable Company anticipates that their TideGen, tidal generator, will provide enough energy to power 25-30 homes over the course of the year.

9.10.12 - SeaGen Tidal Stream Turbine Proves It's Ready for Commercialization - cleantechnica.com. "Given SeaGen's performance, Siemens MCT is looking forward to future deployments and orders from other tidal power project developers. Two Seagen projects — the 8MW Kyle Rhea project in Scotland and the 10MW Anglesey Skerries project in Wales — are in the advanced stages of development."

9.7.12 - Wave energy test up and running on the Oregon coast - oregonlive.com. "The Wet-NZ wave energy device is bobbing in the Oregon surf, testing the potential for waves as a power source." The New Zealand device is undergoing a 5 week test and sending information to a data hub anchored nearby.

9.4.12 - AW-Energy Raises $9 Million to Commercialize Wave Power System - cleantechnica.com. 3 Finnish Wave Rollers installed off the coast of Portugal on the sea floor in August are being tested in a pilot project.

9.3.12 - £7.9m for Scottish Wave and Tidal Power - cleantechnica.com. Scottish government awards grants to 5 companies for pilot projects using very different technologies.

9.3.12 - Project Aims to Harness Wave Energy Off the Oregon Coast - nytimes.com. Great overview of the wave energy development along the Oregon Coast.

8.28.12 - Orkney, leader in green energy, launches wave power competition - guardian.co.uk. The £10 Saltire prize challenge has 4 marine energy firms competing, including the Pelamis with the Sea Snake, Aquamrine with the Oyster 800, MeyGen with a tidal generator and Scottish Power Renewables also with tidal generators. To win the purse, the devices mush operate for two years and produce 100 gigawatt hours of electricity.

8.28.12 - Wave Energy Devices Put To Test In Oregon - earthtechling.com. Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center at Oregon State opens a testing center for marine energy devices. While not connected to the grid, the Center will provide the opportunity for device developers to test their systems in a challenging environment.

8.24.12 - Tech Briefs: The SeaUrchin Tidal Power System - azocleantech.com. Designed and developed by Elemental Energy Technologies of Australia, the technology is deployable virtually anywhere there is flowing water. The scalable device can be deployed in rivers and irrigations canals to capture the power of flowing water or a very large system can be deployed to capture the energy in ocean currents.

8.24.12 - Shetland island Yell to get a tidal power turbine -yourolivebranch.org. World's first community owned tidal turbine.

8.23.12 - Private Investors Stepping In On Tidal Energy Development - revmodo.com. Severn Estuary between England and Wales could produce 16 terawatt hours of electricity each year.

8.20.12 - OCEAN POWER TECHNOLOGIES INC Awarded FERC License For Oregon Wave Power Station - 4-traders.com. License is the first to be issued for a wave power station in the United States.

8.17.12 - Korea plans tidal test-centre with aid of Scottish know-how - Wave/Tidal/Hydro - rechargenews.com. The Scots leadership in developing wave and tidal resources domestically is paying off with international opportunities. This is the third deal in Asia.

8.9.12 - The world's biggest marine energy projects - evwind.es. Overview of marine energy projects.

8.2012 - Carnegie Wave Energy study identifies two potential site for a wave energy plant off of the Irish Coast. The company has applied for a license to conduct surveys for a 5 MW project - CWE Irleand

7.30.12 - Marine Energy Park in Scotland launched - eandt.theiet.org. The Pentland Firth park including the European Marine Energy Centre will be launched today by the UK Energy Ministry.

7.27.12 - Alliance Between Israel and El Salvador in the Renewable Energy Field - marketwatch.com. Group intends to design and construct 2 wave energy plants in El Salvador.

7.27.12 - Finnish wave power ready to surge - uutiset. Two prototypes will be tested offshore this summer, the Penguin in Scotland and the WaveRoller in Portugal.

7.26.12 - Springs inventor's wave energy machine succeeds | koaa.com | Colorado Springs | Pueblo | Cycloidal Wave Energy Generator is tested at Texas A&M.

7.25.12 - Tidal energy hits milestone in U.S. | SmartPlanet - First commercial grid connected tidal plant to be installed this summer in Maine by Ocean Renewable Power Company.

7.24.12 - Guidelines revised for marine power development in the US - waterpowermagazine.com. BOEM and FERC new guidelines promote opportunities to test wave and tidal energy devices on the OCS. Link to new guidelines provided.

7.23.12 - Brazil Promotes First Wave Power Generator-- offshorewind.biz - University of Rio de Janeiro develops an wave energy converter.

7.16.12 - Australian navy signs up for wave power at its main base | Reuters - The Carnegie CETO buoys use wave energy to pump pressurized water onshore and spin turbines to create electricty.

7.14.12 - Wind and wave renewable energy devices to be tested in Massachusetts coastal waters - southcoasttoday.com. Yesterday a University of New Hampshire barge was launched at Fairhaven wharf for deployment in Muskeget Channel to test a tidal generator. It is part of project coordinated out the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center based at UMass Dartmouth (which includes numerous state and private organizations) to test, tidal, wave, and wind devices. The fast moving current between Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, is ideal for testing and deployment of hydrokinetic devices.

7.11.12 - Tidal Turbine's Fish, Seabird Impact Put To Test - earthtechling.com. Sonar, radar and observation being used to study turbine impacts on marine and avian creatures.

7.5.12 - Innovations In Wave Power: An Interview With Dr. George Taylor - www.azocleantech.com - Ocean Power Technologies Executive is interviewed. An explanation of their PowerBuoy technology is included as well as their current and future plans (which include several demonstration projects).

7.3.12 - World's Largest Wave Turbine Gets New Grant from Australian Government - cleantechnica.com - Australia looks to be a global leader in wave power technology and energy production. With $10 million in new government funding announced, BioPower and Oceanlinx will gain the opportunity to further demonstrate their technology. Carnegie Energy funded previously is constructing a 2 MW grid connected demo of its CETO technology.

6.29.12 - Edinburgh Wave energy company wins major award - theedinburghreporter.co.uk. Aquamarine Power Oyster wave generator wins first prize for product and innovation at the first RenewableUk Energy Awards.

6.20.12 - Next Generation Wave Power Testing Completed By Ocean Power Technologies - azocleantech.com. OPT testing new larger prototype device off Oregon.

6.20.12 - Wave energy — Tidal study to map where power may be harnessed - redoubtreporter.wordpress. Cook Inlet Alaska - 10 tidal monitoring stations were deployed by NOAA last week. Based on data collected a model of the inlet will be developed that estimates tidal energy around the Inlet.Close to population, the Inlet is best suited for tidal energy development.

6.18.12 - S.D.E Sea Wave Energy is in Negotiations With The Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy of Ecuador to Construct Power Plants That Produce Electricity From Sea Waves - marketwatch.com. SDE is planning to deploy sea wave energy devices along the coast of Ecuador and Galapogos Island.

6.12.12 - Eco Wave Power installs medium-scale wave energy generation system in the Black Sea - gizmag. Lots of images.

6.12.12 - Wave energy the focus of Science Pub - gazettetimes. Oregon - OSU along with AXYS technologies of Vancouver are to deploy a test buoy off of Newport this summer where developers can attach wave devices for testing.

6.4.12 - The new new hydropower: Small-scale turbines have big potential - grist. Hydrokinetic energy is being tapped in an irrigation canal. Highways of channels have been developed worldwide and are particularly prevalent in the western United States to deliver water to farms and cities. The Bureau of Reclamation which manages thousands of miles of canals is working with the Interior Department and the Army Corps of Engineers to expand the use of this environmentally sound resource. A Seattle Start up, Hydrovolts, is testing technology to capturing the energy of this flowing water. Meanwhile, a Boston based company is testing somewhat different hydrokinetic technology in the Mississippi River. Video included. http://grist.org/renewable-energy/the-new-new-hydropower-small-scale-turbines-have-big-potential/

6.1.12 - Tide turns towards undersea energy - CNN.com. Scottish tidal turbine tested off Orkney can produce 1 MW of energy enough to supply 500 homes.

Grid, Storage and Transmission:

For more news and the most up to date clips, visit the TidewaterCurrent Snip.it collection.

9.12.12 - Areva Solar, US Sandia Labs Join Forces for CLFR Molten-Salt Storage - solarnovus.com. "The system draws molten salt from a cold (290°C, 554°F) tank, uses the temperature from the mirrors to heat it to as high as 550°C (1022°F) and passes that hot liquid to a separate tank for storage. When needed, the high-temperature molten salt passes through a heat exchanger to produce steam for electricity generation. "

9.11.12 - Iron-air batteries: 'Eco-friendly' storage solutions for renewable power - ecoseed.org. "Cheap, rechargeable and eco-friendly means to store energy from solar and wind power plants."

9.11.12 - Oregon BEST awards commercialization grants for green roofs, energy storage | Sustainable Business Oregon. Applied Exergy of Oregon is working with OSU to develop energy storage technology in ice slush. They technology is particularly favorable for use where waste heat is generated, such as data centers, which would use the heat to release energy.

8.24.12 - Drexel develops storage device to keep renewable energy flowing - ecoseed.org. " Engineers from Drexel University are looking to provide the grid what it needs with an electrochemical flow capacitor technology which combines the principles behind two energy storage techniques, the flow battery and the supercapacitor."

8.17.12 - As smart electric grid evolves, engineers show how to include solar technologies- phys.org. VT team discusses large scale distributed energy storage system for solar energy in an award winning student paper. The team developed an algorithm for managing a fleet of batteries connected to distribution transformers so solar energy stored in the batteries can be withheld for peak demand. Hope Dominion/Virginia Power has the vision to work with these guys.

8.13.12 - The Deal: European Supergrid Sets High Expectations - renewableenergyworld.com. Undersea network of transmissions line will promote renewable development, reduce energy costst and provide energy stability.

8.8.12 - New Water-Based Salt Battery for Renewables - revmodo.com. Developed at Murdoch University in Australia, the affordable batteries are meant for large scale generation systems.

8.6.12 - Low cost energy storage - energyharvestingjournal.com. USC team creates an iron air battery that is cheap and stores 8-24 hours worth of energy.

Steam Punk Remakes Power Grid With Compressed Air - wired.com. For renewable power technologies to play a more significant role in any grid, efficient storage is essential. One young entrepreneur has started a company and developed a compressed air storage system that is twice as efficient as other systems. LightSail Energy has the backing of Khosla Partners and with numerous countries turning to renewables for their energy future, they are in a good business position. More in Energy-Storage/Transmission.

7.23.12 - Europe launches grid-connected renewable energy storage project - eetimes.com. Ingrid project slated for development in the Puglia region of Italy that uses hydrogen based storage and electrolysis with fuel cell power for distribution.

7.13.12 - Grid Scale Energy Storage: The Holy Grail of America's Energy Revolution - greentechnologyinvestments.com. Good review of renewable storage issues. Company push for Vanadium flow battery technology.

7.7.12 - Energy Storage Update: Zinc-Air and Frozen Air Move Forward- greentechmedia.com - Review of emerging technologies: Zinc-air and cryogenic.

6.29.12 - Spray Paint Battery Could Turn Any Surface Into Power Storage -webpronews.com. Rice University researchers have developed a spray painted battery that they envision could be used with paint on solar cells for building exteriors making solar energy production and storage very affordable. Video included.

6.26.12 - How Norway can help Germany store green energy - DW.de. Excess renewable energy created in Germany will be transmitted through an underwater cable to Norway reservoirs for storage. When needed, like at night, Norway will transmit it back.

6.19.12 - DDW: Steel cut on World's Larges Wind Power HVDC Offshore Platform - marinelink.

6.19.12 - Renew Grid: HVDC Transmission Project In New Mexico Moves Ahead - renewgridmag. 900 mile line to deliver power to California.

6.12.12 -The new hotness in energy storage: gravel - gigaom. Isentropic heat pump

6.4.12 - Energy storage: Could hydrogen be the answer? - solarnovus. Hydrogen is not the most efficient means to store energy, but it does have several advantages over other storage technologies, including cost - especially for large scale applications.

5.30.12 - Cheap Solar Power at Night - Technology Review - technologyreview. Halotechnics has developed a thermal storage material more efficient than salt for use at concentrated solar facilities, reducing cost and potentially reaching the sunshot initiative goal of producing energy at 6 cents per kW hour.

Biomass & More

For more news and the most up to date clips, visit the TidewaterCurrent Energy-Bio or Out of the Box Snip.it collection.

9.13.12 - City plans biogas renewable energy project - waterworld.com. Wilmington, DE will capture methane from their wastewater treatment plant and the Cherry Island landfill to produce 4 MW of energy or roughly 90% of the treatment plants energy requirements.

9.10.12 - All the Trimmings: Jenbacher Engine Powers University with Biomass – ecomagination - Wood chips and tree trimmings to help heat University of British Columbia.

8.22.12 - Columbia Falls biorefinery plant hosting open house | KPAX.com | Missoula, Montana - Sited by a lumber mill, the Algae AquaCulture Technology Greenhouse, sequesters carbon from the facility and produces low-carbon fuel, clean water, nutrient-dense soil, and vibrant, nutritious food. Check out the company's facebook page.

8.22.12 - Brewing Biogas in Bitburg- designbuildsource.com.au. 193 year old german brewery uses GE combined heat and power technology to sustainably brew beer. By using the new system which burns biogas created from the facility's wastewater, energy use and carbon emissions have been reduced.

8.20.12 - Mobile machine can make biofuel for military and humanitarian operations - gizmag.com. The Endurance Bioenergy Reactor developed at DoE's Argonne National Laboratory can produce energy on location using kitchen and latrine waste.

8.15.12 - Bill Gates Backs Solar Powered, Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Equipped Toilet - treehugger.com. Caltech won first place in the Gates Foundation Reinvent the Toilet Fair. They developed a working model of a solar powered toilet that turns human waste into energy.

8.14.12 - Scientists: Wastewater Can Be An Energy Superstar - earthtechling.com. 3% of electricity goes toward treating wastewater. With microbial fuel cell technology being developed at Oregon State scientists, sewage treatment plants will be able to produce all their own energy and more. According to the author, this technology could be a real game changer. See more in Energy-Bio and Energy-out of the box.

7.26.12 - Cities will convert 260 million tons of waste to energy | SmartPlanet. With the largest per capita energy consumption and waste production, it certainly seems like a good idea in the US. The waste stream will be reduced. Biomass in the waste stream may limit the contribution to GHG emissions. but other emissions could be a concern.

7.25.12 - The missing link to a $7 billion market | SmartPlanet - Demand for wood pellets is high in Europe, it's a market the US can supply (whether we should is another question).

7.23.12 - Tax credits awarded for Wastewater treatment and renewable energy plant - JSOnline - Wisconsin farming operators are developing a facility to treat wastewater. Through anaerobic digestion at the plant, renewable energy will be generated.

7.19.12 - Cow Power in Action: 920,000 kWh of Electricity and Happier Cows - cleantechnica.com. The USDA through it's Rural Energy for America Program is helping livestock operators collect and anaerobically digest manure to produce biogas. The biogas produced at Pennwood Farm in Pennsylvania provides more electricity than needed generating income from the sale of the extra electricity and leftovers from the digestion process can be used for bedding saving the farmer $60,000 per year. This is a win win program as the cow manure will never make into our waterways.

7.14.12 - 14-year-old generates electricity from raindrops | SmartPlanet - Piezoelectric sheet of polyvinylidene fluoride used to collect energy from falling rain.

7.13.12 - There's heat in our waste water that can be used displace energy needed for water and space heating - inhabitat.com. Minnesota Town to Tap into its Own Sewers for Geothermal Energ.

6.28.12 - Smart trains: Philly public transit line goes green with energy storage pilot - smartgridnews.com. A regenerative breaking project with funding through the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority is underway. The technology is being used in Philadelphia to capture wasted heat generated from breaking trains. The energy can be stored and fed directly to the grid when there is high demand.

6.20.12 - Denver Zoo Elephant Passage (Powered by Poo) Takes LEED - EarthTechling. Biomass gasification system converts elephant poo and 90% of zoo waste into energy that powers the elephant exhibit (reducing annual landfill contributions by 1.5 million pounds annually). Most of the water in the exhibit is also recycled for use in other exhibits and irrigation.

6.14.12 -US Biomass: Where Do All the Wood Pellets Go? - renewableenergyworld. It's cheaper for Europe to import and burn Wood Pellets instead of coal at power plants (due to carbon emissions standards and taxes - that we don't have).

6.13.12 - Ancient effect harnessed to produce electricity from waste heat - phys. Wasted heat can be converted into electricity via the pyroelectric effect which was first described by a Greek philosopher. Nanogenerators could be developed to capture energy created through temperature fluctuations.

5.23.12 - Pedal-Powered Lives & Businesses: 5 Top Stories - cleantechnica. Pedal powered lights, movie theaters, gyms and coffee roasters.

5.22.12 - Energy recovery trial begins for diesel commuter trains - eandt.theiet. Kinergy evaluation in the UK on the regenerative braking capability.

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