Beyond boom and bust: Recommendations for a clean energy policy

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Excerpt: This executive summary comes from a report by the Breakthrough Institute The recent gains made by clean-tech sectors in the U.S. are shadowed by the looming collapse of federal subsidy support, which has been a powerful driver of expanding clean-energy markets. As documented in a report – …

U.S. Fish and Wildlife updates guidelines for wind-farm development

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Excerpt: In March, 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) released its final Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines. These present a tiered approach for the consideration and analysis of potential impacts to wildlife and habitat from onshore, wind-energy development. The five-tier process and other guid …

FERC clarifies requirements for simultaneous electric exchange transactions

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Excerpt: This article comes from the law firm Troutman Sanders (troutman.com) and authors Jeffrey M. Jakubiak and Karen J. Kruse In February 2012, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission defined the scope of permissible locational exchanges of electric energy in response to Puget Sound Energy, Inc.’s …

U.S. tech firm wins appeal in European Patent Office

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Excerpt: Valence Technology Inc., a U.S.-based global manufacturer of advanced energy storage solutions for commercial applications, has prevailed in seeking the dismissal of an appeal by Hydro-Quebec (HQ) of a decision of the European Patent Office revoking a HQ European patent. The EPO Patent correspon …

AMSC provides litigation update

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Excerpt: AMSC, formerly American Superconductor, an equipment manufacturer serving wind and grid industries, has provided an update regarding its legal actions in China. As previously reported, AMSC filed for arbitration and three civil lawsuits in the Chinese courts against Sinovel Wind Group Co., Ltd. and …

2012 Iowa Wind Energy Conference

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Excerpt: The Iowa Wind Energy Association is planning its 5th Annual Wind Conference April 9 to 11th, 2012 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Iowa has achieved over 20% of its electrical generation from wind energy, the highest nationally, and has become a role model for the same goal nationally. Th …

FERC affirms MISO’s interpretation of transmission capacity sharing

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Excerpt:   The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), denied Southwest Power Pool's (SPP) request for rehearing on issues related to its joint operating agreement (JOA) with MISO. The ruling affirms, for the second time, MISO's interpretation of the JOA. On July 1, 2011, FERC issued a decla …

Legal issues 101

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Excerpt: These issues encompass much of what happens in the renewable-energy industry. Due to an increased value placed on wind, recent legal issues have emerged regarding wind rights. One legal expert says that, like many new developments, technology often progresses faster than the law. Some believe offici …

Ontario tax clarifications for RE installations

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Excerpt: In January 2012, Ontario Regulation 282/98 under the Assessment Act was amended to provide greater clarity and introduce new rules governing the property tax treatment of renewable-energy installations. The amendments apply to facilities that generate electricity using solar energy, wind energy, or …

Trial of U.S. tech stolen in China slowly proceeding

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Excerpt: Commercial arbitration between AMSC (American Superconductor Corporation) and Sinovel Wind Group Co., Ltd will begin on Monday, January 9. This hearing with the Beijing Arbitration Commission is the first in a series of cases, which includes the biggest intellectual property claim ever made in Chine …