During a recent weekend, 50% of California’s load was served by renewables – about 12,000 MW.
Landmark Dividend completes California utility-scale wind acquisition
Landmark Dividend LLC, one of the nation’s leading ground lease acquisition companies, has completed the acquisition of 2,400 acres underlying a 50-MW wind farm in Tehachapi, California. The property, which is located in the Alta Wind Energy Center, also includes 82,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space. “The acquisition of the Tehachapi site is…
Los Alamos tackles modernizing energy grid in DOE-wide Laboratory Consortium
Under a new, $220 million U.S. Department of Energy grid-modernization program, Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists will collaborate with other laboratories, academia, and state and local agencies on critical research and development in a number of key areas, such as advanced electrical storage systems and integrating clean energy into the grid. Up to $35.25 million…
California legislature boosts Renewables Portfolio Std to 50%, but balks at increased reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
This article, from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, is authored by Dario Frommer, George Cannon, And Edward Zaelke The California Legislature has approved an ambitious plan to boost targets for renewable energy generation and energy efficiency but has rejected proposals to reduce petroleum usage by 50% and to reduce California’s greenhouse gas (GHG)…
Wind energy industry applauds California’s move toward 50% renewable energy by 2030
The American wind energy industry hailed California’s intention to get half its electricity from zero-carbon renewable sources within 15 years. The state has stepped up its efforts to fight climate change, saying wind can help get the job done while protecting consumers from energy price spikes. A more diverse energy supply for the world’s eighth…
Vestas wins new U.S. service agreement featuring broad asset-management responsibilities
Vestas has secured an agreement with Renewable Energy Trust Capital (RET Capital), which highlights Vestas’ increased flexibility and scope in service offerings. The agreement covering the 102-MW Coram Wind Project located in the Tehachapi region of California reflects Vestas’ service business flexibility. Vestas will serve as RET Capital’s onsite asset manager with responsibility for 24/7 surveillance,…
First U.S.-Mexico cross-border wind farm officially opened
The first U.S.-Mexico cross-border wind farm was recently inaugurated in Tecate, Baja California. Constructed on approximately 5,300 hectares (13,100 acres) of leased land near the city of Tecate, the project consisted of designing, building, and operating a wind farm with 47 wind turbines, each with a nominal capacity of 3.3. MW, as well as the construction…
RET Capital closes financing on the 102-MW Coram Wind Project in California
Renewable Energy Trust Capital, Inc. (RET Capital) announced it has closed the financing to support its recently acquired 102-MW operating Coram Wind Project from BAIF U.S. Renewable Power Holdings. The project, located in Kern County, California, benefits from long-term contracted revenues through a power purchase agreement with Pacific Gas & Electric Company to provide clean, reliable and…
Rosendin Electric consolidates renewable energy divisions
Rosendin Electric, one of the nation’s largest private electrical contractors and an employee-owned company, announced the consolidation of its Renewable Energy divisions in its Southern California office. Dedicated to the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of renewable energy projects, the newly formed Rosendin Electric Renewable Energy Group bridges the company’s Solar Power and Wind Energy…
California Tribe installs first renewable hybrid microgrid
The Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria is installing the first California Tribal renewable microgrid system this summer in Loleta, California. The Bear River Band’s new energy system is the only system of its kind combining wind energy, solar energy, and advanced energy storage. “Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria has a long-term investment in…
Con Edison Development enters into agreement to procure GE Energy Storage System
GE announced that it will supply Con Edison Development (CED) with an eight megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy storage system in Central Valley, California. The new storage solution will be utilizing GE’s Mark VIe-based plant control system, Brilliance MW Inverters, and packaged lithium ion battery modules. “We have a history of working with GE in thermal…
A letter to the editor: Hurray for Ohio? Legislators show level-headed thinking, says reader
Dear Windpower Engineering & Development: [This is in response to recent legislation, Ohio Senate Bill 310, that put the Ohio RES on hold for two years and set back the state’s wind industry by many more.] Oh my! There are politicians in Ohio who actually have the courage to ask, “What cost to consumers [do]…
From site assessment to O&M, distributed wind developer does it all
In an era of big corporations, one developer has gone decidedly small. One turbine at a time, Foundation Windpower has crisscrossed California and installed over 22 MW’s worth of wind machines. The company seeks out large businesses with high energy costs, such as a Safeway grocery distribution center in Tracy or a similar Walmart facility…
Construction firm and developer team up for their 19th wind project
Mortenson Construction, a North American renewable energy contractor, was recently selected by San Diego-based developer enXco to build the Pacific Wind Project. Located on the south slope of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County California, the 8,500 acres project will generate 140 MW. Mortenson will be responsible for the design and construction of access roads,…
California signs 33% renewable portfolio standard into law
By Dian Grueneich and Theresa Cho, Morrison & Foerster Reaffirming California’s commitment to the development and use of renewable energy sources, Governor Jerry Brown recently signed Senate Bill X1 2, which requires all California utilities to generate 33% of their electricity from renewables by 2020. The new 33% renewable portfolio standard (RPS)—the most ambitious in…
120-MW planned for Tehachapi, CA
A wind project is planned for the Tehachapi in southern California. The Windstar wind project will be developed Western Wind Energy Corp (“Western Wind Energy”) and consist of 120 MW of Gamesa G8X Series wind turbines.
California Air Resources board adopts risky 33% RE standard
This article comes from law firm of Stoel Rives LLP, (stoel.com) The California Air Resources Board (ARB) unanimously adopted its Renewable Energy Standard (RES), mandating that California’s public and investor-owned electric utilities procure 33% of their electricity from renewable resources by 2020. The RES was adopted pursuant to the authority granted the ARB in AB…