I know, I know. All our heart goes out to distributed solar, but utility-scale solar installations in the United States are very much alive and kicking. In fact, of the 6 GW of new solar capacity added in the US during 2014, 63% of it came from utility-scale plants. This included two mammoth projects … [continued]
Originally published on WRI. By Josh Ryor and Priya Barua In the U.S. heartland, where retail electricity costs less than the national average, states from Iowa to Utah to Nevada are investing in renewable energy to protect against fossil fuel price volatility and save customers money. Operating in these states, … [continued]
Electric battery-powered cars are more in demand in China than ever. After five years of the Chinese government offering incentives for electric cars, the transition to electricity is picking up speed. BYD Co., the Shenzhen-based maker of electric buses and fully electric and plug-in hybrid electric passenger cars is out front and doing well. … [continued]
Warren Buffet’s energy investment vehicle MidAmerican Energy — which has already invested over $15 billion into renewable energy — will soon be investing a further $280 million into Iowa wind farms. To be specific, the utility — which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway — is now planning to develop a … [continued]
Time for another solar news roundup. Enjoy! Drop other hot stories that we haven’t covered in the comments! SunPower’s CEO, Tom Werner, has voiced his opinion that off-grid solar is naive. Simply put: the grid is helpful and even needed. (Solar Love) California has hit a new solar output record. … [continued]
Rocky Mountain Power struck a deal with Boston-based First Wind agreeing to purchase solar power over twenty years from four solar facilities in Beaver and Iron counties in Utah. Construction is set to begin in 2015 and be completed the following year. According to First Wind, the new solar sites … [continued]
The Warren Buffet cash-train appears to still have more on it for renewables, based on recent statements made by the mega-investor. While making a speech at a conference in Las Vegas earlier this week, Buffet made the comment that while his Berkshire Hathaway investment house had already invested around $15 … [continued]
Google made a big news splash this week, announcing it was partnering with KKR to invest in four California solar power projects, but that was only one of many newsworthy stories that broke. Among them are plans to develop an East Coast grid to carry power from offshore wind farms, BP Solar quitting the business after 40 years, a second German solar power industry player filing for insolvency and a second solar investment by Warren Buffet and Berkshire Hathaway’s Mid-American Energy.
