Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has proposed a major offshore wind energy plan in his state for the second year in a row. But even though the plan has wide backing from environmental groups and the public, it may once again face stiff headwinds of opposition from utilities and the state legislature.
The truth can be very inconvenient. With real-world experience and numerous non-partisan research organizations showing over and over again that state-level renewable energy targets have not substantially driven up electricity rates, clean energy opponents are simply creating their own numbers.
There’s promise in reclaiming abandoned open pit iron ore mines in Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range and reusing them to store energy from wind turbines and farms. Utilities, industry and government are increasingly looking at hydroelectric pumped storage as an efficient, clean means of making more use and better managing growing amounts of intermittent electrical power being produced from wind energy.
In a stunning reversal of popular wisdom, overzealous state legislators and interest groups are jeopardizing over $4 billion in economic activity and thousands of jobs promised in Missouri’s 3-year old renewable energy law. Missourians should override their mistaken legislators, reaffirming their commitment to local renewable energy and even consider the benefits of maximizing the state’s clean electricity production.
The pace of solar installations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania is ironically destroying the incentives that make such installations possible.
Today, the heavily (52-28) Democratic majority in the California Assembly voted easily to approve, by 59 to 19, one of the most ambitious renewable energy programs in the world, joined by several California Republicans.
Utilities got a boost last year, when the new investment tax credits from the federal government were extended to allow public utilities to qualify for the full credit, to help utilities invest in renewable power. Since utilities must get more renewable power onto the grid (in all of the states … [continued]
Renewable energy comprised more than half the energy added this year to the Northeast grid, comprising part of Canada and 6 US states. 17 GW of renewable energy projects in the region will be completed in the next five years. [social_buttons] It is no coincidence that each of these states … [continued]
Which state makes 15 percent of its electricity entirely from wind power? Iowa. In 2006, according to the Iowa Utilities Board, wind power provided 5 percent of the state’s electricity. Now, just three years later, Iowa produces between 15 and 17 percent of its own electricity from wind power. MidAmerican … [continued]
