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03.12.21 News 42

Greentech Media in action at the 2019 Solar Summit, one of our last live events before the pandemic put us all behind screens.

Greentech Media Bids Farewell

A 14-year run covering an energy industry transformed — and just getting started.

by Jeff St. John

03.08.21 Energy 21

Jigar Shah sees a role for DOE to bring new clean technologies to bankability through the $40 billion loan programs office.

Jigar Shah’s Plan to Manage DOE’s $40B Loan Program

The solar PPA pioneer and “infrastructure-as-a-service” investor has been selected to revive the program that boosted Tesla and utility-scale renewables.

by Jeff St. John

03.01.21 Energy 18

Calculating the value of renewable resources may require doing away with the concept of energy return on investment, experts say.

Examining the Limits of ‘Energy Return on Investment’

Experts say a key energy metric doesn’t work for renewables.

by Jason Deign

02.16.21 Grid Edge 48

The massive blackouts across Texas are pushing regulators and policymakers to consider the threat of winter demand peaks and power-plant-disabling temperatures.

Texas Energy System Faces a Winter Reckoning

Widespread power plant failures spur calls for better weatherization and an examination of bulk power market structures.

by Jeff St. John

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02.15.21 Grid Edge 87

A winter storm of historic proportions has shut down power plants and forced Texas grid operator ERCOT to cut off to power millions of utility customers.

Winter Storm Forces Blackouts Across Texas

Grid operator ERCOT has lost 34 GW of generation as extreme cold shuts down generators, leaving about 2.5 million customers without power.

by Jeff St. John

02.12.21 Wind 10

Vestas has big plans for its offshore unit, and the turbines just keep getting bigger. (Credit: Vestas)

Vestas Launches World’s Largest Turbines as ‘Big 3’ Competition Ramps Up

With GE, Siemens Gamesa and Vestas all well established across the domains of onshore, offshore and services, which company will come out on top?

by John Parnell

02.10.21 Grid Edge 53

Grid-scale batteries and hybrid renewable-storage projects are growing in scale, and transmission grid operators are struggling to manage them. (Credit: Stem)

How US Grid Operators Plan To Tackle Energy Storage at Gigawatt Scale

Batteries and hybrid renewables-plus-storage projects will be a massive grid resource. Transmission grids and energy markets will need to adapt.

by Jeff St. John

02.08.21 Wind 0

Between them, RWE and BP/EnBW took 6 GW of the 8 GW awarded. (Credit: RWE)

BP, RWE and EnBW Win Big in UK Offshore Wind Leasing Round

RWE and a BP/EnBW partnership win 3 GW each, with Ørsted missing out.

by John Parnell

02.04.21 Energy 4

The latest report on reaching net-zero carbon by 2050 breaks down the potential benefits on a state-by-state basis. (Credit: NASA)

A State-by-State Model of the US Net-Zero-Carbon Future

A new study forecasts clean energy’s economic benefits for middle America as well as the East and West Coasts.

by Jeff St. John

02.02.21 Wind 20

Chinese government reports of 120 gigawatts of wind and solar installed last year have confounded industry analysts.

What Is Going On With China’s Crazy Clean Energy Installation Figures?

China says it installed more wind than the rest of the world put together last year.

by Jason Deign

02.01.21 Grid Edge 8

SPP's energy trading market expansion is one of several steps across the U.S. to grow electricity markets and interstate transmission for a renewable-powered grid.

Growing Energy Markets: Southwest Power Pool Expands Day-Ahead Trading to the West

The latest real-time energy market expansion underscores a growing appetite for sharing renewable power across regions.

by Jeff St. John

01.28.21 Grid Edge 8

Former FERC commissioners lend weight to new report calling for a major reworking of federal transmission policy.

Report Calls for a Ground-Up Overhaul of Federal Transmission Grid Policy

Seven former FERC chairs and commissioners agree: The U.S. transmission grid needs to expand dramatically to meet clean energy goals.

by Jeff St. John

01.27.21 Energy 16

President Biden's new executive orders range from federal clean energy and EV procurement and R&D to environmental justice. (Credit: GTM)

Biden Executive Orders Set Broad Federal Role in Clean Energy and Climate Change Mitigation

The orders combine federal clean energy and technology procurement, R&D support and environmental justice.

by Jeff St. John

01.27.21 Solar 1

Capital Energy was the big winner with 620 MW of wind projects. Iberdrola won 243 MW of solar capacity. (Credit: Iberdrola)

Onshore Wind Closes In On Solar in Spanish Auction

PV wins the bulk of capacity, but the average bid price was only a dollar below wind.

by Jason Deign

01.26.21 Energy 12

The Sierra Club's definition of what utilities must do to reduce carbon emissions is very different from how utilities have set their own targets.

New Report Shows Gap Between Utility Carbon Pledges and Climate Change Imperatives

The Sierra Club says utility pledges “greenwash” coal and natural gas. Utilities point to the costs of massive fossil plant shutdowns.

by Jeff St. John

01.26.21 Energy 2

Annual solar and wind deployment may need to double if the EU is to hit its new climate target. (Credit: Nordex)

New Climate Targets Will Require Europe to Double the Pace of Renewables Deployment

A new report finds that European renewables overtook gas and coal for power production in 2020, but there is more work to do.

by John Parnell

01.25.21 Solar 2

First Solar is scaling back its business outside of manufacturing.

First Solar Sells Off Majority of Development Pipeline

Texas-based Leeward Renewable Energy will obtain about 10 gigawatts’ worth of solar projects from the sale.

by Emma Foehringer Merchant

01.25.21 Energy 2

Corporate giants are seeking federal policies to expand wholesale energy markets and harmonize decarbonization policies nationwide. (Credit: Google)

What the Biggest Corporate Energy Buyers Want From Federal Clean Energy Policy

Companies including Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, Walmart, Disney and Mcdonald’s lay out their policy priorities.

by Jeff St. John

01.25.21 Wind 7

SkySails Power's latest project in Mauritius seeks to rejuvenate support for the technically challenging airborne wind power sector. (Credit: SkySails Power)

Will Airborne Wind Power Finally Fly in 2021?

Significant progress will need to be made for the concept to escape Makani’s shadow.

by Jason Deign

01.21.21 Energy 13

New FERC chair Richard Glick, pictured with fellow FERC Commissioner Neil Chatterjee, will bring Democratic leadership to a federal agency core to President Biden's clean energy agenda. (Credit: FERC)

President Biden Names Richard Glick as FERC Chair

A new leadership role for a key Democratic opponent to Republican-supported policies at a vital federal agency.

by Jeff St. John

01.20.21 Energy 16

President Joe Biden has moved quickly on the earliest steps of his climate and energy plans in his first day in office.

Inauguration of President Biden Kicks Energy and Climate Agenda Into Action

Hours after being sworn in, Joe Biden resubmits U.S. to Paris Agreement and lays the groundwork for a major climate-change mitigation push.

by Jeff St. John, Julian Spector, Emma Foehringer Merchant

01.19.21 Wind 1

Mainstream has worked on a number of offshore wind projects, including the 3 GW Hornsea project in the U.K., later sold to Ørsted. (Credit: Ørsted)

Aker Horizons Buys Up Mainstream Renewable Power

The Norwegian firm acquires a 75 percent stake in Mainstream Renewable Power, an Irish developer.

by Jason Deign

01.14.21 Wind 2

Turbines, and factories, are getting bigger onshore and offshore. (Credit: Siemens Gamesa)

Siemens Gamesa Cuts 266 Jobs as Onshore Wind Restructuring Continues

Two wind turbine facilities in Spain to close as demand for smaller blades falls away.

by John Parnell

01.13.21 Wind 0

New York's biggest round of offshore wind contracts yet anchor Gov. Andrew Cuomo's latest green investment plan.

New York’s Latest Clean Energy Push Includes 2.5GW of Offshore Wind Contracts for Equinor and BP

The largest U.S. offshore wind contract to date is a centerpiece of Gov. Cuomo’s new call for expanded clean energy investment.

by Jeff St. John

01.13.21 Grid Edge 1

Pearl Street Technologies is applying integrated-circuit modeling techniques to planning a more optimal transmission grid.

Pearl Street Technologies: A New Way to Optimize the Transmission Grid

Carnegie Mellon spinout raises funds for integrated-circuit modeling tech adapted to model renewables-rich power grids.

by Jeff St. John

How Cheap and Abundant Can Clean Power Get?

Climate Fintech Startup Atmos Financial Puts Savings to Work for Clean Energy

Could Chile’s Auction Help Save CSP From Oblivion?

What the Coming Wave of Distributed Energy Resources Means for the US Grid

Extreme Weather Keeps Maxing Out the Grid

A Wartime Plan for Electrifying America

An Island’s Path to 100% Renewables

Greentech Media Chronicled Clean Energy Before It Was Cool

Are Batteries at a Turning Point?

Vestas Ventures Makes First Investment With Stake in Wooden Tower Start-Up

Vestas Launches World’s Largest Turbines as 'Big 3' Competition Ramps Up

BP, RWE and EnBW Win Big in UK Offshore Wind Leasing Round

How Cheap and Abundant Can Clean Power Get?

Climate Fintech Startup Atmos Financial Puts Savings to Work for Clean Energy

Could Chile’s Auction Help Save CSP From Oblivion?

Wind Markets & Policy

Greentech Media Bids Farewell

Jigar Shah’s Plan to Manage DOE’s $40B Loan Program

Examining the Limits of ‘Energy Return on Investment’

Texas Energy System Faces a Winter Reckoning

Looking for Fixes to What Broke the Texas Power Grid

Hawaii’s Bold Step Into Utility Performance-Based Ratemaking

Solar Will Be Cheapest Form of Electricity Across US by 2030, Plus Other PV Trends

Winter Storm Forces Blackouts Across Texas

Vestas Launches World’s Largest Turbines as ‘Big 3’ Competition Ramps Up

How US Grid Operators Plan To Tackle Energy Storage at Gigawatt Scale

BP, RWE and EnBW Win Big in UK Offshore Wind Leasing Round

A State-by-State Model of the US Net-Zero-Carbon Future

What Is Going On With China’s Crazy Clean Energy Installation Figures?

Growing Energy Markets: Southwest Power Pool Expands Day-Ahead Trading to the West

Report Calls for a Ground-Up Overhaul of Federal Transmission Grid Policy

Biden Executive Orders Set Broad Federal Role in Clean Energy and Climate Change Mitigation

Onshore Wind Closes In On Solar in Spanish Auction

New Report Shows Gap Between Utility Carbon Pledges and Climate Change Imperatives

New Climate Targets Will Require Europe to Double the Pace of Renewables Deployment

First Solar Sells Off Majority of Development Pipeline

What the Biggest Corporate Energy Buyers Want From Federal Clean Energy Policy

Will Airborne Wind Power Finally Fly in 2021?

President Biden Names Richard Glick as FERC Chair

Inauguration of President Biden Kicks Energy and Climate Agenda Into Action

Aker Horizons Buys Up Mainstream Renewable Power

Siemens Gamesa Cuts 266 Jobs as Onshore Wind Restructuring Continues

New York’s Latest Clean Energy Push Includes 2.5GW of Offshore Wind Contracts for Equinor and BP

Pearl Street Technologies: A New Way to Optimize the Transmission Grid