Two of the most recognizable wealthy businessmen in the Western World appear to have very different opinions on the viability of renewable energy.
Author: Dr. Jim
Weighing Obama’s SOTUS Proposal: More Oil Drilling to Fund Clean Energy?
President Barack Obama’s proposal to fund clean-energy research with fees paid by oil and gas producers is renewing a debate over whether the promise of innovation tomorrow is worth expanding drilling today.
Onshore Wind Drives Germany’s Renewables Revolution, but Is It Too Much of a Good Thing?
Onshore wind power is the wunderkind of Germany’s path-breaking clean energy transition. Stretching from the gusty coasts of the North and Baltic Seas all the way now to the Alps, the nation’s land-based wind turbines (23,000 as of 2012) account for vi…
Net Metering Debate Rages On Despite Calls For Calm
Net metering is one of the most emotionally charged issues in renewable energy, and now it’s back in the spotlight. A panel discussion at PV America East in Philadelphia last week explored ways that utilities and ratepayers can agree on how to quantify…
Emerging PV Markets: Learning from the German Model
Germany is the pioneer market of the PV industry due to a very early ecological movement with its first political representatives (“Die Gruenen”) back as early as 1980. Currently, in terms of installed capacity, Germany is second-to-none with approx. 3…
If America Wants Energy Innovation, It Will Have to Help Fund It
Despite overwhelming evidence that the growth of the clean tech industry benefits workers in red and blue states alike — Texas alone employs more clean tech workers than there are coal workers in the entire country — some in Washington still argue that clean tech subsidies are a market distortion that America cannot afford.
Photovoltaic Production in China’s Jiangsu Province Falls 30% in 2012
Total output value of the PV industry in Jiangsu province, China amounted to 180 billion yuan (approx US$28.9 billion) for the first 10 months of 2012, a year-over-year decrease of 28 percent, according to recently released data. The industry’s total e…
Obama Reinforces Support for Renewable Energy
US president Barack Obama maintained his commitment to renewable energy in his State of the Union address on Tuesday night.
A Cooler Way to Protect Silicon Surfaces
Silicon, the material of high-tech devices from computer chips to solar cells, requires a surface coating before use in these applications. The coating “passivates” the material, tying up loose atomic bonds to prevent oxidation that would ruin its elec…
Why Did Finavera Wind Energy’s Stock Crash?
A month ago, I was convinced that Finavera Wind Energy’s (TSX-V:FVR, OTC:FNVRF) stock was only temporarily trading at depressed levels in the low 20 cent range because investors were disappointed at the deal with Pattern Energy. Many shareholders had …
China’s Solar Dragon Year 2012
According to the lunar calendar the year of the dragon came to an end on February 9, 2013. A “dragon year” which only takes place every 12 years is characterized by numerous significant events usually initiating/causing profound fundamental changes for…
California’s CEC Adds Renewable Energy Expertise
In his State of the State address a few weeks ago, Gov. Jerry Brown indicated his intention to “make California again a leader” in, among other things, renewable energy and state-of-the-art efficiency.
100 GW of Solar PV Now Installed in the World Today
Cumulative global installed solar PV capacity has topped the 100-gigawatt (GW) milestone, according to preliminary numbers from the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA). Roughly 30 GW worldwide was connected to the grid in 2012, about the …
China’s Hainan Province Mulls Electric Vehicles Demonstration Project
Industry leaders and experts were all positive concerning the future of Hainan province’s electric vehicles market at the 2012 Global New Energy Vehicle Conference (GNEV) held in Boao and Haikou, two cities in Hainan province, China in January. Experts…
What’s Driving, and Constraining, PV Demand in Greece
Forecasting PV market demand in European countries has at times been particularly challenging. Complications include demand being largely policy-driven, the lack of market caps, and downstream channels being adept in shifting high inventories rapidly t…
U.S.-East Africa Collaboration: From Start-Up to Top-Gear in the Geothermal Industry
The East African hotbed called the Rift Valley is already validated in the global geothermal sector by successful operations in Kenya and beyond nearby borders, and is poised to be one of the fastest growing and sustained geothermal markets in the worl…
GE Snatches Wind Installation Crown from Vestas
Preliminary rankings of global wind installation capacity show something not seen in 12 years: longtime market leader Vestas looking up at someone else.
Asia Report: Solar Trade Battles Brewing Between India, US, China
With solar trade tensions still high between the US and China, now there’s another front in the competitive global solar marketplace — the U.S. has formally filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization over portions of India’s National Solar Mi…
Maryland Ocean Turbines Seen Powering US Offshore Wind Energy
A stripped-down wind-energy proposal backed by Maryland’s governor and gaining support in its legislature may be the first step in creating a network of offshore turbines and sub-sea cables spanning the U.S. Atlantic coast.
German Ministries Clashing Over Renewable Subsidies
German Economy Minister Philipp Roesler stepped up demands for extra cuts to subsidies for wind and solar power providers, aggravating a clash with his Environment Ministry Cabinet colleague over the nation’s energy overhaul.