Renewable Energy News

So, the fiscal cliff was averted in a last minute-deal by DC lawmakers. Sort of. For now. Or so we're told. We think.

Solarworld AG, the German solar-panel maker that led a group of manufacturers in complaints against unfair competition from China, expects the European Union to announce anti-dumping duties as early as May.

Wind in the Americas has tremendous opportunity for growth, particularly in Latin America. By 2025, the region is expected to reach 46 GW of total installed wind capacity, according to the IHS Emerging Energy Research study, "Latin American Wind Power Markets and Strategies: 2010 – 2025." Brazil is expected to lead the Latin American region with 31.6 GW of installed capacity by 2025, followed by Mexico with about 6.6 GW. Brazil is predicted to house 69 percent of the total Latin American installed wind capacity in 2025, positioning the country as a leader for development, turbine manufacturing and wind turbine component supply chain assembly.

The renewable energy industry had quite a bit to celebrate this week as 2013 rang in a PTC extension that many had feared would never come to fruition. Though the extension to January 1, 2014 greatly benefits the wind industry, whose PTC was set to expire at the end of 2012, it also included a provision that could be huge for geothermal development. This provision states that projects under construction by January 1, 2014 would quality for the PTC, rather than the previous rule that required projects to be completed and operational.

Well, 'The Fiscal Cliff' theater was played out in Washington, and Congress included renewable energy in the final bill. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, the deal includes one-year tax-credit extensions for cellulosic biofuels, biodiesel, renewable diesel and algae-based fuel. The cellulosic bonus depreciation, which allows biofuel companies to expense up to half of their eligible capital costs in their first year, was also given a one-year extension. These advanced biofuels applications are critical for the U.S. to evolve its biofuels reliance onto non-foodstuff sustainable biomass – both wastes and non-arable land crops.

David Herron of Torque News stated in his article “60 kWh Tesla Model S rated at 208 mile electric driving range by EPA:  “The 85 kilowatt-hour Model S, $77,400 for 265 miles range, or $292/mile of range. The 60 kilowatt-hour Model S, $67,400 for 208 miles range, is $324/mile of range. The other electric cars cost a lot more per mile of driving ran

As 2013 begins, here at the Digest we resist the holiday temptation to look back over the challenges and highlights of the year gone by, and instead once again roll the dice as we list the Digest's 10 Top Biofuels Predictions for 2013.

As 2013 begins, the concentrated solar power (CSP) industry in the U.S. is on the brink of a major turning point. After years of hesitancy to invest in CSP due to required increases in efficiency and cost reductions, a wide market acceptance of solar thermal power plants is knocking at the door, driven by the development of next generation technologies in thermal storage, heat transfer and plant components. These developments, along with the current U.S. political and solar power market, will drive lower costs and make utility-scale CSP commercially viable for the first time.

For the fourth year in a row, my model portfolio of clean energy stocks has beaten the clean energy sector as a whole, this year by 23.8%. Unfortunately, this was mostly due to another year of poor performance by my industry benchmark, the widely held Powershares Clean Energy (PBW) ETF, which lost 16.4% for the year.

It takes outside-the-box thinking to outsmart the solar spectrum and set a world record for solar cell efficiency. The solar spectrum has boundaries and immutable rules. No matter how much solar cell manufacturers want to bend those rules, they can't.

Warren Buffett's MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co. agreed to spend as much as $2.5 billion to build two solar projects in California that are set to be the world's largest photovoltaic development.

Demand for solar photovoltaic (PV) energy across Latin America and the Caribbean is poised for explosive growth through 2017, with a forecasted compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 45%, according to the new NPD Solarbuzz Emerging PV Markets Report: Latin America & Caribbean.

Every year since 2008, I've published a list of ten (or eleven in 2012) clean energy stocks I expect to do well over the coming year. The list is intended as a model portfolio which could be used by a small investor looking to avoid the relatively high costs of clean energy mutual funds, most of which have expense ratios around 2%, in addition to the trading costs they incur with fairly high turnover ratios.

Vestas Wind Systems A/S, the biggest wind turbine maker, led gains among European peers as the U.S. Congress approved a law extending a tax credit for the industry.

California holds the unofficial title of greenest of U.S. states. But Massachusetts might swipe the crown if it keeps up its current pace investing in green energy. For those in the energy efficiency industry, Massachusetts is a state to watch for opportunity. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy has named Massachusetts the top stat

On January 1, 2013, Congress passed legislation that included the long-sought extension of wind energy tax credits in a bill to avert the "fiscal cliff" that now moves to President Obama for his expected signature.

With 2013 poised to pounce, now’s the time for all forward thinking solar proponents to peer into that proverbial crystal ball to see what the new year holds in store. What will 2013 look like for global solar initiatives? How will this impact the creation of jobs? Here’s what some of the experts have to say about the outlook for the coming year.

Developers, manufacturers, investors and other renewable energy industry stakeholders need to know where the next big market is going to be so that they can adjust their business decisions accordingly.

Held in wintry Beijing from December 9 through December 11, Intersolar China offered attendees an opportunity to share ideas and discuss the outlook for the solar industry as it moves from a stressful and margin sagging 2012 into hopefully, the beginnings of recovery in 2013. Despite an ongoing gloomy mood throughout the solar industry, the conference was well-attended and the attendees upbeat. The anti-dumping investigations in India and the EU, along with the U.S. decision, were addressed, though sometimes indirectly, during the conference. Representatives from Suntech, Yingli, and Trina did not offer presentations at the conference.

Out with the old calendar, in with the new calendar – similar to the US fiscal cliff problems (which may or may not be resolved by the time this article comes to print) the solar industry is dragging a number of problems, concerns, conundrums and unfortunate choices into 2013. It is time to remember that the industry is not shackled to past choices, rapidly changing incentives (FiTs) or promises of too low prices for technology and systems. Solar is the technology of the future and it is ready to deploy now. Here are ten solar New Year's resolutions to get us started: