Germany: Full speed ahead on renewables

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Germany forges ahead with ambitious renewable energy plans

Germany’s rail corridors are lined with medium-size photovoltaic installations.

A cluster of wind turbines is barely visible in the lower righthand corner of the image.

By Bob Berwyn

MUNICH, GERMANY — It’s been a whirlwind week of travels here in the ‘old country’ where I grew up, but as I scan the news from back home in the USA and Colorado about the politics of renewable energy, I’m still thinking about what I saw as we flew into Frankfurt a little more than a week ago.

The U.S. Senate is playing politics with wind power, and presidential candidate Mitt Romney says he would do away with even the most harmless way to promote renewable power, the so-called wind energy production tax credits.

Meanwhile, even from 30,000 feet, the change in the German landscape is striking — hundreds, and even thousands, of power-generating wind turbines dot the countryside, in small clusters near villages, in lines along ridge tops, and in seemingly random clumps around some of the larger cities.

It all adds up to about 29,000 megawatts of electricity, enough to supply 8 percent of the industrial country’s needs, and Germany has been adding new wind capacity at a healthy rate. (more…)

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Energy: The big GOP lie about renewables and fossil fuels

Posted on May 27, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

German solar energy production peaked at 20 gigawatts recently, equivalent to the production from 20 nuclear power plants.

Seduced by cheap natural gas, U.S. may lose ground in the path away from fossil fuels

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Closing in on the peak of the presidential election season, it’s probably too much to expect honesty from politicians desperate to get elected or re-elected.

But it’s especially disturbing to hear lies about things that can easily be proved with fact-based reality checks. Energy is one of those issues that’s been twisted beyond recognition by the Republican Party, mainly because so many of the GOP’s candidates are heavily financed by fossil fuel companies — and by the way, so are plenty of Democrats.

The latest political twist is the claim that high gas prices are due to President Obama’s policies of pursuing renewable energy at the expense of fossil fuels, and that we can merrily drill and frack our way to cheaper fuel prices, all the while upping emissions of greenhouse gases. (more…)

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Solar power to boost Chilean agriculture

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Verdant agricultural areas contrast with the surrounding desert and mountains in northern Chile.

Photovoltaic plant will pump groundwater for farm irrigation

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY —Fruit growers in a remote region of Chile plan to boost their output by building a 300-kilowatt photovoltaic plant in the Atacama Desert. The solar power facility will help the farmers pump groundwater in a region where a thriving mining industry competes fiercely for scarce electricity.

With a $32 million loan and technical assistance from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Subsole plans to increase output 60 percent over the next four years, mostly by expanding farming in the rich agricultural area of Copiapó Valley, a region 800 kilometers north of Santiago that is surrounded by the Atacama desert. (more…)

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Scientists urge caution on Southwest solar development

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

USGS report says impacts of large-scale installations are not well-understood

Potential for solar energy is high the desert Southwest, but there is also the risk of unintended impacts to rare wildlife.

Agassiz’s desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). Large areas of desert tortoise habitat are developed or being evaluated for renewable energy development, including for wind and solar energy. PHOTO COURTESY JEFFREY E. LOVICH.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY —Ramping up large-scale solar power installations could have unintended environmental consequences, including significant impact to wildlife, according to a new study by the US Geological Survey’s Southwest Biological Science Center.

The report calls for more extensive studies on how to balance solar energy development with resource conservation before rushing headlong into the renewable energy future. It can downloaded at this website for the remainder of the month.

The issues raised with regard to rare and endangered species like the Agassiz’s desert tortoise present a conundrum of sorts, for if fossil fuel use continues unabated, the climate may become too warm for those species to survive — solar energy development or not.

Nonetheless, the USGS researchers present a reasoned argument for assessments both onsite and offsite impacts, as well as the effects of include construction and decommissioning, saying, “to date almost no peer-reviewed studies on the impacts of solar installations specifically.” (more…)

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Breckenridge goes solar in a big way

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Breckenridge hopes to generate 10 percent of its municipal electricity consumption from several new solar arrays coming online at town facilities.

Renewable energy a big part of town’s long-term sustainability plan

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — A new array of solar panels in Breckenridge will generate 10 percent of the town’s municipal electricity consumption, officials said Tuesday after flipping a ceremonial switch to turn the system on.

Installed at seven locations, the combined arrays will save the town more than $900,000 in the next 20 years and offset about 18,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions. Installations are complete on the town’s ice rink, rec center and vehicle maintenance shop, and work is under way to finish arrays at several other town facilities.

“Adopting renewable energy as part of our long term strategic SustainableBreck Plan is right in line with the priorities of the Town of Breckenridge, Mayor John Warner said during the ceremony. Warner was joined by Greg Bohan of Renewable Social Benefit Funds, Eric Westerhoff of Innovative Energy, and Breckenridge Town Councilmember Jennifer McAtamney. (more…)

Filed under: Colorado, energy, Environment, renewable energy, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news | Tagged: , , , , | 14 Comments »

Summit County: Free webinars on solar rebates today

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Get info on Xcel's new solar rebate program during a couple of free webinars today.

Get the beta on changes to Xcel’s cash-back program

By Summit Voice

With the Xcel Energy Solar*Rewards program restarting today, with rapidly decreasing incentives, installers are trying to get  backlogged applicants into the Xcel system as fast as possible. If you are considering a photovoltaic system , making a move toward applying for the rebate would be prudent now as the rebate rates will drop rapidly.

Several local installers will be helping potential customers get up to speed on the changes in the program.

Today, Alpine Solar in Silverthorne will present two webinars  to explain the program changes and other financial incentives. Click on the link when the program is about to start. The webinars are limited to 25 participants.

Wednesday, March 23, 11 a.m.
https://www.fuzemeeting.com/fuze/a556c32f/12714713
And again at  2 p.m.
https://www.fuzemeeting.com/fuze/a556c32f/12714837

Just click on the link for the webinar you wish to attend.  The webinars will be about 30 minutes.

Innovative Energy will host a March 24 solar cafe from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Abbey’s Coffee in Frisco. Innovative Energy also has information on federal tax credits and state rebates from Colorado Governor’s Energy office online at www.renewablepower.com.

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Closed landfills could become solar power parks

Posted on November 12, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

The EPA wants to encourage renewable energy development on brownfield sites.

EPA proposes a methodical plan to redevelop contaminated areas as renewable energy sites

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — The recent push to develop renewable energy resources has already led to a few conflicts, as plans for large-scale solar installments raise concerns about impacts to wildlife habitat. Similar concerns have come up with regard to plans for wind power. It seems that, wherever we turn, we have to watch our step.

Most recently, citizen groups in Colorado’s San Luis Valley have challenged plans for a large solar facility and associated power lines, saying that solar facilities should be located closer to the areas where the power is used. Redeveloping brownfields in urban areas as renewable power sites could help address such concerns.

A partial answer to this dilemma may come from the EPA, which is trying to find ways to use brownfields as sites for renewable energy development. Abandoned industrial areas, closed landfills and former gas stations polluted by oil are among the locations under consideration. (more…)

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Solar energy jobs growing quickly in Colorado

Posted on October 26, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

Job growth in the solar sector continues to outpace general economic growth.

New projects on federal lands should help sustain renewable energy boom

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — While the overall job market is still anemic, the renewable energy industry, in particular solar, is doing its part to help with economic recovery. About two in three solar companies expect to add new positions in the next year. Nationwide, the number of solar-related jobs is expected to grow by about 26 percent in the next year. That compares to overall projected economic growth of 2 percent.

According to the recently released National Solar Jobs Census, Colorado is sixth in the country, with 5,300 solar jobs, trailing only a few powerhouse states like California, Texas and Pennsylvania.

The report, compiled by the nonprofit Solar Foundation, concludes that U.S. Solar companies expect to add jobs at a pace that far exceeds the general economy. The industry is still small compared to other economic sectors, with a total of 93,000 jobs. But 50 percent of all solar companies expect to add employees during the coming year. Read the full report here (more…)

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Blue River resident wins solar court battle

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

Pole-mounted photovoltaic panels in England. PHOTO VIA THE CREATIVE COMMONS.

Court rules that the town board of trustees violated its own development rules by denying application for a pole-mounted solar array

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — District Court Judge Karen Romeo has ruled that Blue River property owner Michelle Tonti can install a pole-mounted solar array, saying that the town board of trustees abused its discretion by misapplying its own regulations when it overturned a previous approval by the Blue River planning commission. (more…)

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