Sharp Teams Up with Sandia National Laboratory
by Jesse Broehl, Editor, RenewableEnergyAccess.com
Last November, we reported on an agreement being signed between one of the U.S. Government's top energy laboratories Sandia National Laboratory and the Sharp Corporation, based in Japan. Sandia this week made a public announcement of the agreement and provided a few more details about the thrust of the partnership.

DOE Continues Hydrogen Focus and Spending
by Jesse Broehl, Editor, RenewableEnergyAccess.com
The U.S. Department of Energy rolled out a large new round of funding dollars and a research "roadmap" aimed at identifying and overcoming the technical and manufacturing challenges associated with the further development of commercially available hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. This also, however, continues a policy goal that many critics say faces insurmountable challenges and comes at the expense of research and support of renewable energy technologies.

New Mexico Bill Aims to Export Renewable Energy
A bill under consideration in New Mexico could create the essential groundwork for the state to become a large-scale net-exporter of renewable energy produced from the state's abundant natural resources.

Ford Unveils Hybrid E85
Ford Motor Company recently unveiled the Ford Escape Hybrid E85 at the Washington Auto Show. The Escape Hybrid E85, a research vehicle that features both hybrid electric power and flexible-fuel capability, is the world's first hybrid vehicle capable of operating on blends of fuel containing as much as 85 percent ethanol.

Patagonia Completes Solar Power Carport
The Patagonia clothing company, which has a history of socially and environmentally conscious actions, recently completed the installation of a large solar photovoltaic carport project at its Ventura, California headquarters.

Wind-generated Electricity to Power Hydrogen Refueling Station
One of the first United States-based hydrogen fueling stations to use electricity from wind power to produce hydrogen from water is under way in North Dakota.

Scottish Scientists Explore Solar Hydrogen Production
In the first project of its kind in Scotland, Professor Tariq Muneer and his team at Napier University's School of Engineering want to use the electricity produced by solar panels to create hydrogen gas through electrolysis, demonstrating every step of the clean hydrogen energy cycle.

Hawaii Electric Utility Touts Wind Power Device
As renewable energy becomes a bigger topic in Hawaii with rising imported energy costs, the islands' major electric utility announced notable technological progress on the wind power front.

Landfill Expansion Calls for More Generators
Almost a year and a half after the Atlantic County Utility Authority (ACUA) allowed AC Landfill Energy LLC to develop and install a 1,600 kW methane-to- electric power generation system at its landfill in Egg Harbor Township, the board has approved two additional generators to be built to handle the increasing size of the landfill.

British Surveyed on Future of Energy Policy
A recent survey of the British public's attitudes toward future energy options revealed high levels of concern about climate change. While polls over the past four years have shown a gradual lessening of opposition to replacing nuclear power stations, the new results still show more opposition than support.

Polaris Geothermal Makes Headway
Polaris Geothermal recently activated the power purchase agreement (PPA) for San Jacinto-Tizate Geothermal Project between its wholly owned subsidiary, Polaris Energy Nicaragua S.A. (Polaris Energy) and Union Fenosa (UF). An addendum to the PPA was endorsed by the Nicaraguan electricity regulator, Instituto Nicaraguense de Energia.

GT Equipment Technologies Sells Majority Stake
As the solar market goes, so too does the solar grade silicon market. With growth in the solar industry at all-time highs, a New Hampshire-based company that manufactures the variety of hardware for the manufacturing of solar photovoltaic cells has sold a majority interest in the company.

FPL Energy Announces Bat Conservation Initiative
The nation's largest wind energy producer, FPL Energy, announced the formation of a pilot bat conservation initiative to identify, fund, and/or implement projects with demonstrable conservation benefit for North American bat species. This move comes after growing concerns about bat mortality at some eastern U.S. FPL wind energy projects.

Ohio Announces Renewable Energy Grants
Ohio Lieutenant Governor Bruce Johnson announced that the Ohio Department of Development will award $450,000 in grants to help deploy residential, commercial and industrial projects that implement renewable energy technologies.

Waldorf School Aims for Top Green Building Achievement
Charlottesville Virginia's new Charlottesville Waldorf School is in the midst of a $6.2 million capital campaign designed to help the school become the first LEED Platinum elementary school in the country. It will feature a completely integrated "green" design featuring straw-bale construction, a rammed-earth wall, a living roof, geothermal heating and cooling, water reclamation and passive solar technologies.

Connecticut City Commits to Renewable Energy
The City of Middletown announced it will purchase renewable energy to meet 3 percent of its energy use. The clean energy choice will be supplied by wind energy marketer and developer Community Energy, Inc.

Brazil Considers Ethanol Partnership with Jamaica
At the Annual General Meeting of the All-Island Cane Farmers Association held recently in Jamaica, speakers attributed Brazil's success in the sugar cane business to science and technology. Plus, Professor Antonio Bonomi of the Brazilian Institute for Technological Research, whose specialty is in the area of biotechnology and biofuels, said Brazil was interested in partnering with Jamaica to produce ethanol.

Supporting Renewable Energy Benefits Globe and People
The Australian and United States Business Councils for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) welcomed the commitment of the governments of Australia, the United States, Japan, South Korea, India and China in tackling climate change and sustainable development at the inaugural meeting of the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (AP6) held in Sydney in early January. Combined, the Partnership countries represent approximately half of the world's total energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

National Hydrogen Energy Board Approves India Road Map
At the third meeting of National Hydrogen Energy Board held last week in New Delhi, the Minister for Non-Conventional Energy Sources called for implementing National Hydrogen Energy Road Map, which was prepared by a Steering Committee and approved by the board.

Wind Power in Europe Needs Large-Scale Integration
Technical, economic and regulatory issues concerning the large scale integration of wind energy into European energy markets is the topic of a comprehensive report published by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA).

$30M Biodiesel Plant Slated for Argentina
Repsol YPF, a Spanish-Argentinean petroleum company, will invest $30 million to build the Argentinean Bio Fuel Investigation Center, and estimates that it will begin making biodiesel at the plant in 2007, hoping to become the first major producer of this renewable fuel in Argentina.

Australian Solar Research Uses Carbon Nanotubes
Nanoscientists from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Australia are developing a new breed of polymer-based solar photovoltaic panels that are on the nano-scale in thickness and both light and flexible for portable power applications.

Report Finds Renewable Energy Contract Failure
The California Energy Commission (CEC) released a consultant report this week that explores the wider issue of renewable energy contract failure, which it cites as being particularly high in some situations.

China's Renewable Energy Law Takes Effect
China's landmark renewable energy law took effect on January 1, prompting the government to issue a number of pertinent new rules and technical criteria, according to the Worldwatch Institute.

Two MW of Solar Destined for New Jersey Schools
New The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) joined the Bayonne Board of Education and the state Board of Education in dedicating the East Coast's largest installation of electricity-saving photovoltaic (PV) roof panels.

Hydrogen Storage Technology Wins Renewable Energy Grant
There are challenges with seemingly every aspect of the hydrogen energy cycle, particularly the storage side. New state grants, combined with Federal grants, will now enable a Massachusetts-based company to demonstrate its technology that stores and transports hydrogen in non-flammable chemical slurry.

Switzerland Joins International Energy Partnership
The Swiss Confederation joined forces with the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) to facilitate the transfer of expertise on renewable energy to and from Switzerland, the 40th country to become a partner of the international alliance dedicated to accelerating the global market for renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies.

Treasury Secretary Announces Tax Break on Hybrid Cars
Many will benefit from U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow's recent announcement of up to $3,400 in tax credit for those who purchase the most fuel-efficient vehicles. Most currently available hybrid vehicles qualify for the tax credit, which was enacted by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and which includes advanced lean-burn technology vehicles as well.

Energy Harvest Grants Fund Public Solar PV Systems
Pennsylvania Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty joined community leaders and alternative energy experts in dedicating new solar panels installed in the Media Borough public library and elementary school -- a project funded in part by the Pennsylvania Energy Harvest Grant Program.

Enertech Breezes Back into Business
After several years of absence, the name Enertech will once again be seen on new wind turbines.

Earn a Degree to Implement Renewable Energy
A new onsite graduate program from the New College of California in the Bay Area is offering an accredited Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in Sustainable Enterprise. Dubbed the "Green MBA," its curriculum comprises basic business fundamentals that provide essential general business skills, courses that focus on sustainability and entrepreneurship, and a core leadership series.

Fuel Cell Membrane Market Update
To reverse the damage to the environment caused by the indiscriminate use of fossil fuels, scientists have been actively working on upgrading membranes for fuel cells, which may well compete with petroleum-based energy sources in the transportation markets. These enhanced membranes will also sequester carbon dioxide to reduce the greenhouse effect and global warming.

Hawaii to Lead America into Post-Oil Era
Hawaii's Republican Governor Linda Lingle's "Energy for Tomorrow" bill has the potential to transform Hawaii -- the most oil-dependent state in the nation and the one with the highest energy costs -- into a state that will lead the nation with a low-cost, sustainable, locally produced, and secure energy system.

USDA Awards $38M for Renewable Energy and Economic Growth
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, U.S . Department of Agriculture (USDA), announced funding of $38 million to help farmers and ranchers ease the impact of high energy costs and develop long-term solutions. Of that, more than $19 million in grants will support renewable energy projects and value-added agricultural business ventures.

Ex-Im Bank Supports U.S. Exports for Hydroelectric Power
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) is offering export financing on repayment terms of up to 15 years for U.S. exports of goods and services to be used in hydroelectric power projects that are in compliance with Ex-Im Bank's Environmental Procedures and Guidelines (for full text, use link below).

First Biodiesel Production Facility Sets the Stage in Pennsylvania
Not only did Pennsylvania's Governor Edward G. Rendell announce the opening of the state's first commercial biodiesel production facility, which is in keeping with his "American Energy Harvest" model, but the first 10,000 gallons of biodiesel produced by AGRA will be donated to reduce heating bills for some families in the state.

DeMarco Energy Systems Acquires American Geothermal
DeMarco Energy Systems of America signed a Letter of Intent to purchase all the assets of American Geothermal, which will become DeMarco's operating subsidiary.

Pennsylvania Announces More Renewable Energy Grants
Pennsylvania's commitment toward renewable energy continues. The state has just invested more than $8.5 million into 25 projects, complementing more than $144 million in private sector investment.

Potlatch Studies Feasibility of Biorefinery at its Pulp Mill
Potlatch Corp. is collaborating with several partners to study the feasibility of a pilot biorefinery for converting forest and agricultural waste to biofuels and other chemicals at its Cypress Bend, Arkansas, pulp and paperboard mill. The partners hope to receive a DOE grant to develop the biofuel production project.

WorldWater New Jersey Contracts Approved
WorldWater & Power Corp. announced the signing of a residential contract for $223,000 to install a solar electric generation and distribution system for a home in Cranbury in Middlesex County, New Jersey.

New Englanders Urged to Take Action against Global Warming
The Green Party of the United States urged State legislatures in the Northeast to significantly strengthen the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) recently signed by the governors of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Vermont.

Horizon and RES Pursue 200 MW Wind Energy Farm
Horizon Wind Energy and RES America Developments have agreed to build the first 200 MW phase of the Cross Timbers Wind Farm in Shackelford County, Texas. Under the provisions of the sale, RES will complete engineering of the project and construct the wind farm in 2006, while Horizon will own and operate the project.

European Union to Accelerate Biomass Energy in 2006
Amid industry reports projecting growth, size, and momentum of wood biomass in the renewable energy industry, Green Energy Resources says it expects to benefit from the 2006 forecasts. Twenty new European Union actions to be implemented in heating, electricity and transportation will help accelerate biomass power generation.

Babcock & Brown Wind Partners Acquires Eifel Wind Farm
Babcock & Brown Wind Partners (BBW) plans to buy 100 percent of the Eifel wind farm in Germany, which consists of four sites located in the southwestern region of the Rhineland-Palatinate in the Federal Republic of Germany, for USD$11 million.

Industrial Biotech in Pacific Rim Considers Renewable Energy
The purpose of a conference in early January on industrial biotechnology in the Pacific Rim countries "is to highlight the emerging field of industrial biotechnology, which is being used to convert agricultural wastes to renewable energy and to make many types of manufacturing processes more environmentally sustainable," said Brent Erickson, executive vice president of BIO's Industrial & Environmental Section.

EnergyQuest Tests Solar-powered Water Purification System
Using only solar power, a new water-purifying system that is both easy to store and portable will undergo testing near El Paso, Texas, at an agricultural testing facility operated by the Texas Water Resources Institute of Texas A & M.

2005 Year in Review for Renewable Fuels
by Bob Dinneen, President, Renewable Fuels Association
The passage and subsequent presidential signature of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 this past August was a watershed moment for the renewable fuels industry, the impacts of which may not yet be fully appreciated, but will provide immeasurable benefits to the nation for generations.

New Mexico Greets New Year with New Solar RECs Program
New Mexico's first solar photovoltaic (PV) incentive program, just approved by the New Mexico Public Regulatory Commission (PRC) as part of the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard, calls for the main local utility (PNM) to buy Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) for 13 cents/kWh from interconnected solar photovoltaic systems.

Xcel Energy to Acquire 775 MW Wind Power in Colorado
Xcel Energy will acquire 775 MW of new wind power capacity for its Colorado system by 2007, in response to a process designed to address the state's growing energy demand. The additional capacity is said to make Xcel Energy the nation's largest utility user of wind power.

50 MW Kumeyaay Wind Project Goes Online
Electricity from the Kumeyaay Wind Project's 25 turbines that generate 2 MW each has begun flowing from the wind farm on Campo Indian Reservation atop the Tecate Divide into San Diego Gas & Electric's grid after eight months of construction and a month of testing.

$82M Ethanol Plant Slated for Indiana
With a planned capacity of 60 million gallons of ethanol annually, Rush Renewable Energy's intended new corn refinery/ethanol plant will be placed in Rushville, Indiana, with the support and assistance of the state through the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) and the city of Rushville.

Horizon and RES Pursue 200 MW Wind Energy Farm
Horizon Wind Energy and RES America Developments have agreed to build the first 200 MW phase of the Cross Timbers Wind Farm in Shackelford County, Texas. Under the provisions of the sale, RES will complete engineering of the project and construct the wind farm in 2006, while Horizon will own and operate the project.

Stirling Engine Solar Power Contracts Approved
An unprecedented deployment of concentrated solar thermal in California took one step closer to becoming a real project this week as state regulators gave their approval for the power purchase agreement. Completion, however, will hinge on other factors, including construction of a new proposed 100-mile long, high capacity transmission line that could cost as much as 1.4 billion dollars.

Merger Forms Solar Finance and Installation Company
Even with a patchwork of helpful incentives scattered throughout the U.S., and now federal rebates available beginning January, financing for solar projects can still be challenge since these projects are outside the usual comfort zone of most financial institutions. Based on this reality, a new merger aims to streamline the process by combining a solar installation company with a finance arm.

California Solar Initiative Expected to Pass
by Jesse Broehl, Editor, RenewableEnergyAccess.com
What could well be the most significant U.S. solar news for all of 2006 is likely to happen this week in California as state regulators are expected to pass the largest solar energy policy package ever seen in this country.

Renewable Energy Law Passed for Prince Edward Island
The Government of Prince Edward Island (PEI) continues to move forward with its plans to make PEI a national leader in renewable energy research and development. A new energy policy for the island, called the "Renewable Energy Act," has been proclaimed with the exception of one section. The PEC government has approved three sets of regulations that will govern key aspects of renewable energy development in the province.

ACORE Forms Utility Committee for Renewable Energy
The American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) announced the formation of its Utility Committee. The committee is open to all U.S. utilities, including investor-owned utilities, municipally owned utilities and customer-owned cooperatives, as well as federally managed utilities.

GFI Energy Acquires Majority in GT Equipment Technologies
GT Equipment Technologies announced today that an investor group, GFI Energy Ventures, LLC, has acquired a majority interest in the company.

European Venture Focuses on Ribbon-Growth Solar
The Energy research Center of the Netherlands (ECN), Deutsche Solar and Sunergy Investco have joined forces in RGS Development BV to contribute to the development of the next generation in solar electricity technology. The new company will develop a facility to produce silicon wafers in large quantities for the production of solar modules.

German Wind Power Project Completed
A new wind project in Okel, Lower Saxony, Germany features five 2.3 MW wind turbines from GE Energy. Located 20 kilometers southeast of Bremen, the Windpark Okeler Bruch offers a total capacity of 11.5 MW.

Washington Utility Calls for Renewable Energy Projects
Avista Utilities, an operating division of Avista Corp., is seeking proposals from suppliers of renewable energy to meet its projected need for additional cost-effective energy resources. The request for proposals (RFP) is based on future growth in demand for electricity as identified in Avista's 2005 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).

AC Transit to Use Hyundai Fuel Cell Vehicles
For a five-year demonstration and validation project designed to evaluate fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen infrastructure technologies, Hyundai delivered the first of 10 fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) to the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit), a California public transport group.

New Biomass-to-Fuel-Ethanol Plant Lined Up for Canada
MEMS USA announced that Northern Ontario, Canada, will be the site of Hearst Ethanol One (HEO), a biomass-to-fuel-ethanol conversion facility targeting annual production of 227 million liters of fuel-grade ethanol.

Ireland and Italy Fund Programs in Africa through REEEP
The governments of Ireland and Italy recently announced increased financial commitments to the REEEP (Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership). The funding will be targeting least developed countries in Africa with a focus on energy efficiency.

New Energy Coalition Calls for In-state Generated Electricity
The Massachusetts Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance (Mass AREA) is committed to finding clean, low-cost and reliable electricity solutions that foster prosperity for all of Massachusetts. Founded this month, the diverse group of 23 leaders in state businesses, labor, academia and communities is moving quickly with an agenda to address the absence of plans for major new sources of in-state power.

Tiny Crystals Promise Big Benefits for Solar Technologies
Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists have discovered that a phenomenon called carrier multiplication, in which semiconductor nanocrystals respond to photons by producing multiple electrons, is applicable to a broader array of materials than previously thought. The discovery increases the potential for the use of nanoscrystals as solar cell materials to produce higher electrical outputs than current solar cells.

Wisconsin Rebates Coupled with New Federal Rebates
Focus on Energy, Wisconsin's energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative, is helping residents and businesses statewide become more energy independent in 2006 and beyond. The Renewable Energy Program is offering Cash-Back Rewards and zero-interest loans to help finance the installation of renewable energy systems.

Airtricity Acquires Texas Energy Company
Airtricity strengthened its U.S. operations by acquiring Renewable Generation Inc. (RGI), a wind energy developer based in Austin, Texas.

Solar Integrated Signs Credit Line with GE Affiliate
Solar Integrated Technologies, provider of commercial building integrated photovoltaic roofs, signed a revolving line of credit with an affiliate of GE Energy Financial Services for up to US$20 million. The credit facility is for a term of up to five years, and will be used for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

Renewable Energy Advocacy Group Forms in New York
The mission of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACENY), a nonprofit recently formed in Albany, New York, is to educate the public on the use of price-stabilizing clean, renewable electricity generation technologies and energy efficiency to help attain air quality and public health improvements. Other public benefits anticipated include energy diversity and security, and economic developments in New York.

Hydroelectric Project Planned for Uganda
A 250 MW Bujagali hydroelectric power project is planned to help Uganda alleviate its energy shortages and encourage development. The hydroelectric dam will be built on the River Nile in Uganda about 8 km north of the existing Nalubaale and Kiira Falls hydroelectric facilities.