It’s not every day that you’ll find me agreeing with an executive from BP, but Katrina Landis, the CEO of BP’s Alternative Energy division, was exactly right when she said last month that it would be a mistake to allow the federal wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) to expire at the end of this year: “It’s a really compelling case of the government incentivizing (more…)

The success record of smart grid renewables integration is a mixed bag, with European countries boldly plowing forward while many utilities in the United States exhibit what a former California state regulator called “electrotrophobia” – the fear of change linked to greater reliance upon intermittent renewable energy resources. (more…)

A downed turbine is a money-losing turbine, and so knowing the current status of a wind turbine at any point in time is important for achieving a high uptime record. Sensors on a wind turbine therefore are extremely important for managing the production of the machine. But there are many challenges for sensory technology on utility scale turbines, including the (more…)

After toeing the line for the past few weeks, just this morning the Maryland state legislature passed a bill (SB 791) that will provide robust and sustainable solar growth for years to come. Passing the State Senate 37-9, it is clear that Maryland’s policy-makers understand the significant benefits that solar is bringing to the Old-Line State. (more…)

The scope of solar power application is enormous and a new portable solution has caught our attention.

The product of the imagination and ingenuity of an engineer called Mark Turczynski from Western Illinois, Powershed is a portable shed with solar panels fixed to the top so that it can be used in the (more…)

At the moment, America’s number one crop for producing biofuel is corn. However, naturally growing plants like switchgrass also have great potential as a biofuel crop because they do not require much, if any, inputs such as watering, fertilizing, or pesticides. To date, it has been difficult to find the ideal location for harvesting the right grasslands to make it (more…)

The success of the cleantech industry will ultimately be measured by two yardsticks. One, of course, is its ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and deliver environmentally friendly and sustainable forms of energy. The other is its economic impact and its ability to generate new businesses and new jobs. (more…)

A recent report on African Jet said that British investors have proposed the creation of a solar power plant in Rjim Maatoug, Governorate of Kebili. The plant would have a capacity of 2,000 megawatts to be connected directly to the European power network.

The plan was presented during a recent meeting with (more…)

In September of 2011, the Prime Minister of Vietnam gave their approval for a national power development plan that would run from 2011 until 2020. Known as the Power Master Plan VII, it puts a heavy emphasis on energy efficiency, energy security, the development of renewable energy, as well as power market liberalization. It has six key directions to (more…)

Despite the many signs that climate is already happening, hence the need to switch to alternative energy to mitigate its effects, for the people living in the low-lying Maldive islands, climate change means, literally, the end. (more…)