PTC

PTC https://www.dailykos.com/news/PTC News Community Action Copyright 2005 - Steal what you want Sun, 26 Jan 2020 17:22:09 +0000 Sun, 26 Jan 2020 17:22:09 +0000 Daily Kos rss@dailykos.com (Daily Kos) Daily Kos rss@dailykos.com (Daily Kos) Texas sets new peak wind record for state and probably for nation too says U.S. EIA https://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/6/26/1309861/-Texas-sets-new-peak-wind-record-for-state-and-probably-for-nation-too-says-U-S-EIA The U.S. Energy Information Administration records show that Texas set a new record for instantaneous peak wind production at 8:48 p.m. on March 26, reaching an output level of 10,296 megawatts (MW). "At that moment, wind supplied almost 29% of total electricity load," according to <a href="http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=16811">Energy Information Agency's website.</a> <a href="http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/dpk0802/media/windpowerTexasmain_zps9a2acd25.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/dpk0802/windpowerTexasmain_zps9a2acd25.png" border="0" alt=" photo windpowerTexasmain_zps9a2acd25.png" />Graph of Texas (ERCOT) hourly wind generation, as explained in the article text Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, based on the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)</a> <blockquote> At 8:48 p.m. on March 26, wind generation on the electric grid covering most of the state of Texas reached a new instantaneous peak output of 10,296 megawatts (MW). At that moment, wind supplied almost 29% of total electricity load, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the grid's operator. The average wind production in that hour was 10,120 MW. Texas currently has more than 12,000 MW of operational utility-scale wind capacity (see graph below)—about one-fifth of the total wind capacity in the United States. The significant slowdown in wind additions in 2013 mirrored the national trend, which reflected the lapse of the federal production tax credit (PTC) at the end of 2012. That lapse encouraged those with facilities under construction to complete them and begin operation before the end of 2012 in order to receive the tax credits ... The subsequent one-year extension in early 2013 required only that plants commence construction in 2013 to be eligible to receive the tax credits after the start of operations at a later date. </blockquote> <a href="http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/dpk0802/media/TexasPeakwind_zps168b7da7.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/dpk0802/TexasPeakwind_zps168b7da7.png" border="0" alt=" photo TexasPeakwind_zps168b7da7.png" /></a> This output record has been enabled not only because of the record amount of wind power generating capacity in Texas, but also is a result of the completion of a upgrade and expansion of the electrical transmission lines called the Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) connecting the western and eastern parts of the state. <a href="http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/dpk0802/media/windturb_zps30437e48.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/dpk0802/windturb_zps30437e48.jpg" border="0" width="320" align="left" alt=" photo windturb_zps30437e48.jpg" /></a> Bobby Magill and Climate Central  writing in Scientific American report <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/wind-power-production-record-broken-in-texas/">Wind Power Production Record Broken in Texas.</a> <blockquote> Though the March 26 wind power output record supplied 29 percent of ERCOT’s load at that moment, wind power has provided for a larger share — up to 38.43 percent — of the load at times of low demand, EIA industry economist April Lee said. “Texas leads the nation in wind capacity, more than double the next state (California), so it’s safe to say that no other state has come close so far,” Lee said via email. </blockquote> Scientific American reports that more than 26,000 megawatts of potential wind generating capacity is now under study. We don't need to be a weatherman to know which way the wind is blowing in Texas.   rss@dailykos.com (HoundDog) Climate Change ClimateChange CREZ EIA Energy Environment ERCOT Global Warming GlobalWarming PTC Recommended RenewableEnergy Solar Power SolarPower sustainableenergy Wind Power WindPower WindProductionTaxCredit _1309861 Fri, 27 Jun 2014 00:02:07 +0000 Reduced emissions from wind energy in 2013 was equivalent to taking 20 million cars off the road https://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/6/4/1303891/-Reduced-emissions-from-wind-energy-in-2013-was-equivalent-to-taking-20-million-cars-off-the-road <a href="http://s345.photobucket.com/user/hounddog1111/media/wyoming-wind-638x435_zps94ebdcf9.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p372/hounddog1111/wyoming-wind-638x435_zps94ebdcf9.jpg" border="0" width="320" align="left" alt=" photo wyoming-wind-638x435_zps94ebdcf9.jpg" /></a> Mark Del Franco of NAWindpower reports <a href="http://www.nawindpower.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.13036">AWEA: EPA Rules Could Be Third Biggest Driver For Wind Behind PTC And RPS Policies.</a> On Monday the Environmental Protection Agency proposed regulations to reduce carbon dioxide pollution by 30% below 2005, under Section 111 (d) of the Clean Air Act. Carbon dioxide is a primary driver of global warming. With this announcement the wind power industry is feeling the wind filling it sails. The American Wind Energy Association's (AWEA) vice president for federal regulatory affairs, Tom Vinson says "the EPA plan could be the third largest driver of wind-powered generation behind state renewable portfolio standards (RPS) and the federal production tax credit (PTC)." <blockquote> Stricter power plant regulations could mean less coal, which could open up a big opportunity for wind power. Last year, AWEA did a study that estimated the retirement of U.S. coal plants could lead to an increase of up to 17 GW of wind capacity - roughly 28% of the current installed U.S. wind generation. “We know from firsthand experience that building more wind and solar power facilities [has] proven to be the fastest, cleanest and cheapest way to replace dirty power plants and combat climate change,” says Paul Gaynor, CEO at Boston-based wind and solar developer First Wind, adding the cost for wind power, for example, has dropped 42% since 2009. Gabriel Alonso, CEO at EDP Renewables North America, says, “Wind energy has been a proven, cost-competitive and stable source of carbon-free electricity that has driven and continues to drive billions of dollars of investment nationwide, creating jobs and supporting rural economies while contributing to substantial reductions in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. This rule will help accelerate that trend.” </blockquote> In our headline article, Katie Valentine of Think Progress writes <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/05/27/3441782/carbon-reductions-from-wind-energy/">Wind Energy In 2013 Was Equivalent To Taking 20 Million Cars Off The Road,</a> and reducing emissions from power generation by 5% last year, according to a new report by the American Wind Energy Association, AWEA.   <blockquote> The report, published by the American Wind Energy Association, found that wind energy production in 2013 resulted in carbon emissions reductions of 126.8 million tons. Some states achieved larger reductions than the national average, with 11 states reducing carbon emissions by 10 percent compared to 2011 levels through wind energy. Texas — a state which broke its record for highest wind generation ever in March — had the highest volume of carbon reductions, followed by Illinois, California, and Colorado. AWEA’s report noted that reducing carbon also carries co-benefits: sulfur dioxide emissions drop by almost 347 million pounds per year as a result of wind energy production, and nitrous oxide emissions are reduced by 214 million pounds per year, These reductions improve air and water quality. The cost of wind energy has also been falling over the last few years — costs have dropped by 43 percent in four years, according to AWEA, due to improvements in technology. That decrease in cost is part of the reason wind energy has expanded across much of the U.S. — AWEA found that in 2003, wind energy made up just 0.3 percent of the country’s power generation mix, but by 2008, had grown to make up 1.3 percent of the mix. So far, almost all of the country’s wind projects have been on land, but the U.S. is also exploring offshore wind as a potential for further energy generation — Oregon could be the site of the West Coast’s first offshore wind farm. </blockquote> <a href="http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/dpk0802/media/awea-638x352_zps300162e9.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/dpk0802/awea-638x352_zps300162e9.jpg" border="0" width="640" align="right" alt=" photo awea-638x352_zps300162e9.jpg" /></a> Several additional large offshore wind energy projects are underway, or in planning  in the U.S. including in Maryland, Rhode Island, and Nantucket Sound. According to the Energy Information Association U.S. solar capacity grew by 418 percent in the last four years. <a href="http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/dpk0802/media/White_House_emissions_targets_zps1077c646.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/dpk0802/White_House_emissions_targets_zps1077c646.png" border="0" width="320" align="left" alt=" photo White_House_emissions_targets_zps1077c646.png" /></a> <blockquote> So far in 2014, America has added 5,600 renewable energy jobs, with the largest growth coming from the solar industry. That number is a drop from the 12,000 clean energy jobs reported in the first quarter of 2013, partly because Congress has failed to renew the Production Tax Credit for wind energy — a $13 billion tax break to help wind compete with established fossil fuel power companies.</blockquote> As far as the AWEA is concerned the solution to America's challenge to cut carbon emissions by 30% over the 2005 level is blowing in the wind. In fact, one report I've read, yesterday suggests by choosing 2005 as the base year, we are already almost two thirds of the way to accomplishing this goal. So please do not let the critics in the coal industry and on the Republican right-wing convince you this is an economic catastrophy or impossible challenge.   rss@dailykos.com (HoundDog) AmericanWindEnergyAssociation AWEA carbonaversion carbonemission CarbonEmissions DeepwaterWind Energy Environment EnvironmentalProtectionAgency GabrielAlonso PaulGaynor productiontaxcredit PTC Recommended RPS Wind Energy Wind Power WindEnergy WindPower _1303891 Wed, 04 Jun 2014 17:09:18 +0000 Sunday Train: Traveling to our deaths and the fatal Metro North derailment https://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/8/1261211/-Sunday-Train-Traveling-to-our-deaths-and-the-fatal-Metro-North-derailment <img width="360" align="right" src="http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p278/BruceMcF/rail/02derail-slide-05DF-articleLarge_zpscd89fdba.jpg" />Last Sunday Morning, the 5:45am from Poughkeepsie was running through the Bronx with 100-150 passengers aboard, when it sped through a 30mph speed limit curve <a href="http://pedestrianobservations.wordpress.com/2013/12/04/the-metro-north-accident-and-train-control/">at 82mph</a>, derailed, over-turning four cars and killing four people. This is a story with some differences in detail from the <a href="http://www.voicesonthesquare.com/essays/2013/07/28/sunday-train-traveling-our-death-and-fatal-santiago-train-derailment">Spanish fatal derailment this summer</a>, but one common feature: the lack of adequate Positive Train Control signaling on the corridor. In the Spanish case, project cost-shaving led to Positive Train Control signaling being installed on the new High Speed Rail corridor but not on connecting corridors that some hybrid services use to reach towns not directly on the HSR corridor. In the Spanish case, full PTC would not have been required to prevent the fatal accident: <a href="http://www.voicesonthesquare.com/articles/2013/07/30/santiago-train-derailment-could-have-been-prevented-euro-6000-beacon">'The Santiago Train Derailment Could Have Been Prevented with a Euro 6,000 beacon'</a>. As later details emerged it became clear that if two analog "ATSFA' beacons had been replaced with three digital 'ATSFA' beacons, at a cost of €6,000 each, that would have prevented the fatal derailment. The Metro-North connecting from Poughkeepsie through the Bronx into Manhattan is slated to receive Positive Train Control, as required by current Federal Railway Authority policy, but as recounted by Alan Levy: <blockquote>Metro-North and the LIRR have been trying to wrangle their way out of the PTC mandate, saying it offers “marginal benefits”; a year and a half ago, the <a href="http://nypost.com/2012/05/28/fed-safety-plan-nixes-mtas-commute-fixes/">New York Post</a> used the word “outrageous” to describe the PTC mandate, saying it would cost over a billion dollars and that the money could go to capacity improvements instead, such as station parking. Lobbying on behalf of Metro-North and the LIRR, <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/05/1260320/-Liberal-Blogs-are-a-Positive-Force">Senator Charles Schumer emphasis mine</a> made sure to amend a proposed Senate transportation bill <a href="http://sachem.patch.com/groups/editors-picks/p/transportation-bill-allows-mta-to-prioritize-2nd-track">to give the railroads waivers until 2018</a>, so that they could devote resources to more rush hour capacity from the outer suburbs (such as Ronkonkoma) to Manhattan and fewer to safety. According to <a href="http://www.siemens.com/press/en/pressrelease/?press=/en/pressrelease/2013/infrastructure-cities/mobility-logistics/icmol20131105.htm">Siemens</a>, the work will actually take until 2019, and Siemens says it “has developed PTC specifically for the North American market,” in other words built a bespoke system instead of ETCS. (ACSES <a href="http://www.alstom.com/it/us/products-and-services/transport/proven-ptc-solutions/ACSESIIcert/">was developed by Alstom</a>.)</blockquote> And that is the top-line point: if we had been more serious and committed about putting PTC on the busiest passenger rail corridors in the country, this fatal derailment would not have occurred. rss@dailykos.com (BruceMcF) eKos Metro-Northderailment PTC RailSafety Recommended Transport _1261211 Mon, 09 Dec 2013 02:00:19 +0000 Pro-Fossil-Fuel Front Groups Attempt – and Fail – to Answer Questions on the Wind PTC https://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/1/4/1176383/-Pro-Fossil-Fuel-Groups-Attempt-and-Fail-to-Answer-Questions-on-the-Wind-PTC Cross posted from <a href="http://scalinggreen.com/2013/01/pro-fossil-fuel-groups-attempt-and-fail-to-answer-our-questions-on-the-wind-ptc/">Scaling Green</a> Congress has now passed an extension of the wind Production Tax Credit (PTC), as part of the "fiscal cliff" resolution earlier this week. For those of us who strongly support the expansion of wind energy in this country, extension of the PTC was clearly the right thing for Congress to do. For those opposed to clean energy, however, it was a big mistake. Take, for instance the pro-fossil-fuel, anti-clean-energy groups (the <a href="http://www.americanenergyalliance.org/">American Energy Alliance</a>, <a href="http://www.conservative.org/">American Conservative Union</a>, <a href="http://cei.org/">Competitive Enterprise Institute</a>, <a href="http://heritageaction.com/">Heritage Action for America</a>, <a href="http://www.americancommitment.org/">American Commitment</a>, and <a href="http://freedomaction.org/">Freedom Action</a>) who signed onto <a href="http://www.americanenergyalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PTC-coalition-letter.pdf">this letter to Congress</a> in mid-December 2012, urging Congress' "opposition to extending the wind [PTC]." Their reasoning, if one can call it that, was that "corporate dependence on federal    subsidies not only harms the taxpayers who finance the PTC, it also creates an improper incentive for wind companies    to focus on obtaining lucrative subsidies rather than long-term sustainability and competitiveness." The (apparently unintentional) irony here is mind boggling, given that the fossil fuel corporations have received massive federal subsidies (not to mention <a href="http://scalinggreen.com/2012/12/new-study-state-level-fossil-fuel-subsidies-amount-to-billions-of-dollars-per-year/">those at the state level</a>) that have harmed taxpayers and created improper incentives for those companies for many decades now. Apparently, it's "do as we say, not as we do," with the fossil fuel industry. rss@dailykos.com (lowkell) Clean Energy CleanEnergy FossilFuels PTC Subsidies Wind Power WindPower _1176383 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 20:49:05 +0000 CO-Sen: Mark Udall (D) & Energy Secretary Steven Chu Will Be Discussing Wind Energy Today At 4 PM PT https://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/19/1171981/-CO-Sen-Mark-Udall-D-Energy-Secretary-Steven-Chu-Will-Be-Discussing-Wind-Energy-Today-At-4-PM <div class="dkimg-c"><img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/13083/large/Wind-farm--wind-energy--green-energy--renewable-energy-jpg.jpg?1355939535" alt="" /></div> If you have questions about the future of wind energy, U.S. Senator Mark Udall (D. CO) & Energy Secretary Steven Chu will be providing answers today at 4 PM PT: <a href="http://cleantechnica.com/2012/12/19/live-conversation-today-with-energy-secretary-steven-chu-senator-mark-udall-d-co-on-future-of-us-wind-industry/">http://cleantechnica.com/...</a> <blockquote> <div class="dkimg-c"><img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/13084/large/Steven_Chu_Testifies_Before_Senate_Energy__mcwAFa8wlxl.jpg?1355940237" alt="" /></div> At 4pm ET on energy.gov/live, the two clean energy leaders “will discuss the progress of wind energy and the importance of robust policy support to ensure continued American leadership in the sector,” the Department of Energy (DOE) writes. “The event will be livestreamed on energy.gov/live, and we’ll be taking questions from both in-person and online audiences.” <div class="dkimg-c"><img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/13085/large/87886315-senator-mark.jpg?1355940289" alt="" /></div> You can submit questions a few ways: via email: newmedia@hq.doe.gov via Facebook (post a comment on the DOE page): <a href="https://www.facebook.com/energygov">https://www.facebook.com/...</a> via Google+ (post a comment on the DOE page): <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/101555981727038942699/posts">https://plus.google.com/...</a> or by tweeting @ENERGY using #AskEnergy. - Clean Technia, 12/19/12 </blockquote> Udall has been an ardent supporter of extending the Wind Production Tax Credit.  Here's a little background info: <a href="http://www.startribune.com/business/183549061.html?refer=y">http://www.startribune.com/...</a> <blockquote>The production tax credit gives wind power investors a 10-year subsidy on a wind farm's output that's roughly equivalent to 30 percent of a project's original cost. The tax credit has existed, off and on, for two decades, helping to build a wind power industry that powers more than 13 million U.S. homes. - Star Tribune, 12/15/12</blockquote> The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), is fighting hard to have the tax credit extended: <blockquote>The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), the trade group lobbying for the credit extension, points to the Senate Finance Committee's overwhelming bipartisan approval of tax extensions including the PTC as the basis for hope. The association has stressed the loss of 37,000 American jobs tied to wind power if the tax credit ends. AWEA also points to the outspoken support from Sens. Mark Udall, D-Colo., and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, as well as the backing of Minnesota's two Democratic senators, Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar, and endorsements from several House Republicans. - Star Tribune, 12/15/12 </blockquote> Senator Udall is a strong supporter of extending the Wind Production Tax Credit: <blockquote> <div class="dkimg-c"><img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/13079/large/udall.jpg?1355936642" alt="" /></div> In the last two months, I’ve been standing up on the Senate floor nearly every day that Congress has been in session, making sure that no member of the Senate could fail to understand the importance of the Wind Production Tax Credit. What else can I say? I’ve talked about its benefits to the economies of not just Colorado, but more than twenty other states. I’ve mentioned how it impacts our economy by inspiring entrepreneurs and creating and sustaining thousands of skilled jobs. I’ve talked about how our dependence on fossil fuels is a national security risk, and that a focus on developing our nation’s vast renewable potential keeps our country more stable and our troops more safe. Extend the PTC I’ll keep up my work – I couldn’t be more certain that investing in our clean energy future is the right move for our economy and for the health and safety of future generations of Americans – but now I need your help. Please sign my petition letting Congress know that here in Colorado we want to support wind energy jobs and continue investing in a clean energy future. If Congress doesn’t act, the PTC will expire at the end of the year, and thousands of good jobs would be under immediate threat. Wind energy is a fast-growing industry, and with a stable tax policy, the industry could support 100,000 jobs by 2016, and as many as 500,000 jobs by 2030. Sincerely, Senator Mark Udall </blockquote> You can sign the petition here: <a href="http://www.markudall.com/page/s/investing-in-our-clean-energy-future">http://www.markudall.com/...</a> rss@dailykos.com (poopdogcomedy) 2014 2014ColoradoU.SSenateRace 2014midterms AWEA CO-Sen Colorado Democrats Election 2014 Election2014 EnergySecretaryStevenChu Environment environmentalissues GOP Green Jobs GreenJobs Mark Udall MarkUdall PTC Republicans StevenChu TheAmericanWindEnergyAssociation Vote Vote 2014 Vote2014 windproduction WindProductionTaxCredit _1171981 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 19:17:02 +0000 All-American Muslim Controversy: Beginning of the End for Right Wing Christian Groups? https://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/15/1045562/-All-American-Muslim-Controversy-Beginning-of-the-End-for-Right-Wing-Christian-Groups It does seem that a lot of people have by now caught wind of the Lowe’s Muslimgate story about them pulling ads from the All-American Muslim TLC show after feeling heat from the radical right wing Christian group Florida Family Association (which would’ve explained a lot about why Lowe’s caved in if the FFA was in any way connected to the infamous American version). The FFA has been known for campaigning against anything that defends any kind of minorities such as nationalities, sexual orientations, and religions. There are several sites that are bringing to light the actions of this FFA. But as troubling as the actions of the FFA are, and as troubling as it is to see Lowe’s weird way to explain their actions and change their reasons after they got linked (seems to me that they were sorry they got caught in bed with this group and is trying to get out of the punishment while still justifying their decision), it’s sad to realize that this is not the first time that we’ve seen such a thing happen. This is the first time, though, that this has gotten pushed into the limelight, and it’s about time, too. rss@dailykos.com (darkpower) AFA allamericanmuslim American Christian Civil Rights CivilRights Culture darkpower FloridaFAmilyAssociation Media ParentsTelevisionCouncil PTC Right Wing RightWing tlcffa _1045562 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:17:08 +0000 Wind power set to decline under Obama? https://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/1/28/689900/-Wind-power-set-to-decline-under-Obama For the fourth consecutive year, the US set records in 2008 for the construction of new wind farms, with more than 8,300MW installed in the year, making the country the leader for both yearly installations and, for the first time in many years, overall installed capacity (nudging out Germany which has long been the world leader). The sector created a record number of jobs at a time when few other sectors did. But for reasons linked to the inconsistent regulatory framework until now, and to the ongoing credit crisis, 2009 is likely to be a bad year for wind, with a decline in installations and, possibly, layoffs. Of course, Obama is not to blame for that situation, which he inherits, but it will be a pretty bad signal to see wind power decline significantly this year - and it would be an inexcusable one if that decline continues into 2010. The current stimulus plan does include measures to support the industry, but these seem oddly unambitious given the context of economic crisis and wind's proven ability to create jobs and economic activity, to provide cheap power and to eliminate both carbon emissions and fossil fuel imports. Part of my <a href="http://www.eurotrib.com/story/2008/6/5/172819/2079">Wind Power</a> series rss@dailykos.com (Jerome a Paris) AWEA Energy EnergyPolicy PTC Recommended RenewableEnergy Wind _689900 Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:58:52 +0000 Who won the rescue vote? https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/10/3/619314/-Who-won-the-rescue-vote First Diary If people on DKos are going to criticize the rescue vote, who will be hurt the most? Will it be easy to use the result to criticize the Bush Administration and Republicans, or will the Democratic Party leadership suffer? Do the readers and commentators on DKos care if they hurt the Democratic Party leadership? Is it more principaled to criticize a poorly conceived omnibus bill that may save the world's financial system? Are there good and necessary aspects to the Senate Amendments resulting in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008? Was a better bill waiting in the wings? Would a delay have cost the treasury more than any benefit from a better bill? Is McCain's vote for the rescue plan a maverick break from his party, or can he manipulate the result to criticize Barack Obama and Joe Biden? --I try to flesh out answers to these questions below the fold-- rss@dailykos.com (sustainable) Bailout Global Warming GlobalWarming PTC Rescue Wind Power WindPower _619314 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:07:44 +0000 Solar and Wind: The Issue You Need to Know!! https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/18/569811/-Solar-and-Wind-The-Issue-You-Need-to-Know Great news out of California, <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/15/BUP412B774.DTL&hw=photovoltaic&sn=001&sc=1000">Pacific Gas and Electric recently agreed to purchase power from new 800 MW PV soalr installation.</a>. Sound great, but there is a twist in the tale that is not just an issue for this project, but for practically every large scale wind and solar renewable project out there.  A almost throwaway at the end of the article reveals all: <blockquote> PG&E has said the deals are contingent on Congress reauthorizing several tax credits for renewable energy that are due to expire at the end of this year. Although there is broad bipartisan support for the credits, their renewal has been caught up in the debate over other controversial issues like offshore oil drilling and how to pay for the tax credits. "This is contingent on the (renewable-energy tax credits) being reinstated," Borenstein said. "If Congress screws up and lets that lapse, this could be put on a shelf." </blockquote> rss@dailykos.com (Gangster Octopus) California Energy Environment Gangof10 ITC Offshore Drilling OffshoreDrilling PTC RenewableEnergy Solar Power SolarPower Wind Power WindPower _569811 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:51:42 +0000 Beat McCain's Energy Bill Veto Again https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/7/29/558680/-Beat-McCain-s-Energy-Bill-Veto-Again <a href="http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/senate-to-vote-on-new-renewable-incentives-bill-1200.html">How many times have we tried</a> to pass clean energy bills since we took over in Jan 2007? <a target="_blank" href="http://s137.photobucket.com/albums/q236/dotcommodity/2008/?action=view&current=sisyphusenergy.jpg"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q236/dotcommodity/2008/sisyphusenergy.jpg" border /></a> <a href="http://www.bybee.com/gallery/sisy.htm">Image Source</a> ACTION!<a href="http://capwiz.com/re-action/issues/alert/?alertid=11689601&type=CO"> Beat McCain's Energy Bill Veto Here!</a> rss@dailykos.com (dotcommodity) Action Climate Change ClimateChange Environment Global Warming GlobalWarming ITCenergy PTC S3335 _558680 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:08:14 +0000 Don't Let Congress Leave Renewable Energy Behind https://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/11/8/408137/-Don-t-Let-Congress-Leave-Renewable-Energy-Behind According to the <a href="http://www.awea.org/">American Wind Energy Association</a> (AWEA), congress is currently in the process of leaving renewable energy out of the latest energy bill.  For many reasons, this is bad for our country. While I don't work directly for the AWEA, I do own a startup wind development company and closely follow this market.  At issue are two inclusions in the legislation that are crucial for the U.S. renewables industry to continue to thrive: the PTC and a federal RPS.   rss@dailykos.com (Break On Through) Alternative Energy Green PTC Renewable RPS Solar Wind _408137 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 20:52:00 +0000