Google Continues to Invest in Wind Power With New Deal in Texas

By Todd R. Weiss | Posted 2013-01-10 Google has invested about $200 million in a wind farm in western Texas near Amarillo, as the company continues to expand its involvement in the renewable energy marketplace. Google's latest investment is at the Spinning Spur Wind Project in Oldham County in the Texas Panhandle, according to a Jan. 9 post by Kojo Ako-Asare, Google's senior manager of corporate finance, in the Official Google Blog. The 161-megawatt facility was built by EDF Renewable Energy, a company that's built more than 50 other clean energy projects, according to Google. The facility has 70 Siemens wind turbines, each producing 2.3 megawatts of power, which is sent along transmission lines to SPS, a utility serving Texas and New Mexico. "We look for projects like Spinning Spur because, in addition to creating more renewable energy and strengthening the local economy, they also make for smart investments: they offer attractive returns relative to the risks and allow us to invest in a broad range of assets," wrote Ako-Asare. "We're also proud to be the first investor in an EDF Renewable Energy project that is not a financial institution, as we believe that corporations can be an important new source of capital for the renewable energy sector." The Spinning Spur wind farm's turbines generate enough energy to power more than 60,000 average U.S. homes, according to Google. The project is the 11th investment in renewable energy facilities that Google has made since 2010, wrote Ako-Asare. Google so far has invested in wind and solar power facilities that produce more than 2 gigawatts of power combined. Other Google renewable energy investments include the Atlantic Wind Connection project, which will span 350 miles of the coast from New Jersey to Virginia to connect 6,000 megawatts of offshore wind turbines; and the Shepherds Flat project in Arlington, Ore., which is one of the world's largest wind farms with a capacity of 845 megawatts. Shepherds Flat began operating in October 2012. Google also has invested in the Brightsource Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in California's Mojave Desert, which is more than 75 percent complete and employs more than 2,000 workers, according to Ako-Asare's post. In September 2012, Google announced a separate deal that provides green wind power for its expanding data center in Mayes County, Okla., as part of the company's commitment to becoming carbon-neutral. In Oklahoma, Google signed an agreement with the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) to provide its Oklahoma data center with 48 megawatts of wind energy from the Canadian Hills Wind Project in Oklahoma. Google is already using renewable energy at the Oklahoma data center through other electricity supplied by the GRDA. The wind project was the local authority's first such project. The Google Oklahoma data center went live in 2011, and in February 2012, GRDA approached Google about buying power from the then-developing wind project. Under the deal, the additional wind power available was scheduled to increase the total amount of renewable energy Google buys from the authority to more than 260 megawatts. By buying the power directly from the authority, Google says it will allow it to get the renewable energy it needs for its operations from a vendor who can provide it using multiple green paths, including hydroelectric, wind and more in a scalable way. Some 30 percent of the total power Google uses in all its facilities presently comes from renewable sources, according to the company. More at: http://www.eweek.com/print/cloud/google-continues-to-invest-in-wind-power-with-new-deal-in-texas/

New Year - New Ideas in 2013

Happy New Year! 2013 is here. We hope everyone enjoyed the holidays. We look forward to new ideas for alternative energy in 2013. We used alternative energy to travel during the holidays. We hope many of you did the same. We used solar powered LED christmas tree lights. So, the cost to power the lights was ZERO DOLLARS. Here's to a wonderful year of increased alternative energy use.

National Zoo opens solar-powered carousel in DC

National Zoo opens solar-powered carousel in DC By BRETT ZONGKER | Associated Press – Tue, Nov 27, 2012 WASHINGTON (AP) — The Smithsonian's National Zoo is opening a new solar-powered carousel with hand-carved, hand-painted figures representing many endangered animals. The Speedwell Foundation, a private family foundation based in Summit, N.J., donated $1.5 million of the $2.3 million cost to build the carousel. A zoo spokeswoman says donations covered the remainder. The ride was named the Speedwell Foundation Conservation Carousel. It opened Monday and costs $3 per person to ride. Proceeds from ticket sales will support animal care and conservation research at the zoo. The carousel is powered by 162 solar panels donated and installed by Pepco Energy Services. The zoo says any excess energy is redirected to the zoo's electrical grid. There are 58 animals represented on the carousel. They include elephants, pandas, frogs, hummingbirds, blue crabs, lions and other critters.

Green Festival in Washington DC and Other Cities

Summer time and the living is busy! Get ready, because Green Festival is headed to Washington DC, San Francisco and Los Angeles this fall. We're kicking off our fall festival season September 29-30, returning to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Along with classic program favorites – Green Business, Fair Trade, Community Action and more – Green Festival introduces brand new, hands-on stages, including: DIY, Good Food, Live Art Demonstration and Eco-Fashion Showcase. Learn by doing at the DIY Stage as you gain practical skills to increase your self-sufficiency while saving your money. Discover fabulous recipes for a healthy, happy family at the Good Food Stage. Be entertained by live demonstrations detailing the origins of eco-fashion and fantastic local art installations at the Eco-Fashion Showcase and Live Art Demonstration Stage. Then, it's off to the west coast! Green Festival continues November 10-11 at the San Francisco Concourse Exhibition Center and November 17-18 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

89-Year-Old Man Develops Bladeless Bird-Friendly Wind Turbine!

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU: solaraero, sustainable design, green design, wind turbine, wind power, renewable energy, clean tech, bladeless wind turbine Ultra-Efficient Bladeless Wind Turbine Inspired by Nikolai Tesla X Energy Beth Buczynski 89-Year-Old Man Develops Bladeless Bird-Friendly Wind Turbine! by Beth Buczynski, 08/31/12 filed under: clean tech, News, Renewable Energy, Wind Power Share on Tumblr Email Catching Wind Power Farm, wind turbine, bladeless wind turbine, birds, conservation, design, renewable energy Wind turbines transform moving air currents into clean energy; there isn’t much to hate about that, especially when compared to the toxic emissions and high cost of fossil fuels. But wildlife conservation organizations have often expressed concerns that wind farms pose a threat to flying species bird and bat species. Eighty-nine-year-old military veteran Raymond Green decided that there’s no reason why clean energy and birds can’t coexist, so he designed the Catching Wind Power device, a bladeless wind turbine that promises to harness wind energy without harming our feathered friends. Ads by Google DC Residential Wind Power Electricity For Homes in DC. Low Fixed Rates. Learn More! www. CleanCurrents. com Catching Wind Power Farm, wind turbine, bladeless wind turbine, birds, conservation, design, renewable energy Green’s CWP Compressed Air Enclosed Wind Turbine completely eliminates the three massive blades seen on most wind turbines. Rather than waiting for the wind to turn a blade, Green’s device features a patented Inner Compression Cone Technology, which he claims will squeeze and compress the incoming air in order to create more power at the turbine. “Our design does not have any external moving parts to hit the birds,” writes Green on his website. “Our unit is easy to see so the birds can avoid it, and all moving parts are internal. The blades are mounted behind the windsock and inner compression cone, therefore making them nonaccessible to birds. Also, our turbines make virtually no noise.” According to Green, his design can be scaled up for commercial power production, or down for residential use. The CWP will soon be tested, improved upon, and manufactured by Sigma Design, so final judgement will have to be reserved for the birds themselves. +Catching Wind Power via Treehugger 1 print print email thisemail [Pin It] Related Posts Read more: 89-Year-Old Man Develops Bladeless Bird-Friendly Wind Turbine! | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building Green’s CWP Compressed Air Enclosed Wind Turbine completely eliminates the three massive blades seen on most wind turbines. Rather than waiting for the wind to turn a blade, Green’s device features a patented Inner Compression Cone Technology, which he claims will squeeze and compress the incoming air in order to create more power at the turbine. “Our design does not have any external moving parts to hit the birds,” writes Green on his website. “Our unit is easy to see so the birds can avoid it, and all moving parts are internal. The blades are mounted behind the windsock and inner compression cone, therefore making them nonaccessible to birds. Also, our turbines make virtually no noise.” According to Green, his design can be scaled up for commercial power production, or down for residential use. The CWP will soon be tested, improved upon, and manufactured by Sigma Design, so final judgement will have to be reserved for the birds themselves. Read more: 89-Year-Old Man Develops Bladeless Bird-Friendly Wind Turbine! | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building

United Kingdom's Lloyds Banking Group Invests 1.57 Billion in Alternative Energy

Hydrogen Fuel News The United Kingdom's Lloyds Banking Group, one of the world's most influential financial institutions, has taken a keen interest in alternative energy. The organization is poised to make a large investment in several alternative energy projects. These ... Read more at: http://www.hydrogenfuelnews.com/alternative-energy-gains-a-powerful-ally-in-the-uk/855061/ To top of blog: www.usaalternativeenergyenergy.blogspot.com

Obama Administration Releases Roadmap for Solar Energy Development on Public Lands

Obama Administration Releases Roadmap for Solar Energy Development on Public Lands -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 07/24/2012 Contact: Blake Androff (DOI) 202-208-6416 Energy Department Public Affairs: 202-586-4940 David Quick (BLM) 202-912-7413 WASHINGTON, D.C. - As part of President Obama’s all-of-the-above energy strategy, the Department of the Interior, in partnership with the Department of Energy, will publish the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for solar energy development in six southwestern states—Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The final Solar PEIS represents a major step forward in the permitting of utility-scale solar energy on public lands throughout the west. Today’s announcement builds on the historic progress made in fostering renewable energy development on public lands. When President Obama took office, there were no solar projects permitted on public lands; since 2009, Interior has approved 17 utility-scale solar energy projects that, when built, will produce nearly 5,900 megawatts of energy—enough to power approximately 1.8 million American homes. Thanks to steps already taken by this administration, renewable energy from sources like wind and solar have doubled since the President took office. The Solar PEIS will serve as a roadmap for solar energy development by establishing solar energy zones with access to existing or planned transmission, the fewest resource conflicts and incentives for development within those zones. The blueprint’s comprehensive analysis will make for faster, better permitting of large-scale solar projects on public lands. “This blueprint for landscape-level planning is about facilitating faster, smarter utility-scale solar development on America’s public lands,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “This is a key milestone in building a sustainable foundation for utility-scale solar energy development and conservation on public lands over the next two decades.” “Developing America’s solar energy resources is an important part of President Obama’s commitment to expanding American-made energy, increasing energy security, and creating jobs,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “This new roadmap builds on that commitment by identifying public lands that are best suited for solar energy projects, improving the permitting process, and creating incentives to deliver more renewable energy to American homes and businesses.” The Solar PEIS planning effort has focused on identifying locations on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands that are most suitable for solar energy development. These areas are characterized by excellent solar resources, good energy transmission potential, and relatively low conflict with biological, cultural and historic resources. The Final PEIS identifies 17 Solar Energy Zones (SEZs), totaling about 285,000 acres of public lands, as priority areas for utility-scale solar development, with the potential for additional zones through ongoing and future regional planning processes. The blueprint also allows for utility-scale solar development on approximately 19 million acres in “variance” areas lying outside of identified SEZs. In total, the Final PEIS estimates a total development of 23,700 megawatts from the 17 zones and the variance areas, enough renewable energy to power 7 million American homes. “Input from stakeholders has been extremely valuable throughout this process,” said Acting BLM Director Mike Pool. “Their comments have helped to refine the zones to make sure they’re ‘smart from the start’, to improve the transmission analyses and to build effective incentives into this blueprint for solar development." Key elements of the Final Solar PEIS: Establishes an initial set of 17 Solar Energy Zones on 285,000 acres across 6 Western States; Outlines a process for industry, the public and other interested stakeholders to propose new or expanded zones; efforts already underway include California’s Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan and the West Chocolate Mountains Renewable Energy Evaluation, Arizona’s Restoration Energy Design Project, and other local planning efforts in Nevada and Colorado; Includes strong incentives for development within zones, including faster and easier permitting, improved mitigation strategies, and economic incentives; Sets a clear process that allows for development of well-sited projects on approximately19 million acres outside the zones; Protects natural and cultural resources by excluding 78 million acres from solar energy development; Identifies design features (best practices) for solar energy development to ensure the most environmentally responsible development and delivery of solar energy; and Establishes a framework for regional mitigation plans and a strategy for monitoring and adaptive management; the first mitigation pilot for the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone is already underway. In support of more detailed system-level analyses of transmission needs, the BLM is engaged in ongoing transmission planning efforts, including through the Transmission Expansion Planning Policy Committee and the Western Electricity Coordination Council’s transmission study. The July 27 Federal Register Notice of Availability for the Final PEIS will begin a 30-day protest period, after which Secretary Salazar may consider adopting the document through a Record of Decision. The BLM released the Draft Solar PEIS in December 2010, and in response to the over 80,000 comments received from cooperating agencies and key stakeholders, issued a Supplement to the Draft Solar PEIS in October 2011. Click here to access the Final Solar PEIS. Click here for a list of the 17 Solar Energy Zones. Click here for a map of the six-states (individual state maps available upon request). Click here for the Executive Summary of the Solar PEIS. ###