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Archive for the ‘Renewables’ Category

The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind . . .

Posted in Renewables, tagged , , , on April 12, 2012 | 1 Comment »

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the state grid operator and manager of the wholesale electric market, hit a new wind record of 7,599 MW on Wednesday, exceeding the previous record set the previous day by almost 200 megawatts (MW). At the time of Wednesday’s record, wind was supplying 22 percent of the 34,318 [...]

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Solar Reaches Major Employer Status in Austin, But for How Long?

Posted in Renewables, solar, tagged , , , , on February 15, 2012 | 2 Comments »

A survey done by Solar Austin at the beginning of 2012 shows there are at least 615 full-time solar energy jobs in Austin.  These jobs include manufacturing, R&D, solar installation, financial and engineering consultants.  Adding standard jobs multipliers the total direct and indirect employment supported by the Austin solar industry is 1,180 to 2,190 jobs. [...]

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Austin Energy drought proofs its energy with new Webberville Solar Project

Posted in Global Warming, Renewables, solar, tagged , , , on January 6, 2012 | 5 Comments »

On a blustery and brilliantly sunny Texas winter day a couple hundred Central Texas citizens, that included officials and solar enthusiasts, gathered on what had been an empty 380 acre field only three years ago to usher in a new era of “drought-proof” energy for the City of Austin. On Friday, January 6, 2012, Austin [...]

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Sustainable Energy Transforms Lives

Posted in Renewables, solar, tagged , , on October 9, 2011 | 3 Comments »

Below is an article from the New York Times in its entirety showing the power for change renewable energy is having in third world countries.  I think articles like this are a good argument for subscribing to papers like the New York Times. African Huts Far From the Grid Glow With Renewable Power Beyond Fossil Fuels [...]

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SPIN BABY SPIN – Renewables continue to grow in Texas

Posted in Energy, Renewables, solar, tagged , , , , , , on August 19, 2011 | 2 Comments »

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the operators of the Texas electric grid, has released its Emerging technologies report that includes the state of renewables on the Texas grid. Some interesting facts show that wind generation continues to provide a significant amount of energy to the grid as the technology matures, new turbines are [...]

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Big Hot Texas Sun: Problem or Resource?

Posted in Climate Change, Co-op Reform, Efficiency, Energy, Global Warming, Renewables, solar on August 11, 2011 | 3 Comments »

We’re in the midst of a heat wave and drought that are on record to be Texas’ worst in recorded history. (and now imagine if global warming actually kicked in, the way all those scientists say! *wink*) But we have a few options. Cope, adapt, or conquer. I much prefer the last solution to the [...]

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Deregulation has put Texas energy security at risk.

Posted in Air Quality, Coal, Energy, Global Warming, Renewables, Texas Legislature, tagged , , , , , , on August 5, 2011 | 2 Comments »

The PUC wants to have a meeting at the end of August to try to figure out how to fix Texas’s experiment of a deregulated generation market, as we look like we are going to run out of energy during what could be ever increasing hot summers. It seems the current market based behavior doesn’t [...]

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Clean Air Act Restrictions Pushed Aside in Wake of Political Preparation and Industry Pressure

Posted in Air Quality, Energy, Global Warming, Renewables, Toxics, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 7, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

Election season is imminent and advocates for environmental welfare and public health need not look very far for the hyper-political red tape and drawbacks to pollution legislation. Like many of her colleagues in the Democratic Party, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson has been campaigning nationwide for the regulation of toxins such as mercury from [...]

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Renewable Energy and the 82nd Legislature

Posted in Renewables, solar, tagged , , , on June 6, 2011 | 1 Comment »

If you live in Austin, TX and put solar on your rooftop, you might be able to pay only about a quarter of the initial cost estimate, making this a viable option for many homeowners.  But for many Texans, there is still a good reason not to go with solar: the generous local incentives that Austinites [...]

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Texas sees a 30 percent increase in energy from renewable sources in 2010

Posted in Energy, Renewables, tagged , , , , on May 17, 2011 | 1 Comment »

According to a press release from ERCOT, Texas posted a 30 percent increase in energy from renewable sources in 2010 with voluntary participation in renewable energy credits up 45 percent Below is ERCOT’s press release:   MAY 13, 2011, AUSTIN – Texas posted a 30 percent increase in energy generated by renewable sources in 2010, [...]

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EPA’s Partial E15 Waiver: More ethanol?

Posted in Air Quality, Efficiency, Renewables, Transportation, tagged , , , , , on March 27, 2011 | 1 Comment »

Over the past couple of years, there has been a heated debate involving the potential EPA implementation of allowing a greater percentage of ethanol in gasoline.  The current volume percentage of ethanol allowed is 10% for vehicles made between the years 2001 and 2006. Recently, the EPA has been discussing the approval of what is [...]

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Wind and solar may be competitive with coal without aid in a decade, Chu says

Posted in Global Warming, Renewables, tagged , , , , on March 26, 2011 | 1 Comment »

According to Bloomberg, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu is calling for a national energy policy that will promote the use of clean-energy technologies.  This would include U.S. investment in advanced battery technologies, biofuels and efficient high-voltage transmission systems.  Secretary Chu went on to say they are expecting wind and solar power may be able to [...]

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Want solar but live under HOA rules that won’t allow it?

Posted in Renewables, tagged , , , , , on March 10, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

The House Business and Industry Committee will meet next Monday and one of the bills that they will be taking testimony on is HB 450 filed by Representative Eddie Lucio, III (D-San Benito) that addresses the regulation of solar energy devices by a property owners’ association.  If you are a homeowner who wants solar but your HOA [...]

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Got Solar?

Posted in Energy, Renewables, solar, tagged , , , on March 7, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

For many who want to add more rooftop and other on-site solar generating devices on homes and even commercial properties, there have been concerns about the prospect of being regulated as utilities.  This concern has been seen as an overly burdensome barrier to the industry, however Senator John Carona (R-Dallas) filed legislation that would make clear that [...]

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A Brave New World according to new WWF report

Posted in Renewables, tagged , , on March 6, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

According to a new report from the World Wildlife Federation (WWF), a fully sustainable and renewable global energy system is possible by 2050.  The Energy Report, researched for the WWF by Ecofys, a leading energy consulting firm in the Netherlands,  shows that humanity could meet 95 percent of energy needs with renewables utilising today’s technologies, and that in four [...]

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