Four Years And Many Failures Later, Obama Pushes More 'Green Jobs'
When Obama pledged $150 billion over ten years, he said it would create 5 million green jobs — in fact, about 30,000 jobs have been created by the Department of Energy’s 4,000 or so green energy projects.
From the stimulus package, we got two big ticket items: One is the subsidy program which helped several now-bankrupt firms (Solyndra being just one of them) remain solvent for a bit longer than they would have otherwise, and which is still propping up others that will go bankrupt soon. We also got a $400 million green-jobs training program which, in the rare cases where it puts participants into new “green jobs,” puts them into jobs with an average annual salary of less than $26,000 per year.
Obama’s Green Team: He Really Meant It
"We need to make sure that we tackle climate change in these next four years and this president is going to do it,” Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, wearing his traditional ten-gallon hat and bolo tie, told the crowd Monday night. “We are going to lift our game in the interlocking challenges of climate change and energy,” said John Holdren, who is Obama’s top science adviser.
“Energy and climate policy are going to be a top priority,” added Heather Zichal, the top White House energy and climate aide.
WATCH: Obama on Climate Change - Inauguration 2013
Obama sees a huge threat from climate change but no threat from a $17 trillion national debt.
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John provides his weekly update on news in the green energy sector.
Fact Sheet: US China Commercial Relations
UPC Management Wind Power Agreements: UPC Management, LLC (UPC) is a Miami, Florida based wind power developer, having interests in 24 sites in 12 Chinese provinces. The company has negotiated a Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA) with the China Guo Dian Corporation (CGD), which develops, builds, operates, and distributes electricity and heat. Under the SFA, CGD and UPC will form ventures leading to the establishment of wind power generation joint ventures. The total value of the SFA investments could reach $1.5 billion, of which UPC will invest up to $735 million.
US Reaches $19 Billion Agreement Where China Will Buy 200 Boeing Planes
Rough Translation
President Hu Jintao and Barack Obama at the White House along with Chinese business representatives, including Lenovo Group, China Investment Co., Ltd., Universal Group, Haier Group and others. U.S. representatives include Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, CEO of Goldman Sachs, Lloyd Blankfein, CEO Jeffrey Immelt General Electric, Boeing CEO Jim McNerney and other corporate executives.
Local 18, the second annual US-China Clean Energy Forum China-US companies, research institutions signed a number of clean energy cooperation agreement involving energy-efficient buildings, clean coal, electric vehicles, etc. areas, including the UPC Group, China Guodian cooperation with the United States. Under the agreement, the two sides will jointly develop, construct and operate seven wind power projects with a total investment of more than 100 billion yuan.
Guodian said the UPC and the United States in the field of wind power a wide range of strategic cooperation. Under the agreement, the two sides will jointly develop, build and operate over 1075 MW of total installed capacity of wind power projects of cooperation. UPC officially entered China in 2006, currently in China's 12 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, development and construction of 24 projects. As of the end of 2010, UPC in the territory of China's wind power installed capacity reached 150 MW.
Beijing Smog Rules Would Shut Factories When Pollution Rises
The stricter anti-smog efforts appeared a week after pollution levels in the city hit a level that was almost 40 times recommended World Health Organization limits. State-run media expressed skepticism that the new rules would have much effect, underscoring the challenges the government faces in tackling pollution.
Senators: Dodd-Frank Lawsuit Threatens Congressional Powers
A trio of senators say that business groups challenging new S.E.C. rules are taking dead aim at the power of Congress to make policy on energy and national security. Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and ex-Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.), in a court filing Thursday, defend SEC rules that will force oil, gas and mining companies to disclose payments to foreign governments.
[Which renewables companies, such as UPC/First Wind and GE, paid foreign governments?]
Soros Trumps Exxon in Battle Over Payments to Foreign Governments
The law forces SEC-listed oil, natural gas and mining companies to reveal payments to governments related to projects in their countries, such as money for production licenses, taxes, royalties and other aspects of energy and mineral projects. It’s aimed at increasing transparency to help undo the “resource curse,” in which some impoverished countries in Africa and elsewhere are plagued by high levels of corruption and conflict alongside their energy and mineral wealth.
The SEC estimates that the rule will carry initial industry-wide compliance costs of up to $1 billion, with annual costs in the $200 million to $400 million range thereafter.
Richard Clarke Says LPG Project Too Risky For Searsport
A risk assessment study released this week by former White House counterterrorism adviser Richard A. Clarke recommends that the town of Searsport not proceed with a $40 million, 23 million gallon liquid propane gas terminal and storage tank project. The Islesboro Islands Trust this summer commissioned the study from Clarke’s firm, Good Harbor Consulting. The island land conservation group has opposed industrial development on Searsport’s Sears Island and the Mack Point port facility, where Denver-based DCP Midstream has proposed building the energy project.
The controversial project has received permits from agencies including the Maine Dept. of Environmental Protection, the Coast Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers.
[Jim Mogg, who is chairman of First Wind/UPC was chariman of DCP until 2007.]
DOE Names New Bonneville Power Administration Chief
The Energy Department (DOE) has promoted the Bonneville Power Administration’s (BPA) second-in-command to lead the electric utility, BPA announced Wednesday. Bill Drummond will head the DOE-managed power marketer beginning next month. He replaces retiring Administrator Steve Wright, who helmed the organization since 2000.
BPA serves electric utility customers in the Pacific Northwest. It is one of four power marketing administrations overseen by DOE.
Bonneville Power Administration's Shepard's Flat Wind
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
BPA has been asked to interconnect up to 846 megawatts (MW) of electricity from the Shepherds Flat Wind Farm, a private energy facility, proposed in Gilliam and Morrow counties, Ore. The BPA interconnection facility would require constructing a new yard at an existing BPA substation in Gilliam County in 2008 and 2009. BPAdoes not propose to purchase any of the power produced by this wind project.
Caithness Shepherds Flat, LLC would develop the wind project on privately owned grazing and farming land near the town of Arlington. The wind project would be developed in phases, with the eventual installation of up to 303 3.0 MW turbines. Two transmission lines would be constructed between the wind project and the BPAinterconnection site.
The wind project must go through Oregon Energy Facilities Siting Council (EFSC) review in order to obtain a site certification. The developer, through the EFSC Site Certificate Application process, has conducted environmental studies for the proposed wind project and associated facilities and is in the final stages of Siting Council review.
Google Pumps $100 Million into Shepards Flat Wind
Google announced Monday on its company blog that the Web-tech giant will invest $100 million in the Shepherds Flat wind farm going up in Eastern Oregon. The post, written by Google's Rick Needham, director of green business operations, said it will join investors General Electric, which is also the turbine manufacturer, Sumimoto Corporation of America and Tyr Energy. The firms also issued a press release with additional details.
In all, the new investors — Google, ITOCHU Corporation subsidiary Tyr Energy and Sumitomo Corporation subsidiarySumitomo Corporation of America — are putting in about $500 million. The full price tag of the project is pegged at $2 billion. The Shepherds Flat project, billed as what will be the country's largest wind farm, secured a $1.3 billion loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy in December.
Future Unclear For Massive Ohio Solar Project
The future of what was to be the largest solar field east of the Rocky Mountains is uncertain after the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio rejected a plan to finance the Noble County project. Last week, the commission voted 3-1 against American Electric Power's plan to recover a portion of its costs in the venture through a surcharge on ratepayers. In its decision, the commission said the company and its own staff failed to show the Turning Point Solar project would benefit ratepayers or was needed to allow AEP Ohio to meet state requirements for using alternative energy sources.
Wind Energy Industry Pushing For More Legislation
Wind energy advocates took over the Statehouse Wednesday to push their agenda. The annual Wind Energy Day is put together by the Iowa Wind Energy Association. This session the Association is asking legislators to consider several new laws that would benefit the industry. One of those laws would give individual and corporate income tax credits to small scale residential, commercial and agricultural wind energy systems. Another would allow schools to use funds to repair wind turbines.
Lead US International Climate Negotiator Heads To DOE
A State Department official who helped lead international climate talks is moving to the Energy Department (DOE) to head that agency’s climate operations. Jonathan Pershing will begin his new role as DOE deputy assistant secretary for climate change policy and technology on Tuesday. Pershing will oversee domestic climate and clean-energy initiatives for that office.
At State Department, Pershing served as deputy special envoy for climate change under special envoy Todd Stern. He helped lead the U.S. envoy in United Nations global warming talks for the past four years. Pershing defended U.S. and Obama administration efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions during a U.N. climate conference in November.
First Wind Trying To 'Enhance' 2 Failed Sites In Maine With GE Technology
GE will install its WindCONTROL advanced software to help maximize energy output at two First Wind projects in Maine that feature a total of 95 GE wind turbines. The GE technology will regulate curtailment by monitoring and controlling the wind turbines’ ramp rates, effectively easing power spikes and putting less strain on the turbine compared to constant starts and stops.
DLF To Sell Wind Business To Former Boss Of GE India
DLF Ltd. is looking to sell its wind energy business to an unlisted firm founded by the former General Electric India boss Tejpreet Singh Chopra for around $164.56 million (INR 900 crore). The divestment of wind energy business has already been finalized with Bharat Light and Power (BLP). However, there are some regulatory issues that need to be resolved before announcing the transaction. The firm is selling its windmills in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Rajasthan under a two-phased slump sale. (More at the Economic Times)
Interior Chief Salazar Finalizes Arizona Energy Plan
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar finalized a plan Friday that sets aside 192,100 acres of public land in Arizona for solar energy. “This project is a key milestone in our work to spur smart development of solar and wind energy on public lands across the West. Arizona has huge potential when it comes to building a clean energy economy, and this landscape-level plan lays a solid foundation for making sure that it happens in the right way and in the right places,” Salazar said in a statement.
The plan also established the 2,250-acre Agua Caliente Solar Energy Zone, which is part of an Obama administration initiative to fast-track solar projects in six Western states. Salazar, who announced Wednesday that he would step down in March, has helped usher in an expansion of solar and wind energy on public lands.
Read Last Week's Green Energy Stories...
WATCH: Obama on Climate Change - Inauguration 2013
Obama sees a huge threat from climate change but no threat from a $17 trillion national debt.
"We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms."