QUICK NEWS, January 13: NEW STUDY VERIFIES WIND DOES NO HARM TO HOME VALUES; MINNESOTA’S BIGGEST SOLAR GETS LEGAL CLEARANCE; NEW TECHNOLOGY TO DRIVE STOP-START VEHICLE SYSTEM MRKT

NEW STUDY VERIFIES WIND DOES NO HARM TO HOME VALUES Study: Like In The Country, Wind Turbines Don't Hurt Urban Home Values

Brian Dowling, January 11, 2014 (Hartford Courant)

“Researchers have found no evidence that wind turbines hurt home values, in a new study referred to as the first review of impacts on home sales in urban and suburban neighborhoods…[ Relationship between Wind Turbines and Residential Property Values in Massachusetts] by researchers at UConn and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, examined 122,000 home sales in Massachusetts over 14 years that were within five miles of wind turbines, the largest and most comprehensive dataset examined on the subject…After controlling for a number of other variables that could sway the sales price, the researchers found a statistically insignificant 0.5 percent increase in the home values. The study also said homes near turbines were being put up for sale and sold about as often as they were in other areas…” click here for more

click to enlarge

Tweet

MINNESOTA’S BIGGEST SOLAR GETS LEGAL CLEARANCE Massive Minnesota Solar Project Gets Major Legal Boost

Joanna M. Foster, January 1, 2014 (Climate Progress)

“…[A]dministrative law judge Eric Lipman recommended Geronimo Energy’s Aurora Solar Project [the largest-ever proposed solar project in Minnesota] above five other [new natural gas generator] proposals that utility Xcel Energy submitted to state regulators…[S]olar, according to Lipman, is the best deal. The Geronimo proposal is for a 100-megawatt distributed solar project, with 20-25 sites in 18 counties. Each solar park would range from 2-10 megawatts. The largest of the Geronimo solar parks would be five times bigger than the state’s largest solar array…” click here for more

click to enlarge

Tweet

NEW TECHNOLOGY TO DRIVE STOP-START VEHICLE SYSTEM MRKT 48 Volt Systems for Stop-Start Vehicles and Micro Hybrids

4Q 2013 (Navigant Reseach)

“…The latest [stop-start vehicle systems] are starting to implement some of the features that were first developed for full hybrid vehicles, such as regenerative braking and electric power assistance. The challenge for OEMs is to get the most efficiency benefits from the smallest cost increment…[T]he current 12V electrical system is becoming an inhibitor…Growth in light duty 48V systems sales through the end of the current decade will be predominately in Western Europe, mainly because this region is the most aggressive in implementing fuel economy and emissions regulations…Navigant Research forecasts that total global sales for light duty vehicles with 48V electrical subsystems will reach nearly 13.5 million by 2023…” click here for more

click to enlarge

Tweet