QUICK NEWS, March 3: GEORGE W. BUSH’S VISION REALIZED IN A TEXAS WIND BOOM; SOLAR FINANCES SOLAR; FREE ONLINE COURSE ABOUT PLUG-IN VEHICLES & PLUGS

GEORGE W. BUSH’S VISION REALIZED IN A TEXAS WIND BOOM How Texas Made Wind Energy a Real Player

Mike Jacobs, February 27, 2014 (Union of Concerned Scientists)

“…The grid operator in Texas, ERCOT, says agreements are already done for 7,500 MW of new wind power, most of which will be using [newly completed] transmission lines by 2016. That will put installed Texas wind around 20,000 MW…Texas wind is already twice as big as the next largest wind states, California and Iowa…ERCOT’s winter demand for electricity can hit 57,000 MW, and summer demand peaks upwards of 68,000 MW…[O]n Christmas Day, 2013, wind supplied 26 percent of ERCOT’s electricity use. On January 29, 2013, Texas wind power produced 32 percent of total electricity needed…[This story] of collective action, mandated by the Texas state legislature...started with the Texas RPS law, signed by Governor Bush. Once Texans found wind could be profitable, the legislature [eight years ago] raised the RPS and set out [the] transmission planning-and-building requirement known as CREZ…” click here for more

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SOLAR FINANCES SOLAR THiNKnrg Installs One of the Largest Solar Rooftops in Palo Alto at the Oshman Family JCC Using Trina Solar’s Trinasmart Modules; 397.5 kW rooftop solar installation to save JCC over $1.5 million over 20 years, reducing carbon footprint of LEED certified campus by 9,500 tons

February 25, 2014 (THiNKnrg)

“Palo Alto’s second largest solar roof system has been installed at the Oshman Family JCC (OFJCC) campus…Developed through a partnership with THiNKnrg, the 397.5 kW system is also the largest installation of Trinasmart solar panels to date…[with] 1,840 solar panels spread across the rooftops of the 12 buildings…[It] was financed by a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), which required no capital cost to the OFJCC and utilized all available incentives. Conergy, a leading global solar photovoltaic downstream company, along with its owner Kawa Capital Management, structured the PPA to supply the OFJCC with renewable energy at less than half the current energy rate. The campus is expected to save $26,000 in the first year and an estimated $1.5 million in energy savings over the 20-year contract. The solar roof system will supply approximately 20 percent of the OFJCC’s energy needs… generate 616,920 kilowatt-hours of electricity and reduce the TKCJL’s carbon footprint by the equivalent of growing over 223,000 tree seedlings or removing 1,814 passenger cars…” click here for more

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FREE ONLINE COURSE ABOUT PLUG-IN VEHICLES & PLUGS AeroVironment Initiative to Educate Consumers on EVs and EV Charging Through Online Course

February 27, 2014 (AeroVironment, Inc.)

“…[ AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV)] is working with KnowWhatYouDrive on an initiative to help consumers learn about how electric vehicles and charging systems work…[A free] online course explains the differences between electric vehicles [and] types of charging…[and an electric vehicle IQ test offers] $25, $50, or $100 coupon codes for an electric vehicle charging station and installation…” click here for more

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