QUICK NEWS, May 14: EPA RULES COULD BOOST NEW ENERGY; UTILITY-SOLAR PARTNERSHIP; RHODE ISLAND OCEAN WIND PERMITTED

EPA RULES COULD BOOST NEW ENERGY Emissions regulations create 'huge' opportunity for wind, AWEA says

Michael Copley, May 7, 2014 (SNL)

“…[P]roposed carbon emissions regulations on existing power plants, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is expected to release in June, would be a major boon for the [wind industry and other renewables as they search] for ways to increase demand…The proposal follows proposed carbon emissions regulations the EPA put out for new power plants, as well as recent new rules on mercury and other pollutants. The tighter regulations, as well as the corresponding planned retirements of coal-fired power plants, could pave the way for a surge in [renewables] development, particularly if regulators give states the flexibility to decide how best to comply…However, other industry experts cautioned that natural gas, rather than [renewables], likely will be turned to as the resource of choice to replace lost coal capacity…[EPA regional administrator Shaun McGrath said] states should be given the flexibility to use a wide range of measures to achieve reductions…” click here for more

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UTILITY-SOLAR PARTNERSHIP Clean Power Finance Partners with North American Solar to Expand Residential Solar Deployment in the U.S.;Leading Retail Electric Provider Adds Solar Financing to Traditional Energy Offerings

May 12, 2014 (Clean Power Finance)

“Homeowners [in deregulated markets] who buy energy from North American Power can now opt for…solar electricity, thanks to a new partnership between North American Solar, an affiliate of North American Power, and Clean Power Finance [CPF]…North American Solar will sell residential solar financing to homeowners through the CPF Market…North American Power is one of the top fifteen retail electricity providers in the nation and serves more than 320,000 electricity and natural gas customers nationwide. The North American Solar partnership with CPF differentiates the retail provider in a competitive market and supports the company’s mission to bring affordable and clean electricity to its customers…” click here for more

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RHODE ISLAND OCEAN WIND PERMITTED Deepwater Wind receives first permits for Block Island wind farm

Alex Kuffner, May 8, 2014 (Providence Journal)

“Deepwater Wind’s proposal to build a five-turbine wind farm in waters off Block Island has received its first permits…[The] Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management…approved water quality certificates to allow dredging and other marine construction activities for the wind farm and transmission cable that will connect Block Island to Narragansett…[and] a freshwater wetlands permit for on-shore construction. Deepwater CEO Jeffrey Grybowski called the approval of the permits a major step forward for the project, which is aiming to be the first offshore wind farm in the United States…The permits are among many that Deepwater must secure before it can build the wind farm…[including decisions] from the state Coastal Resources Management Council, the lead state permitting agency…[and] the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.” click here for more

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