QUICK NEWS, Oct. 27: NEW ENERGY OVER 40% OF U.S. NEW BUILD IN 2014; EMPLOYEE BENEFITS NOW INCLUDE SOLAR; WIND BRINGS JOBS TO MICHIGAN

NEW ENERGY OVER 40% OF U.S. NEW BUILD IN 2014 Renewable Energy Provides Over 40% Of New U.S. Generating Capacity In First Three-Quarters Of 2014; New Renewable Capacity Is 35 Times That Of Coal, Oil, And Nuclear Combined

October 27, 2014 (Sun Day Campaign)

“…[R]enewable energy sources…account for more than two-fifths (40.61%) of all new U.S. electrical generating capacity put in-service during the first nine months of 2014. Only natural gas provided more new generating capacity...[N]ew capacity in 2014 from the combination of renewable energy sources thus far is almost 35 times that of coal, oil, and nuclear combined (3,598 MW vs. 104 MW)…For the month of September alone, renewables accounted for over two-thirds of the 603 MW of new generating capacity put in-service [367 MW of wind (60.86%) plus 41 MW of solar (6.80%)]…

“Of the 8,860 MW of new generating capacity from all sources installed since January 1, 2014, 187 "units" of solar accounted for 1,671 MW (18.86%), followed by 28 units of wind 1,614 MW (18.22%), 7 units of hydropower 141 MW (1.59%), 38 units of biomass 140 MW (1.58%), and 5 units of geothermal 32 MW (0.36%)…The balance came from 41 units of natural gas 5,153 MW (58.16%), 1 unit of nuclear 71 MW (0.80%), 11 units of oil 33 MW (0.37%), and 6 units of "other" 7 MW (0.08%). There has been no new coal capacity added thus far in 2014…” click here for more

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EMPLOYEE BENEFITS NOW INCLUDE SOLAR Home Solar Power Discounts Are Worker Perk in New Program

Diane Cardwell, Oct. 22, 2014 (NY Times)

“…[Employees of Cisco Systems, 3M, Kimberly-Clark and National Geographic] will be able to buy or lease solar systems for their homes at rates substantially lower than the national average…The program, offered through Geostellar, an online marketer of solar systems, will be available to more than 100,000 employees and will include options for their friends and families in the United States and parts of Canada…Conceived at the World Wildlife Fund [WWF], the program, called the Solar Community Initiative, aims to use the bulk buying power of employees to allow for discounts on home systems…

“The program’s expansion is a reflection of the shrinking gulf between camps that were once considered mutually exclusive: environmental advocacy organizations and mainstream corporate America…The program is consistent with [WWF’s] approach of working closely with corporations, often quietly trying to nudge them toward change from the inside, rather than pushing from the outside through more confrontational tactics…For Geostellar, which built a virtual marketplace from satellite imagery and big data, it offers a new route to attracting customers, which is still one of the more stubbornly high costs of operating a solar business…” click here for more

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WIND BRINGS JOBS TO MICHIGAN Michigan's wind energy industry soaring

Fred Witsil, October 12, 2014 (Detroit Free Press)

“The shift to renewable energy sources in Michigan — particularly wind — has picked up in the past few years and could get more of a boost as the Obama administration seeks a 30% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2030…That could mean more investment and more jobs to add to Michigan's modest energy sector profile of about 83,000 workers. One recent study concluded targeted local investment in wind and other renewable energy could support nearly 21,000 jobs in the state by next year…One reason: [Wind energy generated electricity is] about half as expensive to produce than utility companies initially expected, down to as little as $50 a megawatt hour last year from more than $100 a megawatt hour in 2009…

“The nonprofit group, Natural Resources Defense Council, says Michigan is home to about 120 companies that supply wind components and employ 4,000…DTE Energy and Consumers Energy, the two companies that serve Michigan's lower peninsula, are building wind turbines…Wind and other renewable sources of power are expected to provide a steadily increasing amount of Michigan's power needs by 2030…” click here for more

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