QUICK NEWS, June 17: PUSHBACK TO SOLAR IN FLORIDA; VIRGINIA’S WIND-PUMPED HYDRO STORAGE COMBO; 2ND LIFE FOR EV BATTERIES
PUSHBACK TO SOLAR IN FLORIDA Opposition Is Piling On A Proposal To Increase Access To Solar Power In Florida
Katie Valentine, June 16, 2015 (ThinkProgress)
“A ballot petition to increase access to solar power in Florida has gotten a lot of heat from groups across the state, with utilities, cities, and even black and Hispanic organizations opposing…[a petition which] seeks to secure a 2016 ballot initiative that would allow Floridians to purchase solar power directly from other consumers. Right now in Florida, consumers can purchase electricity — solar or otherwise — only from utilities…The most expected opposition came from the state’s largest utilities — Florida Power and Light, Duke Energy, Tampa Electric Co., and Gulf Power…The Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce filed an opposition brief against it…[because the language does not inform the voter of the price increases to their electrical bill that would occur…And the Florida Chapter of the National Congress of Black Women [concurred. Solar advocates say there is] ‘no truth whatsoever’ to the claims that the proposal would increase rates and some say the claim] may have been pushed by utilities…” click here for more
VIRGINIA’S WIND-PUMPED HYDRO STORAGE COMBO The Promise of Wind Energy in Virginia…
Sandy Hausman, June 16, 2015 (Virginia National Public Radio)
“Dominion Virginia Power has leased land offshore for a wind park, but it’s not clear when construction might begin. The company says a demonstration project is needed to guide future development, but the cost to build those turbines offshore is too high…Key to the success of [offshore wind in Europe] are sophisticated computer programs that manage the grid, minute by minute. Also essential is cooperation with…[a source of] hydro-electric power when the wind isn’t blowing…[Dominion] has the biggest pumped storage plant in the world…[Offshore turbines’ excess power on windy days could be used to pump water up, ready to flow downhill through turbines and meet demand if offshore winds fade]…” click here for more
2ND LIFE FOR EV BATTERIES GM gets life out of old electric car batteries
Greg Gardner, June 16, 2015 (Detroit Free Press)
“General Motors is betting that using electric vehicle batteries for generating and storing electricity after the car is scrapped will save money for the company and others…It could also bolster the case that vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt, and the upcoming all-electric car, the Chevrolet Bolt, are about more than garnering credits toward meeting the government's fuel-economy standards…[F]ive Volt battery packs are already helping light offices at the company's Milford data center…Because the Volt typically draws its power from a band of energy in a battery pack, there is a lot of leftover electricity…A new solar array and two wind turbines feed the Milford data center's circuit breaker panel, where the Volt batteries work in parallel to supply power to the building…” click here for more
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