Siemens Receives Grid Connection Order for Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm

Siemens received an order for the turnkey delivery of the grid connection for the Dudgeon offshore wind farm. The customers are the Norwegian utilities Statoil and Statkraft, which are jointly implementing the wind farm off the coast of the U.K. Siemens will supply the entire power transmission system, including the two transformer substations - one onshore and one offshore - for the 402-MW project. Siemens had previously received an order in August to deliver 67 wind turbines in the new 6-MW class as well as to maintain the wind farm.

Google Executes $145 Million Investment in SunEdison’s Largest Solar Plant In North America

Google agreed to provide $145 million in equity financing for the Regulus, SunEdison's largest developed and constructed project in North America. Located in Kern County, Calif., the Regulus plant will begin operation later this year, and will supply power to Southern California Edison through a 20-year PPA. SunEdison developed, designed, executed the structured financing and is constructing the Regulus project, which was contributed to TerraForm Power.

PPL Montana Agreement to Sell Hydroelectric Facilities Wins Regulatory Approval

PPL Montana has agreed to sell its hydroelectric facilities to NorthWestern Energy. Montana Public Service Commission voted to prepare an order approving NorthWestern Energy's request to purchase the facilities. The agreement includes PPL Montana's 11 hydroelectric power plants, which have a combined generating capacity of more than 630 MW, as well as the company's Hebgen Lake reservoir. PPL Montana and NorthWestern have secured required approvals from FERC, as well as the necessary clearance from the antitrust enforcement agencies.

Itron Selected for Linky Smart Grid Program in France

Itron was selected by ERDF (Électricité Réseau Distribution France), electricity distribution network operator in France and distribution subsidiary of the Electricité de France Group (EDF), for its Linky smart grid program. Itron will be a major supplier of Linky smart meters for the first phase of the program. The Linky project aims to improve the distribution of electricity in France with an intelligent metering and communications network.

NRG eVgo Opens First Fast-Charging EV Station in Hermosa Beach, California

NRG eVgo and the City of Hermosa Beach introduced the first EV fast-charging Freedom Station installation on public land in California. The Freedom Station, located in the municipal parking garage at 1301 Hermosa Avenue, supports all EV drivers, regardless of what kind of electric vehicle they drive. All Freedom Station sites currently include CHAdeMO DC fast chargers that can charge an electric vehicle in less than 30 minutes, as well as a standard Level 2 charger to serve EVs that do not have a fast charging option.

Will President Obama's Clean Power Plan Fly?

President Obama and his EPA are now taking public comments on the Clean Power Plan – the proposal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions on existing coal-fired power plants by motivating investments in new technologies or entering into regional cap-and-trade programs. It's a rule-making that has raised the ire of Republicans, who feel the Democratic administration has gone too far. But it's one that raises the hopes of others, who say that it will spur utilities to build or invest in cleaner alternatives. Just what fuels benefit from this? Natural gas is obvious winner, although nuclear and renewables are also fighting for a greater slice of the electric generation pie.

President Obama’s Clean Power Plan won’t exactly move at the speed of light. But it may jumpstart demand for more alternative fuels that are more ecologically beneficial than the older coal-fired technologies.

AWS Truepower Contracted as Lender Engineer for Financing of the Largest Wind Farm in Mexico

AWS Truepower was hired to act as independent engineer to support the financing and construction of the Ventika I & Ventika II wind projects in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The Ventika Wind Project consists of two 126-MW wind projects, for a total capacity of 252 MW, making it the largest wind project in Mexico at the time of financing. The total investment for the projects is $650 million, secured by co-developers CEMEX and Fisterra Energy.

Duke Energy to Build Los Vientos V Wind Project in Texas

Duke Energy Renewables will build, own and operate a 110-MW wind power project, Los Vientos V, in Starr County, Texas. Garland Power & Light, Greenville Electric Utility System and Bryan Texas Utilities (BTU) have signed 25-year PPAs produced by the project. Vestas will supply 55 2-MW turbines for the project. The project is expected to be completed in late 2015.

Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas Select Dominion to Build Atlantic Coast Pipeline

Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas selected Dominion to build and operate the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, a 550-mile interstate natural gas pipeline from West Virginia, through Virginia and into eastern North Carolina to meet the region’s rapidly growing demand for natural gas.

ReneSola to Develop 13-MW Solar Farm Project in United Kingdom

ReneSola Ltd will develop a 13-MW solar project in Dorset, England and expects the solar farm to be fully operational and connected to the national energy grid by end of 2014. The company has identified a number of potential buyers for the project, which received planning consent in January 2014 and is eligible for the United Kingdom's support scheme to promote renewable electricity-generating technologies. The project will feature ReneSola PV modules exclusively, specifically the Virtus II.