The design framework for a California Independent System Operator (ISO) energy imbalance market (EIM) received approval from the ISO board of governors. The EIM will allow western grid operators, known as “balancing authorities”, to voluntarily participate in a real-time energy market that enhances grid reliability and responsiveness, effectively integrates renewable power and saves wholesale energy costs. The ISO’s first EIM partner, PacifiCorp, has been working with the ISO to prepare for implementing the market expected to go live on October 1, 2014.

Kalmbach Feeds and TruStar Energy celebrated the grand opening of a new compressed natural gas (CNG) public fueling station. The station, designed and constructed by TruStar Energy, is located in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, near the company's Wyandot County manufacturing plants and distribution center. The station is part of a new venture, Kalmbach Clean Fuels, LLC, and will support Kalmbach's new CNG-powered feed distribution trucks.

Mainstream Renewable Power has closed a deal to sell its 46-MW Oldman 2 Wind Farm, located in Alberta Canada, to IKEA. Mainstream has commenced construction of the project at a cost of approximately CAD$90m and it is expected to be operational in the autumn of 2014 at which point IKEA will purchase the plant. As part of the deal Mainstream will continue to operate and maintain the wind farm on behalf of IKEA for its lifespan.

Washington Gas Energy Systems signed a contract with Tucson Electric Power (TEP) to build, own and operate a one-MW Cogenra Solar array that will provide renewable energy to the utility in Tucson, Arizona. The installation, awarded through a previous TEP RFP process, will consist of ground-mounted Cogenra T14 systems and will be constructed at Solar Zone within the University of Arizona’s Science & Technology Park (UA Tech Park). The facility will be owned and operated by Washington Gas Energy Systems under a 20-year PPA with TEP.

Siemens received an order for two German offshore wind power plants to supply 97 wind turbines, each with a rating of six MW and a rotor diameter of 154 meters, to the Danish energy provider DONG Energy. The Gode Wind 1 (252 MW) and Gode Wind 2 (330 MW) wind power plants will be erected off the North Sea island of Juist. This will mark the first time that Siemens will be supplying its new six-MW wind turbines for offshore in Germany. Siemens will also service the wind turbines for a period of five years.

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), MidAmerican Transmission and Citizens Energy were chosen by the California Independent System Operator (ISO) to develop, own and operate a new transmission line in the Central Valley region of California. The 230- kV line will span about 70 miles across Fresno, Madera and Kings counties, running from the Gates to Gregg substations, which are owned and operated by PG&E.

Maui Electric Company selected Greenlots, a global provider of open standards-based technology solutions for EV networks, SKY network management solution to manage the first open access public charging station on Maui.