Clean energy Australia report 2014

The review of the Renewable Energy Target (RET), which was announced in February 2014 and continued beyond the end of the year, essentially froze new investment in large-scale renewable energy in Australia last year. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, new investment in large-scale projects such as solar and wind farms was down by 88 per cent in 2014 compared to the year before. The RET review had a more modest impact on the smaller-scale renewable energy market, and both commercial and domestic solar power continued to perform well. More than 15,000 businesses have now installed a solar power system, collectively saving more than $64 million on their power bills every year. Some consolidation of solar businesses continued as the market continued to mature, and innovative financing options were a feature of the commercial solar sector last year. Bundaberg in Queensland was Australia’s solar power capital at the end of 2014, with the most solar power systems of any postcode in the country. Mandurah in Western Australia was second and Hervey Bay, just over 100 km away from Bundaberg, placed third. Eight of the top 10 solar regions of the year were from the aptly-named Sunshine State, with the remaining two from Western Australia. Employment across the sector contracted by nearly 1000 full-time positions, leaving approximately 20,000 people directly employed by the renewable energy industry. Lower rainfall in hydro catchments contributed to a 25 per cent fall in hydro generation, leading to a drop in the proportion of renewable energy in the nation’s power supply from 14.76 per cent in 2013 to 13.47 per cent last year. Of the various renewable energy technologies, hydro made the largest contribution to total Australian energy generation (6.2 per cent), followed by wind (4.2 per cent), solar (2.1 per cent) and bioenergy (1 per cent). Despite the uncertainty that washed through the renewable energy sector during 2014, three large wind farms totalling 566.7 megawatts were completed during the year. Among these was Trustpower’s Snowtown 2 in South Australia, Australia’s second- largest operating wind farm. These projects were approved and financed long before the beginning of the review of the RET. The 20 megawatt Royalla Solar Farm developed by Fotowatio Renewable Ventures, the nation’s largest at the end of 2014, was officially opened in September. Support from the ACT Government was crucial to the viability of the project. Energy storage continued to attract keen interest across the renewable energy sector. Innovation and scale step changes such as the construction of the US$5 billion Gigafactory by Tesla Motors in the United States are expected to drive down the price of technology and make it more widely adopted in the next few years. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) supported a diverse group of projects investigating cutting- edge renewable technologies. These included the use of renewable energy in off-grid situations for a variety of applications, such as mining at Weipa in North Queensland. Hybrid technologies were also a feature of ARENA’s work, including a project that aims to integrate solar and wind with diesel at Coober Pedy to provide 70 per cent of the town’s electricity from renewables. Approximately 40 per cent of South Australia’s power came from renewable energy during 2014, and the state government increased its own renewable energy target to 50 per cent by 2025. South Australia was completely powered by renewable energy between 9.30am and 6pm on 30 September in 2014, providing a glimpse into the potential of renewable energy in Australia

PLUG in SC Incentive Program overview

The PLUG in SC Incentive Program provides funding to purchase standardized EV charging station signage in South Carolina. Participants agree to install the provided “Electric Vehicle Charging Symbol” and “No Parking Except Electric Vehicles” signs in accordance with the “PLUG in Markings and Parking Signage Quick Guide” at the approved EV charging station(s)

Clean energy Australia report 2015

In mid-2015, the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET) was reduced from 41,000 gigawatt-hours (GWh) to 33,000 GWh by 2020. The positive for the industry was that the amended legislation ended almost two years of uncertainty and frozen investment. The amendment also removed the provision for a review of the scheme every two years, locking in certainty for the rest of the decade. While 2015 was a tough year, it ended with much optimism. According to analysis by the Clean Energy Council and ROAM Consulting (now part of EY), the revised target is expected to create more than $10 billion worth of investment and more than 6500 new jobs in large-scale renewable energy alone. Including the economic benefits from the small-scale scheme, the total benefit expected is$40.4 billion worth of investment and 15,200 jobs

Electric vehicles for state agencies : a procurement checklist for South Carolina

Many state agencies are considering electric vehicles (EVs) for their fleet. Some may be interested in reducing fuel and maintenance costs, while others may be looking for cleaner and more efficient transportation opportunities. The purpose of this guidance is to help state agencies navigate the state agency fleet vehicle procurement process

Clean Power Players: Landing a Job in Clean Energy

A new, first-of-its-kind guidebook by Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) offers practical, how-to advice for young people seeking careers in clean energy

Clean Jobs Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is home to more than 66,000 clean energy jobs. Four out of five of these jobs are in energy efficiency. To grow the clean energy sector even more, state and federal lawmakers can strengthen policies like Act 129, the state's renewable energy law, and implement the Clean Power Plan in a way that prioritizes renewables and energy efficiency

Clean Economy Rising: Manufacturing Powers Clean Energy in Ohio

Ohio has built upon its rich manufacturing legacy to become a leader in the production of wind, solar, and industrial energy efficiency technologies. Until recently, state and federal policies also spurred renewable energy projects throughout Ohio. Uncertainty over the future of these measures is dampening investment. This brief explores the drivers of Ohio's clean energy economy and the choices the state faces about its future competitiveness in the industry

Massachusetts’ Clean Energy Cluster

The renewable energy industry in Massachusetts is identified through a “topdown” and “bottom-up” processes to determine the total employment and boundaries of this sector. Related sectors are also identified that are linked to the core renewable energy sector in the state and policies for enhancing this cluster are suggested.Massachusetts, Energy, Cluster

Clean Jobs New York

On May 10, E2 and our partners released Clean Jobs New York. Our partners included the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, NYS Sustainable Business Council and New Yorkers for Clean Power. The study found that more than 85,000 New Yorkers work in the clean energy industry at 5,500 business establishments across all 62 counties in the state