News

Frantzis’ new role as AEE senior vice president of strategy and corporate development. Frantzis, who joined AEE from Navigant, will be instrumental in convening meetings of industry leaders to identify opportunities for advanced energy growth among other responsibilities. The Hill quoted AEE CEO Graham Richard on the appointment:

his week Tesla announced the creation of a coast-to-coast supercharger network that would cover the route from LA to NYC by the end of 2013. The company plans to triple the number of chargers by the end of June 2013 and expand the network until it covers the entire continental United States by May 2015. Tesla's release includes the following:

CNBC has included several advanced energy companies in the energy category of their Disruptor 50, their list of top companies "disrupting the marketplace and poised for hypergrowth." The advanced energy companies include LightSail Energy, an energy storage company, Nest Labs, home of the up and coming smart thermostat, and AEE member company Opower. Opower is a Virginia-based energy efficiency company that uses data to drive social change, and is one of the topics of a recent Policy Podcast. 

This was a record-breaking week for California. On May 23, according to the California Independent System Operator, the agency that tracks and operates most of the state's power grid, solar generation reached a peak of 1,872 megawatts. That record didn't stand for long, however, as the next day proved even better. A mere 23.5 hours after that record was set, California reached a new peak of 1,897 megawatts. Not content to let solar have all the week's glory, California's wind energy picked up the pace this week as well, reaching a peak of 4,258 megawatts on May 26, or about 16% of the state's demand. KCET reports:

Google X, Google's lab in charge of making futuristic technology possible today (think Google Glass), has acquired Makani Power. Makani Power, which was recently featured in the New Yorker, specializes in high altitude wind turbines. Google X usually works on big ideas from inside Google; GigaOM notes it might be a new paradigm for them. Katie Fehrenbacher writes:

In its May 20 issue, the New Yorker featured AEE member company and advanced wind turbine startup Makani Power. Tying co-founder and interim CEO Don Montague’s background in kite surfing to Makani Power’s strategy of harvesting high-altitude wind energy, the article features the company’s newest prototype, the Wing 7. Makani Power's technology has taken off (pun intended) in the public eye recently, being featured as well in Discover Magazine and National Geographic.

Tesla Motors announced on Wednesday that the company had paid off the $456 million loan from the Department of Energy nine years ahead of schedule. The loan was awarded in 2010 as part of the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program, which was signed into law under the Bush administration. In their press release, Tesla pointed out that it is the only car company to pay back this loan so far. The press release quotes CEO Elon Musk:

Advanced Energy Economy Ohio, one of AEE's state partners, and Ohio State University released a new study finding that the provisions of a 2008 state energy law have actually saved consumers $170 million. According to the study, the energy efficiency requirement in the law has saved consumers more than any potential higher cost due to the renewable energy provisions. In addition to saving money, the bill also spurred $660 million in investment in the state. The Columbus dispatch reports:

Advanced Energy Economy Ohio, one of AEE's state partners, and Ohio State University released a new study finding that the provisions of a 2008 state energy law have actually saved consumers $170 million. According to the study, the energy efficiency requirement in the law has saved consumers more than any potential higher cost due to the renewable energy provisions. In addition to saving money, the bill also spurred $660 million in investment in the state. The Columbus Dispatch reports:

SolarCity announced the latest location in its SolarStrong project of installing solar on military housing. Forest City Military Communities and SolarCity have partnered to install solar panels on 6,500 homes in Ohana Military Communities (OMC). OMC houses sailors and marines and their families stationed at Marine Corps Base Hawaii and Navy Region Hawaii. MarketWatch reports:

Kroger, a grocery chain based in Ohio, has invested in closed-loop anaerobic digesters produced by Boston-based startup Feed Resource Recovery. The anaerobic digesters can turn organic waste, including food waste, into energy. A single unit in a Compton distribution center offsets more than 20% of the facility's annual energy needs and helps it save money-- an estimated $110 million over the course of the project's lifetime. The LA Times reports:

SunPower's Chief Executive Officer, Tom Werner, said his company expects photovoltaic panels will become standard in new home construction. SunPower supplies seven of the top-ten home builders, and has installed solar panels on 10,000 new homes. Incorporating the solar panel systems into the homes during the design phase, rather than having to install the panels post-construction, would reduce costs. Bloomberg reports:

“I congratulate Ernest Moniz on his confirmation as Secretary of Energy,” said Graham Richard, CEO of Advanced Energy Economy, a national association of business leaders who are making the global energy system more secure, clean, and affordable. “Advanced energy is a $1 trillion global opportunity for the United States, and Secretary Moniz has the science, technology, industry and government experience to make the most of it. We at AEE look forward to working with him.”

In 2008 Illinois passed legislation that requires utilities to buy electricity from renewable sources and pass those costs directly to consumers. Although the original intent was to grow the Illinois advanced energy economy, the result has been a mass defection to other energy suppliers that purchase power on the open market. Overall, more than 60 percent of Illinois electric customers are paying into a renewable energy fund that is sitting stagnant. The Chicago Tribune reports:

Sacramento, CA – California Governor Jerry Brown yesterday proposed loaning the entire first year's auction revenues of $500 million from the state’s landmark environmental legislation AB 32 to the state's general fund. 

Nearly 77 Percent Support SB 103, Legislation To Fix The State’s Renewable Portfolio StandardCHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wide majorities of likely Illinois voters believe it is important that the state maintain its commitment to increase its use of renewable power and support legislation that would achieve this goal by fixing the state’s broken renewable portfolio standard (RPS) law, according to a Zogby survey released today.“This survey shows that the people of Illinois support energy that is clean, secure and affordable”Aileron CommunicationsDave Lundy, 312.629.5245dlundy@aileroninc.com

The Boston Globe // May 14, 2013

Greentech Media // May 13, 2013

 Consumer Reports // May 09, 2013

FORT COLLINS, CO – Colorado State University’s Center for the New Energy Economy (CNEE) today announced the rollout of the Advanced Energy Legislation (AEL) Tracker – a new online database of energy-related state legislation pending in all 50 states, from solar to natural gas and everything in between. This first-of-its-kind database, created in partnership with Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), will also enable CNEE to conduct analysis of trends in state energy legislation.

USA Today // May 07, 2013

GigaOM // May 06, 2013

Bloomberg // May 03, 2013

Bloomberg Businessweek // May 01, 2013

Staples, which is based in Framingham, MA, has partnered with SunEdison f to install a 685 kilowatt solar installation. The company, which has installed more than 35 solar arrays nationwide, said renewable energy would help reach its goals. The Boston Globe reports: