World clean energy investment increased strongly in 2014, jumping 16 percent, boosted by demand for large-scale and rooftop solar photovoltaic systems on the back of its greatly improved competitiveness, and by the financing of a record $19.4 billion of offshore wind projects.
More than 18,000 clean energy and clean transportation jobs were announced in more than 20 states in the third quarter of 2014, a significant uptick from both the previous quarter and a year ago.
Wells Fargo has launched its Innovation Incubator (IN2) program, a $10 million grant for clean technology startups funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation and co-administered by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to foster the development of early stage clean technologies for commercial buildings.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett announced that the state is expanding its commitment to advance clean and alternative energy with the investment of more than $4.5 million in grants through the Commonwealth Financing Authority. One of the alternative energy projects is for installation of a combined heat and power (CHP) system.
Over the last few years, consumer attitudes toward clean energy have tended to fluctuate and, in several cases, decline. According to a new consumer survey from Navigant Research, favorable attitudes for a number of these concepts, including solar energy and wind energy, rebounded significantly from their 2012 levels.
On Dec. 2, the Government of Ontario released the 2013 Long-Term Energy Plan (LTEP) highlighting the importance of conservation and outlining a plan for clean, reliable, and affordable energy for Ontario.
The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) has released $1 million in second round funding for its Game Changer Energy Innovation Competitive Grant Program. It invites applications to develop Maryland-based projects that support deployment of “game changing” renewable and clean energy generation and storage technologies.
In the latest step under his Climate Action Plan, President Obama has signed a memorandum directing federal agencies to consume 20 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020 — more than double the current level.
More consumers say they are willing to pay extra to invest in and support alternative energy than to improve reliability, according to the latest edition of an annual Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative (SGCC) telephone survey of 1,001 United States residential electricity consumers nationwide.