Blythe Masters, the Queen Bee of Carbon Tax...
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A new regular feature on the Bail, John provides a weekly update on corruption, graft and waste in the green energy sector.
Deutsche Bank Offices Raided in Carbon Tax Fraud
German prosecutors have raided offices belonging to Deutsche Bank as part of an investigation into a tax evasion scheme involving the trading of carbon permits. The Frankfurt prosecutor's office said 25 employees of the bank were suspected of serious tax evasion, money laundering and obstruction of justice. Arrest warrants have been issued for five of those employees.
Canwea president says prospect for wind energy in Canada are excellent
Premier Dalton McGuinty has promised municipalities more of a voice on wind turbine projects within their borders. But on Thursday, the province said municipalities won't be able to reject wind projects.
Rise in renewable energy will require more use of fossil fuels
One of the hidden costs of solar and wind power — and a problem the state is not yet prepared to meet — is that wind and solar energy must be backed up by other sources, typically gas-fired generators. As more solar and wind energy generators come online, fulfilling a legal mandate to produce one-third of California's electricity by 2020, the demand will rise for more backup power from fossil fuel plants.
Energy groups to Obama: Change in wind credit would boost investment
A change to the text of a wind-power tax credit would increase investment in several types of renewable energy, industry groups told President Obama. The groups say that while credits for their industries are locked in through 2013, altering the incentive’s language within the Senate Finance Committee’s tax package would boost investment for 2013.
New York State Windpower: Enough Business/Government Cronyism
The sad reality is, however, that with 66 corporate lobbyists for every elected official roaming the halls in Washington, D.C., Big Corporate Big Bucks are working hard to buy the legislation that best suits their bottom lines – taxpayers and sound science be damned.
Update in New York
Supreme Court dismisses lawsuit in Litchfield wind turbine case
LITCHFIELD, N.Y. (WKTV) - The courts have ruled in favor of the Town of Litchfield's ban on industrial wind turbines. There was a lawsuit filed against the town board by leaseholders and their relatives. This ruling means the proposal to building 492 foot industrial turbines in the town- can not move forward.
Supreme court justice Norman Seigel made the ruling on December 6th. The plaintiffs did not challenge any particular provision of the law, which allows wind energy facilities up to 50 kilowatts for personal use, but bans the construction of larger turbines. The law was enacted in March 2012 after two years of deliberations. Judge Seigel ruled in favor of the town's request for dismissal.
Rise in renewable energy will require more use of "fossil" fuels
One of the hidden costs of solar and wind power — and a problem the state is not yet prepared to meet — is that wind and solar energy must be backed up by other sources, typically gas-fired generators. As more solar and wind energy generators come online, fulfilling a legal mandate to produce one-third of California's electricity by 2020, the demand will rise for more backup power from fossil fuel plants.
http://www.caiso.com/docs/2003/09/08/2003090815135425649.pdf
Berman foreign aid reform tackles climate change
The bill doesn't spell out specific amounts or regional programs, but rather creates new requirements and priorities for the disbursement of foreign aid. These include a section on “Sustaining the Global Environment,” which permits activities aimed at addressing climate change, and another on “Advancing Peace” that calls for the creation of a Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations.
Green Energy Gets The Blues: Tough Times Ahead
Green energy companies are feeling the backlash from subsidy cuts, austerity measures and economic uncertainties. Bloomberg's James Evans discusses the problems ahead in 2013 for the alternative energy industry.
Norway Begins Four Year Test Of Thorium Reactor
A Norwegian company is breaking with convention and switching to an alternative energy it hopes will be safer, cleaner and more efficient. But this isn’t about ditching fossil fuels, but rather about making the switch from uranium to thorium. Oslo based Thor Energy is pairing up with the Norwegian government and US-based (butJapanese/Toshiba owned) Westinghouse to begin a four year test that they hope will dispel doubts and make thorium the rule rather than the exception. The thorium will run at a government reactor in Halden.
GOP Solyndra Point Man Says Romney Dropped The Ball
Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), the lead GOP investigator of the bankrupt solar company Solyndra, said failed presidential hopeful Mitt Romney should have done more to capitalize on the collapse of the White House-backed panel manufacturer.
Italy raids target mafia moves on wind, solar farms
Police said mafia bosses had obtained contracts to build photovoltaic and wind energy systems in Palermo, Agrigento and Trapani. Some of the money they made went to fugitive mafia chief Matteo Messina Danaro, currently one of the world's top wanted criminals. The six people arrested are suspected of mafia association and corruption. The mafia has been heavily involved in renewable energy in Italy for years.
North Carolina ocean waters chosen for offshore wind
...But offshore wind energy remains among the most expensive forms of electricity today, and building a wind farm in the sea has proven an elusive goal in this country. The industry is still distrusted by some as a subsidy-dependent boondoggle, even though advocates depictwind energy as a clean and safe alternative to mining, fracking, energy imports and nuclear waste.
An offshore wind farm long planned in Nantucket Sound off Cape Cod in Massachusetts is tied up in legal challenges, while plans to build one in Delaware waters fell through in recent weeks because of the likely expiration of federal tax incentives for these multibillion dollar projects.
“The biggest challenge is: Who’s going to buy the power?” said Brian O’Hara, president of the N.C. Offshore Wind Coalition. “If you can figure that out, then you’ve got a project.”
One company that expects to file a notice of interest in bidding for leases is Arcadia Offshore, the New Jersey company whose Delaware deal collapsed for lack of subsidies. Arcadia president Peter Mandelstam said the process will be complex and time-consuming, requiring extensive environmental analyses and public hearings; even if everything goes smoothly, construction could take five years to get under way and two years to complete.
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Developing Story in Massachusetts
Flashback: Mary O'Donnell Winds Up In Kingston
Update: Mary O'Donnell Selling 3 Wind Turbines
Background from a trusted source:
"The Patrick Admin launched the Mary O'Donnell wind turbine show in New Bedford at an offshore wind event. They put their eggs in her basket and now she's regretting she ever opened Pandora's Box."
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