Market forces fire energy shift; Avangrid invests in Vineyard; Enel breaks ground in Okla.

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From: "Wind Energy SmartBrief" <awea@smartbrief.com>
Date: May 10, 2017 12:27 PM
Subject: Market forces fire energy shift; Avangrid invests in Vineyard; Enel breaks ground in Okla.
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Opinion: Market forces, not policies, are behind clean energy shift | Avangrid unit acquires 50% interest in Vineyard Wind | Enel breaks ground on Thunder Ranch in Okla. Created for aquarianm@gmail.com |  Web Version ADVERTISEMENT May 10, 2017 News for wind power professionals and advocates SIGN UP ⋅   FORWARD Industry Update Opinion: Market forces, not policies, are behind clean energy shift The Trump administration is right -- demand for fossil fuels such as coal is declining, but it's market forces -- not government policies -- that are driving that shift, write John Byrne, chairman and founder of the Foundation for Renewable Energy and Environment, and John Dernbach, a Widener University professor. They argue clean energy sources, such as wind and solar, are becoming more productive than fossil fuels, and in many parts of the US, they cost the same or less than traditional energy sources. The Baltimore Sun (5/9)       Avangrid unit acquires 50% interest in Vineyard Wind Avangrid Renewables has acquired a 50% interest in Vineyard Wind, a Massachusetts offshore wind firm that holds a federal lease to develop an offshore wind farm off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, according to the companies. "When you look at our longer term position with the Kitty Hawk offshore lease in North Carolina and factor in this more immediate offshore opportunity in Massachusetts, combined with our family of company's extensive experience and knowledge, you recognize we are well positioned to grow this sector in the US," said Avangrid CEO James Torgerson. North American Windpower online (5/9),  Hartford Business Journal (Conn.) (5/9),  The Martha's Vineyard Times (Mass.) (5/9),  Windpower Offshore (UK) (5/9)       Project Focus Enel breaks ground on Thunder Ranch in Okla. Enel Green Power North America has begun building its $435 million, 298-megawatt Thunder Ranch project in Oklahoma's Garfield, Kay and Noble counties, said the company. It is expected to begin operations this year. ReNews.biz (U.K.) (5/9)       RES begins building 160-MW wind farm in Texas RES has begun building the 160-megawatt, 64-turbine Rattlesnake project in McCulloch County, Texas, on behalf of Goldwind Americas, according to the companies. "Goldwind Americas is proud to be working with RES to construct this milestone project, our first project in Texas and first tax equity financed project," said CEO David Halligan. ReNews.biz (U.K.) (5/9)       Northland-led consortium kicks off operations at 600-MW offshore wind site Northland Power, Siemens, Van Oord and HVC have officially begun operations at their 600-megawatt Gemini Offshore Wind Park located off the coast of the Netherlands, according to the companies. "Now fully operational, Gemini will produce 2.6 terawatt-hours of sustainable energy every year, reducing the Netherlands' CO2 emissions by 1.25 million tons," said Gemini Wind Park CEO Matthias Haag. CNBC (5/9),  The Guardian (London)/Agence France-Presse (5/8)       Economy, Energy & Trends GE Renewable wins turbine supply deals in China GE Renewable Energy has won a contract with Chinese firm HECIC to supply its Senjitu III and Qiansongba wind farms in Hebei, China, with 81 turbines for a combined capacity of 199.5 megawatts, said GE Renewable. "This is a significant step forward for both GE and HECIC in China, and this deal will help to expand HECIC's renewable energy presence in China," President and CEO of GE Onshore Wind Peter McCabe said. ReNews.biz (U.K.) (5/9)       Report: European wind-related investment climbed 22% to $46.8B in 2016 Investments in Europe's wind industry climbed 22% to about $46.8 billion in 2016, with the UK, Germany, Belgium and Norway accounting for about 80% of that total, according to WindEurope. The report added the Europe's total installed wind capacity has surpassed 150 gigawatts, with 25 GW of that total having been added over the past two years. Platts (5/9)       Policy Watch US must show leadership on climate, says Obama Obama (Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty Images) The US has shown that it can curb carbon emissions during periods of economic growth, and it must continue to show leadership by upholding the Paris climate accord, said former President Barack Obama, while speaking in Milan on Tuesday. He added that under his administration, the US was able to grow its wind and solar industries while bringing costs down to levels competitive with fossil fuels. United Press International (5/9)         Opinion: Maine Legislature is giving the state a bad rap The Maine Legislature is diminishing the state's reputation for doing business by considering a siting bill that would effectively stop the University of Maine from moving forward with its Maine Aqua Ventus floating offshore wind pilot, writes Philip Conkling, an independent consultant and author. Conkling argues that the bill, combined with the rejection of a Statoil offshore wind project several years ago, could deter future investments in the state's offshore wind industry. Bangor Daily News (Maine) (free registration) (5/9)       AWEA News AWEA's Community Engagement Seminar series Let's learn from each other: Ask any wind farm developer, and they'll tell you the most successful projects are in communities that want them. And a lot of communities do, as there are wind farms in 41 out of 50 states, supporting well-paying jobs and investing billions of dollars in rural communities. But how can we help ensure that happens? What are the best ways to mobilize the vast majority of people who support wind power while addressing the concerns that are natural for any major project? The next installment of AWEA's Community Engagement Seminar series, happening on May 22 in Anaheim, Calif., tackles exactly these questions. Learn more.      Learn more about AWEA: AWEA Home | Events | Take Action AWEA Facebook | AWEA Twitter | AWEA LinkedIn CAREERS IN WIND powered by Principal Renewable Energy Engineer, Technical Due Diligence HARTFORD STEAM BOILER INSPECTION AND INSURANCE COMPANY - Hartford, Connecticut Health, Safety, and Environmental Compliance Specialist EDF RENEWABLE ENERGY - Denver, Colorado Project Engineer, Wind Turbine Measurements WINDGUARD NORTH AMERICA, INC. -  2017 Summer Intern AWEA - Dist. Columbia Wind Plant Optimization Sales Engineer RENEWABLE NRG SYSTEMS - Hinesburg, Vermont View More Listings | Post a Job Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. Judy Garland, singer and actress      These stories were selected and summarized by independent editors at SmartBrief Inc., not by AWEA's staff, and do not represent AWEA positions. They reflect the variety of daily coverage of American wind power. Sign Up SmartBrief offers 200+ newsletters Advertise Learn more about the SmartBrief audience Subscriber Tools: Manage Subscriptions Update Your Profile Unsubscribe Send Feedback Archive Search Contact Us: Advertising  -  Elizabeth Kaufman Editor  -  Bryan McBournie Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 © 1999-2017 SmartBrief, Inc.® Privacy policy |  Legal Information