MidAmerican Energy to develop three wind projects in Iowa

Investor Warren Buffett’s Des Moines-based MidAmerican Energy Co. will be developing three new wind projects in Iowa with total output of 404.8 megawatts. These projects are the 103.5-MW Vienna wind project in the Marshall and Tama counties, which the company bought from RPM Access L.L.C.; the 101.2-MW Morning Light wind project in Adair County; and the 200.1-MW Eclipse wind project in Guthrie and Audubon counties, which the company bought from Clipper Windpower.

Read more...

ABB wins $50 million order to improve Texas lines for wind power

Swiss power and automation technologies group ABB got a $50 million order from Electric Transmission Texas L.L.C. to provide electrical equipment for strengthening the transmission company’s power grid and thereby ease the integration of wind power.

Read more...

Smart meters for water utilities valued at $29.9 million by 2017

Increased use of “smart” meters, this time for the water utilities, will lead to $29.9 million in sales by 2017 compared with $10.3 million in 2011, a study from market analyst Pike Research showed.

Read more...

Cliffs Natural Resources sells Renewafuel

Mining company Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. has reached an agreement for the asset sale of its previously discontinued “Renewafuel” biomass facility in Michigan, to RNFL Acquisition L.L.C., an acquisition entity by an investor group which includes Renewafuel’s minority partners. The Renewafuel brand will also be transferred to RNFL Acquisition. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Read more...

Power conversion company Satcon to close plants, reduce workforce

Coping with the difficulties in the solar industry, Boston-based power conversion solutions provider Satcon Technology Corporation laid out a set of cost reduction measures to improve its financial performance in the long term.

Read more...

Former Xcel Energy chief now BrightSource board chairman

California concentrating solar power giant BrightSource Energy, Inc. appointed former Xcel Energy chief executive Richard Kelly as its new board chairman to take over the position held by John Bryson, who was appointed as the new United States commerce secretary by President Barack Obama.

Read more...

North American Suzlon faces lawsuit for breach of contract

A breach of contract lawsuit was filed against Suzlon Wind Energy Corp., the North American arm of Suzlon, by wind turbine tower maker Trinity Structural Towers, Inc., a subsidiary of NYSE-listed Trinity Industries, Inc. The lawsuit was filed in the District Court of Dallas County by Trinity Structural Towers, who said Suzlon Wind Energy failed to comply with its purchasing obligations for the former’s structural towers as indicated in a 2008 supply agreement.

Read more...

Coda, Marvin K. Brown to bring EV sedan to San Diego

Electric vehicle developer Coda Automotive announced that Marvin K. Brown will be its exclusive dealer partner in San Diego County for their Coda 2012 sedan. “We’re thrilled that Marvin K. Brown would become Coda’s first automotive dealer in San Diego and look forward to working together towards our goal of putting an EV in every garage,” said Phil Murtaugh, chief executive of Coda Holdings.

Read more...

Duke-American acquires Zephyr project for Wyoming wind power

Duke-American Transmission Company, a recently-formed joint venture of Duke Energy and American Transmission Company, acquired the 3,000-megawatt-capacity Zephyr Power Transmission Project, committing to use at least 2,100 MW of the transmission line’s capacity to provide wind power to California and the southwestern United States from the wind-rich areas of eastern Wyoming.

Read more...

Eco store Sustainable NYC wins national award for Best in Green Business

The Green America’s People Choice Award for Best in Green Business was given this year to New York’s eco-theme store Sustainable NYC. The part general store, part boutique, part café shop is host to locally-made, fair trade, organic, repurposed and alternative energy products and gift items.

Read more...