Wisconsin Has 150MW of Solar. Alliant Just Bought 675MW More

Tuesday, 26 May 2020, 19:39:00
Wisconsin utility Alliant Energy will spend $900 million buying 675 megawatts of utility-scale solar projects as it moves to replace uneconomic coal-fired plants with renewables. Alliant, which serves about 1 million customers in the Midwestern states of Wisconsin and Iowa, currently relies on renewables for about 20 percent of its generation capacity, largely wind power in Iowa, with twice as much coming from natural gas plants. On Tuesday Alliant said it will “acquire” six large-scale solar projects in Wisconsin from developers NextEra Energy Resources, Ranger Power, and Savion. The projects, ranging from 50 megawatts up to a 200-megawatt development owned by NextEra, represent a huge leap forward for Wisconsin’s solar market. The state has around 150 megawatts of installed solar today, according to Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables. Alliant’s solar news comes just days after it announced plans to close the remaining 380-megawatt unit of its coal-fired Edgewater Generating Station in Sheboygan by the end of 2022, a move it said will save customers “hundreds of millions of dollars in costs.” Alliant subsidiary Wisconsin Power and Light closed two other, older units at Edgewood over the past five years.
— Green Technology (Feed)

NextEra (NEE) Down 5.1% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Rebound?

Friday, 22 May 2020, 15:30:38
NextEra (NEE) reported earnings 30 days ago. What’s next for the stock? We take a look at earnings estimates for some clues.
— Zacks Investment Research

Vistra, LS Power Top Winners in PG&E’s 420MW Energy Storage Procurement

Tuesday, 19 May 2020, 17:14:00
Pacific Gas & Electric has asked California regulators to approve seven battery projects totaling 423 megawatts, or nearly 1.7 gigawatt-hours of energy storage capacity, to meet its share of a statewide procurement that must be brought online by late next year to assure statewide grid stability. PG&E’s 2020 System Reliability Request for Offers, filed Monday with the California Public Utilities Commission, represents a huge new addition to the utility’s battery fleet to meet the state’s resource adequacy (RA) needs starting in 2021. It’s the second major procurement from a California utility meant to comply with the CPUC’s order for 3.3 gigawatts of carbon-free resources to help meet grid reliability needs that will arise when four natural gas-fired power plants retire next year to reduce their environmental harm to coastal waters. PG&E’s portfolio of new battery projects isn’t the biggest one meant to make up for those power plants, whose retirement has already been delayed by a year to allow clean energy replacement resources to be brought online.
— Green Technology (Feed)

Zacks.com featured highlights include: NextEra Energy, Kinsale Capital Group, Vectrus, Teekay Tankers and West Pharmaceutical Services

Tuesday, 19 May 2020, 12:43:00
Zacks.com featured highlights include: NextEra Energy, Kinsale Capital Group, Vectrus, Teekay Tankers and West Pharmaceutical Services
— Zacks Investment Research

5 Wind Energy Giants Embracing Solar Power

Tuesday, 19 May 2020, 12:09:00
Onshore wind is now the leading renewable energy technology in the U.S., and it’s still knocking competitors out of the way. Last year wind overtook hydropower in total generation, and 2020 is on track to be a record year for new wind farm construction. But all other energy sources are losing ground to solar these days, wind included. Solar accounted for 40 percent of new U.S. generation capacity in 2019, its largest share in history. After 2020 its lead over wind will widen rapidly, according to Wood Mackenzie’s forecast. Large-scale solar is already cost competitive with wind in many states, and analysts believe solar has an easier path toward further cost reductions . In Texas, home to nearly a third of the country’s 100 gigawatts of wind capacity, there’s now more solar than wind in the interconnection queue. Falling costs, steady efficiency gains and federal incentives have thrust solar to the center of the strategic plans of many American energy companies. Unsurprisingly, many of the country’s wind energy giants are turning their attention to solar.
— Green Technology (Feed)