| This week's sponsor is OpenText. |  | eBook: Smart Customer Communications for the New Energy Era This eBook from FierceMarkets Custom Publishing provides an overview of the convergence of regulatory, environmental and business needs leading to the smart grid becoming not just necessary, but also inevitable. To read more click here to download today.
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Today's Top Stories
1. EU renewable energy sector in jeopardy
2. No RPS needed: Georgia Power voluntarily adds solar
3. Entergy, ITC transmission deal turns to FERC
4. Itron, Primestone bring smart metering to Latin America
5. EDF Shiloh project -- more wind, less turbines Also Noted: Spotlight On... Duke CEO tries to reassure Raleigh customers
IT job cuts; making sense of solar and much more... Stepping into smart grid analytics
With smart grid infrastructure increasingly becoming the rule rather than the exception in the energy industry, utilities are scrambling to stay ahead of the technology curve. But despite its widely accepted potential benefits, building out the smart grid remains a relatively new process, and many utilities still face questions about how to optimize this infrastructure to maximize profits and grid operation. Feature
FERC defending utilities against market manipulation
After much prodding by California utilities, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Thursday launched a formal investigation into accusations that investment bank JP Morgan presented the California Independent System Operator with misleading or incomplete information about the state's energy market. Feature Obama eyes cybersecurity order
In the aftermath of the failed attempt to pass federal cyber security legislation through Congress last month, the White House is preparing to issue an Executive Order to help protect the country's critical infrastructure from dangerous attacks. Feature News From Across the Energy Industry:
1. New Mexico smart grid demo project operational
2. Report: PEVs could reduce gas consumption by a third
3. FERC to create cyber security office
| This week's sponsor is University TechWatch. |  | University Clean Tech Directory and Database
More than 400 technologies and startups - mined, vetted and indexed from 200+ U.S. universities - plus continuous database updates
Use discount code "FIERCE2012" for $100 off
See www.universitycleantech.com |
Today's Top News 1. EU renewable energy sector in jeopardy
Europe has long been a leader in renewable energy technology, but is its renewable energy sector in jeopardy? New research from the European Voice, a Brussels-based group of economists, would suggest that investors are nervous with a number of contributing factors to blame. First, investors are concerned over Germany's recent decision to phase out subsidies for PV power, as well as similar decisions in Spain, Italy and Portugal. Second, recent decisions by companies such as First Solar to close production facilities in Europe because of regulatory uncertainty have investors convinced that Europe will lose ground in the rankings to the U.S. and China. Third, there are concerns regarding the difficulty of setting renewable energy targets beyond the existing 2020 target. In June, the Commission issued a strategy document that failed to answer the question of whether further targets will be set and member states such as Poland have resisted setting any further targets. For more:
- see these articles (registration required) Related Article:
EU FITs effective, but not sustainable Read more about: European renewable energy market
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| This week's sponsor is RETECH 2012. |  | RETECH 2012,October 16-19, Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC
The only event dedicated to delivering coverage on every discipline of renewable energy technology. RETECH is the renewable energy industry's meeting place for over 3,000 Government, Utility, Finance and Technology professionals from 60 countries. Register today!
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2. No RPS needed: Georgia Power voluntarily adds solar
Georgia Power has embarked on the largest voluntary solar initiative in the state thus far from an investor owned utility. The state does not have mandatory renewable portfolio standards, making for an interesting trend among utilities in such states.  | | Credit: Teodoro S. Gruhl | If approved, the Georgia Power Advanced Solar Initiative filed with the Georgia Public Service Commission would allow Georgia Power to acquire 210 MW of additional solar capacity over three years via long-term contracts, encouraging even more opportunities for development in the state. To meet this target, Georgia Power's Utility Scale program would purchase 60 MW annually through a competitive request for proposal program with projects ranging from 1to 20 MW. A Distributed Scale program would provide opportunities for up to 10 MW per year, as well as solar projects with specific reservations for Small Scale (less than 100 kW) and Medium Scale (100 to 1,000 kW). Georgia Power already has 50 MW solar program in place. For more:
- see this article
- visit this webiste Related Articles:
Georgia Power to build 50MW solar plant
Georgia Power to double state's solar production
Georgia Power initiative shines with interaction, consultants Read more about: Georgia Power Advanced Solar Initiative
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3. Entergy, ITC transmission deal turns to FERC
Entergy and ITC Holdings this week submitted an application to Federal energy regulators seeking approval of a plan for Entergy's utility companies to merge their transmission businesses with ITC. The deal is valued at approximately $1.78 billion dollars and would double the amount of transmission lines held by ITC, according to the Chicago Tribune. Entergy has acknowledged that its transmission lines may need significant infrastructure investments in the coming years. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission application filing comes just weeks after the companies began the process by submitting a similar joint application to the Louisiana Public Service Commission. In addition, approval will be required by regulators in Entergy's other service states – including Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas. The companies first announced the deal in late 2011 and are targeting a 2013 closing date. The move also comes as Entergy and its utility companies look to gain approval to join the Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO), of which ITC is also a member. For more:
-see this release Related Article:
Entergy, ITC seek transmission swap approval
Read more about: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
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4. Itron, Primestone bring smart metering to Latin America
Itron and PrimeStone have jointly entered the Latin American utility market. The two will jointly promote and sell their energy solutions to utilities in Latin America for smart metering, distribution energy management and energy conservation. As these utilities enter new territory, they must reach higher efficiency in terms of distribution, loss reduction, client engagement and demand response. The collaboration will enable these utilities to meet the business challenges they are facing, such as increasing demand, aging infrastructure and improving service while keeping costs down. Itron's technology provides the foundation for customer-focused programs that give consumers greater control of their energy use and costs. It also provides a platform for secure, reliable data collection and two-way communications between the utility and its customers, and includes robust revenue protection tools. PrimeStone rounds out the solution by providing a validation, estimating and editing engine to process data, as well as providing revenue protection against theft and undetected losses. For more:
- see this article Related Article:
CPFL sets AMI foundation with Itron smart meters Read more about: Itron Primestone partnership
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5. EDF Shiloh project -- more wind, less turbines
EDF Renewable Energy (formerly enXco) has completed construction of the Shiloh IV Wind Project.  | | Credit: Petr Kratochvil | The 102.5 MW wind project is the largest repowering project in the nation whereby older technology is upgraded allowing for increased generation of clean energy with fewer wind turbines. Approximately 235 Kenetech 100 kW turbines installed in 1989 have been removed and replaced with 50 REpower turbines, each with a rated capacity of 2.05 MW. The state-of-the-art turbine technology achieves more than four times greater capacity and almost 10 times more energy with minimal addition of land resources The project is expected to begin delivering carbon-free electricity into the Pacific Gas and Electric Company generation portfolio in December 2012 under a 25-year power purchase agreement. For more:
- see this article Related Article:
enXco, PG&E enter into wind repowering project
Shiloh wind project receives critical approval Read more about: Pacific Gas and Electric
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Also Noted SPOTLIGHT ON... Duke CEO tries to reassure Raleigh customers Speaking at the Triangle Business Journal's Power Breakfast in Raleigh, N.C., Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers tried to reassure customers of the future of Duke and the city. "It's a privilege for Duke Energy to serve this community," he said at the event. "We're committed to Raleigh for the long term." Article Quick news from around the Web >Southern California Edison will cut 20 percent of its IT management. Article
>Utilities try to make sense of solar. Article
>Explaining time-of-use pricing. Article
>A look at the future of wave energy. Article > GridWeek 2012 - October 2,4 - Washington, DC Globally recognized as the must-attend gathering dedicated to the modernization of our global Smart Grid. For more information and to register, click here! > RETECH 2012 - October 16-19, 2012 - Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC RETECH 2012 is the only event dedicated to delivering coverage on every discipline of renewable energy technology. RETECH is the renewable energy industry's meeting place for over 3,000 Government, Utility, Finance and Technology professionals from 60 countries. Register today! > GridComms - October 22, 2012 - London, UK GridComms is the global Smart Grid event focused on Smart Grid Communications infrastructure. From deploying and securing advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) to building smart cities, this show is aimed at bringing communications professionals together to discuss innovation, application, and management of smart grid networks. This event will showcase technology innovation, network and data management, customer engagement technologies, and industry collaboration. For more information and to register, visit www.gridcomms.com. > AFCEA Bethesda Smart Tech Symposium - October 23 - Washington, DC AFCEA Bethesda's Smart Technology & Sustainability in a Cost-Cutting Era Symposium will make a business case for sustainability by showing big data applications for energy management, smart building technologies, data center energy efficiencies and more – Register today > OilComm 2012 Conference & Exposition - November 6?8 - Houston, TX OilComm features content focused on communications solutions to remote drill sites as well as viable options for offshore platforms. Join oil and gas professionals to learn from experts, discuss challenges faced, and explore the latest solutions from top companies. Register HERE!
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