Energy Law

Vermont's second largest electric utility is going to pay the town of Lowell between $13 million and $15 million over the next 25 years in exchange for support of a wind-power project.

If Vermonters want to overcome "first-cost disease" as they mull (and delay) efficiency investments in their homes, they need look no further than oil prices in the upcoming decade - and maybe consider geothermal heat, a U.S. Department of Energy specialist said Wednesday.

Cathy Zoi, assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy, will elaborate on emerging financial strategies and technologies in geothermal energy at a roundtable discussion at 1 p.m. Saturday in Burlington City Hall's Contois Auditorium.

The forum, hosted by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., will include Vermonters with a direct experience of geothermal systems (also known as ground-source heat pump or GSHP systems).

Green Mountain College in Poultney is going to inaugurate a new biomass generating facility that will produce 20 percent of the electricity used by the Vermont school and 85 percent of its heat.

The $5.8 million facility is expected to burn 4,400 tons of wood chips a year, displacing 200,000 gallons of heating oil.

The college plans to inaugurate the plant on April 22, Earth Day.

In this graphic look at the current state of renewable energy in America, you can see that while some states are taking the lead in green energy, a large portion of the country is still dragging their feet in adopting more environmentally friendly means of generating electricity. Take a look to see just how green your state is or isn't.

Changes to the Clean Energy Jobs Act will save Wisconsin energy customers at least $1 billion by 2025, according to an analysis Wednesday by the state Public Service Commission.

The PSC analyzed the revised global warming bill to assess what the changes would mean for energy costs. The analysis is an update of another published in February about the Clean Energy Jobs Act.

That earlier analysis found that Wisconsin consumers would pay less for energy if the bill passed than they would otherwise ? assuming there?s a national cap-and-trade system that places a price on emissions of carbon dioxide and makes power generation from fossil fuels more expensive.

Despite the recession, the solar energy industry managed to maintain growth in new installations and employment in 2009. What were the key drivers for the market last year, and what is the outlook for 2010? During today's OnPoint, Rhone Resch, president of the Solar Energy Industries Association, discusses the state of the solar energy industry. He also explains how congressional climate discussions will affect the solar energy industry.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is about to take over as stage manager in the uphill push to pass comprehensive climate and energy legislation. Next week, Reid will be handed the reins of the bill to cap greenhouse gas emissions while expanding domestic oil, gas and nuclear power production. His challenge could not be tougher.

The New Hampshire Senate has sent legislation to Gov. John Lynch that encourages homeowners, businesses and communities to produce their own energy from renewable sources. The bill allows consumers who generate up to one megawatt of electricity to be credited on their electric bill for the power.