January 4 Green Energy News

HEADLINE NEWS: * New figures from the US Energy Information Administration suggest that for the fastest-growing parts of the country, electricity is gaining share as the heating fuel choice. In the future, that electricity for heating could increasingly come from renewable sources, such as wind or solar. [Energy Collective] * Solar energy had a banner year in 2014. As more and more US households turn to solar PVs for power, they're paying less to electric utilities. That's making the utilities a little nervous. In some states, those companies are fighting back. Two reporters discuss trends in California and Colorado. [Iowa Public Radio] * The city of La Paz, Mexico, is to be powered 100% by solar energy. It already has 39 MW of solar PVs, and another solar plant is being built with battery storage. It will have 97,000 solar panels on 44 acres, costing 80 million and with a 30 MW capacity. The battery will have 11 MW. [CleanTechnica] * The UK's wind turbines have to be shut down at certain times because the electricity network is unable to cope with the power they produce. The wind farm owners then receive compensation payments for not producing electricity. They are paid more than lb1 million a week, on average. [Telegraph.co.uk] * A hybrid generating plant, with both solar with combined cycle turbines, will be built in Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea coast. The turbines will have a capacity of 550 MW, and the solar will provide 50 MW. Between the two systems, the power produced will be enough to supply about 600,000 homes. [Zawya] For more news, please visit geoharvey - Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.