EGEB: New York's "Future Grid Challenge", a floating solar energy avoids NIMBY, Vineyard Wind and more



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CGEE today:

  • New York presents the first financing of its Future Grid Challenge.
  • An overview of how floating solar energy could take off in the United States.
  • The Massachusetts offshore wind farm, Vineyard Wind, may experience development delays.
  • The largest rooftop solar project in Canada is now online.

Electrek Green Energy Brief: Review / analysis of technical, financial and daily politics of important news in the field of green energy.

New York has already announced its desire to modernize its power grid to better integrate renewable energies, and the state 's new Future Grid Challenge program will provide $ 15 million to businesses and institutions that "s". will tackle challenges ranging from the need for more real-time system data to integrating smart technologies and energy storage into the planning and operation of the power grid. "

The Future Grid Challenge will have two rounds, the first offering $ 6 million in funding. The state said initial proposals should focus on:

  • Assist Con Ed to Advance Monitoring, Control, Data Analysis and Advanced Projections of Distributed Energy Resources (DER)
  • Help Orange and Rockland (counties) improve the functionality of smart inverters to seamlessly integrate distributed resources, improve network stability and reduce system losses.

The state accepts proposals until 9 October.

Float on

Floating solar has taken off in Asia, but it has barely made a tumble in the US solar market. however, E & E News notes a number of projects in California and Florida, while highlighting a number of reasons why floating bays could become more attractive in the United States.

Wind and floating solar energy can operate in deeper ocean waters than conventional offshore wind turbines, and floating solar energy will not occupy valuable land in more populated areas. As Chris Bartle of the floating solar developer Sky and Earth said: "There is a bit of the NIMBY effect with ground systems. Nobody wants it in his yard.

Like other renewable technologies, floating solar energy is expected to benefit from cost savings in the coming years, as well as other benefits.

There are issues of sustainability, but most importantly, it seems that the main obstacle lies in the fact that people are not used to the idea of ​​solar panels floating above the water. "Every day, I answer the initial questions of the type:" How to mix electricity and water? Bartle said.

Vineyard wait

Construction of the Vineyard Wind offshore wind project in Massachusetts was expected to begin by the end of the year, but the Environmental Impact Statement of the Office of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) of the Department of the Interior questioned this hypothesis. As the developers have announced,

The Ministry of the Interior's Office of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has informed Vineyard Wind that they are not yet ready to release the Vineyard Wind 1 Environmental Impact Statement of 800 MW. We understand that as the first commercially-scale offshore wind project in the United States, the Vineyard Wind Project will be subject to extraordinary review before being approved. As with any project of this size and complexity, schedule changes are anticipated. Vineyard Wind remains committed to working with BOEM to provide the first US utility wind farm and its key benefits: an abundant supply of cost-effective clean energy, coupled with enormous economic and job-creating opportunities.

Up top up north

Canada's largest rooftop municipal solar system, consisting of 3,800 solar panels at Airdrie Genesis Place Recreation Center, is now operational, rdnews now reports. No exact capacity has been given, but the article says that "during the summer peak months, 140 kilowatts of energy per hour will be reinjected into the city network".

The system, which covers virtually the entire large roof of the recreation center, is expected to cover up to 30% of the center's energy needs. A second phase of the project will be completed later this year and will include modules on the car shelter of the facility.


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