Energy & Sustainability

A team of researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) published a paper last week in the journal Nature Energy that described how they built a working solar thermophotovoltaic device (STPV) that enables solar cells to break through a theoretically predicted ceiling on how much sunlight they can convert into electricity.

According to a report released last week by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the number of U.S. solar jobs surpassed those in oil and natural gas extraction for the first time last year.  Overall, renewable energy jobs grew 6 percent while employment in oil and gas declined 18 percent.

Last week, Clean Edge published a report titled the “U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index” (“Index”) that ranked Massachusetts as the second state and Boston as the seventh metro area in the U.S. according to its scoring methodology.

Every four years, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) publishes The Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, which grades the current state of national infrastructure categories on a scale of A through F.

On May 5th, 2016, the IRS released new guidance regarding the renewable energy production tax credit (“PTC”) and energy investment tax credit (“ITC”) which most in the renewable energy industry will find favorable.

On May 5, 2016, the IRS released new guidance regarding the renewable energy production tax credit (“PTC”) and energy investment tax credit (“ITC”) which most in the renewable energy industry will find favorable. 

More than 60 companies have joined forces with several environmental groups to launch a new coalition, called the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA), to promote the development of 60 GW of renewable energy in the United States by 2025.

Last week the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and George Washington University (GWU) issued a report estimating that the United States has reached 1 million solar installations and will surpass 2 million installations by 2018.

By a vote of 85-12, the Senate passed a sweeping bipartisan energy bill, S.2012 – the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016, last Wednesday. The bill’s passage marks the first time in almost a decade since the Senate has passed a comprehensive energy bill.

On April 6, a consortium of leading financial institutions and investors pledged $8 billion to join Bank of America Corporation’s Catalytic Finance Initiative (CFI), which plans to raise at least $10 billion for investments in clean energy, high impact, and sustainable development projects.

On Monday, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed a solar energy bill into law that increases the statewide limits on the amount of solar capacity that will qualify for net metering, but also lowers the value of net metering credits for large-scale projects.

Last week, President Barack Obama and China’s President Xi Jinping announced that their two countries would sign the global climate accord on April 22. Senior U.S. officials noted that the commitment to cut carbon emissions by the world’s largest greenhouse gas polluters will compel other countries to formally join the agreement.

Last week Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) released a report entitled “Clean Jobs America,” a comprehensive analysis of clean energy and clean transportation jobs in the United States.

The Senate and the House of Representatives are both on Spring Recess, with the Senate returning on April 4 and the House scheduled to return on April 12.

Interested in upcoming events in the energy technology industry? Look no further! Our blog features an events page dedicated to listing happenings around the globe, and there are many upcoming spring events. Click here to view it – and feel free to add this page to your favorites list!

Paul Dickerson and Tom Burton wrote an article published on Monday in the Houston Chronicle regarding the current fundamental change in the global energy landscape as well as the importance of energy diversity.

Do you find yourself checking social media for news instead of sitting down each morning to read the newspaper? If so, you’re not alone! Last year, 63% of Twitter users agreed that the platform serves as a source for news, according to a study conducted by Pew Research Center.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee remains optimistic that the bipartisan energy bill will advance potentially as soon as this week after completion of legislation related to GMOs, but more likely following the Senate’s return from next week’s recess.

Applications are being accepted for the 2016 Cleantech Open Northeast and the return of its start-up accelerator program.  Open to startups at all stages of development, the accelerator program is excited to begin the search for the next crop of cleantech companies that are prepared to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the program.

Following Senate action last week on the pipeline safety bill, there is new hope for the Senate bipartisan energy bill with a potential compromise on legislation to address the Flint water crisis.