QUICK NEWS, April 15: WORLD WIND TO BOOM THRU 2014; NAT GAS AND SOLAR WERE 75% OF U.S. 2013 NEW POWER; MAINE OFFICIALLY AFFIRMS SMART METERS’ SAFETY

WORLD WIND TO BOOM THRU 2014 Wind Power Projects to Rise to Record in 2014, Lobby Says

Alex Morales, April 9, 2014 (Bloomberg News)

“Wind-power installations will climb to a record this year, driven by resurgent U.S. demand and growth in developing nations from Brazil to China, the Global Wind Energy Council predicted…Worldwide installations will probably surge 34 percent to 47.3 gigawatts in 2014…That follows a drop by more than a fifth to 35.3 gigawatts last year that was fueled by crashing U.S. demand after a tax credit to the industry expired…[Developing countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa] will spur new wind power demand for the next five years…The U.S. will also see a rebound, because of the structuring of the industry’s [production tax credit (PTC)]…” click here for more

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NAT GAS AND SOLAR WERE 75% OF U.S. 2013 NEW POWER Solar And Gas Provided Nearly 75% Of All New U.S Capacity In 2013

8 April 2014 (Solar Industry)

“Capacity figures compiled by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) show that natural gas and solar are providing the vast majority of the nation's new electricity generating resources. Natural gas-fired power plants accounted for just over 50% of new utility-scale generating capacity added in 2013. Solar provided nearly 22%, a jump up from less than 6% in 2012. Coal provided 11% and wind nearly 8%...In total, a little over 13.5 GW of new capacity was added in 2013, less than half the capacity added in 2012…Solar photovoltaic added 2,193 MW of capacity in 2013…Distributed solar PV capacity additions also grew in 2013, with estimated non-utility additions of 1,900 MW…” click here for more

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MAINE OFFICIALLY AFFIRMS SMART METERS’ SAFETY Maine Public Utilities Commission: Smart Meters Are Safe

March 31, 2014 (Renew Grid)

“Smart meters are not a health risk, finds a report by the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC)…[in answer to a 2012] court-ordered review…After the commission approved Central Maine Power Co.'s plan to install smart meters for the utility's 620,000 customers in 2009, objections began to mount. Soon thereafter, activists…[argued] the commission failed in its legal obligation to ensure the safety of utility customers…[and contended] the radio frequency emissions and wireless networks related to smart meters endanger human health. The MPUC's report refutes such assertions and will serve as a guideline for the commission as it decides how to handle the alleged health issues, a determination that is expected to come later this year…[T]he MPUC] accepted thousands of pages of expert testimony for its report…[and] concluded that there is no credible, peer-reviewed research to support a direct link between smart meters and health problems…The MPUC also found that the radio frequencies emitted by smart meters meet federal safety standards…[N]o regulatory entity or health agency in the U.S. or Canada has ruled smart meters to be unsafe…” click here for more

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