21st Century Regenerative Technology

1. Solar Map: Over 30 Utility-Scale Solar Plants in the U.S.
2. Nth Power's Nancy Floyd: Green Tech Needs Obama

Solar Map: Over 30 Utility-Scale Solar Plants in the U.S.

2008-08-27 12:00

Craig Rubens - Big Green

There are more than 30 utility-scale solar power plants, one megawatt or larger, under various stages of development in the U.S., and we decided to start mapping them out. These are solar plants that have either signed a power purchase agreement with a utility, are included in the DOE’s official list of power generation sources or have applied for state permits like from the California Energy Commission. So check out our annotated Google map, embedded below. Like our other maps, we’ll add more info and update the map as news warrants.

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And there might need to be a lot of updates — though potentially taking points away — as many of these projects are in peril should Congress fail to renew the investment tax credit in a timely manner. We’ve heard from utility giants and solar executives that without the ITC the future of large-scale solar is stuck in limbo.

Google’s eye-in-the-sky even lets you see some of the solar power plants if you’re looking at the satellite photos. To see more cleantech wonders via satellite images, check out our Eco-Tour of Google Earth.

Sources: Solar Energy Industries Association, California Energy Commission, DOE Energy Information Administration.

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Nth Power's Nancy Floyd: Green Tech Needs Obama

2008-08-27 05:48

Katie Fehrenbacher - Policy

When we compiled our list of cleantech investors that are backing Barack Obama, Nancy Floyd, an early investor who founded Nth Power, was the lone woman in the group — in May she gave $2,300, which is the max donation for the general election. But she gave a whole lot more at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night, when she delivered a speech in which she whole-heartedly endorsed Obama’s energy plan.

Floyd called Obama’s energy plan “comprehensive,” and said it will “get us off of foreign oil, stop global warming, and create millions of new jobs in the United States.” She highlighted Obama’s goals to cut taxes for fuel-efficient car buyers, keep green car manufacturing jobs in the U.S., and make major investments in cleantech, which could lead to 5 million new jobs over 10 years. She said that “investors are lining up” to back entrepreneurs, and what’s missing is leadership from Washington.

We can’t afford another 30 years of partisanship and inaction. We need new thinking and new leadership. We need Barack Obama as president of the United States, (according to the remarks prepared for delivery)

Floyd is an influential judge of all things energy. She is one of the original energy venture capitalists, and the firm she founded started making investments all the way back in the late 90’s. With $420 million between four funds, the group has backed the now publicly-traded Silicon Energy, Northern Power, and Comverge, as well as startups Imperium Renewables, Terrapass, and Tioga Energy. While cleantech investors are backing Obama more than 6 to 1 compared to McCain, Floyd’s endorsement means that the old-school energy investors have validated Obama’s plan.