Category: Energy News


U.S. Corporations Continue to Invest Renewable Energy

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Renewable EnergyOver the last year, renewable energy usage has become a pressing issue for corporations nationwide. On June 1, 2017 the Trump Administration announced that the U.S. would be backing out of the Paris climate agreement. This agreement was intended to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change and increase their ability to deal with the effects of climate change.

In spite of the decision by the Trump Administration, many U.S. corporations have continued to follow the Paris Agreement by investing billions of dollars in wind and solar sources to power the operations of their companies. Malcolm Wolf, the senior vice president for policy at Advanced Energy Economy, explained: “Corporations have not slowed down their appetite for renewables under Trump – if anything, it has continued to grow.”

The Growth of Corporate Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is growing rapidly and becoming more cost effective for corporations due to the decrease in wind and solar prices. According to a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the cost of renewable energy is falling so fast that the prices of fossil fuels and renewable energy will be similar by 2020, and it should be cheaper than fossil fuels within the next couple of years.

Christiana Figueres, the former UN climate chief who delivered the Paris agreement, said: “The economic case for renewables as the backbone of our global energy system is increasingly clear and proven. Offering ever greater bang-for-buck, renewables are quite simply the cheapest way to generate energy in an ever-growing number of countries.” It makes financial sense for corporations to switch over to renewable energy.

Google and Apple are two of the top companies leading the way in renewable energy. In recent months, both companies have announced that they have purchased an amount of renewable electricity that could power all of their data centers and facilities around the globe. Although Google and Apple are not 100% powered by renewable energy, the advancements that they have made in recent years are definitely a huge step forward.

Future of Corporate Renewable Energy

Although the U.S. is no longer involved in the Paris Agreement, U.S. corporations are striving to increase renewable energy, and they play an extremely important role in the future of renewable energy.

These companies are transforming America’s grid by introducing a new era of low-carbon power. Intersect Energy is committed to providing analysis, financing and structuring of alternative energy solutions to reduce the environmental impact and maximize savings for companies. In turn, this helps move the country towards an alternative energy future. Stay up-to-date with all the happenings at Intersect Energy by following us on LinkedIn.

New Homes in California to Run on Solar Energy Systems

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Solar Energy Making Progress in California

California Solar EnergyIn the United States we are seeing solar energy rise not only in popularity, but in efficiency over the past decade. Other countries, such as China, have created national policies which have made them a world leader in developing innovative strategies to harness solar power for their strategic power needs. In the U.S., the west coast is leading the country when it comes to the application and pursuit of solar energy.

California Solar Energy in Residential Homes

This leads us to the recent energy efficiency building standards that require newly constructed residential buildings in California to use solar energy as their primary source of power. Morten Lund, chair of the Stoel Rives Energy Storage Initiative and former chair of the Solar Energy Initiative, was quoted saying, “This is massive…a big ‘I told you so’ on how state and local action can overwhelm federal obstruction.”

Customized Solar Energy Systems

The Californian Energy Commission (CEC) evaluated rulemaking provided by the 2019 Building Energy Efficiency Standards on May 9, 2018. These standards state that new homes must be equipped with solar PV systems that are customized for each structure. The solar PV systems need to be designed to appropriately accommodate the specific homes they inhabit. According to data provided by the CEC, the future use of the solar PV systems is projected to provide approximately 200 MW of evenly distributed energy per year in California. The U.S. Energy Information Association claims that California generated 5.7 GW of small scale power provided by solar PV as of May 2017.

The new building standards are designed to focus on four different areas: smart residential solar PV systems, updated thermal envelope standards, residential and nonresidential ventilation requirements, and nonresidential lighting requirements. All these areas will amplify the performance of the solar PV systems and focus the goal of solar expansion in a domestic direction.

The Future of Residential Solar Energy

With the mandate for the inclusion of solar power generation in all future residential homes in California, we get to witness communities almost entirely run on solar energy in the years to come. Intersect Energy proudly shares renewable energy news and information to all our customers and those interested in seeing renewable energy expand. Stay up-to-date with all the happenings at Intersect Energy by following us on LinkedIn!

Wind Power on the Rise in the U.S.

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A Reliable Alternative: Wind Power

Wind PowerWith the pursuit of renewable energy on the rise around the world, many countries have put forth an investment. Among the most popular, and reliable, is wind energy. With its growing popularity in the U.S., wind power could eventually be the leading power provider in the country.

A Brief History of Wind Power

Wind power dates back as early as 5000 B.C., as the Egyptians used the power of wind to propel their boats down the Nile River which is 4,258 miles long. Fast forward to present day, where wind energy is harnessed by wind turbines that utilize giant propeller blades and are pushed by the wind. In turn, the movement from the blades powers an electric generator located at the base of the turbine, where the electric current is produced and stored.

Wind Power Statistics

Wind turbines have earned more than $100 billion in private investments in the U.S. since 2008. Wind energy has avoided an estimate of 159 million metric tons of CO2 – which is the equivalent of reducing power sector CO2 emissions by around 9%, which equals 33.7 million cars’ worth of carbon emissions. Intersect Energy offers analysis, financing, and structuring solutions for companies interested in exploring this renewable energy source.

Germany is currently the world leader in wind power capacity, generating 22,247 megawatts, which accounts for 24% of the world total. While Germany is the world’s leader in power generated, the U.S. is leading in the installations for the third year in a row producing, 5,244 megawatts of wind capacity added. In fact, there is a new turbine added to the U.S. every couple of hours. In 2016, 5.6 percent of all electricity produced in the U.S. was a result of wind energy. That number is sure to be on the rise with more turbines added every day.

Intersect Energy’s mission is to inform the public about the reliability of renewable energy and how it can help the country. To learn more about Intersect Energy and access more articles like this, follow us on LinkedIn!

Will Renewable Energy Affect the Energy Market?

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Renewable Energy on the Rise

The concept of using renewable energy as an alternative to fossil fuels is growing more rapidly each year. Renewable energy options are on the rise, such as: solar, hydropower, biomass, wind and geothermal. The energy market will soon face a change that will be irreversible. When it comes to renewable energy development, financing and management, Intersect Energy is here to offer our expert services regarding alternative energy.

An efficient economic market place is anchored by the rule of supply and demand. Fossil fuels have been the energy supply to meet the demand for power for the majority of the Industrial Revolution. However, with the expansion of renewable energy, that dominance is beginning to fade. The supply for wind, solar and even hydropower is limitless in principle, because they will never run out.

Replacing Fossil Fuels

According to scienticamerican.com, renewable energy will replace fossil fuels in the next several decades. “It is hardly surprising, of course, that many experts say we will witness a relatively drawn-out transition from fossil fuels to renewables,” the article states. “Any new form of energy initially operates at a severe disadvantage, lacking the elaborate production, processing and distribution networks by the prevailing type.”

While the current administration advocates policies that promote remaining dependent on coal for the time being, China has their future set on renewable energy. According to this article, President Xi has been very interested in renewable energy and has been optimistic about its future. He believes in the “green shift” that the world is currently undergoing. Currently, China owns five of the top solar module manufactures, five of the largest wind turbine manufactures and six of the 10 major electrical car manufactures, setting themselves up to become the renewable energy world leader. Intersect Energy’s alternative energy on-site energy generation services offer analysis, financing, and structuring of alternative energy for various work sites, to take advantage of business opportunities that China and other countries are creating.

Balancing the Costs of Renewable Energy

Experts believe come 2020, renewable energy prices will be competitive against fossil fuels. According to a greentechmedia.com article, “all types of clean energy will fall within the cost range for fossil fuels in the next two years.

What the Future Holds for Renewable Energy

If we then fast forward 12 years to 2030, we can expect renewable energy to be the dominating energy source in the market due to its cheaper prices, better production and distribution, and all around higher effectiveness than coal, oil and natural gas. In conclusion, it’s safe to say that renewable energy affects the energy market today and tomorrow.

Intersect Energy is your guide when it comes to information about renewable energy and offers our services with energy reduction technologies, aggregate energy, and more. For more information, please click here to contact us.

Does Renewable Energy Affect the Job Market?

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Intersect Energy is seeing renewable energy boost the job market by adding thousands of new jobs across the country.

The job market in the U.S. has suffered instability for a substantial amount of time. Even though we have seen the employment rates increase in the previous four years, there is still a great need for higher paying jobs and full-time work.

Job Creation and Renewable Energy

Intersect Energy specializes in consulting and development services of distributed energy resources (DER).  We see the jobs the development of renewable energy systems is directly and indirectly creating. According to an article on fortune.com, renewable energy is creating jobs about 12 times faster than the rest of the economy. This is particularly accurate with the wind and solar industries, as the Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) Climate Corps Program says that the solar and wind jobs have grown about 20 percent annually in recent years.

According to usnews.com, the US wind and solar industries successfully employ over 300,000 people. The solar sector contains 209,000 workers, while wind industry has created over 88,000 new jobs. These numbers clearly prove that renewable energy has the capacity to add an abundant supply of new work.

Intersect Energy Helps Improve the Job Market

At Intersect Energy, we are involved in energy projects that create jobs and sustainable savings for decades. These are micro infrastructure projects that employ skilled laborers to build each DER system. The money saved on energy costs are reallocated by local businesses on new hires or capital infrastructure for expansion. In the case of DERs that involve Public and Government entities, in addition to the benefits of employment and capital projects, you see savings in a reduction in the need to new taxes to support those institutions.

The Positives

Renewable energy is having a positive effect on the job market in early 2018, even with the increased tariffs on imported solar panels. We are witnessing a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy in the job market. This is not only good for the environment and stability in the domestic energy market, but will prove to be a monumental stepping stone for many unemployed Americans in the next several years.

Intersect Energy is your source for renewable energy news and services regarding alternative energy on-site energy generation, energy reduction techniques, and government incentives and grants. For more information, contact us here!

Would Renewable Energy Change our Future?

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Renewable EnergyWhen it comes to the future of renewable energy, there is always a level of apprehension to grasp on to it, even if the idea is innovative and has the potential to change your life. The topic of transition to renewable energy has been thrown around for several years now, and while it has proven to be more than an effective alternative to the use of fossil fuels, the majority of people, businesses and our Government (Federal, State & Local) still are not fully embracing its use.

 

The Current State of Fossil Fuel

To fully comprehend how renewable energy could change our future, we must understand how fossil fuels are currently utilized in the U.S. According to The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s website, the U.S. gets 81 percent of its total energy from oil, coal, and natural gas, all of which are fossil fuels. Coal is very abundant in the U.S. and is the cheapest to use. Intersect Energy provides alternative energy solutions, including on-site generation, reducing the demand for fossil fuels that negatively impact the environment while still reducing consumption costs.

The Costs of Renewable Energy

Spending and cost are always a contentious issue in creating Government policy and that is one of the biggest hurdles that renewable energy will have to face on the way to becoming mainstream. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists’ website, the average cost in 2017 to install solar systems went from $2,000 per kilowatt, for large-scale systems compared to a natural gas plant ranges from $1,000 to $1,700. If the government would choose to mandate the increase use of renewable energy, it would require higher capital expenditures to create new supplies of energy. Because of this difference, it requires government leadership to utilize strategic planning on deciding where renewable energy facilities would be utilized until such time the costs to install equalize.

However, more utilization of renewable energy could be offset by the Federal Government’s energy expenditures. According to Oil Change International’s website, it is estimated that subsidies to the U.S. fossil fuel industry range from $10 to $52 billion annually. Pursuing a renewable energy strategy could cut those figures down and the government would likely improve revenue collections by creating new jobs installing and maintaining new renewable facilities.

Moving Forward

The transition to renewable energy would not change our future overnight. The short term benefits of jobs, taxes and lower energy costs would be visible sooner than the long term benefits of lower greenhouse gases and strategic energy independence that our current dependency on fossil fuel creates. Intersect Energy leverages government incentives allocated for energy reduction, navigates government bureaucracies in creating energy cost savings for their clients. Intersect Energy would like to provide you with information on the pursuit of clean and renewable energy for your business. For more information on Intersect Energy, click here.

Utility CEO: New Renewables Will Be Cheaper Than Existing Coal Plants by the Early 2020s

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It is difficult to exaggerate just what a sea change has taken place in the discussion of renewable energy in recent years.

Oldsters like me remember when the idea that (unsubsidized) renewable energy would be able to compete directly with fossil fuels was downright utopian. As late as the early 2000s, people were debating whether it would happen this century, or at all.

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A Fumble for Renewable Energy

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The struggle for a nation to leverage renewable energy has been a game of one step forward, and three steps back.

Renewable Energy - Lincoln Financial FieldWhen Pennsylvania enacted the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards (AEPS) 14 years ago, the same year that the Eagles season ended in a trip to Super Bowl XXXIX with the Patriots, it seemed like a fantastic leap for the progression of the expansion of renewable energy in Pennsylvania. But, unlike the chances of the Eagles victory for this year, the AEPS does not have the same chances for success.

According to an article written by Mark Szybist on nrdc.org, this happened because the AEPS has grown very weak, and the policy needs to go under revision. He goes on to say, “Strengthening the AEPS before 2021, when its targets flat-line, would re-establish Pennsylvania as a clean energy leader. Failing to do so would effectively shut the door on thousands of clean energy jobs and increase our dependence on fossil fuels…”

According to the Pennsylvania Alternative Energy Credit Program (www.pennaeps.com) website, the AEPS was established to, “provide economic development opportunities by increasing the mix of alternative electricity generation of Pennsylvania. ”They propose that 18 percent of the electricity supplied by electric distribution companies (EDCs) and electric generation suppliers (EGSs).

As we look at New Jersey compared to Pennsylvania in their goals and how they are achieved, New Jersey has a stronger solar energy renewable credit market which has produced hundreds of thousands of jobs installing and maintaining renewable energy from solar projects, where PA has lagged in clean job creation.

However, this hasn’t stopped some forward-thinking organizations and groups from pursuing the idea of renewable energy. Since 2004, the Philadelphia Eagles have installed 11,000 solar panels and 14 wind turbines in their home stadium at Lincoln Financial Field. A solid contribution, but like the Eagles’ upcoming challenge against the Patriots in this year’s Super Bowl, the pursuit of increasing the utilization of renewable energy is a battle that every smart Philadelphian and Pennsylvanian wants to win.

Feel free to contact us with any further questions!

New York City Sues Oil Firms over Climate Change

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“As climate change continues to worsen, it’s up to the fossil fuel companies whose greed put us in this position to shoulder the cost of making New York safer and more resilient.” – Bill de Blasio, NYC Mayor

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Intersect Energy consults, develops, and finances alternative energy solutions that reduce companies dependence on fossil fuels. Intersect’s innovative energy solutions help commercial and industrial business’s by providing alternative energy solutions today, for a better climate tomorrow.

Quick Solutions to Big Problems

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Intersect Energy is a small business based near Philadelphia. It is offering a mobile emergency generation system in increments of 30MWs for the immediate deployment in disaster locations. These systems are built to allow for the site to be prepared while the actual equipment is in transit, allowing for faster commissioning. In a microgrid model allows for more rapid restoration of
remote grid locations.

Feedstock is a major concern in most emergency situations. Certain feedstocks might be highly available while other fuels are in short supply. The Intersect Energy solution allows the use of most major fuel sources, including diesel, natural gas, LNG, CNG, and LPG.

Intersect Energy has the expertise to procure and deliver the feedstock to the generation location.

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