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2005 To Be Banner Year for US Wind Installations

With the extension of the federal wind energy production tax credit in September, capacity installations in 2005 look likely to beat all previous records, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said today in its quarterly U.S. market outlook. The previous high for new wind power capacity installations in one year was 1,696 megawatts (MW) in 2001. Most industry participants agree that 2005 will be a better year, with some predicting installations to exceed 2,500 MW. Conditions are right for next year to be a record-breaking year, said AWEA Executive Director Randall Swisher. "We will see what the U.S. industry can do at a full-speed run for the next fourteen months. As natural gas prices continue to demonstrate volatility, and coal prices are increasing as well, wind power looks more attractive as a way to diversify a utility's supply portfolio." The slow-down in installations in 2004 that resulted from the expiration of the production tax credit (PTC) means that many projects that have been in the development pipeline are now ready to move forward quickly. Wind power project developers and wind turbine and component manufacturers are now racing to lock up supply contracts for the coming year. At the same time, […]

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San Francisco Announces Green Building Ordinance

San Francisco announced it has adopted a Green Building Ordinance, requiring all new projects, including city-owned facilities and leaseholds, achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The LEED Green Building Rating System?, developed by the USGBC, is the only nationally recognized green building rating system. LEED evaluates the performance of buildings from a "whole building" perspective, over the course of a building's lifecycle, which provides a definitive standard for what constitutes a green building. San Francisco's Green Building Ordinance will apply to all new city construction projects, renovations and building additions. San Francisco joins nine other cities that have adopted green building ordinances requiring LEED. "The City's adoption of LEED Silver standards in their ordinance demonstrates San Francisco's exemplary commitment to green building," said USGBC President, CEO & Founding Chair Rick Fedrizzi. "We look forward to more cities following their leadership." Under this ordinance, municipal buildings will need to follow green building design principles, which will help to create healthy workplaces, increase energy productivity, protect the environment and save the City millions in funds. "This Green Building Ordinance will translate into millions in savings on future operational costs for […]

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Washington Governor Sets Sustainability Standards

OLYMPIA, Washington, October 28, 2004 (ENS) – Washington Governor Gary Locke has signed an executive order directing that all new state buildings be built to green building standards and that those over 25,000 square feet be certified to a Silver Rating in the LEED rating system established by the U.S. Green Building Council. It also directs agencies to reduce petroleum use throughout state fleets by 20 percent in five years and directs an additional 10 percent reduction of energy use by state facilities on top of the 10 percent ordered in 2001 by Locke. Additionally, it orders a 30 percent reduction in paper use and an increase in purchases of paper with higher recycled content. "State government must continue to ensure that our investments in government facilities and operations provide long-term social, economic and environmental benefit," Locke said. "These actions will help both the environment and taxpayers." Locke previously issued an executive order on sustainability in 2002. It required agencies to adopt sustainability plans and modify their business practices toward the goals of shifting to clean energy, minimizing energy and water use and eliminating waste and toxics in the products we purchase. Locke also called for more action in the […]

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