renewable energy

Southwest Gas is looking to make a rate adjustment for 2014 that would, if approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada, decrease rates for Northern Nevada customers amounting to about 4 cents in summer and 18 cents in winter.

The Public Utilities Commission will hold a consumer session Wednesday, Sept. 11, to hear public comment regarding the annual rate adjustment application of Southwest Gas. If approved by the commission, the company proposes the rate changes take effect Jan. 1.

Just in time for Independence Day, Reno-based non-profit Black Rock Solar has reached the milestone of building 3 megawatts of solar power capacity across the state of Nevada. That’s 3 megawatts of clean, renewable energy fostering freedom from fossil fuels and building a self-reliant nation independent of environmentally hazardous power-production methods.

Electric rates for NV Energy customers in Carson City and Northern Nevada would decrease by about 52 cents a month, according to a proposed rate adjustment. The public is invited to a consumer session Tuesday, July 2 to comment on the planned changes. The session is being hosted by the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada.

NV Energy's application seeks approval of fuel and purchased power expenses for 2012 and to reset several renewable energy and energy efficiency program rates.

U.S. Senator Harry Reid is in Northern Nevada this week, talking with constituents and brokering a deal he says could be a game changer for renewable energy here.

Warren Buffett has found another elephant. Berkshire Hathaway's MidAmerican Energy utility said Wednesday that it will buy Nevada electric and natural gas company NV Energy for $5.6 billion as it expands its footprint in the energy sector.

Friday marked yet another deadline at the Legislature. Bills and resolutions had to be approved by the second house committees to which they were assigned after passing out of their respective houses of origin.

Two free lectures by science experts - one about the violent geologic history of Lake Tahoe, another concerning global warming, will highlight the many free activities at Western Nevada College during Earth Week, April 22-27.
Renewable energy exhibits, an organic gardening lecture, alternative fuel vehicles and a tree planting ceremony will also be featured.

“Many diverse and interesting activities will be offered,” said Valerie Andersen, WNC public service librarian and college Earth Week event coordinator. Students, faculty and the public are invited to attend.

Nevada son and United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid addressed a joint session of the Nevada State Legislature today in Carson City. Here is the text of his speech:

CARSON CITY – The city of Reno has been selected as one of only 100 recipients of IBM’s prestigious Smarter Cities Challenge grant for 2013.

Partners in the project include the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, University of Nevada, Reno, EDAWN, Desert Research Institute and the Nevada Institute for Renewable Energy Commercialization.

I told you so, again and again for four years. OK, so Obama did not cancel the elections; he did one better, he put the veneer of the "will of the people" on it. Voting is the best revenge...? He never had to say, against whom.

RENO – Gov. Mitt Romney fired up a crowd of about 2,000 enthusiastic Northern Nevada  voters today, urging them to get to the polls and help him take the battleground state that is Nevada 13 days from now.

Romney told the crowd that President Obama is out of ideas, out of excuses and will be out of office come Nov. 6.

The president, “doesn’t understand what it takes to get this economy going, he doesn’t have a plan to get jobs for Americans, I do and that’s why I’m going to win,” he said.

CARSON CITY – It took all of about ten minutes for Sen. Dean Heller and Rep Shelley Berkley to mix it up in their first debate in the U.S. Senate race Thursday, criticizing each other on campaign issues ranging from ethics to Medicare to big oil subsidies.

The hour-long debate on KNPB-TV in Reno was the first chance for many voters to see the two candidates spar on the issues, most of which have already been the focus of campaign attacks in the race to date.

CARSON CITY – Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., said today that any “green energy” policy that leads to higher electric bills for Nevadans who are looking for work in tough economic times is the wrong energy policy for the state.

“Nobody is anti-green,” he said. “We struggle to compete with the cost of a kilowatt hour when we talk about economic development. And economic development has something to do with jobs.”

CARSON CITY – With U.S. Sen. Harry Reid’s 5^th annual National Clean Energy Summit set to kick off today in Las Vegas, the debate over alternative energy development and the government’s role in its future rages on.

CARSON CITY – Nevada ranks 40^th among the states for the amount of energy consumed per person, according to the nonprofit website EnergyTrends.org.

The state rankings were released on Wednesday and show Nevadans consumed 239 million Btu per capita in 2010 compared to 303 Btu per capita in 2007.

LAS VEGAS – State senate Majority Leader and 4th Congressional District candidate Steven Horsford, D-North Las Vegas, said he supports the federal health care law that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in late June.

CARSON CITY – The House of Representatives today passed H.R. 4039, the Yerington Land Conveyance and Sustainable Development Act, the first piece of legislation introduced by Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., since taking office after a special election in September 2011.

In a milestone for the organization, Amy R. Berry was appointed to the new position of CEO of the Tahoe Fund on Wednesday. The official announcement is a major shift forward for the organization and its mission to raise private and public funding for environmental projects in Lake Tahoe.

The Copper Mountain Solar 1 facility in Boulder City that President Obama visited Wednesday is certainly impressive. With nearly 1 million solar panels, the nation’s largest operating solar facility can provide power for about 17,000 homes without producing any harmful emissions or sending any money out of state for dirty coal or foreign oil.

CARSON CITY – A new report questions the value of tax incentives and regulations approved by many states around the country, including Nevada, to create “green jobs,” noting that subsidies used for such programs can take away revenue for other needs such as public education.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency received a positive ruling in the opening stages of the lawsuit challenging the Homewood Mountain Ski Area Master Plan that was filed by the Sierra Club and the Friends of the West Shore, a Lake Tahoe environmental group.

RENO, Nev. – An online graduate certificate in renewable energy that provides an opportunity to study the policies and practices in the diverse fields of renewable energy is being offered at the University of Nevada, Reno beginning in the spring 2012 semester.

“With an emphasis on renewable energy by the Governor’s Task Force on Economic Development, this should be a popular program,” Nancy LaTourrette, of the University’s College of Engineering, said. “The program provides a breadth of understanding of the different aspects of renewable energy in a traditional semester-long time frame.”

Friday, December 16th at 2:30 pm on the Carson High School Campus. The ceremony is the culmination of nearly three years of planning, fundraising and construction. The Greenhouse Project’s focus on using renewable energy and ecological sustainable growing methods make it the only one of its kind in Nevada.

Eleven people have been named to a state task force to promote development of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

Gov. Brian Sandoval wants the task force to initially focus on development of transmission facilities to ship such energy sources as solar and geothermal power out of the state.

CARSON CITY – Last week it was a dispute about the Small Business Jobs Act and whether it will create any jobs in Nevada that generated controversy between the two major party candidates for the U.S. Senate.

By Sean Sever
With shrinking budgets and rising energy costs, many of Nevada’s school districts have turned to renewable energy and energy conservation measures to save money. The Carson City School District, for example, has used the Nevada State Office of Energy’s (NSOE) Schools Program to install new LED and Super T-8 fluorescent lighting at three schools that will save them almost $80,000 in energy costs annually.

The 3rd annual Concert Under the Stars will rock Carson City on July 13th behind Adele’s Restaurant and Lounge. Grammy Winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Booker T will headline the event. The soul legend will perform music from his critically acclaimed new album “The Road from Memphis” as well as old favorites. Also performing, Sonoma based Frobeck. The band’s unique blend of pop, funk and rock has been wowing audiences since 2005. Reno favorite The Mighty Surf Lords will open the show.

CARSON CITY – The argument goes like this: every Nevadan would only pay 50 cents per person for a great renewable energy program.
Energy lobbyist Ted Ko even held up two shiny quarters during a legislative hearing to make the point.
But legislators are considering more than a dozen renewable energy bills this session,  and some lawmakers fear that a few dollars here and there will add up to significantly higher utility bills for their constituents if all of these bills pass.

This is "do-or-die" day for a number of bills before the state legislature in Carson City, which must pass today or be dead for this legislative session. They include a measure that is designed to get more local businesses to install rooftop renewable-energy devices. You may have heard of net-metering, where home owners install renewable energy systems and sell power back to the grid. This bill (SB184), is designed to reach the next level, small and mid-sized business.

CARSON CITY – U.S. Rep. Joe Heck praised GOP Gov. Brian Sandoval in remarks to the Nevada Legislature today for proposing a budget that does not raise taxes, saying it is the way to an economic recovery.
Heck, R-Nev., also expressed appreciation for Republican lawmakers who so far this session have supported Sandoval’s no new taxes or fees position during the lengthy review of his two-year, $5.8 billion general fund budget.