Clean Energy Blog
Stay up to date on the latest news related to clean energy in our region and beyond.
Save the Date! Enlighten Women’s Forum: Energize Your Craft
A collaboration between The Washington State Construction Center of Excellence and the Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy, this event will bring together women in the construction and energy trades to empower them in their careers, create valuable...
Large-scale, floating offshore wind turbine to be built in the North Sea
Plans are underway to build a huge, floating offshore wind turbine in Europe. Europe is already home to the world’s first floating offshore wind farm, which is located in waters off the coast of Scotland. Spanish utility Iberdrola is heading a consortium aiming to...
Wind is largest single source of electricity in Iowa
According to the trade association's Wind Powers America 2019 Annual Report, Iowa is now generating more than 10,000 megawatts of wind energy, accounting for more than 40% of the state's electricity. Wind became the leading source of electricity in both Iowa and...
Wind power plant shuts down amid virus outbreak
An outbreak of Covid-19 at a wind power facility in North Dakota has forced it to temporarily close, the latest example of how the pandemic is impacting the renewable energy sector. The North Dakota Department of Health said there were 110 confirmed cases of...
Wind power: Airfoils instead of turbines?
A new device could open more areas to wind production by using stationary airfoils instead of twirling turbines. Past efforts to scale down the towering turbines that generate wind power to something that might sit on a home have been plagued by too many technical...
New solar panel sets record for efficiency
A new kind of solar technology has set a world record for the most efficient generation of energy by a solar cell. By stacking six different photoactive layers, the record-setting multi-junction cell has reached nearly 50 percent efficiency in the lab and nearly 40...
Public Power COVID-19 Information Hub
Through virtual forums and events, the American Public Power Association (APPA) has been engaging public power leaders to discuss COVID-19 actions being taken on the local and regional levels. APPA reports on government relations and policy activities, as well as...
Guide to governors on supporting energy sector during pandemic
The National Governor’s Association (NGA) has prepared a memo that provides guidance to governors on how they can best support and protect the energy industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. The March 25 memo highlights three areas governors should consider to ensure...
New bill to help WA ranchers losing land to solar farms
Washington ranchers, farmers and state agencies are learning that certain land features make them ideal for renewable energy projects. Ranchers are losing land to solar farms, but help is on the way. Leases canceled from the Department of Natural Resources are hurting...
New solar cells reach an efficiency record
New designs for perovskite-silicon solar cells have reached a conversion efficiency of 27.7 percent. The use of solar photovoltaic cells as a renewable energy source is booming, as the technology becomes more efficient and less expensive. Stacking perovskite solar...