http://cleantechnica.com/2014/03/14/commission-1-1-gw-pv-solar-project-commenced-china/

The development of a huge 1.1GW solar power plant project in China’s Gansu Province has begun, with China-based solar manufacturer and developer, China Singyes Solar Technologies Holdings, announcing the commencement of the 300MW ‘first phase’ in Hongshagang Industrial Park in Minqin County, Wuwei.

Development of the 1.1GW PV plant was announced by Singyes in December last year, as part of a broader deal with the Minqin County government to establish an environmental industry and clean energy development zone, including a solar R&D base.

This 300MW first phase of the solar power plant is expected to be completed by the end of 2014, and have an average annual power generating output of 480 million kWh. The overall project has a planned construction period of five years.

Singyes, which is listed on Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index, has been enjoying a good run, lately – last week bucking a broader market slump to hit a record high at $HK12.58 during the Friday session.

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http://blog.ucsusa.org/wind-energy-in-texas-431

Press reports of Texas completing new transmission lines for wind describe an energy boom with a difference — this is carbon-free wind energy. The grid operator in Texas, ERCOT, says agreements are already done for 7,500 MW of new wind power, most of which will be using the new transmission lines by 2016. That will put installed Texas wind around 20,000 MW. There are 15 U.S. states with 1,000 MW or more, but Texas wind is already twice as big as the next largest wind states, California and Iowa.

For size comparison, ERCOT’s winter demand for electricity can hit 57,000 MW, and summer demand peaks upwards of 68,000 MW. The energy from wind varies with the weather and time of day, as does the electric demand. Line these up, and see how much has wind actually contributed: on Christmas Day, 2013, wind supplied 26 percent of ERCOT’s electricity use. On January 29, 2013, Texas wind power produced 32 percent of total electricity needed.

How has this happened?

This is a great story of collective action, mandated by the Texas state legislature. It all started with the Texas RPS law, signed by Governor Bush. Once Texans found wind could be profitable, the legislature raised the RPS and set out this transmission planning-and-building requirement known as CREZ. Eight years in the making, from designing the transmission to completion.

During these eight years, many advocacy efforts tried to describe how to duplicate this in other regions. Texas does all its electricity policy and planning in one city, Austin. There isn’t any other state involved, and the electricity sector is largely exempt from Federal energy market rules. These unique circumstances have not been available to another transmission-for-wind effort.

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