Henry Harrell"s Blog: October 20 Green Energy News

Headline News:

As the western Energy Imbalance Market continues to yield proven benefits, the California Independent System Operator and El Centro Nacional de Control de Energia have announced that the Mexican electric system operator has agreed to explore participation of its Baja California Norte grid in the real-time market. [North American Windpower]

Desert wind and solar energy (iStock image)

Scientists have accidentally discovered a way to reverse the combustion process, turning carbon dioxide back into the fuel ethanol. Because the materials used are relatively cheap, they believe the process could be used in industrial processes, for example to store excess electricity generated by wind and solar power. [The Independent]
The Victorian Government has ruled out offering financial incentives to the French owner of Hazelwood power station to stave off the threat of the ageing coal-fired plant’s closure. The speculation has it that Hazelwood could permanently shut as early as March, with the loss of up to 1,000 Latrobe Valley jobs. [ABC Online]
A newly unearthed audio tape gives credence to the idea that the solar amendment on Florida’s November ballot was designed to mislead voters and would “completely negate” future solar power initiatives. The Center for Media and Democracy published a talk with the James Madison Institute, a libertarian think-tank. [WMNF]
The US opened its first new nuclear power plant in 20 years amid growing uncertainty for the industry and the need for regulatory changes at both the state and federal level. The TVA declared the $4.7 billion Unit 2 reactor at the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant open for business, a project that has been decades in the making. [Washington Examiner]

Henry Harrell"s Blog