Commissioner Wellinghoff Publishes Article On FERC Regulatory Process for Marine Renewables
FERC Commissioner Wellinghoff published an article in the Energy Bar Journal (Nov. 2008) on FERC’s regulatory process for marine renewables and describes FERC’s efforts to develop innovative and creative approaches to spur marine renewables development. The article is extremely comprehensive, giving a detailed overview of FERC’s past policies and a peek into where FERC might [...]
House Stimulus Package to Benefit Marine Renewables
A proposed House stimulus bill contains several provisions that would give a boost to marine renewables, through a variety tax incentives and financing mechanisms (clean energ bonds) that will help bring needed capital to marine renewables projects. To view the legislation, click here. Here’s a summary of the features that would benefit marine renewables. Long-term [...]
OREC Letter to Congressional Leaders Regarding Stimulus Package
On January 14, 2009, OREC wrote to congressional leadership seeking inclusion of $100 million for ocean and marine renewable energy development in the stimulus package that is currently the subject of negotiations between President Elect Obama and the new Congress. In the letter, OREC emphasized the national importance of building a marine renewables industry in [...]
A Podcast With Keith Martin on Marine Renewables Tax Iniatitives for the New Congress
OREC is mobilizing quickly to take advantage of opportunities on the Hill to implement more favorable tax policies for marine renewable technologies in order to stimulate private investment and effectively reduce the capital costs of these projects. First, OREC seeks to amend 26 U.S.C. sec. 168 so that marine renewables may use a five year [...]
New OREC Website!
As you may have noticed, the OREC website has gotten a facelift! We’ve updated the content so that emerging developments are easily viewed on the front page of the site and created a Press Room to house our Press Releases, newsletter and press clippings. We’re happy to add OREC members to our Press Clippings list, [...]
2nd Annual Global Marine Renewable Energy Conference
We’ve just launched the website and registration page for the upcoming Second Annual Global Marine Renewable Energy Conference in Washington D.C. As was the case last year, we’re expecting participants from all over the world, and from diverse sectors with an interest in marine renewables, from technology developers to utilities to financial institutions, coastal communities, [...]
OREC Briefs Transition Team
The Obama-Biden Administration is wasting no time in getting up to speed on key issues–including those important to the ocean renewable industry. OREC’s Sean O’Neill and Carolyn Elefant, along with Phil “PJ” Dougherty, formerly with DOE and now with SMI/Helios Strategies, met with the DOE/EERE Transition Team in early December. The following week, Sean and Herb Nock of Ocean Power [...]
FERC Chairman Kelliher To Depart
On January 7, 2009, FERC Chair Joseph Kelliher announced his intention to step down from the Commission effective January 20, 2009. Kelliher, who was appointed by President Bush, served on the Commission for three and a half years. In a recently issued Press Release, OREC thanked Chairman Kelliher for his service as Chairman and his [...]
MMS-FERC Jurisdictional Dispute Continues
In an order issued in October 2008 , FERC upped the ante in the ongoing dispute with MMS over which agency has jurisdiction over marine renewables projects on the Outer Continental Shelf. FERC claims authority to license marine renewables projects under the Federal Power Act (FPA), but acknowledges that developers will still need to obtain [...]
OREC Comments on MMS NOPR (9/09)
On September 9, 2008, OREC filed sixty pages of comments in response to MMS Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Alternative Energy Leases on the Outer Continental Shelf. The rules represented a culmination of extensive participation and comment on MMS’ development of rules for issuing leases on the OCS. While OREC commends MMS’ efforts to oversee [...]
