Fiscal Cliff, Tax Credit Extension, and more…
Early this week the 112th Congress approved and the President signed into law legislation to address a portion of the fiscal cliff mostly focused on expiring tax provisions, including the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for renewable energy. Although the PTC for Marine Hydrokinetics (MHK) was not due to expire for another year (end of 2013), [...]
FY 2012 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Update
The Senate Committee on Appropriations approved the FY 2012 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill on September 7, reports Renewable Energy World . Pretty good news for MHK – the bill provides $34 million to the EERE Water Power program – $16 million less than the House-passed RY 2012 Water Power program budget but a [...]
Fifty Million for 2012 Water Power Program
Great news for MHK developers – the first step to increased funding for the Department of Energy Water Power program for FY 12. For more information, see our Press Release- House Approp Committee Approves $50 for FY 2012 Water Power Program (June 15, 2011)
Testimony before House Natural Resources Committee Highlights Hurdles Faced by Small Renewables, Including MHK Developers
Since our inception, OREC has been working to reduce hurdles to development of MHK projects in the United States. Unfortunately, as highlighted in recent testimony by Dan Reicher, Director of Stanford’s Center on Energy and Climate Change, many of the problems experienced by the MHK industry – from lack of access to cheap capital, inadequate [...]
Summary of S. 630 Mark Up
Prepared by SMI for OREC This morning, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources resumed the markup of S. 630, the Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Promotion Act of 2011. The legislation passed out of Committee by voice vote and will be placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar. On March 31st, OREC President [...]
OREC News Drops (May 23, 2011)
S. 630 Mark-Up The Senate Energy Committee will convene on Thursday May 26, 2011 at 10 am to mark up pending energy legislation. Of particular interest to OREC is consideration of S.630 , a bill to promote MHK energy research and development. OREC President Sean O’Neill testified on behalf of the MHK industry at the [...]
OREC Files Comments on US Army Corps of Engineers Proposal
Yesterday, OREC filed comments on the U.S. Army of Corps of Engineers proposal to create a Nationwide Permit for water-based renewable energy projects. You can view the filed comments here. In our comments, OREC commended the Corps on this important step towards streamlining the permitting process and offered constructive recommendations for improving the new nationwide [...]
Guidelines for MMS Renewable Energy Framework
MMS has just posted guidelines that provide details of the types of information required in making application for interim and commercial leases on the OCS and also for implementation of the MOU between MMS and FERC. From the issuance: These guidelines will evolve and will be revised and updated as necessary as we implement the [...]
President Obama Announces Ocean Task Force
On June 12, 2009, President Obama announced the formation of an Oceans Task Force, comprised of heads of various federal agencies, to develop a national policy on oceans that “ensures the protection, maintenance, and restoration of the health of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems and resources, enhances the sustainability of ocean and coastal economies, [...]
OREC Summary of MMS Regulatory Framework
As you know from our earlier post, the MMS regulations for leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf which issued back in April will take effect on June 22, 2009. In anticipation of the regulation effective date, MMS is conducting a series of workshops to describe this new Regulatory Framework and to respond to questions. For [...]
