Wind energy sailing through European Union EU made up 39 percent of the new energy projects in 2009, with natural gas making up 26 percent followed by 16 percent for solar energy, the EWEA said. Meanwhile, the EU decommissioned more coal and nuclear facilities than were installed in 2009, suggesting renewable energy made up 61 percent of the new capacity in 2009. Christian Kjaer, the chief executive of EWEA, said the data confirms that wind and other renewable resources are taking hold in the European community, even during tough economic times. "It is a remarkable result in a difficult year," he said. European nations spent more than $18 billion on new wind farms in 2009, marking the second year in a row... Oregon town days from activating 419 kilowatt solar energy system The solar energy system will be owned and operated by SunEdison, the largest solar energy services provider in North America, meaning that its services will ... California power provider to purchase 100 percent of power from new solar energy facilities Southern California Edison has agreed to purchase 100 percent of the solar energy from three separate solar projects in the state that will be built and ... Fidelis Energy Signs Final Contract for $18.4 Million Solar Commercial Projects in Greece The company will provide all solar equipment for the installation on the sites, as well as sell the newly generated solar energy to the buildings at a discounted rate compared to the previous electricity provider. "Due to robust government tax incentives, Greece has emerged as a leading market for solar power energy, and for Fidelis as we continue to launch on our aggressive international expansion program," said James Poole, President and CEO of Fidelis. "Their current environment of available grants and favorable feed-in tariffs presents a great opportunity for the Company, and we fully expect to see an increase in projects within the region." "We are encouraged with the... Sec. Salazar Named 2009 National Solar Energy Champion by SEIA The Solar Energy Industries Association has named US Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar as its 2009 National Solar Energy Champion for 2009. ... Silicon Valley faces fierce global competition in cleantech Sunnyvale-based Applied Materials recently opened what it calls the world's largest non-government-backed solar-energy research facility in Xian in ... The Debate Room » Durso The Long Island Power Authority announced the installation of the largest wind turbine in the history of Long Island, and the largest solar energy project ... UK plans cash-back incentives for wind and solar energy adopters Government will pay homeowners for the clean energy that they produce using solar panels or turbines, even if they use the energy themselves. Starting April this year, homeowners who adopt clean energy will receive fixed rate cash back from their utility, in addition to savings on their electricity charges. According to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), homeowners installing photovoltaic panels would not only save $225 a year in electricity bills but also receive $1,435 a year as cash back when they first install the technology. Annual cash back rates will be linked to inflation and will rise through the years. The government believes the incentive... The Observer » Blog Archive » Solar-Powered Panhandle There's also a developing commodities market for SRECs, or Solar Renewable Energy Credits, a forum where credits earned by solar energy producers are sold ...