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Mark Del Franco
Focusing on all aspects of the wind industry, Mark Del Franco has served as editor of North American Windpower magazine since 2008. From the ongoing saga of the production tax credit to the development of the U.S. offshore wind industry to Ontario's feed-in tariff struggles, Del Franco has covered it all in U.S. and Canada.
Meet Tom Kiernan, The Man Tasked With Leading The U.S. Wind Industry
On April 25, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) named Tom Kiernan its next CEO. Kiernan takes over for former policy director Robert...
PTC Update: IRS Clarifies ‘Commence Construction’ Requirements
In order to qualify for the production tax credit (PTC), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) says that renewable energy projects starting construction in...
AWEA Reveals Numbers Behind U.S. Wind Sector’s Record-Breaking Year
Did you know that in 2012, U.S. wind energy - for the first time - was the No. 1 new source of electricity...
Post-Fukushima, Japan Looks To Floating Offshore Wind Turbines
The Environment Ministry of Japan will begin installing two floating offshore wind turbines this summer as a way to help diversify the country's...
IRS: PTC Will Be Worth Slightly More In 2013
Wind developers have received a touch of good news, as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced that the federal production tax credit...
As Focus Shifts To O&M, Duke Energy Renewables Leaps Into Services Market
According to IHS Emerging Energy Research, annual expenditures of wind farm operations and maintenance (O&M) will exceed $5.6 billion by 2025 - more...
Welcome To Walmart: Wind Energy Is Key Part Of Retailer’s Plans
A GE 1.5 MW SLE wind turbine that rises above Walmart's Red Bluff, Calif., distribution center has caused quite a stir. The 265-foot-tall...
Thanks To PTC Extension, Google ‘Actively Looking’ To Procure Wind Energy
Encouraged by the extension of the production tax credit (PTC), Google will continue to work with utilities to procure wind energy to power...
Insider: Clarity On PTC ‘Begin Construction’ Language Expected Soon
The wind energy industry will soon receive long-awaited guidance from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on ambiguous language contained in the version of...
Sen. Carper Renews Push For Offshore Wind Energy, Investment Tax Credit
Sens. Tom Carper, D-Del., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, have reintroduced the Incentivizing Offshore Wind Power Act, which would provide financial incentives for investments...
Exclusive: Sen. Grassley Seeks Fairness For Wind Energy In Tax Debate
Whether he was working to amend the production tax credit's (PTC) definition or speaking out in favor of wind energy during the U.S....
OSHA’s ‘Narrow’ Ruling Leaves Ladder Compliance Questions Unanswered
After an 18-month-plus delay, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reiterated its position that fixed ladders inside wind turbines must adhere to...
Viewpoint: An Open Letter To The American Wind Energy Association Board
Dear AWEA board of directors: Congratulations on obtaining a one-year extension of the production tax credit (PTC). Full credit goes to Denise Bode,...
Developer Makes The Case For Urban Wind Energy Development
Kruger Energy's 100 MW Monteregie wind farm, located 20 km outside of Montreal, is surely opening a lot of eyes - mainly because...
EDF’s Triple Play Spells Big Business For Quebec Wind Energy Suppliers
By completing three wind farms in Quebec in the past four months, EDF has provided a much-needed economic boost for the region and...
Trillium Power Vows To Forge Ahead With Offshore Wind Plans
Despite an Ontario judge's dismissal of the case, Trillium Power is forging ahead with its C$2.25 billion lawsuit against the Ontario government, as...
First Wind Gambles On PTC Extension – And Wins
Faced with the prospect of being saddled with wind energy assets unable to be financed, many wind developers abruptly halted projects that could...
Post-PTC Extension, Wind Energy Developers Face New Questions
President Barack Obama has officially signed H.R.8, the American Tax Payer Relief Act, into law. While the sweeping legislation helped extend unemployment insurance...
From The PTC To The Election: The Year’s Top Wind Energy Stories
For the wind energy industry, 2012 has been filled with both exciting milestones and crushing policy uncertainty. Here are the NAW editors' picks...
WTO: Ontario’s Domestic-Content Requirements Breach International Trade Law
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled that Ontario's domestic-content requirements - a key mechanism under the province's feed-in-tariff (FIT) program and one...