Five new members have joined the Demand Response and Smart Grid Coalition (DRSG). The new members are Cisco, Cooper Power Systems, Tropos Networks, Grid Net, and U-SNAP Alliance. DRSG provides products and services in the areas of demand response and smart grid technologies and practices.

The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN)has approved NV Energy to move ahead on SolarReserve’s Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project. Last December SolarReserve announced its wholly owned subsidiary, Tonopah Solar Energy LLC, and NV Energy had signed a 25-year power purchase agreement for the sale of electricity from the proposed 100 megawatt solar energy project.

To advance its European green energy initiative strategy, Alternative Energy Partners (AEGY) reports that its subsidiary Skynet Energy Systems has entered into an agreement with Suna Energy, Inc. “that will allow Skynet to be part of a minimum guaranteed sale of 20MW energy at local prices starting at $0.42/kwh for an estimated 1600 hours per year.” A Letter of Intent for land acquisition and an environmental engineering report are also underway.

Blue Line has introduced the PowerCost Monitor WiFi Gateway that wirelessly uploads real-time energy use data to Microsoft’s online application Hohm. Blue Line says consumers will get more detailed usage information than what is currently contained in utility bills. Hohm enables consumers to analyze their energy usage and compare it to how much others use power. The software also suggests ways to conserve power. Research indicates the PowerCost Monitor can help families reduce consumption by up to 18 percent.

A Who’s Who of California political and business leaders attended Terra-Gen Powers’ groundbreaking ceremony for the world’s largest wind project. When completed, the Alta Wind Energy Center (AWEC) in Tehachapi, California, will be able to generate 1,550 megawatts of clean renewable energy – nearly double the capacity of the largest existing wind energy project. AWEC, will supply power to over a million people while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 52 million metric tons.

Tampa Electric is participating in two Department of Energy funded demonstration projects. In the first, Tampa Electric has partnered with Siemens for a project at the utility’s Big Bend Power Station to capture CO2 emissions from conventional coal-fired power plants using a green tech solution developed by Siemens.