On the GreenBeat: Cadillac plans plug-in hybrid, DOE grants $1.3 billion

Here’s the latest action we’re following today on the GreenBeat:

DOE grants world’s largest windfarm $1.3 billion – The Department of Energy for the Caithness Shepherds Flat project, an 845-megawatt plant in eastern Oregon. The wind farm is sponsored by Caithness Energy and GE Energy Financial Services and will use 338 GE wind turbines. All energy generated from the farm will be sold to Southern California Edison at a fixed price in a 20-year power purchase agreement.

Cadillac plans luxury plug-in hybrid — GM is developing the car , according to anonymous sources cited by Reuters. The car would share technology used in the Chevrolet Volt. It looks like the new GM .
California approves feed-in tariff for renewable energy – The two-year program is called , which aims to drive small to mid-scale renewable energy development. It mandates that the top state utilities purchase electricity from renewable energy sources by holding auctions twice a year and signing agreements with the cheapest bidders, Earth2Tech writes.

Tessera could sell troubled plants – On the heels of a court-granted delay of its Imperial Valley solar project and other corporate troubles, Tessera , Greentech Media suggests. A likely buyer, it points out, would be NRG Solar, which has purchased solar thermal plants in the past and has been on something of a buying spree lately.

Government proposes 24 special zones for solar – The areas that the administration has deemed prime spots for utility-scale solar facilities, Reuters reports. The Interior Department is studying the environmental effects of locations that could generate power without a negative environmental impact. The proposed zones are in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah.

SolarReserve cleared for 150-megawatt solar plant and salt-based storage — The California Energy Commission has approved the plant, which will be near Blythe, Calif. and will have the capacity to , CNET writes. It has a 25-year power purchase agreement with Pacific Gas & Electric. The company is unique in its use of a molten salt mixture to store and release energy after sunset. Greentech Media : salt can clump and require more energy to circulate through pipes.

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