Governor Quinn Signs Legislation to Encourage Investment in Renewable Energy

Governor Quinn Signs Legislation to Encourage Investment in Renewable Energy News Laws Provide Property Tax Relief for Wind Farms CHICAGO – July 14, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today signed legislation to encourage investment in Illinois’ renewable energy sector and further build the state’s green economy. The new laws extend property tax relief for wind farms and give local governments the authority to finance green projects in unincorporated areas of the state. “Having a robust green industry is critical to strengthening Illinois’ economy,” said Governor Quinn. “The legislation provides the state with additional tools to create jobs and further enhance Illinois’ growing renewable energy sector.” House Bill 4797 amends a provision in the property tax code that provides tax certainty for wind farms. The bill extends the sunset of the provision through 2016 to keep the property tax assessment of wind energy devices uniform across the state, which gives the wind energy industry the ability to anticipate operating costs. Previously, property taxes for wind farms were assessed based on where they were located and assessments across the state were inconsistent. The bill was sponsored by Representative Frank Mautino (D-Spring Valley) and Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and goes into effect on January 1, 2011. Governor Quinn also signed HB 4758, which was sponsored by Rep. Michael Tryon (R-Crystal Lake) and Sen. Pamela Althoff (R-Crystal Lake). The bill expands upon an existing law to offer Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing to unincorporated areas of the state. Under the new law, local governments will be able to offer PACE financing to more Illinois residents and businesses that want to make green improvements to their property. The law is effective immediately. This bill is follow-up legislation to Public Act 96-0481, which Governor Quinn approved in August 2009 and was sponsored by Sen. Michael Frerichs (D-Champaign) and Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Collinsville). According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), Illinois ranks 6th in the nation in the amount of wind energy capacity with a total statewide generation capacity of 1848 megawatts. An additional 437 megawatts of power is currently under construction in the state. This means that Illinois wind production will displace an amount of CO2 equivalent to planting over 3 million trees each year. Illinois has one of the most aggressive Renewable Portfolio Standard policies in the country. It requires Illinois utilities to supply 25 percent of their power from renewable energy resources by 2025, at least 75 percent of which must be generated by wind power.

Solar plane takes off for 24-hour test flight

The experimental aircraft 'Solar Impulse' takes off with pilot Andre Borschberg onboard from Payerne's Swiss airbase on Wednesday, July 7, 2010 on the first attempt to fly around the clock fueled by nothing but the energy of the sun. A Swiss team planning to eventually circle the globe in a solar-powered plane has started a 24-hour test flight that aims to keep the aircraft operating through the night on stored energy collected from the sun.(AP Photo/Keystone/Fabrice Coffrini/Pool)

Pilot Andre Borschberg gives a thumb up prior to take off onboard the experimental aircraft 'Solar Impulse' from Payerne's Swiss airbase on Wednesday,July 7, 2010 on the first attempt to fly around the clock fueled by nothing but the energy of the sun. A Swiss team planning to eventually circle the globe in a solar-powered plane has started a 24-hour test flight that aims to keep the aircraft operating through the night on stored energy collected from the sun.(AP Photo/Keystone/Fabrice Coffrini/Pool)

Pilot Andre Borschberg gives a thumb up prior to take off onboard the experimental aircraft 'Solar Impulse' from Payerne's Swiss airbase on Wednesday,July 7, 2010 on the first attempt to fly around the clock fueled by nothing but the energy of the sun. A Swiss team planning to eventually circle the globe in a solar-powered plane has started a 24-hour test flight that aims to keep the aircraft operating through the night on stored energy collected from the sun.(AP Photo/Keystone/Fabrice Coffrini/Pool)

Pilot Andre Borschberg gives a thumb up prior to take off onboard the experimental aircraft 'Solar Impulse' from Payerne's Swiss airbase on Wednesday,July 7, 2010 on the first attempt to fly around the clock fueled by nothing but the energy of the sun. A Swiss team planning to eventually circle the globe in a solar-powered plane has started a 24-hour test flight that aims to keep the aircraft operating through the night on stored energy collected from the sun.(AP Photo/Keystone/Fabrice Coffrini/Pool)

The experimental aircraft 'Solar Impulse' is prepared to take off with pilot Andre Borschberg onboard from Payerne's Swiss airbase on Wednesday, July 7,2010 on the first attempt to fly around the clock fueled by nothing but the energy of the sun. A Swiss team planning to eventually circle the globe in a solar-powered plane has started a 24-hour test flight that aims to keep the aircraft operating through the night on stored energy collected from the sun.(AP Photo/Keystone/Fabrice Coffrini/Pool)

An experimental solar-powered plane whose makers hope to one day circle the globe using only energy collected from the sun took off for its first 24-hour test flight Wednesday.

The plane with its 262.5-foot (80-meter) wingspan left Payerne airfield in Switzerland shortly before 7 a.m. (0500 GMT; 1 a.m. EDT) after overcoming an equipment problem that delayed a previous attempt, the Solar Impulse team said.

Clear blue skies mean the prototype aircraft will be able to soak up plenty of solar energy as it flies over the Jura mountains to the west of the Swiss Alps.

By midmorning pilot Andre Borschberg was cruising at 9,850 feet (3,000 meters), trying to avoid low-level turbulence and thermal winds that are frequent in the mountains.

He will take the plane to an altitude of 27,900 feet (8,500 meters) by Wednesday evening, when a decision will be made whether to continue through the night using solar power stored in its batteries.

"The goal of the project is to have a solar-powered plane flying day and night without fuel," said team co-founder Bertrand Piccard, adding that this test flight — the third major step after its first 'flea hop' and an extended flight earlier this year — will demonstrate whether the ultimate plan is feasible: to fly the plane around the world.

"This flight is crucial for the credibility of the project," said Piccard, a record-breaking balloonist whose father and grandfather also accomplished pioneering airborne and submarine feats.

The team had hoped to make their 24-hour test flight last week when days in the northern hemisphere were even longer, allowing the plane's 12,000 solar cells to collect even more energy before attempting to coast through the night.

But there was a problem with a key piece of communications equipment, forcing the team to keep the plane on the ground while modifications were made. Every aspect of the aircraft is monitored by engineers on the ground, with much of it fed onto the team's website and Twitter page.

Borscherg, the plane's sole pilot, will decide by 8 p.m. (1800 GMT; 2 p.m. EDT) whether to continue through the night. If he goes ahead, the plane will slowly descend to 4,920 feet (1,500 meters) before midnight, where Borschberg will stay until attempting a dawn landing.

Piccard, who achieved the first nonstop circumnavigation of the globe in a balloon, the Breitling Orbiter III, in 1999, said that, if successful, the next step will be an Atlantic crossing. That will be done in a second, lighter prototype, involving new challenges and dangers, he said.

Although the goal is to show that emissions-free air travel is possible, the team has said it doesn't see solar technology replacing conventional jet propulsion any time soon. Instead, the project is designed to test and promote new energy-efficient technologies.

(Agencies)