歐巴馬政府日前為全球最大的2個再生能源建設計畫籌措財源，通過將近30億美元的貸款擔保。
首先，美國能源部長朱棣文(Steven Chu)18日，朱部長宣布一項13億美元貸款案的部分貸款擔保已經定案，用以建設位於奧勒岡州東部的世界上最大風力發電場；緊接著於20日再宣布，為了在亞利桑納州設立世界上最大的「拋物槽鏡太陽能聚熱發電廠」，通過14.5億美元的貸款擔保。
該太陽能電廠稱為Solana計畫，預定地位於亞利桑那州希拉本德(Gila Bend)附近，約在鳳凰城西南方70英哩處，裝置容量250百萬瓦(MW)，採用融鹽蓄熱系統，是美國第一個最大規模的太陽能發電廠，。
Solana計畫所產生的電力將以長期購電協議售與亞利桑那公共服務公司。此案將產生足以供應7萬戶的電力，並且相較於天然氣發電，每年可避免排放47.5萬噸的二氧化碳。
至於18日定案的聯邦貸款擔保案，則是Caithness Shepherds Flat風力發電計畫，這是由Caithness能源公司和奇異能源金融服務公司所贊助，位在奧勒岡州東方，裝置容量達845百萬瓦(MW)。 竣工後，Caithness Shepherds Flat計畫透過20年期固定價格購電協議，將其100%能源和可再生能源額度售予南加州愛迪生公司。 該公司營運風力發電計畫，每年將可避免排放120萬噸以上的二氧化碳，相當於20萬輛以上車輛的排放。
這兩項貸款擔保資金，是由歐巴馬入主白宮後所頒布的2009年刺激經濟復甦法案(American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009)提供資金。
美國能源部已為16個潔淨能源計畫發出貸款擔保，或提供擔保條件，其總金額將近165億美元。
This week, the Obama administration has finalized loan guarantees worth nearly $3 billion for two of the largest renewable energy construction projects in the world.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced Monday a $1.45 billion loan guarantee for the world's largest parabolic trough concentrating solar plant, sited in Arizona.
On Saturday, Secretary Chu announced that a partial loan guarantee for a $1.3 billion loan had been finalized to support the world's largest wind farm, located in eastern Oregon.
Located 70 miles southwest of Phoenix, near Gila Bend, Arizona, 250-megawatt Solana project is the first large-scale solar plant in the United States capable of storing energy it generates with a thermal storage system using salt.
Electricity from the project will be sold through a long-term power purchase agreement with Arizona Public Service Company. Solana will produce enough energy to serve 70,000 households and will avoid the emissions of 475,000 tons of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide per year compared to a natural gas power plant.
The other federal loan guarantee supports the Caithness Shepherds Flat project, an 845-megawatt wind generation facility in eastern Oregon sponsored by Caithness Energy, LLC and GE Energy Financial Services.
Once completed, Caithness Shepherds Flat will sell 100 percent of its power and the renewable energy credits generated to Southern California Edison under 20-year fixed price power purchase agreements. The company projects that operation of the wind farm will avoid more than 1.2 million tons of carbon dioxide a year - equivalent to more than 200,000 cars.
Both loan guarantees are financed by the Obama administration's economic stimulus bill, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which was enacted soon after President Obama took office.
The Energy Department has issued loan guarantees or offered conditional commitments for loan guarantees to support 16 clean energy projects totaling nearly $16.5 billion.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
