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Eco-tour company Natural Habitat Adventures has launched a new program to help its clients offset the climate impact of their air travel. "Our polar bear adventures in northern Canada are some of our most popular trips, offering an unusually personal view of these amazing animals," says Ben Bressler, Natural Habitat Adventures founder and director. "Yet the very activity that Natural Habitat Adventures promotes — tourism — is threatening its own survival, as travel-related activities account for nearly one third of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. And air travel is one of the most notorious polluters."
Distributed in North America by Sustainable Travel International, My Climate is helping Natural Habitat Adventures address these issues by helping minimize the climate impact of its operations while at the same time offering more climate friendly travel options to its clients.
The program allows clients to calculate their trip's greenhouse gas "costs" right on the company's Web site. Travelers can then choose to neutralize their climate related impacts by purchasing a MyClimate "ticket." Natural Habitat Adventures matches up to half the cost of a fully-offset "ticket." The money is then invested in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that reduce an equivalent amount of emissions elsewhere.
For example, travelers can neutralize the climate impact of a flight that emits 1.5 tons of greenhouse gases by purchasing a MyClimate "ticket" for $16 which might then be invested in solar ovens in Africa, reducing the need to import diesel fuel that would emit the equivalent amount of emissions as the flight in question. So with the matching option, the traveler only pays $8 to offset their full climate impact, and Natural Habitat Adventures pays the remaining $8. Source: Source: GreenBiz.com, 11/29/2005.
Some of the largest companies in the world have announced that they have increased their purchases of renewable energy. The World Resources Institute and members of its Green Power Market Development Group have announced 185 new megawatts of renewable energy purchases and projects, bringing the total number of MW under contract to 360 — the average size of a coal-fired power plant. At 360 MW, these companies are more than a third of the way to their goal of building markets for 1000 MW of new, cost-competitive green power in the United States.
At a recent press conference as part of the United Nations' climate change meetings, WRI also announced the launch of a similar corporate renewable energy purchasing partnership in Europe. The Green Power Market Development Group is a commercial and industrial partnership dedicated to building corporate markets for green power. In the United States its members are Alcoa Inc., The Dow Chemical Company, DuPont, FedEx Kinko's, General Motors, IBM, Interface, Johnson & Johnson, NatureWorks LLC, Pitney Bowes, Staples and Starbucks.
In fact, seven of these companies now purchase at least 10 percent of their annual U.S. electricity consumption from renewables. Group members also are among the largest non-utility buyers of renewable energy in the United States. Johnson & Johnson is currently the country's largest corporate buyer of green power products. Johnson & Johnson and General Motors are the nation's second and third largest corporate users of solar photovoltaic systems. GM and DuPont are the country's two largest corporate users of landfill gas for thermal energy while Starbucks, IBM and Johnson & Johnson are the three largest corporate buyers of renewable energy certificates from wind farms. RECs are purchased separately from electricity and allow buyers to support renewable power facilities without being located near the site where the electricity is fed into the wires.
Four European companies — British Telecom, Holcim, IKEA and Tetra Pak — join the European businesses of The Dow Chemical Company, DuPont, General Motors, Interface Europe, Johnson & Johnson, Nike (CSC) and Staples to form the Green Power Market Development Group Europe. This new effort will explore opportunities to install renewable energy generation systems such as solar, wind, and biomass at their facilities in Europe and to purchase green electricity from their utilities.
The European partners will evaluate and deploy a variety of renewable energy technologies and engage the marketplace to take green power to scale. Collaborating with WRI on this effort is The Climate Group, an international non-profit organization dedicated to building coalitions of businesses as well as city, state and national governments to address climate change. Source: Source: GreenBiz.com, 11/29/2005.
NatureWorks LLC was honored in association with the United Nation's Kyoto Protocol meetings for its proactive initiatives that are helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build the global renewable energy industry.
The World Resources Institute recognized NatureWorks as one of the major contributors to record growth in "green power." NatureWorks achieved this distinction by contracting for an initial 59 thousand MWh per year of Green-e certified wind renewable energy credits, making the company one of the largest purchasers of wind-related power in the United States.
The company's green power purchase offsets all of the energy used to operate the world's largest industrial bio-polymer manufacturing plant including a 400 million lb lactic acid plant. The facility turns ordinary field corn into a plastic resin, NatureWorks PLA, which is used in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific to make everyday consumer goods including food containers, cups, bottles, utensils, baby wipes, carpet tiles and apparel. The use of renewable energy also offsets the already low greenhouse gas emissions of the company's manufacturing process, creating the world's first greenhouse-gas neutral polymer.
"Our annually renewable feedstock, corn, already offers a significant reduction in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, compared to petroleum-based plastics," said Dennis McGrew, vice president and chief marketing officer of NatureWorks. "The achievement of a greenhouse-gas neutral position through the use of green energy gives our corn-derived polymer a significant competitive advantage versus other polymers, such as PET - specifically, a more than than 65 percent reduction in fossil fuel used to manufacture a commercial-grade plastic."
NatureWorks is part of the WRI's Green Power Market Development Group, a unique commercial and industrial partnership dedicated to building corporate markets for green power such as wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, landfill gas, certified low-impact hydro, and fuel cells. Group members are among the largest non-utility buyers of renewable energy in the United States. Source: Business Wire, 12/6/2005.
Global investments in renewable energy seem to be growing faster than any of us thought. If current trends continue, we'll soon be seeing the hockey-stick-shaped growth curves that have become iconic shorthand in technology sectors for hyper-paced growth.
A newly formed alignment of legal, financial, and investment interests will direct "trillions" of U.S. dollars over the next 10 years into evolving markets linked to climate change, clean technology, and sustainable use of natural resources, according to a report being prepared for the United Nations Environment Programme. "The Working Capital Report," to be published in March 2006 by the UNEP Finance Initiative, is the culmination of a series of studies conducted during 2004 and 2005.
What was once considered a financial niche area is poised to become mainstream as institutions with trillions of dollars under management embed environmental, social and governance thinking into their investment approach, UNEP said in a statement.
Financial institutions working with UNEP predict that greenhouse gas emissions trading markets could reach US$2 trillion a year by 2012 and that the market providing finance for clean energy technologies could reach US$1.9 trillion by 2020.
UNEP's data trumps that of a report released in late October (Download - PDF) by the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century, or REN21, global investment in renewable energy set a new record of US$30 billion in 2004. That's a far, far bigger number than others have projected, such as the Cleantech Venture Network, which not long ago projected that investments in clean technology — a broader category than just renewable energy — would total US$10 billion between 2005 and 2009.
Renewable energy investments now come from a highly diverse range of public and private sources, says the report, "aided by technology standardization and growing acceptance and familiarity by financiers at all scales, from commercial finance of hundred-million- dollar wind farms to household-scale micro-financing." One recent investment trend is that large commercial banks and stodgy energy utilities are starting to notice renewable energy investment opportunities.
All told, it's an upbeat and encouraging assessment that renewable energy around the world is being embraced by an audience far more important than environmentalists, technologists, or even high-ranking government leaders: the big-bucks investors capable of growing the kinds of large-scale, sustainable markets we'll need to create a renewable- energy future. Source: Joel Makower, Co-founder and Principal of Clean Edge, Inc., 12/5/2005.
Instead of the usual volatile natural gas, the University of South Carolina will now be utilizing their new cogeneration plant. This will be providing a large portion of heat and electricity for the campus using low-cost renewable fuel. By using locally supplied renewable energy, the university will be more energy self-sufficient and save millions of dollars. USC will also be able to shut down two of its three fossil fuel boilers. At peak capacity, the cogeneration plant will produce 60,000 lbs/hr of steam and 1.38 MW of electricity. By converting wood fuel into clean syngas through Nexterra's gasification system it will be completely combusted to deliver up to 72MMBtu/hr of net useable heat to the cogeneration plan. Source: By Patty Ardavin, SchoolFacilities.com via iGreenBuild.com, 12/6/2005.
Xcel Energy recently announced it has made an interim filing with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission that would allow the development of the solar power industry in the state as mandated by the voter-approved Amendment 37 initiative last November to begin on January 1, 2006.
Xcel said it would charge customers an additional one percent of their monthly electricity bill to support the renewable energy mandates through a proposed electricity rider known as the Renewable Energy Standard Adjustment.
In the filing, Xcel first seeks to rebate customers $2 per watt installed on customer premises, up to 10,000 watts. Additionally, the company would purchase renewable energy credits generated by the customers' systems for $2.50 per watt. The credits would then be counted toward the company's Renewable Energy Standard requirements. Xcel estimates that costs for customers who install photovoltaic systems would total $4.50 per watt. Contact: Xcel at 303-294-2300. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 12/1/2005.
Great River Energy recently announced it has begun purchasing power from the 100-megawatt Trimont Area Wind Farm near Jackson, MN. According to Great River, the Trimont site is Minnesota's first commercial-scale, landowner-developed wind farm. The site features 67 General Electric wind turbines on approximately 8,900 acres.
"The Trimont Area Wind Farm is an excellent fit for Great River Energy," said Great River vice president of generation Rick Lancaster. "This project also brings us closer to our commitment to reach the 10 percent renewable objective by the year 2015." Great River noted that the Trimont Area Wind Farm began operating on November 29. The site is expected to generate enough power for 29,000 homes serviced by Great River's 28 member cooperatives. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 12/1/2005.
Opponents of a biomass fuel plant proposed for south Carson City said Friday their fears have been alleviated by an energy company's report that it will cut emissions into their neighborhood 80 percent.
The state wants to build an energy plant that burns chipped wood to generate electricity and heat water for the 1,200-inmate Northern Nevada Correctional Center on Snyder Avenue. Excess energy would be sold to Sierra Pacific Power Co. But the renewable-energy vision was not well-received when it came to the board of supervisors in July.
More than 40 other south Carson City residents packed the meeting room to appeal a May decision by the planning commission to approve a special-use permit for APS Energy Services. On a 3-2 board split, supervisors upheld the commission's decision. The one stipulation was that APS must find a way to cut emissions in half. Energy company representatives, including an engineer and attorney, had argued vehemently against the restriction, claiming it would kill the project.
"We were asked to reduce particulate matter released from the (proposed) plant by 50 percent, from 253 pounds per day. We were able to reduce it to 126 pounds per day. That's an 80 percent reduction," said Jay Johnson, APS's business development manager.
Johnson said APS has submitted applications for utility and pollution permits. "Once we get those permits, we've really got a project, and we should be back in February with another update," Johnson said. Source: By Sandi Hoover, Reno Gazette-Journal, 12/3/2005.
On Jan. 19 and 20, 2006, at Western’s Electric Power Training Center in Golden, Colo., the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is sponsoring a Wind Interconnection Workshop. Co-sponsors include:
Wind power is the fastest growing form of generation in the world today. Are you ready to integrate this resource into your power mix? This two-day workshop will answer your questions about interconnecting wind turbines and other distributed generation applications to public power distribution systems. Get an overview of wind energy, followed by an introduction to the Utility Wind Interest Group's new Internet-based tools program, designed to assess a distributed wind project's impact on the local distribution system. Training will cover the theory behind each tool and demonstrate them using actual cooperative feeder data. Additionally, Western’s Electric Power Training Center instructors will provide a tour of its impressive Electric Power Training Center and participants will get a preview of the EPTC's new hands-on Wind Power Simulator Integration Training Program-the nation's first-developed with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the U.S. DOE Wind Powering America Program.
Participation is limited to the first 30 registrants, with electric cooperative and public power personnel receiving preference, so reserve your place today. To register, contact Debbie Rock, Western Area Power Administration, 720-962-7271. For more information, see the announcement on the PRP Web site.
The Western Area Power Administration is planning three Utility Geothermal Working Group webcasts in early 2006. The UGWG is part of the US Department of Energy’s GeoPowering the West Initiative. The Group’s mission is to accelerate the appropriate integration of geothermal technologies into mainstream utility applications of direct use, power generation, and geoexchange heat pumps. The webcasts are co-sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CRN Program and the American Public Power Association DEED Program , among others. The topics and dates for the three webcasts are:
The Webcasts are designed for utility managers and resource planners and provide information on issues such as economics, financing, permitting, transmission, environmental impacts, marketing, and case histories. Each webcast begins at Noon EST (11 a.m. CST, 10 a.m. MST, 9 a.m. PST) and lasts for 2 ½ hours, including at least 30 minutes of questions and answers.
Participation is limited to the first 40 utilities that register. To register, email Debbie Rock. There is no charge for participation. About a week before each webcast, each registrant receives via email the dial in instructions and the presentation file to follow during the webcast. Questions? Contact Guy Nelson, UGWG Team Leader.
The latest issue of the award-winning EPRI Journal is now available. The Electric Power Research Institute’s flagship publication highlights emerging technology issues in the energy industry. This issue’s cover story features the Sprinter van, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle developed by EPRI and DaimlerChrysler that is now being demonstrated in three U.S. cities. Experts believe that with sufficient market penetration, the plug-in hybrid could substantially reduce this country’s reliance on foreign oil for personal transportation.
As the story explains the plug-in offers more than just fuel flexibility: at current electricity prices, the PHEV is extremely fuel-efficient, running on an equivalent of 75 cents per gallon. And because air emissions can be handled more efficiently at the electric power plant than in individual vehicles, PHEVs could provide better “well-to-wheels” control of air emissions, especially of CO2. The fall issue of the magazine also includes articles on nuclear fuel reliability, the smart power grid, and the newly passed Energy Policy Act of 2005.
Published quarterly for a broad readership, the Journal reports on the substance and relevance of EPRI's work, offering insight on issues of importance to the electric power industry and society in general. To get a copy of the Journal, call EPRI’s Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-313-3774. Source: Heather Lynch, EPRI Media Relations, 12/5/2005.
The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has launched a new free e-bulletin to announce new and significant developments in EERE's programs and research. The "EERE Progress Alerts" will be sent via email and posted online as new developments in technology research occur.
The Progress Alerts are designed to make efficiency and renewable energy advocates, lawmakers, consumers and the media aware of breakthroughs and efforts as they happen. Subscribers will receive information on all EERE programs including renewable energy such as solar, geothermal, wind, hydropower, biomass and hydrogen along with vehicle technologies, buildings and industrial technologies and energy efficiency. Source: DOE Release, 12/2/2005.
Investments in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by California and the Brazilian state of São Paulo have paid off for both, say officials here who plan to sign an agreement committing to further emission reductions.
The states plan to release a joint report during international climate change talks here that aims to demonstrate the financial wisdom of investing in efforts to promote energy efficiency, control air pollution and reduce greenhouse gases.
If ranked among nations, São Paulo would be world's 39th-largest source of carbon dioxide emissions. But its per-capita emissions and emissions per unit of economic activity have been declining since 1999. Climate programs in São Paulo could achieve savings of some 60 million tons of CO2 equivalent annually over the next 20 years.
For example, an electricity conservation program yielded more than $5.25 billion of avoided investments in power plants (along with their associated GHG emissions) at a cumulative cost of $127 million, an overall benefit-cost ratio of 40:1, the report says.
In California, the state's existing building and appliance standards yielded net economic benefits of approximately $1,000 per person between 1975 and 1995, and saved a total of $56 billion through 2003. In addition, California's economy would have been 3 percent smaller ($31 billion) in 1995 without energy efficiency gains in the industrial and commercial sectors during the previous 20 years, the report says. Source: Pamela Najor, E&ENews PM Senior Reporter, 12/6/2005.
Many fewer birds fly into wind turbines than is generally thought, and more research is needed to assess the possible impacts of wind turbines on both birds and bats, according to a new report released today by the Government Accountability Office on the possible impacts of wind energy development on wildlife. Although several hundred utility-scale wind farms currently operate across the country such problems remain limited to two project areas, according to the report. “In the context of other sources of avian [mortality], it does not appear that wind power is responsible for a significant number of bird deaths,” the report states in its conclusion.
The GAO report, requested by Congressmen Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va) and Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), exhaustively and impartially surveyed data from the Appalachian region and around the country. Its authors also visited several sites and interviewed expert sources. The findings show that wind projects normally do not significantly impact birds. The report also confirms that while the numbers of bats flying into wind turbines at some locations in Appalachia raise concern and remain unexplained, more data is needed and will be coming from the research program that AWEA, individual wind energy companies, Bat Conservation International, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other stakeholder groups launched as soon as the problem was discovered.
“The report confirms what the data has shown for a long time, and that is that many fewer birds fly into wind turbines than into other manmade structures such as buildings, radio towers, and vehicles,” said AWEA executive director Randall Swisher. “The report also shows that we need to learn more about wind-bat interactions, an issue about which the industry remains concerned even if further research eventually shows that the impact on bat populations is not significant.
“The wind energy industry welcomes scrutiny of, and comparison with, all of the impacts of all sources of power generation,” added Swisher. “Despite wind's modest impacts, the more it is used instead of fossil fuels, the better for the environment and for consumers.” Online copies of the report are available on the GAO Web site. Source: AWEA Release, 9/19/2005.
The concept of "peak oil" gets its first official congressional forum this week when the House Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee convenes Wednesday to conduct an informational hearing on the subject. Peak oil posits that declining worldwide oil production, and the higher costs of emerging sources of oil, cannot keep pace with rising global demand. While no witness list is available for the hearing, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.), founder of the congressional "Peak Oil Caucus," is expected to testify. Other potential witnesses include Matthew Simmons, the oil industry analyst and primary exponent of the peak oil theory.
Wednesday's hearing also comes in the wake of an announcement last week that the National Petroleum Council, an advisory committee to the secretary of Energy, is preparing a study on supply and demand issues related to peak oil for Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman.
The theory has attracted lawmakers and intellectuals who think the world either has, or soon will, reach its maximum capacity of world oil production, to be followed by declines in production in the ensuing years. U.S. oil production itself peaked in 1971 and has been decreasing since then. Many analysts who fear declines in world oil production think the trend could hurt the global economy, as cheap energy helps fuel economic prosperity and much of the global economy is build on the use of oil.
But it is unclear if or when world oil production will peak, and critics of the peak oil theory contend there is no "peak" and that oil will be simply more expensive to produce through oil sands, shales and other unconventional sources. In the meantime, global oil demand continues to rise, particularly with the expansion of economies in China and other developing nations. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, world oil use will reach 103 million barrels per day in 2015 and 119 million barrels per day in 2025. Global demand in 2004 was 82.5 million barrels per day.
The hearing will start at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 7, in 2322 Rayburn. Witnesses: Final list TBA. Source: By Mary O'Driscoll, E&E Daily Senior Reporter, 12/5/2005.
The Waverly Light and Power Board of Trustees unanimously voted to set a goal for the utility’s energy portfolio at their annual Board retreat. The measure moved to make renewables the source for 20 percent of WLP’s system energy requirements by the year 2020. Currently the utility has 3.7 percent renewable generation. “The community has been supportive of renewable energy and has encouraged us to increase our commitment,” says Chris Schmidt, Board Chair.
This follows the sale of two wind turbines this summer by WLP. The turbines were part of the Storm Lake wind farm in Alta, Iowa and were sold to Storm Lake Power Partners. “Our primary goal is to ensure future reliability of our renewable energy by upgrading the turbines,” says Glenn Cannon, General Manager of Waverly Light and Power. WLP had planned on utilizing the monies from the sale to install an additional turbine in Waverly with a 1.65 MW capacity range. After putting out Requests for Proposals on wind turbines, manufacturers informed WLP there were too many large scale wind energy projects across the nation to cater to a smaller demand.
“We are continuing to pursue other viable options to add additional renewable capacity to our generation portfolio,” explained Cannon. “This opportunity may enable us to increase our renewable percentage sooner.” Source: Waverly Light and Power, 11/29/2005.
With natural gas prices high and volatile, some are betting a new coal-fired power plant, along with new wind farms, will make up the bulk of a new round of power supplies for Xcel Energy Inc.'s 1.3 million electricity customers in Colorado.
But depending on the type of coal plant, Xcel and its customers could be in for lengthy and expensive legal fights that could delay — if not derail — the project. Xcel, the state's largest utility, is expected this month to announce winners of a competitive bidding process for the "least cost" power projects.
If a traditional, pulverized coal power plant makes the list, "We'd fight it whatever way we could," said Matt Baker, executive director of Environment Colorado. The group was one of several environmental ones that signed a settlement with Xcel a year ago, promising to not fight the utility's $1.35 billion expansion of its Comanche plant in Pueblo in return for Xcel adding pollution controls to it and giving greater consideration to renewable energy sources.
"Xcel has been making a lot of progress on implementing renewable energy, moving forward on energy efficiency and looking at ways to burn coal with minimal environmental impacts," Baker said. "Adding new combustion coal would be a major step backward. We would feel that it's not in the spirit of the Comanche settlement."
But if the list includes a coal plant that uses advanced technologies — such as transforming hard rock coal into gas or liquid before burning it to generate electricity — Baker said his group not only would support it, "We would advocate for it. "Like renewable energy and energy efficiency, these technologies have enormous potential and they're here now," Baker said.
A year ago, Xcel said it needed an additional 2,500 megawatts of power from coal and natural gas to be online between 2006 and 2013. That's enough power to supply the needs of 2.5 million people. Xcel also said it hoped to bring on more than 700 megawatts of wind power in that time frame, yet cut power demand through conservation programs by 320 megawatts. One megawatt can supply power to about 1,000 people.
The utility already is expanding its Comanche power plant in Pueblo by adding a $1.35 billion, 750-mw coal-fired unit, the first new coal plant built in the state in decades. The plant, capable of supplying power to 750,000 people, will have its official groundbreaking in December and is expected to be complete in 2009. A new wind farm near Peetz, on the Wyoming border, also is expected to come online by the end of the year or in early 2006, bringing Xcel's capacity for wind-generated power to a total of 282 megawatts. What remains is a gap of about 2,500 mw of power that must be filled by extending existing power contracts and building new power plants.
"I'd expect that there will be more renewable [projects], as much renewable that can be bid into the system," said Jim Greenwood, director of the state's Office of Consumer Counsel, which represents residential customers. Wind also could be helped by the extension of a federal tax credit through the end of 2007 that was included in the new energy policy signed by President George W. Bush last summer. Previously, the tax credit ended Dec. 31, which caused problems for projects that couldn't be up and running by that deadline.
And Nick Muller, executive director of the Colorado Independent Energy Association, whose members are vying for the Xcel contracts, said he expects another coal plant to be part of the mix. "They need a mixture of different resources and it appears that they'll need a coal plant in 2013," Muller said. Source: BizJournals.com, 12/5/2005.
Late yesterday afternoon, the Iowa House and Senate passed a MidAmerican Energy sponsored bill to change renewable energy production in Iowa. Senate Majority leader (Stewart Iverson) and Minority leader (Michael Gronstal) got together to rush legislation through the statehouse which changes Iowa's current law and makes it easier for the states investor-owned utilities to build, own and operate wind farms in Iowa.
This legislation followed quickly on the heels of MidAmerican Energy's plan to build the world's largest land-based wind farm here in Iowa. According to the plan, it will be a 310-megawatt facility which could power as many as 85,000 homes with clean energy produced right here in Iowa.
The political power and influence of MidAmerican is undeniable, as is the need for more clean, renewable energy. Rep. Mary Lundby (R, Marion) offered an amendment to this bill that would have required a portion of wind energy production to come from locally owned facilities. It was narrowly defeated, due to strong lobbying efforts by MidAmerican.
"Mid American Energy has a long record of fighting any attempt to require them to assist in the growth of Iowa's wind energy business," added Rich Dana, Director of IRENEW. "They have fought (and lost) against Iowa's 1983 law requiring them to purchase locally produced renewable energy, and they fought (and lost) against Iowa's net metering law requiring them to buy power from customers with renewable energy systems that they wished to connect to the grid."
Mid-American has opposed Senate File 117, which according to their proposal they would easily comply with through 2008 with no increase in rates. "Now that MidAmerican has gotten what they wanted out of the legislature to capture the market on wind in Iowa, there should be no reason they would fail to support a renewable energy standard of 10 percent by 2010. Iowans want the assurance that the state will benefit from the development of wind power in Iowa, assurance that is based on more than MidAmerican's motives for profit," said Elizabeth Horton Plasket, Executive Director of the Iowa Environmental Council.
Renewable energy is a hot topic this year at the statehouse, and the MidAmerican plan could be an exciting opportunity for our state. "Before our legislators walk away from this session patting themselves on the back for passing MidAmerican's bill, they should finish the job they started and pass an increased standard that will insure that the economic benefits of renewable energy development will go to Iowa's communities, workers and farmers, not solely to MidAmerican Energy," concluded Iowa PIRG's Hard. Source: Carel Dewinkel, State of Oregon, 11/21/2005.
Brennan Michaels and her husband John Beattie wanted to be as energy self-sufficient as possible when they built their post-and-beam house in Salisbury. Like other Vermonters who have turned to alternative fuel sources as a way to trim costs and control where their power comes from, Michaels and Beattie installed solar panels on their retirement home.
Five years ago, their small-scale solar project would have been something of an anomaly. Today, it's part of a larger statewide trend. Increasing numbers of Vermont homeowners are installing solar- and wind-powered electrical generation systems. In October alone, the state's Public Service Board approved about a dozen "net-metering" projects powered by wind or the sun - and, in a few cases, methane. In 2000, about two dozen similar projects were approved all year.
It's difficult to count Vermont's small-scale power projects, since many are not connected to the power grid, but the amount of power possible from net-metered projects is approaching a megawatt. That amount is dwarfed by the state's total power demand - more than 1,000 megawatts on average and close to 1,400 megawatts during peak usage - but it is not insignificant, experts said. An average house in Vermont uses about 8 megawatt hours of power a year. So if all net-metering projects were running at once - which they are not - for eight hours a day, every day, they could provide enough power for 365 houses.
Vermonters are so interested in home-power projects the state has not been able to provide incentives quickly enough, according to David Hill, senior project manager with the Vermont Energy Investment Corp., which handles grant administration for the Department of Public Service. Funding comes from federal grants, money received by GMP and CVPS when they sold their shares of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant and from the state's "petroleum overcharge escrow account."
The first round of funding for home-energy generation projects came in October 2003. In roughly a year, 200 projects were approved to receive about $800,000 in incentives. About 60 of those systems were connected to the grid. Another round of projects was approved for funding this fall. In less than two months, 50 solar projects had been slated to receive about $176,000 in incentives. An additional $800,000 was set aside for small wind projects, about half of which was federal money secured by Sen. James Jeffords, I-Vt., Hill said. Some of that money remains untapped, he said.
The energy bill passed by Congress and signed into law this year will also encourage small-scale power projects, Hill said. Starting in January, taxpayers will be able to claim a $2,000 deduction for the installation of solar hot water or electricity systems. But even with subsidies, such projects are not cheap. Michaels estimates that her system cost about $28,000, about $8,000 of which will be covered by tax breaks and other incentives.
In Vermont, government incentives cover about 20 percent to 25 percent of the cost of installing a solar or wind project. Other states offer up to 70 percent in subsidies, Hill said. Vermont is a good market, though, because homeowners have gone ahead with renewable energy systems even with fewer subsidies than other states provide.
Vermont pays homeowners less than half what New York does per watt, and New Jersey pays even more, he said. And Global Resource Options, which has grown from one-and-a-half employees in 1998 to 25 now, is doing most of its business in New Jersey, which, like Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island, has more stable incentive programs, Wolfe said. "We are a new industry," Wolfe said. "It's not just hippies putting solar on their roofs anymore." Contact Louis Porter. Source: By Louis Porter Staff Writer, Times Argus, 12/4/2005.
Engineering faculty and students at Boise State University were awarded a $500,000 federal grant to study new technologies to harness wind power. "I think we'd all agree that research in the energy and energy systems is essential and is going to be increasingly essential as the need for energy grows and supplies change," said John Gardner, chair of BSU's mechanical engineering department.
The research is especially important in Idaho, where wind development companies are trying to capture low-speed winds to generate energy, Gardner said. Wind is an alternative energy source that many consider environmentally friendly because it does not pollute the air to generate power. Idaho was ranked 13th in the nation for its wind energy potential, according to the American Wind Energy Association.
But it is difficult to build wind farms in the state because most turbines are designed to capture only high-speed winds, Gardner said. In Idaho, those fast winds mostly blow in the mountains and other parts of the state where people usually can't build turbines. With this grant from the Department of Energy, BSU wants to start designing turbine technology that will harness the low-speed winds, Gardner said. The engineering faculty and students will work with environmental policy faculty at BSU and wind development companies during the research.
Gardner also hopes the research will spur economic development in the Treasure Valley one day. "I would like to see Boise State and Southwest Idaho become a real focal point for wind energy research," he said. If that happens, BSU's research could attract companies that manufacture wind turbines to relocate to the Treasure Valley from other parts of the country, he said. Contact reporter Melissa McGrath at 377-6439. Source: The Idaho Statesman, 12/3/2005.
This news item comes to you as a service of Western's Renewable Resources Program.
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