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Bates College in Lewiston, ME recently announced plans to purchase its entire electricity supply from state renewable energy sources, specifically biomass-generating plants and small hydropower producers. According to Bates, the college entered into a new five-year contract earlier this month under which it will pay an annual premium of $76,000 for the renewable electricity. Under the new arrangement, Baltimore, MD-based Constellation NewEnergy will supply the school's electricity. Contact: Robert Bremm, Bates, phone 207-786-6207. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 11/21/2005.
It's a mighty wind that blows for customers of Holy Cross Energy these days. The last of the wind power available through the company, which also supplies energy to Eagle County, was sold earlier in 2005 after more than seven years of aggressive marketing, according to spokesman Bob Gardner.
"We worked for years to get the program fully subscribed," he said. "It was a hard sell that final year." Holy Cross signed a contract with Xcel Energy to purchase wind power from its Ponnequin Wind Farm in northern Colorado in 1997. The contract was for five megawatts of wind power. Holy Cross offered it in increments to its 50,000 customers in the Roaring Fork and Eagle valleys.
The first megawatt was snatched fast by customers eager to make an environmentally friendly statement. They didn't balk, even though the price of wind power was higher than the price Holy Cross charged for electricity generated from burning fossil fuels. Additional megawatts were added in the late 1990s and into the new century, and sales remained strong. But selling the last megawatt was no breeze. It required a lot of promotion and patience on the part of Holy Cross for about two years. "The bloom was off the rose then," Gardner said.
Nevertheless, 2,711 customers participate in the wind power program. Customers who want wind power now must put their names on a waiting list. When an existing customer who purchased the alternative energy moves away or leaves the program, Holy Cross offers wind power to the first person on the list. Ironically, Holy Cross' availability of wind power has disappeared just when it became more economical. The average Holy Cross residential customer uses about 1,000 kilowatt hours per month. The November bill for a customer who doesn't use wind power would be $104.52 without tax. The bill for a customer who uses all wind power would be $111.52.
For the Aspen Skiing Co., one of Holy Cross' biggest wind power customers, closing the gap helps justify its decision to buy wind power from a financial perspective, according to Skico Director of Environmental Affairs Auden Schendler. "The more cost-effective it is, the better," he said. Like Holy Cross, Xcel has sold all of its available wind power, or 61 megawatts in the Windsource program. It's developing a wait list for new clients. So if Holy Cross and Xcel Energy both have wait lists, why don't they add more wind power?
Gardner said wind power is currently difficult to find from its wholesale power providers. Xcel Energy's said its Ponnequin plant is producing to capacity. The company will add wind power to match customer demands, but the price might be higher. Xcel spokesman Tom Henley said wind farms are more expensive to build right now because the turbines, with the long blades that reach into the sky, are climbing in price and steel for the platforms is soaring and becoming scarce. The popularity of wind power could fade. Natural gas is dropping in price, so the advantage of wind power isn't as great, he said. Source: Scott Condon, Vail Daily, 11/27/2005.
News that wind power is now cheaper than conventional electricity has generated so much interest in Xcel Energy's Windsource program that there's a waiting list of 1,100 customers. In the past, participants have paid as much as $6 more a month to buy electricity produced by wind. But the cost of conventional power became higher after Xcel filed last month for an electric rate increase because of the rising cost of natural gas.
That touched off a torrent of new applications for Windsource: 2,967 in October, more than 15 times the normal monthly volume. The majority of calls came after an Oct. 12 Denver Post story on the cost difference. The program is now fully subscribed with 33,265 Colorado customers. Xcel spokesman Tom Henley said Xcel didn't expect that to happen for another 1 1/2 years.
"It was certainly a challenge to get as many people into the program as we did," Henley said. Windsource is the nation's largest "green pricing" plan in which consumers voluntarily agree to pay special rates for wind-generated power.
Minneapolis-based Xcel, Colorado's largest utility, uses gas as a fuel to produce nearly half of its power. Windsource customers aren't charged for fuel costs as conventional Xcel customers are. That means homeowners who buy all their power from Windsource will save an average of $4.11 a month.
Merle McKittrick of Denver signed up for Windsource a few years ago even though it was more expensive. He said he believes in supporting alternative energy sources. "You have to promote technology," McKittrick said. "We're one of those customers who want to see Xcel go that way (wind power). You vote with your pocketbook." Wind-energy advocate Rick Gilliam of Boulder-based Western Resource Advocates said he expects fossil-fuel costs to stay high enough that the wind price advantage will persist.
"Natural-gas prices have moderated somewhat, but not as much as one might have thought," said Gilliam, senior energy policy adviser for the energy and environmental research group. Henley said Xcel hasn't determined when it will add additional wind power to accommodate the growing interest. He said the price of wind turbines has risen steeply because of high demand and rising prices for the steel and resin used to manufacture turbines.
Last November, Colorado voters approved a measure requiring utilities with at least 40,000 customers to produce 3 percent of their electricity from renewable energy by 2007. The requirement rises to 6 percent in 2011 and 10 percent in 2015. Solar power would have to generate at least 4 percent of the renewable energy. Wind-energy developers will install a record 2,500 megawatts of new wind power this year in the United States, bringing total wind capacity to more than 9,200 megawatts, enough to serve 2.4 million average homes, according to the American Wind Energy Association. Source: By Associated Press, 11/26/2005.
This year’s holiday lights will be greener thanks to Pacific Power’s Blue Sky renewable energy. Bend heralds the holiday season beginning Saturday, Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. at the annual Community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Rademacher Square. Pacific Power is providing 16,000 kilowatt-hours of Blue Sky renewable energy to offset the energy used by the Christmas tree, and the holiday lights and decorations in downtown Bend. The amount of Blue Sky provided by Pacific Power has the same environmental benefit as planting 3,328 trees or not driving a car 34,288 miles.
"We hope others will green their households this season with Blue Sky,” said Angela Jacobson, regional community manager for Pacific Power. "Blue Sky helps! the environment by offsetting greenhouse gas emissions. While Pacific Power already buys renewable energy for its system, Blue Sky gives customers a chance to help bring even more green power online.”
Pacific Power customers can also celebrate the season by greening their own homes and businesses. Buying one, 100-kilowatt-hour of Blue Sky Block costs just $1.95 per month. Oregon customers also can choose Blue Sky Usage (in which customers receive their equivalent energy usage from renewable resources) or Blue Sky Habitat (in which customers buy renewable energy, plus make a donation to The Nature Conservancy of Oregon to preserve native fish habitat). Large customers can buy renewable power in bulk at a discount through Blue Sky QS. "No matter which option customers choose, buying Blue Sky renewable energy makes a substantial contribution to the environment,” said Jacobson.
Currently, about 20,000 Oregon customers are enrolled! in the program. Pacific Power’s Blue Sky program ranks second in th e nation in customer sign-ups, and third in the amount of green energy purchased, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Enrollment in Blue Sky is optional and customers can increase their participation or withdraw at any time. Customers can sign up for Blue Sky renewable power by contacting Pacific Power at 1-800-769-3717. Source: Bend.com News Sources, 11/25/2005.
The success of a "wave farm" off the coast of Portugal could determine whether Hawaii has the potential to generate electricity from the waters surrounding it. Ocean Power Delivery, a Scottish company, is exploring possible partnerships with local investors to start a similar wave farm in Hawaii that could generate more than 20 megawatts of power. One megawatt could supply electricity to approximately 650 households.
"We are very serious about it," said Des McGinnes, business development manager of Ocean Power Delivery, who is in Hawaii on an exploratory trip. "We see a potential market for three or four of our machines to start with, and with an attractive support mechanism we could add to that capacity."
McGinnes says he is encouraged by the enthusiasm for wave energy in the state. He has met with different stakeholder groups, including Hawaiian Electric Co. Inc., to gauge their interest in working with his company. McGinnes says his company doesn't have the funding to build a wave farm and would need to bring on investment partners.
HECO will wait and see: A HECO spokesman said the utility would consider investing in a wave-energy project once the technology was proved to be commercially viable in Portugal. "When it moves from R&D to commercial we are interested and told them to keep us informed," said Peter Rosegg. HECO's Renewables Hawaii invests in new technology but looks for projects that are proved commercially.
Setting up a 2.25-megawatt wave farm in Portugal will cost an estimated $10 million. McGinnes estimates that it costs 28 cents to produce a kilowatt hour of wave energy. HECO says its estimated cost of producing electricity is 13.14 cents per kilowatt hour during peak hours and 9.96 cents during off-peak hours. The state has set a goal of producing 20 percent of its power from renewable energy sources by 2020, creating a friendlier climate for alternative-fuel producers. It also has prompted the state to seek out these producers.
Tested technology: Mark Anderson, deputy director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, traveled to Scotland this fall to determine what kind of wave technology would work in Hawaii. Ocean Power Delivery was chosen as having the most advanced and tested technology to generate wave energy.
Ocean Power, which has a test site, has a contract with Portugal to establish the world's first commercial wave farm to generate 2.25 megawatts of power — enough to supply 1,500 households. It also is looking at similar projects in Oregon and California. The company uses a simple mechanism to generate the power.
Harnessing waves: Pelamis, a semi-submerged, sea-snake-like body containing a hydraulic pump, floats perpendicular to the wave motion in water. The constant ebb and flow of the waves pushes a piston to create energy that's sent to a generator on the ocean floor. A cable from the generator transfers the power to a receiving device on the shore. DBEDT's Anderson says potential investors would be eligible for Act 221 and Act 225 tax credits allowing them to get startup dollars for such a research project here. Source: Bizjournals.com,11/28/2005.
Shares in geothermal energy explorer Petratherm soared 18 percent after the Adelaide-based firm announced a breakthrough at its Paralana well in the state's far north. Engineering studies had revealed a reduced technical risk of generating steam from hot rocks to produce electricity. The company expects lower drilling and operating costs as a result.
The news has increased the prospect of the Paralana-1B well, 130km east of Leigh Creek, becoming Petratherm's first commercial hot rocks energy producer, said chief executive Peter Reid. Petratherm will begin drilling in February to triple the depth of its 500m well at Paralana, which it regards as one of the hottest temperature gradients recorded in Australia. It needs rocks which produce temperatures of greater than 200C to generate electricity economically.
"At the Paralana test site, the depth to the top of the high heat-producing granite is modelled at 4.5km. However, target temperatures in the order of 200 degrees Celsius, as required for the economic production of electricity, are modelled to occur within the overlying insulating cover at approximately 3.5km depth," Mr Reid told shareholders at the company's annual meeting.
He said the insulating layer of porous sedimentary rock above the hot granite was permeable and would allow for water to flow through without excessive stimulation from drilling. Mr. Reid said this would provide a more natural flow path for heat exchange compared with "building" a flow path in denser basement granite deeper in the earth.
Petratherm believes that the new "heat exchanger within insulator" model may lower technical challenges to commercialisation of the Paralana project. "Drilling is exponentially more expensive the deeper you go," Mr Reid said. "The potential to eliminate expensive and uncertain fracture stimulation from the project is a significant positive option. If realised, it would greatly reduce the risk to, and cost of, a major power generation project." Source: By Meredith Booth, Advertiser Adelaide, Adelaide,South Australia, 11/28/2005
It was a 5-year project to develop and test a commercially-sized marine current turbine. The turbine was installed in the summer of 2003 off Foreland Point, near Lynmouth on the North Devon coast of England, and has been successfully operated and tested sincethen.
The turbine is a 300 kW, horizontal-axis machine that resembles a 2-bladed wind turbine, but with the rotor underwater. The turbine is mounted on a steel pile fixed into a socket in the seabed, and the power train — the rotor, gearbox and generator — can be slid up and down the pile and out of the water for servicing.
The project has included identifying a site for the turbine and obtaining all the necessary Permissions to install it, including conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment into its effects on marine life and processes, the landscape, and other sea users.
The project was co-ordinated by the renewable energy consultancy, IT Power. The other Partners were Seacore, a marine construction company, ISET, a research organization attached to Kassel University, and Jahnel-Kesterman, a specialist gearbox manufacturer. Aparallel project funded by the UK Government Department of Trade and Industry, DTI, had IT Power as its co-ordinator and Seacore as a partner, but added Marine Current Turbines Ltd., Bendalls Engineering, and Corus as UK partners. This consortium developed the machine from an early concept stage to detailed designs, then manufactured or purchased the components, and assembled and tested the prototype. The installation was carried out by a jack-up barge that could stand on legs on the seabed, providing a stable platform for drilling and assembly. No underwater operations were required.
Early testing has confirmed much of the design philosophy, and the turbine has performed at least as well as predicted. New techniques have been developed to install the turbine in a deep, high current area, and much has been learnt about working in such environments. The project has increased understanding of the nature of tidal flows, and the behavior of a rotor in tidal currents. SEAFLOW lays the foundations for the development of a new industry, exploiting what is could be a sizeable renewable energy resource. The partners plan to follow SEAFLOW with further, larger prototypes, and to move to commercial production in the medium term. A dedicated company, Marine Current Turbines Ltd, has been set up to achieve this. Source: India Daily Technology Team, 11/27/2005.
The Boltons will pay $70 this winter to heat their home. And they’ll stay warm. "Well, we wear sweaters,” Chris Bolton said. In 1977, Chris and his wife, Jeanne, started researching and talking with owners of passive solar homes in New Mexico. Two years later, the couple — both former science teachers — started building their passive solar home on the outskirts of Berthoud — a science project that has reduced their heating bill to the cost of the wood they need to burn during a stretch of cloudy days. "And we’re still building,” Chris said.
The two are always modifying or installing something in the 2,408-square-foot house they’ve lived in for almost 25 years. "It was an experiment,” he said. "And it’s been an adventure for both of us.” A passive solar house has a wall of windows on the south side that allows sun to stream in and hit a heat-absorbing wall. The Boltons have a south-side 8-foot-tall wall that’s 16 inches thick of rammed earth — a mixture of dirt that’s about 70 percent sand and 30 percent clay.
On the north side, the two built a 16-inch-thick concrete wall that’s covered to the top with a mound of dirt to retain heat. From the south side, air collectors and fans circulate the warm air to the north wall and through openings in the rest of the house. "We were both interested in trying to save energy,” Chris said. These are bona-fide conservationists: They use a composting toilet instead of one with a tank of water, had planned to use a ringer washer but found it "too much work,” and just recently broke down and bought a dishwasher because their grandchildren go through too many dishes, Chris said.
But "there’s our passive solar clothes dryer,” he said, pointing to the clothesline on the east side of the house. Each winter, they’ll pay about $70 for wood to burn in their stove when it gets cloudy for a few days. They have no need for a thermostat: "We’ve lived in it, so we know when to open a window,” Chris said. The house is so energy-efficient (it seldom gets above 76 degrees in the summer) that the temperature fluctuates by only about 5 degrees throughout the day. Because of that, they notice the 5-degree swing that can happen every 20 minutes in a conventionally heated house. "We get cold before the thermostat turns on,” Chris said. "And we get hot before it turns off.”
There is a downside to the passive solar home — concrete, at about $70 a cubic yard, is not cheap — but Chris said the two had tax incentives to build in the late 1970s and that the passive solar design "has paid for itself many times over.” So would they ever move into a more conventionally heated house? "Not and pay for it,” Chris said. "No way.” Source: By Ann Depperschmidt, Times-Call News Group, 11/28/2005.
The U.S. wind energy market suffers from a shortage of wind turbines, and that situation looks likely to continue through 2007, according to the American Wind Energy Association, which summarized the proceedings of its recent Wind Energy Fall Symposium held last week in La Quinta, California.
The tight market, caused in large part by the on-off cycle of the federal production tax credit incentive for wind, occupied much of the discussion at the Symposium's Large Wind Turbine Vendor Forum. The session, moderated by Adam Umanoff of the law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP, featured panelists from five wind turbine manufacturers: Rashid Abdul of Mitsubishi Power Systems, Leif Anderson of Suzlon Wind Energy Corp., Bob Gates of GE Energy, Scott Kringen of Vestas Americas and Peter Stricker of Clipper Windpower, Inc.
Suzlon's Andersen summed up the feelings of the panel when he commented, in response to a question about the "biggest challenge facing the industry," that "The biggest hurdle is the stop-go policy situation in the U.S. — you can't build a sustainable industry based on that type of policy. Creating a long-term, stable market is the biggest challenge. At the end of 2007 [when the PTC is scheduled to expire], we don't know what happens. Are we looking at 100 MW in 2008? How are we going to share that with five or six manufacturers?"
The viewpoints offered by other participants made it clear that the boom and bust portions of the PTC cycle each have their own frustrations. In the current boom time, every turbine that is made can be sold, but only so many can be made. Noted Gates, "Turbine suppliers have pushed to the physical limits, but demand has surged past them. At GE Wind, we'll manufacture 1,000 turbines in 2005. The previous record year was 600 turbines, and the record before that was 300. So that's a growth rate of almost 100 percent per year, and it's a huge stretch to make more, just with the physical reality of making the parts you need for the turbines."
Looking ahead, Mitsubishi's Abdul said he foresees similar constraints affecting the market in the future: "You'll hear what U.S. demand should be, and what [manufacturers] should do to meet it, but I plead with you to keep in mind what the global needs are. As the global demand for same resources and manufactured goods is felt throughout the world, the U.S. is going to feel pressure in getting its share of global [turbine] production. We have to be realistic in looking at global demand, and U.S. demand, and how it all works out."
Manufacturers are looking at a variety of strategies to deal with what Gates called the "consistent inconsistency" of the U.S. market, the panelists said. Among them: modifying turbine designs to reduce the scale of large parts such as castings that are current choke points in the manufacturing supply chain; finding customers with the capability to place advance orders for large numbers of turbines, thereby reducing the manufacturer's inventory risk; and simply declining to "flood the market" during boom times and aiming instead for slow, steady increases in production.
Approximately 400 people attended the first-ever Fall Symposium, designed as an educational and networking event and held at the La Quinta Resort & Club. The Symposium offered 12 distinct, in-depth half-day sessions in three concurrent tracks on a range of topics of current interest, and also included two networking receptions. Source: American Wind Energy Association via RenewableEnergyAccess.com, 10/5/2005.
Germany isn't the first place that comes to mind when considering new geothermal power development, but that's exactly what's planned through a new arrangement between industrial giant Siemens and a community near Munich, Germany. Siemens was awarded the contract for this geothermal power station because the competence of the company was the best way of ensuring that the local citizens will benefit from a sustainable supply of electricity and heat.
The Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services Group has received an order from Geothermie Unterhaching GmbH und Co. KG to build a turnkey geothermal power station in Unterhaching near Munich. The geothermal power station, designed to generate 3.36 MW of power, will include the turbo-set, a heat-exchanger circuit, the cooling system, the electrical power equipment including power input and the instrumentation and control system.
"We urgently need more power and heat from low-temperature springs. We are therefore now building the most modern plant of its kind in Unterhaching," said Mayor Dr. Erwin Knapek. In the area of Unterhaching near Munich, situated in the south-German Molasse basin, the porous limestone contains hot water with a temperature of more than 100 degrees C at a depth of around 3000 meters. In order to exploit this source of hot thermal-spring water, the community, which has 21,000 inhabitants, established Geothermie Unterhaching GmbH und Co. KG and remains the sole owner.
The station will work according to the Kalina principle, which enables heat from low-temperature springs to be converted into electrical energy with a higher degree of efficiency compared to conventional installations. Siemens is responsible for constructing the administration building and the machine building including noise protection measures and will provide maintenance for the power station for the first ten years of operation. The total value of the contract is around USD $18,890,000 and commercial operation scheduled for mid-2007.
A drilling operation carried out in summer 2004 encountered water with a temperature of 122 degrees C at a depth of 3300 meters. The well will produce a supply of hot water at a rate of 150 liters per second. Of this amount, 25 liters per second will be used to generate heat for the district heating system whereas the remaining 125 liters per second will be used to generate 3.36 MW of electrical energy in the new geothermal power station. Siemens was awarded the contract for this geothermal power station because the competence of the company was the best way of ensuring that the local citizens will benefit from a sustainable supply of electricity and heat. Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com, 11/25/2005.
The electric bill was staggering. With $400,000 being spent to heat the Mount Wachusett Community College campus four winters ago, school officials were desperate for a new source of energy. So they turned to wood chips. The Gardner school converted its electric heating operation into a system that runs on biomass – products like wood and agricultural waste.
Although some were worried that burning 1,000 tons of wood chips wouldn’t generate enough energy, their doubts melted away when the system worked and heating costs plunged. At the same time, Mount Wachusett has so far reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 19 percent.
"We started out by saying we’ve got to do something to cut our energy costs,” said Rob Rizzo, associate director of Mount Wachusett’s forest and wood products institute. "But our goals were also to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and teach our students about renewable energy sources.”
Despite a statewide initiative to reduce pollution, overall emissions from state departments have risen by about 8.5 percent in the last three years. But Eric Friedman, director of sustainability for the state Department of Environmental Affairs, said he expects the trend to reverse as more agencies start following Mount Wachusett’s lead. "Mount Wachusett clearly has set the gold standard,” he said. "They’re leading everyone by leaps and bounds.” Source: By Associated Press, 11/24/2005.
Alaska Village Electric Cooperative has awarded Northern Power a contract to install and commission three additional NorthWind 100 wind turbines. This contract brings the total number of turbines AVEC has purchased from Northern Power to 10. The turbines will generate electric power for four of the 52 remote communities served by AVEC, including the communities of Toksook Bay, Savoonga, Gambell and Kasigluk, located in western Alaska.
Northern Power will also supply and install wind turbine Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition systems for the villages of Toksook Bay and Kasigluk. These systems will allow AVEC to monitor and control the wind turbines in both villages, as well as monitor the overall power generation system assets.
The NorthWind turbines are being integrated into a long-term diesel power plant and tank farm upgrade program by AVEC. The first installation at Toksook Bay includes a three-turbine array integrated with fuel-efficient diesel generators to generate power in a new, automated power plant. Working with the generators at Toksook Bay, the three new turbines will produce approximately 675,000 kWh annually, replacing over 30 percent of the energy normally generated by diesel and, at current fuel prices, providing an estimated annual fuel cost savings of approximately $100,000. Source: Northern Power Press Release via UWIG, 11/23/2005.
The Iowa Stored Energy Plant, initiated by a group of Iowa municipal utilities, including Algona Municipal Utilities, is designed to harness the variable supply of wind and make it available as electricity when it is needed the most.
The plant will use electric output from a wind farm, along with supplemental off-peak grid energy, to drive air compressors that will push air into deep underground geological formations. There, the air will be stored under pressure until needed. Then, when demand for electricity is high, the air will be released and used to spin combustion turbines to generate electricity. A small amount of natural gas (less than half the gas used in a regular turbine) will be added to allow the ISEP turbines to produce maximum power.
The Iowa Stored Energy Plant Agency, the governing body for ISEP, is evaluating several potential sites that can provide these benefits to wind farm operations. To that end, the first seismic survey was to be conducted in early November at a location in central Iowa. After the survey, the results will be analyzed to determine the suitability of the site for storing compressed air. Once the capability of a storage reservoir is known, the design of the generating plant will continue. The plant is proposed to be on-line in 2010. Source: Algona, (IA) Municipal Utilities via UWIG, 11/23/2005.
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Powering America program, American Public Power Association, and Western Area Power Administration invite you to participate in an upcoming series of teleconferences on issues related to integrating wind energy into electric cooperative and public power systems.
The week before the teleconference, registrants will receive a link to the presentations on the Internet along with call-in information. Bob Putnam of CH2M HILL, technical support contractor to NRECA, will be the moderator. During the teleconference, participants can e-mail questions to Bob, and he will query the intended speaker(s) following all of the presentations.
The next Webcast is scheduled for Dec. 8 and will address Grid Interconnection and Impacts. An expert panel will discuss grid interconnection standards, operating impacts, wind plant models and modeling tools and technologies used to mitigate potential impacts. Speakers to include:
Participation is limited to the first 40 callers, with electric cooperative and public power personnel receiving preference. The teleconferences are free, but sponsors ask that you reserve a spot in advance so that the maximum number of participants can be accommodated. Please sign up only if you know you will be able to attend as seating is limited. Register by contacting Debbie Rock at 720-962-7271.
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.
UWIG has announced that it will change its name to the Utility Wind Integration Group, effective Jan. 1, 2006. The UWIG Board of Directors voted to make the change at a November 6 board meeting in Sacramento. The motion also included changing UWIG's tax exempt corporate status. UWIG president Henry Durrwachter announced in a UWIG press release that the name change "will provide a clearer focus on our role of serving as an objective source of knowledge and information in technical matters dealing with integration of wind energy into utility systems, while simultaneously keeping the UWIG logo, name recognition and reputation."
In addition to changing the name, UWIG will also change from a 501c(6) to a 501c(3) corporation. Durrwachter noted that "the primary difference is that the former can lobby, and the latter cannot. This change of status will help to make clear that we are a technical organization and not a lobbying or advocacy group for wind. This change will more firmly align our name with our mission, and the change to our corporate status, will help us to better accomplish our objectives." Updates on the progress of these changes will be announced in the UWIG E News as well as to member organization points of contact.
If you’re a utility possibly interested in wind generation, please consider joining UWIG. Membership benefits include:
For more information contact Sandy Smith.
The Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents. It is published by the Office of the Federal Register of the National Archives and Records Administration. You do not need a paid subscription to access the online Federal Register. There are two ways to access the notices posted. Western posts its Federal Register notices its external Web site and lists them by the date of publication. You can also look up notices from other agencies on the Government Printing Office's Federal Register home page. Source: Western’s CSO Bulletin, 11/25/2005.
The U.S. DOE Energy Information Administration published Renewable Energy Trends 2004. The report summarizes state-by-state renewable energy generation data, including solar, biomass, geothermal, and hydro. Other data is provided such as net power output: the U.S. generated 363,216,799 MWh of green power in 2003, of which 76 percent came from conventional hydro. Solar PV accounted for 534,001 MWh, wind for 11,187,466 and geothermal for 14,424,231 MWh during that year. Total green power output in 2004 was down slightly to 358,766,924 MWh, but DOE notes the data are preliminary are does not provide analysis. Of the total, hydroelectric remains the largest source at 269,636,745 MWh, while geothermal at 14,355,859 MWh edges out wind at 14,153,100 MWh. Solar PV was estimated at 579,048 MWh for the year. Source: Refocus Weekly, 11/23/2005.
A database of 100 countries and their position on renewable energy market and policies has been posted on the internet by the International Energy Agency. The ‘Global Renewable Energy Policies & Measures Database’ was developed in collaboration with the European Commission and the Johannesburg Renewable Energy Coalition, and launched during the Beijing International Renewable Energy Conference in China. It is designed to provide information in one format in one location for the countries which, together, represent almost all the world’s supply of renewable energies.
The online searchable database is part of a continued effort by the IEA to contribute to the international dialogue on renewable energy by providing "unbiased information and analysis for the use by decision-makers, policy experts, researchers and industry, as well the broader public.” Visitors can search for information according to country, policy instrument, renewable energy technology, renewable energy target and other criteria.
There are 34 countries listed with targets for renewables, ranging from Austria which wants 78.1 percent of its electricity to come from renewables by 2010, to the target of 3.6 percent in Hungary for the same period. Mali wants 15 percent of its total primary energy supply to come from renewables by 2020 and Singapore will install 50,000 m2 of solar thermal systems by 2012.
JREC is a coalition of 88 national governments which want to support the commitments for renewable energies which were made at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in South Africa in 2002. It is co-chaired by the European Commission and the government of Morocco, and had worked on the preliminary database before incorporating it into the IEA on-line database. Source: Refocus Weekly, 11/23/2005.
The 2005 Integrated Energy Policy Report (Energy Policy Report) that recommends actions to meet the state's energy needs has been approved by the California Energy Commission. The 182-page report was approved by commissioners at an Energy Commission Business Meeting on Nov. 21, 2005. "California is the sixth largest economy in the world. The Energy Policy Report will help the state provide its growing population with affordable, reliable and environmentally sound supplies of electricity, natural gas and transportation fuels," said Energy Commission Chairman Joe Desmond.
The report provides a blueprint of more than two dozen energy recommendations for the governor, legislature, and other state agencies. The Energy Policy Report's suggestions include reducing demand through energy efficiency and alternative resources, improving California's energy infrastructure, and cutting statewide greenhouse gas emissions. The Energy Policy Report also addresses transmission reliability, liquefied natural gas, adequate electricity and transportation fuel supplies, and the building and permitting of petroleum facilities. It reaffirms the "loading order" priorities set by Governor Schwarzenegger's Energy Action Plan in meeting the state's supply needs: energy efficiency, demand response and energy from renewables. See the 2005 Integrated Energy Policy Report on the Energy Commission's Web site. Source: Market Wire, 11/23/2005.
A new effort called the Tax Incentives Assistance Project published a new Web site to assist home owners and business benefit from the various tax credits in the 2005 Energy Policy Act.
The US EPA has scheduled a public hearing for Dec. 9 and an extension of the public comment period on the proposed changes to the New Source Review permitting program. The comment period has been extended from Dec. 19 to Feb. 17, 2006. The proposed changes would revise the emissions test for existing electric generating units that are subject to regulations governing the Prevevention of Significant Deterioriration under the Clean Air Act. The public hearing will provide interested parties the opportunity to present data, vies, or arguments. Source: EMA Tips, 11/21/2005.
A coalition of nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and other leaders in the energy efficiency field, the Tax Incentives Assistance Project aims to help consumers and businesses benefit from the 2005 U.S. Energy Policy Act federal income tax incentives and credits. TIAP launched this Web site in November 2005 to help individuals and businesses cut their federal tax bills and their energy bills by becoming more energy efficient.
If you pay taxes in the U.S., you'll find some useful information here. The site is divided into sections for consumers, businesses, and builders/manufacturers. The General Information section features briefs on state and utility incentives as well as current legislation. TIAP updates the Web site regularly as the IRS makes newinformation available. Source: GREENBUZZ for November 28, 2005
Global investment bank Goldman Sachs has adopted a comprehensive environmental policy, acknowledging the scientific consensus on climate change and calling for urgent action by public policy makers and federal regulators to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Source: GreenBiz.com, 11/28/2005.
Cline Cellars recently announced "substantial" completion of the winery's new solar electric system, which was designed and built by Novato, CA-based SolarCraft Services, Inc. and will provide 100 percent of the annual electricity needs for the company's production facility in Carneros, CA.
According to Cline Cellars, the roof-mounted system comprises approximately 2,000 Sharp solar panels that are capable of generating roughly 411 kilowatts of power. "This has been a win/win/win project from the beginning," said Cline Cellars director of operations Peggy Phelan. "The winery is eliminating huge energy bills, flat-lining our operating budget for energy costs, and improving air quality by reducing 690,000 pounds of noxious greenhouse gases per year." Contact: Peggy Phelan, Cline Cellars, phone 707-940-4015. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 11/23/2005.
Technicians expert at the installation of photovoltaic systems are as much in demand as the low-cost power the cells generate from the sun, construction industry experts at Hudson Valley Community College say. The Troy community college opened a new photovoltaic laboratory this week to accommodate a new two-course offering on solar-cell technology within the school's Electrical Construction and Maintenance Department.
A dozen students are taking the first course this semester. Completing both courses will prepare students to take a test administered by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practictioners to earn an entry-level certificate of knowledge, HVCC officials said. Getting hands-on experience at the HVCC photovoltaic lab, coupled with other training in the Electrical Construction and Maintenance Department, "will make students that much more employable," said Joseph Sarubbi, chairman of the department.
Michael Stangl, co-owner of Renewable Power Systems in Averill Park, said there is "great demand" currently for good photovoltaic installation technicians. "It is really a fast-growing business," he said. "We can't wait till they graduate." Photovoltaic systems work by converting the daylight or sunlight received on solar panels into power by "inverters." Once the energy needs of the residential or commercial buildings are met, excess electricity is sent into the local power grid, with the property owner receiving credits from the electricity utilities, which are obligated to purchase.
The solar-cell technology is not particularly complex, but it takes experienced technicians to set up systems right, said Pete Sheehan, executive director of NABCEP, a national trade group based at the Saratoga Technology Park in Malta. Panels must be oriented correctly on roofs and posts to maximize exposure to the brightest daily light. No shade can cross any of the panels between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Technicians must calculate the positions of the sun in the sky all year long to find the best unobstructed position for the solar panels.
"I can say in an unqualified manner that there is a definite need for training," Sheehan said. His group has been working with HVCC and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority on the community college's photovoltaic courses and new lab.
NYSERDA made a grant of $148,000 toward the new venture. Sheehan said technicians with a certificate of knowledge from his group can then get hired by solar cell installers and get practical on-the-job experience. Sheehan said his group also gives an examination for certification for experienced installers, a kind of advanced certificate for the most expert photovoltaic construction technicians.
High electricity prices have made solar-cell systems more attractive for homes and businesses, according to the solar-cell industry. The systems typically cost between $24,000 and $40,000, with NYSERDA "buying down" half the cost of systems through a program designed to encourage the use of renewable energy. State and federal tax breaks and credits, including new ones that take effect Jan. 1, reduce the cost by another $5,000.
Sheehan said there are 10 schools his group is working with on certificate programs in the United States. The closest to HVCC is at the Ulster County BOCES, he said. The solar cell industry does not want a repeat of the late 1970s and early 1980s, when the then-new photovoltaic technology was being applied to residential and commercial buildings, Sheehan said.
"There was a number of unqualified people installing solar systems," Sheehan said. "When that happened, the result was systems that didn't perform as expected, i.e., they did not produce the kilowatt hours they were supposed to, or in the worst-case scenarios, they didn't perform at all. Quite frankly, it gave the industry a bad name." Source: Joel Stashenko, The Business Review, 11/28/2005.
These past weeks, Americans finally were forced to see, up close and in focus, some of the poorest in our country because of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. These are the people we don't like to acknowledge exist in one of the world's richest countries. Hurricane Katrina has compelled us to look at the urban poor and has given us the urgency to act.
California has the opportunity to take real action and demonstrate that it has a cost-effective way to reduce burdens on the poor by significantly reducing their electricity bills. On Sept. 9, California lawmakers passed the landmark Solar Low-income Housing Development bill (Assembly Bill 1383), sponsored by Global Green USA and by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Agoura.
Recently, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced that his city was the first to commit to green standards — developed by the Enterprise Foundation, Global Green USA and others — for energy-efficient, healthy housing for low-income residents. The Great Valley Center is leading efforts to do the same in the valley.
This is important, as the poorest Americans will take a disproportionate hit from the energy price increases we face because of the recent hurricanes and other factors. According to a recent study, consumer spending on gasoline, fuel oil and natural gas accounts for just 2.4 percent of the income of the richest fifth of households, but 11.2 percent of the America's poorest fifth. According to HUD, as much as 26 percent of evictions in housing authorities are because of utility cutoffs.
Reducing energy costs can keep more families in their homes. AB 1383 would in essence increase the income of the poor by reducing their expenses. AB 1383 works by providing affordable-housing developers with a loan program to help finance the shortfall between the cost of a solar system and the monies disbursed through other rebate plans.
This bill, if it becomes law, also will create jobs — potentially five to seven times more jobs per unit of energy than natural gas power plants — while cleaning the air. As affordable-housing developments are often the most energy-efficient housing built in our state, increasing solar funding for low-income housing further increases that payback and benefit to all Californians.
Gov. Schwarzenegger has until Monday to sign this bill. While the Million Solar Roofs proposal (Senate Bill 1), which included funding for affordable housing, died an unfortunate death because of Sacramento politics, we still have a chance to advance an important step in a solar policy that benefits all Californians. Let the suffering caused by Katrina serve some purpose. Let those affected give us the urgency to act to support the creation of smart and lower direct costs for the poor. Petersen, who grew up in Modesto, is president and chief executive officer of Global Green USA. Source: By Matt Petersen, Modbee.com, 10/5/2005.
BP plans to invest $8 billion (£4.6 billion) in wind, solar and hydrogen power over the next decade in a drive for more renewable energy. The push for green power, announced just before the launch today by the British Government of its energy review, will renew the oil company’s green credentials by doubling spending over three years to $1.8 billion, with a major focus on wind power.
The investment plans are revealed at a sensitive time for the British oil industry, with energy companies accused of manipulating the natural gas market and expectations that the Chancellor will announce plans next week for increased taxes on North Sea oil companies. Lord Browne of Madingley, BP’s chief executive, said yesterday that he supported a request from Ofgem, the energy markets regulator, that the European Commission investigate market distortions in the supply of gas to the UK.
In response to a question about the low level of imports from mainland Europe to the UK, Lord Browne said: "We are not a player in those markets. All I can say is they are somewhat opaque.” Vivienne Cox, BP’s head of gas and trading, attributed the company’s low level of imports of liquefied natural gas into the new Isle of Grain terminal to scarce supplies: "We are not holding back gas. There is a worldwide shortage. LNG is like any other product. It goes to the places where prices are highest.”
A new business unit, BP Alternative Energy, will recruit several hundred staff and invest in solar cells, carbon sequestration projects, wind power in America and combined-cycle gas turbine power generators. BP, which famously rebranded itself "Beyond Petroleum” in 2000, has lagged behind some others in the oil industry in spending on renewable energy. The new commitment of $1.8 billion will raise a political challenge to Shell, its rival, which has also promoted green energy and invested $1.5 billion in renewables, including a big push into wind power in Britain.
BP’s focus has been in solar energy and yesterday it said that the solar business had generated a profit for the first time. Ms Cox, who will run BP Alternative Energy, said that solar manufacturing capacity would double with a view to tripling sales. A major focus will be the creation of a portfolio of wind turbines in America generating 200 megawatts by 2007. BP will concentrate investment on industrial sites inherited from Atlantic Richfield, the California-based oil company that it acquired in 1999. Ms Cox said, however, that renewables were still "policy-dependent”, meaning that a level of government subsidy was necessary. Source: By Carl Mortished, International Business Editor, TimesOnline.co.uk, 11/28/2005.
Some people are willing to pay extra to use electricity generated from wind and other renewable sources. Should everyone pay for "green power," even if they don't want it? No, the state appeals court said. State utility regulators had no authority to direct Consumers Energy Co. to collect a nickel per meter each month to subsidize renewable energy, the court said.
Consumers' business customers have been paying the fee since 2004. Residential customers were to start paying in 2006, but the ruling apparently will scratch that. The fee was expected to raise $1.05 million next year. "The Legislature clearly intended consumer participation in green-power programs to be voluntary," the court said Wednesday. While there may be "positive economic and public policy implications" in promoting green power, those factors have no role in determining whether the Michigan Public Service Commission exceeded its authority, the court said.
The appeal was filed against the commission by Attorney General Mike Cox. In May 2004, the commission ordered Consumers to start a renewable-energy program and use the "minimal" monthly charge to help cover costs not met by customers who pay extra for green power. The utility announced a program in Grand Rapids in September. Customers can pay $2.50 a month extra for a "green block" of 150 kilowatt hours or match 100 percent of their monthly use for a premium of less than 2 cents per kilowatt hour. Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell and Consumers President John Russell of Rockford were among the first to sign up. Wind will supply most power, while about 25 percent will come from landfill gases.
"Several hundred" customers have enrolled so far, Consumers spokesman Dan Bishop said. "There clearly is support for renewable energy." Neither the company nor MPSC an immediate comment on the court ruling or its impact on the program. Consumers has said it could serve 30,000 customers with power generated by independent renewable-energy projects. Source: The Grand Rapids Press, 11/25/2005.
Colorado homes and businesses that install solar panels next year will be eligible for hefty rebates.
Beginning in January, Xcel Energy will pay $2 per watt in rebates to those customers who power their homes with photovoltaic panels, which convert energy from the sun into electricity. A typical home that uses 5 kilowatts of solar power will be eligible for rebates of up to $10,000. Moreover, the homeowner can take a 30 percent tax credit - capped at $2,000 - under the Energy Act of 2005.
The rebate and tax credit together would cover about 35 percent to 40 percent of the installation cost, estimated Rick Holz, a senior engineer with Altair Energy, which has 200 solar-energy customers in Colorado. Bellingham, Wash.-based Altair, which has offices in Lakewood, partners with Xcel to install solar panels on homes and businesses.
"It is reasonable to expect that we will install 50 to 120 more customers next year," Holz said. Xcel Energy is mandated to have 18 megawatts of electricity from solar sources by the end of 2006, as per Amendment 37, which was approved by voters in November 2004. Of that, half the power should be generated by solar panels installed in homes and businesses.
Xcel can generate the remaining 9 megawatts either from a solar- energy farm or from buying solar energy credits from other utilities. The utility has signed an agreement with the National Renewable Energy Laboratories in Golden to develop software to evaluate siting options for commercial rooftop solar electricity systems in Colorado.
Xcel's solar-energy requirement will double to 36 megawatts in 2011 and remain at that level through 2014. Terry Bote, spokesman for the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, said Xcel will be able to increase or decrease the rebate in the future depending on the number of solar-energy customers it is able to attract. The rebates will be offered for up to 10 kilowatts, or up to $20,000.
The rebates and tax credits would reduce the cost of solar energy, which is much more expensive than electricity generated from coal, natural gas, wind, or plant and animal waste. According to figures from 2004, electricity from wind costs 2.8 cents to 3.5 cents per kilowatt/hour, compared with coal's 4 cents to 5 cents/kwh and solar's 10 cents to 15 cents/kwh. "The rebates go to anyone who installs solar photovoltaic (panels), be it a home or a business," Xcel spokesman Mark Stutz said. Source: By Gargi Chakrabarty, Rocky Mountain News, 11/24/2005.
Interested in solar power? How much you'll pay in city fees to put solar panels on your home depends on where you live — and some fees around Silicon Valley are so high they are placing a cloud over renewable energy, according to a new study. Saratoga, for example, charges $95 for a permit to install solar panels on a house. Yet in Los Gatos, two miles away, city planners will sock a homeowner with a $1,287 bill for a permit to install the same system.
The findings come from a survey of 40 cities in San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Benito counties by the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club. "There's a huge gap in what various cities charge,'' said Carl Mills, a Milpitas technical writer who helped compile the survey. "Something is very wrong.'' Silicon Valley may seem like the perfect region to embrace solar power, with lots of high-income, technologically savvy, environmentally friendly residents. High fees send the wrong signal, Mills and other solar supporters say — especially when rising natural gas prices are sending electric bills soaring, global warming is on the increase and America's reliance on Middle East oil is growing.
In addition to high fees, in some towns delays, red tape and bureaucratic hassles also are making it harder to go solar, the survey found. Sierra Club volunteers phoned 40 municipal building and planning departments over the summer and asked how much it would cost to install a typical solar-panel system on a house. They chose one that would cover 320 square feet, with the solar panels installed flush to the roof, generating 3 kilowatts, and costing $27,000.
The cheapest town was Portola Valley, where a permit for such a system would cost $50. San Jose was a reasonable $220. Most expensive of all? Millbrae, at $1,620. "A thousand dollars in fees? That's a year's worth of electricity for some families,'' said Kurt Newick, sales director for Horizon Energy Systems, a Campbell solar firm. "We need to remove these barriers,'' he said. "Solar power avoids transmission lines, and the need to strip mine coal, or generate nuclear waste or kill fish in dams.'' Source: By Paul Rogers, San Jose Mercury News, 11/28/2005.
DOE, All Departmental Locations, All DOE Federal Offices, DOE/Industry Matching Grant Program Modification3. Source: Grants.gov, 11/21/2005.
USDA Rural Development Rural Utilities Service, Solid Waste Management Grants. For more information go to: http://www.fedgrants.gov/Applicants/USDA/RD/RUS/USDA-GRANTS-112105-001/listing.html. Source: Grants.gov, 11/21/2005.
PSI Energy, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Cinergy Corporation, recently issued a call for proposals for up to 100 megawatts for a supply portfolio of energy and capacity generated from renewable and/or environmentally friendly sustainable sources. PSI noted that it has implemented RFx, a web-based bid management system, to enhance the request for proposal (RFP) process, which will require a login ID and password. Those interested in reviewing the RFP may request the required login ID and password by contacting Cinergy director of renewable and energy efficiency Jim Lefeld. A voluntary pre-bid conference will be held on December 8 at PSI Energy's headquarters in Plainfield, IN. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 11/28/2005.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on October 6th that 11 biomass research, development, and demonstration projects have been selected to receive $12.6 million in funds for the Biomass Research and Development Initiative, a joint effort of DOE and the USDA. The projects will be carried out in Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C., and include producing biofuels and bioproducts from woody biomass sources, such as straw, switchgrass, and corn stover; converting biofuel byproducts into useful chemicals; gasifying biomass; combining a biomass digester with a cogeneration system; and examining possible incentives for biomass energy. See the USDA press release.
In late September, the USDA selected 171 projects in 42 states to receive more than $14.6 million under its Value Added Producer Grant program. Of those, 32 projects in 14 states were related to biofuels and renewable energy. Businesses and producers in California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin will receive grants to assess the feasibility of marketing ethanol, biodiesel, wind power, and other types of renewable energy. Source: EERE Network News,11/28/2005.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9 request applications for the Tribal Clean Air Act Grant Program. This program funds tribal air pollution control programs and projects which support tribal air quality assessment and the development of tribal air program capacity. Projects must serve Indian Country belonging to over 140 Federally recognized tribes in AZ, NV, and CA. $2.3 million expected to be available, up to 30 awards anticipated. Responses due 1/13/06. Refer to Sol# EPA-R9-AIR-06-002. (Fedgrants 11/17/05). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 11/28/2005.
The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency requests applications for the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program for hazard mitigation planning and the implementation of mitigation projects prior to a disaster event. $50 million expected to be available, 75 awards anticipated. Individual awards NTE $3 million. Responses due 3/3/06. For more info, contact Karen Magnino at (202) 646-3807. Refer to Sol# 97.017-001-B. (Fedgrants 11/22/05). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 11/28/2005.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office for Domestic Preparedness requests applications for the Emergency Management Performance Grant Program. EMPG assists states and urban areas to achieve target levels of capability in support of the National Preparedness Goal. $179.4 million expected to be available, 58 awards anticipated. Responses due 12/14/05. For more info, contact the ODP at (800) 368-6498. Refer to Sol# DHS-GRANTS-111505-001. (Fedgrants 11/15/05). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 11/28/2005.
The Public Service Company of New Mexico requests proposals for renewable energy certificates to comply with New Mexico's Renewable Portfolio Standard. PNM will also consider offers for the associated capacity or energy from the proposed renewable resource to meet a portion of the PNM retail network load and reserve margin needs. Wind is excluded due to PNM's wind supply and the renewable diversity guidelines of the RPS. Notice of intent to respond due 12/9/05, final proposals due 12/22/05. For more info, contact Laurie Williams at (505) 241-0641. (The Green Power Network). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 11/28/2005.
Great River Energy seeks proposals providing renewable resources qualified for use in meeting GRE's publicly announced commitment to meet the Minnesota Renewable Energy Objective. GRE also seeks proposals for projects making use of existing or proposed waste heat. GRE seeks eligible resources capable of annually providing a total of 300,000 to 400,000 MWh. Responses due 12/9/05. For more info, contact Stan Selander at (763) 241-2446. (The Green Power Network). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 11/28/2005.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requests proposals for 7 grant programs that serve to protect human health and the environment in Region 8 states (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY) and 27 tribal nations. These programs fall within the following priority areas : 1) Energy, 2) Agriculture, and 3) Enhancing capacity to provide public health and environmental protection. $2.29 million expected to be available, awards generally between $25K and $75K. Responses due 12/20/05. Refer to Sol# EPA-R8-2006-001. (Fedgrants 11/02/05). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 11/28/2005.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requests proposals for projects to address in Region 4 (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN) strategic priorities. Priorities areas include, but are not limited to waste and energy applications, and agriculture in the SE. $300K expected to be available. up to 8 awards anticipated. Responses due 12/23/05. For more info, contact Betty Winter at (800) 241-1754. Refer to Sol# EPA-R4-OPM-06-01. (Fedgrants 11/3/05). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 11/28/2005.
The U.S. Department of Energy requests proposals which demonstrate hydrogen-based transportation technologies at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Specifically, DOE seeks proposals to install renewable hydrogen production equipment to be part of the overall Beijing Hydrogen Transportation Park, and five hydrogen/natural gas engines to be installed in buses that will be used to transport athletes during the games. $1.3 million expected to be available, 2 awards anticipated. Response due 12/15/05. For more info, contact Genevieve Wozniak. Refer to Sol# DE-PS36-06GO96010. (Fedgrants 10/25/05). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 11/28/2005.
The U.S. Agency for International Development invites interest from prospective partner organizations to form public-private alliances in support of the Global Development Alliance. Areas of interest include but not limited to: Environment/energy, agriculture, urban programs, and economic growth and trade capacity building. Past individual award range $200K to $1 million. Responses due 9/30/06. For more info, contact Kim Yee. Refer to Sol# M-OAA-GRO-EGAS-06-07. (Fedgrants 11/9/05). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 11/28/2005.
The U.S. Agency for International Development requests proposals from potential partners in meeting the goals and objectives of the Agency's Global Climate Change Program. The GCC program promotes development that minimizes the associated growth in GHG emissions, assists vulnerable populations and ecosystems to adapt to potential impacts from climate variability and change, and supports climate observation systems. 5 awards anticipated, average individual award $250K. First round of proposals due 2/24/06, pending availability of funds, a second round may be due 5/26/06. Refer to Sol# M/OAA/EGAT/EMD-06-061. (Fedgrants 10/20/05). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 11/28/2005.
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