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Green Mountain Energy Company recently announced that its eMission Solutions division will supply New York-based skin and hair care company Kiehl's with renewable energy credits to offset the electricity usage for 10 of its stores across the U.S. According to Green Mountain Energy, the 10 stores are purchasing a combined total of more than 600 megawatthours of RECs from the eMission Solutions division. Green Mountain Energy noted that this deal, in tandem with other green power contracts, enables Kiehl's to offset 100 percent of the electricity usage at all of its stores nationwide. Contact: Eleanor Bowman, Green Mountain Energy, phone 512-413-5278. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 4/5/2006.
A proposed wind farm in western Maine would sell its output as renewable "green" power to large in-state customers under an agreement announced Wednesday. Maine Mountain Power has signed an agreement with Constellation NewEnergy, a leading retail supplier of electrical power in New England, to buy all of the output from the proposed 90-megawatt Redington Wind Farm near Sugarloaf Mountain. Under the contract, Constellation NewEnergy would buy all of the electricity and renewable energy credits produced by the wind farm for 10 years.
Constellation NewEnergy would then sell the power to medium and large-sized business customers, giving first priority to customers in the local area. Schools and hospitals are likely customers. Customers that sign up will pay a fixed price for a decade.
Maine Mountain Power is a partnership formed by Endless Energy of Yarmouth, the project's initial developer, and Edison Mission Group of California. Redington is currently seeking a permit from the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission, but no hearing date has been set. The wind turbines would generate enough electricity to serve 44,000 households, and reduce air emissions in the region by 430 tons every day. Source: Staff Reports, MaineToday, 4/6/2006
PaloAltoGreen, the renewable energy program offered by the city of Palo Alto Utilities, has achieved the nation's highest participation rate, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory 2005 Top Ten list. With 13.6 percent of utility customers enrolled, PaloAltoGreen has outperformed the national average of 1.3 percent participation for green pricing programs. This is the first year that PaloAltoGreen has achieved the #1 spot for best-in-nation participation.
Each year, NREL releases "Top 10" rankings of the nation's best performing renewable energy utility programs. Such programs allow electricity consumers to support electricity generated from renewable resources such as wind, biomass, and solar. "PaloAltoGreen's No. 1 ranking establishes the program as a national leader in clean energy offerings in the utility industry," said Blair Swezey, Prinicipal Policy Advisor for NREL.
The popularity of this green power option has far exceeded expectations. A key to PaloAltoGreen's success has been the program's innovative implementation and the community's enthusiastic support.
Business support for the program is also strong, confirming that supporting sustainable energy is good for business. More than 100 businesses have committed to PaloAltoGreen, including major corporations such as Agilent Technologies, CV Therapeutics, HP, Lockheed Martin, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Roche Palo Alto, and Schering-Plough Biopharma.
PaloAltoGreen is an example of a successful utility renewable energy option for customers that improves environmental quality and decreases dependence on fossil fuels, while rallying public support, pride and enthusiasm. PaloAltoGreen offers City of Palo Alto Utilities residential, business and industrial customers the option to support the generation of electricity from 100 percent renewable wind and solar resources. Voluntary participants pay a low additional cost of 1.5 cents per kilowatthour. Sign up is easy. Source: Environmental News, 4/10/2006
UK church leaders are urging people to ‘go green’ in order to protect God’s creation. The call has been made with the Government announcing that the UK will not meet its target to reduce CO2 emissions and resource clean energy sources. Christian leaders have joined forces to respond to the Government's energy strategy review by asserting that it is a moral imperative to be environmentally-aware. They are urging individuals and businesses to enforce a low consumption, non-nuclear, energy plan, informed by Christian principles of wise stewardship, peacemaking, justice, loving our neighbours and moderation in consumption. The plea is made in the environmental Christian organisation’s, Christian Ecology Link, report Faith and Power. It has been compiled by Dr Tim Cooper, head of the Centre for Sustainable Consumption at Sheffield Hallam University. Faith and Power focuses on promoting energy efficiency, switching from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy and phasing out nuclear reactors in electricity generation.
It argues that such a strategy is the most appropriate in order to take proper care of God’s creation. The Bishop of Liverpool, Rt Rev James Jones, said: “Faith and Power comes to similar conclusions to those of the Sustainable Development Commission, which I welcome. People of faith and goodwill must work together to educate and inspire the public to use their own power as consumers and citizens to ensure the future health and safety of the planet.”
The report comes as the Government is encouraging home owners and businesses to fit small power generation plants in their premises – including green power from solar panels and windmills. It is estimated that 25 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions come from the households. Dr Cooper, the University’s sustainable consumption expert and CEL chairman, said: “For many years Gordon Brown has done far too little to integrate environmental sustainability within Treasury policy. As a consequence Britain is not doing enough to reduce energy consumption and thereby reduce the threat of climate change.” Source: Publisher: Ian Morgan, 4/11/2006
Northwestern University has launched a program to use renewable energy sources for 20 percent of its yearly energy needs for the next four years. Northwestern now is the second largest purchaser of renewable energy sources among the nation's colleges and universities, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA has awarded its Green Power Partner designation to Northwestern for pursuing "greening the campus" initiatives and seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its operations.
"This Earth Day, we have a lot to celebrate," said Rachel Patten, a sophomore in the School of Education and Social Policy and co-chair of SEED. "We're proud to be part of a school that takes action on its environmental values."
The University has purchased Renewable Energy Certificates from wind energy that will provide 40,000 megawatthours annually for the years 2006-2010. This is equivalent to preventing more than 77 million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere, taking 7,317 cars off the road or planting 9,586 acres of trees each year.
Northwestern's renewable energy will be provided by 3 Phases Energy from Midwestern wind farms, including the newly developed Weatherford Wind Energy Center in Custer County, Oklahoma. Power generated by Weatherford, similar firms and other clean energy sources is sent to the electric grid that monitors how much electricity is being drawn and ensures that enough electricity is being supplied to users.
3 Phases Energy was recognized as the U.S. EPA/DOE Renewable Energy Technology Supplier of the Year in 2005. Contact Steve McDougal at 415-370-6487.
SEED was one of eight student groups to sponsor an Associated Student Government bill last spring urging the University to offset 10 percent of its non-renewable energy consumption. Contact Rachel Patten. Source: 3 Phases Energy, 4/12/2006
The Auld Grey Toon is about to go green. But controversial plans to erect wind turbines across St Andrews have reignited the animosity between town and gown. Scotland on Sunday can reveal that university bosses want to make the royal burgh Britain's first carbon-neutral higher education campus, using a combination of wind power, solar panels and a biomass boiler to generate electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. However, the proposals triggered outrage last night from locals who say such radical changes to St Andrews' character and landscape would be "ludicrous".
Among the green energy plans being considered by university officials are:
• Solar panels and a range of mini wind turbines on the roofs of university buildings.
• An industrial sized biomass boiler to burn woodchip and elephant grass to generate electricity for the institution.
• Wind turbines as high as 40m, spaced 200m to 300m apart at the university's main North Haugh campus.
• Turbines as high as 78m at Upper Kenly Farm, six miles south-east of St Andrews, which the university owns.
Derek Watson, the university's quaestor (accountant) and factor, who commissioned the green energy proposals, said: "There will be significant planning issues but we are determined to reduce our carbon footprint. The use of wind power sites and a biomass boiler can do that."
Watson, who estimates the university produces between 7,000 and 8,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year, wants the green energy scheme, which could cost up to £15m, to start within 12 to 18 months.
The university's North Haugh campus comprises most of its science facilities. It is thought wind turbines, spaced 200m to 300m apart, could be built there. The multimillion-pound cost of the developments mean a joint venture with an energy company or commercial backer is likely.
The plans met a furious reaction from locals last night. Sheila Black, a St Andrews councillor who sits on the local planning committee, said: "I really don't see how a wind farm is going to fit in with the local area. It sounds unimaginable and ludicrous to site it at North Haugh."
But Pete Lindsay, a member of the community council, backed the university's idea. He said: "The kind of people who object to this will probably be dead when the problems of climate change finally hit home. "They should look at the detail of the proposals and think about what their children might be left with if nothing is done." Source: Arthur MacMillan, Education Correspondent, 4/8/2006
Some Kent and Sussex County electric customers might soon find it easy to be "green." Starting June 1, Delaware Electric Cooperative will offer its members the option of having some or all of their electricity come from renewable energy sources. Mark Nielson, the cooperative's vice president of staff services, said utility administrators haven't decided which types of renewable energy sources–solar, wind, landfill gas, or others–the company would offer.
Cooperative Vice President Layton Wheeler said co-op members would be able to ask for the green option via the utility's Web site, e-mail, telephone or by making a notation on their bill.
The green rate would be slightly more expensive than what the co-op typically charges, Mr. Nielson said, because renewable sources are more expensive to produce. He said he did not know how much more expensive it would be per kilowatt hour. "We would not be producing (the energy), we would just be buying that energy on the open market," Mr. Nielson said.
Cooperative customers this summer will be able to vote on whether the utility should separate from the state Public Service Commission's jurisdiction. The separation, company officials said, would give the cooperative's member board of directors more control and save the utility money on PSC-related fees.
Mr. Wheeler said nearly 2,500 customers in a survey enclosed in October 2005 bills expressed interest in renewable energy. But Mr. Nielson said it's hard to say how many would actually sign up for the option.
"This is an important and significant option for our membership," Mr. Wheeler said. "We are environmentally friendly. This is just going to further our environmental membership awareness." Source: Staff Writer Kate House-Layton, Delaware State News
A clean energy movement is spreading across college campuses in the Southeast. About 150 students are attending a third-annual renewable energy conference at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville this weekend to share successes and strategies. In recent months, students at Middle Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, Virginia Tech and the University of Kentucky have approved special fees to buy renewable energy and promote energy efficiency. The University of Tennessee has become the T-V-A's biggest purchaser of green power and the University of South Carolina is planning a biomass facility to provide most of the campus's heat. Tennessee faculty adviser Mike McKinney says student pressure to driving the changes. Says McKinney, "It really does work, and it is spreading." Source: http://www.wkyt.com/global/story
Texas-based Austin Energy said yesterday that it is awaiting approval from the Austin City Council to begin negotiations on a 20-year, $685 million wind power agreement. The cost of the company's agreement with wind turbine manufacturer Res American Developments Inc.—also of Austin—is 46 percent higher than the price it struck in a similar agreement last year. Austin Energy will deliver the wind-derived power to customers through its GreenChoice program, which launched in 2000 to allow customers to opt for green electricity over nonrenewable alternatives. Power from the 225-megawatt wind farm will begin flowing to Austin by the end of 2007.
If the deal goes forward, 11 percent of Austin's power would be derived from renewable sources, marking a significant step toward the achievement of the city's goal of getting 20 percent of its power from environmentally friendly sources by 2020. Despite the price increase, market analysts said that the citizens of Austin are still getting a better deal buying wind power over natural gas. "All energy prices have gone up, and wind is a pretty hot commodity right now," said Michael Sloan, a renewable energy consultant with Austin-based Virtus Energy.
Sloan estimated that, at current price levels, fuel costs alone for a natural gas plant would be about $1 billion to produce an equivalent amount of power, based on the output of comparable west Texas wind farms (Kate Alexander, Austin American-Statesman, April 6). Source: E&E Greenwire, 04/07/2006
Federal and state initiatives to promote the use of geothermal energy appear to be paying off, a new survey shows. Some 45 projects are under way and could nearly double U.S. geothermal power output, according to the Geothermal Energy Association, the industry trade group. "State renewable standards coupled with the federal production tax credit are creating a renaissance in U.S. geothermal power production," states Karl Gawell, GEA executive director. The most significant catalyst behind the increased activity was passage of the federal Energy Policy Act, he adds. The survey showed new power projects in many states, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii and Idaho. The projects would provide between 1,817.9MW and 2,094.9 MW of new electric power for the grid. The U.S. had 2,828 MW of geothermal power capacity online in 2005, the association reports. Source: IndustryWeek, 4/6/2006
SunWize Technologies recently announced the approval of its Grid-Tie Systems by the Florida Solar Energy Center. According to SunWize, GTS packages are currently the only complete systems on FSEC’s list of approved grid-ties. “Installers like the wide variety of models we offer and the convenience of ordering just one part number,” said SunWize vice president of residential power Joanne Rogers. SunWize noted that GTS packages include all necessary components for successful residential or commercial installation, excluding home-run wiring.
Contact: Joanne Rogers, SunWize , phone 800-232-7652. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 3/16/2006
Employment has doubled to 500 since Jan. 1 at a high-tech plant in Perrysburg Township that is nearing completion of a $74 million expansion. First Solar LLC, of Phoenix, is completing a second factory and two more production lines at its solar panel operation in the Cedar Business Park. The factory's second and third production lines are expected to be fully operational by the end of the year. When the project is finished, output of solar panels – most bound for Germany and other European nations – will more than triple from the prior 330,000 a year. By 2007, the factory will be capable of annually producing enough panels to generate a combined 75 million watts of electricity. That is enough to meet the demands of 45,000 homes every year.
First Solar, founded locally under a different name in the 1980s by the late Toledo inventor and industrialist Harold McMaster, is a leading user of an increasingly popular technology known as thin film.
The nation's top user of that technology, Uni-Solar, of Auburn Hills, Mich., has announced it will double output to 100 megawatts of panels a year. These moves come at a time of high demand for solar panels, partly because of large government subsidies in Germany and elsewhere in Europe and in Asia. The Perrysburg Township plant is the only manufacturing operation of First Solar, which has offices in Arizona and Germany.
Operation of the company has been unaffected by the death last year of billionaire John Walton, heir to the Wal-Mart Stores Inc. retailing empire, who was chairman of an investment firm that owns First Solar. Mr. Walton committed to the financing of the expansion before his death.
Mr. Walton, 58, son of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, died last June when the experimental aircraft he was piloting crashed in Grand Teton National Park near Jackson, WY. Shortly before his death, Mr. Walton and business partner Michael Ahearn, president of First Solar, transferred ownership of the company to a firm bearing their initials called JWMA Partners. Ownership was previously held by True North Partners, a group that at one point included at least one other investor. Mr. Walton's share of First Solar has transferred to his estate, Ms. Vaughnn said. Source: Gary Pakulski. 4/11/2006
DuPont said it launched a solar energy program at its Chestnut Run facilities to promote the research in next-generation solar panel technology. The company said it installed three rows of large photovoltaic solar panels to convert the sun's energy into electricity for an existing R&D and business facility at the site. DuPont expects the cost for solar panels will begin to decrease, in turn reducing the cost per watt of power produced for a business or home. The company added that its primary focus is to lower the energy cost by improving the efficiency and lifetime of solar panels. Source: RealTimeTraders.com, Inc., April 11, 2006.
TXU Wholesale, a subsidiary of energy company TXU Corp., said Tuesday it has signed a contract for 125 megawatts of wind power from Dublin, Ireland-based Airtricity. Financial details were not disclosed. The 15-year contract, which becomes effective at the start of 2007, will boost TXU Wholesale's contracts to 705 megawatts of renewable energy. The wind power will be provided by Airtricity's Forest Creek Wind Farm, which is currently under construction in Texas. The farm, which will be owned and operated by Airtricity, will generate electricity from 54 2.3-megawatt wind turbines and provide enough power to meet the needs of more than 24,000 homes in Texas, TXU said. TXU Corp. shares fell 85 cents to $44.80 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Source: Associated Press/DALLAS, 4/11/2006
Mark Fischer is glad he plunked down $2 million for 144 solar-power systems last year. He beat the Germans to them – and largely defied the ruthless law of supply and demand shadowing the solar market just as it's poised to break out across sunny California. Fischer, vice president of Stockton-based Grupe Development Co., oversees the Sacramento region's largest all-solar subdivision, now rising in Rocklin. It marks the firm's first venture into a solar-energy market that increasingly has found itself squeezed at the same time it has high hopes of becoming a serious option for homeowners.
The problem: There isn't enough polysilicon being manufactured for both the global semiconductor industry that has traditionally been its biggest user and an upstart solar cell industry that's experiencing unprecedented demand. The result is a supply shortage that's unexpectedly driving up prices for an already expensive home addition. Generous new German government subsidies for solar installations in that country have especially pressured supplies just as California has approved its own 10-year, $2.9 billion program giving residents a $7,000 subsidy to add the units to their homes.
For years, solar cell prices gradually fell as demand grew and efficiency improved. But the tug of war between the huge chip industry and the growing solar cell manufacturing sector has pushed costs of solar systems up at least 10 percent, said Howard Wenger, executive vice president of Berkeley-based PowerLight Corp., which calls itself the nation's largest buyer of solar cells. A typical installation of a system that is integrated into the roof now averages about $21,000. The polysilicon in the cells is the raw material that receives and stores sunlight to convert to electricity.
What's not going up is the rate of installations. In California, which boasts 80 percent of the nation's solar energy production, installations, which surged almost 40 percent in each of 2003 and 2004, slowed last year to 22 percent, according to California Energy Commission statistics. The commission has subsidized up to 90 percent of the solar installations statewide since 1998.
Some industry analysts say price increases and shortages are likely temporary. Polysilicon supply shortages may continue until 2008 or 2009, according to Chicago-based Navigant Consulting Inc. Solar advocates contend that solar cells will become thinner by half each decade and use less silicon raw material to generate the same amount of power. They also point to a rapid expansion in manufacturing capacity in China, Russia and other nations that will ease the polysilicon shortage.
Statewide, the Energy Commission reports that owners of 16,684 homes and businesses have installed rooftop solar units since 1981. That puts California third globally in solar production behind Germany and Japan. Still, solar's 130 megawatts of power statewide represent just a fraction of the 33,032 megawatts that California produces on average each year. And the number of installations on rooftops is just a mere sliver of the 12.2 million homes and apartment buildings in California. California home builders last year received permits to build 154,853 new single-family homes and 53,000 new apartments and condominiums, according to the Construction Industry Research Board. But statewide, they have built only 1,500 to 1,600 new homes with solar systems already included, the Energy Commission's Amy Morgan reported. Source: The Sacramento Bee, 4/9/2006
SunPower Corporation recently announced it has commenced volume shipments of its new line of solar panels. According to SunPower, the new line, which includes the SPR-220, SPR-215 and SPR-95 models, offers efficiencies of up to 17.7 percent and are capable of producing up to 50 percent more power in a given roof area than conventional solar panels while reducing per-unit installation costs. SunPower noted that the new panels are available in North America through the company's dealer network and in Europe through the company's exclusive channel partner SunTechnics. Source: SunPower, EIN STAFF 4/4/2006
Groupe Michelin is to become the first major manufacturer in Scotland to commit to using renewable energy, with the construction of two wind turbines at its Dundee plant, says an article in The Scotsman. In a battle against rising energy costs, the turbines, which are expected to be operational by July, will provide up to 4 MW of power on a windy day, meeting the entire Dundee factory's needs. Over the course of the year it is forecast to provide about a third of the energy needs, cutting electricity bills by about 8 percent, once running costs are accounted for. Michelin UK managing director Jim Rickard told The Scotsman: "The cost of energy is making it more difficult to remain competitive. To retain jobs in the U.K., I have to make it as attractive as possible to invest here. The energy costs are a real negative."
According to the company, in 2004 electricity cost about 44 per MWh in Dundee, compared with 41 in France and 37 in Spain. Now it is costing the company about 95 per MWh, compared with 62 in France and 61 in Spain. While the company projects the gap will narrow by 2010, its electricity costs are still expected to be 20 per MWh more expensive in Scotland than its major production areas on the continent. The company's figures also claim the U.K. cost of gas has grown at twice the rate than at its other western European facilities. "To stay in the game, we've got to save and save," said Rickard. Michelin employs about 3,700 staff in the U.K., about 2,500 of which relate directly to manufacturing, making it the largest tyre manufacturer in the U.K.
Rickard's comments come only a day after Goodyear announced it was cutting more than 1,500 manufacturing jobs in the U.K., moving the work to India. Rickard said that was "symptomatic of how tough it is in manufacturing in the U.K. at the moment". Source: (Clacton, U.K./Tyres & Accessories), April 10, 2006
Outage rates for geothermal facilities in California are lower than at a conventional natural gas generating unit, while solar values are 79 percent and wind is as low as 25 percent. The Renewables Portfolio Standard in the state requires a ‘least-cost best-fit’ strategy for selecting new generation projects to fulfill its supply goals from renewables, explains a report prepared for the California Energy Commission by the California Wind Energy Collaborative. That strategy explicitly includes indirect integration costs in the bid evaluation process, and the report documents a multi-year analysis of integration costs for the period from 2002 to 2004.
The capacity credit analysis uses a conventional gas unit as benchmark, and shows that biomass has outage rates comparable to the gas benchmark unit, with a resulting capacity credit of 98 percent. With lower outage rates, geothermal facilities in both the north and the south of the state were assigned a rating of 109 percent. Solar values were relatively high, given the natural tendency to track load and auxiliary gas generators, with a rating of 79 percent relative to rated nameplate capacity and 75 percent relative to annual peak generation. Wind values ranged from 27 percent to 44 percent based on annual peak generation, and from 24 percent to 39 percent based on nameplate capacity, with higher rates in the north and lower at San Gorgonio and Tehachapi.
Geothermal had fairly flat output and low regulation cost, while regulation costs for solar and wind are higher than biomass and geothermal but are still quite modest, it explains. “The solar results are consistent with the minute-to-minute variability in its generation data; the regulation costs imposed by wind are reasonable given that there are no apparent mechanisms that tie wind plant performance to the power system's needs either favorably or unfavorably in the regulation time frame.” Source: Refocus, 4/13/2006.
Canada's wind energy industry has already broken its annual growth record in 2006 and is set to shatter it before the year is out. As of April 2006, Canada had installed 260 MW of new wind energy capacity, breaking the existing record of 239 MW established in 2005. An additional 250 MW of new wind energy capacity is expected to be installed in Canada before the end of 2006. Canada currently has 943 MW of installed wind energy capacity, enough to power more than 285,000 homes.
Projects already installed this year include the Kettles Hill Wind Farm in Alberta, the Centennial Wind Power Facility in Saskatchewan, the St. Leon Wind Farm in Manitoba, and the Kingsbridge and Melancthon Wind Power Projects in Ontario. These projects represent a total investment of $503 million and provide a number of local economic benefits in the form of lease income to landowners, tax revenues to municipal governments, and new investment and jobs in rural communities across Canada. There are also significant environmental benefits.
The Federal Government's Wind Power Production Incentive, coupled with provincial government procurement processes for wind and renewable energy, has played a key role in facilitating wind energy development in Canada to this point. The 2005 Federal Budget commitment to expand the objective of the WPPI program to a level of 4,000 MW of wind energy development in Canada by 2010 will help ensure that Canada's wind energy industry will continue to grow rapidly for the remainder of 2006 and beyond. Source: Canadian Wind Energy Association, 4/12/2006
Developers have often been reluctant to hunt for new geothermal energy because of the enormous cost and risk associated with drilling down deep below the earth's surface. So the U.S. Navy is increasingly doing the drilling on their behalf, scouting for untapped reserves of heat pent up beneath the surface of military facilities. One of the Navy's most recent geothermal discoveries, at Fallon Naval Air Station in Nevada, will culminate with a private power plant coming on line in 2008, officials said during a congressional hearing Thursday.
The Navy is conducting similar activities at a handful of other sites, which officials see as part of a larger effort to open federal property to renewable energy development as an alternative to foreign oil. Nationwide, 22 states have set out to reduce the use of fossil fuels through laws that seek to boost the use of alternatives. In Nevada, officials hope that by 2015, 20 percent of power will come from renewable sources. The Silver State is seen as a hotbed of geothermal and wind energy, though 80 percent of those resources falls on federal property.
Besides Fallon, the Navy is also assisting the U.S. Army in geothermal exploration at a depot in Hawthorne. But while the Navy pumps the revenue it collects from such projects into additional research, renewable energy advocates see a lack of commitment to the cause at the White House. President Bush's 2007 budget plan calls for boosting funding for wind and solar energy. But the proposal would shutter a $23 million geothermal research and development program, a move that industry officials say would slow efforts to bring down exploration costs.
Critics also charge that the renewable energy funds called for in Bush's budget proposal falls short of what Congress authorized last year.
Nearly half of all the nation's geothermal production occurs on federal land and there are currently more than 400 geothermal right-of-way leases. But private solar power plants appear non-existent on federal land, with both Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service officials reporting no applications for such projects.Source: PVT Washington Bureau, 4/12/2006
Energy Vision International, a rapidly growing diversified energy company, is awarded additional new business on the Lake Travis development. American Geothermal signed the contract this week to proceed with the mechanical design and engineering work on the common areas of 'The Island on Lake Travis' luxury condominium development. The area comprises 20,000 square feet and will provide heating and cooling for the indoor pool, health club, locker rooms and spa. The contract also includes the second floor lounge area, full bar, restaurant and meeting rooms as well as a third floor private penthouse.
American Geothermal was originally awarded the contract to install the DeMarco Energy Miser heating and cooling system in 80 of the 212 condominiums. The principal developers have been highly impressed with the reliability of the Energy Miser system and as a result awarded American Geothermal significantly more business than originally quoted. These condominiums enjoy the benefit of lowering heating and cooling bills by up to 70 percent versus traditional HVAC systems. Source: Primezone -- 4/12/2006
WorldWater & Power Corp. (OTCBB:WWAT), developer of proprietary high-powered solar energy systems, today announced that it has obtained requisite financing and all applicable rebates for the solar electric system to be installed at Valley Car Wash, Inc. of Van Nuys, California. Construction will begin within weeks on the $676,000 project. Located on Van Nuys Boulevard in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, the rooftop photovoltaic (PV) installation will substantially reduce the car wash's electrical costs. Valley recently received approval of a 42 percent rebate of the full installation cost by Southern California Gas Company through the California Public Utilities Commission's Self Generation Incentive Program.
"Car washes are just one of the many new applications that are perfect for our solar energy systems. Having a flat roof and requiring high amounts of power for its water pumping needs, Valley Car Wash can immediately benefit from WorldWater & Power's applications," said Quentin T. Kelly, Chairman. "When you consider that state and federal rebates pay for nearly half the installation cost, that monthly savings on electricity are quite attractive, and that customers increasingly support businesses that use clean energy, putting in solar power is a very smart business decision." Source: © 2006 Primezone, 4/12/2006
New geothermal heating and cooling systems have saved the Sedalia school district as much as one-third on utility bills. The district saved $52,749, or about 33 percent, on natural gas bills from July 2005 to January 2006 compared to the same period the year before, according to figures provided by Harriet Wolfe, assistant superintendent of business and finance. The district paid the $4.8 million cost to install the geothermal systems, then received a $2.23 million loan, Dr. Wolfe said. The district invested the money from the loan, and is repaying it at a smaller interest rate than the investment is accruing, she said. The district's loan payment this year is $97,000; payments after this year increase to about $194,000. Payments will continue through 2021. Part of the loan paid for lighting upgrades at district buildings. The loan payments are based on the estimated savings to the district.
Besides saving the district money, the new systems have allowed students to concentrate better, some teachers said. Students at Horace Mann Elementary School "looked like wilted plants" during afternoons from August through October 2004, said Emily Worstell, a third-grade teacher. This school year, students are "alert and they're peppy and they're ready to go" in the afternoons, she said.
Construction of those systems will be paid through a $3.4 million performance contract that guarantees the district will see enough savings to make annual payments over 15 years. Vanderford and Associates Inc, the same company that installed the previous systems, will install the new ones beginning this summer. The existing geothermal systems meant the district was able to "avoid those astronomical natural gas prices increasing," Dr. Wolfe said. The district paid gas prices of $4.35 per one million British thermal units, or 63 percent higher in November 2005 than November 2004.
In January 2005, it took 3,123 MBTU's of natural gas to heat Smith-Cotton High School. This year, it took 355 MBTU's, according to the figures. The system also has needed less maintenance. Maintenance workers have more time to devote to other projects in district buildings. Source: By Beth O'Malley, The Sedalia Democrat, 4/7/2006
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab is pleased to announce the completion of a new report: “Who Owns Renewable Energy Certificates: An Exploration of Policy Options and Practice.”
The emergence of RECs as a tradable commodity has made utilities, generators, and regulators increasingly aware of the need to specify who owns the RECs in energy transactions. Because of the recent appearance of RECs, legislation and regulation mandating the purchase of renewable energy has sometimes been silent on the disposition of the RECs associated with that generation. The resulting uncertainty has created confusion and, in some cases, has led to contention between buyers and sellers of renewable generation.
This report provides information and insight to state policy-makers, utility regulators, and others about different approaches to clarifying the ownership of RECs. We focus exclusively on three distinct areas in which REC ownership issues have arisen:
• Qualifying Facilities that sell their generation under PURPA;
• Customer-owned generation that benefits from state net metering rules; and
• Generation facilities that receive financial incentives from state or utility funds.
Download the full report or a PowerPoint presentation that summarizes key findings. Source: Ryan Wiser, Ed Holt, and Mark Bolinger, 4/7/2006.
The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Clean Energy States Alliance have released a new case study titled Exploring the Economic Value of EPAct 2005’s PV Tax Credits. How much economic value do these new and expanded federal tax credits really provide to PV system purchasers? And what implications might they hold for state/utility PV grant programs? Using a generic (i.e., non-state-specific) cash flow model, this report explores these questions. Source: SEPA Bi-Weekly News, 04/07/2006.
High school students have been consuming energy since they learned to flip a light switch. But getting them to think about where that energy came from, how to use less of it and even how to produce it is a quantum leap. And the skills used in such practical projects cross the curriculum, said Dick Anderson, who teaches in the technology lab at Darlington High School.
One of the results bears a vague resemblance to R2-D2, except with copper tubing, gauges, tank and pumps. Chad Allendorf, along with Curtis Schulte and Andrew Skog, built the solar domestic water heater using the 45-minute class time for an entire semester. It is a closed loop tube within a tube heat exchanger to transfer heat between the solar collector and the storage tank. For every gallon of water to be heated, a home would need a 2-square foot solar panel, Allendorf said. "You wouldn't have to use as much electricity."
While they were building it, one student suggested they make the collector adjustable to accommodate sun angles during different seasons. The guts of the system came from a kit, but students had to design their project, build a wood platform to make it portable and get it up and running. Anderson wants his technology lab students to see ways to directly apply what they learn. "Instead of all students working on carpentry and cabinetry, they can choose an engineering or manufacturing project as well," he said.
One project might use physics – such as the concepts of heat transfer, radiation, conduction and convection – along with welding and plumbing. There might not be a textbook, but principles from several disciplines blend. Projecting the size of collectors and storage tanks needed is math. Using longitude and latitude to figure out the best placement of solar collectors is geography. Discussing ways that the nation could become less dependent on fossil fuels and foreign oil is political science and economics.
The projects employ "knowledge, experience and teamwork. That's the way the real world works," Anderson said.
Anderson started tinkering with renewable energy during the 1970s energy crunch. He has an electric car and a wind generator that supplies five percent of his home's electricity.
People ask him if the generator meets all his home electricity needs, and are surprised when he says it provides five percent. He demonstrates by planting a nickel and seeing who picks it up. It's only five percent of a dollar, he said. Students learn to be better consumers and ask the right questions about the ways they'll use energy in their homes and lives, he said. Source: By Mary Glindinning, Time correspondent, 4/7/2006
Why Geothermal? Heat, from the earth's interior, can be extracted from hot water or rock and used to heat buildings, greenhouses, water and more. Using geothermal heat in this manner is known as "direct use." Heating with renewable geothermal energy can drastically reduce or eliminate natural gas, propane or electricity use.
Arizona possesses a substantial geothermal resource that can be developed for direct use applications, which will stabilize energy bills, reduce energy costs, and increase energy independence. This one-day conference will provide comprehensive information on the state's geothermal resource, potential for development, project examples and steps to getting projects in the ground.
For detailed conference agenda and application, contact Pat Ponce at 928-523-2380.
Do Americans Believe Climate Change is Real?
Do They Think the United States Should Do Something About It?
Thursday, April 20, 2006, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m., 2318 Rayburn House Office Building
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute invites you to a Congressional briefing on recent polling results regarding public perceptions of climate change. There has been a marked increase in scientific documentation of the impacts of global warming. This briefing will explore whether a range of recent polls and trends show a corresponding shift in public opinion. The panelists are:
* Dr. Whit Ayres, President, Ayres, McHenry & Associates Strategic Opinion Research
* Dr. Steven Kull, Director, Program on International Policy Attitudes, and Center on Policy Attitudes
* Dr. Thomas Brewer, Associate Professor, Georgetown University, MacDonough School of Business
Among the topics to be addressed by the panel will be:
?oe Do Americans believe there is a scientific consensus on global warming? Do they believe climate change is due to human activity? Do they believe they will experience the effects of global warming in their lifetime?
?oe Do Americans support mandatory reductions in greenhouse gas emissions? Do they support tougher vehicle emissions standards? Do they support a mandatory carbon cap-and-trade program to reduce GHG emissions? Do they support tax incentives for companies to reduce GHG emissions?
?oe Would Americans accept higher energy costs to mitigate the effects of global warming? Do they believe it is possible to reduce GHG emissions? Do they believe individuals can do anything about global warming?
?oe What specific steps are Americans willing to take to reduce energy usage and hence GHG emissions?
A handout summarizing recent polls on global warming will be available. Ample time will be allotted for questions following the presentations. This briefing is open to the public and no reservations are required. Please feel free to forward this notice. For more information, contact Fred Beck, 202-662-1892.
Healthy Communities for Young and Old: How Smart Transit and Community Design Help the Most Vulnerable Generations–Monday, May 1, 2006–1:30- 3:00 p.m., 2167 Rayburn House Office Building
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute is a non-profit organization established in 1984 by a bipartisan, bicameral group of members of Congress to provide timely information on energy and environmental policy issues to policymakers and stakeholders and develop innovative policy solutions that set us on a cleaner, more secure and sustainable energy path.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, along with the North American Electric Reliability Council, the American Wind Energy Association, and the Utility Wind Integration Group are co-sponsoring a symposium on the current status of wind power and electric utilities. "Wind Power: Technology, Economics, and Politics," is targeted towards a broad cross-section of policy makers, including regulators, legislators and government officials and will concern the technical, economic, reliability, operational and implementation issues related to wind power.
The symposium, to be held April 20-21, 2006, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., is intended to provide insights from a public policy perspective on policies that have contributed to successful experiences with wind power, and lessons that have been learned. A link to the agenda, as well as information on registration, can be found on the IEEE web site under What's New, Meetings.
The most recent Monthly Market Update is available. Reports cover:
All above reports are hosted on our web site, in Resources » Monthly Market Updates section. Also, please note that past issues of the Monthly Market Reports are available only to registered users of our evo.ID market data Web services. Registration is free–click here to create an account. We hope you find this a valuable information resource for energy and environmental markets. Source: re: http://www.evomarkets.com/mmu
First meeting of the New Solar Homes Partnership Advisory Committee, Energy Commission Members and participants will have an opportunity to collaborate and exchange views on the issues involved in developing the New Solar Homes Partnership. This and subsequent collaborative meetings and public workshops will provide members and participants a forum to ask questions and make comments and suggestions on elements of the New Solar Homes Partnership. Source: Bob Aldrich, California Energy Commission, Web Team
Climate change and the increasing instability of energy supplies are in the news more and more. In an effort to showcase Renewable Energy as the key to both Climate Recovery and Energy Independence, the American Solar Energy Society will hold its SOLAR 2006 Conference, July 8-13 at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in downtown Denver, Colo. The ASES conference is America’s largest and most prestigious annual gathering of sustainable energy professionals. Many prominent experts in the fields of renewable energy and climate change are scheduled to speak at SOLAR 2006:
For more information, contact either Phil von Hake, 303-762-8547, or Becky Campbell-Howe, 303-443-3130, x103.
The Geothermal Resources Council has announced a call for papers for their premier 2006 GRC Annual Meeting to be held in San Diego, CA September 10 - 13, 2006, at the Town & Country Resort. The proposed 2006 technical program includes: Business Development and Finance, Direct Use Applications, Utility and Transmission Issues, Government Policies and Incentives, and Geothermal Resource Assessments.
The GRC invites you to submit a paper related to one of the above session themes or a technical paper in geothermal research, exploration, development and utilization. Deadline for draft technical papers is April 28, 2006. Additionally, the GRC 2006 National Conference will focus on university student participation, with its new “Year of the Student” program. The GRC is encouraging students in the fields of geology, engineering, and environmental sciences to submit draft papers for consideration by it Technical Program Review Committee. With U.S. Department of Energy assistance, the GRC will offer attendance scholarships to any student whose paper is accepted for presentation, and cash prizes for Best Student Oral and Poster Presentations. Source: WAPA, 3/30/2006.
Tucked away in the woods near Tahoe City, Calif., more than 150 decision makers from electric and gas utilities and ancillary organizations will gather for the May 3 to 5 for the 26th Utility Energy Forum. Annually since 1981, the forum focuses on how utilities can help customers meet their energy needs with the emphasis on reducing energy consumption and developing renewable energy resources.
This year’s theme is “Best Practices . . . Running Utility Programs more Efficiently, Economically, and Effectively”. Workshops, panels, and breakout sessions will address ways Electric, Gas, and Water Utilities can cut costs and increase productivity AND help their business customers do the same. In keeping with core concept of providing better service to customers, the forum now also includes sessions on how to run utilities better. Register online. Source: Guy Nelson, 2/6/2006.
Note: Ethanol Report is now available.
A service of the Renewable Fuels Association.
Source: Matt Hartwig, Communications Director, Renewable Fuels Association, 4/12/2006
The California Energy Commission recently announced the Bioenergy Interagency Working Group's release of "Recommendations for a Bioenergy Plan for California," which are designed to help accelerate biomass activity for alternative fuels and energy production. CEC noted that the recommendations, which have been forwarded for consideration by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, could be used to guide state policy. "Bioenergy is critical to California's energy supply and vital to its waste and resource management efforts, including reducing petroleum dependence and achieving climate protection goals," said CEC chairman Joseph Desmond.
Last summer, Schwarzenegger requested the group's recommendations to help him develop an integrated and comprehensive state policy on biomass. Consistent with the governor's direction, the recommendations are intended to create institutional and regulatory changes that could help significantly increase bioenergy use in the state.
According to the commission, the 10-agency Working Group based its recommendations on four policy objectives – establish bioenergy production and consumption targets, while creating a positive environment for investment in new facilities; enhance and accelerate California research, development and demonstration programs to promote biomass production and use; increase state agency coordination to enhance bioenergy production; and reduce impediments to bioenergy by promoting public awareness of its importance and benefits. CEC said the report notes that although California is a national leader in using biomass to generate electricity, the state's current use represents just a fraction of what is technically feasible. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 4/10/2006.
This month's IREC "Connecting to the Grid" newsletter is now available. Source: IREC, 4/10/2006.
Nike Inc. and Hewlett-Packard have received the top sustainability reporting awards in an international competition sponsored by the Boston-based Ceres coalition and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. The winners, selected from a record 87 nominations, also included Seventh Generation in Burlington, Vt., Dofasco in Hamilton, Ontario, and Gap Inc. in San Francisco, Calif. The five winners were announced at the Ceres annual conference at the Oakland Marriott.
The Ceres-ACCA North American awards program, now in its fifth year, highlights best practices in reporting on sustainability issues by North American companies and other organizations, and provides guidance to other groups and companies that are publishing or intend to publish sustainability or corporate social responsibility reports.
Selected by a panel of 11 judges who focused on the reports' completeness, credibility and effectiveness of communication, the award winners are:
Best Sustainability Report (Co-Winners): Nike Inc., Beaverton, Ore.: Nike's winning 2004 Corporate Responsibility Report included unprecedented disclosure about the names and locations of the more than 700 active contract factories that currently make Nike-branded products worldwide.
For advice in preparing its report, Nike invited experts from trade union, NGO, academic, investor and business communities acting in their capacities as individuals to participate in a Report Review Committee.
Hewlett-Packard, Palo Alto, Calif.: For a second consecutive year, HP has won the award for best sustainability report. Its 2005 Global Citizenship Report identifies the company's three primary sustainability challenges: electronic waste reduction, improving environmental and social performance in its extensive supply chain, and increasing global access to information technology.
Best Small and Medium Enterprise Report: Seventh Generation, Burlington,Vt: In addition to describing the company’s extensive stakeholder engagement efforts, the report includes candid employee testimonials revealing how the company responded to various challenges to its commitment to social and environmental responsibility. Seventh Generation is the nation’s leading marketer of non-toxic, environmentally safe household and personal care products.
Commendation for Continued Excellence in Integrated Reporting: Dofasco Inc., Hamilton, Ontario: For the third straight year, Dofasco has taken the unusual step of integrating sustainability reporting into its Annual Report. Employing this approach reinforces Dofasco's message to its shareholders that sustainability is a core part of its business strategy and that the company's social and environmental performance are just as important as the company’s fiscal performance.
Commendation for Continued Excellence in Social Reporting: Gap Inc., San Francisco, Calif.: Gap was once again awarded for excellence in social reporting. As in its 2003 Social Responsibility Report, Gap reports on its progress and challenges in implementing a social responsibility program throughout its retail apparel and garment manufacturing supply chain.
Source: GreenBiz.com - 4/6/2006
Draft Renewables Portfolio Standard Eligibility Guidebook, publication # CEC-300-2006-007-D, posted;
April 7, 2006. (Acrobat PDF file, 77 pages, 330 kb). Read the notice and download the documents online. Source: Bob Aldrich, California Energy Commission, Web Team, 4/13/2006
Gov.Jennifer Granholm ordered that the Michigan Public Service Commission draft a comprehensive energy plan that includes developing renewable portfolio standards, which would require Michigan to generate a targeted amount the energy it uses from renewable sources. The Energy Plan for Michigan will be headed up by MPSC Chairman Peter Lark, who is expected to have a completed report to present to the governor by Dec. 31.
The plan was the centerpiece of Executive Directive 2002-2, which asks the MPSC for recommendations to “ensure the state can both reliably meet its growing energy needs and keep electric rates competitive.” One of the more controversial aspects of Granholm’s directive is the establishment of a mandatory renewable portfolio standard that would force utilities to meet goals for the amount of power they generate from biomass and other renewable sources. There are 21 states that have renewable portfolio standards, most of which had to be approved through a state legislative process. A similar process is almost certain to be required for Michigan. Michigan electricity portfolio includes 56.7 percent coal, 26.4 percent nuclear, 13.4 percent natural gas, and only 2 percent from renewable sources currently.
Utilities, such as Consumers Energy prefer a voluntary approach to increasing the amount of energy generated from renewable sources. The Jackson-based utility unit for CMS Energy Corp. offers its customers to purchase renewable power through its Green Generation Program, which makes up between 5 percent and 7 percent of its overall energy portfolio. “Our view is that voluntary private programs should be given an opportunity to grow, mature and develop,” said Dan Bishop, a spokesman for Consumers Energy in a recent interview.
Meanwhile, environmental groups applauded the news. “Using more wind, solar and other renewable energy sources will directly and positively impact electricity and natural gas prices,” said Mike Shriberg, director of the Public Interest Research Group in Michigan By displacing electric power production from natural gas power plants, renewables reduce gas demand and make gas more readily available at lower prices for other uses.” Source: Alejandro Bodipo-Memba, Free Press Business Writer, 4/6/2006
AES Somerset’s presentation on commercial wind power met with fairly positive public reaction this week, as nearly 200 people assembled at the Barker Fire Hall to hear an AES manager’s description of the look, feel and potential impacts of siting a wind farm on the north edge of this lakeside agricultural town. While critics of wind farms focus on the drawbacks of the enormous wind turbines planted in residential communities — their potential unsightliness, noise and hazards from ice throw to bird kills — town Supervisor John Sweeney Jr. thinks more people in town are inclined to look beyond their back yard. In the bigger picture, wind power can reduce pollution and cut American dependence on dirty, finite fossil fuels.
Wind has economic value for AES, according to AES project manager Paul Burdick. The state Public Service Commission wants 25 percent of electricity sold in New York to be generated from renewable sources by 2013 and the company is poised to help vendors meet that mandate, he said. On a more global scale, “If oil prices stay high ... wind is clearly competitive,” he added.
The global became local to Somerset more than a year ago, after AES officials floated a concept plan for a commercial wind farm to town planners. The Town Board, knowing Somerset’s zoning code did not speak to the subject of turbine siting, declared a moratorium on construction in 2005 while it tried to pull together regulations. In January, it tested the waters of a total ban on windmills and found public opinion overwhelmingly opposed. In February, Sweeney pulled together a special committee to get the regulations drafted; rules for siting commercial and residential windmills are being reviewed by the planning board this month.
Because of siting, Somerset is one of a relative few places in New York where wind energy generation is financially feasible, according to Burdick. The minimum average wind speed needed to power turbines consistently, 11 to 13 mph, is found along the southern shore of Lake Ontario and northern Long Island; speed diminishes rapidly inland.
As for general benefits, he said:
— AES will negotiate leases with landowners, likely farmers, who get payments for the use of a small amount of land, clearance and access paths (about a quarter-acre per turbine) while continuing to farm the rest of their acreage.
— Because the turbines are not taxable, AES will negotiate a payment in lieu of taxes plan with the host county, typically $5,000 per year per megawatt of power produced, and a host community agreement with the host town, typically $1,000 per megawatt per year. The agreements are set for 20 years, before construction begins, so the company can budget the payments. At 70 megawatts, that’s $350,000 a year for Niagara County, Barker School District and other taxing entities and $70,000 a year for the Town of Somerset.
— AES cannot grant townspeople direct power cost cuts because it does not sell power to end users. It can, however, feed the power grid with cheaper, cleaner wind power and “displace” dirtier energy on the grid. On a macro level, power costs can be reduced for all end users including townspeople.
Joyce Bachman of Lake Road, who lives across the road from AES on property tentatively eyed for turbine siting, would like to think AES harnessing the wind could help it cut back coal-fired generation. “It can’t be any noisier than it is now. The house shakes; it sounds like an earthquake,” she said. “I don’t mind the windmills. I don’t think they’ll be too bad.” Source: By Joyce M. Miles, Lockport Union-Sun and Journal
The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission yesterday approved a plan to institute a major renewable energy program for the 32-sq.-mi. Meadowlands region. As reported by GlobeSt.com, the state agency had launched a study in early December to determine the feasibility of such a program. The initiative just approved calls for 20 MW of new sources of renewable energy in the region by 2020, including an initial 5 MW created through the use of photovoltaic cells.
To start things off, the NJMC will pursue construction of the 5 MW photovoltaic power system, or “solar energy farm.” An internal report estimates that it will take 1.3 million sf of space to accommodate such a system, and NJMC officials say they are already scouting everything from existing roof space, parking lots and garages, to remediated landfills. The commission also approved the creation of a Renewable Energy Task Force, which will spend the next year or so developing a master plan for the larger 20 MW plan.
According to NJMC executive director Robert Ceberio, the task force will examine solar, tidal, wind, geothermal and other sources of energy. The NJMC already began, a number of years ago, to collect methane gas from the region’s landfills, a portion of which has been fed into local utility pipelines or used as fuel to generate electricity. Job creation is also part of the game plan. The initiative calls for the NJMC to work with other state agencies to attract related industries to the region--such as manufacturers of solar panels--or those involved in renewable energy R&D. Source: Tuesday, By Eric Peterson, 4/11/2006
Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell is urging municipalities to participate in small-scale wind-energy projects throughout the state to reduce the state's dependence on imported energy. The Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority awarded Southwest Windpower a $193,000 grant to place 15 small wind turbines in highly visible locations across the state. Each turbine will generate 1.8 kilowatts of electricity, enough to power an average home. Making them visible will encourage people to adopt alternative energy source, Rendell said. "The price of imported fuel is too high in terms of dollars and security," he said. "By placing these windmills in where many people can see them, Pennsylvanians will be able to learn about and experience alternative energy as part of their daily lives." Source: WasteNews.com 4/11/2006
The Global Wind Energy Council recently released a new report, titled "Global Wind 2005," which forecasts that wind power will increase by an average of 18 percent annually until 2010, by which time global installed wind capacity is expected to total 134.8 gigawatts. According to the report, the world’s total installed wind capacity increased 24 percent in 2005, up 11.5 GW to a total of 59.1 GW.
GWEC noted that the U.S. wind market is expected to grow by about 24 percent annually, with installed wind capacity rising from 9.8 GW currently to 29.1 GW by 2010. Source: GWEC, (EIN STAFF), 4/7/2006.
More of New Jersey's electricity will come from renewable sources, under a measure approved Wednesday by state utility regulators. The state Board of Public Utilities, in a 4-0 vote, directed that 20 percent of the electricity used in the state by 2020 would have to come from renewable sources such as wind or solar power. In addition to making the state less dependent on foreign oil, the renewable sources would also reduce emissions from traditional energy sources, such as coal.
The initiative would probably not increase energy costs for consumers, although a Rutgers University study suggested costs would rise 2 percent to 3 percent. Natural gas prices could fall as more renewable energy is utilized and solar energy relieves price pressure on traditional sources during the hot months of peak demand. The new requirement is in addition to the current renewable standard, which requires that 4 percent of the state's electricity come from renewable sources by 2008.
Energy suppliers can meet the standard by producing renewable energy, such as by building a wind farm, or by purchasing it from suppliers who use renewable sources. If an electric supplier does not meet the 20 percent requirement, it would make a payment to the state. The New Jersey Business and Industry Association has voiced some concerns about the requirement, specifically about the reliability of renewable energy and the costs. But environmentalists, including the Sierra Club and the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group, praised the renewable energy requirements. Source: BPU: http://www.bpu.state.nj.us
Thomas Friedman, author of the best-selling book, “The World is Flat,” wrote in a recent column that energy independence is the “biggest issue of our day.” He is not alone when he predicts the transition from oil to renewable energies will be the largest growth industry in the 21st century. The way we power our cars, homes, schools and offices is all going to change – and already is. If we don’t dominate this industry, others will.
Colorado must lead the change in production and use of renewable energies. We have the intellectual and natural resources to be a world model. There’s no better way to simultaneously strengthen our economy, protect our environment and defend our national security. This year I’m proud to chair the first House select committee on renewable energy. We are discussing, debating, evaluating and studying issues surrounding this growing business sector. The committee solicits broad input from leaders in the renewable energy community to learn what steps state government can take to make Colorado as friendly as possible to the emerging industry.
In 2004, voters approved Amendment 37, requiring the state to adopt renewable energy standards, setting in motion an unprecedented push toward a sustainable future. Our state is, in many ways, already on the cutting-edge of innovation in the field. We’re home to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory which leads the nation in developing renewable energies. Located in Golden, NREL has amassed irreplaceable engineering and scientific expertise including first-class researchers and facilities. During the past 28 years, NREL has succeeded in bringing costs of technology to where widespread commercialization of renewable energies is possible. The laboratory was forced to slash jobs this year because of budget cuts. President Bush, who described America as “addicted to oil” in his State of the Union address, visited the laboratory after our resolution passed and restored some funding.
The bad news is our energy consumption is growing faster than our population. House Democrats realize there’s no time to lose. We passed the bi-partisan Low Income Economic Assistance Package bill earlier this year, which provides financial assistance to Coloradans struggling to pay heating bills. In addition, Democrats insisted on including money for energy efficiency improvements, so we don’t face the same problems in years to come. Financial assistance is great, but it’s not a solution; it’s a short-term fix. Along long-term lines, a bill this year will create a map guiding our renewable energy endeavors. An annual energy profile of the state, with up-to-date statistics, data and projections is necessary to keep us on the right track and measure progress.
The Front Range and the Eastern Plains are notorious for the high wind that makes the corn stalks shake. Harnessing that wind power to produce energy simply makes sense. Instead of large upfront payments, which discourage development of wind-energy infrastructure, we have a bill re-working the formula so wind-energy producers make tax payments over time. Values for property will only be assigned when facilities, like wind turbines, are used to produce energy.
Coal is used to generate a little more than half America’s electricity needs and significant reserves are scattered throughout the state, especially on the Western Slope. We’re behind legislation setting aside money to help develop cleaner ways of producing energy from coal, which can significantly cut down on carbon dioxide emissions – the leading cause of global warming. The same goes for solar power. Colorado has four distinct seasons, but the one constant is abundant sunshine. Solar power is becoming more and more feasible as technology advances and prices drop. The importance of conservation cannot be dismissed as simply a personal virtue – something admired, but not necessary. Resources such as water and natural gas have limits. Changing the way we do business throughout Colorado must happen if we are to enjoy any semblance of energy security in the future.
Rep. Judy Solano (D-Brighton), HD 31, is chairman of the House Select Committee on Strategic Renewable Energy and a member of the House Agriculture and House Education Committees. Source: Rep. Judy Solano, 4/12/2006
Billionaire Tom Golisano, founder of anti-wind power group Save Upstate New York, is now traveling the region advising towns on how to start community-owned wind farms. He has not explained his reversal but says his aim is to help residents, rather than corporations, reap the financial benefits of wind power by forming limited liability corporations and taking out bank loans.
As head of Save Upstate New York, Golisano claimed wind turbines would have severe effects on the environment. However, Golisano now argues that small municipalities of 500 to 1,000 citizens could earn as much as $9 million per year from an average-sized 30-turbine farm. Companies such as Airtricity and Horizon Wind would pay towns about $300,000 per year for the same farm. "The first thing your community needs to do is decide if they want wind power in the first place," he said. "If you decide that you're willing to accept the risks of having wind power in your area, I feel that the town's residents should reap the rewards rather than a large foreign-owned corporation." Golisano said he has the support of state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer (D) and other New York officials. Golisano said he does not make any money off his proposed projects, and that his only interest is using his business expertise to help the impoverished Finger Lakes region.
However, some locals are skeptical. "A year ago these people were talking about negative effects caused by wind farms," said Hartsville Town Board member George Prior. "The money causes blindness in some people so that they can't see the facts; hearing loss in others so that they can't hear what the town board is trying to explain to them; and amnesia in a lot of people who can't remember why they were opposed to the things in the first place" (Bryan Ball, Wired News, April 11). Source: E&E Publishing - LLCGreenwire, 4/10/2006
A new report by Research and Markets details the current and future state of the energy industry in China. This report is for strategists and researchers seeking to identify market potential for their products and services in all sectors of the China energy industry. Give yourself the competitive edge with this soon-to-be published report.
China's economic trajectory has driven its expanding energy needs, and it is now the world's second largest energy consumer behind the United States. Accompanying this increasing energy demand has been a growing dependence on imported oil, and China is now the world's third largest oil importer. China will continue to be a major player in world energy markets, but increasing energy demands pose tremendous challenges. China's present phase of economic and industrial development requires higher energy consumption per unit compared with developed nations. China is currently a net importer of oil, and imports are expected to increase to more than 900 million barrels in 2006, against a total demand of 1.993 billion barrels per year. China is looking to expand its production of coal, natural gas, and renewable energy sources such as nuclear, solar and hydroelectric power to meet the enormous appetite for energy spawned by its massive industrial complex and consumer sectors.
It is estimated that in 2020, China will need 2.8 billion tons of coal and 600 million tons of crude oil, two and a half times more than in 2000. Given this scenario, China will need to import 250 million tons of petroleum, about 70 percent, from foreign sources. What's more, its carbon emissions will reach 1.94 billion tons, and China will likely overtake the US as the nation with the highest greenhouse gas emissions. To deal with this situation, the Chinese government will need to optimize the country's potential for energy conservation. At present, China's energy utilization efficiency is only 33.4 percent, nearly 10 percent lower than the advanced international level, and the unit energy consumption of major products for China's main industries is much higher than the international level. The government needs to implement policies to boost energy conservation, especially in the transportation, architecture and industrial fields.
China will inevitably have a profound impact on future global energy markets, energy security, and environmental quality. A clearer understanding of what is happening in Chinese energy markets is essential, and this report explores the new energy-economic relationship that will influence both the international community and China. Source: Clean Edge News, 4/5/2006
As another Minnesota summer approaches, I reminisce about the stifling, muggy days we experienced last summer — but then flash back to the yellow, putrid haze that sometimes smothers the sun's rays. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency reports that during 2004 the air quality index in the metro area rose seven times to a level that was unhealthy for sensitive groups. To improve air quality, Minnesotans must begin implementing more renewable energy sources.
As a 20-year-old college student, I can only hope that we take initiative so that future generations will have the opportunity to breathe fresh air. During the days with a poor air quality index, people with sensitive respiratory systems are advised to remain indoors. Such advisories force my father, Steve Weinberger, a longtime asthma sufferer, out of his garden and into our air-conditioned home.
Poor air quality aggravates asthma and contributes to other adverse health effects such as irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, lungs and heart. Pollutants include ozone, sulfur dioxide, fine particulate matter and carbon monoxide — most of which originate from coal-burning power plants. Black Dog power plant, which burns low-sulfur western coal and natural gas, is located near our home in Burnsville. From our front yard, we can see the disheartening clouds of heavy smoke that billow from the smoke stacks. Recent improvements to the Black Dog plant have reduced emissions, and the plant now functions below permit levels. But even emission levels below legal limits can have adverse consequences.
Erin Saupe, a student at the College of St. Benedict/St. John's University, believes that the U.S. puts too little emphasis on finding and utilizing alternative energy sources. Saupe has conducted research with the U.S. Geological Survey regarding renewable energy sources and the remaining stores of fossil fuels in the U.S.
Thaddeus Dyman, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, says that implementing an energy mix is the most practical way to phase out fossil fuels and introduce renewables to our economy. "It may take 10-20 years to get renewable energy sources online," Dyman said. Dyman estimates that it may take 10 to 20 years to implement renewable energy sources. "We need to begin using a variety of different resources now or we may face an energy crisis in 10 to 20 years," Dyman said.
The average homeowner in Minnesota uses approximately 600 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month, and most of this energy is produced by coal and natural gas power plants. There are other consumer choices, though. Xcel Energy, for example, offers a program called Windsource. Windsource, which involves the harvesting of wind, offers a convenient, practical alternative to fossil fuels. The program is a great starting point for homeowners who'd like to make a difference but who aren't sure where to begin. With Windsource, homeowners have the option to purchase blocks of 100 kilowatt-hours of wind power at a rate of $2 per block. The proceeds from this program will support wind energy production.
Americans are using energy at an incredible rate, and we have never been more dependent on fossil fuels. Not only do pollutants from fossil fuels harm humans, they lead to global warming and acid rain. According to Xcel Energy, any customer who purchases 400 kilowatthours of wind power a month can have the same air-quality effect as planting a two-acre forest. We all need to do our part to preserve our natural environment, a source of Minnesota's identity, economic health and pride. Source: Sarah Weinberger, 4/9/2006
The saying “patience is a virtue” often proves true, but sometimes waiting too long to act can produce negative results. Such would be the case if Indiana fails to address its current energy situation.
The State Utility Forecasting Group’s recently released forecast shows that in 2010 Indiana will be faced with a significant shortage in electrical resources. The problem can be fixed – if action is taken now. Effective and efficient energy development is a critical national concern. Prior to 2003, the forecast only identified a need for additional power at “peak” demand times. The 2005 forecast now shows a need for substantial “baseload” power in the near term. In fact, the forecast projects that Indiana will need an additional 4,800 megawatts of power in less than 10 years – which is the length of time it takes to build a baseload/coal- fired power plant. To generate 4,800 megawatts, Indiana would need to build about six sizable power plants. While the numbers are startling, the forecast is based on many input assumptions and analysis and, like any forecast, only time will ultimately prove its accuracy.
Given the recent report, the need for that policy is greater than ever. It should include:
· A regulatory climate which encourages additional coal-fire baseload generation in order to take advantage of Indiana’s significant coal reserves and hedge against the volatile natural gas market
· A diversified fuel mix including clean coal technologies, natural gas, nuclear and renewables, where economically competitive
· Investment in new energy technologies such as the fuel cell
· Assessment of our electric power infrastructure, including transmission and distribution capabilities
· Sensible regulatory controls that promote the responsible building of new electric power stations
· Energy efficiency and conservation
A policy that incorporates the above points would help Indiana produce more energy, more efficiently, and increase the amount of resources available. Furthermore, such a policy would help to ensure that Indiana will maintain its crucial business advantage of an adequate, reliable and cost-effective supply of electricity.
The choice is simple: Develop and implement an energy policy now or face a shortage of electrical resources in just a few short years. Source: Kevin Brinegar, President, Indiana Chamber of Commerce
The Burbank Water and Power Board on Thursday gave initial approval of a five-year road map for meeting rising energy demands and still reaching its goal of using 20 percent renewable energy resources by 2017. Board members voted 4-0, with three members absent, to approve a draft of the city's 2006 Integrated Resource Plan. Their approval paves the way for the City Council to give final approval this summer.
The municipal utility, which operates on an annual budget of $300 million a year, serves 45,000 households and 6,000 businesses in the city. The IRP touts the city's accomplishments in energy conservation programs over the five years, including upgrades to power systems, and the completion a low-emission power plant. But the utility has also faced at least one major setback. The recently completed $243 million, 250-megawatt Magnolia Power Plant has been working on and off because of problems with a turning gear and, more recently, steam seals, since it began trial runs last summer.
At one point, officials estimated that the city was losing $1 million a month as a result of the plant being down. But there were no power outages as a result because the utility bought its power elsewhere. Officials hope to have the plant up and running next month. When it goes back online, officials say the Magnolia Power Plant is expected to power some 250,000 homes and businesses in Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Colton, Anaheim and Cerritos. Source: Jason Kandel, Staff Writer, LA Daily News, 4/7/2006
Secretary Bodman announced a three-year, $52.5 million solicitation to support new innovations in hydrogen technology. The solicitation, to be released later this month, supports President Bush's Advanced Energy Initiative – which seeks to reduce dependence on foreign oil–and will support research to assist in overcoming the scientific challenges associated with the production, use and storage of hydrogen.
This investment in basic research is designed to spur new innovation and breakthroughs that will help us build a hydrogen-based economy, Secretary Bodman said.
The solicitation will target the challenges that crosscut hydrogen storage, production and utilization identified in DOE's report Basic Research Needs for the Hydrogen Economy. The areas will include novel hydrogen storage materials, catalysts, and membranes. It will also create new information to expand upon DOE's already-existing basic research and will provide the longer-term knowledge necessary to move toward a hydrogen economy. If DOE's research – in partnership with industry, national labs and universities – succeeds in meeting consumer requirements by 2015, a mass- market penetration of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles can begin by 2020.
Secretary Bodman made this announcement while promoting President Bush's Advanced Energy Initiative, aimed at breaking our dependence on foreign energy sources. The AEI is a 22 percent increase in clean-energy research at DOE that will accelerate breakthroughs in the way we power our cars, homes and businesses. The Fiscal Year 2007 budget requests more than $2.1 billion for AEI-related programs.
The Secretary also announced that DOE will solicit proposals for public-private partnerships to make E-85 more widely available. Secretary Bodman announced that DOE is requesting more funding for advanced batteries to expand the all-electric, zero-emission range and fuel economy of these vehicles. DOE believes that the robust near-term and long-term technology approaches under the President's AEI will result in vehicles Americans want to buy while also providing significant energy security and environmental benefits. Source: Washington, 4/6/2006
Wells Fargo & Company invested $5 million in the Carlyle/Riverstone Renewable Energy Infrastructure Fund I, L.P – its first investment in a private equity renewable energy fund. The investment is part of the Company’s pledge to provide $1 billion in lending, investments and other financial commitments by 2010 to environmentally beneficial business opportunities, including renewable energy.
The Fund will invest in a breadth of renewable energy projects around the world, including wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and biofuels (ethanol and biodiesel) and will be managed by a joint venture of the Carlyle Group and Riverstone Holdings. Riverstone is a New York-based energy and power private equity fund manager with $6 billion under management. The Carlyle Group is a global private equity firm with $35 billion under management. The Company’s commitment to renewable energy extends to sustainable forestry, agriculture, water resource management, waste management, energy efficiency, and "green" building construction and development. Source: Wells Fargo & Company, 04/06/2006
Western Area Power Administration, representing Federal Agencies in the Midwest and west, will be soliciting vendors for Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to meet the Goals of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Section 203–which means Federal agencies must have 3 percent of their power needs met by renewable energy. This will be a five year, fixed price award. If you are interested in being part of this solicitation, please contact Theresa Williams, WAPA, or 720-962-7170 prior to April 28, 2006. Source: Peggy Plate, WAPA, 4/12/2006.
Evolution Markets is announcing today that we are facilitating an auction of Massachusetts renewable energy certificates on behalf of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. This is the fourth such auction Evolution Markets has hosted for the MTC. More information regarding the auction can be found in an online news release.
Participants in the auction of 3,621 Q3 and Q4 2005 Massachusetts RECs are required to submit bids to Evolution Markets via telephone prior to 2:00 p.m. EST on April 26, 2006. To submit bids or for additional information on the auction or REC trading markets, please contact Andrew Kolchins at 914.323.0255.
Source: Andrew Kolchins, Director, Renewable Energy Markets
The following grant opportunity postings were made on the Grants.gov Find Opportunities service:
US Department of Energy
Commercial Demonstration of an Integrated Biorefinery
System for Production of Liquid Transportation Biofuels, Biobased
Chemicals, Substitutes for Petroleum-based Feedstocks and Products, and
Biomass-based Heat/Power
Modification 2
This news item comes to you as a service of Western's Renewable Resources Program.
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