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Audubon New York recently announced it has chosen to support wind power for 100 percent of the energy used in its New York offices. The bird conservation organization has pledged to purchase renewable energy certificates sourced from a wind farm in Nebraska. "The wind farm developers at Ainsworth Wind Energy Center conducted extensive pre-development avian and environmental impact studies to minimize any potential bird and wildlife impacts," noted Audobon New York executive director David Miller. "Furthermore, post-development studies found no bird mortality from collisions and no evidence of significant displacement of birds from the habitat on site." Audubon New York purchased the Green-e Certified RECs through 3 Phases Energy. Contact: Michael Burger, Audubon New York, phone 607-254-2441. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 7/12/2006.
Stung by opposition that killed a proposed wind farm in Leeward Oahu but under continuing pressure to create renewable sources of power, Hawaiian Electric Co. has launched a series of advertisements telling customers it's up to them to help wean the state from its dependence on oil. Hawaii's largest electric utility will spend as much as $1 million this year on television and print ads urging communities to support the creation of new ways to harness energy from the sun, wind, land, ocean and even volcanoes. "Maybe that will help us get over our sense of 'not in my backyard' because it's in everybody's backyard," said Robbie Alm, HECO's senior vice president for community affairs.
State officials have set a goal of drawing 20 percent of Hawaii's energy from renewable sources such as solar, wind or geothermal power by 2020. That mandate is in addition to the pressure HECO already faces trying to come up with new power sources as its aging power plants reach or exceed capacity. With gas costing more than $3 per gallon, and fuel surcharges being tacked on to electric bills, HECO executives believed the time was right to get the public's attention. "From our point of view, that's going to take a lot of communities in the state accepting renewable energy as part of their communities," said Alm.
Only a fraction of Hawaii's electricity comes from renewable sources, most of that geothermal and garbage-to-energy. Kaheawa Wind Power, a company that began operating a new 30-megawatt wind farm on Maui last month, expects to supply 9 percent of Maui's electricity to HECO subsidiary Maui Electric Co.
Last month, Shell Oil Co. announced plans to spend $200 million to build a 40-megawatt wind farm at West Maui's remote Ulupalakua Ranch in a partnership with HECO subsidiary Renewable Hawaii Inc. While HECO lost millions experimenting unsuccessfully with wind power in the 1980s, Jeff Mikulina, director of the Sierra Club Hawaii chapter, noted that companies from outside Hawaii are now taking the lead in creating renewable energy plants and selling the electricity they generate back to HECO and its subsidiaries. "Hawaiian Electric has not historically been in the renewable energy business. They're in the fossil fuel business," he said.
Last fall, HECO was dealt a setback when its proposed wind farm on a ridge above its Kahe Power Plant was denounced by residents of the Waianae Coast. The company now is negotiating to place the giant power-generating turbines in the hills above Kahuku. "One of the issues that came up, we kept seeing people say 'Kahe wind failed,'" Alm said.
The ad campaign produced by Core Group One, a Honolulu advertising agency, features former KGMB news anchor Jade Moon. In the print ad, she is seen standing in a field in a photo sandwiched between pictures of ocean waves and wind turbines. A photo of an oil tanker is placed in an upper corner of the ad, which Alm said is meant to underscore the islands' current dependence on imported fuel. The print ad also lists 10 ways Hawaii can mine enough energy from its natural resources on each island to come up with 500 megawatts of power. Source: By Janis L. Magin, Pacific Business News, 7/14/2006.
Environmentally conscious companies now have a financial incentive for going green. Arizona's two largest energy providers are rolling out incentive programs for businesses to conserve energy. Arizona Public Service Co.'s new Business Solutions Program is offering incentives to businesses for a number of energy-saving measures, down to actions as simple as replacing light bulbs. Salt River Project (linkto:http://www.srpnet.com) is targeting businesses by expanding a solar energy incentive project. These two programs are designed to help lessen the up-front costs businesses incur when making energy-saving moves that ultimately help the utilities. If companies are using more energy-efficient lighting and cooling systems, for example, APS and SRP don't need to create as much power. Companies benefit in the long run with lower energy bills.
Experts say incentives help to get more businesses thinking about energy conservation. According to the U.S. Government's Energy Information Administration, more than half of all energy consumption in America comes from the commercial and industrial sectors. Slightly less than half comes from the residential and transportation sectors. APS' program, which was funded by customers and approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission, is budgeted for $10.5 million over two years. Each participating company can earn up to $300,000 in incentives. Companies make the energy improvements, then fill out an application on aps.com to earn the incentives. "Just for switching from a traditional light bulb to one of the new high-efficiency bulbs can earn a company $1.75 per bulb," said Roger Krouse, who is overseeing the program for APS.
In the APS program, certain improvements, such as changing the lighting, have specific monetary incentives attached to them. But custom incentives also are available for more complex energy-saving projects by filling out different applications. Krouse said, "Lighting and air conditioning in most offices is more than half of all the energy used, so there is potentially a lot of money to be saved — and you get incentives for saving that energy."
SRP is building on its energy incentive portfolio by gearing its EarthWise Solar Energy program toward businesses for the first time. The program is designed to encourage commercial customers to install large solar electric systems. An incentive of $2.50 per watt is available for business customers who install solar electric systems larger than 10 kilowatts. According to SRP, a 10kw solar system would cost about $70,000 to install, but a business could recoup $25,000 to $30,000 of that through SRP incentives and another $21,000 through federal tax credits. With an estimated 18 percent annual energy savings, in theory, the system would pay for itself in 12 years.
Commercial customers may apply for up to $500,000 in incentives per system and also will receive online access to their system energy production via a wireless automated metering system. Reservations will be made on a first-come, first-served basis from a $2 million annual program budget. With rising gas prices and global warming continuing to make headlines across the country, energy conservation increasingly is on the mind of business leaders — and more are beginning to act. Source: Adam Kress, The Business Journal of Phoenix, 7/14/2006.
Greener By Degrees
In March 2004, Wyoming’s gusts were converted into energy for Logan’s electric utility, ushering in winds of change that officials say will persist far into the future. At that time, the Municipal Council pulled the trigger on a 25-year contract that locked the municipality into a fixed rate for the purchase of power generated by one of 80 turbines affiliated with the Wyoming Wind Project – a facility that sits on nearly 28,000 acres in the southwestern part of the state. That decision vaulted Logan into rarefied air – one of 16 Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems participants that bought into the venture. Those users, which include Hyrum, account for about a third of the total UAMPS membership roster. Of those, Logan invested the most in the newly minted wind farm, purchasing five of the 15 megawatt-capacity that UAMPS officials bought to be divvied among interested parties. In addition to what Logan Light and Power Director Jay Larsen says will be a sound investment well into the next decade, the city’s interest in Wyoming’s gales is also a litmus test of sorts.
Former Hyrum Mayor Gordon Olson backed that stance. He oversaw the city’s initial involvement with the Wyoming Wind Project and signed a contract that allows the municipality to derive up to a megawatt of energy through it. Although it makes up less than 1 percent of Logan’s entire energy portfolio, the interstate relationship serves as the bellwether for an emerging philosophy among city leaders, and it’s one that has garnered plenty of play in the national media of late: The integration of cleaner energy sources that are both environmentally friendly and economically feasible. So far, the city’s investment in wind has allowed for both. In fiscal year 2006-07, Logan will pay $313,000 to buy wind power. That’s $133,000 more than what was spent in 2005-06, when the earmark wasn’t even a budgeted item. “It’s coming into its own very shortly,” said Larsen.
Logan isn’t alone in turning toward wind and other natural resources to generate at least a portion of its energy. Between 2000 and 2005, the wind energy growth rate increased by an average of 29 percent, and the American Wind Energy Association estimates that the resource will produce enough electricity in 2006 to power 2.3 million homes. If that amount of power was obtained through traditional electric fuel mixes, it would produce around 15 million tons of carbon dioxide, the compound most closely associated with global warming.
In addition to the wind power investment – which costs the city about $58 a kilowatt-hour – Larsen said he’s exploring the possibility of coal gasification technology that converts carbon found in coal to carbon dioxide and other components, vastly cutting down on emissions yet producing a liquid gas of a high enough quality to operate buildings and equipment. And city leaders are in the process of putting together a public meeting that will address energy solutions that could be available in the coming months and years. Among the topics of conversation will be the inclusion of Logan to the U.S. Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement.
As of July 7, 262 mayors representing more than 47 million residents have opted to support the resolution, which was formally approved by the U.S. Conference of Mayors last June. Thus far, three Utah municipalities – Moab, Park City and Salt Lake City – have come on board.
Though he says he agrees with the pact in substance, Mayor Randy Watts isn’t ready to sign anything yet. He wants his community to keep working toward environmentally conscious policies, and points to strides that have already been made along those lines. Various city departments that are beginning to invest in new vehicles that have cleaner burning engines and get better gas mileage, helping to further limit the amount of pollutants that seep into the air.
Not all the “green” efforts are necessarily new. For more than a century, the municipality has also leaned heavily on the power of hydroelectricity to help generate a share of the city’s energy. In 2002, hydro power comprised eight percent of Logan’s total portfolio, a figure that Larsen expects to match by the end of 2006. To date, the two hydroelectric plants have accounted for 5.6 percent of the total energy output and every year produces about 30 million kilowatt-hours of juice – enough to power 3,330 homes.
In May, two service stations – V & C Biodiesel Inc. in North Logan and Logan’s White Pine Gallery gas station – offering biodiesel opened for business. The commodity is the fasting is the fastest growing alternative fuel in the nation, and cut carbon dioxide emissions by up to 48 percent, depending on the grade of the gasoline.
And just four months before Hyrum and Logan officials finalized their contracts for Wyoming’s wind, the U.S. Department of Energy conducted a study a few miles up Blacksmith Fork Canyon to gauge the blustery conditions there – sending out feelers to ascertain whether it could yield a local source of renewable energy through the atmosphere.
With the first phase of a mandatory countywide recycling program underway, officials say that program could yield positive environmental results into the future as people acclimate to it. Proponents of green energy practices locally may even find an unlikely ally from a native son down the Wasatch Front – one of Utah’s most passionate and outspoken advocates of environmentally responsible and friendly practices. “Nobody is doing what can or ought to be done,” Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson said of the state’s municipal and county government entities. In 2002, when Anderson pledged that Salt Lake City would abide by the principles of the Kyoto Protocol, he vowed to have cut the amount of global warming pollutants the city produces by 21 percent by 2012. As of last year, Anderson said the capital city was at 106 percent of its goal.
“The consumers of electricity don’t understand when the lights go dim or go out. They demand a constant product, so the suppliers have to stand ready to serve that power no matter what,” said Marshall Empey, UAMPS operation and planning manager. Larsen echoed those sentiments, saying that having a robust energy portfolio is a “balancing act.” And solar power remains too expensive an investment for the city to explore as a viable option, given the area’s climate. “The sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow, so you need backup sources,” he said. “It’s kind of a balancing act to get involved in other sources of energy.”
Olson agreed. “One of the things that wind has not done is it has not produced the reliable energy that we anticipated it would, but I think it’s still a wise and good investment,” he said. “We didn’t do it for the present benefit.” Yet for all of the research and dollars that governments put into green technology, it’ll remain up to individuals to truly invoke any significant environmental changes, said Anderson. “This notion that in any particular community that people will sit back until they see impacts is incredibly shortsighted and disastrous,” Anderson said. “I think there is great value in setting a goal and always keeping it in front of you.” Source: By Adam Benson, HJ News, 7/16/2006.
Lake Co-Ops Tap Green Power
As the demand for renewable energy grows, consumers are being given options to purchase wind power from lake area electric cooperatives as more green power becomes available. Although wind power is not new, turbine technology has come a long way in recent years, Austin Fonda, member services director for Laclede Electric, said. Missouri cooperatives are eager to take advantage of the advances, he said. The state’s first major wind farm is currently being constructed near the northwest Missouri community of King’s City. Expected to be completed by the end of the year, the Bluegrass Ridge windfarm’s 16 turbines are expected to generate enough electricity to power 30,000 homes, Fonda said.
The $70 million project will supply power to Missouri electric cooperatives through a deal brokered by the Springfield-based Associated Electric Cooperative. A second 50-megawatt windfarm in northwest Missouri is planned for Atchison County. About 50 miles from the Bluegrass Ridge windfarm, construction of the Cow Branch project’s 24 turbines is slated to finish by the end of next year.
In the meantime, some lake area cooperatives are already offering green power. For two years, Co-Mo has offered its members windpower in 100 kilowatt-hour blocks of electricity for an additional $2.50 per month. A one-year commitment is required to purchase the green power. Currently, 19 blocks of the green power have been bought by 16 Co-Mo customers, a representative said. Members of the Laclede Electric Co-op can also purchase similar one-year contracts for blocks of green power at an additional charge of $3.50 per month.
Transmission costs make wind more expensive, but many are willing to pay the extra fee knowing that they’re helping to protect the environment, Fonda said. “Some people want to have that green energy, so they want that option,” Fonda said. Southwest Electric Co-op doesn’t offer windpower to its members yet because there have not been enough requests, but as the King’s City windfarm goes online, a portion of the co-op’s power will come from the turbines. Like Laclede and Co-Mo, Southwest Electric will also likely offer blocks of power generated by windfarms to its members at a premium when demand rises. According to the American Wind Energy Association, Missouri ranks 20th nationally for overall wind energy potential, and maps provided by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources indicate northwest Missouri is the windiest region of the state. Contact this reporter at Source: By Justin Ludwig (mailto:justin@lakesunleader.com)/Lake Sun, 7/14/2006.
H-E-B's Austin Stores Recognized for 'Thinking Green'
H-E-B's Austin region was recognized for its voluntary purchase of 27,600 megawatt-hours of green power from Austin Energy's GreenChoice Program. H-E-B came in at No. 6 on the Top 10 list of retail partners, which was published on the EPA's Green Power Partnership site (linkto:http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/). The current ranking recognizes purchases through June 26, 2006.
The Green Power Partnership provides assistance and recognition to organizations that demonstrate environmental leadership by choosing green power. Green power is defined as electricity products that are partially or entirely generated from environmentally preferable resources — such as solar, wind, geothermal or hydro resources. Not only are these energy sources renewable, they are cleaner than conventional energy sources, which produce carbon dioxide emissions.
H-E-B's green power represents about 25 percent of the electricity used by its Austin region facilities. The company uses biogas electricity — which is generated at the Tessman Landfill Biogas Project near San Antonio — and wind-generated electricity. "Environmental sustainability is one of our key operational goals, and we are pleased that our efforts have been significant enough to warrant recognition by the EPA," H-E-B Environmental Affairs Manager Susan Ghertner says. "Green power is good for the earth — and, increasingly, good for business as well." H-E-B is a San Antonio-based grocery chain. Source: by Tricia Lynn Silva, San Antonio Business Journal - 7/19/2006.
SRP Expands Incentives to Invest in Solar Energy
SRP is taking applications for a solar incentive program (linkto:http://www.srpnet.com/environment/earthwise/solarbiz.aspx) designed to encourage commercial customers to install large solar electric systems. An incentive of $2.50 per watt is available for business customers that install solar electric systems larger than 10 kilowatts.
The new phase of EarthWise Solar Energy program, geared for business customers, determines the incentive payment to the customer based on the projected energy production of the system. This approach encourages customers and installers to invest in the most efficient products available. Commercial customers may apply for up to $500,000 in incentives per system and will also receive online access to their system energy production via a wireless automated metering system. Reservations will be made on a first come, first serve basis from a $2 million annual program budget.
The program is the latest addition to the EarthWise Solar Energy program. So far, SRP has given nearly $1million in incentives to residential customers. In addition, both commercial and residential customers are eligible for incentives payments for investing in solar water heaters. For more information, contact Chico Hunter (mailto:jnhunter@srpnet.com) at SRP, 602-236-2840. Source: Patricia Garcia-Likens, SRP, 7/11/2006.
Adventure Passports and Bonneville Environmental Foundation Introduce HikeGreen to Help Reduce Global Warming
Adventure Passports (linkto:http://www.AdventurePassports.com) and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (linkto:http://www.b-e-f.org) announced today they are partnering to offer HikeGreen Mini-Green Tags with each purchase of Adventure Passports' guidebook, Passport to the 14ers of Colorado, an outdoor adventure logbook featuring Colorado's highest climbable peaks. One HikeGreen tag will be included with each book, representing 100 kilowatt-hours of wind energy and preventing 140 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions – the equivalent of approximately 150 driving miles.
"Adventure Passports' partnership with BEF gives outdoor enthusiasts a unique and affordable opportunity to protect the environment while enjoying the adventure," said Adventure Passports co-author, Kim Hornsby. "HikeGreen supports our mission to promote a sustainable lifestyle by slowing the effects of global warming caused, in part, by driving to the mountain peaks we love to hike."
The inclusion of a Mini-Green Tag in each Passport to the 14ers of Colorado logbook follows in the wave of success from Adventure Passports' partnership with BEF for the logbook Passport to Ski Areas of Colorado. Sources that supply BEF's Green Tags (linkto:http://www.GreenTagsUSA.org) receive an independent environmental review and meet or exceed the current highest standards for green power. They are designated Climate Cool by the Climate Neutral Network and are Green-e certified by the Center for Resource Solutions.
"Our partnership with Adventure Passports provides outdoor enthusiasts with a meaningful way to reduce the impacts associated with enjoying their activities," said Pat Nye, Director of Sales at BEF. "Offsetting travel-related emissions with Green Tags builds support for wind and solar power that replaces polluting energy technologies like fossil fuels and offers a renewable energy alternative to nuclear power."
Passport to the 14ers of Colorado guidebook retails for $9.95 and is available at booksellers and outdoor retailers across Colorado, at national online booksellers, and online.
For Adventure Passports, contact Angela Ashby (mailto:AdventurePass@aol.com), 303.758.7505. For the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, contact Michele Hirschhorn (mailto:MicheleHirschhorn@b-e-f.org), 303.248.1905. Source: Adventure Passports, 7/20/2006, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, 7/20/2006.
For more information: http://www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/index.shtml
Renewable Energy Technologies
Marion Fire Station to Feature Geothermal Technology for Low-Cost Climate Control
Ground heat exchange will keep Marion, Ark., firefighters both cool and warm in their new station house, thanks to the latest in HVAC technology for climate control in the building. The new fire house, the first municipal building constructed in Marion since the early 1990s, will be heated and cooled using a system of ground heat exchange pumps to adjust internal temperature using the constant ground temperature.
Jordan Northcross, project manager and architect with Fisher & Arnold, says the system uses looped pipes running 160 feet below the surface. "The ground is a constant temperature at that depth, so by circulating water through the pipes, you can change the temperature of the water to heat or cool an interior," Northcross says. The technology, which requires no use of natural gases, uses limited electricity to transfer heat from one location to another. Duct fans then transport temperature-adjusted air throughout a building.
The interest in using geothermal heating for the new Marion Fire Station came from Mayor Frank Fogelman, who had some concerns about future gas prices. Fogelman says, "I've been exposed to some of the aspects of this relatively new technology and it will cost around 20 percent more than a conventional heating and cooling system." The payback for that initial investment will come in five years, and that's with calculating the return based on present-day energy prices. "For a building that could conceivably last 50 years, the savings will be significant," he says.
Fisher & Arnold also has planned for use of radiant floor heating in the three planned engine bays. Northcross says even though it's a relatively small project, a lot of progressive ideas and technology are going into the fire house plan. The $780,000 proposed project, and its inclusion of the geothermal heat exchange technology, received 92 percent approval from voters in Marion. Source: By John Scruggs, Memphis Business Journal, 7/16/2006.
Merger Means Solar Power at Fossil Prices
Thanks to a merger, one N.J. company will be able to provide solar power at prices competitive with traditional electricity without relying on rebates. WorldWater & Power will be responsible for the price drop as a result of its acquisition of Entech Inc., according to a report by Renewable Energy Access.com.
Concentrator photovoltaic technology is one of the keys to Entech's success, according to the report. Instead of using flat photovoltaic panels to collect sunlight and convert it to electricity via a chemical reaction, concentrator technology uses mirrors to collect sunlight and concentrate it on a small patch of photovoltaic cells. The technology is cheaper because it is composed mostly of glass mirrors, rather than expensive silicon. It is also more efficient, because the sunlight is concentrated.
"The pending acquisition ... will give us unmatched solar concentrator applications," WorldWater & Power Corp.'s chairman, Quentin T. Kelly, said via the report. It will "(enable) us to compete on large-scale systems of one to 100 megawatts or more that can efficiently harness the sun's power for large industrial and municipal electricity supply." Source: UPI, Pennington, NJ, 7/16/2006.
Western U.S. Sees Resurgence of Geothermal, UPI Reports
A recent article reported on the growing resurgence of geothermal electric technology. The article focused in part on the geothermal energy company Ormat Technologies, which recently announced several new geothermal deals, including a newly acquired Guatemalan power plant. Hezy Ram, Ormat Technologies' executive vice president for business development, said to UPI (linkto:http://www.upi.com/Energy/view.php?StoryID=20060702-074450-9362r), "We reinject everything we take out ... as far as we can tell, these (sites) will last for perpetuity."
In addition to its sustainability, Hezy spoke about the price of geothermal as a benefit. In comparison with solar energy, geothermal presents more attractive prices. Ram said Ormat recently signed a deal with the Southern California Edison utility to provide electricity at 6.2 cents per kilowatt hour for the next five to six years, and that an Ormat project in Nevada will produce electricity for between 5 cents and 6 cents per kilowatt hour.
Furthermore, unlike with wind and solar power, geothermal plants are what Ram called a "24/7 facility." Geothermal production isn't limited only to daylight hours or windy days, meaning it can be a baseload source of power, available all the time, Ram said. Source: GEA Update, 7/17/2006.
Tacoma Looking into Narrows' Tidal Power
Washington state's Tacoma Narrows hold "significant promise" as a site for one of the nation's first projects to generate electricity by tapping the tides, according to a new report. But the cost of the power it produced could be a little pricy. And even though they already have a preliminary permit from federal regulators, Tacoma Power officials remain cautious about committing $4.2 million for a pilot plant. If a full-scale project was eventually developed, it could involve 64 underwater turbines near the north end of the Narrows. Each of the turbines would be equipped with two blades — each almost 60 feet long — that would rotate at about 10 revolutions per minute and generate enough electricity to power nearly 11,000 homes. The project's cost would be about $103 million, according to the study from the California-based Electric Power Research Institute.
The Tacoma Narrows is one of a handful of sites in Puget Sound where tidal generators potentially could be installed. The Snohomish County Public Utility District is seeking preliminary federal permits for five sites including Admiralty Inlet, Deception Pass and Agate Passage. A possible project near Point Wilson could involve 450 turbines and generate enough electricity to power 50,000 to 60,000 homes. The Tacoma Narrows site has been more extensively studied and is further along the road to possible development than others in Puget Sound.
Tacoma City Light officials already have met with representatives of two companies that manufacture tidal generators, including one that is installing a test turbine in New York's East River. "If this pencils out, it is a good option for green power," said Debbie Young, natural resources manager for Tacoma Power. But the utility wants to do further studies of the tidal flow through the Narrows, including one using acoustic Doppler radar, before deciding whether to proceed with a pilot project. If Tacoma decides to proceed, it likely would seek partners or turn to the federal Department of Energy or the Bonneville Power Administration for financial backing.
In addition to having strong tidal flows, there are ample transmission lines adjacent to the Narrows to carry the electricity the underwater turbines would produce; the nearby Port of Tacoma could be used to provide logistical support. Development plans center on Point Evans near the north end of the Narrows where tidal flows are strongest. The seabed at Point Evans is deep enough so the underwater turbines would not interfere with shipping traffic through the Narrows, including deep-draft container ships headed for the Port of Olympia. While the EPRI study said floating kelp could tangle turbine rotors, it did not address other potential environmental impacts of the turbines, including the effects on migrating salmon, whales and other fish and marine mammals.
The National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration, along with the Washington state departments of Fish and Wildlife and Natural Resources, were granted "intervenor" status when the Federal Energy Regulator Commission approved the three-year, preliminary permit for a Narrows project in February. Young said building the demonstration plant might be the only way to access the effects on the environment. Source: By McClatchy-Tribune Business News Formerly Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News - Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, Wash., 7/18/2006.
Scramble for Wind Power Market Heats Up
Only 14 months after agreeing to work together, China's state-owned rocket maker and its Spanish partner are churning out wind turbines from this plant north of Shanghai. The speed with which China Aerospace Science and Technology Group and road-to-property group Acciona assembled their first turbine reflects a wind energy fever in China. The lure of China's huge but underexploited market, the government's drive for renewable energy and low production costs for exports to fast-growing bigger markets in the United States and Europe have foreign and domestic firms rushing to set up wind farms or build production plants across the country.
To tackle worsening air pollution, China recently raised its wind power target for the year 2020 to 30 gigawatts from 20 gigawatts, compared with its plan to achieve 40 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2015. More importantly, government officials have said that major power firms must generate at least 5 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2010 and 10 percent by 2020, a mandate that should fuel investment despite the prevalence of cheap coal.
China's vast and accessible interior and coasts make wind power a favorite, generating business for the top equipment makers, Vestas Wind Systems, Spain's Gamesa and U.S. General Electric. "There's a big pull in the industry," said Javier Ojeda, general manager of the Chinese-Spanish venture Nantong CASC Wanyuan Acciona Wind Turbine Manufacture, as he checked a newly erected logo at the factory on the Yangtze River's banks. It can now assemble 400 of the 1.5-megawatt turbines equipped with 40-meter blades every year, twice as large as the turbines common in China in the past. The company has decided to double its capacity in a second phase.
China lags other countries, both developed and emerging, in developing its wind power potential. Last year China's wind generation capacity came to 1.3 gigawatts, a two-thirds increase on the year before, but still only 0.2 percent of the world's second-biggest market, data compiled by the China Wind Energy Association showed.
An estimated 11.8 GW of wind power capacity was installed worldwide last year, 43 percent more than in 2004, as soaring oil and natural gas prices plus environmental imperatives such as the UN's Kyoto protocol fuel a boom in demand for wind turbines. Gamesa, which opened its first non-European plant recently, hopes to cut costs by about a quarter in the coming years by focusing on China for component production. Other global leaders, including India's Suzlon Energy, are also building factories here, in part driven by China's rule requiring 70 percent of turbine parts to be locally manufactured since mid-2005. Vestas, an industry pioneer with experience of building the world's first offshore wind farm in Europe, is doubling capacity at its blade factory, which opened last month to make 600 units annually in the northern city of Tianjin. Additional facilities to make components will start operation early next year.
So far the market has been dominated by the top three foreign wind-turbine firms, who grabbed 77 percent of the new projects in China last year, a study by Wind Power Monthly showed. But local upstarts are catching up. Goldwind Science and Technology Co, which had 17.5 percent share last year, said recently it planned to launch an overseas IPO to bankroll expansion. Competitor Zhejiang Windey Wind Generating Engineering plans to do the same. Source: Shenzhen Daily/Agencies , 7/18/2006.
Waste to Fuel Technology Demonstration Set for July 26th
Green Power, Incorporated, a Washington based corporation specializing in the conversion of ordinary organic landfill waste to high grade diesel, will conduct a public demonstration of this revolutionary technology on Wednesday, July 26th at 10 A.M. in Tacoma, Washington. The demonstration will be conducted before members of government, press, media, educational institutions and business.
The equipment has undergone consolidation, streamlining and technical improvements to prepare for the demonstration. Following the Tacoma demonstration, the company plans to take the demonstration unit on tour of the U.S., visiting a growing list of interested cities and companies nation-wide. The company has also received a variety of inquiries from many foreign governments.
There is no waste or pollution from this process. A special, low temperature catalyst works across the spectrum of organic materials, breaking down long carbon molecules into short ones (oil), in a process called Catalytic Depolymerization. Since the reaction occurs at a temperature below 400 degrees Celsius, no greenhouse gasses, including PCB’s and dioxins, are formed. Non organic materials, such as glass, rock, metals, etc., are pre-sorted and collected for re-use. The balance, including all non-radioactive organic waste, is converted at an efficiency rate of over 90 percent. The remaining material is taken out as high PH salts and sulfur, which is used as fertilizer and other applications. The plant is completely self contained and runs on approximately 10 percent of the fuel it makes.
Green Power Inc.’s Jeff Hershowitz says, “Funding is presently in place to bring five plants online. The company is privately held and has no plans to offer an IPO.” Green Power Inc. hopes to have 1500 similar plants in operation throughout the U.S. in five to seven years. With this number, it is estimated that the output of fuel, coupled with the country’s domestic fossil resources, will eliminate the U.S. dependency on foreign oil entirely. Further, landfills in the U.S. will become extinct, as they are mined for the resources within. In addition to having a positive impact on the environment and prices at the pump, each plant will employ roughly 100 locals. Additionally, the company plans to award 2 scholarships annually to graduating high school seniors of the local communities. Source: By Green Power Inc., 7/18/2006.
Idaho Company Seeks Finances for Geothermal Plant
An Idaho company claims it has identified a geothermal resource in Box Elder County and plans to build a $250 million geothermal energy plant – if it can get the financing. The four square-mile site east of Interstate 15 in Honeyville was identified by Renaissance Geothermal, which jointly by Idaho-based Ida-Therm LLC and California-based Eureka Green Systems LLC.
The plant, if constructed, would be capable of producing 100 megawatts of electricity for an expected operating life span of more than 100 years, said Carl Austin of Renaissance Geothermal. He said the plant could serve more than 50,000 customers. However, Bob Blackett, a geologist with the Utah Geological Survey, said that a site in Box Elder capable of generating 100 megawatts is "highly speculative." He said geothermal sites in Utah rarely have been adequate for long-term use for electrical power. The only site in the state in use is a 26-megawatt facility in Milford that is owned by PacifiCorp, Blackett said. However, Blackett said that moderate- to high-temperature resources have been detected in the approximate location cited by Renaissance.
Austin said Renaissance has leased land from property owners are to receive royalties from the energy production. Blackett said landowners have called his office to find out more about Austin's claim, but so far, there's not much to tell. Austin said his company is seeking financial help from various entities and wants to have the first of four wells running within the next two years. "We are looking for major partners to help us put this into production," Austin said. Source: The Associated Press, 7/18/2006.
Wind Construction Underway at Several Sites in Different Regions
According to local news reports, many new wind farms are under construction across the country, as we head into the second half of what AWEA (linkto:http://www.awea.org/projects) has predicted will be the biggest year ever for new wind power installations, with over 3,000 MW of new capacity to be added. Towers are reportedly going up at the site of the Spearville Wind Energy Facility near Dodge City, Kans. The project, being developed by enXco and Kansas City Power & Light, is planned to be a 100.5-MW facility consisting of 67 GE Energy 1.5-MW turbines. Officials from KCP&L said they hope to have the project completed by late fall. Sprint Nextel has committed to purchasing much of the output.
Washington Governor Christine Gregoire (D) was on hand to dedicate the Wild Horse Wind Project under construction in Kittitas County. According to local reports, 17 of the 127 Vestas 1.8-MW turbines are now in place. The project was originally developed by Horizon Wind Energy and was purchased by Puget Sound Energy late in 2005. PSE is aiming to have the 229-MW project completed by the end of the year. In addition to the Wild Horse project, PSE owns the 149-MW Hopkins Ridge project that was completed last year in Columbia County.
Local papers in Missouri are reporting that construction of the Bluegrass Ridge Wind Farm is now underway. The project is being developed by Wind Capital Group and financed by John Deere Wind Energy. Springfield-based Associated Electric Cooperative has agreed to purchase the power output from the facility. About half of the 24 Suzlon 2.1-MW turbines are expected to be operational by the end of the year. The others will come online early next year.
Developers Horizon Wind Energy and PPM Energy are adding to their Maple Ridge project near Lowville, Martinsburg, and Harrisburg in Lewis County, N.Y. The project currently consists of 120 Vestas 1.65-MW turbines, with a generating capacity of 198 MW. By the end of this year, 75 additional of the same turbines will be added. PPM Energy is reporting that 20 of the new turbines have been activated.
In Pennsylvania, concrete is reportedly being poured for the Allegheny Ridge Wind Farm being developed by Gamesa Corp. When complete, the project will consist of 40 Gamesa 2-MW turbines. FirstEnergy has contracted to purchase the output from the project when it is complete.
This is only a sampling of projects under construction around the country and is not intended to be a comprehensive list. Please send any project information to Kathy Belyeu (mailto:Kbelyeu@awea.org). Source: AWEA Wind Energy Weekly, 7/17/2006.
Clipper Windpower Plc and BP Announce a Strategic Turbine Supply and Joint Development Agreement
Clipper Windpower and BP Alternative Energy today announced that they have entered into a strategic alliance for a long-term turbine supply agreement and the joint development of five of Clipper's wind energy projects in the USA. The five wind projects, with an anticipated total generating capacity of 2,015 MW, are located in New York, Texas, and South Dakota. Under the long-term supply agreement, BP has secured a mix of firm and contingent orders of up to 2,250 MW of additional Clipper turbines in its global wind portfolio.
Clipper/BP Alternative Energy joint development portfolio will be developed over a five year period. Each project will deploy Clipper's advanced Liberty wind turbines. The projects will be jointly owned by the two companies with Clipper serving as the project operator in two projects and BP Alternative Energy serving as the project operator in the other three.
As part of the long-term turbine supply agreement, BP Alternative Energy has committed to the purchase of 100MW of Liberty turbines in 2007 and 200MW in 2008 which it will use on other projects in BP's global wind business. These orders represent the initial firm deliveries under the long-term supply agreement for up to 900 Liberty turbines over the next five years.
In recognition of the long-term strategic relationship between Clipper Windpower and BP Alternative Energy, BP has acquired a five year share option for a 10 percent equity interest at 3.77 pounds Sterling per share in Clipper Windpower (subject to final approval of the Clipper Shareholders).
BP has agreed to acquire a 50 percent interest in the project portfolio along with an option to acquire an interest in Clipper Windpower Plc representing 9,596,681 ordinary shares in the capital of the Company and a turbine supply option, for a total of $30 million. In addition, BP has agreed to pay Clipper up to US$30 million upon successful completion of the development projects. BP will also make a US$30 million down payment for the 300MW Liberty turbines for delivery in 2007/2008.
A notice convening an Extraordinary General Meeting has today been sent to Clipper Shareholders. The EGM will be held on 7 August 2006. Completion of the strategic alliance will take place subject to, inter alia, the passing of a special resolution enabling Clipper to grant the equity option to BP. Clipper has obtained irrevocable undertakings to vote in favour of the necessary special resolution from directors and connected parties and certain other shareholders in respect of 48,053,138 Clipper ordinary shares representing approximately 50 per cent. of the issued share capital. It is a further term of the five year Option arrangement that Clipper has undertaken to BP to permit BP the right to participate in future equity issues, subject to the necessary approvals by Clipper Shareholders at the relevant time and subject to an upper limit of 20 per cent. of the Clipper issued share capital (including shares arising on the exercise of the Options). Source: Clipper Windpower Plc, 7/14/2006.
New Sharp Solar Panel Twice as Effective
Sharp Corp., the world's largest manufacturer of solar batteries, has developed a new solar battery system that generates twice the energy of other systems as its panels always face the sun. The system has a power-generating efficiency of 36 percent, far surpassing the 15 percent to 20 percent efficiency of existing fixed solar battery panel systems, which are fitted to the roofs of houses. The system will be put on the market next year at the earliest for use in electric power plants and factories. The price has not been decided.
The system consists of a number of parts, including a motor and a panel on which many small solar batteries—each measuring seven millimeters square—are placed. The batteries gather sunlight through a surface lens.
The system memorizes such yearly data as the locations of the sun and hours of sunlight in particular areas. Based on the data, the panel is designed to move to constantly face the sun, keeping a 90-degree angle to the natural light. The total power of solar batteries manufactured worldwide in 2005 is equivalent to the amount of energy generated by a nuclear power plant. Source: The Yomiuri Shimbun, 7/15/2006.
Warming Up To Wind Power
OK, so it was a bit on the warm side earlier this week. Temperatures ranged from a high of nearly 85 degrees in Santa Maria, to about 80 in Lompoc, which typically is cool and windy this time of year. More about Lompoc's breezes in a moment. It was hot just about everywhere in California Monday, which accounts for that being an historic day with regard to electricity use. Californians trying to cool off cranked up their air-conditioning, setting a one-day record for power consumption at just more than 46,000 megawatts. One megawatt is roughly enough electricity to light up – and cool – 750 homes. Cooler, damper weather temporarily ended the heat siege, but experts are still concerned about the power companies' ability to provide enough electricity in the hours of peak demand. So, they're asking customers to conserve when temperatures soar.
Another option would be to find ways to get more electricity into the daily mix, and that's exactly what the Lompoc Wind Energy Project is trying to do. Officials of Pacific Renewable Energy and the Gaviota Energy Group have proposed building up to 80 wind turbines in the hills of Miguelito Canyon southwest of town. The windmills would provide enough electricity to power virtually all of the homes and businesses in the North County. Company officials say Miguelito Canyon is perfect because wind speed there averages 15 mph, which means the turbines would be producing power just about around the clock. The plan looks good on paper – but not so good to many residents, who turned out at a meeting Monday evening. Most objected to the turbines' threat to birds in the area, and to scenic views of the area.
Still, having a guaranteed supply of locally-produced electric power at your disposal 24 hours a day is quite an inducement. The debate will continue as this proposal works its way through the county's planning review process. Meanwhile, think about the power self-sufficiency when temperatures soar. Source: The Lompoc Record, 7/19/2006.
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Outreach, Education, Reports & Studies
Southwest Renewable Energy Conference
Mark your calendars for the Southwest Renewable Energy Conference August 2-3, 2006, Flagstaff, Arizona. The Southwest Renewable Energy Conference is a forum for the exchange of ideas and information about renewable energy. The conference program covers a wide range of information on the development of wind, solar, biomass and geothermal energy on tribal, federal, state and private lands. Topics will include: Climate change risks, regulations and mitigations strategies, Global energy markets and their effect on renewable energy, The water-energy nexus, Utility acquisition of renewable energy resources: To buy or build, Financing renewables, Making renewable energy projects attractive to utilities, Transmission policy and planning, Tribal energy projects in the Southwest – Lessons learned, Costs of wind project integration, Renewable energy credit markets and solar initiatives, Western Governors' Association – Clean and Diversified Energy Initiative. Registration (linkto:http://swrec.org/registration.html#) is now open. For further information, contact: Kristine Newton (mailto:kristine@meetingexcellenceinc.com) at 303-384-0414, or Shelly Collings (mailto:scollings@meetingexcellenceinc.com) at 720-233-5590. Source: Southwest Renewable Energy Conference, 6-15-2006.
Nevada Wind Workshop – July 26-27, 2006
The state of Nevada is sponsoring a Nevada Wind Workshop (linkto:http://www.nevadawindworkshop.homestead.com) at Harrah's Resort in downtown Reno, Nevada, July 26-27, 2006. The Nevada Wind Workshop is a two-day event, sponsored by U.S. DOE Wind Powering America and the Nevada State Office of Energy. This statewide meeting is designed to:
1) Provide a comprehensive picture of the history, issues, barriers, and opportunities relevant to stakeholders interested in harnessing Nevada’s rich wind resources.
2) Develop a vision for the future of wind development in all of Nevada’s 17 counties and establish a foundation that will help make small wind, community wind, and utility wind projects attractive to individuals, communities, farmers, ranchers, miners, tribes, school districts, rural and urban municipalities, general improvement districts, public utilities, and state government entities.
In addition, participants will also:
Plus, Workshop participants may also stay and attend the National Wind Coordinating Committee's (linkto:http://www.nationalwind.org/events/transmission/western/2006/default.htm) Wind Power & Radar Issue Forum on the afternoon of July 27.
NOTE: A limited block of rooms at Harrah’s has been reserved at a price near the state’s per diem to encourage participation from across all 17 counties in Nevada. These rooms can be single or double occupancy, and are available first-come, first-served for the nights of July 25-27. See Registration Information on the Wind Workshop website for booking details. If you have any further questions, please contact Pete Konesky (mailto:pkonesky@dbi.state.nv.us), 775-687-9704, or visit the Nevada State Office of Energy Web site (linkto:http://www.energy.state.nv.us). Source: Nevada State Office of Energy, 7/10/2006.
GRC 2006 Annual Meeting
The Geothermal Resources Council will convene its 2006 Annual Meeting (linkto:https://www.geothermal.org/) at the Town & Country Resort and Convention Center in San Diego, CA on September 10-13, 2006. Committee organization and planning for the event is underway. Check the GRC website for more information about the meeting – and the companion Geothermal Energy Association Trade Show – as it becomes available. See you in San Diego! Source: Geothermal Resources Council - 6/15/2006.
Green Building Pages
The Green Building Pages (linkto:http://www.greenbuildingpages.com/main.html) is a sustainable building materials database and design tool for the environmentally and socially responsible designer, builder and client.
Smart Grid Newsletter
Smart Grid Newsletter (linkto:http://www.smartgridnews.com/) is the insider's guide to this rapidly growing market. It also serves as a communication vehicle for its Founding Sponsor, the GridWise Alliance, a public/private consortium dedicated to modernization of the electric system. SGN is dedicated to the commercial success of the Smart Grid sector and the companies that serve it. It delivers timely, focused, business-critical information to help readers know what's coming next... and to profit from that knowledge.
USDA and DOE Host Renewable Energy Conference
A national renewable energy conference will accelerate commercialization of renewable energy industries and distribution systems through networking and partnerships. Attendees to the conference, scheduled for October 10-12, 2006, in St. Louis, Missouri, will cover agriculture, energy, transportation, financial and investment, federal and state government and elected officials.
Advancing Renewable Energy: An American Rural Renaissance is co-hosted by two government agencies, U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Energy in support of the President's Advanced Energy Initiative, specifically biomass, wind and solar research and commercialization. "The October conference will build upon the President's vision for overcoming our energy challenges and help create new wealth opportunities in rural communities," said USDA Secretary Mike Johanns, who also announced a loan guarantee and grant totaling $3.75 million for construction and operation of a new biodiesel production facility in Iowa.
The President's AEI requests $2.1 billion, a 22 percent budget increase at DOE. The AEI aims to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil and increase production of domestically grown fuel, which will in turn, promote U.S. job growth and increase energy security.
Source: [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] Washington, DC.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory's 19th Industry Growth Forum
NREL's Industry Growth Forum is the premiere clean energy investment forum not only because of the caliber of investors and entrepreneurial companies it attracts, but also due to its unique format and window on the energy future.
Start date: October 24, 2006, End date: October 26, 2006, Cost: $250, Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Its rich "educational content" distinguishes NREL's Growth Forums and leaves all participants – including entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and corporate investors – with a deeper understanding of the evolving energy market and what a business must do to thrive. Presenters from Forums 15-17 have raised more than $400 million in financing due in large part to presenting at one or more of the forums.
Anticipated attendees include energy leaders such as, Arizona Public Service, Chevron-Texaco, Pacific Gas and Electric, GE, DTE Energy, along with energy financiers such as Altira Group, Blue Hill Partners, Nth Power, RockPort Capital Partners, Sevin Rosen Funds, NPG Energy Technology Partners, Braemar Energy Ventures, HellerEhrman, Bridge Bank, First Albany Technology Ventures, Battelle Ventures, Milbank, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati, and Hamilton Clark.
The Forum will feature 35 clean energy companies presenting their business plans and growth strategies featuring technologies such as fuel cells, hydrogen, power quality, wind, energy efficiency, photovoltaics, and storage technologies. A panel of approximately 15 experts in industry and finance provide direct feedback and guidance to the firm's management team.
This event will be held at the Doubletree Hotel in Philadelphia. For more information, contact Rich Barone (linkto:richard_barone@nrel.gov), Associate Enterprise Development Programs, National Renewable Energy Laboratory; phone: 303-275-3645 Source: Renewable Energy Access, 8/2006.
Existing Renewable Facilities Program Guidebook Available
At its June 29, 2006, Business Meeting, the California Energy Commission adopted revisions to the Existing Renewable Facilities Program Guidebook, publication number CEC-300-2006-011-F. According to Public Resources Code Section 25747, the Energy Commission is authorized to adopt substantive changes to the Guidebook after providing 10 days written notice.
The adopted revisions to the Guidebook maintain the current target price and cap used for calculating production incentives. These values are being maintained to reflect changes to market and contractual conditions as well as inflation. The revisions to the Guidebook are as follows: Maintain the target price and funding cap for Tier 1 biomass facilities only, at 5.87 cents per kilowatthour and 1.5 cents/kWh respectively from July 1, 2006, through December 31, 2006. The target price and funding cap were scheduled to decrease by 0.5 cents/kWh, to 5.37 cents/kWh and 1.0 cents/kWh respectively, on July 1, 2006.
This Guidebook is available on the Energy Commission's Web site (linkto:http://www.energy.ca.gov/renewables/documents/). Source: California Energy Commission, 7/17/2006.
Hydropower Resource Assessment
The Department of Energy is working toward assembly of a resource database of all potential hydropower sites in the United States for use as a planning tool to determine the viable national hydropower potential (linkto:http://hydropower.inel.gov/resourceassessment/).
Green Power Leadership Awards Nomination Period Is Open (Due August 4)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Center for Resource Solutions are pleased to sponsor the sixth annual Green Power Leadership Awards (linkto:http://www.renewableenergymarketing.net). The Green Power Leadership Awards are competitive awards that recognize outstanding commitments and achievements in the green power marketplace in the following three categories:
Purchasers – includes Partners or prospective Partners of the Green Power Partnership
Suppliers – includes renewable electricity providers, renewable energy certificate marketers, project developers, and equipment vendors
Market Development – includes individuals, companies, and other industry leaders
The Leadership Awards banquet will be held on December 4, 2006, in conjunction with the Eleventh National Renewable Energy Marketing Conference (linkto:http://www.renewableenergymarketing.net/index.htm) at the Renaissance Parc 55 Marriott Hotel in San Francisco, California. For additional details surrounding the conference and the 2006 Green Power Leadership Awards, please visit. Nominations are due by 5:00pm PDT on August 4, 2006. Nomination forms are available on both the Green Power Partnership and the National Renewable Energy Marketing Conference Web sites. Source: GEA Update, 7/17/2006.
Ten Reasons Why the Green Home Market is Ready to Surge
Last month, I attended the annual Pacific Coast Builder’s Congress in San Francisco, the largest regional builder’s trade show in the country, attracting more than 30,000 people each year. The program featured an all-day “Green Forum” featuring leading green home builders, market researchers and home energy experts from around the country. More than 150 people attended the session. Remarkable for me was the level of enthusiasm and commitment to green homebuilding from skilled and successful builders. This movement is getting ready to explode onto the homebuilding scene in the next five years, and here are ten reasons why:
Reason #1: Visible Growth
The commercial and institutional green building market continues to grow at more than 50 percent per year, based on new project LEED-NC registrations. The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED-NC green building rating system registered more than 1,000 projects last year, totaling more than 130 million sq.ft. of space. This means that homeowners everywhere will continue to see more information about green buildings in their cities and towns; this will translate into significantly increased activity in the home energy markets, both for new homes and conservation retrofits.
Reason #2: Monetary incentives
The new federal energy bill (Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 2005), with increased incentives for residential solar systems, along with prolonged oil prices above $70 per barrel and gas prices above $8 to $10 per million Btu ($0.80 to $1.00 per therm), have changed the psychology of the consumer and the business for the first time in a generation, since the oil price shocks of the 1970s. And green homebuilders get a $2000 tax credit per unit for green homes.
Reason #3: Energy Efficiency
Over time, increasing fuel prices will translate into higher electricity and gas prices for residential applications and more interest on the part of homebuyers and homeowners in investing in conservation. For example, the King-Snohomish Master Builders Association (Seattle area) have shown a willingness by homebuyers to pay 1 percent more, about $2,500 on a $250,000 new home, for a home energy package.
Reason #4: Having a Green Edge
Builders need an edge in selling homes with higher interest rates and lower affordability. Energy-efficient new homes, condos and apartments offer the benefit of saving on future utility costs and showing a concern for such issues as global warming and environmental protection.
Reason #5: Conservation
A growing body of successful green home developments with a strong focus on solar and conservation features, in all major growth regions, including Florida, California and the rest of the Sunbelt, will give developers confidence in their ability to deliver a high-performance green development on a conventional budget.
Reason #6: LEED-H Certification
The LEED for Homes program, now in its pilot phase (with 125 builders and more than 600 new homes participating), expects to roll out in a version 2.0 in 2007. Given the success of the LEED for New Construction program and the growing recognition of the LEED brand name, LEED-H should begin to affect the residential market in significant numbers by 2008. Other local programs and the National Association of Home Builders voluntary certification program should also keep the new home energy-conservation market growing rapidly.
Reason #7: Consumer Readiness
Related green buying habits should begin to affect the home buying and retrofitting market. Look at the Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability market, estimated at 30 percent of the population (and 65 percent women), and its impact on organic foods, hybrid vehicles, ecotourism and organic cotton markets, just to name a few. Home energy conservation can also benefit from these trends.
Reason #8: Standards are Catching Up
More cities will begin to require green buildings from standard commercial projects, especially those with major infrastructure impacts. These requirements and policy directions will spill over into the homebuilding market over the next half-decade.
Reason #9: Energy Savings
Look for Energy Star to marry up with LEED for Homes to promote energy-efficient and zero-net-energy, or “carbon neutral” buildings. We will begin seeing buildings routinely cut energy use to 50 percent or more below current state standards through integrated design and innovative technological approaches.
Reason #10: Peer Pressure
As public companies, the ten major homebuilders (with more than 30 percent of the market for new homes) will have to accept the burden of more socially responsible activities to get projects permitted, built and sold, as well as to attract top talent to keep growing their revenues and profits. Look for the corporate governance and socially responsible investing movements to influence how large homebuilders plan, design and market their homes.
All told, these ten factors will revolutionize the practice of green homebuilding. Now is the time for architects, engineers, building designers and product salespeople to start gearing up for this “sea change” in the building world. An earlier version of this column appeared in the July 2006 issue of Home Energy Magazine (linkto:http://www.homeenergy.org). Source: By Jerry Yudelson, Senior Editor - GreenBuild.com, 7/17/2006.
Evolution Monthly Market Reports Are Now Available
The most recent Monthly Market Update reports (linkto:http://www.evomarkets.com/mmu) for OTC Coal, SIP NOx, SO2, Renewable Energy Certificates are now available. All above reports are hosted on the Evolution Markets web site. 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. E-mail (mailto:tcleary@evomarkets) comments or questions, or call 1-914-323-0206. Source: New Markets. New Solutions, 7/14/2006.
Regulator Posts Database of Contracts for Green Power
Investor-owned electric utilities in California have signed contracts for 2,520 to 3,954 MW of green power since 2002. “California has the most aggressive renewable energy deployment policy in the nation,” says the California Energy Commission. “The Renewables Portfolio Standard is central to the state's renewable goals and calls for 20 percent of the state's electricity supply to come from eligible renewable energy sources by 2010.”
The commission has posted a database (linkto:http://www.energy.ca.gov/portfolio/IOU_CONTRACT_DATABASE.XLS) to make information about the contracting efforts transparent. The data were developed from public information available through filings with the California Public Utilities Commission and other sources.
Since the RPS was established in 2002, Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric have conducted a number of renewable energy solicitations. From these competitive solicitations, and through bilateral negotiations, the utilities have signed contracts for 2,520 to 3,954 MW of new and existing renewable energy projects, with the upper range reflecting build-out options. The totals include 1,363 to 2,448 MW for new, re-powered or restarted renewable facilities, with 143 MW of these projects currently online. In terms of percentages, 6 percent to 10 percent of the capacity under contract for such facilities have begun operations. The database shows that wind has been involved in 22 contracts, 14 each for biogas and biomass, seven for geothermal, four for small hydro and two for solar thermal.
The two largest are SCE’s 500 MW Solar One facility (with build out to 850 MW) and SDG&E’s 300 MW Solar Two project (with build out to 900 MW). The balance of the top ten projects include SDG&E 206 MW purchase of wind from Pacific Wind facility, PG&E’s 120 MW geothermal site at Military Pass-Newberry Volcano, PG&E’s 83 MW windfarm with Pacific Renewable Energy Generation, PG&E’s 75 MW wind purchase from the Shiloh 1 windfarm, PG&E’s 70 MW from the Geysers #13 geothermal facility, 60 MW to SDG&E from the Oasis Power Systems windfarm, and 50 MW of wind to SDG&E from the Kumeyaay windfarm. Source: ReFocus Weekly, 7/12/2006.
Renewable Energy Focus of OSU Lab
For most people outside the College of Engineering, the basement of Dearborn is probably not a common place to venture. But in this underground space lies what may be OSU’s best-kept secret – the Motor Systems Resource Facility. Since its conception in the early 1990s, the facility has become the best equipped Energy Systems Laboratory in any university in the nation, its staff maintains. Research projects have extended from ocean energy extraction to wind generation systems, and from work on the Ford Escape hybrid to advanced propulsion systems with the U.S. Navy on the All Electric Ship. “We are very pleased with what we have been able to accomplish since we became fully operational in 1996,” said Annette von Jouanne, professor in the school of electrical engineering and computer science.
Before the facility was founded in 1993, the Dearborn basement space was used for high voltage testing. “This was a very big decision to turn it from a high power, high voltage lab into an industrial facility,” von Jouanne said. The goal for the facility was to create a space on campus to advance renewable energy.
Von Jouanne explained that with a passion for renewables, the facility started exploring wave energy research opportunities in 1998. Researchers are currently working with five different wave energy extraction prototypes, all of which were designed and built in the campus facility. The final prototype will likely be a hybrid of two of the current five – the permanent magnet linear generator and the contactless force transmission system. “The devices ‘directly’ convert the linear motion of the wave into electrical energy without any hydraulic or pneumatic stages,” von Jouanne said.
This summer the world will see its first commercial wave park in Portugal, which will use a hydraulic system to extract energy, she said. The earliest Oregon may see its wave park is two years from now. However, von Jouanne is confident with OSU’s designs because it uses the “direct drive” technology. “Hydraulics and pneumatics are a lot less efficient,” von Jouanne said. “
The facility is working with the Oregon Department of Energy “to enable Oregon to have the nation’s first commercial wave park (at Reedsport),” von Jouanne said. The eventual goal is to have a national wave research center headquartered at OSU. While the facility is currently focusing on ocean energy extraction, “we’ll always do a variety of things,” von Jouanne said. “But our passion is for wave energy because we see the tremendous potential for the nation, and the state of Oregon to be the national leader,” von Jouanne said. For more information on the Motor Systems Resource Facility, visit the Web site (linkto:http://eecs.oregonstate.edu/msrf).
Source: by Mollie Holmes, 7/19/2006.
DOE's SETP '06 Annual Report Available on CD-ROM
DOE's Solar Energy Technologies Program: FY 2005 Annual Report and Proceedings, Program Review Meeting (linkto:http://www.irecusa.org/articles/static/1/1152196685_1018302029.html) (May 2006) is now available on CD. The report includes research and development overviews of photovoltaic and solar thermal subprograms, and information on EERE crosscutting activities, small business innovation research, and congressionally directed projects. Source: IREC State & Stakeholder Newsletter, Friday, July 7, 2006.
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News from Washington
Summary of Senate Committee on Appropriations Renewable Energy Funding Decisions
In the last GEA update, GEA reported that the Senate Committee on Appropriations restored funding for the geothermal program. The following outlines actions of note taken by the Senate on a variety of renewable energy programs budgets, as reported by EESI (linkto:http://www.eesi.org).
The Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act of 2007 (H.R. 5427). The Senate appropriated $1.38 billion for Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy programs for FY 2007, which is $206 million (17.5 percent) greater than the Administration’s FY 2007 request of $1.18 billion. By comparison, on May 24 the House Committee on Appropriations appropriated $1.32 billion for EE/RE, which is $143 million (12.2 percent) above the FY 2007 request.
The Senate restored two core DOE renewable energy programs, geothermal energy and hydropower, which had been eliminated in the FY 2007 request. The Senate appropriated $22.5 million for geothermal energy, nearly fully restoring the program to the $23.1 million enacted in FY 2006. The bill also includes $3 million for the University of Nevada Reno to conduct geothermal and hydrogen research, which the Committee staff indicated was in addition to the base funding for the geothermal program. The Senate appropriated $4.0 million for hydropower, almost restoring the program to the $4.9 million enacted in FY 2005, and well above the $495,000 enacted in FY 2006. By comparison, the House, in an amendment on the House floor, restored $5 million for geothermal energy, but did not restore funding for hydropower.
The Senate increased funding for biomass and biorefinery systems R&D to $213 million, which is $63.3 million (42.3 percent) greater than the FY 2007 request. The Senate reduced funding for wind power to $39.4 million, which is $4.4 million (10 percent) less than the FY 2007 request. By comparison, the House accepted the FY 2007 request for both biomass and biorefinery R&D and wind power. The Committee Report on the FY 2007 Energy and Water Appropriations bill is available online (linkto:http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app07.html). Reference S.Rept. 109-274. Source: GEA Update, July 17, 2006.
Key Policy and Science Players Tapped for House Panel's Global Warming Hearing
Global warming takes center stage tomorrow in the House Government Reform Committee as the Republican-led panel hears from senior Bush administration policy advisers, a collection of the nation's top climate scientists, the great grandson of a former U.S. president and a Hollywood producer. According to a committee press release, committee Chairman Tom Davis (R-Va.) has called the hearing "to cut through the confusion and bias" associated with the complex climate change issue.
White House Council on Environmental Quality Chairman Jim Connaughton is the session's lead witness and will be joined on the first panel by Tom Karl, director of the National Climatic Data Center. Karl served as primary author of a government report released in May that found warming of the Earth's surface and the lower atmosphere since the late 1950s is at least partially due to human emissions of greenhouse gases.
House members also will hear about scientific research linking sea surface temperatures to the severity of hurricanes. Judith Curry of the Georgia Institute of Technology is one of several scientists to recently connect warming oceans to tropical storms. She will be joined by James Hansen, chief of NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies and an authority on global wa
Two invited witnesses are expected to take contrarian points of view with regards to mandatory caps on greenhouse gas emissions: John Christy of the University of Alabama in Huntsville, who maintains more data needs to be collected before any scientist can say whether human-induced climate change is occurring on a global scale; and Roger Pielke Jr. of the University of Colorado at Boulder, who argued in an E&ETV OnPoint appearance in March that adaptation should be a higher priority than climate regulations.
On the final panel, Marshall Herskovitz, a producer of major motion films including "I Am Sam," "The Last Samurai" and "Traffic" and the 1980s television series "thirtysomething," will join Theodore Roosevelt IV of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change and Andy Rubens of Wal-Mart.
The session comes a day after the House Energy and Commerce Committee examines the "hockey stick" graphic that reconstructs past global average temperatures using scientific information from corals, tree rings, ice cores and bore holes deep within the Earth.
In May, the Republican-led House Appropriations Committee agreed to include a "Sense of the Congress" resolution on global warming within U.S. EPA's annual budget. The language acknowledged the threat from record greenhouse gas concentrations on the Earth's climate and also urged action on a new U.S. policy that does not harm the economy and included international trading partners.
Schedule: The hearing is at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow in 2154 Rayburn. Source: E&E Daily, 7/19/2006.
For more information on legislative activities go to: http://www.repartners.org
State Activities, Marketing & Market Research
Shevenell Sees Greater Geothermal Potential in Nevada
Lisa Shevenell, Director of the Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy, explained to members of the American Chemical Society that the center’s research is showing enormous potential for geothermal energy in Nevada. Speaking at the 61st northwest regional meeting of the American Chemical Society June 27, Shevenell said the center is running several projects intended to explore new technology that can locate geothermal energy sources. Many of the new methods involve observations about the way the Earth’s crust is shifting along fault lines.
When a geothermal site is located, the hot water at the site can be used to move turbines that generate electricity. There are currently 10 active geothermal electrical plants in Nevada, which are producing between five and 10 percent of the state’s electricity. “Geothermal electricity output in Nevada could be increased by 1,500 megawatts in the next 10 years and double that in 20,” Shevenell said.
About half of Nevada’s geothermal plants are operating on sites that were discovered by coincidence when the areas were drilled for water, gold, or oil exploration. The center’s research projects are improving the ability to find such sites intentionally. One such project uses GPS technology to find areas that are more likely to have geothermal activity. Because the GPS satellites can measure surface movements of less than a millimeter, the technology can be used to pinpoint fault activity with extreme accuracy. This information can help researchers to locate new geothermal sites.
The Center is funded primarily by a grant earmarked by Senator Harry Reid, which amounts to nearly $1 million. The Center also garners donations through its work with industry. The latest donation was made by the Caithness Operating Company, a local power production company. The Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy’s mission is to work with industry to develop Nevada’s geothermal resources. The center was given the Geothermal Community Excellence Award by the Geothermal Energy Association and Geothermal Resources Council. Source: Nevada News, By: Ben Hoffman, 7/13/2006.
California Governor Schwarzenegger Announces Bioenergy Action Plan for California
Touting the economic and environmental benefits of bioenergy, Gov. Schwarzenegger today announced the Bioenergy Action Plan which outlines ways for California to bring alternative energy into the mainstream and reduce dependency on foreign fossil fuels. The Governor announced the action plan after touring the Pacific Ethanol plant in Madera County that will come online within the next few months to produce 35 million gallons of ethanol annually. “Our state is a biomass goldmine with tremendous resources found in our agriculture, forestry and urban waste,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “Taking full advantage of our resources will be a huge step towards energy independence and reducing pollution and greenhouse gases — while at the same time revitalizing many of our rural and agricultural areas.”
The Bioenergy Action Plan focuses on ways to create a positive environment for bioenergy development to help attract new facilities and investment in California. It commits state agencies to take detailed actions within a specific timeframe to advance the use of bioenergy in California. The plan is also designed to improve state agency coordination on bioenergy and expand and accelerate research and development, including partnerships with the federal government and private sector. The Plan was compiled by an interagency task force established by the Governor last year. The task force, led by the California Energy Commission, held a public workshop on March 9, 2006 and gathered input from more than sixty stakeholders.
In April, the Governor issued an executive order establishing targets for the use and production of bioenergy products as an integral part of California's Renewable Portfolio Standard. To achieve these targets, he directed the California Energy Commission, the Resources Agency and other state agencies to collaborate, research, promote and identify funding to advance biomass programs in California. The executive order also formalizes the Governor’s directive for state agencies to meet specific goals, which are detailed in the Bioenergy Action Plan. According to the executive order, California will produce a minimum of twenty percent of its own biofuels by 2010 and forty percent by 2020. Currently, of the 900 million gallons of ethanol consumed in California (which is 25 percent of the entire nation's consumption), only five percent is produced in California. Reaching the new targets will help California achieve the accelerated RPS while signaling a long-term commitment to encourage investment. The executive order also calls for the use of biomass for electricity to reach 20 percent within the state’s RPS goals for 2010 and 2020. Source: California Governor's Office, 7/17/2006.
MD Governor Outlines New Renewable Energy Initiatives
Maryland governor Robert Ehrlich (linkto:http://www.governor.maryland.gov) recently outlined his administration's plans to increase the state's access to renewable energy and decrease its reliance on fossil fuels and natural gas. The plan is designed to increase Maryland's use of biofuels and biomass and provide incentives for the use of renewable electricity, including solar and wind resources. Ehrlich particularly emphasized his commitment to implementing the Clean Energy Incentive Act of 2006, which provides financial incentives for renewable energy production located in Maryland; the Renewable Fuels Promotion Act of 2005, which provides incentives for the production of ethanol and biodiesel in the state; and the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard, which requires that a specified percentage of the electricity sold in Maryland be produced by renewable resources.
The governor said his administration will also give priority to energy purchase contracts for providers that generate power and/or fuels using renewable sources from within Maryland. State agencies will give preference to specific attributes of renewable energy purchases, including in-state generation, lowest emissions, use of under-utilized resources, and decreased dependence on foreign fuel sources. Additionally, Ehrlich endorsed the 25x25 renewable energy initiative, a national plan that calls for 25 percent of the nation's energy to be derived from domestic, renewable resources by 2025, and called on the Maryland General Assembly, again, to approve his plan to require the state to purchase 10 percent of its electricity from Tier 1 renewable energy sources.
Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 7/10/2006.
Peabody Energy and Rentech Partner to Develop Major Coal-to-Liquids Projects
Peabody Energy and Rentech, Inc. announced that they have entered into a joint development agreement to evaluate sites in the Midwest and Montana for coal-to-liquids projects that would transform coal into diesel and jet fuel. Projects would be sited where Peabody has large reserves and would be designed using Rentech's proprietary Fischer-Tropsch coal-to-liquids process. "We're seeing an overwhelming need for coal-to-liquids developments in the United States to offset reliance on expensive imported oil, and projects like these represent a major part of our energy solutions," said Peabody President and Chief Executive Officer Gregory H. Boyce.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects that global energy consumption will increase by more than 70 percent by 2030, and the United States will import 62 percent of its oil. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Defense recently has issued a request for proposals for significant quantities of Fischer-Tropsch fuels. The plants could range in size from producing 10,000 to 30,000 barrels of fuel per day (bpd). A 10,000 bpd plant would use 2 to 3 million tons of coal annually, and a 30,000 bpd plant would use 6 to 9 million tons of coal annually, based on the quality of coal. With more than 9.8 billion tons of reserves, Peabody has dozens of sites in the United States that it is evaluating for Btu Conversion projects.
Fischer-Tropsch's technology produces ultra low sulfur fuels, which will become increasingly valuable as new diesel fuel standards take effect. The technology has been in use since the 1920s, and today South Africa powers about one-quarter of its transportation fleet from coal. Rentech is one of the world's leading developers of Fischer-Tropsch coal- to-liquids and gas-to-liquids technologies. The company has developed an advanced derivative of the well-established Fischer-Tropsch process for manufacturing ultra-clean diesel fuel, other fuel products and clean chemicals. Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall, ST. LOUIS, 7/18/2006.
Nebraska Public Power District Board Okays Development of Long-Term Wind Agreement
The Nebraska Public Power District Board authorized its management to develop a 20-year agreement to buy all of the power from a proposed wind farm in northeast Nebraska. NPPD spokeswoman Beth Boesch, who said the board wants to review and discuss details of the contract before making a final decision, indicated a vote could come at the board’s next meeting in August. The 40-MW wind farm would be built by a private corporation made up of nonprofit groups, farmers and other investors, all from Nebraska. The project is supported by such organizations as the Nebraska Farmers Union, American Corn Growers Association and the Center for Rural Affairs. According to AWEA, Nebraska is ranked sixth in the nation in wind power potential. Source: AWEA Wind Energy Weekly, 7/17/2006.
Solar Business Heats Up
The demand for residential solar systems is booming, several Vermont-based solar system companies said Saturday at the 12th Annual SolarFest (linkto:http://www.solarfest.org). With the cost of a barrel of oil hitting an all-time high, the demand for the photovoltaic-based systems has responded, said Bob Lewis, sales manager of Global Resource Options, a White River Junction firm. A year ago, Lewis said, the business employed 11 people. Now the company, which installs residential and commercial systems, has about 35 workers and is one of the fastest growing solar companies in the country.
The good news about solar was similar at Solar Works Inc. of Montpelier, where Jon Budreski, sales manager, said virtually the same thing, albeit on a slightly smaller scale. Budreski said that his company was getting a lot of residential inquiries and that the company was doing site visits all over New England and New York. Where once there was one employee in the Montpelier office, he said, now there are five, plus 10 people in the field.
Prices for residential systems can range from about $18,000 to $90,000, according to Lewis, who said his company uses a photovoltaic panel manufactured in Massachusetts. Lewis said that while solar systems do enjoy a $2,000 federal tax credit, and Vermont incentives pending thanks to the new Clean Energy Fund, saving money isn't the main motivation for solar buyers.
While no one was plunking down the thousands of dollars for a residential system at SolarFest, interest was heavy at the fair devoted to sustainable energy and world music, with people waiting at the various solar companies' booths at the fair. The weather warm and overcast and plenty of electricity was generated despite the clouds. Also manning a booth was what under normal circumstances might be considered the skunk at the garden party: the state's largest electric utility. Central Vermont Public Service's popular Cow Power program, which sells electricity generated at dairy farms from manure to its green-conscious customers at a 30 percent premium. This year, Solarfest, which started at Green Mountain College in Poultney, was held at Forget-Me-Not Farm in Tinmouth for the second year in a row. David Pyles, festival manager, speculated that the two-day festival, which runs through today, would hit a total of 4,000 visitors.
You could buy enough tie-dye T-shirts to cover the fans in Fenway Park, or you could get a massage, or a $4.50 SolarBlast smoothie made with blueberries, strawberries and raspberries, made on a solar-powered blender. And if you weren't into these consumables, you could buy a wood-fired furnace or hot water heater, or a solar oven, to replace the gas grills of summertime. Pyles said he hoped Solarfest would become so big and successful it would need a state Act 250 permit. With attendance below 2,000 daily, the festival has so far escaped the state land use review. The SolarFest 2006 continues Sunday. Admission is $10. Contact Susan Smallheer (mailto:susan.smallheer@rutlandherald.com). Source: By Susan Smallheer, Staff Writer, 7/16/ 2006.
School City Proceeds With Wind Power Study
They may not live in the Windy City, but School City of Mishawaka officials still are trying to determine if their town has enough strong-moving air to generate power for the district. School City of Mishawaka board members approved last fall a wind power feasibility study. At Tuesday evening's meeting, they learned Business Manager Randy Squadroni had finally located a place to build the wind tower to measure how much wind moves through the city. The tower should be built by the end of July.
Squadroni told board members last fall that some school districts are switching to wind-generated power to save money on energy costs. One school district saved $100,000 annually after installing wind turbines, he said. The 150-feet-high tower will be in a field on Ireland Trail during the one-year study. The $3,500 lease will be paid from the Capital Projects Fund, Squadroni said. When school board members approved the study in September, Squadroni initially suggested placing the tower near Mishawaka High School or the Administrative Center on South Main Street. He added that, although he had a difficult time finding a location for the wind power study, if the study shows enough wind to support a power-generating wind turbine, he believes he could find a permanent location. Source: By: Erin Miller, Tribune Staff Writer, 7/5/2006.
New Renewable Energy Group Added to Nebraska Mix
A new organization entered the Nebraska renewable energy picture Thursday to provide information, education and coordination on ethanol, biodiesel, wind power and other alternatives to petroleum-based energy. In a press conference at the Capitol, Robert Byrnes of Oakland, president of the Nebraska Renewable Energy Association, described it as “very much a grassroots organization that we’re seeking to take across the state.” Byrnes, who identified himself as a farmer and former organic chemist, is also part of an effort to bring the state’s first soybean-based biodiesel plant on line at Scribner by the end of the year. And that’s one category where progress can be expected in the near term, he said. “I would say, by the end of next year, there will be at least four commercial facilities” in the state.
A prepared statement handed out in conjunction with the press conference listed the association as a “primary clearinghouse” for “the vast amount of information” on the alternative energy future. Wind power is another energy sector where Nebraska needs to place more emphasis, Byrnes said, because the state has the fifth highest annual average wind speeds in the nation.
Pat Ptacek, executive vice president of the Nebraska Grain and Feed Association, will serve as administrative manager of the new nonprofit group from the same headquarters, 1233 Lincoln Mall, west of the Capitol. At least for now, there will be no paid staff and the budget will be built on $25 annual memberships. Development of energy demonstration projects is one goal.
Ptacek stressed that lobbying is not on the agenda, but he does look for a close working relationship with other like-minded groups. Among the possibilities are the Nebraska Energy Office, the Nebraska Ethanol Board and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association.
Joining Ptacek and Byrnes at the press conference were board members Deborah Ward of Craig, Dave Tobias of Pilger and Ed George, Lori Stout and Loren Isom of Lincoln. Ward said, “Nebraska needs an organization where the sole focus is on individuals and organizations that want to make renewable energy part of their lives right now.” Ptacek said a networking approach that could deliver more high-starch corn and boost output in ethanol plants is one practical possibility for the association.
George, a former Clay County extension agent, described biomass, plant material that can be converted to energy products, as “an exciting opportunity. But we need to be careful how we utilize it.” Converting virtually all plant residue in cornfields to energy purposes could, for example, create nutrient deficiencies in the soil. Sought out for reaction later Thursday, Todd Sneller of the Ethanol Board said he regards the new group as “well intended” but isn’t necessarily sure where it fits in. “What do they think, collectively, that bioenergy groups are not doing to fulfill that mission?” Reach Art Hovey (mailto:ahovey@alltel.net) at 523-4949. Source: By ART HOVEY, Lincoln Journal Star, 7/14/2006.
Solar Panel Powers Pump for Biodiesel at Salem Co-Op
Filling up at the Flower Power Biodiesel Co-op (linkto:http://www.flowerpowerbiodiesel.org) in Salem doesn't only mean powering a vehicle with used vegetable oil. Now, it means supporting solar power as well. A solar panel donated by Go Solar Suihkonen & Associates in South Salem powers the pump that delivers the biodiesel to a vehicle's tank. It's renewable energy powering renewable fuel, said James Santana, who built the structure that holds the solar panel. He built the structure using recycled materials. The solar panel charges a battery, which powers a 12-volt pump. The 275-gallon biodiesel tank serves more than 20 people in the co-op, who have access to the tank 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The biodiesel costs $3.17 per gallon, and it is $35 to join the co-op. For information, go to, call 971-285-7744 or e-mail Flower Power (mailto:info@flowerpowerbiodiesel.org). Source: Beth Casper, StatesmanJournal, 7/14/2006.
Solar Startup Plans Factory
New Mexico's sunny skies and renewable energy-friendly legislative climate have persuaded another solar startup company to plan a manufacturing plant here. Arnold Leitner, president and CEO of SkyFuel LLC, gave a presentation to state regulators Tuesday outlining plans to build a factory in Albuquerque's Mesa del Sol development to produce solar power generators using a technology developed in Australia.
Leitner launched SkyFuel in 2005 with an office in New York City. He said he is working with venture capitalists in New York and New Mexico to raise "a multimillion-dollar amount" in startup financing to build the factory and corporate office in Albuquerque. Leitner said he picked Albuquerque because of the laws that encourage utilities to use renewable energy, access to scientific talent from Sandia National Laboratories and opportunities to sell his product to utilities in the sun-rich Southwest. He said he hopes to have the project running within about five years. When in production, the factory would create 100 to 200 jobs. Leitner offered no specifics on whether he would lease or purchase land, on the size of the plant or whether he would seek state and local incentives.
His chosen system, Compact Linear Fresnel Reflectors, has roots in technology developed in France in the early 1960s. He said Sydney, Australia-based Solar Heat and Power has tested the technology in a 40-megawatt plant in New South Wales, Australia. It uses a series of long narrow mirrors laid side by side to capture heat from the sun and reflect it onto a central water-filled chamber. The chamber produces steam that drives a generator. A field of mirrors capable of generating about 1 megawatt of electricity, or enough for about 800 average households, would be about the length of a football field. In January, Advent Solar Inc. broke ground for a research, development and photovoltaic-cell factory at Mesa del Sol that could employ as many as 1,000 people in a few years. In April, a partnership of two Arizona-based companies, New Solar Ventures and Solar Torx, announced plans to build a photovoltaic factory and power plant near Deming. Source: Jul 19 - McClatchy-Tribune Business News Formerly Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News - Rosalie Rayburn - Albuquerque Journal, N.M., 7/19/2006.
Fuels From Biomass May Feed Energy Cravings
A basic tenet of successful investing, says Sumesh Arora, is to diversify one’s portfolio. “If you look at energy as an investment,” he told members of the Mississippi Agricultural Economics Association at their annual conference at Mississippi State University, “it just makes sense to diversify – and utilizing various forms of renewable energy is one way to accomplish that.”
Arora, who is director of the Strategic Biomass Initiative for the Mississippi Technology Alliance and president of the Mississippi Biomass Council, says $3 gasoline and diesel have spurred interest in renewable energy as a national security issue, to increase energy independence, to create more jobs in rural areas, and to achieve environmental benefits. Biomass research and commercialization may some day reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil, he says, while creating value-added product opportunities for Mississippi farmers.
The SBI is funded by the Department of Energy to work with universities and the private sector to find near-term opportunities in biomass, with a goal of strengthening targeted biomass research and development and breaking down the hurdles to commercializing renewable energy resources.
Why biomass? “Mississippi is rich in biomass materials; the state is mostly agriculture or forest land, both of which can provide really huge amounts of biomass.” There is also potential to grow large acreages of biomass “crops” such as switchgrass or woody trees to make cellulosic ethanol. Poultry farms and livestock operations generate large amounts of animal wastes that can be used to generate methane. Food processing wastes can also be converted to energy. “We have a good mix of ingredients for biomass production in Mississippi,” Arora says.
Three systems utilizing anerobic digesters are being constructed in the state to use dairy, poultry, and swine manure for energy. “We have the first system in the country that uses poultry waste to produce methane gas. It’s a highly computerized system, and is very efficient.” It will cost about $60,000, he said.
In addition to the energy produced, there will be an environmental benefit, Arora says. “There are some really severe environmental issues related to the waste from poultry facilities, and this offers an opportunity to help resolve that problem while obtaining an economic benefit.”
While much of the alternative energy focus in the United States is on ethanol derived from corn, he says “that’s a pretty expensive fuel” when considering the total cost from field to pump. Cellulosic ethanol, which can be derived from a wide variety of feedstocks, including agricultural plant wastes, sawdust, etc., may be a cheaper product. Two plants are currently under construction to produce ethanol from biomass, one at Aberdeen, Miss., the other at Winona, Miss.
Biodiesel also has a lot of potential, Arora says, because of Mississippi’s large soybean acreages. “But soybeans need to be crushed to extract the oil, and there’s only one crushing facility in the state. And the longer-term question is, why compete with food crops for fuel production when ethanol and biodiesel can be produced from biomass?” The federal government wants renewable energy to make up 7.5 percent of U.S. energy use by 2013, he says, and millions of dollars are being poured into the effort.
Although solar is still “the most expensive way to produce electricity,” it does offer some relatively inexpensive options for agriculture, including pumping water for livestock, aerating ponds, and heating water, Arora says.
There are a number of funding sources for renewable energy projects, he notes, and some offer tax credits that “can help provide some pretty decent returns.” Source: By Hembree Brandon, Farm Press Editorial Staff, 7/19/2006.
Arizona Enacts Property Tax Exemption; Applies to Solar
Arizona's recently enacted property tax exemption (linkto:http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/GenericIncentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=AZ20F¤tpageid=3&EE=1&RE=1) (June 21, 2006), applies to "solar energy devices and any other device or system designed for the production of solar energy for on-site consumption." For property tax assessment purposes, these devices are considered to add no value to the property. Source: IREC State & Stakeholder Newsletter, Friday, July 7, 2006.
Wisconsin's Model Small Wind Ordinance
Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy Program (linkto:http://www.irecusa.org/articles/static/1/1151425238_1051600014.html) developed a model small wind ordinance for use by local planning and zoning officials. Source: IREC State & Stakeholder Newsletter, Friday, July 7, 2006.
Wyoming Governor: Transmission And Wind Power Must Develop Together
Gov. Dave Freudenthal urged stakeholders at an energy conference in Denver Monday to keep transmission and wind power development linked as they move from policy decisions to on-the-ground action. Freudenthal delivered the keynote address at a leadership forum co-sponsored by the National Wind Coordinating Committee. Wind power and electrical transmission were the focus of the conference; Freudenthal noted that it is important for Western states to recognize that the two go together. “In the absence of transmission, the wind resource in Wyoming will go largely undeveloped,” the governor said. “Thus, it is important that we maintain our focus on developing transmission – along with our capacity to exploit the vast wind resources that exist in Wyoming.”
Ultimately, Freudenthal said, the marketplace will determine which resources are developed to produce electricity. Consumers, particularly in California, are sending some signals in support of a diversified energy mix – including renewable resources – but the governor said he is not sure that the consumer is prepared for the higher utility rates that would come with that. “In Wyoming, we do not intend to change our long-standing emphasis on natural gas, oil and coal development, but we are certainly in the process of adding wind power as an important part of the energy that we produce,” Freudenthal said.
The Western Governors’ Association, which recently passed a policy resolution based on the recommendations of its Clean and Diversified Energy Advisory Committee, co-hosted the forum. The event is focusing specifically on proposals made in the CDEAC transmission and wind task force reports.
In June 2004, CDEAC was tasked by the governors with finding ways to develop an additional 30,000 megawatts of clean energy by 2015; increase energy efficiency 20 percent by 2020; and ensure secure, reliable transmission for the next 25 years. CDEAC developed a series of resource-specific and system-wide recommendations, drawing on input from more than 250 stakeholders. The governors’ policy resolution, adopted last month, drew upon on the recommendations outlined in a WGA report titled, “Clean Energy, a Strong Economy and a Healthy Environment.” In his remarks, Freudenthal stressed to stakeholders the importance of moving toward detailed, specific actions now that policy has been set and recommendations are in place. Source: Wyoming Governor's Office, 7/18/2006.
Renewable Energy Policy a Factor in Appointment
Governor Napolitano says a proposal to ramp up Arizona's requirement on the amount of solar energy and renewable resources that electricity providers must use will be a major factor when she picks a new Corporation Commission member. Napolitano will appoint a new commissioner to replace Republican Marc Spitzer. He's been appointed by President Bush to a federal regulatory panel and is expected to leave his state office within about a week. The appointee will serve until this year when a new elected commissioner takes office. The state now requires that one-point-one percent of electricity used by regulated utilities come from renewable sources. That would increase to 15 percent to 2025 under draft rules awaiting final commission action that could come before year's end. Napolitano says the commission should increase the requirement for use of renewable energy like solar. She says she'll ask potential appointees their view but doesn't consider it a litmus test issue.
The commission voted 3-to-2 for the draft rules earlier this year with Spitzer being part of the majority. Source: Associated Press, 7/19/2006.
For more information on marketing and research go to: http://www.nrel.gov/analysis/
Grants, RFPs & Other Funding News
Southern California Edison seeks more renewable energy
Edison International subsidary Southern California Edison launched its fourth solicitation for renewable power contracts since 2002, the company said Friday. The company is looking for long-term contracts — 10, 15, or 20 years —with companies developing cost-effective, renewable power projects, like solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, or small hydro energy projects, according to a release. It will hold a proposal conference Aug. 10.
The company says it is also working with state officials to change barriers that renewable project owners face in development and linking their new projects with California's electrical grid. Southern California Edison estimates that more than 16 percent of the power it delivers this year will come from renewable sources, and previous solicitations resulted in 13 new contracts with 1,674 megawatts of potential generating capacity. Currently, the company's renewable portfolio includes 1,021 megawatts from wind, 892 megawatts from geothermal, 354 megawatts from solar, 221 megawatts from biomass, 128 megawatts from a company-owned small hydro, and 95 megawatts from an independently owned hydro, according to the company. Southern California Edison, which distributes electricity to some 4.6 million customers in California, is the largest subsidary of Rosemead-based Edison International. Source: Los Angeles Business from bizjournals, 7/14/2006.
CEC Approves Funds to Assist State Renewable Energy Companies
The California Energy Commission (linkto:http://www.energy.ca.gov) recently approved funds to help California's renewable energy companies grow business overseas, including the Baja California Norte region of Mexico. The commission awarded $25,000 each to the Princeton Development Corporation of Sausalito, to tap potential wind power development in the San Felipe region of Baja; Energy Systems International of Monterey, for a project proposing to develop rooftop photovoltaic projects on 1,000 homes in Mexicali; and the San Diego Regional Energy Office, for energy audits of facilities in the Maquiladoras area of Tijuana "that could drum up other border energy efficiency and on-site generation projects." According to CEC, the seed money is part of the International Energy Fund administered by the commission's Energy Technology Export Program. The awards are designed to help the companies conduct feasibility studies, market assessments and site analysis.
CEC also approved $278,492 ($205,500 from federal funds) for Nexant, Inc. of San Francisco to help establish a project-financing network made up of investment and merchant banks, government banks such as the U.S. Export-Import Bank, venture capitalists and other investors. The network is intended to identify competitive financing sources for small and mid-size California energy companies competing for business in foreign markets. Additionally, CEC approved a $27,800 contract with BCS, Inc. of Columbia, MD, to help the commission conduct project financing conferences and international trade missions, and $461,253 for Oakland-based KEMA, Inc., to perform tasks related to California-Mexico border issues identified by the commission's 2005 Energy Report. Contact: Percy Della, CEC, phone 916-654-4989. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 7/10/2006.
PIER, Environmental Area: Environmental Exploratory Grant Program Solicitation
The California Energy Commission's PIER Environmental Area Team is accepting proposals (linkto:http://www.energy.ca.gov/contracts/index.html#pier) for research projects through its Environmental Exploratory Grant Program. This program is administered through the University of California, hereafter referred to as EEGP Administrator.
The goal of this program is to support the early development of promising, new scientific concepts with the potential to impact the way we understand and/or address energy-related environmental issues. The program should enhance the current PIER-EA research portfolio by funding focused projects in areas not presently being considered. Approximately $600,000 of PIER funds is allocated to Environmental Exploratory Grants. The maximum amount of any individual grant award is $75,000. The EEGP is designed to tap into the broad research community to help ensure that PIER-EA is open to research opportunities in the full range of energy-related environmental issues relevant to the mission of the PIER-EA Program. Deadline for Receipt Of Applications: 5:00 Pm Pacific Time, October 10, 2006. Source: By Farideh Namjou, California Energy Commission, 7/14/2006.
New LBNL Report
Dear Colleague – I am pleased to announce the release of a new LBNL report titled "Avoiding the Haircut: Potential Ways to Enhance the Value of the USDA's Section 9006 Program" (linkto:http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/ems/reports/61076.pdf).
Section 9006 of Title IX of the 2002 Farm Bill established the Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program (the "Section 9006 program"). Administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Section 9006 program provides grants, loan guarantees, and — perhaps in the future — direct loans to farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses for assistance with purchasing renewable energy systems and making energy efficiency improvements.
In the first three rounds of grant funding under this program, large (defined as > 100 kW) wind projects have been awarded nearly $26 million, or roughly 40 percent of all grant dollars awarded to date. Such projects are also typically eligible for the Federal Production Tax Credit (PTC) codified in Section 45 of the US tax code. Because the PTC provides a significant amount of value to a wind project, most "large wind" applicants to the Section 9006 program have also tried to take advantage of the PTC.
Through what are known as "anti-double-dipping" or, more colloquially, "haircut" provisions, however, the size of the PTC is reduced if a project receives certain other forms of governmental support. The legislative and regulatory history surrounding the PTC's haircut provisions suggests that grants and direct loans (but not loan
guarantees) provided under the Section 9006 program will cause a PTC haircut.
Focusing exclusively on wind projects, this report explores the anti-double-dipping issue and suggests some ways that the program could possibly avoid a PTC haircut. Its purpose is two-fold: (1) to inform recipients of Section 9006 grants, as well as applicants and potential applicants to the program, of the implications of the PTC's anti-double-dipping provisions; and (2) to help the USDA and related stakeholders understand the negative financial impact of such provisions, and possibly re-design the program to avoid that impact. Source: Mark Bolinger, Berkeley Lab, 7/13/2006.
CEC Awards Nearly $6 Million for Public Interest Energy Research
Demonstrating its commitment to scientific public energy research, the California Energy Commission approved several contracts (linkto:http://www.energy.ca.gov/releases/2006_releases/2006-07-19_pier_awards.html) totaling more than $5.9 million dollars to research facilities, energy consultants, and universities. The contracts include a variety of programs such as improving electrical transmission through modeling, energy forecasting, and water conservation efforts.
"By analyzing our relationship with energy and its impact on the environment, we can better understand how to get the most out of our available resources," said Energy Commissioner Art Rosenfeld.
This funding comes from the Commission's Public Interest Energy Research program. The PIER program, the largest in the nation, awards up to $84 million to conduct energy research annually. The program supports energy research, development and demonstration projects that improve the quality of life in California. Source: CEC Release, 7/20/2006.
For more information on funding solicitations go to: http://www.repartners.org/grants.htm
This news item comes to you as a service of Western's Renewable Resources Program.
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