Green Power

Wind Power Arriving at D.C. Hotel

Pepco Energy Services has received a contract to supply wind power to The Fairmont Washington Hotel. The three-year contract calls for Pepco Energy Services to supply the 415-room hotel with more than 3 million kilowatt hours generated from renewable resources. Beginning next March, 10 percent of the energy will come from wind farms in the mid-Atlantic region.  Pepco Energy Services, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, is joining forces with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts as part of the Green Partnership program, created to minimize the hotels' impact on the environment. Pepco Energy Services currently supplies 100 percent renewable resources to the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, as well as at the Environmental Protection Agency's headquarters in D.C.  Source: Washington Business Journal, By Barton Eckert,  Contributing Writer, 9/18/2006.

3 Phases Energy Deal Makes EPA 100 percent Green

Another organization of note has joined the ever-growing list of 100 percent green-energy purchasers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency closed a deal making it the first federal agency to purchase renewable energy equivalent to 100 percent of its annual electricity needs. The agency signed a contract with 3 Phases Energy Services that went into effect September 1 to purchase more than 100 million kWh in renewable energy certificates, which are credits created when power producers generate electricity using wind turbines. The arrangement extends annual green-power purchases to more than 190 EPA facilities nationwide. The new purchase brings the agency total to nearly 300 million kWh per year, which is equivalent to 100 percent of the electricity EPA uses nationwide annually.  "At EPA, we don't just talk the talk, we walk the walk," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "For 35 years, EPA has been greening our nation's landscape. By committing to alternative, renewable power sources, the agency is meeting the President's call to green our nation's energy."  The green power purchasing program began in 1999, when EPA's Region 9 laboratory, in Richmond, Calif., became the first federal facility to purchase green power equal to its total annual electricity consumption. Since then, the program has steadily expanded to offset demand for conventional electricity sources by supporting such renewable energy sources as wind, geothermal, and biomass, primarily through the purchase of RECs.  On an annual basis, EPA's total green power purchases offset more than 600 million pounds of carbon dioxide -- roughly the amount 54,000 cars emit during a year.  The contract, which continues through Sept. 30, 2007, supports the development of wind farms in California, South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.  Source: AWEA Wind Energy Weekly, 9/15/2006.

Federal Agencies and City Utility Announce Purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates

A city-owned utility teamed with five Federal facilities to buy almost 1.7 million MWhs of renewable energy certificates for up to five years.   Western Area Power Administration coordinated the purchase for the agencies through its Renewable Resources for Federal Agencies program. The program, a partnership with the Federal Energy Management Program, helps Federal agencies move toward renewable energy goals set by Section 203 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

The Federal agencies purchased more than 235,605 MWhs of RECs over five years. The agencies include:
Environmental Protection Agency, Denver-7,000 MWh
Fort Lewis, Wash. -- 209,455 MWh
NASA -- Ames Research Center, Calif. -- 12,300 MWh
NASA -- Eastside Airfield, Calif. -- 4,100 MWh
U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region -- 2,750 MWh

The RECs for the agencies will be supplied by 3 Phases Energy, a third-party marketer, and will come from wind, biomass and geothermal energy generated in California, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oregon and South Dakota.

The purchase by city-owned Colorado Springs Utilities supports Western's goal to encourage its customers in the voluntary use of renewable energy. The city will apply its total purchase of more than 1.5 million MWh over a five-year period toward its voluntary compliance with Colorado's Amendment 37 requirements. Community Energy, also a third-party marketer, procured the renewable energy supply from wind energy and other sources. 

This is Western's first joint local and Federal government purchase. For more about Western's renewable resources program, log on to Western's Green Tags Web site.  Source:  Western Area Power Administration, 9/14/2006.

Neenah Paper Makes Major Green Power Purchase

Neenah Paper one of the country's leading premium paper manufacturers, announced today that it is purchasing over 10 million kilowatthours of renewable energy, making it one of the largest purchasers of green power in the paper industry. Neenah Paper is also the largest purchaser of green power in the entire state of Wisconsin, where its mills are located.

The purchase is 12 percent of Neenah Paper's total energy purchase for its Wisconsin fine paper manufacturing operations. The purchase also qualifies Neenah Paper for distinguished membership in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership a program recognizing organizations for exemplary green power purchases. Neenah Paper's energy purchase consists of environmentally preferable, renewable sources of energy such as wind, solar, low-impact hydro and biomass.

The fast-growing recycled brand, ENVIRONMENT Papers, and two finishes of the EAMES Paper Collection (Painting and Furniture finishes) will be made entirely with renewable energy. 

This purchase reinforces Neenah Paper's ongoing commitment to using alternative energies. In January 2006, the company announced it would purchase 350 million pounds of Green Steam annually to dry paper during manufacturing and also to heat the mill in Neenah, Wis. This reduces both Neenah Paper's natural gas consumption and carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere by 80 percent every year. Decreasing carbon dioxide by this amount is equivalent to planting 250,000 tree seedlings, which naturally remove carbon dioxide from the air.

The steam was declared "green" by the State of Wisconsin because it is derived from a renewable, organic source: wastewater sludge from paper mills.  Neenah Paper is purchasing over 10 million kWh of Green-e certified renewable energy annually from We Energies' (linkto:http://www.we-energies.com/eft) Energy for Tomorrow program.  This is one of only nine utility renewable energy programs certified as Green-e in the country. For the fifth straight year, it has been ranked among the nation's top 10 green energy programs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory.  Source: Neenah Paper, 9/20/2006.

Syracuse Environmental Business Expo to Use Renewable Energy

One of New York's largest environmental business conferences being held in Saratoga this year, The Environmental Business Association of New York State's Empire Energy and Environment Expo, will be powered by renewable energy. The conference will be held on September 25-26, 2006 at the Oncenter Complex in Syracuse.

Sterling Planet, the nation's leader in retail renewable energy sales and an E4 sponsor, has sold 1,250 Renewable Energy Certificates to the EBA/NYS to offset regular electric power used at the upcoming conference. The RECs represent 1,250,000 kilowatthours of clean, renewable energy and will offset 1,144 tons of carbon dioxide from regular electricity production. The environmental benefit compares to not driving about 2.31 million miles.

Sterling Planet, an Alpharetta, Georgia based company with offices in New York and throughout the country, is an industry leader in retail renewable energy sales. The company's mission is: to harness the power of consumer demand to convert at least 10 percent of the nation's electricity production to environmentally preferable energy -- energy that is diverse, domestically based and low impact -- by 2012, while stimulating local economies and creating jobs. For more information: Jonathan M. Pierce, 518-427-1186, Source: Environmental Business Association of New York State, 9/20/2006.

Renewable Energy Technologies

Huge Windmills to Arrive Today at Duluth Harbor

A cargo ship from Sweden, the BBC India, arrived at the Duluth Harbor carrying a shipment of windmill blades, turbines and equipment that when assembled will become the largest wind energy facility in North Dakota. Minnesota Power an ALLETE company, announced last April that it is partnering with FPL Energy to create the Oliver County Wind Energy Center, which will generate up to 50.6 Megawatts of clean, renewable wind energy. The windmill components will be transferred from the ship to large specially-designed flatbed trucks for the 500-mile ground trek to North Dakota. A subsidiary of FPL Energy will own and operate the facility and Minnesota Power will purchase all of the energy.

The facility is expected to go on line by the end of 2006. The Oliver County Wind Energy Center will consist of a total of 22 wind turbines. Each of the structures will be 80 meters tall (262 feet) to the center of the blade hub.

Wind energy is just part of Minnesota Power's growing renewable energy portfolio. Besides wind energy, Minnesota Power is actively pursuing additional hydroelectric, biomass, and community-based electric generation opportunities. The State of Minnesota has encouraged state utilities to utilize renewable energy sources for ten percent of their electric generation by 2015. Minnesota Power expects to exceed this goal.  Source: Minnesota Power, 9/18/2006.

Vallecitos Water District Unveils 340.9 kW Solar System at Dedication Ceremony; System Was Designed and Installed by SPG Solar, Inc.

The Vallecitos Water District will be holding a dedication ceremony for their recently installed solar photovoltaic carport system in honor of the late Paul A. Davy, former VWD Director and the visionary for solar, at the District's headquarters. SPG Solar, Inc. of San Rafael, CA, designed and installed the system.  The dedication ceremony will begin at 4pm, Thursday, September 21, 2006, at VWD's headquarters at 201 Vallecitos de Oro, in San Marcos, CA.

SPG Solar, Sharp Solar, along with San Diego Regional Energy Office will help VWD flip the switch on the 340.9 kW AC solar system during the dedication ceremony. SDREO provided a $1.2 million grant to help fund the project. Solar PV systems are emission-free, and this system has the potential to offset approximately 7,173 tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the next 25 years. When VWD's system is officially connected to the utility grid, VWD will earn credits at the utility's retail electric rates, ultimately reducing 90 percent of their utility electric costs.

The system is comprised of 9 carports, uses a total of 1,966 Sharp 208-watt solar PV panels and spans over the District's 160-space fleet and employee parking lot. SPG Solar designed and installed the system to utilize VWD's expansive parking lot as a dual-purpose shaded carport and high-performance energy system. Source: SPG Solar, Inc., Iris Chan, .--(BUSINESS WIRE)--9/18/2006.

Ethanol Industry Leaders Continue Researching Biomass-to-Ethanol

There's major interest in developing biomass-to-ethanol commercial demonstration facilities in the United States right now. It seems as if any company with a biotech-related patent under its belt is declaring participation in this pursuit of technological commercialization for biomass-based ethanol production. Some industry analysts liken this quest to pole positioning: the first-place showing goes to those who've put the best sheen on technologies that have hitherto been economically dull and inefficient; the prize for which is gaining the alliance of potential investors and the trust of the financial community.

The U.S. Department of Energy's multi-million dollar funding spree and the Advanced Energy Initiative are surely responsible for some of this interest. After all, even the shrewdest follower of self reliance would find these carrots tempting. Circulating reports indicate the energy department will be ready to issue loan guarantees in 2007, provided Congress plays ball.

Nevertheless, the big technology providers instrumental in establishing today's successful dry-grind ethanol industry -- ICM Inc., Broin Companies and Delta-T Corp. -- administer their plans for rolling out new technologies differently than those companies seeking to get a foot in the door. Smaller and oftentimes publicly-traded companies looking to break through the "cellulosic ceiling" often tout their preliminary successes with individual pieces of biomass conversion's technological puzzle. Established ethanol industry insiders often keep their R&D behind closed doors -- and with good reason, many say -- until proven results in partnership with like-minded associates are protected and a pathway to deployment is secured.

Mike Muston, executive vice president of corporate affairs with Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Broin Companies, makes this case by telling EPM, "True to Broin history, we don't want to say something we're going to do but rather try to consistently say what we have done." He follows this by detailing one of Broin's latest cutting-edge developments.  "We've got a plant that we'll be constructing in Iowa'we hope it'll be early next year (2007) -- and it has three pieces to it," Muston says. "It'll be a biorefinery that provides for an 11 percent increase in biofuels compared to the current industry production from a bushel of grain corn. Second, this technology will increase the production per acre of corn by 27 percent. Third, if this proves commercially viable through the demonstration of this plant, we will reduce the natural gas consumption of a [like-sized] plant by 83 percent."

Broin also recently hired a new vice president of research, which exemplifies the company's "desire, willingness and abilities to move beyond ethanol," Muston says. "We have also struck a significant biomass technology development agreement with a household name."

Broin isn't the only established company making headway toward a more diverse and inclusive industry of ethanol production, though. ICM Inc. is partnering with LifeLine Foods LLC, a food processing company based in St. Joseph, Mo., to accomplish several different things. First, the partnership will allow ICM to incorporate its own refined version of dry fractionation within its already successful dry-milling process design -- or an optional alternative to the current industry standard. Second, the St. Joseph site will house a new R&D center and pilot plant, where ICM will pursue the development and testing-out of novel processes to help carry the future of this industry beyond starch and corn. 

ICM CEO and President Dave Vander Griend tells EPM that one of the major R&D objectives on which the company will focus in the new center will be developing a "best methods" commercial approach to cellulosic ethanol either through a gas-to-liquid production or via effective pretreatment followed by fermentation-or perhaps an alternative method.

Delta-T Executive Vice President Rob Swain tells EPM his company will be prepared to release one or more major announcements regarding biomass conversion -- "dramatic news," Swain says -- by the end of this year, perhaps as early as October or November. "Delta-T's R&D vision is-well, we see an end coming to the bubble of traditional dry mills," Swain says. In two years to five years, Delta-T sees the emergence of commercial retrofits with biorefining concepts for this industry. "We're within a five-year window of a commercially viable cellulosic industry," he tells EPM. According to Swain, Delta-T has strategies in four or five major technology areas to allow the company to participate in what he says is "a market going through rapid development."  

Ron Kotrba is an Ethanol Producer Magazine staff writer. Reach him at 701-746-8385.  Source: By Ron Kotrba, 9/18/2006.

Solar-Panel Project Leads Way

Taking up about half the size of a football field, 1,008 black solar panels arranged in rows of 48 sit atop the Whole Foods Market distribution center at 400 East Johnson Avenue.  The panels make up the largest photovoltaic installation in the state. The technology is gaining momentum in the state with more projects coming on line soon.  Cheshire energy officials see the project as an example that could lead to more solar installations in public and private buildings in town.   The panels will produce 137,500 kilowatt hours of clean electricity a year, supplying 10 percent of electricity needs for the 156,000-square-foot facility, half of which is a refrigerator. 

The largest demand for power is during the summer when there is the most sun, which can produce more energy.  Since the panels starting producing energy last week, Ballard said no one in the building has even noticed. No noise comes from the panels. Small pipes and a box make up the electrical converting and transport system.

The solar energy installation is still not paying for itself and the bulk of the capital cost for it was put up by the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, from money collected from Connecticut ratepayers. The Whole Foods installation cost $945,000, of which $516,000 or 55 percent of the cost, was put by the Clean Energy Fund and the rest through financing from Sun Edison, which owns the system.  Sun Edison and Whole Foods have a 15- to 20-year contract to purchase the electricity produced by the cells.  The Whole Foods installation is five times the size of the next-largest photovoltaic unit in the state, a 23,000-kilowatt-hour installation at the Connecticut Transit Authority bus depot in Hartford.

Later this year, Sun Edison will team up with the Clean Energy Fund for a 325-kilowatt-hour installation at Staples in Killingly, a project expected to cost $3.3 million, of which $1.7 million will come from the Clean Energy Fund.  Once it switches on, that photovoltaic installation will be the largest in New England.  After the Staples project goes on line, 1 megawatt-hour of electricity produced by solar panels will be added to the state's 34.7 million megawatt hour power grid.  Connecticut has 125 solar installations in businesses, public buildings and private homes.  The energy commission proposed a solar panel installation at the Cheshire High School during the last school year.  That proposal was tabled by Cheshire school officials amid concerns of possible roof leaks and vandalism. 

The Energy Commission recently got 100 people to sign up to a Clean Energy Fund program, as part of which they pay an additional $5 to $7 a month in their electric bills. The money goes toward producing electricity from clean sources such as solar, wind, sea waves and fuel cells.  The Clean Energy Fund donates a solar panel, worth $20,000, to towns for each 100 households that sign up. Cheshire will get its first one in a few months.  Source: BY LAURESHA XHIHANI, 9/18/2006.

More Consumers Turn to Wind, Solar Power

When conditions are right, Scott Curran can watch the wheel in the electric meter at his Galveston home spin backward.  That happens when the three blades of a small wind turbine and 10 roof-mounted solar panels produce more electricity than Curran's Avenue Q home consumes.  In 1998, Curran paid about $15,000 for the small hybrid energy system. The unusual sight of a 30-foot tower mounted by the turbine in Curran's back yard has long piqued the curiosity of passers-by and neighbors.  Most everyone wants to know why Curran made the investment and whether he's cutting his electric bills. And some want to know how to make their electric meters spin in reverse. 

Curran's system of harnessing the wind and sun to produce electricity in his own back yard no longer seems so strange as consumers get jolted by high power bills, blamed mostly on volatile natural gas prices.   "Awareness of renewable energy has grown in proportion to rising retail electric rates and rising energy costs," said Noah Kaye, a spokesman for Washington, D.C.-based Solar Energy Industries Association. Unsettling reports about global warming and climate change, which scientists blame on burning fossil fuels, is a big part of a surging industry, Kaye said. And a recent poll by the National Association of Homebuilders says the war in Iraq has made consumers more receptive to products that reduce dependence on foreign oil.  Sales of small wind turbines in the United States were $17 million in 2005, compared with $10.5 million the year before, a 62 percent increase. Between 2000 and 2005, installation of photovoltaic equipment, or solar panels, almost doubled in the United States.

Few urban and suburban dwellers live independent of a retail electric provider or utility, industry observers say. Off-the-grid living is still mostly the domain of people in remote areas, where extending power lines can cost $45,000 a mile.  Large wind turbines, some mounted on 80-foot towers, aren't suitable or even allowed in some densely populated neighborhoods.  It's far more common for consumers to use a combination of solar panels, small wind turbines and a local utility to power their homes, industry observers say.  Last year, 82 percent of all solar panels were on homes and business that remained connected to the grid, Kaye said.

Reducing dependence on retail electric providers doesn't come cheap -- at least initially. Up-front costs are steep and can take 15 to 30 years to recoup, industry observers say.  So what's the payoff -- Is it environmental, financial or a desire to have an emergency backup system should the grid fail?  Consider solar panels. To completely offset the energy needs of a typical home, a consumer would pay about $50,000 to install solar panels, said Andrew McCalla, president of Austin-based Meridian Energy Systems.  More typically, consumers spend about $20,000 on solar panels, which produce about 40 percent of a home's electricity, McCalla said.

Compared to cheap coal used for power generation and ignoring the environmental benefits, up-front costs of solar energy may seem pricey, industry observers concede.  "When some people hear that they're going to pay $20,000 up front for electricity, they flip," McCalla said. "But people buy SUVs with 25 percent instant depreciation."  While solar systems probably won't completely wipe out a consumer's power bill, they can offer protection against electricity rate hikes, McCalla said.  The financial payback for solar panels depends on system size, future electric rates and financing, industry officials say.

Prices of residential wind turbines depend on a system's peak capacity -- the number of kilowatts it produces under optimal conditions -- according to the National Wind Energy Association.  Small systems cost $3,000 to $5,000 for every kilowatt of generating capacity, or about $40,000 for a 10-kilowatt system fully installed, according to the association. But such systems are more suitable for rural homes with at least one acre of property.  A typical home uses about 10,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, or about 830-kilowatt hours a month, according to the association.  Depending on the average wind speed, a turbine rated in the range of 5 to 15 kilowatts would be required to make a significant contribution, according to the association. Systems smaller than 1 kilowatt are more typically used as part of a hybrid system with solar panels.  If the wind is right, homeowners can cut 10 percent to 20 percent off their electric bills with a 1-kilowatt system, according to the association.  So, if saving money is the issue, consumers should think about average wind speeds and also the cost of buying electricity, officials with the association say.  Consumers motivated by financial savings should have a 10 mph average wind speed and be paying at least 10 cents a kilowatt-hour for electricity, according to the association. Galveston's average wind speed is 11 mph, peaking in March at 12 mph but dropping in August to 9 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

When Curran's system generates more power than his household needs, the electricity goes back to the grid through his meter, causing the meter to turn backward. The system reduces his metered consumption, and he sees a savings on his power bill.  Curran pays about 17 cents a kilowatt-hour to Green Mountain Energy, his retail electric provider.  Last month, after keeping his batteries charged, Curran's net gain was 64 kilowatt-hours. He saw a savings of only $10.80 cents for the billing period because of his renewable energy systems. At that rate, it would take about 1,388 months, or 115 years, to recoup his investment, he said. That doesn't take into account maintenance costs, he said.

Unlike states such as California, Texas does not offer rebates to consumers of renewable energies.  But the solar industry saw renewed demand in January when consumers could start using a new 30 percent federal tax credit up to $2,000 for solar power system purchases. The tax credit was part the Energy Policy Act of 2005. While there is no such program for residential wind systems, lawmakers in the U.S. House and Senate are proposing bills that would offer a 30 percent credit for residential wind systems.  Texas does have a property tax incentive for using renewable energy. State law exempts taxpayers from any value added by a qualified renewable energy system.  Curran said he's satisfied that his renewable energy system has met his goals as a backup power source in a storm-prone city. Financial savings are incidental, he said.  "One thing we stress to people when they talk to us is they should define what their goals are and decide whether it's worth doing and to what extent they want to do it," Curran said. 

A wind turbine collects kinetic energy from the wind and converts it to electricity that is compatible with a home's electrical system, which is also supplied by a utility.  If the wind speeds are below 7-10 mph, there will be no output from the turbine and all of the power is purchased from the utility. As wind speeds increase, the amount of power purchased from the utility is proportionately decreased.  Source: American Wind Energy Association.

Photovoltaic devices generate electricity directly from sunlight.  Electrons in certain types of crystals are freed by solar energy and can be induced to travel through an electrical circuit, powering any type of electronic device or load.  PV devices can be used to power small devices, such as road signs, calculators or phone call boxes, homes or even large stores or businesses. Source: Solar Energy Industries Association, By Laura Elder, The Daily News, 9/17/2006.

RITE and Honda to Produce Ethanol from Biomass

Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth and Honda R&D Co., the auto maker's subsidiary responsible for research and development, announced that their cooperative research has resulted in ethanol production technology from soft-biomass, a renewable resource of plant-derived material.

Bio-ethanol has attracted attention as a carbon-neutral fuel, an energy source effective as countermeasure to global-warming.  Existing bio-ethanol production, however, faces supply limits, as it is produced primarily from sugar and starch of sugarcane and corn feedstock, which are also utilized as food.  In its collaborative research, RITE and Honda have established the basic technology to produce ethanol fuel from cellulose and hemicellulose, both found in soft-biomass, including inedible leaves and stalks of plants, such as rice straw. Until now, such soft-biomass represented a challenge to convert to ethanol. Thus, the new process represents a large step forward for practical application of soft-biomass as a fuel source.  The RITE-Honda process, newly developed as an integration of the sophisticated bio-technology of RITE and the engineering technology of Honda, paves the way to bio-ethanol production from cellulose and hemi-cellulose, with the potential to significantly increase fuel production.  

Current technology allows fermentation inhibitors, collaterally formed primarily during the process of separating cellulose and hemicellulose from soft-biomass, to interfere with the function of microorganisms that convert sugar into alcohol, leading to extremely low ethanol yield. Up to now, an appropriate solution has not been found to this the largest obstacle to alcohol production from soft-biomass.

Now, RITE and Honda have successfully developed the RITE-Honda process, which substantially reduces the harmful influence of fermentation inhibitors. The RITE-Honda process succeeds through utilization of RITE strain, a microorganism developed by RITE that converts sugar into alcohol, and by application of engineering technology of Honda, enabling a significant increase in alcohol conversion efficiency, in comparison to conventional cellulosic bio-ethanol production processes.  The RITE-Honda process, resulting in a significant increase in production of bio-ethanol, and expansion of biomass utilization, holds enormous potential as a major step forward toward the realization of an energy sustainability society.  The achievement solves the last remaining fundamental hurdle to ethanol production from soft-biomass. Thus, RITE and Honda will pursue research for mass production, including development of systems to integrate four operations, currently operated independently, into a continuous flow within one plant, recycling energy to pursue energy conservation and cost reduction.

A demonstration project is envisioned within a pilot plant to assess the social compatibility and economic efficiency of the new bio-alcohol production system.  Based on the success of this collaborative research, RITE and Honda, will pursue further advancement to establish a bio-refinery for production of not only ethanol, but various industrial commodities including automotive materials from biomass. Source: GreenBiz, 9/15/2006.

CCU Helps Area Go Green

Enough energy to power at least 59 homes for a day has already been produced by the new solar panels atop pavilions at a CCU bus stop, according to the Web site that reports the panels' energy production.  The panels on four structures sheltering the bus stop on East Chanticleer Drive at Coastal Carolina University mark the state's first solar power site at a public university, said Laura Varn, Santee Cooper's vice president of corporate communications and media relations.  It is also the first solar power site Santee Cooper has built as part of its Green Power program, which promotes renewable energy alternatives.  Santee Cooper is putting the finishing touches on it in preparation for its Oct. 31 unveiling. 

The $400,000 project -- paid for by Santee Cooper -- can produce up to 16 kilowatts at a time, depending on the amount of cloud cover, time of day and time of year. The energy goes into Santee Cooper's grid to be distributed among its customers.  It's not intended to be a huge power generator, but to demonstrate the technology and make people aware of alternative energy sources.  Before its formal unveiling, Santee Cooper will place signs in the pavilions about where the power goes and how much is being produced.  It will also finish a Web-based exhibit in the R. Cathcart Smith Science Center that will include statistics about how much electricity is being generated at any given moment.  Santee Cooper announced the project in October, the same month that the university established its Community Sustainability Initiative, which aims to promote sound environmental practices. 

The initiative was one factor in the decision to put the panels at CCU.  Construction on the panels started in January and they were operating by July 24.  Abel said the university is one of the primary buyers of Santee Cooper green power.  Horry-Georgetown Technical College does not have any plans to build a solar power site on its campuses, but efforts are being made to make energy use more efficient. New lighting that reduces energy costs while producing brighter, whiter light is being installed in some academic and administrative buildings.  Brunswick Community College is planning to pay the state energy office this year to audit the school's energy use. This will help the college determine how to become more energy efficient, said Ben DeBlois, BCC vice president of administrative services.  Steps such as these can make a huge environmental difference, said CCU's student sustainability coordinator Marissa Mitzner.  "Coastal as well as Conway itself is actually starting to take sustainability as a priority," Mitzner said. Contact JESSICA FOSTER at 626-0351.   Source: By Jessica Foster, The Sun News, 9/16/2006.

Bay Area School Becomes First To Go Solar NEWS

The sun was shining at Walnut Grove Elementary School in Pleasanton Friday -- and that's important because they started using solar energy to supply power to one of their buildings. It's the first step toward becoming the first school district in the state to go all solar in the next 18 months.  Students showed off solar doll houses, solar cars and even had a snack meltdown. Carol Kato, Pleasanton science teacher: "We went outside with solar ovens and actually cooked some crackers and cheese and saw how it worked.  So they were amazingly excited about that."

Walnut Grove Elementary School is going green with a solar panel to power one of their classroom buildings. More significantly, they are the first. The entire district is converting to solar energy in the next year and a half.

A $50,000 dollar grant will allow each school to appoint a 'solar coach' to oversee the conversion and teach the kids how to harness solar energy in their own lives.  By 2008, the district hopes to be saving over a million dollars a year in energy costs. And at the same time, they'll be training a future generation on how to conserve energy.  Source:  Copyright 2006, ABC7/KGO-TV/DT, 9/15/2006.

Family Uses Wind Power To Cut Utility Costs

A scorching summer meant shocking electric bills for many North Texans. But a family in Collin County plans to get rid of high utility costs with an old idea that has a new twist.

Monika Amick said she would love to slash her electric bill after, she said, last month's bill hit $560. Amick has come to the home of Paul and Elena Westbrook to see how they are taking strides to lower their utility costs.  The Westbrooks are among the first to install the latest generation wind turbine called the Skystream. Paul Westbrook estimates that the turbine will cut his utility costs by about 40 percent.

What makes this wind turbine so special is that it's designed specifically for residential use -- a simple and affordable design that starts paying you back quickly.  "The whole point was to make this in the realm of a payback that a homeowner could use," said Frank Greco of Southwest Windpower. The Skystream can be up and running for as little as $8,500 -- and that is about a third to a half cheaper than what older units once cost, Greco said. 

Depending on how much wind there is, the turbine could pay for itself in as few as five years.  "I have a little investment here, but it's gonna pay back over time, and once it's paid for I'm just making money off the unit after that," said Paul Westbrook.  The Westbrooks admitted there were a lot of questions from neighbors, including some who wondered how tall the unit was going to be or how much noise it would make.  In short, the turbine sits a top a 35-foot pole, and even at high speed, it can barely be heard, Paul Westbrook said.  The Westbrooks also don't mind blowing away their electric bill.  "When those first good North Texas cool fronts punch through -- I'll be out watching it spin and watching my meter go backwards," said Paul Westbrook.  Copyright 2006 by nbc5i.com    Source: Southwest Windpower, 9/19/2006.

Domestic shipments of solar PV in U.S. increase 72 percent

The U.S. solar industry shipped 226,916 kW of PV cells and modules last year, an increase of 25 percent over 2004.  Energy prices in the United States have been increasing since the start of last year, partly due to hurricanes and demand pressure on imported oil supplies, and "this has increased interest in alternate energy sources, which include renewable energy sources such as solar," says the Energy Information Administration in its latest report on solar PV manufacturing activities. The U.S. manufacture of photovoltaic cells and modules continued to grow at a strong pace last year "despite the fact that prices for solar panels and PV cells and modules rose due to material cost increases."   "The solar industry has been able to absorb most of the rising material costs because it has become more flexible in its production methods and supply arrangements over the past years," it explains.

Domestic shipment of PV cells and modules reached a record high of 134,465 peak kilowatts in 2005, a 72 percent increase from the previous record of 78,346 kW in 2004 and an increase of 176 percent from 2003. Rising electricity prices during the past two years have increased demand for PV, which spawned new PV technology and business opportunities during 2005.  Total shipment of cells and modules rose to 226,916 kW last year, a 25 percent increase over 2004. Module shipments increased 43 percent to 204,996 kW, while shipment of PV cells decreased to 21,920 kW from 37,842 kW in 2004.  "This suggests a potential shift in manufacturer focus of offering unique PV modules to meet the strong demand of their customers, likely caused, in part, by higher energy prices," the report explains. "Among the indicators of the shift is the recent increase in module supply agreements by the PV manufacturers. This increased demand comes at a time of an industry-wide shortage of silicon, the principal feedstock of PV cells."

The price of silicon wafers has doubled in each of the past two 2 years, and tight silicon supply has created back orders of several months. "Demand is far greater than supply and PV manufacturers have simply not been able to keep up," the report notes. "Because of this, manufacturing costs have risen sharply, and manufacturers such as Evergreen Solar and SunPower have changed their business strategies to maintain profits and continue to finance their plans to expand their production and strengthen their distribution capabilities."  Before 2005, the number of companies shipping PV had remained steady, averaging 20 over the past two decades but, last year, the number of active companies surged to 29, compared to 19 in 2004. Imports jumped to 90,981 kW in 2005 from 47,703 kW in 2004, an increase of 91 percent, and the main contributors to this increase were U.S. subsidiaries of Japanese companies who are importing cells.  By contrast, exports dropped last year to 92,451 kW from 102,770 kW in 2004, and the decrease was influenced by the decline of shipments from a single company due to silicon supply disruptions. Shipments to wholesale distributors, the largest business category, increased 22 percent to 130,086 kW last year while shipments to the second-largest category, installers, surged 94 percent to 67,437 kW in 2005.

The total value of PV shipments grew 40 percent to US$702 million last year, with an average price for modules reaching $3.19 per peak watt, up 6 percent over the $2.99 in 2004. For PV cells, the average price rose 13 percent to $2.17 with increases due primarily to increases in material costs and the shortage of refined silicon. The commercial sector remained the largest target for PV shipments at 89,459 kW, up 20 percent, while the residential sector totaled 75,040 kW, up 39 percent. Power generation, including both grid-tied and remote, is the predominant end use for PV, accounting for 85 percent of total shipments last year, 31 percent higher than 2004.  Source: Refocus Weekly, 9/20/2006.

Octillion Pursues Nanosilicon Solar Power Window

Octillion Corp.  of Vancouver, BC, recently announced a Sponsored Research Agreement with scientists at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. The agreement is for the development of new patent-pending technology using nanosilicon photovoltaic solar cells. The technology could make normal home and office glass windows capable of converting solar energy into electricity. Advantages of the technology include limited loss of transparency and minimal changes in manufacturing infrastructure for windows.  The technology has been made possible through discovery of an innovative electrochemical and ultrasound process. The process produces identically sized (1 to 4 nanometers in diameter) highly luminescent nanoparticles of silicon. The nanoparticles provide varying wavelengths of photoluminescence with high quantum down conversion efficiency of short wavelengths (50 percent to 60 percent).  When thin films of silicon nanoparticles are deposited (sprayed) onto silicon substrates, ultraviolet light is absorbed and converted into electrical current. With appropriate connections, the film acts as nanosilicon photovoltaic solar cells that convert solar radiation to electrical energy.  Contact: Octillion Corp., phone 800.213.0689.  Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 9/19/2006.

Solar Concentrator Firm Solaria Lands $22 Million

Solar photovoltaic company Solaria said Tuesday it completed a second round of funding, collecting $22 million, and that it expects to bring solar concentrator products to market next year.  The round included investments from venture capital firms Sigma Partners and Ngen Partners, silicon solar panel manufacturer Q-Cells, and Moser Baer, a manufacturer of removable optical storage media.  Fremont, Calif.-based Solaria makes low-concentration solar cells from silicon. The idea behind solar concentrators is to amplify sunlight onto solar photovoltaic material to generate more electricity.  With the high price of silicon and high energy prices, a number of companies are investing in solar photovoltaic technologies.

Solaria said its manufacturing technology will produce cells that fit existing solar panels and enable production of two to three times the number of modules from silicon, compared with conventional methods.  The company is on target to start high-volume production in 2007. The capital will help the company ramp up its production of its operations, according to Solaria CEO Suvi Sharma.  "We evaluated many renewable energy investment opportunities and Solaria's approach really impressed us because it emphasizes reliability, manufacturability and compatibility," said Sigma Partners managing director Wade Woodson, in a statement.  Source: CNET Networks, Inc., 9/20/2006.

Iowa State Researchers Developing More Powerful Solar Cells

One of the critical factors that is slowing the advance of solar PV is that it is in direct competition with the chip industry for silicon, making the panels expensive to manufacture. You can make them thinner using less silicon, but output suffers. Another is that the efficiencies need to be raised so you get more watts per square meter from the collector. A researcher at Iowa State  has addressed both of these issues at the same time by making the thinner cheaper cells, but raising the output back up to a more normal level. Source: Technocrat.net, 9/21/2006.

Homes warm to Earth's power

Anyone who ever tried to dig a hole in January knows how hard the cold earth can be. However, underneath that top layer of soil, the earth is a warmer, more constant temperature no matter what the calendar says.  Home builders are starting to take advantage of that by introducing geothermal heat pumps into homes new and old. The concept is simple and dates to the 1800s, but not until the 1940s did any buildings start delivering on its promise.  Traditional furnace and air-conditioning systems have to work harder than geothermal systems and expend more energy to keep homes comfortable, supporters of the technology say. In the summer, the sticky, hot air is brought to a cooler temperature via air-conditioning units, and the home furnace kicks in come winter to make the crisp air tolerable.

Geothermal heat pumps, however, use the Earth's natural stasis temperature -- an average of roughly 58 degrees -- to heat and cool homes more efficiently. As any green builder will quickly point out, the Earth's heat is a renewable resource.   These heat pumps work through a series of pipes built as a loop installed underneath a house. During winter, fluid carrying the Earth's natural heat pumps through the pipes and into a home's indoor geo-exchange device. That releases warmer air into the home, typically through duct fans placed throughout the house.   Come spring and summer, the process reverses itself. Heat is drawn from the home via the piping loop and absorbed by the ground. The process works like a refrigerator, which draws heat from its interior to keep perishables cool, according to the District-based Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium Inc.

Geothermal heat pumps run quietly and usually are installed in a basement or attic. They also are far more energy-efficient than existing temperature systems and produce lower utility bills as well.   The catches with the system are less than with such other renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. The systems are more expensive to install than traditional heating and cooling units, but sources say the units pay for themselves within five to seven years.   Many contend that utility bills drop dramatically with these systems.

Glenn Chinery, a mechanical engineer with the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program, calls geothermal heat pumps a "good, mature technology." Installers can introduce the heat pumps in one of two ways, either via vertical or horizontal drilling. The former is better in places where homes are tightly packed, such as in the District.   Source: By Christian Toto, THE WASHINGTON TIMES. 9/20/2006.

Outreach, Education, Reports & Studies

September UWIG E News

The agenda for the Fall Technical Workshop to be held October 23-25 in Oklahoma City has been posted to the UWIG web site and registration is now open.  Source: Sandy Smith, Communications Coordinator, Utility Wind Integration Group, 9/19/2006.

Innovation Through Conviction, Collaboration and Commitment

On the 13th September, Tony Meggs, BP's Group Vice President for Technology, gave a speech entitled 'Innovation through conviction, collaboration and commitment' The speech was given at the Global Innovation Summit in Tokyo. 

Leading in technology--Find out what technology means to BP.

Technology where it really counts.  Learn more about our full range of technology activities

California New Solar Homes Partnership Public Awareness Campaign

Addendum 3  for Request For Proposals (RFP) #400-06-401, New Solar Homes Partnership Public Awareness Campaign has been posted to the California Energy Commission website.  Source: California Energy Commission, 9/18/2006.

A Call for Domestic Renewable Energy

America's energy economy is changing. Tough challenges -- from global warming to sustained high oil prices -- will be addressed in coming years, either through proactive policies and investment in clean technology, or through neglect, wishful thinking and ad hoc decisions that leave our economy and our planet less well off. Either way, change is coming.  An excellent answer to these tough challenges is renewable energy. Renewable energy works, and it can play a large role in addressing our mounting energy crises. Yesterday, the Center for American Progress in partnership with the Worldwatch Institute released a report entitled American Energy: the Renewable Path to Energy Security, which outlines one encouraging direction our nation could take in the coming energy transition. This report demonstrates the potential for clean renewable energy to contribute substantially to meeting our increasing energy needs while protecting our security and the environment, and boosting our economy.

Currently, renewables account for just 6 percent of total U.S. energy. But around the world, renewable energy markets are exploding. Global wind production has more than tripled since 2000. Use of solar cells for electricity has increased more than six times in the same period, making solar one of the fastest growing industries on the planet. During this time, ethanol production has more than doubled, and use of biodiesel has shot up nearly 4 times. In 2005, capital investments in renewable energy (excluding large-scale hydropower) reached $38 billion, and that number could approach $70 billion by 2010.

This dynamism is driving down costs and accelerating technological advances. Yet, these impressive global growth rates have been slowed in the United States by an unclear and shifting patchwork of policies and incentives. And even this rapid growth is not yet sufficient to head off the worst effects of climate change or to shift our energy infrastructure and break our addiction to oil.  As America considers moving to a clean energy economy, it is vital to remember that we have made equally major shifts in our energy system before. The current oil age, for example, emerged rapidly and unexpectedly in the first 20 years of the last century, demanding new technologies like refineries, fueling infrastructure, improved roads, and mass production of car engines, all in a very short time. This transformation was backed by entrepreneurs like John D. Rockefeller, as well as public policy and public investment.

The immense public benefits that large-scale use of renewable energy would provide to our nation justify an active public role in providing strong, consistent and long-term incentives and regulatory structures to accelerate the deployment of clean, homegrown American energy.  Greater use of renewable energy will enhance both national and economic security. The United States was once the world's largest oil exporter, today we are the largest importer. We import over 60 percent of the oil we use -- or 13 million barrels a day -- at a cost of $300 billion dollars annually. Oil is already the largest single contributor to our national trade deficit, and the share of oil that we import is predicted to rise to 70 percent by 2025. For the foreseeable future, we will continue to be pushed into ever tighter and more expensive oil markets, relying on unstable and undemocratic nations for our energy needs. An America that turns increasingly to improved efficiency and homegrown biofuels will see dramatic reductions in these pressures.  The security benefits of renewable energy extend to electricity as well. Distributed technologies like solar, wind, and geothermal energy, combined with energy efficiency, mean fewer terrorist targets and a more resilient electrical grid that is less prone to power failures. For example, the Northeast blackout of 2003, which in a few days cost between $4 and $10 billion dollars, could have been avoided with a small percentage of solar power located at key points on the grid.  Renewable energy would also create jobs. The Union of Concerned Scientists estimates that achieving 20 percent of US electricity from renewables would create more than 355,000 new US jobs, while the Renewable Energy Policy Project has shown that an achievable five-fold increase in wind energy production would pump $20 billion into the economy and create 150,000 jobs in the hard hit manufacturing sector.

Rural communities also benefit from solutions like farm-based wind and solar power, and new crops for biofuel feedstocks. The Renewable Fuels Association estimates that in 2005 alone, ethanol created 154,000 U.S. jobs, boosted household income by $5.7 billion dollars, and added $3.5 billion in tax revenues. Those are big impacts across the economy, and a sound element in a national strategy for more equitable economic development.  Major environmental benefits will also come from a renewable American energy strategy. Conventional energy technologies account for 70 percent of the world's global warming emissions, and the United States is responsible for a quarter of that total. Generating a major share of our energy with renewable sources could reduce carbon emissions substantially. In addition, these technologies can help conserve land and water and guard against pollution, when implemented sustainably, protecting the health of every American.  It is imperative that we reduce our reliance on imported and polluting energy, and increasing our reliance on clean domestic renewable energy is one of the fastest and surest ways to achieve this end. A positive American energy future will not come about, however, without clear policy support. The world's leading producers of renewable energy -- countries like Germany and Japan -- have jumpstarted solar and wind industries through creative incentives that rapidly built their markets, and regulations that helped to internalize the real costs and benefits of energy security and pollution.  It is long past time for America to step up to this challenge. We must set in place the Federal policies to build a robust domestic renewable energy industry, rather than ceding these emerging markets to our competitors and placing the burdensome costs of inaction on our children in the form of an increasingly strained economy and a fraying global environment. There is a better way, and it begins with a firm commitment to clean and renewable American energy as a major contributor to our national energy supply.

Bracken Hendricks is a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, Janet L. Sawin is Director of the Energy and Climate Change Program at the Worldwatch Institute.  Bracken Hendricks and Janet L. Sawin.  Source: Special to  washingtonpost.com's Think Tank Town, 9/19/2006.

Renewable Energy World

A digital issue of Renewable Energy World is now online.  Source: Renewable Energy World, 9/20/2006.

Alternative Energy Industry in Michigan

The Michigan Energy Report tells the story of NextEnergy and the state's overall efforts in advanced energy technologies, from biofuels to solar power, from advanced battery technology to fuel cell development, as well as the emerging hydrogen industry.

The newsletter consists of short, easy-to-read articles that translate advanced science into plain English. There isn't a lot of advertising or other clutter. There aren't any blinking pop-ups trying to sell you insurance or mortgages. And we promise, we will never give your e-mail address to anyone else.  If you like what you see, simply subscribe online. 

 If you want to know what's going on with the alternative energy industry in Michigan, the Michigan Energy Report is the only place to be. Source: Matt Roush, Great Lakes IT Report, 9/21/2006.

Enter the Student Renewable Energy Art Contest Today!  

The Student Renewable Energy Art Contest is a great artistic opportunity for students in grades K-8 to show their creativity and appreciation of renewable energy concepts. Winning designs will be prominently displayed in San Francisco at the Eleventh National Renewable Energy Conference and featured on the conference website, Green Power Network and Green Power Partnership Web sites.  All entries receive a renewable energy certificate and small gifts. Winners and teachers in each age category receive special prizes (listed below).  All Entries must be received by Friday, October 27th at 5:00 pm PST.

Winning students receive a $50 gift certificate and special Green Power Leadership Award presented at the Awards Banquet at the National Renewable Energy Marketing Conference.   Second place and third place winners will receive a special renewable energy related gift package.  All students entering the contest receive a Certificate of Recognition for their work and creativity!

 Winning Teachers/Sponsors receive a $100 gift certificate toward classroom needs and enjoyment, plus a variety of renewable energy curricular materials.  Selected images will be printed in an exclusive set of renewable energy greeting cards and posted to the National Conference website.

• Contest Guidelines:  Size and Shape: All submissions of artwork must be on 8.5 x 11 or 11x17 paper. Please submit only flat artwork (no 3-dimensional pieces, sculpture or textured media work please).  
• Media and Method: Artwork can be made using colored pens, tempera paint, colored pencil, regular pencil, or crayon. Consider the composition and how the space of the paper is filled. Try not to leave unnecessary white space. 
• Captions and Slogans: Please submit artwork without text.  Separately include a caption or slogan that describes the piece in 1-2 sentences. This caption should be included on the Art Contest Submission Form.  
• Content and Images: Artwork should include images and/or themes that relate to clean energy and that use renewable resources (biomass, geothermal, "small" hydro, sun, wind) to generate electricity that is better for the environment. Here is a helpful link for more information on Energy Lesson Plans, Curriculum and Education Materials.  
• Judging and Deadlines: Grade Level Categories: Entries will be evaluated on creativity and age-appropriate display of renewable energy concept. Winners will be selected in 3 grade level-based categories: K-2 , 3-5 , 6-8. 
• Submission Deadline: Please submit all entries by Friday, October 27th. Winners will be notified by November 3rd.  

If you have questions please contact Keri Bolding  at 415-561-2100 or Marilyn Nemzer at 415-435-4574.  Also feel welcome to send us an email.  All entries will become property of the nonprofit Center for Resource Solutions and will not be returned. All contestants agree to allow their images to be used on the Conference/Organization website and to be re-printed in a set of cards to be sold at the National Renewable Energy Conference. Contest administered by the nonprofit Center for Resource Solutions and sponsored by the Eleventh National Renewable Energy Marketing Conference Source: Keri Bolding, Solutions Org., 9/11/2006.

USDA's Dorr Touts USDA Renewable Energy Conference

USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Tom Dorr is promoting a USDA conference slated for October 10th through the 12th in St. Louis entitled, "Advancing Renewable Energy: An American Rural Renaissance."  According to Dorr, the conference comes in response to the rapid development of renewable energy technologies, which Dorr said the Bush administration is keen to rapidly implement. "We hope to identify some critical pathways to the rapid deployment of renewable energy technologies," Dorr said. "Ultimately, we identify bottlenecks and, hopefully, can make some solid policy recommendations for resolving these bottlenecks."  Dorr said conference attendees will also have an opportunity to provide input on government policies toward renewable energy. "We're looking at the possibility of examining policy incentives such as tax credits, loan guarantees, expedited approval processes, other things like that that will actually facilitate the deployment of these energy sources," he said.

Forming partnerships with state and local officials and private businesses with an interest in advancing the renewable energy industry is also a goal of the conference, Dorr said. "We are particularly interested in encouraging local and state government officials who are looking at these new opportunities, who have to deal with the regulatory issues, the tax issues, the policy issues around the build-out of everything from biodiesel to ethanol to windfarms to anaerobic digesters to everything in between," said Dorr.

Dorr added the Bush administration is strongly committed to renewable energy. And Dorr said he's loath to speak for President Bush or U.S. Ag Secretary Mike Johanns. "But I think it's safe to say from listening to the President and the Secretary's comments that renewable energy is going to be a major component of the policy of this administration," Dorr concluded.  Source: By Peter Shinn, 9/20/2006.

News from Washington

Industry Applauds Senators for Urging DOE to Include Geothermal Energy in Loan Guarantees

The geothermal industry today applauded a bipartisan letter from ten Senators urging the Department of Energy to amend their loan guarantee solicitation to include geothermal energy. The letter, organized by Senators Harry Reid (D-NV), was also signed by Senators Ensign (R-NV), Boxer (D-CA), Feinstein (D-CA), Craig (R-ID), Crapo (R-ID), Akaka (D-HI), Murkowski (R-AK), Salazar (D-CO) and Hatch (R-UT). 

DOE had recently unveiled its program guidelines for a $2 billion loan guarantee program authorized by the Energy Policy Act passed by Congress. According to EPAct, the program was intended to spur "investment in projects that employ new energy technologies." However, DOE officials indicated that geothermal projects would not be eligible for the program.  The bipartisan Senate letter objects to the omission of geothermal, noting that the law includes "a list of projects which 'shall be eligible...'" The Senators point out to Secretary Bodman "this is not an optional list from which the Department may pick and choose. Congress directed that all those on the list shall be eligible."  "As you know, because the Department was involved in a recent workshop seeking to reassess the nation's geothermal energy potential, this renewable resource likely has the potential to supply nearly all of the West's new electricity demand for at least the next few decades," the Senators noted. "Accessing this resource obviously requires...new and innovative technologies to explore, drill, and exploit it cost-effectively..."

In a related event today, GEA, the industry trade group, released critical comments on DOE's draft Strategic Plan. That plan also omitted geothermal energy.  "In our view, achieving the goals laid out in the Strategic Plan will require every viable energy option available," GEA argued. "The Nation cannot afford to leave a domestic energy alternative as potentially significant as geothermal energy off the table if we are to succeed in changing direction -- in ending our addiction to foreign sources of energy and addressing the serious environmental issues facing us," Karl Gawell, GEA's Executive Director, stated.  GEA cited recent reports by the National Academy of Sciences, International Energy Agency, and US Government Accountability Office supporting continued if not increased funding for geothermal research and technology development. "The administration should not limit the window of opportunity for rapid development and investment in one of the most exciting and critical energy industries in the 21st Century -- geothermal energy," GEA' letter said.

In January, DOE's FY 2007 Budget proposed to terminate its geothermal research program. GEA argued to Congress that this would "set back research in this area for decades and threaten US technological leadership in this important renewable technology." Both the House and Senate have approved continued funding for DOE's geothermal research program in FY 2007 -- the House has approved $5 million and the Senate $25 million. Source: GEA Update, 9/13/2006. 

Federal Agencies Propose Environmental Rules for Energy Projects on Indian Reservations

Federal agencies recently issued two Notices of Proposed Rulemaking for regulations describing proposed new requirements and procedures for environmental approvals of projects on Indian reservations. These regulations have the potential to cause significant changes in how companies, and particularly energy companies, conduct business on Indian reservations.  The issue alert has been prepared by Van Ness Feldman attorneys entitled, "Federal Agencies Propose Environmental Rules for Energy Projects on Indian Reservations."  Source: GEA Update, 9/13/2006.

Ag Committee to Vote on Renewables Language

A resolution that says the United States should attain 25 percent of its energy from renewable resources by 2025 is expected to come up for a vote this week in the House Agriculture Committee.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers on both sides of the Hill, including House Agriculture Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), introduced the "25 by 25" goal for renewable energy in June. The measure is up for a vote, along with three other bills, this Thursday.

The nonbinding concurrent resolution H. Con. Res. 424 does not mandate renewables or create any new programs, but it does express a "Sense of Congress" that the country should head in that direction. The resolution is intended to help provide a congressional impetus for meeting the goal and developing an implementation plan based on any number of already existing legislative proposals.

The "25 by 25" goal can also claim endorsements from several individual state legislators and governors, as well as farm, industry, forestry and environmental organizations. The Big Three automakers also announced their support of the plan over the summer.

The resolution comes as the Agriculture Committee is starting to consider the next farm bill, which several members have said should have a larger energy title, with programs to support ethanol and biodiesel.

The committee will also consider H.R. 5313, a bill that would direct part of the funds for a program that helps pay for conservation easements to state and county lands.

Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.) introduced the bill, which would amend the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program to set aside 15 percent of its budget for challenge grants to encourage purchase of conservation easements or other lands held by states and counties.

First created in 1996, the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program provides matching funds to farmers who want to buy easements for their land. Almost 290,000 farms have enrolled over the past 10 years, USDA says. The easements allow it to remain in agricultural or conservation use and stave off any future development.

Environmental groups have lauded the program as a useful tool to help keep farmers in business and slow down some suburban development.  Source: E&E Publishing, Allison A. Freeman, E&E Daily reporter, 9/20/2006.

State Activities, Marketing & Market Research

Renewable Energy: Wash. Voter Initiative May Result in Runaway Costs, Utility Association Says

An initiative on this November's Washington state ballot designed to guarantee new environmentally friendly power sources at no cost to ratepayers may result in runaway costs for the state's utilities, Benton PUD manager Jim Sanders said last week during a debate on the measure.  Initiative 937 would cap utility costs to meet the demands of the measure at 4 percent of their total budget. It would also require large utilities to meet certain conservation targets and get at least 15 percent of their power from environmentally friendly power plants, such as wind farms, by 2020 or face penalties.  But Sanders said during a panel discussion before the Tri-City Herald editorial board that there are not enough assurances built into the language of the initiative to ensure the costs do not increase beyond expectations.  Supporters of the measure, including the Northwest Energy Coalition, raised $930,000 as of Aug. 31 in support of the initiative, while opposition groups such as the Benton and Franklin PUDs raised almost $120,000.

Northwest Energy Coalition Policy Director Nancy Hirsh said the measure will not hurt the bottom line of state utilities because wind power and other alternative energy sources will be cost-effective by the time the mandates are implemented. "We want a variety of a lot of resources," Hirsh said. "We think the age of the large central station power plant is over" (Chris Mulick, Pasco [Wash.] Tri-City Herald, Sept. 14). -- RJD Source: E&E Publishing Greenwire, 9/18/2006.

Conn. Gov. Floats $500M Plan for Renewables

Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell (R) yesterday proposed a four-year, $500 million program with the end goal of a 20 percent renewables portfolio standard by 2020.  Rell said in addition to a 20 percent RPS, she wanted 20 percent reductions in peak electric use and fossil fuel use and a mix of 20 percent biofuel in fossil fuels. To accomplish this, she said she is planning for a special legislative session if she wins the November election, at which time she will push for extended tax breaks for hybrid cars, abolishing graduated gasoline prices for affluent areas and capping the state gross receipts tax on petroleum products.  Other goals include ending the commercial utility tax surcharge on state businesses; requiring 10 percent of the state's vehicle fleet to run on biofuels by 2012; and giving consumers sales tax exemptions if they buy energy-saving air conditioners.  About $140 million of the price tag would go to replenishing the state's Clean Energy Fund, which lost $35 million in 2003. 

Rell's opponent in the November election, New Haven Mayor John DeStefano (D), said Rell's plan would raise consumer electricity rates by 25 to 50 percent. "Connecticut has the highest electric rates in the continental U.S. and rates are about to rise again in a few months, just as winter arrives," said DeStefano's spokesman, Derek Slap. "Incredibly, Gov. Rell offers no help."  DeStefano's plan would tax electric generators on profits over 20 percent and give ratepayers $300 million in energy rebates, as well as an energy efficiency plan to save $1.8 billion by 2012 and a $3 million loan fund for businesses to upgrade to energy-efficient equipment (Ken Dixon, Connecticut Post).  Rell's gasoline gross receipts tax cap would go into effect when the wholesale price reaches $1.75 per gallon. Earlier this year, gasoline hit wholesale prices as high as $2.23 per gallon, according to Rell's statement. The gas tax is currently 6.3 percent, and it goes toward the state's $1.3 billion transportation program.  Rell said that capping the tax would not affect transportation funding because the tax has already generated "millions of dollars more than originally anticipated because of the spiraling costs of the price of oil" (Reuters/Washington Post, Sept. 18).

Jessie Stratton of Environment Northeast said she agreed with Rell's goals but questioned whether the short-term targets would be agressive enough to meet longer-term ones. "With goals like that, you need some major investments and changes in the system," she said (Mark Peters, Hartford Courant).  Connecticut Fund for the Environment attorney Charles Rothenberger said "the devil is in the details," but he praised Rell's plan overall. "I think that is absolutely the right approach in terms of the energy demand issues Connecticut faces as well as energy prices," he said (Robert Gold, Danbury News-Times). 

Meanwhile, DeStefano sped an energy proposal through New Haven's Board of Aldermen yesterday that allows city energy consultant Source One, Inc., to lock in competitive gas and electric rates for up to five years.  New Haven currently pays about 11 cents per kilowatt-hour to United Illuminated. The new rates would take effect Jan. 1, 2007, when electricity deregulation will allow the city to buy power from the market, but consultants are now authorized to take competitive bids starting now, given present low rates (Melissa Bailey, New Haven Independent). Source: E&E Publishing Greenwire, 9/19/2006.

Life not a Breeze For Wind Farms

An embattled wind farm development set to begin construction next year in Spanish Fork may serve as a microcosm for the future of wind energy in Utah and across the nation.  Windmills are situated in a high-wind area near Camp Williams, background. Wasatch Wind's farm is planned at the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon.  The farm, a project of Utah-based Wasatch Wind, will be the state's first commercial wind farm. It already has been delayed after citizens in Spanish Fork requested that it be moved farther from homes, to a site at the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon.  Finding investors was difficult, and the looming expiration date on a state tax credit, on which the project depends, promises an arduous battle still ahead as supporters work to get the credit restored.  Like the wind power industry as a whole, the Wasatch Wind project has weathered the early storm and is poised to move forward but remains shrouded in lingering questions.

Wind energy, at one point essentially doomed because of prohibitive production costs associated with inferior technology, has made a resurgence in the past 20 years as technological advances have made it financially viable.  Prices, which were as high as 80 cents per kilowatt-hour in 1980, have fallen to between 4 cents and 6 cents per kilowatt-hour. The U.S. Department of Energy hopes to decrease that even further, to 3 cents per kilowatt-hour by 2012. 

In the United States the development of wind farms has been tied to the availability of renewable energy tax credits. And since the federal credit has historically been renewed every other year, growth has been unstable. In years where the credit is available, the number of new projects explodes. In years when it is not, it falls off to nearly nothing.  Federal lawmakers changed that in 2005, when they reauthorized the credit through December 2007. The law gives energy producers a 1.9-cent tax credit for every kilowatt-hour of wind energy they produce for the first 10 years of a project's life.  Utah has traditionally offered an additional tax credit for producers of alternative energies. However, the most recent credit is set to expire at the end of the year, and it was not renewed in this year's legislative session.

Wasatch Wind already has signed a purchase agreement with PacifiCorp to sell all the power its Spanish Fork project produces for the first 20 years of its life. But without the state tax credit, which gives a one-time benefit based on the value of the turbines, Wasatch Wind president Tracy Livingston worries whether the project will break even.  But that, Livingston said, isn't his primary concern.  "The wind energy business is very competitive, and projects are gravitating to states with incentives," he said. "With no incentives here, investors are looking elsewhere. (Restoring the tax incentive) is not just a function of whether our project will go forward; it's going to have an impact on whether wind energy will go forward in the state."  

The success or failure of Wasatch Wind's venture could be a deciding factor in whether other projects are built around the state. Utah does not have as many ideal locations as other Western states, but it does have enough for some degree of utility production.  The National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a division of the DOE, has compiled a map of potential wind sites in Utah. The NREL's site maps work on a scale of one to seven, with seven being "superb" and one being "poor." Most wind farms are built in areas with a rating of five or six, of which Utah has several, particularly in central and southeastern areas.  However, wind works much like real estate, in that the most important factors are location, location, location. While many Utah sites have ideal wind conditions, they are located on mountain ridges in remote areas, far from existing power transmission lines, and therefore financially unsound for development. 

Next-generation wind turbines could change that. Researchers at the National Wind Technology Center are working on turbines that could profitably operate in areas with a wind rating of three or four, which are more common in Utah and frequently located closer to urban areas.  In the meantime, however, wind energy is still widely available here, through PacifiCorp's Blue Sky Program. The company purchases power from major wind farms in Washington, Oregon and Wyoming, which customers can in turn purchase for a small additional charge on their bill of $1.95 per 100 kilowatt-hours. The average customer uses 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month, according to PacifiCorp.

The Blue Sky program, one of 600 similar programs throughout the nation, ranked second in customer participation and third in the amount of renewable energy purchased, according to an April 2006 newsletter published by PacifiCorp. Participation grew by 17 percent in 2005, to 44,000 customers.  PacifiCorp also buys wind energy from other projects, which is separate from the Blue Sky program and is part of the overall energy mix that all customers receive, regardless of participation in Blue Sky. The Wasatch Wind farm will be one such project. 

The environmental benefits and zero fuel cost associated with wind energy have been the driving factors behind its popularity. Advocates say the nation could theoretically meet all its energy needs through wind power, and President Bush has called for the nation to increase its total dependency on wind energy to 20 percent by 2020.  But despite all that, some say there are certain realities of wind power that will prevent it from becoming a major source of energy for the foreseeable future. Wind power is it can't generate the same volume as coal or natural gas, and it's not as widely available.  Coal plants are available around 90 percent of the time, while even the best wind sites are only available 30 percent of the time. The low availability means a power provider cannot fall back on it when usage is at its peak, such as a hot summer day.

PacifiCorp hopes to obtain 400 megawatts of total wind capacity by the end of the year and then expand that number to 1,400 megawatts by 2019. The company is interested in acquiring more wind power, but the price has to be right. 

David Jones is the renewable energy markets editor for Platts, an international energy market research firm. He said while the availability and access to transmission lines pose serious challenges to wind energy in the United States, particularly in the West, the market is still "flourishing."  "Certainly in the U.S., the outlook for wind energy is very bright," Jones said.  Whatever happens with wind power in the state's future, the fates of the Spanish Fork project and other projects in the early phases of development will play major roles.  Source: Jeremy Twitchell, Deseret Morning News, 9/17/2006.

Group Calls for Politicians to Heed Energy Proposals

A coalition of environmental, labor union and agricultural organizations is calling on Colorado politicians to incorporate renewable energy into their campaign platforms.  "Colorado just may be the best place in the nation for renewable energy," said Lee Swenson, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union.  "Colorado has the potential to generate nearly 13 times as much energy as we currently use, just from wind power alone," Swenson said in a statement issued when the Coalition for Colorado's New Energy Future unveiled its state energy proposals Thursday.  The coalition wants Colorado utilities to double their use of renewable energy sources for electric power production and double the use of ethanol, biodiesel and other renewable-resource fuels.  The coalition's plan also proposes energy-efficiency goals to reduce waste and calls for more investment in developing new energy technologies.  The plan would carry environmental benefits, its members said.  "The burning of fossil fuels to create energy is the No. 1 source of pollution on the planet. Our plan will reduce global warming pollution by at least 21/2 million tons per year while still providing clean, affordable energy," said Will Coyne, program director for Environment Colorado, a coalition member. 

"We want those running for elected office, Colorado's opinion leaders and citizens to endorse the plan and show their commitment to a clean, secure, affordable energy future," said Mike Bowman, a Wray farmer who's managing the coalition's campaign. "It's time for Coloradans to take control of our energy future."  Labor union leaders said the plan would have economic and job-creation benefits, estimating that the plan would save consumers $1.8 billion by 2015 and create 3,700 permanent jobs and 4,300 construction jobs.  Colorado's farmers also would benefit, said Mark Sponsler, acting executive director of the Colorado Corn Growers Association.  "Colorado doesn't have to rely on foreign oil from unfriendly and war-torn nations to power our cars," Sponsler said.  "We have an alternative. Colorado's farmers can easily grow crops to produce affordable biofuels and supply 10 percent of our vehicle fuels by 2015."  John Fryar can be reached by e-mail at jfryar@times-call.com.  Source: By John Fryar, The Daily Times-Call, 9/17/2006.

Proposed Rules Boost Solar Power

Kris Mayes believes the future of Arizona's power supply is in panels, not poles.  Mayes and her like-minded colleagues on the Arizona Corporation Commission say it's pathetic that sun-drenched Arizona is behind California -- and even New Jersey -- when it comes to the amount of solar energy generated per capita.

They are prepared to invest nearly $5 billion in public funds to change all that, by approving new renewable energy standards and boosting incentives to increase solar panels on residential and commercial rooftops. "The sun is our resource, and we need to be taking advantage of it," Mayes said.  However, opponents, such as Commissioner Mike Gleason, say solar is still too expensive and unreliable to replace fossil fuels. He said solar energy in its current form won't solve the state's power problems.  Still, both sides acknowledge that something must be done to reduce Arizona's dependency on fossil fuels, which breed pollution, have become increasingly expensive and are limited. 

The ACC voted 3-1 to approve a draft of the new standards in February, with Gleason dissenting and Chairman Jeff Hatch-Miller absent. The rules are under review by the Arizona Attorney General's Office, after which they will return to the commissioners for a public hearing and final vote.  Hatch-Miller said he opposes solar subsidies, and former Commissioner Marc Spitzer, who voted for the new rules, has since resigned to take a job with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Still, the new standards are almost certain to be adopted, since Gov. Janet Napolitano appointed former state lawmaker Barry Wong -- an outspoken advocate for solar energy initiatives -- to replace Spitzer.

The rules would require 15 percent of Arizona's power to come from renewable sources by 2025. About a third of that would have to be "distributed," meaning it could not be generated by a centralized plant.  "When you talk about distributed power generation, you're pretty much de facto talking about solar photovoltaics," said Gleason adviser Kenneth Rozen.  To achieve that goal, power utilities would be allowed to add a monthly surcharge of up to $1.05 to residential customers' bills for programs promoting renewable energy. The current surcharge cap is 35 cents. The maximum monthly surcharge for commercial customers would increase from $13 to $39.  A major reason for the rate hike is to significantly expand rebate programs offered to customers purchasing solar energy systems. Both residential and business customers are eligible for rebates when they purchase solar photovoltaic or solar heating systems.

Arizona now generates roughly 12 megawatts of solar energy statewide, enough to power about 2,000 homes. Nearly 5 megawatts come from the Springerville Generating Station Solar System, one of the world's largest photovoltaic arrays, operated by Tucson Electric Power.  Utilities currently offer a $3-per-watt discount to residential customers for purchasing and installing solar photovoltaic systems. The rebate for commercial customers is $2.50 per watt.  Residential utility customers buying a typical, three kilowatt system receive a $9,000 discount from the utility in addition to a $1,000 state tax credit and a $2,000 federal tax credit. Since three kilowatt systems average about $21,000, those rebates cut the cost of purchasing such systems roughly in half.  Arizona Public Service Co. set aside $2 million in January for solar rebates, which the ACC matched, but Mayes said that money ran out in April because of high customer demand. At the commission's request, the rebate fund was doubled to $8 million.  "They may run out by the end of the year," Mayes said.  Salt River Project is not subject to ACC control, and therefore not required to offer the rebates. Still, SRP environmental initiatives manager Lori Singleton said the utility voluntarily offers an identical rebate program, setting aside $4 million for it this year.  "We think we'll spend the whole amount of money by the end of our fiscal year," Singleton said.

Despite the success of such programs, Mayes said they pale in comparison to what's expected under the new rules.  To meet the new distributed renewable energy goals, Arizonans would have to purchase thousands of solar photovoltaic systems in the coming years, far more than current customer demand supports.  "We may be doing a couple hundred rooftops a year now -- maybe," Mayes said.  In turn, the state would have to spend millions of dollars -- possibly billions -- in rebates.  Hatch-Miller said the heavy focus on solar energy concerns him, because there are several other forms of renewable energy that should be getting just as much attention.

Solar energy is more expensive to produce than any other type of power, Hatch-Miller said, quoting an estimate of 20 to 30 cents per kilowatt hour. By comparison, he said, the cost of wind power is 7 cents, coal is 5 cents and nuclear 4 cents.  Another problem with solar energy is that it can-t replace traditional power sources because the sun isn't always shining, Gleason said.  That means homes and businesses running on solar energy still must be connected to the power grid.  Still, Gleason said he favors additional research and believes solar energy will improve over time. "Someday solar is going to be very good," he said.

Commissioner William Mundell said he disagrees with the notion that the commission is "jumping the gun" by investing heavily in solar energy programs.  He said simple cost comparisons between solar and other types of energy don't acknowledge important factors such as the limited future of fossil fuels and the many environmental benefits of solar.  "I don't think you can look at the issue in a vacuum," he said.  Mundell said the proposed 70-cent increase in monthly utility surcharges is nothing compared to the requests received from APS during the past 18 months to raise monthly utility bills by $40 to offset the rising cost of methane, which fuels several state power plants.  APS renewable energy manager Barbara Lockwood said she doubts increasing the surcharge from 35 cents to $1.05 will be enough to meet the state's new standards. That amount may have to be increased in the future, she said.  "One of the most critical concerns about solar is the cost," Lockwood said. By J. Craig Anderson, Tribune, 9/17/2006.

FAA Gives OK to Two Wind Power Projects in Wisconsin

The Federal Aviation Administration has given approval to two Wisconsin wind power projects that were stalled by concerns that the turbines may interfere with military radar.  Permits have been issued for the Forward Wind Energy Center in Fond du Lac and Dodge counties and the Butler Ridge wind farm in Dodge County, said Bruce Beard, the FAA manager in Texas responsible for the office that issues permits.  The (permits) are through. We are absolutely through with them, and they have got clearance to start building them," Beard said Friday.  The Wisconsin projects are among many across the Midwest that were stalled by the radar issues. In recent weeks, however, permits have been granted to projects not only in Wisconsin, but also Minnesota and South Dakota. 

The Forward Wind Energy Center project -- a 133-turbine development near the Horicon Marsh -- is one of the largest wind farms on the drawing board in Wisconsin.  A bureaucratic delay was created by a provision in a congressional bill that wind energy companies say was drafted to create more hurdles for a high-profile and controversial offshore wind project near Nantucket, Mass.  The law required the Department of Defense to issue a report assessing the impact that development of wind turbines would have on military radar.  The radar issue emerged because of the stepped-up role the U.S. military has taken in the surveillance of U.S. airspace since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.  Beard said that in the case of the Horicon radar, a wind power project already in the area has created problems for the radar, but the FAA concluded that adding more turbines won't aggravate the problem.

The Forward project, being developed by Invenergy of Chicago, has received all of its regulatory permits, but the developer still awaits resolution of a lawsuit filed by project opponents.  They have raised concerns that the wind turbines would be placed too close to the Horicon Marsh, a national wildlife refuge. To address that concern, state regulators required that turbines be placed at least two miles from the edge of the marsh. After losing their first appeal in Dodge County Circuit Court, the opponents have appealed to the state Court of Appeals.  Source:  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/16/2006.

Future of Green Power Up For Grabs

Texas, the original oil-patch state, this year became the nation's leader in wind power, thanks to a 1999 state law that spurred a remarkable boom in renewable energy.  The market grew so quickly that Gov. Rick Perry last year signed into law a measure raising state goals for the production of green power, signaling even more growth in the industry.

Garret Nick, who installed 40 solar panels on his South Austin duplex, fears the Public Utility Commission might interpret changes in state law in a way that discourages such projects.  Though 25-story-tall turbines such as those at Big Spring in West Texas have made the state the nation's leader in wind power, more transmission lines are needed to route it.  But now, green power advocates fear that the new law could undermine those plans, depending on how state regulators interpret it.  At issue is arcane language that could change the way the state counts voluntary green power programs, such as those offered by Austin Energy, toward the state's target for renewable power. 

If voluntary green power is included in the state's targets, the coalition says, the Texas renewable energy market, lauded as a textbook model by some experts, could falter.  "It doesn't make sense . . . to ruin one of the best renewable energy markets in the country," said Beth O'Brien, who deals with clean energy issues for the Texas office of Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group.  But a competing coalition packed with political heavyweights, including some of the world's biggest energy companies, argues that the current system provides generous incentives to green power producers, which are raising the cost of electricity.

So far, more than 700 e-mails have hit the state's Public Utility Commission, which is examining the issue, complaining that Houston-based Reliant Energy Inc. and others are trying to stifle the state's renewable energy market. The PUC may issue a proposed rule before the Legislature convenes in January.  "How greedy and shortsighted can someone be?" Garret Nick, a South Austin resident, wrote to the PUC staff in August. Nick, who has installed 40 solar panels on the roof of his duplex, said "any sort of program involving renewable energy should be heavily encouraged."  "Not only for people like myself who are into it, but also for the economy," he said.

When the state ushered in competition for some electricity customers in 1999, it also launched a new era for Texas energy. Under the law, retail electric providers have to buy so-called renewable energy credits, often compared with stock certificates, either through contracts to buy green energy or separately on a trading market.  Most of the deregulation law doesn't apply to city-owned utilities such as Austin Energy or rural electric cooperatives, which wanted to maintain their monopolies and vowed to oppose the bill unless it exempted them.  As a result, green power purchases in those territories are optional and voluntary.  Texas became home to the country's first renewable energy credits trading market of its kind.  "It really is seen . . . as a model in terms of putting together renewable energy plans. It has been examined by other states and even foreign governments, and it clearly has had quite a successful record," said Barry Rabe, a professor at the University of Michigan Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.   

Reliant and the industrial energy consumer group say the 2005 law increasing renewable energy directs the state to combine credits from mandated and voluntary markets into one. The law states in part, "The commission shall ensure that all renewable capacity installed in the state and all renewable energy credits  are counted toward the goal."  "The law is clear that all credits should count," said Pat Hammond, a company spokeswoman.  Excluding voluntary credits, the groups say, makes the price of energy credits artificially high. Combining the markets would result in a larger supply of credits, and therefore, lower prices.  That would benefit utilities such as Reliant, which buys many of its credits just to meet its share of the renewables mandate, which is based on its sale in the competing markets.  "It's a state subsidy," said Phillip Oldham, an Austin lobbyist for the industrial consumers group. "And obviously, our clients use a lot of energy . . . and they would like this subsidy to be as low as possible." 

Reliant bought more than 700,000 credits in 2004 to meet state goals, which would have cost approximately $6 million on the spot market, based on prices from that year.  Reliant declined to say how much it spent that year.  In 2004, Reliant posted a loss of $29.4 million on $8 billion in revenue.  Some members of the industrial consumers group must also buy credits.

When the renewable energy credit market was launched four years ago, prices soon climbed to about $16 per credit, according to White Plains, N.Y.-based Evolution Markets Inc.  But the ongoing debate has helped send prices lower, to about $4 per credit.  Dallas-based TXU Corp., another large utility that also sells power in far northern Travis and parts of Williamson counties, has gone a different route.

TXU sells green power to its customers through three different plans and launched a division last year to double renewable production to 1,400 megawatts by 2011.  Austin Energy retires the credits to validate that its GreenChoice power is a renewable product.  San Antonio's City Public Service, which is also a city-owned utility, resells its credits. Those sales brought in an extra $2.7 million in revenue last year.  More than 9,000 customers, including Advanced Micro Devices Inc., H.E. Butt Grocery Co. and the Austin school district buy green power through Austin Energy.

These larger customers are designated as members of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power partnership, which is only open to firms that purchase green power in voluntary markets.  "We support efforts to encourage this trend," said Travis Bullard, a spokesman for AMD, which signed a 10-year contract to buy green power from Austin Energy.

In comments to the utility commission, the EPA said GreenChoice customers would have to buy green power from voluntary markets out of state to hold on to the recognition, which can help boost brand awareness.  And that, in turn, could hamper development of wind and other renewable resources in Texas, Austin Energy said. And some say it would exacerbate pollution in Texas.  If the state were an independent nation, it would rank seventh for greenhouse gas emissions, said Rabe, the University of Michigan professor and a climate change expert. "Anything that Texas can do to get more of its fuel from renewable sources is going to have an impact," Rabe said.

The PUC is first dealing with another part of the 2005 renewables law: the problem of a lack of transmission lines to carry green power from such places as wind-rich West Texas.  The law requires the PUC to implement new mechanisms to improve transmission. The operator of the state's power grid, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, said some areas of the system will be strained once new wind farms go online this year. The power grid operator estimated last year that $1 billion in upgrades and new construction is needed before the state can meet its 2015 goal of 5,880 megawatts of renewable power, which could amount to about 5 percent of the state's electricity demand. Today, renewable power accounts for 2 percent to 3 percent of demand.  The grid operator estimates that the transmission upgrades would cost the average residential customer an extra 73 cents a month.  For now, PUC officials are tackling the transmission issue first.  Paul Hudson, the PUC chairman, called it "the most pressing problem" during an Aug. 10 meeting. AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF, Sunday, September 17, 2006. Sources: Public Utility Commission filings, Texas Ethics Commission filings By Claudia Grisales, 9/17/2006.

Renewable Energy Park Opens

It was hardly the kind of day to showcase solar energy.  Still, officials didn't let the drizzly and dreary weather dim their enthusiasm for what is being called a renewable energy park.  The park, located on and adjacent to the Pennsauken Landfill, consists of two solar farms and a methane-to-electricity plant. Officials believe this is the first renewable-energy configuration of its kind in New Jersey.  One of the solar farms and the methane gas plant sit atop the landfill, while the other solar farm is at Aluminum Shapes, an aluminum foundry and fabricator next to the landfill.  The park has the capacity to generate up to 3.8 megawatts -- enough electricity to power up some 3,700 homes.  The solar farm is the second on a landfill in the tri-county area; BP solar currently operates a solar farm at a landfill in Paulsboro that operates pumps for an ongoing groundwater cleanup at a former petroleum terminal.  Most of the electricity generated at the Pennsauken Renewable Energy Park will be used by Aluminum Shapes, an energy-intensive manufacturer that employs about 1,000 people. 

During dedication ceremonies, Aluminum Shapes chief executive officer Steven S. Grabell said his company will be able to purchase 40 percent of its energy from the park at below-market rates. This is helping the company avert oversees expansion and retain jobs, he said.  The state's Clean Energy Program contributed more than $6 million in rebates toward the project. The developer, Allentown, Pa.-based PPL Energy Services, funded the balance.  The Camden County Pollution Control Financing Authority is providing space at the landfill and the methane within it. 

The solar energy produced at the facility will reduce emissions of carbon-dioxide, a primary greenhouse gas created by conventional power plants, by 400,000 pounds annually, officials said.  Jeanne Fox is president of the state's Board of Public Utilities, which oversees the Clean Energy Program. She called global warming a threat to New Jersey's coastline because of rising sea level.  ''This is something that is a role model to the rest of the state and the rest of the country,'' she said of the project.  Reach Lawrence Hajna at 856-486-2466. Source: By LAWRENCE HAJNA, Courier-Post Staff, 9/14/2006.

U.S. Politicians Urged to Act on Global Warming Pollution

The United States should adopt clean energy policies to reduce global warming emissions, including strong policies to increase the use of renewable energy.  "Global warming is happening and Pennsylvanians are feeling the heat," says Nathan Willcox of PennEnvironment, which released the report, --Feeling the Heat: Global Warming & Rising Temperatures in the United States -- which found that the average temperature in many cities across Pennsylvania has been higher since 2000 than in the previous three decades. "Temperatures will continue to rise unless we quickly and significantly reduce global warming pollution from power plants, cars, and SUVs."

This year's unprecedented heat wave is part of a broader trend of rising temperatures across the country, with temperatures in the continental U.S. in the first seven months of this year at the highest of any year on record. In Pennsylvania, the average temperature was 2F above the average for the last century, making it the ninth warmest January-July on record for the state.

PennEnvironment analyzed temperature data from 255 major weather stations in 50 states for the period from 2000 to 2005, and the first six months of 2006. The recent data were compared to temperatures for the three decades from 1971 to 2000, and the report found that national temperatures were above normal at 91 percent of the sites.  "Two or three degrees may not seem like much but, just like in people, a small, relatively rapid temperature rise can have serious consequences," explains Willcox. "The good news is that we already have the tools to substantially reduce global warming pollution; we just have to put these solutions to work."

To avoid the worst consequences of global warming, the U.S. must stabilize global warming emissions within the next decade, begin reducing them soon after, and cut emissions by 80 percent by the middle of this century, the report recommends. It should adopt a series of public policies designed to quickly and significantly reduce emissions of global warming pollutants from power plants, cars and trucks, and manufacturing facilities.

"The United States should establish mandatory, science-based limits on CO2 and other global warming pollutants that reduce emissions from today's levels within 10 years, by 15-20 percent by 2020, and by 80 percent by 2050," the report concludes. The national government should adopt complementary clean energy policies to reduce global warming emissions and, to achieve these reductions, the U.S. "should adopt strong policies to improve the efficiency with which we use fossil fuels and increase our use of clean, renewable energy."

Federal action to reduce global warming pollution should promote innovative approaches at the state level, and not impede individual states or groups of states from pursuing policies that go above and beyond the commitments made by the federal government, it continues. In August, PennEnvironment released a report showing how the U.S. could cut global warming pollution by 20 percent by 2020 by switching to renewable energies and other actions.  Source: Refocus Weekly, 9/20/2006.

People Blown Away By Wind Energy

One of the answers to California's energy problems may be blowing in the wind, at least according to the more than 80 percent of Californians who say they favor the expansion of wind energy production in the state.  More than 96 percent of Californians believe wind power should be a part of the state's future mix of renewable energy resources, according to a survey to be released today of 500 Californians by California State University, Sacramento professor Dennis Tootelian for FPL Energy.  "That's a fantastic result," said Tyson Slocum, director of the Public Citizen's Energy Program in Washington, D.C., of the study. "This shows there is a desire for alternatives."

The FPL study also reported 90 percent of Californians expressed support for the state's mandate to have renewable energy sources provide 20 percent of the state's power needs by 2010.  "We are very supportive of wind power expansion in California and other renewable energy resources," said Gregg Fishman of the California Independent System Operator, a nonprofit corporation that operates the state's power grid. Fishman said, "Every type of generation has its positives and negatives. The way you overcome the negatives of any form is through diversifying. Wind, solar, geothermal energy all help diversify our portfolio."  

California currently has installed more than 2,323 megawatts of wind power -- enough electricity to power 700,000 homes, according to the state Energy Commission. The state is known for its leadership in curbing greenhouse gases and creating solar power. California led the nation in installed wind energy for 25 years, but Texas recently just surpassed it.  Wind energy plants use turbines to generate electricity. Such plants generate no emissions, unlike fossil fuel power plants.  Business Writer Janis Mara can be reached at 510-208-6468. or check out her energy blog. Source: By Janis Mara, BUSINESS WRITER, Inside Bay Area ,   9/19/2006.

Grants, RFPs & Other Funding News

Solicitations (Issue 155)

Wisconsin Energy and Environmental Research -- Wisconsin's Focus on Energy requests proposals for the Environmental Research Program.  This initiative supports research projects that study the environmental effects of electrical generation and transmission in WI.  Research areas of interest include the siting of renewable energy facilities, the ecological impacts of transmission line development, and the effects of global warming and greenhouse gasses.  $235K expected to be available.  A notice of Intent to Propose is required and is due 10/16/06, final proposals due 10/30/06. 

Nevada Renewables