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The Santa Clara Marriott will purchase 1,608 MWh of electricity generated from wind power annually from Silicon Valley Power (SVP) through Santa Clara Green Power, the utility's 100 percent renewable energy program.
This purchase qualifies the Santa Clara Marriott's facility to be a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership.
"Santa Clara Green Power makes it easy for businesses within Silicon Valley Power's service territory, such as the Marriott, to support clean energy derived from wind and solar resources," says Larry Owens, division manager of marketing and customer services for SVP. "Santa Clara Marriott's participation in our green power program demonstrates its commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and makes the Santa Clara Marriott an environmental leader in the community."
SVP will purchase renewable energy credits on behalf of the Santa Clara Marriott from newly constructed wind farms and solar photovoltaic projects located within California. Source: North American Wind Staff, 03/12/08.
NBC11 is happy to report the station has made a major commitment to going green. As of Friday, March 7, 2008, NBC11 has become the first television in the U.S. to be powered by wind.
The station has offset its electricity with 100 percent certified energy certificates, according to station officials.
The wind effort is part of a new campaign started by the station called "EcoLogic."
The campaign is designed to educate NBC11 employees, viewers and local businesses about ways they can reduce their carbon footprint at work and at home.
The campaign will take an honest, public appraisal of the NBC11 studios, and follow as the station weighs various options for improving energy efficiency. Read more. Source:NBC11, by John Boitnott, Web Producer, 03/12/08.
A BusinessWeek article has tackled the issues surrounding carbon labels. As EL readers know, there’s lots of controversy – also hurdles – to overcome.
Top of the list is that manufacturers and retailers have yet to come up with an easy way to provide carbon information to customers – essentially because measuring the carbon in a product is very difficult (some say it’s impossible to get it right). When Boots, Britain’s largest pharmacy chain, tried labels on shampoo, it needed signs in its stores to explain them. Timberland, one of the first to provide carbon data on products, inserts fact sheets in shoe boxes.
Even with those measures, consumers have a hard time getting their heads around the real meaning of a product containing, for example, a certain number of grams of carbon. “I have a PhD in environmental physics, and it doesn’t mean a thing to me,” said Steve Howard, CEO of the Climate Group, in the article.
Still, more than half of UK consumers want information about the carbon footprint of the products they purchase and nearly half would switch to brands with smaller carbon footprints.
Perhaps more problematic, counting carbon is beyond complex. Unilever, a top supplier of household products to Tesco, which has set a goal of putting a carbon label on every product it sells, operates 260 factories in 70 countries and works with more than 10,000 subcontractors, according to the article. Trying to measure the carbon from all the various parts is hard enough, but what happens when Unilever moves production of a product, which Unilever says might be as often as once a week? Tesco might ask for a new carbon label, something Unilever says it just couldn’t do.
Tesco and Unilever are moving forward to collect such data – they’re two of six companies that have formed the Supply Chain Leadership Coalition, an organization that will press suppliers to release data about carbon emissions.
And don’t forget cost, BusinessWeek says the price of an initial carbon measure could equal $10,000 or more per item.
The UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is taking steps to come up with standards for carbon labels, which could bring the cost down. A recent article said that the creation of private eco-labels will slow until such standards are put in place. Read more on carbon labels. Source: Environmental Leader, 03/11/08.
The wireless industry is among the latest to consider “going green” to reduce their impact on the environment and potentially cut costs.
Speaking of “green” cell towers, wireless operators are looking to new energy sources such as wind turbines and solar panels to power cell towers. They are also considering how they might obtain backup power for these towers from hydrogen fuel cells, and looking at geothermal cooling for cooling computer equipment.
The movement is in its infancy, however. The majority of the approximately 200,000 cell towers in the U.S. are still powered from the conventional electric grid. And at least for the time being, wireless operators are only experimenting with alternative energy for backup power.
An average cell tower consumes about four to eight times the power of a typical household, and wireless carriers say power from conventional energy is still less costly than alternative sources. However, they are looking to green power sources for their towers in remote areas that don't face the same aesthetic and zoning limits as those in cities and neighborhoods. Read more. Source: Red Orbit, 03/09/08.
There’s a new green force on college campuses, says E – The Environmental Magazine in its March/April 2008 cover story . In “Cleaner, Greener U.,” E examines the many facets of the new campus environmental movement that’s being compared to the passionate anti-war and equal rights activism of the 1960s.
“Climate change is our generation’s civil rights movement,” says Brianna Cayo Cotter, communications director for the Energy Action Coalition, which backed PowerShift 2007 at the University of Maryland last November. Drawing over 5,500 students, the event was the largest gathering of college students ever assembled to talk about solutions to global warming, a weekend of non-stop workshops, speakers and rallies. “We’re at a crucial moment in history,” Cotter said. “Climate change is an issue that’s already impacting us, from the destruction of the Appalachian Mountains to the wildfires in California. We get that the steps taken today will end up being the future for tomorrow.”
She is not alone in her enthusiasm. The green movement has become a force to be reckoned with on campuses, says E. Students are demanding changes—energy conservation, waste reduction, sustainable course offerings, organic food choices, and real climate legislation from Congress beyond the campus confines. So far, 497 school presidents have signed the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment, which commits them to implementing a plan to go “carbon neutral” within two years of signing.
While the progress is encouraging, not all are convinced that the green campus movement has arrived yet. As Nina Rizzo, the California Freedom from Oil campus organizer for Global Exchange, says, “The movement is potent, but we’re not there yet. I don't think people are angry enough.” Read more. Source: The Environmental Magazine, 03/04/08.
Customers from the Boston Celtics to Kraft General Foods to WBZ-TV have been working with Grossman Marketing Group to “go greener” by ordering envelopes, collateral and promotional products made from energy supplied by wind power. This initiative, launched just one year ago by GMG, has been highly successful and in the envelope division alone, over 100 million Green-e certified envelopes have been delivered. These wind power-manufactured envelopes are produced and supplied at no extra cost and have saved 27,800 gallons of crude oil, which is enough to manufacture all of the following:
In addition to new orders for wind power-manufactured envelopes, the company reports that many of their clients are increasingly looking to them for other environmentally responsible marketing materials such as collateral that uses recycled paper stocks and soy-based inks as well as eco-friendly corporate gift items.
Grossman Marketing Group took up the challenge of becoming more environmentally responsible and helping their customers do the same when Ben Grossman joined the family business, bringing his passion for recycling and energy efficiency to the organization in 2006. Today, the company offsets 100 percent of its energy use with certified wind power, allowing them to print all of their clients’ marketing collateral with renewable energy and again—at no extra cost. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently recognized GMG’s efforts to promote wind power and named them an EPA Green Power Partner.
Grossman Marketing Group is a full-service resource for marketing communications, printed materials and promotional products offering marketing consulting, creative services and project management. A 98-year old, family-owned business, Grossman Marketing Group (which used to be known as MassEnvelopePlus) has grown exponentially in the past few years as the 4th generation of Grossmans has joined the firm.
Ben Grossman, David Grossman and their father, Steve Grossman, President of Grossman Marketing Group, are always available to answer your questions. You may contact them directly at 1-800-368-1368. Source: Somerville Journal, 03/03/08.
The Prius-driving, granola-eating crowd has figured out what Jackson Robinson has known for a long time: Green investing can earn you a respectable eco-image while it also produces solid returns.
In 1983, Robinson started Winslow Management with the purpose of offering an environmentally conscious portfolio to investors. Today, the veteran money man is lead manager of the Winslow Green Growth Fund (WGGFX), which targets green market sectors like renewable energy, natural and organic products, and recycling, as well as what it considers environmentally responsible companies.
That Mother Earth-friendly approach hasn't hurt the fund's long-term results. As of Feb. 25, over the last 3 years the fund, which has about $378 million in total assets, has generated a 9.91 percent annualized total return, far ahead of the 5.14 percent return of its benchmark, the Russell 2000 Growth Index. Over the last 5 years, the fund has generated a 22.95 percnet annualized total return, nearly eight percentage points better than its benchmark.
Forbes.com recently checked in Robinson, 65, to talk about his fund's performance, his top picks and why he practices what he preaches when it comes to living the green life. Read more. Source: Forbes.com, 03/03/08.
Visit U.S. DOE EERE Green Power Network for more information.
An article published by Scientific American details a plan that could provide 69 percent of the United State's electricity and 35 percent of its total energy (which includes transportation) with solar power by 2050. The federal government would have to invest more than $400 billion over the next 40 years to complete the 2050 plan but the authors project that this solar energy could be sold to consumers at rates equivalent to today's rates for conventional power sources, about five cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Read more. Source: SEPA, 03/17/08.
San Antonio, Texas, municipal utility CPS Energy entered into a 15-year agreement with PPM Energy, Inc., for 77 MW of capacity from PPM’s Peñascal Wind Farm currently under construction near the Texas coast, CPS announced.
The agreement with PPM entitles CPS Energy to the output associated with 32 of the project's 2.4-MW turbines, which will be located a mile inland from the coastline just south of Baffin Bay. The energy from the facility will be able to power 17,500 homes, according to Aurora Geis, chairman of CPS’s board of trustees. “One key factor that entered into the decision to buy electricity from Peñascal is that coastal winds blow on hot summer afternoons, when electricity demand in San Antonio peaks,” he said.
CPS Energy also buys 340 MW from the Cottonwood Creek Wind Farm southwest of Sweetwater and another 160 MW from the Desert Sky Wind Farm near Iraan, both in West Texas.
“CPS Energy’s ambitious goal is to achieve renewable energy capacity equal to 15 percent of our customers' peak electrical demand by 2020,” said General Manager and CEO Milton Lee. “Now, with the prospect of more wind energy coming online from the coast, along with other renewable sources including solar and landfill gas, our capacity will be at slightly above 12 percent of our 2009 projected peak demand. So we are definitely well on our way toward meeting our lofty 2020 goal, and we're one of only a handful of utility systems across the country that has surpassed the double-digit percentage mark for renewable energy.” Source: AWEA Wind Energy Weekly, 03/17/08.
The corporation that prides itself on being a “family company” just got cleaner.
A wind farm in Michigan will supply 46 percent of the power needs of SC Johnson’s second largest North American plant, located in Bay City, Mich., the company said.
SC Johnson entered a 5-year deal with Spartan Renewable Energy for Spartan to provide approximately 31.5 million kWh annually from the Harvest Wind Farm, the principal owner of which is John Deere Wind Energy. Wolverine Power Cooperative, which in 2007 signed a long-term agreement for the power coming from the Harvest facility, is the wholesale power supplier of Spartan. The vast majority of the Harvest Wind Farm, which is scheduled for completion in early 2008, is already online, said John Deere Credit spokesman Jim Meenagh, speaking to Wind Energy Weekly.
The wind power purchase helps the company keep 29,500 tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere annually, SC Johnson said. The energy saved is comparable to the energy needed to supply 1,800 average homes a year, and the carbon dioxide reduction is equivalent to taking almost 3,000 cars off of the road annually, according to the company.
The addition of the renewable energy source enables SC Johnson to achieve two more of its 2011 environmental goals: an 8 percent absolute reduction in greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S. between 2005 and 2011 and a 12 percent absolute reduction in GHG emissions between 2000 and 2012 at all factories worldwide.
“In addition to helping accomplish our global renewable energy goal, this initiative further reduces the company’s reliance on coal-fired electricity,” said SC Johnson Chairman and CEO Fisk Johnson. “As a family company, we’re committed to exploring innovative technologies that hold the promise of cleaner, more efficient energy. This is a great step for SC Johnson, and for the future generations that will be affected by the environmental choices all of us make today.” Source: AWEA Wind Energy Weekly, 03/17/08.
Google.org plans to invest in enhanced geothermal energy, according to USNews.com. Dan Reicher, Director of climate change and energy initiatives, talked about funding research and financing geothermal companies at a two-day energy summit sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences, according to the article.
"There's a great deal of optimism about renewable energy, great engagement of the public, and interest of the investment community," Reicher said. "There needs to be a fundamental change in the cost structure of renewables if we expect them to compete. And let's talk about the competitive landscape-first and foremost about coal. The aim has to be to make renewable energy competitive with coal and to do it in years, not decades." Source: GEA Weekly Update, 03/17/08.
The latest issue of RE Weekly News e-newsletter is now available. Source: RenewableEnergyWorld.com, 03/12/08.
The Manoa campus of the University of Hawai'i will be the demonstration site of a newly designed, energy-generating wind turbine.
The PacWind SeaHawk vertical axis wind turbine is being donated by the Energy Management Group to UH Manoa for installation on the roof of Saunders Hall, home to the Sustainable Saunders Initiative—a collaborative effort among faculty and students to pursue workplace sustainability.
The small VAWT will provide an opportunity for students to study the potential of wind generated power in an urban environment and coupled with a solar PV array, this system will demonstrate the potential benefits of solar/wind renewable energy power systems.
UH has set goals of generating 25 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020, and achieving energy independence by 2050.
Unlike most modern wind turbines, the PacWind VAWT is essentially silent and not harmful to birds, so there are a much wider range of potential installation sites all over urban and residential Oahu and the neighbor islands that would create zero nuisance.
The Public Policy Center, its UH partners, and the Sustainable Saunders students will be assessing the performance and cost structure of this type of turbine, along with installation possibilities and barriers. Source: Honolulu Advertiser, Advertiser Staff, 03/11 /08.
A new Whole Foods Market in Glastonbury, Connecticut will be the first supermarket to generate most of its power on-site with a fuel cell.
The new 46,000-square-foot store will generate 50 percent of the electricity and heat and nearly 100 percent of the hot water needed to operate the store from the UTC Power fuel cell.
More than half of the energy potential in traditional power plants is lost to the atmosphere as waste heat or in line transmission losses. In contrast, the fuel cell system captures its exhaust energy for local cooling and heating. The harnessed exhaust energy at the store will cool refrigeration cases year-round and heat the store in the winter months.
Whole Foods received a $940,000 grant from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund to be used toward the purchase of the fuel cell, AP reports. Source: Corporate Climate Response News, 03/13/08.
U.S. Geothermal Inc., a renewable energy company focused on the production of electricity from geothermal energy, announced that Eugene Water and Electric Board ("EWEB"), of Eugene Oregon, has signed a power purchase agreement ("PPA") for the planned Unit Two power plant at Raft River. The PPA allows for variable electrical output up to a maximum of 16 megawatts with a term of 25 years. The PPA is subject to successful drilling and resource development at Raft River.
Under the terms of a related agreement entered into by U.S. Geothermal, EWEB and the Bonneville Power Administration ("BPA"), the power generated from Unit Two at Raft River will be delivered to BPA's customer load in Idaho. The same amount of power will be made available by BPA to serve EWEB's load. "EWEB has been at the forefront of developing renewable energy resources....Read more. Source: U.S. Geothermal Inc., 03/11/08.
The city of Peabody is the first among 15 Massachusetts communities to officially join a cooperative that will allow Peabody to benefit from wind power.
The city's Municipal Lighting Commission voted unanimously to make Peabody the largest shareholder in the Berkshire Wind Power Cooperative. The cooperative was organized to finance, own and operate the Berkshire Wind Project, a collection of 10, 1.5-megawatt wind turbines to be built on Brodie Mountain in western Massachusetts. The project is expected to be operational by 2010.
"It's kind of exciting to be the first municipality to jump into the project formally," said Judy Meserve of the Peabody Municipal Light Plant.
Peabody will own just under 17 percent of the 15-megawatt project. It will share ownership with the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co., a public, nonprofit organization, and the communities of Ashburnham, Belmont, Boylston, Groton, Holden, Hull, Ipswich, Marblehead, Paxton, Shrewsbury, Sterling, Templeton, Wakefield and West Boylston.
The light plant will contribute, through a combination of cash and loans, about $595,000 annually, according to General Manager Bill Waters.
"This brings a terrific source of clean, renewable energy to Peabody and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a whole," Frank Peters, chairman of the Peabody Municipal Lighting Commission, said in a press release.
Through an energy-credit system, the wind turbines are expected to supply 1.8 percent of Peabody's annual energy usage while reducing carbon dioxide emissions attributed to the city's energy consumption by 2.5 percent.
Ipswich could be close behind Peabody in joining the cooperative. The selectmen will vote on whether to participate later this month, Utilities Manager Tim Henry said. Source: Salem News, Matthew K. Roy, Staff writer, 03/10/08.
Greenpeace and the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) today invited renewable energy projects worldwide to upload their details into a new online Best Practice search engine (1).
Anyone involved in renewable energy, from individuals installing mini wind turbines on their roof, to clean development mechanism (CDM) project developers, to wave power producers are encouraged to share their experiences and help build an online database of real solutions to the climate crisis. The website will be launched at the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC) (2), which opens today.
Installing solar panels on your roof? Just connected a wind farm to the grid? Investing in a renewable energy CDM project? Then please share your experiences. Upload your projects onto Best Practice and help us to inform and inspire people and policy makers worldwide said Sven Teske, Greenpeace International energy expert.
Renewable energy is capable of providing six times more energy than the world currently consumes—forever. Last year more than $100 billion was invested in new renewable energy capacity, manufacturing plants, and research and development.
The renewable energy market is booming. Perhaps you are wondering how much energy your local windfarm produces, or where you can find examples of solar power projects in Germany. Best Practice should soon allow you find out, and to see what’s really going on behind the statistics said Oliver Schäfer, EREC director of energy policy.
Greenpeace’s Energy [R]evolution blueprint (3) shows that renewable energy, combined with greater energy efficiency can deliver half of the world’s energy needs by 2050. The Futu[r]e investments report (4) describes how a safe renewable energy future would also cost 10 times less than a ‘business as usual’ future dependent on fossil fuels, saving US$180 billion a year.
With Best Practice interested users can search for projects under country, technology or policy. Source: GREENPEACE.org, 03/03/08.
Raser Technologies, Inc. completed drilling on a geothermal production well in southern Utah for use in a binary-cycle geothermal power plant.
Preliminary readings of well 21-34 indicate the existence of geothermal resources with promising water temperatures in excess of 260°F (127°C), subject to further testing and evaluation, which exceeds the minimum required temperature for use in binary-cycle power plants produced by UTC. Detailed testing for the reservoir's properties has now commenced with final results pending.
"We are pleased with the preliminary results of this drilling program," stated Brent M. Cook, Raser's CEO, "and look forward to executing on our business plan. Our initial review of the information from this well is encouraging, however, precise data will not be available until further flow testing and verification can be conducted.
"Based upon preliminary results as well as data from other wells in the area, we expect the well to achieve temperatures around 300°F (150°C). We anticipate that the power this project generates will be sold to a southern California utility under a power purchase agreement that will be announced after final approval has been granted."
Raser plans to retain the drilling rig that has been operating at this well and continue its well field development program at the southern Utah site.
The company continues to evaluate the characteristics of its previously announced well drilled in Nevada and will make the results available when they are finalized. Source: Energy Current, Filed from Houston, 03/03/08.
Bridges, highways and sewer systems are built by private companies but often paid for through the use of tax-free municipal bonds. Such projects are typically guaranteed by the tax authority given to those municipalities issuing the instruments and therefore assuring the debt holders that they will be paid in full.
Without public financing, key infrastructure would not get built. Now, green energy pioneers want to use this same municipal bonding capacity to pay for clean energy projects, albeit the concept allows for privately-owned companies to operate city-owned projects and then to use the subsequent revenues to pay off the jurisdiction's obligation.
The projects are pegged to the creditworthiness of customers who enter into "power purchase agreements." Essentially, such contracts not only provide the initial capital to build expensive green projects but they also provide investors the necessary assurance they need. Meantime, a broad and reliable customer base provides the funding necessary to maintain a steady and comparatively inexpensive power source. Read more. Source: Ken Silverstein, EnergyBiz Insider, Editor-in-Chief, 03/03/08.
Many are probably aware that the construction around Stone Chapel is for a new geothermal system, but what exactly does such a system involve?
Geothermal heat pumps take advantage of the relatively stable temperature of the Earth's surface-which stays between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit-to heat and cool buildings.
Geothermal heat pumps have been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency as the most energy-efficient and environmentally clean methods of temperature control. In the winter, cooled liquid or gas circulates the geothermal pipes in the ground and absorbs the heat that, through a heat pump and air handling system, eventually warms the space.
In the summer, the reverse process occurs where heat from the building is removed and stored in the ground, and cool water is returned to the building for cooling.
Because geothermal heating is primarily powered by renewable energy, instead of fossil fuels, pollution and energy costs are minimized. Choosing geothermal heating and cooling is an ecologically sound decision that lives up to Drury's commitment to sustainability. Source: Drurymirror, Section: Life, 03/03/08.
Learn more about renewable resources.
A newly released industry report, Residential Photovoltaic Metering & Interconnection Study: Utility Perspectives and Practices (53 pp. PDF), establishes a baseline of utility practices related to residential grid-connected solar photovoltaics (PV). As metering and interconnection issues arise across the country with the increased interest in clean energy, an examination of the nation's most solar-experienced utilities indicates that accommodating these distributed hook ups can and should be simplified. Given predicted industry growth, processes can be streamlined, saving consumers and utilities time and resources.
The new report, released today by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), is based on a national survey of the electric utility industry's current practices related to grid-connected photovoltaic installations. The survey was developed and implemented by SEPA in collaboration with the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Sixty-three U.S. utilities representing a cross-section of utility types and geographic diversity participated in the survey. A copy of the study can be downloaded from the SEPA website at www.solarelectricpower.org. The report is intended to provide a proactive look at lessons learned with a consideration toward developing best practices which will help make solar more practical and profitable in today's shifting energy landscape.
With rising electricity prices, lower PV system costs, and growing interest in clean energy alternatives, consumer demand for residential grid-connected PV systems is anticipated to increase significantly over the next 3-7 years, especially in markets outside of California. As the number of consumers interested in hooking up PV systems to the grid increases, current fixes-which often require manual processing or individual attention to accomplish-will be less and less cost effective. "Several utilities reported thousands of PV systems. But, the majority of utilities have not yet reached critical mass," said Mike Taylor, SEPA director of research. "But with the number of systems growing rapidly in certain areas, streamlining processes will become a necessity to improve the customer experience and lower costs for utilities."
The report suggests ways to reduce costs in time and resources for both utilities and their grid-connected PV customers by anticipating and planning for the increased future demands. Deploying advanced metering infrastructure and data management changes to avoid retroactive changes is one example of how this study and resulting report can help industry stakeholders prepare low-cost solutions to meet the future needs of the utilities and their customers, and help keep solar simple.
About the Solar Electric Power Association: From national events to one-on-one counseling, SEPA is the go-to resource for unbiased and actionable solar intelligence. SEPA is comprised of over 250 utilities, electric service providers, manufacturers, installers, government, and research members. Breaking down information overload into business reality, SEPA takes the time and risk out of implementing solar business plans and helps turn new technologies into new opportunities. Source: SEPA, 03/12/08.
Several educational grants are now available to attend the WINDPOWER 2008 Conference and Exhibition this year in Houston, Texas, June 1-4, 2008.
In cooperation with the generous support of Suzlon Wind Energy, several scholarship fundraising activities have occurred throughout the past few years. The funds raised from these activities have helped to establish the AWEA Educational Scholarship Program.
The educational scholarships will be awarded to those demonstrating the highest levels of commitment to furthering their knowledge of the wind industry. The award will cover the cost of hotel and registration expenses for the WINDPOWER 2008 Conference and Exhibition.
The deadline for submitting an application is March 31, 2008!. Source: AWEA Wind Energy Weekly, 03/17/08.
The agenda for the UWIG Spring Technical Workshop being held April 16-18 in Fort Worth, Texas, is now available. The room block for this event expires on Sunday, March 23 and rooms are going fast.
Registration is also open for qualified members to the UWIG Turbine Operations & Maintenance Users Group meeting. This event will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn DFW Airport South on April 15. The room block for this hotel expires Monday, March 31. You will need to contact Sandy Smith regarding qualification for registration. Source: Sandy Smith, UWIG, 03/14/08.
The U.S. Department of Energy Wind Powering America program has published its 2007 accomplishments and activities in PDF format. Source: Ruth Baranowski, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 03/14/08.
The Wind Energy Siting Handbook (178 pp. PDF) was developed by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) Siting Committee, in collaboration with Nixon Peabody LLC and Tetra Tech EC, Inc., to inform wind energy developers and other interested parties about environmental siting issues relevant to land-based commercial-scale wind energy project development in the United States. This handbook has been designed to provide technical information and useful tools based on the industry’s collective experience in siting wind energy projects and assessing potential impacts. Source: AWEA, 03/12/08.
NREL staff members Doug Dahle, Dennis Elliott, Donna Heimiller, Mark Mehos, Robi Robichaud, Marc Schwartz, and Andy Walker recently published the report, "Assessing the Potential for Renewable Energy Development on DOE Legacy Management Lands" (PDF 5.6 MB).
This report represents an initial activity for the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) to identify and evaluate renewable energy resources on LM-managed federal lands. The final assessment provides DOE LM with information to consider when assessing alternatives of land-reuse options for current and future LM lands. DOE LM and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) established a partnership to conduct an assessment of renewable energy resources on LM lands in the United States. The LM/NREL team used geographic information system (GIS) data to analyze and assess the potential for concentrating solar power (CSP), photovoltaics (PV), and wind power generation on LM lands. The analysis helped gauge the renewable industry's interest in pursuing renewable power development on LM Lands. Source: NREL, 03/11/08.
NREL has a new report out titled "Innovations in Wind and Solar PV Financing," authored by Karlynn Cory, Jason Coughlin and Thomas Jenkins of NREL, Jane Pater of Summit Blue and Blair Swezey of Applied Materials.
This study surveys some of the current issues related to wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) energy project financing in the electric power industry, and identifies both barriers to and opportunities for increased investment. There is growing national interest in renewable energy development based on the economic, environmental, and security benefits that these resources provide. Historically, greater development of our domestic renewable energy resources has faced a number of hurdles, primarily related to cost, regulation, and financing. With the recent sustained increase in the costs and associated volatility of fossil fuels, the economics of renewable energy technologies have become increasingly attractive to investors, both large and small. As a result, new entrants are investing in renewable energy and new business models are emerging. Several specific financing innovations for wind and solar PV projects were identified and are discussed in this report. Source: NREL, 03/11/08.
The California Energy Commission today adopted a report to develop comprehensive regulatory strategies to meet AB 32 greenhouse gas reduction goals. The Interim Opinion on Greenhouse Strategies, prepared jointly by the Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). The Opinion makes recommendations to the California Air Resources Board (ARB) for a regulatory structure that includes a combination of market and program approaches to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the electricity and natural gas sectors.
"Clearly, AB 32's aggressive goals and timetable require swift action by state regulators and utilities. I am pleased by the initial efforts of our two agencies," said Jackalyne Pfannenstiel, Chairman of the Energy Commission. "This interim opinion lays the groundwork for a balanced and fair approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in a way that will protect consumers, ensure grid reliability and provide a model for other states and the federal government."
The Interim Opinion is the first of two phases tasked to the Commissions under AB 32. This initial decision that defines the point of regulation and a second opinion to be issue in the summer of 2008 that will describe the specific mechanisms for requiring the electricity and natural gas industry to meet their goals. Both decisions will be considered and possibly incorporated into the ARB's Scoping Plan for the agency's further work in implementing AB 32.
The foundation of this proposed regulatory framework is based on the state's "loading order" which puts energy efficiency as the top priority, followed by renewable energy investment. The Interim Opinion recommends that all retail providers of electricity and natural gas be required to provide, at minimum, yet-to-be determined levels of all cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy. The proposal designates the deliverers of electricity to the California grid to be the entities responsible for complying with AB 32 greenhouse gas reductions. The Interim Opinion also recommends that some portion of these available greenhouse gas emission allowances be auctioned and that a majority of the proceeds be used in ways that benefit California's electricity consumers.
The Opinion further recommends that if a multi-sector cap-and-trade program is developed for California, the electricity industry should take part. The Energy Commission believes that if a robust cap-and-trade program is implemented by the ARB, including the electricity sector can provide reductions in greenhouse gases beyond the mandatory programs and at a lower cost with increased flexibility and innovation.
Additional recommendations will be provided later this year to ARB after detailed economic modeling is finished on emission reduction opportunities and costs in the electric and natural gas sectors.
"We can now move into the next phase of our joint proceeding, working with our stakeholders, to develop recommendations for the design of an emissions allocation system," commented Chairman Pfannenstiel.
Development this Interim Opinion has been an open public process beginning with a joint Commission symposium in April 2007 that addressed greenhouse gas emissions and various types of cap-and-trade markets. In August, the Commissions held a public workshop and a joint meeting to discuss the point of regulation. The CPUC will consider adopting this opinion at their March 13, 2008 Business Meeting. Source: CEC, 03/12/08.
The March 2008 issue of the Small Wind Newsletter is now available. Source: IREC, 02/28/08.
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The House and Senate have started a two week recess, but when they return to session the week of March 31 several key pieces of energy-related legislation are expected to be front and center.
Likely the first issue of significance to the geothermal community for the Senate to address will be to take action on H.R. 5351, the energy tax bill passed by the House. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has indicated the Senate is likely to try to bring up this bill when it returns.
If the past is prologue, the vote on this bill will be very tight. The past two votes on energy tax legislation failed to achieve the 60 votes necessary for action by a one vote margin.
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) has also indicated that she expects the Senate to act on global warming legislation in the near future. Senator Boxed held a press conference on March 12 with leaders of environmental groups to “show unity and momentum in the fight for strong global warming legislation. “
“It is the job of Congress-starting now-to pass legislation to effectively reduce global warming pollution,” the Senator told reporters. “We can't duck, we can't hide, we can't evade, unless we want our children and grandchildren to blame us and disparage us for walking away from this-our sacred responsibility. We can no longer fiddle while the planet gets ready to burn. Our Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, has informed me that he plans to take up the Environment Committee's global warming bill after the May recess.” Source: GEA Weekly Update, 03/17/08.
Learn more about legislative activities.
Nordic Windpower has selected Pocatello, Idaho, as the site for its new turbine manufacturing facility for the North American market.
More than 160 new technical, engineering, and administrative jobs will be created by the new Idaho-based facility, with additional new positions at the company's operational centers in California and the UK.
Should demand boom, Nordic could even expand the site by four times that of the currently leased 42,786 square foot (3,974 square metres).
Volume production is expected to commence in quarter three for turbine delivery in November 2008, with anticipated production of at least 20 turbines monthly by September 2009.
Idaho Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter said, "Idaho is committed to increasing our energy independence by increasing renewable energy use to 25 percent by 2025. That will mean great new jobs for Idahoans as we continue to draw leading alternate energy businesses such as Nordic Windpower to our state."
Mayor of the City of Pocatello Roger W. Chase added, "Nordic Windpower will add welcome new jobs and enhance Pocatello's reputation as an attractive center for alternate energy manufacturing with an exceptional workforce, cost of doing business, and quality of life." Source: Energy Current, Filed from Aberdeen 03/10/08.
EcoAlign, a strategic marketing agency focused on energy and the environment and an affiliate of DEFG LLC, today released the results of the third EcoPinion survey on green brands and brand messaging.
The third EcoPinion Survey highlights the fact that very few brands have any resonance in the market for green products and services. Consumers largely have a neutral, wait-and-see stance on company commitments and leadership on renewable energy, energy efficiency and the environment.
“There is a great opportunity to become a green brand leader with the right commitment and marketing approach,” stated Andrea Fabbri, COO and Chief Marketing Officer. “But the current emphasis on public relations and advertising is not going to do it alone.”
Findings from the EcoPinion Survey Report include:
A copy of the full EcoPinion report is available at no charge, but requires registration. Source: EcoAlign, 03/12/08.
Shrinking energy supplies and rising costs will impair the future economic health of Southcentral Alaska unless the state takes steps to adopt a comprehensive energy policy, Tri-Borough Commission leaders said at a press conference Friday in Anchorage.
Tri-Borough Mayors John Williams of the Kenai Peninsula Borough, Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich and Matanuska-Susitna Borough Mayor Curt Menard urged the state to act and develop a policy that would ensure plentiful supplies of energy for the Southcentral region, home to more than 60 percent of the state's population.
"If we do not move forward (with an energy policy), we will have severe shortages by 2015," Williams said. "Fifteen or 20 years out, we will surely be in deep trouble." Read more. Source: Hal Spence, Peninsula Clarion, 03/04/08.
The government of the U.S. Virgin Islands is taking a cue from its Caribbean neighbor in Nevis on using geothermal energy as a means of driving down energy costs.
Last week, U.S. Virgin Islands' Lt. Gov. Greg Francis led a delegation to study the ongoing drilling at Nevis, which is half of the nation of Saint Kitts & Nevis, where the local government is planning to switch the island’s entire electrical output to geothermal sources by 2010. For Francis, the Nevis example could easily be transferred to his section of the Caribbean.
"We are looking at a 20-percent renewable portfolio standard to include what we thought was wind and solar energy," said Francis in a press conference following his visit to Nevis. "But we are really thinking that geothermal could form a great part of this portfolio standard, and I am very excited about it. The fact [is] that we can get renewable power at a cost that beats any renewable or oil and diesel power generation we have in the territory. I am really very impressed, and I really hope we can make this happen." Source: Alternative Energy, in Thermal News by AER Staff, 03/03/08.
Colorado Governor Bill Ritter helped celebrate the grand opening of Vestas Blades' wind blade manufacturing plant in Windsor on March 5. During a ribbon-cutting ceremony he touted the production facility's 650 jobs as a big investment in Colorado's "New Energy Economy."
The 400,000-square-foot plant, located about 60 miles north of Denver, is expected to produce 1,800 giant wind blades per year.
The facility is the first North American manufacturing plant built by Vestas, which is based in Denmark. James P. Cain, U.S. Ambassador to Denmark, attended the ceremony.
Vestas also announced that the company will donate the first blade produced in Windsor so that it stays in Colorado. The Governor's Energy Office will work with Vestas to identify a recipient and location for the installation. Source: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 03/06/08.
An article from Summit Daily this week gave an overview of geothermal production in the Western U.S. It quoted a survey from our headquarters at the Geothermal Energy Association, saying that projects in the West could double the nation’s geothermal generating capacity in the next few years. The article discussed geothermal potential in the West, where resources are plentiful but funding is still inadequate.
The investment risk is still too high for a commercial-scale geothermal industry to flourish, Jefferson Tester of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology told the press. Adequate federal funding for research and development would smooth out operational kinks, slash the risk, and give investors more confidence, he said.
More than 80 geothermal power projects are underway across the West in every state except Montana and Colorado. Underground reservoirs in the West are prime for geothermal development because they often lie close to the surface.
The article also quoted a 2006 MIT study saying geothermal could supply 100,000 MW per year by 2050. That would be 10 percent of U.S. energy consumption. Plants in Nevada, Idaho, Utah, and California are already supplying power.
The Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service are jointly investigating the environmental impacts of geothermal development. It is prohibited in national parks and wilderness areas, but side effects are minimal. The assessment of their investigation will be released this fall, and the BLM will be able to issue further geothermal leases and permits.
There are about 420 geothermal leases on federal land, 55 of which are producing geothermal energy, the article said. Interest in leasing has increased sharply in the last decade; the BLM has issued nearly 300 geothermal leases since 2001, compared to only 25 between 1996 and 2001. Last summer, the agency launched an effort to speed up the leasing process. Of the approximately 100 geothermal lease requests pending as of January 2005, the BLM has pledged to process at least 90 percent of them by August 2010. But even after a geothermal company leases public land, the process of actually acquiring a permit to develop the resource remains painful. The BLM is so overrun with oil, gas, and coalbed methane permit requests that geothermal interests get pushed to the back burner.
The article quoted GEA Executive Director Karl Gawell. "The BLM doesn't have adequate resources or personnel to deal with geothermal, so permits get delayed for years," he said. "I literally know people who have died waiting."
In the political realm, geothermal has struggled to appear on budget requests and tax credits. For example, in 2007, the article said, funding for the clean-coal technology program was upped, even though its performance was rated lower than that of the geothermal program, which did not receive additional funding. And with the recent failure of the Senate to extend tax credits through 2012, many developers won’t be able to afford new geothermal projects, Lisa Shevenell, director of the Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy, told the publication.
"Without an extension of the tax credit deadline, most likely, projects will be downsized or put on hold altogether," said Gawell. But geothermal may get a boost from the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which Bush signed in December. It includes the Advanced Geothermal Energy Research and Development Act, which directs the Department of Energy to authorize up to $95 million annually for research and development.
"Interest in geothermal has really blossomed," Shevenell said. "And in the next few years, I think that the industry will, too." The increasing interest for geothermal will bring some of that potential to fruition-as long as the interest garners lasting support. Source: GEA Weekly Update, 03/03/08.
Executives from SCHOTT AG of Mainz, Germany (SCHOTT), Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM) and local dignitaries ceremonially broke ground today for the company's new manufacturing facility for SCHOTT Solar, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SCHOTT. The site, located in the Mesa del Sol region of Albuquerque, NM, will produce both photovoltaic (PV) modules and receivers for concentrated solar thermal power plants (CSP). Production is expected to begin as early as spring 2009.
Initially, the company will construct a 200,000 square-foot facility, which will employ 350 people. SCHOTT Solar will invest approximately $100 million to start production in New Mexico.
Anticipating the need to increase production of its solar power technologies as the market for renewable energy in the US grows, the new site is designed to support expansion of both its photovoltaic module and solar receiver lines. Long term plans call for the building to expand to 800,000 square feet with employment reaching 1,500 people, representing a total investment of $500 million.
"Today is an extremely proud day for SCHOTT," said Dr. Udo Ungeheuer, Chairman of SCHOTT's Board of Management. "With the groundbreaking in New Mexico, SCHOTT is further demonstrating the company's position as a global leader in solar technology and our ongoing commitment to developing the North American market through strategic investment."
"Recently I announced that SCHOTT Solar was coming to New Mexico and would build a new $500 million-dollar facility to Mesa Del Sol," said Governor Richardson. "Just weeks later – I am pleased to say – SCHOTT Solar has officially broken ground on their new solar manufacturing facility. SCHOTT is one of the largest, most prestigious solar companies in the world and I am honored to welcome them to New Mexico."
SCHOTT Solar has already begun the hiring process for the Albuquerque facility with staffing of human resources positions. In the next phase, the company will begin hiring experienced engineers and managers. Starting this summer, CSP receiver and PV manufacturing line positions will begin to be filled.
Job vacancies will be posted on the company's website and advertised in the local media. The company is working with the New Mexico and Albuquerque Economic Development Departments to develop a training and recruitment program.
"SCHOTT Solar is committed to creating stable jobs with competitive pay and benefits for Albuquerque," said Mark Finocchario, President and CEO of SCHOTT Solar, Inc. "Our mission is to become an employer of choice within the region."
At the groundbreaking, SCHOTT Solar unveiled the ambitious timeline for the opening of the facility, which sits on 80 acres of land. Currently, the site is being graded and prepared for construction. Immediately following the completion of the permitting and approval process, the physical structure will start to be erected. The building is scheduled to be completed at the end of the summer. From there, installation of the manufacturing equipment will take place and the interior will be prepped.
In March 2009, the first receiver, a critical component for concentrated solar power plants is expected to be available for sale. The PTR-70 receivers represent the latest in technological advancements for the surging CSP industry. The receiver contains an outer "envelope" glass tube which has an anti-reflective coating. Inside, in an evacuated, sealed environment, is a steel tube covered by an absorptive coating. It is inside this steel tube that a heat transfer fluid (HTF) flows when heated by the sun. This fluid, when heated by the sun, is then used to turn water into steam, which drives a turbine, generating electricity.
In April 2009, the first photovoltaic panel manufactured for sale is scheduled to roll off the production line. The 220-watt single-pane PV panel will be similar to products produced at the company's European manufacturing facilities. The Albuquerque site will have an initial annual production capacity of 64MW of PV panels. Additional PV manufacturing lines will be added to the facility to meet market demand.
Initially, the 190,000 square-foot facility will have 175,000 square feet allocated to production and 15,000 square feet of office space. The receiver line will occupy nearly double the space of the PV line (115,000 / 60,000 respectively). Future growth at the facility is planned by SCHOTT Solar, which will bring total employment up to 1,500, and SCHOTT's total investment to approximately $500M. Source: SCHOTT North America, Inc., 03/03/08.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has endorsed San Diego Gas & Electric’s proposed Sunrise Powerlink transmission line, according to supportsunrise.com.
Governor Schwarzenegger wrote a letter to the California Public Utilities Commission saying that Sunrise Powelink would help bring electricity to the area, connect San Diego to green power from the Imperial Valley region, and help San Diego benefit from clean, renewable power.
“The Sunrise Powerlink stands to take that relationship one step further by providing direct access to clean, renewable energy sources ranging from wind to geothermal, plus connecting the San Diego region to what could become the largest solar energy facility in the world,” Governor Schwarzenegger wrote.
More than 75 state, local, and federal elected officials throughout California and energy experts support Sunrise Powerlink. The California Public Utilities Commission will make a final decision on the power line later this summer. Source: GEA Weekly Update, 03/11/08.
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Western, DOE's Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory are seeking consumer-owned utilities to participate in cost-shared wind energy integration studies. The study will look at the potential impact to utilities' transmission or distribution system, balancing operations and cost of service.
The partnership will release its request for proposals March 28, and asks bidders to respond by April 28. Utilities wishing to be added to the bidders list should contact Neil Wikstrom at 303-384-6960. Anyone who participated in the Dec. 6 webinar on the project is already on the bidders list.
Eligibility:
This announcement has restricted eligibility. Eligibility for award under this Funding Opportunity Announcement is restricted to: (1) an Indian Tribe; or (2) Tribal Energy Resource Development Organization; (3) on whose Indian Lands the project(s) will be located; (4) within the contiguous 48 States.
Summary:
Under this Announcement, DOE is soliciting applications from Tribes or Tribal Energy Resource Development Organizations to implement building efficiency improvements or deployment of renewable energy systems in Indian Country. DOE is seeking comprehensive project development plans for the large-scale installation of renewable energy systems or energy efficiency measures resulting in substantial energy savings within 12 to 24 months of award, subject to the availability of renewable energy hardware. Applicants are encouraged to aggregate multiple sites or regional approaches to meet DOE's goal of significantly reducing fossil fuel use. Applications demonstrating maximum unit installation, at lowest cost, over the shortest timeframe will be given preference. Successful applications under energy efficiency must demonstrate the potential for a 30 percent reduction in energy usage. Applications proposing the use of renewable energy systems for building heating and cooling must meet at least a minimum of 30 percent of the building load. Renewable energy applications proposing less than 1 MW of generation will not be considered.
Download a copy (DE-PS36-08GO98022). Deadline: May 8, 2008. Source: DOE, 03/17/08.
The U.S. Department of Energy requests proposals for Wind Powering America State Outreach, for projects that focus on state and community level outreach, specific agriculture outreach, formation of wind working groups (WWG), and other initiatives to stimulate wind and rural economic development. $422K expected to be available, up to 22 awards anticipated. Responses due April 3, 2008. For more information, contact Pat Liles. Source: Grants.gov 03/04/08.
The U.S. Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, requests proposals for the Solar America Initiative PV Technology Incubator. This initiative is targeted at R&D of PV cell and module prototypes with demonstrated functionality in either large-area coupon form or, preferably, prototypes produced in pilot-scale
operations. The primary objective is to shorten the timeline for companies to transition prototype and pre-commercial PV technologies into pilot and full-scale manufacture. Six to 10 subcontracts anticipated for up to $3 million each. Responses due April 18, 2008. For more info, contact William Algiene. Refer to Sol# LOI-No-RAT-8-88012. Source: FBO 03/05/08.
The U.S. Department of Energy announces its intent to request proposals for Enhanced Geothermal Systems, to demonstrate reservoir stimulation techniques at existing geothermal fields; establish an EGS field validation site where DOE and its partners can perform high-risk experiments under actual field conditions; develop new sensors, down-hole tools, and mapping capabilities able to operate at greater depths and higher reservoir temperatures; and provide outreach to the geothermal community to convey the benefits and potential opportunities of EGS technologies. Funding amount and number of awards anticipated was not posted at this time. For more information, contact James Damm. Refer to Sol# DOE-SNOTE-080306-001. Source: James Damm, 03/08/08.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is accepting $220.9 million in loan and grant applications within the USDA's Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program.
Loan guarantees and grants are available to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to buy and install renewable energy systems or to make energy-efficiency improvements.
Eligible applicants may seek loan guarantees to cover up to half of a project's cost, not to exceed $10 million. Grants are available for up to one-fourth of a project's cost, up to $250,000 for energy-efficiency improvements and $500,000 for renewable energy systems.
Investments since 2001 include ethanol, biodiesel, wind, solar, geothermal, methane gas recovery systems and biomass projects.
Details are available by calling Debra Meyer at 801-534-4330. Source: Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 03/11/08.
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This news item comes to you as a service of Western's Renewable Resources Program.
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