Western customers' green pricing programs rate highly with NREL
When the National Renewable Energy Laboratory released its annual ranking of leading utility green pricing programs, several Western customers made appearances in the "Top 10."
Using information provided by utilities, NREL rated more than 300 utilities in 32 states in the following categories: total sales of renewable energy to program participants, total number of customer participants, customer participation rate and lowest price premium charged for a green pricing service using new renewable resources.
In the category of customer participation, Moorhead, Minn., Public Service ranked first for the third year in a row with 5.8 percent of its customers subscribing to its "Capture the Wind" program. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power was third with a 5.2 percent participation rate, followed by Holy Cross Energy of Aspen, Colo., with 4.2 percent.
Ranked by sales of green power, Sacramento Municipal Utility District came in second, selling 104,344,000 kW of landfill gas, wind and solar energy in 2002. LADWP made a respectable showing in fourth place selling 66,666,000 kW of wind and landfill generation.
Large wind project to supply up to 25 percent of small town's electricity
Western customer, Wall Lake, Iowa, population 850, recently contracted with the Denmark-based wind turbine manufacturer Vestas Group to build a 660-kW wind turbine that will provide up to 2 million kW of electricity to the town's grid annually.
A $250,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Economic Development will partially offset the wind project's $750,000 price tag. City officials said that the project met some early resistance, but evidence that the turbine could meet up to a quarter of Wall Lake's energy needs quelled criticism. The addition of the turbine will help to bring down the final amount of an expected electricity rate hike later this year.
Wall Lake hopes the turbine will be fully operational by Sept. 1. The wind project is the culmination of a multi-year study by the city of alternative power sources.
Gas produced by beer helps power brewery
The New Belgium Brewing Company of Ft. Collins, Colo., harnessed a byproduct of the brewing process to reduce its reliance on city power, lower its utility bills and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
The maker of Fat Tire and Sunshine Wheat beer installed a combined heat and powerplant to collect methane gas left over from brewing. The wastewater system sends processed water to anaerobic ponds where microbes convert brewing waste like sugar and carbohydrates into methane. The cogeneration plant uses the gas to produce electricity for the brewery and to heat water.
Exactly how much power the system can generate and how much it will save in energy costs are not yet clear. Methane alone cannot power the brewery, but owners expect the system to make a noticeable difference in the plant's annual utility costs of about $140,000.
Roseville Energy Park project moves forward
Roseville City Council has given Roseville Electric the go-ahead to complete the next phase in developing the first city-owned and operated power generation facility.
In this phase, the project will undergo a thorough engineering review, and a project application will be submitted to the California Energy Commission. The CEC oversees the development of all power plants in California. The municipal utility told the city council that it expects to complete this phase by fall 2003.
The centerpiece of the Roseville Energy Park is a 150-MW natural gas generating plant, but the concept also includes a 1-MW photovoltaic solar energy site. The project is part of the city's long-term strategy to provide reliable electric rates to its customers and protect the utility from the volatile wholesale energy market.
Wood-waste biomass plant helps Arizona Public Service earn green credit
The Arizona Environmental Portfolio Standard is spurring investor-owned Arizona Public Service to pay for the construction of a wood-waste-fired plant that will sell its energy to Public Service Company of New Mexico.
The 3-MW biomass plant in Eagar, in eastern Arizona, is being built and operated by Western Renewable Energy with a grant from the U.S. Forest Service. The biomass developer found a partner in APS, which saw the opportunity to get a green credit by financing the project.
APS is required by the portfolio standard to receive 60 percent of its renewable generation from solar energy and 40 percent from other renewable technologies by 2004. Biomass may hold the key to meeting that goal.
The investor-owned utility wants to develop a "cookie-cutter approach" to building 3-MW biomass plants in other parts of the state. APS is looking at 10 sites where timber-thinning activities could supply fuel for the plants.
Energy Services Bulletin welcomes customer input
Western recently received a compliment from David Holte of West River Electric, in Rapid City, S.D. Holte said that he really enjoys the Energy Services Bulletin in the electronic format and often passes the "tips" section on to his employees.
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