• Energy Services Bulletin moves to monthly publishing schedule
• Congress extends federal solar energy tax credits through 2008
• New Federal building and appliance efficiency standards announced
• Green Energy New Mexico helps residents, businesses support renewables
• Utility industry flocks 10th Annual EUEC Conference in Tucson, Ariz.

Energy Services Bulletin moves to monthly publishing schedule

In the December 2006 issue of Energy Services Bulletin, readers had the opportunity to tell us what they think of the publication and of Energy Services. One thing readers seemed to want was a shorter bulletin more often. Since the New Year is a good time to start a new tradition, here it is—the first issue of the new monthly Energy Services Bulletin.

We agree with you that a more frequent publishing schedule will make it easier for Energy Services to keep you up to date on the rapidly changing issues affecting power providers. The bulletin will still offer in-depth stories on programs, measures and technologies to help your utility keep its competitive edge. Only now, there will be fewer stories, so you won't miss any of the details.

There are some other changes as well. Topics from the Power Line and Technology Spotlight will alternate each month. Energy Shorts will now appear on the former Energy Services news page and both Energy Shorts and the calendar will change more frequently.

Subscribers will continue to receive e-mail notice each time a new Energy Services Bulletin is published. You may want to check your e-mail program or call your IT department to make sure that spam-blocker software is not filtering out mail from the wapa.gov domain.

Energy Services believes this change will help our customers meet the many surprises and challenges awaiting the utility industry in 2007. As always, we continue to welcome your feedback—and stories.

Congress extends Federal solar energy tax credits through 2008

In its waning hours, the 109th Congress passed legislation to extend the 30 percent solar energy investment tax credit for homeowners and businesses for one additional year.

The Solar Energy Industries Association applauded the one-year extension of the solar ITC in H.R. 6111, the "Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006". However, SEIA President Rhone Resch cautioned, "While this bill does not constitute a long-term solar growth policy, it does provide some breathing room for solar projects in the 12- to 18-month pipeline."

An eight-year extension of the ITC will remain the solar industry's top legislative priority in 2007. Such an extension is essential to creating market conditions that allow solar companies to make investments and drive down costs through economies of scale. According to SEIA, a longer duration would also help stimulate the development of large-scale concentrating solar power projects.

Resch expressed optimism that the 110th Congress would enact an eight-year extension as contained in S. 2677 and H.R. 5206, the "Securing America's Energy Independence Act," a bill which gained a bipartisan group of 80 House and 15 Senate co-sponsors this year. "We look forward to working with the next Congress, to craft a comprehensive and effective policy blueprint for a self-sustaining clean energy infrastructure in the United States," he said.

New Federal building and appliance efficiency standards announced

The Department of Energy has updated efficiency standards for new federal buildings, complying with new requirements in the 2005 Energy Policy Act.

Under the interim final rule, the minimum efficiency standard for new Federal residential buildings must equal the 2004 International Energy Conservation Code. The minimum standard for new commercial and multi-family high-rise federal buildings equal a 2004 standard set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers.

The rule also requires new Federal buildings to be designed to be 30 percent more energy efficient than these standards, if it is cost effective over the building's life. If the improvement is not cost effective, designers must evaluate incrementally lesser goals, such as a 25-percent improvement, a 20-percent improvement, etc.

DOE is accepting comments on the interim final rule through Feb. 2, 2007, with the goal of issuing a final rule after that date. However, the interim final rule took effect on Jan. 3. Any Federal building design process that began after that date must comply with the interim final rule.

Green Energy New Mexico helps residents, businesses support renewables

In an effort to spur new renewable energy development in the state of New Mexico, the Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy has partnered with the Regional Development Corporation, an economic development organization in Santa Fe, and Bonneville Environmental Foundation to introduce a new initiative called Green Energy New Mexico. 

This program makes it easy for homes and businesses in New Mexico, and visitors to the state, to support local and regional renewable power through the purchase of renewable energy certificates. A minimum of 20 percent of the gross revenues from the sale of green tags through BEF are set aside in a reinvestment fund. The partnership is committing the funds to support the development of new renewable energy facilities in New Mexico.

A carbon calculator on the Web site helps visitors assess their total environmental footprint from electricity, heating, auto travel and air travel. The calculator gives the number of RECs needed to offset their consumption, and cost options by percent. The minimum purchase is two RECs.

Green Energy New Mexico offers two products: Cooler Future, a blend of 99 percent wind and 1 percent solar resources, and Brighter Future, which is 90 percent wind and 10 percent solar. Brighter Future is slightly more expensive because solar power currently costs more than wind power.

All green tags sold through Green Energy New Mexico are Green-e certified. This stringent certification program ensures that a certified renewable energy facility generated the green tag. 

Utility industry flocks 10th Annual EUEC Conference in Tucson, Ariz.

The 10th annual Electric Utilities Environmental Conference will be held at the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa, in Tucson, Ariz., Jan. 21-24.

Since the first conference in 1995, EUEC 2007 has gained national recognition as a “must attend” technical and networking event. Utility executives and world-leading experts will present 300 technical presentations on clean air, mercury, global warming and renewable energy. Individuals may also submit abstracts for presentations online.

In addition to the technical presentations scheduled in five concurrent tracks Monday through Wednesday, participants may also attend 15 pre-conference workshops covering state-of-art and cutting-edge technologies.  Buffet style luncheons and receptions held in the exhibit area provide the opportunity to network with 1,000 conference participants. The exposition showcasing 150 products and services has been expanded since last year to include about 30 new exhibitors. 

The conference is a joint production of the U.S. Department of Energy, Electric Power Research Institute and Edison Electric Institute.