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Week of December 17, 2001
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Green Power
OPPD to Launch Green
Pricing Program
The Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) has announced plans to offer a green pricing option to its nearly 290,000 residential and commercial customers beginning in December. Customers will be given the opportunity to purchase power generated from wind and landfill gas resources for an extra 3¢/kWh. Residential customers can participate at one of four set levels, ranging from 150 kWh to 1,000 kWh per month, while commercial customers can obtain 25%, 50%, or 100% of their power needs through the program. OPPD will purchase power from a new 660-kW wind turbine and a 3.2-MW landfill gas plant to supply the program. Both projects are expected to be operational in early 2002. Customers must agree to participate in the program for a minimum of one
year.
http://www.eren.doe.gov/greenpower/oppd_1101.shtml
. Source: Green Power Marketing Monthly Update November
2001.
EPA's Green Power Partnership
EPA's Green Power Partnership
is a new voluntary program designed to reduce the environmental impact of electricity generation by promoting renewable energy. The Partnership will demonstrate the advantages of choosing renewable energy, provide objective and current information about the green power market, and reduce the transaction costs of acquiring green power. Commercial, nonprofit, and public organizations can become Partners by committing to procure an amount of renewable energy that is proportional to their annual electricity use. In return, EPA will provide a network of providers and Partners, technical information, and public recognition. EPA recognizes organizations that switch to green power as environmental leaders who are establishing the choice for renewable energy as the next step in sustainable business practice. For more information on EPA's Green Power Partnership Program see Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/
. Source: E-mail from Kurt Johnson, EPA 12/14/2001.
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For more information: http://www.eren.doe.gov/greenpower/
or http://www.thegreenpowergroup.org/
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Renewable Energy Technologies
Nebraska Utility Board
Approves New Wind Project
The board of directors of
the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska (MEAN) voted recently to proceed
with a plan to build a new wind farm of approximately 14 MW near Kimball.
The project will include seven to 20 1.5-MW wind turbines, depending on
the participation rate from surrounding municipalities. The state
board is expected to approve the project next month. The site has
not yet been finalized, but it will be located near Kimball. Developers
plan to begin construction next spring, with a goal of bringing the project
on line in the fall. When completed, the Kimball wind farm will be
the largest wind-energy facility in Nebraska. There are currently
only five wind turbines in Nebraska, two each near Lincoln and Springview
and one near Valley. "I'm excited about it," said Kimball Mayor Greg
Robinson. "We always jokingly say Wyoming has coal and we have a lot of
wind. So let's utilize the wind."
Valmont Industries will
be supplying a new design of self-erecting towers for the Nebraska project.
It will be the first large-scale use
of the new Valmont turbine
towers, which can be erected and serviced without the use of construction
cranes. Mark Treinen, vice president for business development at
Valmont Industries in Valley, said the new towers should make it feasible
to erect wind turbines in sites that were previously too difficult or expensive
to develop. According to the company, additional benefits of self-erecting
towers, which are brought to the site with all three sections seated inside
each other, include smaller access roads, no need for crane pads, the ability
to use a standard 40-foot shipping container, the ability to install in
a wider range of working conditions, and an optional internal lift.
In addition to the new turbines at Kimball, the Nebraska Public Power District
is planning to add three to seven more turbines by 2003, possibly at its
Springview site or a new location. MEAN, which sells energy to municipal
utilities in Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, and Wyoming, initially had planned
to hire a private contractor from California to build, own, and operate
the wind farm. But the company changed direction because of the regulatory
difficulties of selling privately-produced power in Nebraska. MEAN
will now own and operate the farm, which is being built by a cooperative
venture involving the Tennessee Valley Infrastructure Group and FPL Energy.
Source: E-mail from Roger Hill, Sandia National Laboratory 12/3/2001.
GM Leads the Way in
Alternative Fuel Vehicles
The Chairman of the National
Ethanol Coalition, Harold Smedley today applauded the recent announcement
by General Motors that it would soon be producing a full-size E85, flexible
fuel pickup truck. GM recently indicated that during 2002, and for
at least the next three years, it's 5.3 liter Silverado and GMC trucks
can be ordered with an engine that can operate on either gasoline or 85
percent ethanol. GM anticipates charging approximately $225 for this
option. ìThe addition of the GM full-sized E85 pickups to the line
of available E85 flexible fuel vehicles is an important step in our nation's
efforts to develop a line of alternative fuel vehicles that meets the demands
of drivers today!î Smedley stated. ìThese E85 vehicles are
capable of operating on either gasoline or 85% ethanol without additional
fuel tanks, aftermarket conversions, loss of storage in the vehicles, or
cumbersome switches to flip.î
E85 is a blend of 85% ethyl
alcohol and 15% gasoline. E85 is produced from the starch in agricultural
products, primarily corn. Corn that is used to produce ethanol is
processed and steeped. It removes the sugars with a form of mash
remaining that contains 100% of the vitamins, minerals, and protein found
in the unprocessed corn. This product is then fed to livestock, poultry
and swine.
According to Argonne National
Laboratory, a research facility of the U.S. Dept. of Energy, the use of
E85 as a form of transportation fuel actually REDUCES the production of
greenhouse gas emissions. In a January 1999 report, scientists at
Argonne estimated that for every mile a vehicle is operated on E85, Use
of E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline by volume) achieves:
ï 73ñ75% reduction in petroleum
use,
ï 14ñ19% reduction in GHG
emissions, and
ï 34ñ35% reduction in fossil
energy use.
ìWith the addition of the
full-size pickup to GM's already popular Yukon and Tahoe, already being
produced as an E85 flexible fuel vehicle, American's have the choice of
full-size vehicles that can indeed operate on an alternative transportation
fuel,î commented Smedley. He added that the ìnext major step in our
efforts to make E85 available across the nation is to build additional
fueling sites. Approximately 200 public E85 fueling sites are in
operation across the nation.î Phil Lampert, Director of the NEVC
commented that ìit has been a difficult process to encourage the petroleum
industry to break their ëfossil fuel paradigm' of only desiring to sell
oil based products. Approximately two-thirds of the retail gasoline
stations in the U.S. are owned or operated
by ëBig Oil'. These
companies have been reluctant to adopt a program of offering and marketing
a renewable form of transportation fuel.î According to recent reports
by the U.S. Dept. of Energy, the U.S. currently uses approximately 19 million
barrels of petroleum daily with approximately 11 million barrels imported
daily. Lampert added that ìwhile there are options in the long term
to produce vehicles that operate on fuel cells powered by hydrogen and
other innovate chemicals, today and for the next 20 years the use of E85
is going to be this nation's answer to renewable, domestic transportation
fuels.î In addition to the GM pickups and SUVs that are offered in
E85, Ford produces the 3.0 liter Taurus and Ranger pickup, and DaimlerChrysler
produces an E85 minivan in the 3.3 liter engine. ìBy the end of 2002,
we expect at least 2 million of these vehicles will be on the nation's
highways,î according to Smedley. ìOur principal objective will be
to make certain the motoring public has this excellent form of fuel available
at their corner gas station!î The National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition
is a non-profit organization headquartered in Jefferson City, Missouri
that advocates and advances the use of E85 as a form of alternative transportation
fuel. Source: National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition 11/28/2001.
RPI to Develop Hydrogen-Fueled
Generator Set
Rotary Power International,
Inc. (RPI) recently announced that it plans to develop a hydrogen-fueled
rotary engine generator set. The
company said it believes
that the geometry of the rotary engine will make it "an ideal choice for
hydrogen use." "We have great confidence in the ability of our RPI
rotary engines, based on our current gaseous-fueled engines, to operate
very successfully on hydrogen while experiencing a minimum of power reduction
compared with their natural gas rating," said RPI vice president and chief
engineer John Mack. "The applicability of rotary engines to hydrogen fuel
has been demonstrated repeatedly." The company said past research
conducted by Mazda has demonstrated "satisfactory" operation of a rotary
engine using hydrogen fuel. In addition, RPI said the engine is well-suited
for use with hydrogen fuel because of its "ability to prevent the pre-ignition
of highly flammable fuels with rapid combustion characteristics and high
sensitivity to surface ignition...[as well as its] ability to ignite and
burn extremely lean mixtures." "Over the past two years, we have
carefully determined the best commercial applications for what had been
primarily military-sponsored research and development," said RPI president
and CEO Ron McKeown. "A hydrogen-fueled rotary engine is one of the applications
selected." Source: RPI Release 11/28/2001 via EIN Renewable
Energy Today 12/4/2001.
PGE Project to Turn
Dairy Waste into Energy
Portland General Electric
(PGE) recently launched two projects that will convert manure produced
by dairy herds in Oregon into
electricity for PGE customers.
The projects are the result of a partnership between PGE and the Oregon
Dairy Farmers Association
(ODFA). The group said the
projects mark the first time that a utility has coordinated with farmers
to develop a methane-powered
energy technoloy at the
utility's expense. "It's a good gamble," said Salem, OR-based Cal-Gon
Farms owner Bernie Faber. "We've seen the brownouts in California and we've
also seen our electricity rates substantially raised here." Under
the project, Faber will dump the manure produced by his 400 milk cows into
a tank, where an anaerobic digester will convert the waste into 100 kilowatts
of electricity. PGE is also supporting a digester at ThreeMile Canyon Farm
in eastern Oregon. The system will convert approximately 675 tons of manure
into 400 megawatts (MW) of electricity each day. "It's not like wind,
where you get electricity only when the wind's blowing," said PGE bio-gas
program manager Jeff Cole. "Cows are producing manure constantly."
By launching the green energy projects, PGE will receive a 35 percent tax
credit over the next five years from the Oregon Office of
Energy. In addition, PGE
plans to sell the methane-generated power at a rate that is higher than
power generated using conventional
fuels. Source:
AP 11/26/2001 via EIN Renewable Energy Today 12/4/2001.
Soybean Checkoff Helps
Open Alternative Fueling Station in the Southeast
United Energy Distributors
has opened the first public alternative fueling station that gives consumers
the opportunity to fill their tanks with soy-based biodiesel, E-85 (85
percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline), or other alternative fuels. The
facility, located in Aiken, SC, was partially funded by the United Soybean
Board's "soybean checkoff." Soy-based biodiesel can be used as a pure fuel
or blended with petroleum diesel in any percentage. Research has shown
that the use of soy-based biodiesel in a conventional diesel engine results
in a substantial reduction in unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and
particulate matter compared with emissions from petroleum-based diesel
fuel. For more information, read the news release at the United Soybean
Board's website: http://www.unitedsoybean.org/news/nr20011019.htm
. Source: December 2001 Biobased Products and BioEnergy Newsletter.
SMUD's Solar Program
Overflowing With Takers
Want solar panels on your
roof? Be prepared to wait in line. So many Sacramento-area residents
have requested solar panels for their rooftops that officials with the
Sacramento Municipal Utility District must discontinue a popular solar
partnership with the city of Davis. SMUD officials say they just can't
keep up with the demand. "There's no question that in Sacramento, Davis,
California and even nationwide, the interest in solar is continuing to
grow dramatically," said Donald E. Osborn, a SMUD superintendent for renewable
generation. "People are recognizing that solar not only has the clean and
renewable energy benefits but can really help them in terms of their utility
bills." Since May 2000, Davis and SMUD have partnered to provide low-cost
photovoltaic systems to Davis residents. The partnership was scheduled
to run for two years and was expected to be extended beyond that date.
But late last month, SMUD officials notified Davis officials that they
have such a backlog of requests from Sacramento residents for solar panels,
they will not be able to extend their contract with Davis. Osborn said
about 1,000 Sacramento residential and commercial customers are on a waiting
list for solar panels. The city of Davis has a waiting list of about 100
residents seeking rooftop panels through SMUD's program. SMUD officials
said they plan to serve the 100 people on that list but are forced to freeze
any new applications because of the high demand. Under the program, SMUD
installs solar panels on residences and businesses, giving customers a
lower price for the panels because it buys them in bulk. Customers also
receive a rebate from the state per watt that the panels are expected to
reduce from their draw on the electric power grid. Osborn said the installation
of a 2-kilowatt system typically costs about $6,000. A private company
might charge as much as $9,000 for a similar-size system, he said. Bob
Weir, Davis' director of public works, said the city would seek another
nonprofit group to continue its program. SMUD still may be involved in
the new program by allowing Davis to buy panels through the utility. But
SMUD would not install them. "The city will look around and try to solve
the question of how to keep the program alive," Weir said. Osborn said
SMUD had a goal to sell about 25 photovoltaic systems in Davis in the fiscal
year ending in 2001. Instead, the utility sold about 36 systems, he said.
SMUD didn't have the number of systems it had installed in Sacramento but
calculated its installations by the number of kilowatt hours of power the
panels provide. Osborn said the utility had planned to install about 100
to 200 kilowatts of solar power in the calendar year 2001. Already, SMUD
has installed 900 kilowatts of solar power this year. Five home builders
in the Sacramento area also are offering the solar systems in their new
developments, he said. "We now have 15 new home communities in Sacramento
in which you can buy a
new home which comes with
a solar electric roof," Osborn said. Osborn advised people wanting the
solar systems to continue to apply for them despite the backlog. "We only
ask people's indulgence in bearing with us as we find ways to respond to
this explosive growth in interest," he said. "There may be delays, but
people will be able to get these systems if they are patient." Source:
By Pamela Martineau -- Bee Staff Writer Published 5:25 a.m. PST Monday,
Dec. 17, 2001
Waverly Light and Power
Erects 4th Wind Turbine
Waverly Light and Power
announced on December 13 that a new 900-kW NEG Micon wind turbine has replaced
the 80-kW Zond turbine that had been standing in that location since 1993.
The utility's new turbine, ìSkeets 4î, stands 238 feet tall to the hub,
has a rotor diameter of 171 feet, and sweeps a 23,035 sq. ft. area.
Once operating, Skeets 4 will produce nearly 2.2 million kWh per year,
enough to serve the annual electrical needs of approximately 261 homes
in Waverly, Iowa. ìAs a pioneer in wind energy, Waverly Light and
Power is demonstrating that this renewable resource helps diversify fuel
sources. It also provides a stable, long-term, environmentally-friendly
option for generation in the Midwest,î said Glenn Cannon, Waverly Light
and Power general manager. The utility's small 80-kW turbine, Skeets
1, was retired and sold to a company in South Dakota which will reconstruct
it there. The new turbine, although much larger, will be quieter
than Skeets 1 because of new technology, greater overall height, and fewer
revolutions per minute. The utility also owns two additional 750-kW
Zond turbines in Alta, Iowa, named Skeets 2 and Skeets 3. Skeets
1 was the first wind turbine in the Midwest to be owned and operated by
a municipal utility. The project was made possible through grants
from the Demonstration of Energy-Efficient Developments (DEED) program
of the American Public Power Association. During its lifetime at
Waverly Light and Power, Skeets 1 produced an average of 104,962 kWh per
year for Waverly residents. Source: AWEA's Wind Energy Weekly
12/14/2001.
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For more information on
Renewable Resources go to: http://www.eren.doe.gov/repis/
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Outreach, Education & Reports
IEEE Ballot Results
Mandate Further Work
Results of the recent recirculation
ballot vote on Draft 8 of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(IEEE) P1547 Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric
Power Systems were announced at the interconnection standard working group
meeting October 16-19 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The recirculation of the draft
standard in September achieved a 96 percent return on ballots and an increase
in the number of affirmative votes to 103, but provided only a 66 percent
affirmative vote. A 75 percent affirmative vote is required in order to
proceed to the IEEE Standards Board. Meeting participants worked
toward developing additional recommended changes to achieve a successful
consensus ballot action. As a result of the open discussions held during
the meeting, and apparent resolution of several key issues, Chairman Richard
DeBlasio was encouraged to reword and recirculate another draft. The next
P1547 meeting is scheduled for January 31-February 1, 2002 in Washington,
DC. That meeting will be collocated with the U.S. Department of Energy
Distributed Power Program - Industrial Distributed Generation Program Joint
Program Review Meeting, in Arlington VA. For more information about the
meeting, contact Tom Basso mailto: thomas_basso@nrel.gov . For more
on IEEE P1547, visit the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL)
Distributed Power Program (DPP) website at: http://www.eren.doe.gov/distributedpower/
, or visit the official P1547 website at: http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/scc21/1547/
. Source: IREC November 2001 Interconnection News
U.S. DOE Distributed
Power Program
In 1998, DOE established
a Distributed Power Program to address system integration issues and market
barriers that may prohibit the widespread deployment of distributed power
technologies. For more information on DOE's DP Program, see Web site
at:
http://www.eren.doe.gov/distributedpower/default.asp
.
California Energy Commission
Publications 1996-2001: Reports, Documents, Manuals
CEC reports are available
as Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) files. To download, navigate
and print these files you will need the free Acrobat Reader software available
from Adobe Systems Incorporated's Web Site. The Renewable Energy
Program - Annual Project Activity Report to the Legislature (pub # 500-01-024)
is now available online at:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/reports/index.html
. Source: E-mail from CEC 12/14/2001.
Summaries of Environmental
Disclosure Policies
NREL has announce the completion
of summaries of environmental disclosure policies that require electricity
suppliers to provide consumers with information on fuel sources and, in
some cases, emissions associated with electricity generation. To date,
more than 20 states have disclosure policies in place. This information
is now available on-line on the Green Power Network web site http://www.eren.doe.gov/greenpower/disclosetxt.shtml
. E-mail from Lori Bird, NREL, 12/14/2001.
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For more information on
Educational Resources go to: http://www.thegateway.org
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News from Washington
Ethanol and Biofuels
Are Fuels of the Future For This Country,î Said Bush
Speaking to the Farm Journal
Forum in Washington, DC today, President George W. Bush highlighted ethanol's
ability to enhance homeland security, improve the farm economy, and protect
the environment. The remarks came as Bush was encouraging the U.S.
Senate to pass an energy bill. ìI also want to improve our homeland
security and our economy by having a national energy plan,î stated President
Bush. ìI want to thank the Farm Journal Forum for emphasizing the
importance of ethanol and biofuels. These fuels are gentle on the
environment. They are fuels that can be renewed year after year,
and fuels that can expand our farm economy. These fuels are made
right here in America, so they can't be threatened by any foreign power.î
The President continued, ìEthanol and biofuels are fuels of the future
for this country. Since the beginning of my administration, I have
strongly supported ethanol and biofuels. And the energy plan I sent to
Congress back in the spring supports biofuels. The House passed an
energy plan. Now it's time for the Senate to act and pass an energy
plan. It's in our national security interests to do so. I look
forward to signing a national energy bill.î ìPresident Bush is to
be commended for his strong commitment to ethanol,î said Bob Dinneen, president
of the RFA. ìWe agree with the President that our nation's energy
policy should promote the production and use of ethanol as a way to improve
our energy security while protecting the environment and boosting rural
economies. Farmers are ready to serve on the front lines of the battle
for energy independence.î Dinneen spoke earlier to the Forum outlining
the rapid expansion occurring within the ethanol industry. There
are 57 ethanol production facilities operating today that are on track
to produce 1.8 billion gallons of ethanol this year. Sixteen additional
ethanol plants are under construction that will add more than 400 million
gallons of production capacity. Source: RFA 11/28/2001.
Senate Democratic Leaders
Announce That They Will Postpone Action on New Energy Legislation Until
Next Year
Their decision diminishes
the prospects for several provisions of Bush's plan, including opening
Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil companies and providing
the oil, coal, gas and nuclear industries with about $30 billion in tax
breaks and subsidies. At the same time, it extends the
issue into an election year, giving Democrats less incentive to reach a
compromise and more incentive to use the debate to highlight differences
between Democratic and Republican approaches to energy policy. Senate Democrats
are pushing for a bill that, unlike Bush's, tilts more toward conservation
than energy production, does not permit drilling in the Arctic refuge and
calls for higher miles-per-gallon standards for sport-utility vehicles.
In August, the House passed an energy bill that closely resembled Bush's
vision; reconciling the House and Senate plans may now prove difficult.
GOP lawmakers were furious Tuesday about the delay, contending that energy
policy is an issue of national security made more imperative by the Sept.
11 terrorist attacks and the recent rise in tensions between the United
States and Iraq. "Next year is not soon enough for energy," argued Sen.
Frank H. Murkowski (R-Alaska), perhaps the Senate's most dogged advocate
for drilling in the Alaskan refuge. Citing Bush's criticism
this week of Iraq for its refusal to admit weapon inspectors, Murkowski
said: "If Baghdad is our next target after Kandahar, what's going to happen
to that oil?" Doug Hattaway, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader
Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), countered that "the Republican energy proposal has
nothing to do with national security." "Everyone knows we won't get a drop
of oil out of Alaska for 10 years and it won't last more than a few days,"
he added. Sen. Larry E. Craig (R-Idaho) said he would ask Bush to
become more involved in pressing Congress to act quickly on the bill. Environmentalists,
industry representatives and Republican political analysts all remarked
that Daschle appears to be calling the shots on energy policy. "You're
seeing Daschle line up the political plays he wants to make next spring
and summer to set his party up for the midterm elections," said Scott Reed,
a GOP strategist. "Bush's challenge is to continue to be engaged with domestic
issues, starting with the economy, and secondary issues, like an energy
policy, to show that he can govern." But prospects for the president's
energy plan are eroding because California's energy crisis, fresh in lawmakers'
minds when the House adopted its bill, has passed, and a nationwide energy
crisis never materialized. "Barring another crisis, it's going to be very
difficult for the administration to revive the issue and overcome the environmental
obstacles," said Marshall Wittmann, a political scholar at the conservative
Hudson Institute. Short of a crisis, pushing for hefty federal funding
and tax breaks for energy companies looks to people "like the administration
is just helping out their wealthy supporters," said Wittmann. "It's an
ironic moment where the Republicans' political agenda is losing steam as
their leader is in the stratosphere." he added. At this point, time clearly
appears to be on the Democrats' side. Supporters of the Bush plan hoped
that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the president's popularity, and instability
in the Persian Gulf, particularly the increased tensions between the United
States and oil-producing Iraq, would all work to their favor. But Daschle's
maneuvering after the terrorist attacks prevented a debate on the matter
when emotions were at their highest, and efforts by Republicans to force
votes on the House energy bill during debates on unrelated issues were
voted down handily. Early last month, Daschle took the energy legislation
from the Senate Energy Committee, which looked likely to include a provision
to allow drilling in the Alaskan wildlife reserve, and declared that he
would manage the drafting himself. This has given him the flexibility to
develop a package that Democrats can gather around. "It gave Daschle time
to put together his legislation and build a consensus around the package,
which the Democrats didn't have before," said Alden Meyer, an energy specialist
at the Union of Concerned Scientists. The Daschle plan, which has
not yet been unveiled, will focus on achieving energy security by reducing
demand rather than increasing drilling. For example, it is expected to
set a requirement that a certain percentage of the country's electricity
be generated by renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power,
and include tax incentives for consumers to purchase hybrid automobiles,
which use much less gasoline. The Daschle plan is also expected to include
provisions, which are not included in the Bush plan, to try to restrict
the nation's swelling emissions of carbon dioxide and other products that
contribute to global warming. The House has also approved another
piece of Bush's energy agenda, extending a law that limits to $9.5 billion
the amount of damages that the nuclear power industry must pay in the event
of an accident. Source: Elizabeth Shogren & Richard Simon
LA TIMES 11/28/2001 via Solar e-Clips 12/04/2001.
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For
more information on legislative activities go to: http://www.kannerandassoc.com/fedenergybills.html
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Marketing & Market Research
SCE Reaches Debt Payment
Agreement With Majority of Alternate Energy Generators
Southern California Edison
(SCE) announced today that it has reached agreement on a revised plan for
paying past-due obligations owed to generators representing more than 90%
of SCE's alternate energy supply. (Called "qualifying facilities,"
or "QFs," these generators are smaller renewable and natural gas-fired
power plants that provide approximately one-third of the electricity needed
by SCE customers.) The plan amends agreements reached last June with
QFs by adopting new payment terms to accommodate the solution to SCE's
financial dilemma represented by the Oct. 2 procurement cost settlement
SCE reached with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
"We appreciate the large number of QFs who have supported our effort to
deal fairly and equitably with all creditors and not to single out one
group for preferential payments," said SCE Chairman, President and CEO
Stephen E. Frank. "We reaffirm our effort to pay all of our past-due obligations
with interest during the first quarter of 2002." "We believe this
revised payment plan represents a positive outcome for CalEnergy and other
QFs as we seek to recover payments for power delivered at the end of last
year and earlier this year," said Doug Anderson, senior vice president
and general counsel of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, CalEnergy's
parent corporation. CalEnergy dropped litigation it recently brought against
SCE, choosing instead to accept the new payment arrangement. SCE
temporarily suspended payments to QFs and other creditors earlier this
year after frozen retail rates prevented the utility from recovering skyrocketing
wholesale electricity costs for several months. In late March, going-forward
payments resumed as well as monthly interest payments that continue to
date. In June, an agreement was reached with representatives of most QFs
on the payment of past-due amounts. The terms of that agreement included
an immediate 10% payment with the agreed-upon balance to be paid following
adoption of the plan to restore SCE's creditworthiness. The settlement
path emerged this fall, requiring the revision of the agreements to accommodate
the timing by which SCE will recover financially. The amended plan calls
for QF power producers to be paid the balance agreed to last summer as
soon as SCE can arrange bridge financing. It also provides for renewable
power purchases at a fixed price -- 5.37 cents/kWh -- over the next five
years, eliminating some of the price volatility that has plagued California's
energy market during the energy crisis. Finally, the plan extends stays
of existing and new legal actions. Certain elements of the amended agreement
are subject to CPUC approval. "We are satisfied that the new arrangement
represents the most timely repayment plan feasible for SCE and maintains
the spirit and intent of our original agreement," said John O'Rourke, vice
president and general manager of El Paso Merchant Energy, the managing
partner of Corona Energy Partners, a 47-MW gas-fired QF. Negotiations
continue with the few remaining QFs who have not yet agreed to the new
payment plan. An Edison International (NYSE: EIX) company, Southern
California Edison is one of the nation's largest electric utilities, serving
a population of more than 11 million via 4.3 million customer accounts
in a 50,000-square-mile service area within central, coastal and Southern
California. Source: California Edison (SCE) via Power Online
via Western Newsclips 12/2001
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For
more information on marketing and research go to: http://www.nrel.gov/analysis/emaa/index.html
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Grants, RFPs & Other Funding News
SBIR/STTR
Areas of interest include:
Bioproducts and Bioenergy Research; Oil and Gas Technologies; Novel Approaches
to Thin-Film Solar Cells; Battery Technology for Electric and Hybrid Vehicles;
Integrated Systems for Energy-Efficient Space Conditioning; Improved Blades,
Towers, and Power Electronics Technology for Wind Turbines and Carbon Cycle
Measurement of the Atmosphere and the Biosphere. Government Agency:
Department of Energy (DOE) - Seattle Regional Office; Schedule: Proposals
due January 15, 2002; URL: http://sbir.er.doe.gov/sbir/solicitations/fy%202002/contents.htm
. Source: December 2001 Biobased Products and BioEnergy Newsletter.
2001 State Energy Program
Special Project
Description: Provide
states with financial assistance for building local markets for alternative
fuels and vehicles. Recipients: Arizona, California, Washington,
DC, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New
York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington,
Wisconsin; Award Total: $4,160,246; Sponsoring Office: Department
of Energy. Source: December 2001 Biobased Products and BioEnergy
Newsletter.
Xcel Energy Seeks New
Generation
Xcel Energy (formerly Northern
States Power) has issued a request for proposals for 1,000 MW of capacity
and energy with initial power deliveries between May, 2005, and May, 2009.
Proposals are due by March 15, 2002. The solicitation is consistent
with Xcel's most recent resource plan filed with the Minnesota Public Utilities
Commission. While 1,000 MW is the targeted capacity addition, Xcel
may contract for more or less generating capacity, depending upon the type
of bids it receives and on other factors, some of which may increase the
supply needs. The solicitation encompasses a preference for renewable
energy facilities, in accordance with state law, and Xcel encourages proposals
comprised in whole or partially of renewable resources. Xcel will
also include the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission externality values
in its evaluation of each of the bids received (see Wind Energy Weekly
#812, August 31, 1998). Power purchase contract lengths up to 25
years may be proposed, though any proposal exceeding 10 years must be accompanied
by a second proposal that is identical to the original proposal except
for pricing and a 10-year contract length. Bidders must identify
the point of delivery of power to Xcel's transmission system. Xcel
has prepared a first-cut evaluation of the economic impact of various points
of delivery on the transmission system to help bidders refine their bids.
The study performed power flow analyses for a hypothetical source at each
of Xcel's 115-kV through 345-kV buses during a summer 2003 peak load condition
to help determine the transmission system loading limits for the siting
of new electric generation projects. The results give an indication
of the approximate outlet capacity limitations at various sites across
the Xcel transmission system. The transmission analysis is included
in the solicitation. A pre-bid meeting will be held in Minneapolis on
January 8, 2002. Any entity contemplating the submission of a bid
on this project must file a ìNotice of Intent to Bidî by January 15, 2002,
or it will be ineligible to bid on this project. Proposals are due
March 15, 2002, and, after meeting numerous additional study and submittal
deadlines, proposers will be notified of the final selection on December
9, 2002. The full solicitation and further information are available
from Xcel's Rick Peterson, phone (612) 330-5831, e-mail Richard.D.Peterson@eeldnergy.com
. Source: AWEA's Wind Energy Weekly 12/14/2001.
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For more information on
funding solicitations go to: http://www.eren.doe.gov/solicitations.html
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