http://www.es.wapa.gov/renew/	Week of December 17, 2001

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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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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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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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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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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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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