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Some of the country's major corporations are embracing the idea of thinking ''green'' when buying electricity in hopes of spurring the development of renewable energy sources—while in many cases also helping their own bottom line. The World Resources Institute brought together a dozen major U.S. companies and got them to pledge that by 2010 at least 1,000 megawatts of the power they use will come from renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydrogen fuel cells.
While still small compared to the total amount of electricity used by many of the companies, that would be equal to the electricity generated by a typical large coal-burning power plant. It's about the same amount of power used to supply 750,000 homes. In a major step toward achieving the goal, the coalition of companies, known as the Green Power Market Development Group, on Wednesday was announcing the completion of deals covering 97 megawatts of power from renewable sources. It would bring their total to 112 megawatts since the program began two years ago. Source: Associated Press, H. Josef Hebert, 9/17/2003.
The Center for Resource Solutions announced Sept. 17 that six new suppliers have earned Green-e certification for their Tradable Renewable Certificate products. Green Mountain Energy, Big Green Energy, EAD Environmental, Wind Current, Mainstay Energy, and People's Power and Light join a list of 15 marketers now selling Green-e certified TRCs. Another company, Sterling Planet, has also expanded its TRC services to include commercial customers.
The diversity of suppliers now offering TRC products reflects the growth of the green power market and acceptance of 'green tags' as an innovative and cost effective way to serve both residential and commercial customers. In 2002, the first year that certified certificates were offered in the marketplace, Green-e certified and verified 144 million kilowatt hours of TRC transactions. The number of Green-e certified TRC products has nearly tripled in 2003, and the Center predicts exponential growth in TRC transactions as this new market gains momentum.
TRCs (or "Green Tags") are created when a renewable energy facility generates electricity. Each certificate represents the attributes or benefits of 100% new renewable generation and is sold separately from the electricity. When a customer buys a TRC product, they buy the environmental benefit of displacing non-renewable power sources such as oil, gas and nuclear from the national grid.
"Through the purchase of TRC's consumers help reduce our nation's dependence on fossil fuels to produce electricity, and contribute to the reduction of harmful air pollutants," said Gabe Petlin, Green-e Program Manager for CRS. "Green-e certification means corporate, government and residential customers who buy TRC products can be confident they are receiving the environmental benefits of green power as well as helping to expand the market for clean renewable energy."
Renewable energy or "green power" is only available to 40% of U.S. electricity users through competitive power markets and utility green pricing programs. TRCs make it possible for all electricity users to support renewable energy, regardless of whether their state is deregulating its energy markets. The seven new Green-e certified TRC products are helping to bring new renewable energy plants online in New England, the Mid Atlantic, the Midwest, and through the western US. The new certified products include:
"The addition of seven new Green-e certified TRC products is a huge benefit to institutions and businesses who are interested in supporting renewable energy and gaining recognition through programs like the EPA Green Power Partnership. An increase in the number of certified TRC products gives companies more sound options," said Kurt Johnson, Director of EPA Green Power Partnership. The EPA Green Power Partnership encourages organizations to use green power as a part of a best-practices environmental management and public recognition program. (Visit EPA Green Power Partnership to learn more.)
To earn Green-e certification, TRC products must originate from 100 percent new renewable facilities that generate energy from the sun, the wind, the heat of the Earth, low-impact hydropower, biogas, or biofuels. Providers of certified products undergo an annual verification process audit to document that the company purchased enough quantity and type of renewable certificates to meet customer demand and marketing claims. Providers also agree to abide by the Green-e Code of Conduct, and submit marketing materials to CRS to meet Green-e disclosure and truth-in-advertising requirements.
Visit CRS to learn more. Source: Këri Bolding, Communications Director, Center for Resource Solutions, Phone: (415) 561-2100, 9/17/2003.
Pitney Bowes, Inc. recently announced plans to purchase "an amount of renewable energy trading certificates equivalent to 10 percent of its annual U.S. and U.K. home office consumption of electricity generated from conventional sources." According to officials, the company will purchase the certificates through Sterling Planet, Inc.'s Green America program, which helps develop burgeoning renewable energy markets.
"While our business has grown, we have remained committed to reducing our environmental footprint and are extending our philosophy of good corporate citizenship through responsible energy management, recycling initiatives and our leading-edge Supply Chain Environmental Management programs," said Pitney Bowes chairman and CEO Michael Critelli. "We see this as an opportunity to encourage other major corporations to consider green power in their energy management strategy." Contact: Pitney Bowes. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 9/22/03.
The Washington, D.C.-based World Resources Institute, "an environmental research and policy organization that creates practical solutions to protect the Earth and improve people's lives," recently announced its offices are now powered by 100-percent green energy, making it "the largest environmental nonprofit in metropolitan...D.C. to use renewable energy."
WRI noted that it partnered with its landlord, the American Psychological Association, and property manager, Trammell Crow Company, "to purchase renewable energy equivalent to 75 percent of the electricity used in its two Capitol Hill buildings," and then purchased additional renewable energy to make its head office, located in one of the buildings, "100-percent green."
According to WRI, all of the purchases were made in the form of renewable energy certificates. WRI said Green Mountain Energy Company will supply WRI and APA with more than 20 million kilowatt hours of RECs from wind and other renewable resources. "This purchase of green power helps WRI meet our public commitment to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions to zero by 2005," said WRI president Jonathan Lash. "We invite every landlord in metropolitan...D.C. to follow their example and let our capital serve as a national showcase of the benefits of green energy." Contact: WRI. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 9/17/2003.
Princeton Researchers at a U.S. university have developed a process for producing low-cost solar photovoltaics from organic materials. See entire article. Source: Refocus Weekly, 9/17/2003.
The Energy Storage Council is pleased to announce that the ESC and energy storage were recently featured on National Public Radio and that VRB Power Systems, Inc. has joined the Council.
An interview with Jason Makansi, Executive Director of the Energy Storage Council, was played on National Public Radio Sept. 21 at 9 a.m. EDT. The piece focused on the potential role energy storage can play in making the nation's highly stressed electricity transmission infrastructure more reliable. Representatives from two ESC member companies, Haddington Ventures and the Iowa Stored Energy Project were also featured on the program.
According to Makansi, large quantities of power from stored energy facilities could be injected quickly into strategic locations on the grid to help avoid or minimize the risks from catastrophic events such as the Blackout of 2003. When compared to other developed countries, however, our stored energy assets are very low. The United States currently has only about 2.7 percent of our electricity in stored assets in contrast to other developed countries which have from 4 to 10 percent stored energy assets.
John Strom of Haddington Ventures LLC discussed the significance of the compressed air energy storage project being developed in Norton, OH, and Bob Haug, Executive Director of Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities and developer of the Iowa Stored Energy Project talked about storage as a way to make wind energy "dispatchable" to the grid, thereby overcoming a major obstacle facing large-scale wind development.
You can listen to the interview by clicking on NPR and Energy Storage, scrolling down to the title "Stored Energy," and playing it through Real Player or Windows Media Player. The full link is on NPR's website
ESC welcome its newest member, VRB Power Systems. Based in Vancouver, B.C. Canada, VRB Power is an alternative electrochemical energy storage company that has commercialized the patented Vanadium Redox Battery Energy Storage System. The VRB/ESS is an enabling technology that effectively stores electricity on demand and is able to provide direct economic benefits to utilities and end users in terms of improved power quality, reliability and energy efficiency. For more information, visit VRB Power on the Web.
ESC also welcomes two new associate members: Iowa Stored Energy Project and Golden Valley Electric Authority. The Iowa Stored Energy Project is designed to link energy storage to wind farms. GVEA is starting up the world's largest battery facility, a 40-MW Nickel-Cadmium installation, in Alaska. The Energy Storage Council was founded by Jason Makansi, also President of Pearl Street, Inc., in 2002 to promote the development and deployment of energy storage technologies as the "sixth dimension" of the electricity value chain. Source: Energy Storage Council, 9/25/2003, via St. Louis, PRNewswire, 9/25/03
A new tidal power station has started to generate electricity in northern Norway. Hammerfest Strøm installed a prototype water turbine in the Kval Sound to capture the maximum current of 2.5 m per second, which is strong enough to generate power but weak enough to gain experience without undue risk. Commissioning was delayed to coincide with the longest period between tide and ebb. The submerged turbine weighs 120 tonne, and the turbine blades are made from plastic reinforced with fibreglass and measure 10 m from hub to tip. The power is transmitted to a land station via submarine cable and the unit will generate 700,000 kWh per year, sufficient for 35 homes in Norway. The 1,088 residents of Kvalsund Kommune consume 21 GWh per year.
The strait is 400 m at its narrowest section, with maximum depth of 50 m and considerable ship traffic. The tidal power plant will have a maximum of 20 water mills and will be located 80 m from an existing bridge in a depth of 17 m to avoid interference with marine navigation. "Our involvement in Hammerfest Strøm is an example of how we can apply our expertise to the development of new renewable energy," says Hanne Lekva of Statoil, which owns 20 percent of the company. The prototype was developed by Hammerfest Strøm in collaboration with Statoil, ABB, Rolls Royce and Sintef. Monitoring of the impact on the marine environment will be conducted with the Akvaplan NIVA consulting firm and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. Source: Hammerfest, Norway, Refocus Weekly, 9/24/2003.
The California Independent System Operator, a nonprofit public benefit corporation charged with "managing the flow of electricity along California's wholesale power grid," recently announced that Florida Power and Light's 162-megawatt High Winds Energy Center in Solano County, CA has become the newest participant in ISO's Participating Intermittent Resource Program, which "allows clean, renewable wind energy to be more compatible with ISO grid operations."
According to ISO, the program has already enrolled more than 300 MWs of clean renewable wind power with "some 200 [MWs] expected by the end of the year." ISO said the program is helping California reach its renewables portfolio standard goal of 20 percent renewable energy by 2017. "Our grid operators need to know how much power each generator will deliver to the grid," said ISO vice president of market services Randy Abernathy. "Wind turbines produce more or less energy depending on how hard the wind blows, and due to the whims of Mother Nature, it's difficult to predict how much energy to expect a day ahead of time when more of our energy scheduling takes place." Contact: ISO. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 9/18/2003.
FPL Energy, LLC, a subsidiary of FPL Group, and PPM Energy, Inc., ScottishPower's competitive U.S. energy business, joined about 150 guests September 18 near Rio Vista, Calif., to dedicate FPL Energy's High Winds Energy Center located along the Montezuma Hills in Solano County.
State Sen. Byron Sher, California Energy Commission Executive Director Robert Therkelsen, and California ISO Vice President Randy Abernathy joined FPL Energy's Senior Vice President of Development Michael O'Sullivan and PPM Energy Chief Executive Officer Terry Hudgens and local and regional guests to celebrate the commercial operation of the High Winds Energy Center and the organizations that helped bring the facility to California.
"California is committed to 20 percent of its electricity being generated from renewable energy by 2010," said Therkelsen. "We have installed more than 1,800 MW from wind power and by adding improved technology at wind farms like this one, we will easily meet our goal." O'Sullivan remarked, "The High Winds Energy Center is much more than just one of the largest wind farms in California. It's a demonstration of how, when people bring their skills, knowledge and commitment together, something good can happen. A lot of people worked on this project and the result is a facility of which we can all be proud."
"California transmission and market rules give wind energy the opportunity to compete on a fair basis with other resources and PPM would like to see other regions adopt similar transmission rules that help us bring cost-competitive, reliable, clean wind power to the market," said Hudgens. "California customers have responded well and PPM plans to continue to grow its renewable presence in California."
The new wind plant will be capable of generating enough electricity to power nearly 75,000 homes. Construction of the first 81 wind turbines, each more than 198 feet tall to the center of the blade hub, began late in 2002. The initial 81 turbines began commercial operation in September. The company expects to complete a previously announced expansion of the facility by the end of the year. The 162-MW facility is owned and operated by FPL Energy. PPM Energy purchases all of the output from the facility under a long-term contract and markets the output to wholesale customers, including the cities of Sacramento, Pasadena, Anaheim, Glendale, Azusa, Colton, and others.
Also at the dedication, State Sen. Byron Sher received AWEA's Special Achievement Award, "for providing the legislative leadership that will result in substantial amounts of new clean energy serving the state of California." Passage of a significant Renewables Portfolio Standard for the state is an enormous accomplishment that would never have become a reality without Sen. Sher's leadership, according to AWEA.
PPM Energy is part of the ScottishPower group of companies. With a portfolio of more than 700 megawatts of wind power currently in operation or under construction, PPM has a goal of bringing 2,000 megawatts of new wind power to market by 2010. PPM balances its supply portfolio with sales to wholesale customers, placing almost all of its output in long-term contracts. Major customers include the cities of Seattle, Sacramento, Pasadena, Anaheim as well as investor-owned utilities such as Alliant Energy and Xcel Energy and the federal Bonneville Power Administration. PPM also has about 800 megawatts of clean gas resources under its control to give customers a wide range of options for adding environmentally responsible energy to their portfolios. The American Wind Energy Association honored PPM with its "Market Maker of the Year" award for aggressively finding markets for wind power. Source: AWEA Wind Energy Weekly, 9/22/2003.
The Utility Wind Interest Groups Technical Wind Workshop will be held Oct. 23 to 24 in Seattle, Washington. A tour of the Nine Canyon Wind Project (Energy Northwest) is being planned for Oct. 22. Transportation will be provided. There is a $50 fee for the tour. Online registration is available. There is no workshop registration fee.
The 2003 UWIG Technical Wind Workshop will explore key issues related to deployment of wind energy in the Pacific Northest and nationwide, and will include presentations and discussion on both large-scale (transmission-connected) and small-scale (distribution-connected) wind turbine installation experiences. Topics will include current status of regional/national transmission planning, overview of local wind power activities by utilities, wind power technology, utility integration issues including utility study results on wind operating impacts, UWIG Utility Roundtable (for members and utility guests), UWIG distributed wind training seminor, and UWIG User Group Formation/planning meetings in areas of operating impacts, distributed wind, turbine modeling, and transmission & market operation best practices. See attached announcement for additional information. The draft agenda will be distributed soon and posted on the UWIG web site.
The UWIG Technical Wind Workshop will follow the APPA Wind Power Opportunities for Public Power Workshop to be held in Seattle on Oct. 21, cosponsored by DEED, The US Department of Energy Wind Powering America Program, and UWIG. Source: Karen Lane, 9/19/2003.
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy's national solar program, is sponsoring a Solar Energy Technologies Systems Symposium Oct. 15 to 17. Early registration and a reception will take place the evening of October 14 at the host hotel, Sheraton Uptown, followed by a two-day technical conference, followed by optional tours of Sandia's solar facilities or Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute Friday morning (Sandia on-site tours open only to U.S. citizens at this point). If you are interested in hearing more about this Solar Energy Symposium, please respond to Connie Brooks, Sandia National Laboratories, Solar Programs, (505) 844-4383 (phone), (505) 844-6541 (fax). Source: Jennifer Davis, DOE, 9/17/2003.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory presents the latest addition to the ongoing series "Case Studies of State Support for Renewable Energy" from Berkeley Lab and the Clean Energy Group: "Green Buildings: The Expanding Role of State Clean Energy Funds."
"Green" buildings are typically designed to minimize environmental impacts in multiple areas (e.g., energy, water, materials), and to maximize the health and quality of life of building occupants. For a variety of reasons, green buildings can provide a niche market for renewable energy technologies. This case study examines the efforts of several state renewable energy funds to specifically promote renewable energy use in green buildings. These efforts fall into two categories:
The states that are covered include Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Download this case study along with the 21 other case studies in this series to date. Source: Mark Bolinger, LBNL, 9/19/2003.
Energy Notes has been created to spread the news about the innovative energy research going on at the University of California. Energy Notes is published quarterly, communicates the highlights of energy research taking place across all UC campuses. Visit the UCEI Energy Notes site. Send any comments or suggestions. Source: UC Energy Institute, 9/18/2003.
Obtain the latest breaking news regarding solar power from the Solar e-Clips Web site, a bi-weekly summary of news and information about solar energy issues in California. Brought to you by The Rahus Institute. Source: Tor Allen, 9/17/2003.
The National Geothermal Collaborative has a new report available, "Evaluating State Renewables Portfolio Standards: A focus on Geothermal Energy." The report evaluates early experience with state Renewables Portfolio Standard policies, including their impact on the development of geothermal energy. The report begins with a discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of state RPS and concludes by highlighting principles and best practices that may be effective in guiding future RPS design efforts and the impacts on the development of geothermal energy.
The NGC is a consensus-based collaborative formed in 2002 to identify issues that impede the use of geothermal power, establish dialogues among key stakeholders, and catalyze appropriate activities to overcome obstacles to appropriate development. The Collaborative is staffed and facilitated by Resolve. Members represent electric utilities, geothermal industry, environmental, renewable energy, National Conference of State Legislatures, academia, tribes, state energy offices, and public land managers Their vision is that geothermal power is environmentally, economically and politically sustainable and fully integrated into mainstream energy markets.
This report provides a thorough analysis of the advantages and disadvantages, opportunities, and obstacles that states may encounter when considering a renewables portfolio standard. Visit the National Geothermal Collaborative for a copy of the full report and an executive summary. Source: Amanda Ormand E-mail, 9/23/2003.
The American Wind Energy Association announces the first AWEA Wind Financing Workshop in Palm Springs, California. This two-day workshop will be held Nov. 11 to 13, 2003 at the Westin Mission Hills Resort. See below for information on the workshop agenda, topics that will be covered, confirmed speakers, and registration rates.
Additional information, including hotel reservations at the Westin Mission Hills Resort, will be posted to AWEA's Web site shortly.
Workshop Topics:
For more information contact: Stephen Miner or call him at (202) 383-2504.
Direct registration or logistical questions to Stefanie Brown, (202) 383-2512. Source: Larry Flowers E-Mail 9/24/2003.
Solar Village to Feature 20 U.S. and International Competitors. Students from around the globe will converge on the National Mall in Washington D.C. during the fall of 2005 for a "constructive demonstration" of solar power in the U.S. Department of Energy's second Solar Decathlon. The 2005 competition will feature 20 teams, up from 14 entries in the first contest. Decathlon teams from universities across the United States, Europe and Canada will compete to design and build a solar-powered house. The teams will assemble their modular homes on the Mall. Contest rules require that each house generate enough energy to operate a household, a home-based business and related transportation needs. The team demonstrating the most energy-efficient and innovatively designed house wins.
"Consumers are asking for more energy-efficient homes and appliances and they want practical ways to use renewable energy," said Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham. "This competition demonstrates that we can have comfortable and appealing homes that use only energy from the sun. That's an important contribution to our nation's energy security and to our environment." In contrast to an athletic decathlon, the Solar Decathlon is a team event dependent upon the diverse abilities of its members rather than individual abilities. The Decathlon is made up of ten contests, seven of which focus on energy efficiency. Entries will be judged by a panel of architects and design professionals on aesthetics and design integration, including space heating and cooling, lighting, communications, hot water, refrigeration, appliances, and presentation. The contest will also evaluate how much "extra" energy a house can generate to transport solar decathletes around town in a street-legal, commercially-available electric vehicle.
Decathletes from the following universities have been selected through a proposal system to compete:
The 2005 Solar Decathlon is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. Other sponsors include the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, The Home Depot, and the American Institute of Architects. For more information, go to www.solardecathlon.org. Representatives of the Solar Decathlon teams will meet September 19-21 in Washington, D.C. for a workshop to begin preparing for the 2005 Solar Decathlon. Source: U.S. DOE Release, 9/17/2003.
The latest issue of WinterGREEN is now available on-line. It's published monthly by Steven Winter Associates, Inc. WinterGREEN is an update on the firm's work in the realm of energy efficiency, sustainability, and high-performance buildings. See the monthly newsletter. Source: Steven Winter Associates, Inc., 9/23/2003.
The National Trust Preservation Conference is held each fall in a different city. This year, the conference will be in Denver from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5, 2003. The National Trust Law Department will host a 1-day legal course (Sept. 30) — called the Sacred Sites Workshop (588 kb) — in Denver prior to the conference, to address American Indian sacred sites; here is a preliminary agenda. Registration is available online. Source: Karen J. Atkinson, 9/22/2003.
Oct, 2, 2003, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute invites you to a Congressional briefing to address the relationship between land use, transportation, and health. Current research indicates that improvements in land use and community design could help moderate many of the chronic diseases of the 21st century – heart disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma and depression – by providing transportation options that increase physical activity and reduce air pollution.
This briefing coincides with the recent release of a new study and special issues of two prestigious peer-reviewed medical journals. The American Journal of Public Health and the American Journal of Health Promotion both published special issues in September focusing on the effects of the built environment on public health. Included among dozens of articles addressing sprawl and public health is the study, Relationship between Urban Sprawl and Physical Activity, Obesity and Morbidity, the first national research to find a direct link between sprawl and obesity. (You can access some of the articles online by clicking the Measuring the Health Effects of Sprawl link.) This briefing will provide the opportunity to hear first-hand from public health experts about these pressing problems and how they can be addressed through public policy.
Policymakers face an important decision as they think about the direction of transportation, housing, and land use initiatives (including transportation enhancements, safe routes to school and public transportation programs to be considered during the TEA-21 reauthorization process). This briefing also recognizes the public health campaigns of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to encourage greater physical activity as a key way to combat the growing obesity problem and its serious health ramifications. This briefing is open to the public and no reservations are required. For more information please contact Ray Minjares at 202-662-1883. Source: Ray Minjares, EESI, 2003.
The California Energy Commission has posted the 2003 Integrated Energy Policy Report on its web site. The draft document highlights recent energy trends and expected developments within the transportation, electricity, and natural gas industries. Noting that the State "finds itself facing an aging energy infrastructure and ever growing demand," the document includes recommendations for government action and explains that competent regulation is a critical component of a well functioning energy market.
The adoption of the Energy Report by the full Commission is scheduled for November 1, 2003. Before then, the Commission will hold five regional hearings throughout the State on the draft report, to obtain feedback from government officials, energy industry and environmental representatives and public policy decision makers. Visit CEC for more information on these meetings. Source: CEC, 9/18/2003.
The use of renewable energy in the United States increased 11 percent in 2002, according to preliminary data from the Energy Information Administration. Wind power registered an increase of 56 percent, with a 17 percent increase in alcohol fuels and a 15 percent increase in municipal solid waste and landfill gas. Most of the increase is due to increased generation from hydroelectric facilities following a drought in 2001, while the residential use of biomass fell by 14 percent.
Renewables rose from 5.310 quadrillion Btu (quads) in 2001 to 5.881 last year, compared with 6.549 in 1998, 6.587 in 1999 and 6.145 quad in 2000. Conventional hydroelectric is the largest component of renewables at 2.668 quads last year, followed by geothermal at 0.304, down from 0.311 in 2001 and 0.331 quads in 1999. Wind supplied 0.106 quads last year, compared with 0.068 in 2001 and 0.031 in 1999. Biomass in all sectors rose to 2.738 from 2.663 quads, which was down from 2.893 in 2000. Solar energy was 0.064 quads last year, down 3 percent from the 2001 level of 0.065, which continued a gradual decline from 0.070 in 1998 to 0.069 in 1999 and 0.066 in 2000.
The Energy Information Administration is the statistical agency for the U.S. Department of Energy. In the past, it has estimated the consumption of non-traded renewables (including earth energy heat pumps and non-grid-connected solar panels) but it says it no longer has adequate data to estimate the proportions by source. The data show that consumption of renewable energy peaked in 1996 at 7.129 quads. Total energy U.S. energy consumption last year was 97.551 quads, of which coal was 22.184, natural gas was 23.063, oil was 38.401 and nuclear was 8.145 quads. Of the 5.881 from renewables, residential consumption was 0.419, commercial was 0.098, industrial was 1.724, transportation was 0.156, and electric power was 3.485 quads. Source: Refocus Weekly, 9/17/2003.
California should focus on renewable energy for its future policy on electricity, suggests the state Energy Commission. The draft "Integrated Energy Policy Report" offers recommendations on how to improve the power industry following the energy crisis three years ago. If approved on November 1 by the CEC board, it will be sent to the governor and state legislature.
California must reduce its dependence on natural gas as a fuel for power generation so it is not vulnerable to price fluctuations, and should lower overall electricity demand and increase the use of renewables. More than one-third of California's generation is fuelled by gas and that will grow to 45 percent by 2013, the report predicts.
Current legislation mandates that 20 percent of retail electricity come from green power sources by 2017, but California should accelerate that target to 2010 in order to double the natural gas savings from replacing gas-fired generation, it suggests. The state could also create a more resilient energy system by ensuring that efficiency programs and renewable energy are factored into the procurement programs of investor-owned utilities and municipal utilities before they sign long-term contracts.
"For a host of legal, environmental and cost reasons, nuclear, large hydroelectric, residual fuel oil, and coal facilities are unlikely candidates for offsetting natural gas-fired generation for California," it explains. "On the other hand, the development of cost-effective renewable resources such as wind, geothermal, biomass and solar have tremendous potential in California to meet part of our future demand."
California's RPS is the centrepiece of the state's strategy to reduce dependence on natural gas and to increase diversity of the electricity system, and it was passed last year "partly in response to concerns about growing natural gas dependence." Green power will be sold under long-term contracts and will be immune to fluctuating gas prices, which will stabilize the market and provide "real economic benefit."
"Despite its support of renewable energy, however, California is increasingly dependent on natural gas generation," it notes. If funding is continued for energy efficiency and DSM programs at current levels and if California achieves the RPS target of 20 percent, natural gas-fired generation will still increase from 36 percent in 2004 to 45 percent in 2013, and that percentage will be higher in low-water years when there are reductions in hydroelectric output.
"As the fifth largest economy in the world, energy is a vital concern to California," it concludes. "Through crises, error, and innovation, California remains a world leader in energy policy and technology; what begins in California eventually moves throughout the world."
"Since the 1970s, California has responded to each energy challenge by developing efficiency programs, promoting new forms of renewable energy and fostering research and development" which have pushed the boundaries of regulation and private investment. The aging energy infrastructure and growing demand have produced a sense of urgency and "finding the most cost-effective, reliable, efficient resources, while protecting our environment, calls for more than a 'business-as-usual' approach." Source: Sacramento, California, US, Refocus Weekly, 9/24/2003.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology, a part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, announced 44 new awards through its Advanced Technology Program on Monday. Among the new awards, eight will go toward advancing fuel cell, solar power, and energy efficiency technologies. Those eight projects comprise a total investment of nearly $51 million, including nearly $24 million in NIST funds.
Four of the projects will focus on fuel cell technologies, including a high-volume manufacturing process for proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells, a miniature direct-methanol fuel cell, a low-cost process for manufacturing gas diffusion layers, and a variety of approaches to reduce the cost of power from fuel cells. In addition, Astronautics Corporation of America will design, build, and test an energy-efficient refrigerator that uses a magnetic refrigerant; General Electric Company and Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. will advance their roll-to-roll technology for manufacturing solid-state lighting devices; and the Ohio Aerospace Institute will lead a joint venture to develop enhanced thin-film capacitors for use in electric vehicles and in power converters for fuel cells. Finally, AstroPower, Inc. will lead a joint venture to produce low-cost, high-purity silicon for use in the solar power industry. See the NIST press release.
The award is certainly good news for AstroPower, which continues to struggle financially after its July delisting from the NASDAQ stock exchange. In early August, AstroPower laid off 55 employees, reducing its workforce by about 10 percent. See the AstroPower press release. Source: EREN Network News, 9/16/2003.
Addendum # 4, Amended Addendum #4 and Revised Contractor Certification Clauses to Request For Proposals # 500-03-501 are available on the CEC Web site. View the documents. Source: CEC E-mail, 9/24/2003.
DOE announced on September 17th its award of 10 grants totaling $4.2 million that will advance solid-oxide fuel cell technologies. Participants in the projects, including universities and businesses, will contribute an additional $1.2 million, bringing the total investment in the 10 projects to $5.3 million. The projects span a range of SOFC technologies, including new modeling tools for analyzing the performance of SOFCs, improved materials for use in the electrodes and electrical connectors, and more efficient devices for converting the direct-current output from the fuel cells into alternating current. See the press release on the DOE Web site.
SOFCs can use a variety of fuels and have a high tolerance to impurities that "poison" other fuel cells, such as sulfur and carbon monoxide. They can also achieve high efficiencies, but because they operate near 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,830 degrees Fahrenheit), they are most likely to be used in large-scale stationary power applications. For more information on SOFCs and other types of fuel cells, see DOE's Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and Infrastructure Technologies Program Web site.
The new SOFC grants were selected by DOE's Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) Program, which is co-managed by two of DOE's national laboratories, the National Energy Technology Laboratory and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. See the SECA Web site. Source: EREN Network News, 9/23/2003.
The U.S. Department of Energy seeks applications for activities intended to educate key target audiences, including teachers, students, and the public about the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier and the future path to a hydrogen economy. Activity areas include: Middle School and High School Curriculum and Teacher Professional Development, Educational Materials, and Co-sponsorship of Conferences and Events. $1 million to $3.5 million expected to be available over a 5 yr. period. Cost share varies by activity area. Responses due 12/4/03. (Fedgrants 9/13/03). Source: Seattle Regional Office (SRO) of the U.S. Department of Energy, 9/23/2003.
Renewable Hawaii, Inc. requests proposals for investment opportunities in projects to supply renewable energy on the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. The intent of this RFP is to stimulate the addition of cost-effective renewable energy in HI, promote viable projects that will integrate positively with the utility grids, and encourage renewable energy generation activity lacking in targeted categories. Renewable generation areas of interest include: Wind, solar energy, hydropower, pumped storage hydroelectric, landfill gas, waste to energy, geothermal resources, ocean thermal energy conversion, wave energy, biomass including municipal solid waste, biofuels or fuels derived entirely from organic sources, hydrogen fuels derived from renewable energy, fuel cells where the fuel is derived entirely from renewable sources, or other technologies deemed to be renewable in nature. Responses due 12/4/03. Source: Seattle Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 9/23/2003.
The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory requests proposals for Phase II of the Low Wind Speed Turbine Project. The goal of the LWST project is to partner with U.S. industry to develop technology that makes wind energy a competitive electricity supply option in the extensive Class 4 and 5 wind sites in the U.S. Responses due 11/17/03. For more info, contact Neil Wikstrom, NREL. Source: Seattle Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 9/23/2003.
The U. S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Security Administration Service Center (NNSA) has I issued a Request for Information. Through this RFI, NNSA seeks sources of non-hydroelectric renewable energy generated from solar, geothermal, biomass, or wind technologies to supply up to 7 ½ percent of the electric energy requirements of the NNSA Pantex Plant in Amarillo, TX and the NNSA Kansas City Plant in Kansas City, MO. Up to 17 GWh of renewables required. Responses due 11/10/03. For more info, contact David Nienow. Refer to Sol# DE-RF52-04NA0000. Source: Seattle Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 9/23/2003.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is soliciting interest from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the HOMER v2.0 software program HOMER is the Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables. Expressions of interest due 10/31/03. For more info, contact Richard Bolin, NREL, or via fax at (303) 275-3040. (FBO 9/19/03). Source: Seattle Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 9/23/2003.
The Environmental Protection Agency invites pre-applications for graduate fellowships in academic disciplines related to environmental research. Discipline areas include but are not limited to environmental engineering for pollution prevention and treatment and remediation; atmospheric sciences; environmental chemistry and materials science; economics, such as market incentives and health and ecosystem valuation; behavioral and social sciences, such as environmental decision-making and risk communication. $1.9 million available for 50 fellowships of $37K a year each for two (masters) or three doctorate) years. Responses due 11/20/03. For more info, contact Virginia Broadway, EPA, at (202) 564-6923. Federal Grants & Contracts Weekly 9/3/03). Source: Seattle Regional Office (SRO) of the U.S. Department of Energy, 9/23/2003.
The Center for Environmental Journalism offers the Ted Scripps Fellowships in Environmental Journalism. These Fellowships are designed to help professional journalists acquire knowledge to cover the environment more effectively and enrich the public's understanding of the subject. 5 Fellowships awarded annually which cover tuition and fees and also pays a $40K stipend for the nine-month academic year. Applications due 3/1/04. (Foundation Center RFP Bulletin 9/12/03). Source: Seattle Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 9/23/2003.
This news item comes to you as a service of Western's Renewable Resources Program.
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