Contact us Subscribe Public Renewables Partnership Review previous issues at http://www.wapa.gov/es/nhnewsback.htm Responsibility for the factual accuracy of each press release rests entirely with the individuals or organizations identified on the release.    Week of July 12, 2004

• Program development
• Regulatory outreach to improve the performance of green power programs
• Recruitment of green power business customers to use the Green-e logo on their consumer product packaging (Product Labeling Initiative)
• Public speaking to promote Green-e's mission of consumer confidence and product quality assurance
• Building alliances with environmental, consumer, energy, and government stakeholder organizations

Siobhan Doherty has joined CRS as the new Green-e Program Associate in San Francisco. Siobhan spent over two years as a Research Analyst with SENTECH, INC., an energy and environmental consulting firm in Bethesda, MD. At SENTECH, INC. Siobhan supported the Rhode Island Renewable Energy Fund's Renewable Energy Customer Aggregation. She also provided programmatic support and developed marketing materials to promote the U.S. EPA's ENERGY STAR program. Siobhan will support the certification and verification program areas as well as outreach and education. Siobhan majored in Government and Environmental Science & Policy at Smith College.

Lars Mathias Kvale is assisting Green-e Verification Manager Jennifer Martin during the summer with the Green-e Verification Program in San Francisco. Lars recently worked for the CEC Climate Change Program. One of his responsibilities was consulting and assisting the California Climate Action Registry on establishing its reporting and certification protocols. He received his M.A. in International Relations from San Francisco State University in 2003, writing his Master's Thesis on "Climate Change Discourses."

Brian Dunn is assisting the Green-e Program with financial projections and business planning services. He is advising CRS on alternative fee structures for the Green-e Program. Brian co-founded Aquillian Investment Technologies (member NASD), a securities firm specializing in socially responsible investment equity screening technologies. As CEO, he led the company through its initial financing, technology development, and sales. Brian received an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and an MA from Johns Hopkins University. Brian is based in San Francisco.

Green-e sends its best wishes to departing staff members Anne Marie McShea and Carrie Harvilla for their years of dedication hard work and valuable contributions. Anne Marie McShea has left her position as Green-e Regional Manager to work for the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Clean Energy Program. After four years of outstanding accomplishments, Carrie Harvilla has left her position as Green-e Program Coordinator to attend graduate school in Community Development at the University of California at Davis. Source: CRS Release, 7/2/2004.

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For more information: http://www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/home.shtml

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Renewable Energy Technologies

SMUD Bolsters Power Supply With 7 Delta Wind Turbines

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District has added seven wind turbines to its power plant in the Delta, boosting Sacramento's electricity supply in the summer months, just when demand is at its peak. The 240-foot windmills are located on a hill in Rio Vista, where winds blow strong from May to September. The turbines will generate an additional 5 megawatts of electricity, which the utility will sell to local residents and businesses.

"Wind power is a very cost-effective alternative for us because there are no emissions and the fuel is free," said Dick Wallace, who manages SMUD's Solano Wind Project. "We're fortunate because in the Sacramento region, there's a direct match between when the wind blows and when we need more electricity." The added power will not affect consumer rates, but increasing the amount of wind power to Sacramento's energy grid will help the utility prepare for a potential spike in demand for electricity this summer.

Since 1994, SMUD has operated the small wind power plant in the Montezuma Hills, little more than an hour from south Sacramento. In keeping with the national trend of substituting green power for more traditional power plants, such as those using natural gas, last year SMUD bought 16 new wind turbines. About 5.5 percent of the Sacramento area's power supply comes from renewable energy sources, said Dace Udris, a spokesperson for SMUD.

In the long term, experts predict that using wind-driven generators will help create a more stable, affordable energy supply. "I expect to see virtually all the municipal utilities moving toward more renewable energy," said James Sweeney, an energy expert at Stanford University. "Over the long run, wind energy will help lower consumer rates. In the short run, wind power is getting to a point where it is similar to the cost of natural gas."

SMUD projects that it will meet 10 percent of its electricity needs through renewable resources by 2006, and 20 percent by 2011. That means the windmills and other green power sources would eventually produce enough electricity to power 30,000 single-family homes. State and federal programs that support the use of green power are helping utilities like SMUD make the switch. "The more renewable energy sources there are in the mix, the less volatile prices will be," said Marwan Masri, who oversees the renewable energy program at the California Energy Commission. "We have a large wind resource in the state and it's a very cost-effective technology, so wind will play a large role for energy generation in California in the future." Source: Garance Burke, Sacramento Bee, 6/10/2004.

Hydrogen Now One Step Closer to the Fueling Pump

The National Hydrogen Association applauds the International Code Council for bringing hydrogen fuel a step closer to the fueling station pump. ICC recently reviewed and acted on several measures concerning hydrogen storage that will enhance both safety and efficiency at hydrogen fueling stations.

ICC building and fire safety code officials approved the updated codes at ICC's Spring Meeting on May 20 in Overland Park, Kansas. The specific revisions affecting hydrogen storage were also supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and backed by industry representation. NHA lent support to the ICC's Ad Hoc Committee for Hydrogen Gas during development of the proposed revisions to ensure that the codes are safe and effective.

"Having a practical and safe design for hydrogen fueling stations is pivotal to the eventual broad-scale consumer availability of hydrogen," said Jeff Serfass, president of the NHA. "The ICC's recognition of these hydrogen storage options is an important step in the transition to a hydrogen economy."

Among the newly approved code provisions affecting hydrogen in the ICC International Fire Code were two new options for storing hydrogen at fueling stations - one as a liquid in an insulated container below ground and a second as a pressurized gas in tanks located on top of the station's overhead canopy.

The first option allows for the storage of liquid hydrogen in an insulated, underground tank . This storage method maximizes safety by protecting the hydrogen from direct contact with vehicles and minimizes exposure of the hydrogen tank to possible vandalism. The storage tank also allows for safe venting of hydrogen above the ground. Should the hydrogen leak, the non-toxic fuel vents in its natural gaseous form above station operations, rising directly into the air.

The second hydrogen storage option allows for the optional placement of hydrogen generation, compression and storage equipment on top of refueling station overhead canopies. Overhead placement enhances safety because the equipment remains removed from possible vehicular impact. For this design option fire-protected canopy construction is specified in addition to remotely activated discharge devices that release the stored hydrogen gas safely into the air in
the event of an emergency.

The voting membership of the ICC also took up issues in Overland Park regarding a specific hydrogen storage technology: metal hydrides. Metal hydrides can often store hydrogen in greater volumes under low pressure and at ambient temperatures compared to gaseous or liquid storage. The newly proposed code language to the IFC now mirrors classifications by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the United Nations, which previously determined that metal hydride storage systems should be treated the same as gaseous hydrogen systems. Metal hydride storage systems have the potential to increase both efficiency and safety at fueling stations.

These improvements to the IFC can greatly enhance the ability of urban fueling stations to offer hydrogen as a motor vehicle fuel. Current regulations require that certain distances must exist between hydrogen storage and buildings and equipment. Placement of hydrogen fuel atop the station canopy or below ground increases efficiency in fueling station design by reducing the total area or "footprint" legally required to add hydrogen fueling capability to an existing station. A review of these separation distances is now underway for consideration during the next cycle of code revisions.

All building and fire safety inspectors who use ICC's family of International Codes will be able to reference these provisions when the 2004 Supplement to the International Codes is published later this year. Source: National Hydrogen Association, 6/10/2004.

Solar Power Company's CEO Sees Sunny New Mexico Future

The CEO of an Arizona-based solar dish technology company says New Mexico is the perfect place to provide support for the future growth of his company. David Slawson, CEO of Stirling Energy Systems Inc., has relocated five members of his company's core engineering staff from California to Albuquerque and has spoken with Gov. Bill Richardson about taking advantage of state tax breaks if he hires a New Mexico manufacturer to fabricate some of the components of his concentrated solar dish.

"It's 100 percent that we plan to be here," Slawson says. Slawson says New Mexico has several advantages for a company such as his. New Mexico receives the second-highest amount of sunshine each year, behind only Arizona. Additionally, Congress has proposed the creation of a 1,000 megawatt, concentrated solar facility that will be built in the Southwest. New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California are considered the only viable candidates for the plant, or any number of smaller plants that could achieve the 1,000 megawatts.

Because there are only three kinds of concentrated solar technologies, and because New Mexico's political climate is very favorable for solar power, Slawson says his technology could likely find its way into utility-scale production in the Land of Enchantment.

"That is a major assistance for a company such as ours to sort of roll in on the coattails of that effort," Slawson says. Slawson's concentrated solar dish, unlike photovoltaic panels, which collect sunlight, harnesses heat from the sun and reflect it toward a series of hydrogen-filled tubes that expand when heated. The expanding gas cycles back and forth from cold to hot and its movement powers a piston that creates up to 25 kilowatts of power.

"It's a very good system as it stands. But it has a ways to go before commercialization," says Chuck Andraka, project leader with Sandia National Laboratories' Solar Technology Department, which is working closely with Stirling engineers to perfect the dish's design, which Slawson plans to put out to market next year.

Sandia invited Slawson and his engineers to come to Albuquerque after Congress approved a $1 million line item in the lab's 2004 budget that called for the development of a 20 to 25 kilowatt dish Stirling system. Without the line item funding, Sandia would never have been able to help Slawson. "We were able to take the bulk of our knowledge that we've gained over the last 20 years and apply it to an actual project instead of just playing in our own sandbox year after year," Andraka says.

In May, the Sandia and Stirling teams plan to install the company's latest version of its dish at Sandia for further testing. Currently, Stirling Energy Systems is in the middle of a series B round of fundraising with a goal of collecting $15 million that will be used to increase the size of his engineering team and perfect its final commercial design.

Once that round is complete, Slawson will start looking for between $18 and $20 million to ramp up production. Although the dishes can be integrated to multiply their power output and create an entire solar power plant, Stirling's marketability will be limited to light industrial and small residential applications.

The company is not yet profitable and is also in the process of developing a 10 megawatt version of the same dish technology that will be marketed toward off-grid applications such as providing power for remote water pumping stations. Stirling Energy Systems has 30 employees. The company is headquartered in Phoenix, has a testing facility at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and maintains an engineering office in California. Source: BizJournals.com, Clay Holtzman, NMBW Staff, 4/23/2004.

FPL Energy Plans New Oklahoma Wind Farm

FPL Energy has announced that it will build, own, and operate a new wind farm in western Oklahoma with a nameplate capacity of 106.5 MW. It will sell the power output under a long-term contract to Public Service Company of Oklahoma, a wholly owned operating subsidiary of American Electric Power.

FPL Energy expects to construct up to 71 1.5-MW wind turbines on more than 3,800 acres near Weatherford in Custer County, Okla. The project is expected to generate enough electricity to power more than 31,000 average U.S. homes. When complete, the Weatherford Wind Energy Center will be the largest wind farm in Oklahoma.

“The Weatherford project represents another important milestone in the disciplined growth of our wind portfolio and will be an excellent complement to our existing assets in the region,” said Jim Robo, president of FPL Energy. “We are pleased to be bringing an additional source of clean, renewable power to Oklahoma and look forward to partnering with Public Service Company of Oklahoma on this project.”

The company said the project is contingent on the extension of the federal wind energy production tax credit, which expired at the end of 2003. Construction of the project will begin only after Congress approves an extension of the PTC and certain other approvals are obtained.

The Weatherford Wind Energy Center will be FPL Energy’s second wind farm in Oklahoma. In 2003, the company began commercial operation at the 102-MW Oklahoma Wind Energy Center located near Woodward in northwest Oklahoma. Source: AWEA Wind Energy Weekly, 7/6/2004.

Thin Film PV Module Venture in California

Asirus Solar International, parent company of Thai Photovoltaics Ltd., continues to pursue their underlying goal of manufacturing reliable thin film solar PV modules that may be sold profitably while being among the least expensive in the world. This group of 14 private investors funded the startup of TPV with approximately two-million dollars of their own funds, has secured over three million dollars in cash equity commitments from their equipment and technical partners, is preparing an upcoming ten-million dollar private placement to move Asirus into commercial operations, and is presently searching for a strategic corporate investor. Asirus has quietly acquired the entire amorphous silicon PV module production line which was installed for the CalSolar operation in Sacramento, California (rated at 2.5 MW/year and reportedly operated at under 1 MW/year) and much of the amorphous silicon PV module production assets (rated at 10 MW/year and reportedly operated at 8 MW/year) which were previously installed for the BP Solar LLC operation in Toano, Virginia.

The Asirus target market will be focused on relatively small (40 W —> 120 W) off-grid solar home systems in developing countries in Asia, and relatively large (30 kW —> multi-Megawatt) grid-connected commercial and utility PV power plants in North America, both areas where their planned product is expected to have cost advantages on an installed system basis. Asirus has recently assembled a team of 9 key managers, 8 of whom are coming from significant positions within the PV industry. The initial Asirus production facility will be located near Temecula, California. An executive summary of the Asirus project can be found on the company's Web site. Source: Doug Parsons, 7/7/2004.

Delivery of Windmill Parts Proves to be Monumental Task in Tennessee

When others eyed the challenge—hauling huge windmill parts up a steep, rutted mountain road with abrupt curves -- they said it couldn't be done. "We said, 'Bring it on. We can do it,'" Brian Thomas, a vice president with Barnhart Crane & Rigging Co., said Wednesday. That firm is now tackling "one of the most difficult, challenging projects today in the wind energy business," said Thomas.

Later this month, the firm is going to start delivering several million pounds of high-tech wind turbine parts from storage sites in Anderson and Knox counties to their final destination atop remote Buffalo Mountain overlooking Oliver Springs. There, along a two-mile-long swath of that 3,300-foot-high mountain and adjoining Patterson Mountain, the parts will be pieced together to create the biggest wind farm in the southeastern United States.

With similar projects on hold because a federal tax credit for windmills remains in limbo, the Anderson County project has captured the wind industry's full attention, Thomas said. The 15 new windmills, each standing more than 360 feet tall, will dwarf three TVA-owned wind turbines that have been spinning atop Buffalo Mountain for several years. Invenergy LLC, a Chicago-based company, will own and operate the new windmills and sell the electricity they produce to TVA as part of TVA's Green Power Switch program to support nonpolluting energy sources.

Invenergy hired Barnhart Crane & Rigging to oversee getting the foreign-made wind turbines from ports in Mobile, Ala., and Longview, Wash., to Buffalo Mountain. Twelve of the windmill blades, each 135 feet long and weighing 14,000 pounds, are now stored on special flatcars on a railroad spur in Oak Ridge. The rest of those blades will be delivered in early August, Thomas said. The 95,000-pound bases for each windmill are en route from Longview by train, Thomas said. They can't fit through the railroad tunnel in Knox County's Solway community and will be unloaded in Karns, Thomas said.

Tennessee Valley Infrastructure Group of Chattanooga designed changes to the 5-mile-long road up Windrock Mountain to the wind farm site. Curves were widened, switchbacks were eliminated and portions were repaved. TVIG also has a crew atop the mountain, preparing 30-foot-deep foundations for each windmill, Thomas said. Two specially made trailers to haul the windmill blades are now being built at Barnhart Crane & Rigging's Memphis headquarters, he said. Hydraulic platform trailers, each with 96 tires, will be used to carry the pre-assembled turbines, he said.

The entire route -- down Oak Ridge Turnpike, out Highway 62 to Oliver Springs and then up Windrock Road, has been subjected to a computer-modeling program, he said. "There's been a tremendous amount of measuring and plotting," he said. TVA is planning to publicize the wind turbine project by showing off windmill parts in a display tentatively scheduled for July 20 in the Oak Ridge Mall parking lot. The 5- to 6-week process of hauling those parts to the mountaintop is then targeted to begin July 26.

During that time, the main road up Windrock Mountain, a popular Mecca for all-terrain vehicles because it's crisscrossed with off-road trails, will likely be closed to ATV riders, Thomas said. "We don't want any ATV guys coming around the corner and getting killed," he said. Source: By Bob Fowler, The Knoxville News-Sentinel, 7/8/2004 via Energy Central, 7/9/2004.

Eastwood Energy Announces a Revolutionary Commercial Flat-Roof PV Mounting System

Eastwood Energy, a developer of products for the solar power industry, announced the release of its new Sun-Link(TM) PV module mounting system for flat roofs. The system allows the customer to choose one of four tilt angles—5 degrees, 10 degrees, 15 degrees, or 20 degrees -- in orderto maximize energy production at a given site. Sun-Link(TM) iscompatible with all major solar modules and can be adapted to fitvirtually any module. Source: E-Wire/Business Wire, 7/7/2004.

ORMAT subsidiary signs deal with Sierra Pacific

The power will be generated by geothermal energy from ORNI 7's Galena Geothermal 1 plant at Steamboat, south of Reno, Nevada. Source: Roger Hill, Sandia National Lab, 7/6/2004.

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Outreach, Education, Reports & Studies

Southwest Renewable Energy Conference

There is still time to register for the 2004 Southwest Renewable Energy Conference August 4 & 5, Northern Arizona University. Join your colleagues in the cool pines of Flagstaff, Arizona for the premier technical and policy conference on renewable energy development in the Southwest. The conference will focus on strategies and programs to develop clean wind, solar, geothermal and biomass energy resources on private, state, federal and tribal lands.

Our opening plenary will focus on state policies and the regulatory framework governing renewable energy development. The closing panel will chart our renewable energy future as envisioned by representatives of Western governors, industry, tribal personnel, the federal government and clean energy advocates. Featured speakers include:

• Lola Spradley, Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives
• Ned Farquhar, Energy Advsor, Governor Bill Richardson and
• Thom Sacco, Director of Tribal Energy Programs, U.S. Department of Energy.

This conference is a must for those engaged or interested in impacting the energy landscape in the desert and mountain regions of the West. Note: The conference is being held in cooperation with the Southwest Sustainability Expo on August 6 & 7 hosted by the Greater Flagstaff Economic Council. More than 75 vendors are expected to display the latest sustainable-energy products and technologies for home, business and transportation. Source: Amanda Ormond, 7/8/2004.

Two New Case Studies of State Support for Renewable Energy

Berkeley Lab and the Clean Energy States Alliance are pleased to announce two new installments to the case study series "Case Studies of State Support for Renewable Energy."

• "Low Income Renewable Energy Programs: A Survey of State Clean Energy Funds" can be downloaded. This survey reviews efforts by CESA-member clean energy funds to promote the use of renewable energy technologies in low-income residential buildings or communities.
  
• "Northern Exposure: An Overview of Canadian Clean Energy Funds" can be downloaded. This case study profiles the activities of Canadian clean energy funds as well as other federal and provincial incentives that have a significant impact on Canada's renewable energy market.

Source: Mark Bolinger, Ryan Wiser, and Garrett Fitzgerald, Berkeley Lab, 7/7/2004.

Geothermal Resources Council 2004 Annual Meeting

This year’s Geothermal Resource Council’s annual meeting will be held at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort in Palm Springs, Calif., Aug. 29 - Sept. 1, 2004.

Introduction to Geothermal Energy

A free workshop is being offered on Aug. 31, 2004, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Hyatt Grand Champions Palm Springs, in Indian Wells, Calif. This course is an introduction to geothermal energy – geology, exploration, drilling, generation of electricity, direct-use technologies and environmental issues. To promote public understanding about geothermal resources and its importance in providing clean sustainable energy while protecting our environment. This course is for educators and for staff of utilities, state and local regulatory agencies and environmental or special-interest organizations.

• 1 to 4 p.m. Attend slide presentations by experts from the geothermal industry.
• 4 to 5 p.m. Visit the exhibit hall and see the latest geothermal technology.

Scope. The Geothermal Education Office produces and distributes educational materials about geothermal energy to schools, energy/environmental educators, libraries, industry, and the public. GEO collaborates frequently with education and energy organizations with common goals, and, through its Web site, responds to requests and questions from around the world.

Objectives.
Ensure that geothermal energy is included in environmental and renewable energy education programs.

• Develop and distribute geothermal energy information for educators, students and the public.
• Build relationships with the nation's energy educators, government agencies, energy suppliers and environmental groups.
• Encourage industry participation in geothermal education.

Structure. GEO is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, incorporated in California in 1989. Tax ID # 68-034213. GEO is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and by geothermal industry participation in joint education and public information projects.

To register, please mail or fax a completed form to: Executive Director, Marilyn Levin Nemzer, MA, Address and contact information: Geothermal Education Office, 664 Hilary Drive, Tiburon, CA 94920, USA, Telephone: (415) 435-4574, (800) 866-4436, Facsimile: (415) 435-7737.

Sustainable Design Takes National Stage

"If you go to one a year, this is the one you go to," said John Cuningham, chairman and CEO of Minneapolis architectural firm Cuningham Group. "Getting it to come to Minneapolis was a real coup."

Approximately 1,000 professionals of architecture, design, engineering and general environmental backgrounds attend the conference every year. The main focus is on sustainable building design, but speakers and exhibitors also come to promote sustainable design in other fields, such as transportation and community planning.

This year the keynote speakers included former Secretary of the Interior and Governor of Arizona Bruce Babbitt, National Center for Environmental Health Senior Adviser Dr. Richard Jackson and polar explorer and environmentalist Robert Swan. Local organizers hope the conference will have a long-term impact on the Twin Cities' sustainable design movement.

Rachelle Schoessler Lynn, principal of Workplace Design at the Minneapolis office of LHB Inc., Duluth, was one of a group that pitched Minneapolis to the conference organizers. "We're hoping that because it's here, and a lot of national experts on sustainability will be here for several days, the rest of the country will be exposed to the sustainable works here," she said. She also hopes the conference will spur clients to ask architects if they are including sustainable features in their designs. Source: 2004 American City Business Journals Inc., Edward Welsch, Editorial intern, 4/26/2004.

Wisconsin Energy Center Release State Wind Study

The Energy Center of Wisconsin has published a new report on its Web site entitled “A Study of Wind Energy Development in Wisconsin” that explores the impacts of existing wind farms in the state and examines the potential for future development. The collaborative report was funded in part by the Wisconsin Department of Administration Division of Energy, through the Wisconsin Energy Bureau, and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Several organizations contributed sections to this report. In the first part of the report, Seventh Generation Energy Systems, Inc., of Belleville, Wisc., compiled “Wind Power in Wisconsin: A Development Case Study” and Northwest Sustainable Energy for Economic Development of Seattle, Wash., wrote “Building the Distributed Wind Generation Market in Wisconsin: The Key Role Cooperative Net Metering and Other Policy Mechanisms Could Play.” The second part includes “Analysis of Wind Farm Layout Schemes for Wisconsin” by Wind Utility Consulting of Jefferson, Iowa, and “Wisconsin Wind Plant Economic Impact Analysis” by MRG & Associates of Nevada, Calif. The Energy Center of Wisconsin authored the third part, “Examining Wind Turbine Impact on Local Property Values.”

This report can be downloaded from the Energy Center of Wisconsin Web site. Hard copies of the report can be ordered from the Wisconsin Department of Administration Division of Energy by contacting Alex DePillis, phone (608) 266-1067. Source: AWEA Wind Energy Weekly, 7/6/2004.

PV New Construction Toolkit

If you're considering solar electricity in new commercial and multifamily building projects, please visit our new, free web-based PV New Construction Toolkit. The PV New Construction Toolkit will help you decide if a photovoltaic system makes sense for your new construction or renovation project. Developed by Energy Solutions with assistance from The Rahus Institute, this toolkit provides independent, unbiased guidance. The toolkit helps project teams evaluate PV system options for their site, conduct a financial cost-benefit analysis including incentives for solar electricity, link to web resources that are particularly useful to new construction, and increase in-house solar electric system expertise. Highlights of the PV-New Construction Toolkit include:

• User manual for the Clean Power Estimator, including detailed explanations for inputs (both the simple and detailed versions), and tips for evaluating results.
  
• Description of the PV industry structure for new construction
  
• Identification of the best shading analysis tool for PV systems on the internet (Clean Power Estimator's NYSERDA version)
  
• Sizing methodology for commercial buildings (and tips for multifamily residential)
  
• Listing of the necessary elements for a design team to create a "PV Design Option"
  
• Sample PV objectives and criteria
  
• "Solar-ready" design advice
  
• Links to pre-engineered kits
  
• A "PV Locations Tour" displaying examples of various solar technologies and applications on the California Solar Center website.

This project was funded by the California Energy Commission's Renewable Energy Consumer Education Program. Source: CEC, 7/7/2004.

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News from Washington

Renewal of Wind Power Tax Credit Moves a Step Closer to Reality

The U.S. Senate recently passed a $170 billion corporate tax bill that included $14 billion in tax incentives for energy producers. A part of these tax incentives includes the restoration of the wind production tax credit for another three years. The wind tax credit of 1.8 cents per kilowatt-hour expired on Dec. 31, 2003, impeding development of new wind power projects across the nation.

The corporate tax bill includes $9 billion in tax breaks for the oil and gas industry. It also would encourage the development of an Alaska North Slope pipeline to transfer natural gas to the continental U.S. by ensuring price support if the price of natural gas falls below a certain threshold, and includes other favorable tax treatment for the proposed project. The bill also contains tax breaks to encourage development of clean coal technology and renewable fuels.

While the passage of this Senate bill is a good development for wind energy proponents, it will also need to pass the House of Representatives and receive the president's approval before it can be implemented. The House will craft its own version of the corporate tax bill. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas (R-CA) is expected to finalize his committee's version of the bill in the next couple of weeks, and could bring it to the full House for a vote before the July 4 recess.

Whether the House version of the bill will contain the wind power production tax credit remains unclear. House GOP leaders have dubbed this week as “energy week,” and are preparing a media and legislative blitz to bring focus to the stalled energy bill. Specifics for energy week are not clear, but many energy industry lobbyists say House floor votes on the energy bill itself and opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas exploration are possible.

Whether the wind production tax credit becomes a reality will probably hinge on which piece of legislation contains it. If the House, includes the tax credit in their version of the corporate tax bill, passage of the tax credit is almost a certainty since the tax credit was also in the Senate's version of the bill, and a presidential veto is highly unlikely.

If, on the other hand, it is included as part of the energy bill, the tax credit's passage is doubtful. The House's energy bill (H.R. 6) passed last November, but it fell two votes short in the Senate—a margin that grew by one Republican vote after Senator John Ensign (R-Nev.) said he would not vote for the bill again because of its nuclear waste language. A Senate vote last month on S. 2095, a revised version of the energy bill, fell five votes short. Source: UtiliPoint, 6/8/2004 via PowerMarketers.com , 6/8/2004.

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For more information on legislative activities go to: http://www.repartners.org

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State Activities, Marketing & Market Research

Anaheim Public Utilities Commits to Report Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Anaheim Public Utilities has joined a key group of environmental leaders as a new member of the California Climate Action Registry. As a participant in the Registry, Anaheim Public Utilities will voluntarily measure and report all emissions of greenhouse gases, the main contributors to global warming. Anaheim Public Utilities has provided electricity and water to residential and commercial customers in the City of Anaheim since 1894.

Solar RECs Tracking System Launched by New Jersey

The first on-line marketplace for tracking Solar Renewable Energy Certificates was launched on June 25th, 2004. The SREC system was developed to facilitate the addition of solar electricity to the supply portfolios of New Jersey retail electricity providers. New Jersey's Renewable Portfolio Standard was amended in March 2004 to accelerate the construction of new renewable electricity sources in the region. The revised RPS also creates a new specification requiring solar electricity in the portfolios of New Jersey retail electric suppliers. For more information, visit New Jersey's Solar Renewable Energy Certification Program Web site or call Scott Hunter at the New Jersey Office of Clean Energy at 609-777-3300. Source: IREC via SEPA Bi-weekly News, 7/6/2004.

The Rocky Mountain Climate Organization Launched To Address Climate Change

Louisville, Colorado -- A broad coalition of mainstream interests today announced the formation of the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization, to spread the word about what climate change can do to us here and what we can do about it.

"Colorado may be more vulnerable than anywhere else in the country to climate change," said Stephen Saunders, RMCO’s founder and president. "For Coloradans, climate change means less snow, less water, more drought, and more wildfire. We think it is time to get serious about keeping this such a special place to live."

Just as climate change is not an ordinary environmental issue, RMCO is not an ordinary environmental organization. "Our coalition includes unusual messengers, not just usual suspects, giving us the credibility to change the political climate on this issue," said Saunders. The initial RMCO partners are:

• Aspen Skiing Company, owner of four ski resorts.
• The City of Fort Collins, one of four cities in Colorado with a greenhouse-gas reduction program.
• The Colorado Mountain Club, the region’s foremost hiking club, whose mission includes preserving and disseminating information about the Rocky Mountains.
• Denver Water, which supplies water to nearly one-fourth of all Coloradans.
• The Nature Conservancy of Colorado, the state’s largest conservation organization.
• New Belgium Brewing Company, the state’s third largest brewery, and the first in the nation to meet all of its electricity needs through wind energy.
• Westcliffe Publishers, publisher of photography, nature and trail books, including John Fielder’s photography books.

RMCO also is unique because of the experience and savvy of its leaders, who have been elected to Congress and local office, directed federal and state agencies, and managed political campaigns in presidential, state, and congressional races. The RMCO board of directors includes:

• Chips Barry, manager of Denver Water;
• Tom Gougeon, partner in the development firm Continuum Partners, LLC;
• Tom Long, Summit County commissioner and member of the board of directors of the Colorado River Water Conservation District;
• Laurie Mathews, former director of Colorado State Parks;
• Saunders, former deputy assistant Secretary of the Interior over the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service and staff director in three congressional offices, including that of Congressman David Skaggs of Colorado;
• Claudine Schneider, former member of Congress and author of Congress’s first climate-change bill;
• John Stencel, president of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union; and
• Rick Ridder, president of the political consulting firm Ridder/Braden, Inc., and the first manager of Howard Dean’s presidential campaign.

RMCO’s science advisors are Dr. John Firor, former director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, and Dr. Dennis Ojima of Colorado State University, co-editor of a government assessment of climate change impacts in the Great Plains. “We have so much at stake that we should be leading the country in showing how to reduce climate change and its impacts,” said Stencel.

Scientists say that climate change is already underway. In the West, temperatures have increased more than in the rest of the United States. Western snowpacks are smaller, with Colorado’s below average for 14 of the last 18 years, and melting earlier in the spring. As of yesterday, Colorado’s current snowpack level was only 12 percent of the historic average for June 7.

A study published this year, using a conservative climate model, predicted that in just one generation the Colorado River basin could have three percent less precipitation, 24 percent less snowpack, 14 percent less runoff, and 36 percent less water storage. Droughts are predicted to be more common, with the Rocky Mountains and nearby plains likely to have the country’s worst droughts.

Wildfires could double, with more large fires. Other predicted effects of climate change include more beetle kills of trees, and reductions or even elimination of alpine tundra, meadows, wildflowers, and some plant and animal species.

"After the last three years, most Coloradans understand the effects of a prolonged drought," said Barry. "We need to understand whether a warming climate, apparently caused by global climate change, is accompanied by changes in precipitation timing and volume. By joining RMCO, Denver Water seeks to probe these climate dynamics, and understand the actions that are perhaps a partial explanation for climate change."

"Climate change can hurt Colorado’s business," said Pat O'Donnell, president and CEO of Aspen Skiing Company. "On the other hand, our company is already doing a lot to reduce our contribution to climate change. We're saving money as well as doing our part to keep the ski industry's future bright." Ray Martinez, mayor of Fort Collins, said, "The things we can do to reduce greenhouse gases have other economic and environmental benefits, too, and can help preserve and even improve the quality of life in our communities."

"The Nature Conservancy is joining with many others who share an interest in ensuring that our planet's ecosystems continue to maintain plant and animal diversity, sustain agricultural and forest production, and mitigate the risk of catastrophic loss from extreme weather events," said Charles Bedford, The Nature Conservancy's associate state director. "Coloradans would hate to lose their alpine zone – that's where I make my best photographs," said Fielder.

RMCO will seek to build, in a non-adversarial manner, a broad public awareness of the region’s vulnerability to climate change and bring about realistic public and private actions to reduce climate change and its impacts. RMCO will focus first on Colorado, and later the larger region. Source: E-mail from Stephen Saunders, 6/9/2004.

Xerox Employees Mix Innovation, Initiative to Protect the Environment

Some Xerox Corp. employees stopped using plastic spoons and forks in company cafeterias. Others found a way to turn more waste into electrical power to heat homes. And still others devised a process that reduced the amount of water used in a key manufacturing process.

These enterprising efforts are among the 14 projects that Xerox is recognizing tomorrow under its "Earth Awards" program, which honors employee teams throughout the world who have come up with innovative ideas to help protect the environment and improve the performance of the company's operations.

These employee teams demonstrate that what is good for the environment is also good for business. In 2003, their projects saved Xerox $5.5 million, eliminated more than 16.5 million pounds of waste, and reduced energy consumption by more than 4.2 million kilowatt hours - enough power to light 175,000 homes for one week.

The Xerox Earth Awards began in 1990 and this year, 14 teams were selected for awards out of 46 worldwide entries. The winning teams were located in Webster, N.Y.; Wilsonville, Ore.; Mississauga, Canada; Nogales, Mexico; Dundalk, Ireland; Rampur, India; and Mitcheldean, United Kingdom. All will be honored tomorrow at a ceremony designed to coincide with Earth Day. Since the program was started, Earth Award teams have saved Xerox more than $235 million.

"These Earth Award winners are proof that even the smallest efforts to reduce waste and emissions can add up to significant savings and improved environmental performance overall," said Jack Azar, vice president, Xerox Environment, Health and Safety. "Over the years teams have found dozens of ways to improve manufacturing processes, drive down costs and conserve natural resources all at the same time."

Here are some of the winning projects for 2004 and how they are making a positive impact on Xerox and the environment.

• Turning waste into electrical power. Xerox has long ensured that waste toner - which includes manufactured toner "fines," or toner not included in the final product, and post-consumer "used" toner - is not unnecessarily disposed of in landfills. Waste toner has been sent to a municipal incinerator to be burned and produce power in Niagara Falls, N.Y. In 2003, a team in Webster found a way to expand this "waste-to-energy" program to include the safe disposal of other materials such as used toner bottles and cartridges. Last year, the Webster Toner Developer Plant sent about 430 tons of toner-related waste for waste-to-energy recovery, which generated 970,000 kilowatt hours - enough power to light more than 40,000 homes for a week. As a result, the Webster facility boosted its recycling rates to over 97 percent.
  
  • Reusing components of Xerox office products. This team, based in Wilsonville, felt they could find a way to reuse the metal circuit board stencils in Xerox office products. A circuit board stencil controls the operational functionality of the machines, and previous recycling methods of these stencils were not viewed as maximizing cost savings. The team devised a system to reuse the stencils either whole or in part. If the used stencils cannot be incorporated into new designs, the metal is recycled into stock for new ones. Xerox benefits by being able to purchase new stencils at a lower price. In all, the new processes save Xerox $10,000 annually and reduce environmental impact.
    
  • Reducing water consumption in manufacturing. When Xerox manufactures emulsion aggregation toner, called EA Toner - which is grown from chemical compounds into the toner particles used to make images in printers and copiers - it uses a lot of water. An employee team in Mississauga decided to find a way to reduce the amount of water needed which in turn would reduce the amount of "wash" wastewater needing treatment before disposal to the sanitary sewer. By changing the toner "wash" process, the team reduced the number of washes per toner batch from five to three. This new process is expected to save 1.3 million gallons of water in 2004 and reduce the cost of wastewater disposal by $66,233.
    
  • Cutting out plastic cutlery. For SUMEX (Supplies Unit Mexico), which is Xerox's remanufacturing facility in Nogales, Mexico, recycling has long been a way of life. Last year, SUMEX managers had the idea to eliminate plastic forks, knives and spoons in order to reduce waste from the cafeteria. Each of the 300 workers on-site receives their own set of metal utensils and a ceramic coffee mug with their name printed on the side. As a result, cafeteria waste was reduced by 8,600 pounds last year. Another team in Nogales identified an opportunity to reduce waste by rebuilding used wooden pallets. The pallets recovery process saved $97,700 and reused 13,316 pallets in 2003.
    
  • Giving new life to old equipment. Employees in Dundalk thought they could save money by changing the way they remanufactured parts from Xerox DocuTech production publishers and DocuTech production printers. Machine parts called finisher harnesses, which help connect high-speed printing equipment to the finishers that staple and collate print jobs, and parts called fuser rolls, which fix images to paper with heat during printing, were originally removed from the machines and replaced with new parts. The team identified remanufacturing opportunities and now the parts are modified and brought back to same-as-new quality. This resulted in total annual cost savings of $268,039 and an annual scrap weight reduction of over 10,000 pounds. Source: GreenBiz.com, 4/23/2004.

New Survey Says Californians Support Solar Energy

Environment California recently announced the results of a new statewide survey which indicate that 72 percent of those polled support governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign goal to have half of all newly built homes in the state feature solar power technology.

According to Environment California, approximately 87 percent of those polled have a favorable opinion of solar power as an energy source, with 63 percent willing to pay more to purchase a solar home; 58 percent favoring the inclusion of solar power systems in the state's building code; and 58 percent expressing their belief that energy independence is a top reason to support more solar power in California.

"This poll shows that a clear majority of Californians want more solar power and think the state should actively encourage the use of solar through setting state building standards for new construction," said Environment California Research & Policy Center clean energy advocate Bernadette Del Chiaro. "This poll also shows that Californians are clearly concerned with the state's dependence on fossil fuels and see solar power as a preferable alternative to building more power plants."

More detailed results of the survey, which has a margin of error of +/- four percent for the total sample of 600 likely voters living in California, can be downloaded from Environment California's Web site. Contact: Bernadette Del Chiaro, Environment California, phone 916-446-8062 ext 103. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 7/1/2004.

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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

Earth System History Grant

The goals of the Earth System History program are to: 1) encourage innovative research on the natural variability of the Earth's climate system from records preserved in geo-biologic archives, and 2) provide a comprehensive understanding of Earth's changing climate with regard to forcing mechanisms, interactions, and feedbacks. Source: Fedgrants.gov, 7/6/2004.

USDA Awards Grants for Wind and Solar Energy Projects

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in mid-June its award of $11.3 million to six projects that will attempt to alleviate high energy costs in rural areas. The High Energy Cost Grants will fund four projects in Alaska, one in the Navajo Nation in New Mexico, and one on the Hualapai Reservation in Arizona. One grant will go toward a wind turbine in Hooper Bay, Alaska, which has excellent wind resources and an average electricity cost in excess of 45 cents per kilowatt-hour. The Hualapai project will include a solar photovoltaic power system, and the Navajo Nation project will install hybrid solar and wind power systems as well as energy efficiency improvements in at least 50 remote homes that currently pay 75 cents per kilowatt-hour for their electricity, on average. See the announcement on the High Energy Cost Grant Program Web site.

One recipient of last year's High Energy Cost Grant is using it to finance solar power installations in Washington State. The Public Utility District of Ferry County will fund either line extensions or solar power installations for remote customers whose cost of electricity exceeds 23 cents per kilowatt-hour. The utility will install solar power systems for these customers, allowing them to repay the cost over 20 years, and will also maintain the systems.

The USDA offers a variety of grants and loans that relate to energy use on farms and in rural areas, several of which were recently summarized by Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman in a speech before the USDA Conference on Agriculture as a Producer and Consumer of Energy. Source: EERE Network News, 7/7/2004.

LADWP Issues RFP for Renewable Energy Projects

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power recently issued a request for proposals for green power projects as it seeks to acquire up to 1.3 million megawatt-hours per year of renewable energy by the end of 2010.

According to LADWP, it has been directed by major Jim Hahn, the city council and the Board of Water and Power Commissions to develop a renewable portfolio standard increasing its share of power generation through renewable energy sources to 13 percent by 2010 and 20 percent by 2017.

"The renewable energy RFP is a broad-based solicitation for hydro, wind, biomass, solar, geothermal and other renewable energy projects," said LADWP acting general manager Frank Salas. "We are seeking to attract high-quality proposals that will lay the foundation for expanding our capabilities to provide clean, sustainable and cost-effective power for years to come."

As described in the RFP, LADWP said it plans to acquire new renewable resources through development and ownership of projects, and through mid- to long-term power purchase agreements, with expectations to meet the RPS goals through multiple projects during the next several years.

Proposals are due by August 13. Contact: Darlene Battle, LADWP, phone 213-367-1368. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today, 7/1/2004.

Pre-College Environmental Science Research and Training Opportunities Program Modification 1

EPA, Office of Grants and Debarment, Grants Administration Division. Source: FedGrants.gov, 7/8/2004.

Geothermal Power Validation

The U.S. Department of Energy requests proposals for Geothermal Electrical Power System Validation. The goal of this RFP is to increase domestic geothermal power generation by validating and publishing information on the economic and operating characteristics of improved geothermal technologies. $3 million expected to be available, 2 awards anticipated. Responses due 8/6/04. For more info, contact Tammie Lawler, DOE. Refer to Sol# DE-PS36-04GO94014. Source: FedGrants, 6/25/04.

Birds, Bats and Power Systems

On behalf of the California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research Environmental Area, the University of California, Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group requests proposals for the Avian Energy System Mitigation Program. Research projects should address the development and application of methods and technologies for reducing avian/bat fatalities caused by electrocution and collisions with power structures. Approx. $1 million available, responses due 7/24/04. For more info, contact Brian Walton. Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 7/1/2004.

Sustainability Curricula for Engineers

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requests proposals for benchmarking the integration of sustainability concepts into engineering curriculum at institutions of higher education in the U.S. $350K expected to be available, 1 award anticipated, responses due 8/3/04. Refer to Sol# 2004-NCER-WW. (FedGrants 6/8/04). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 7/1/2004.

Low Emission Alternative Power

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces its intent to request proposals for innovative and focused R&D in the follow areas: 1) Fuel cell technologies addressing either conventional aircraft hydrocarbon fuels or hydrogen, 2) Hydrogen storage and feed systems for aircraft, and 3) Electric drive propulsion and power management for aircraft. Technologies will be targeted across the range of aircraft types, from unmanned aerial vehicles to commercial transports. NASA expect to release the solicitation on or about 7/6/04. For more info, contact Daniel Rodriguez, NASA, at (216) 433-2778. Refer to Sol# NRA-04-GRC-LEAP-01. (FBO 6/19/04). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 7/1/2004.

Valuation for Environmental Policy

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency seeks research applications in 3 areas: Studies developing values, functions, and models for estimating the economic value of policy-relevant changes to ecological benefits associated with aquatic resources; studies developing or improving benefit transfer methods for ecological resources; and studies improving primary economic valuation methods. $1 million expected to be available, 3 awards anticipated. Responses due 9/28/04. For more info, contact Will Wheeler, EPA. Refer to Sol# 2004-STAR-Q1. (FedGrants 6/24/04). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 7/1/2004.

Smart Growth and Brownfield Redevelopment

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requests proposals to support the efforts of communities to integrate smart growth principles and practices into their brownfield redevelopment programs, related planning and/or revitalization activities. Areas of interest include but are not limited to: 1) Improving the regulatory climate for infill development through smart growth policy approaches and practices; 2) Linking infill development to open space preservation. $400K expected to be available, 8 awards anticipated. Responses due 8/25/04. For more info, contact Kackar Adhir, EPA. Refer to Sol# SGBF-04. (FedGrants 6/24/04). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 7/1/2004.

Smart Growth Networks

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency seeks proposals for creating or expanding three or more regional networks of diverse groups, including developer interests, environmental groups, business groups, citizen activist groups, public agencies, and other stakeholders, that work together to research, identify, and support smart growth projects and public policies development projects. First year funding $25K, $400K expected over life of the agreement. 1 award anticipated. Responses due 8/30/04. For more info, contact Megan Susman, EPA. Refer to Sol# SGNET-04. (FedGrants 6/30/04). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 7/1/2004.

Renewable Power Purchase

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District has issued a renewables power purchase request. This request will help SMUD purchase renewable electric capacity and energy and identify renewable projects to meet its Renewable Portfolio Standard goals and Greenergy® program requirements. Search by Sol# 040055.CJB. Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 7/1/2004.

Solar Turbine Replacement

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announces its intent to seek a contractor to replace a solar turbine engine. The RFP will be posted on or about 7/13/04. For more info, contact Rebecca Holzinger, USDA. Refer to Sol# 5114-4-1200. (FBO 7/1/04). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 7/1/2004.

Solar Water System

The U.S. Department of Interior requests contract proposals to install a solar powered submersible pumping system in Coos Bay, OR. Responses due 7/30/04. For more info, contact Jessica Clark, BLM, at (503) 808-6226. Refer to Sol# HAQ041017. (FBO 6/25/04). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 7/1/2004.

Rural Cooperative Development Grants

The U.S. Department of Agriculture requests applications for the Rural Cooperative Development Grant Program. The goal of this program is to improve the economic conditions of rural areas through the development of new cooperatives and improving operations of existing cooperatives. $6.5 million expected to be available, 25 awards anticipated. Responses due 7/26/04. Refer to Sol# USDA-RD-RBS-006. (FedGrants 6/9/04). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 7/1/2004.

Small Farms and Rural Agricultural Communities

The U.S. Department of Agriculture requests proposals that foster interdisciplinary studies to improve our understanding of the interactions between the economic, social, biological & environmental components important to small farms & rural economic development. One (of several) area of interest is the identification of emerging opportunities & threats for small to medium sized farms and associated rural communities over the next 20 years. Up to $5 million expected to be available, individual awards NTE $500K. Responses due 10/5/04. For more info, contact Diana Jenkins, USDA. Refer to Sol# USDA-GRANTS-062404-001. (FedGrants 6/24/04). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 7/1/2004.

Sea Level Rise

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration requests proposals for the development of useful modeling and mapping tools to better assess and predict the fate of ecologically and economically valuable natural resources threatened by sea level rise. $1.5 million expected to be available, 5 awards anticipated. Responses due 10/5/04. For more info, contact Steve Drescher. Refer to Sol# 11478SLR 2005063004. (FedGrants 6/30/04). Source: Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, 7/1/2004.

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For more information on funding solicitations go to: http://www.repartners.org/grants.htm

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