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Week of November 24, 2008 |
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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced four utilities, including the City of Palo Alto, will be recognized tonight during the Green Power Leadership Awards for its commitment to programs that allow consumers to purchase clean and green energy options, while also integrating sustainable energy strategies that make good business sense.
As part of the National Renewable Marketing Conference in Denver this week, DOE along with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) are honoring 25 leading corporations, renewable energy suppliers and industry pioneers for helping advance the nation’s green power markets.
The goal of green power programs is to provide market-based options for consumers to purchase power from environmentally preferred sources.
Along with the City of Palo Alto, other DOE 2008 Green Power Supplier Award winners are: AmerenUE (St. Louis, Mo.); 3Degrees (San Francisco, Calif.) and Sterling Planet (Norcross, Ga.).
“DOE selected these organizations for their leadership in helping our nation grow its market for clean energy alternatives for businesses and consumers,” said Steve Chalk, DOE deputy assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy. “Consumer purchases of renewable energy help diversify our energy supplies, strengthen our national security and reduce global environmental impacts. Currently, more than 850 utilities, or about 25 percent nationally, offer green power programs to customers and through the combination of utility green pricing and competitive retail markets, green power is available in almost every state.”
New Green Power Program or Company: (AmerenUE). This award recognizes green power programs or companies judged as “most successful” in the marketplace based on both quantitative criteria, such as customer participation and green power sales, and qualitative criteria, such as overall value provided to customers. A new program or product is defined as being first offered in January 2007 or later.
Built on a grassroots approach, AmerenUE offers one of the largest green-pricing programs in the Midwest, where program marketing and education have enhanced its immediate success. The utility surpassed 17,000 megawatt hours of renewable energy sales at the end of May; the company projects it will reach 60,000 megawatt hours by the end of the year. AmerenUE serves 3,370 customers in the St. Louis area who are entitled to a rate of 1.5 cents per kilowatt-hour (kwh) until 2012. Additionally, the utility’s Pure Power team attended 53 local events to develop commercial business partnerships to expand new customers. Read more. Source: Green Power Network, 10/27/08
Because of its high use of renewable energy, Southern Oregon University has been named to the Top 20 list of Green Colleges and Universities by the Environmental Protection Agency.
In Oregon, only SOU and Oregon State University made the list. SOU came in at No. 18 with 17.6 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy, OSU at No. 4 with 66.6 million kwh. The universities purchased green tags through the Bonneville Environmental Foundation to fund alternate energy generation. Read more. Source: Mail Tribune, 10/20/08
Lundberg Family Farms announced today that it has received a 2008 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The annual award recognizes organizations that distinguish themselves through their purchase, leadership, overall strategy and impact on the voluntary green power market. Read more. Source: Gridley Herald, 10/29/08
Powdr Corp announced today that it has received a 2008 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The annual awards recognize the country’s leading green power purchasers for their commitment and contribution to advancing the development of the nation’s voluntary green power market. EPA presented Powdr Corp with the award at an event held in conjunction with the 2008 National Renewable Energy Marketing Conference in Denver, Colorado. Read more. Source: emailwire, 10/30/08
For the second consecutive year, Sterling Planet has received a Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The annual awards recognize leading national green power suppliers for their commitment and contribution to helping advance development of the nation's green power market.
DOE presented the award to Sterling Planet on Monday, Oct. 27, in conjunction with the 2008 National Renewable Energy Marketing Conference in Denver. Additional Green Power Leadership Awards went to three Sterling Planet clients and nominees – Intel Corp., PepsiCo and Cisco Systems. Read more. Source: CSRWire, 10/28/08
At an award ceremony hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last evening, Intel Corporation received a 2008 Green Power Leadership Award and was also named a Green Power Partner of the Year. The EPA recognized the company's voluntary efforts to address climate change through green power purchases and its impact in advancing the renewable energy market. Read more. Source: Marketwatch, 10/28/08
The market for renewable energy — driven by big corporate buyers like Pepsico and Intel Corp. — has tripled since 2004, according to a analysis by the Golden-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
In 2007, 18.1 billion kilowatts of green power — such as wind, hydro, landfill methane gas — were sold and business customers made up three-quarters of those sales, the report says.
There were a total of 860,000 electricity customers across the country purchasing green power in 2007. Read more. Source: Denver Post, 10/28/08
Visit U.S. DOE EERE Green Power Network for more information.
Thin-film solar darling First Solar and solar installer SolarCity have announced a deal today that will bring First Solar’s thin film solar product to U.S. residential customers for the first time. In a 5-year deal, First Solar will provide 100-megawatts of solar modules to SolarCity, with deliveries scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2009, and will also make a $25 million equity investment in the Foster City-based solar installer. The investment is part of a $30 million fourth round of funding that SolarCity has raised, bringing the solar installer’s total funding to $56 million. Read more. Source: New York Times, 10/29/08
Lignol Energy Corporation's U.S. subsidiary Lignol Innovation Inc. has signed a US$30 million cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
The agreement formalizes DOE's previously announced financial assistance award to Lignol of up to US$30 million relative to the construction of a commercial demonstration cellulosic ethanol plant in Colorado.
The agreement sets out two stages of funding allocation based on the achievement of various milestones. The first phase covers development of the commercial demonstration plant leading up to its construction and will include such activities as preliminary plant engineering and design as well as environmental documentation and permitting.
The costs associated with this first phase are expected to about US$3.12 million, of which the DOE would contribute half, or US$1.56 million.
The second phase of funding support will begin upon successful completion of the milestones outlined within the first phase. DOE will then contribute up to 50 percent of the total cost of plant construction up to a maximum of US$28.44 million. These contributions are subject to the availability of appropriated funding for each fiscal year.
Once completed, the plant will process non-food cellulosic materials, such as hardwood, softwood and agricultural residues and is expected to produce in excess of 2 million gallons/year of cellulosic ethanol, plus biochemical co-products, including HP-L High Purity Lignin. Source: Energy Current, 10/29/08
Exelon Generation Company, LLC, announced today that it has acquired the rights to purchase 198 MW of output from the 396 MW Twin Groves Wind Farm in Bloomington, Ill., about 150 miles southwest of Chicago. Exelon purchased the "off take" agreement, or rights to buy power from the wind farm, from Constellation Energy Commodities Group, Inc. The deal closed on Sept. 30. Horizon Wind Energy, LLC, a leading wind energy company, owned by EDP Renovaveis, the fourth largest wind energy player in the world, will continue to own and operate the Twin Groves Wind Farm, which went commercial in January 2008. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Read more. Source: MarketWatch, 10/28/08
PPL Utilities is considering building a biomass energy plant next to a wood-recycling center in Maidencreek Township.
The facility would use recycled wood and yard scraps to fire turbines to generate electricity. State officials say the project would be the first of its kind in Berks County.
The plant also would be the first built by PPL, the Allentown-based electric utility that serves about 32,500 customers in Berks, said Lissette Santana, a spokeswoman for PPL Renewable Energy, a sister company. Read more. Source: Reading Eagle, 10/28/08
Des Plaines, Ill.-based UOP, a subsidiary of New Jersey's Honeywell International, announced today that it received a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop biofeedstock technology. Read more. Source: Cleantech Group, 10/29/08
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) has purchased the entire output of a 55-MW biomass cogeneration plant under construction at a Tacoma, Wash., pulp and paper mill, from Iberdrola Renewables which had earlier acquired the output for its utility customers as reported in our April 29, 2008 issue.
The biomass plant will be owned by Simpson Tacoma Kraft Company which will generate power from a cogeneration process. The power will leave the plant from a Tacoma Power interconnection where Iberdrola Renewables will manage delivery into California. The first power from the plant is expected to be available in July 2009.
"Simpson is building the cogeneration plant to maximize energy production from our existing operations that already involve burning sawmill and paper mill by-products, wood-building demolition waste and debris from logging," said Dave McEntee, Simpson's Energy and Environmental Manager. The company may also "mine" old lumber mill landfill sites to recycle wood waste buried there years ago. According to the USA Biomass Power Producers Alliance, the facility will be the largest single cogeneration renewable energy project built in the U.S. in the last 10 years. (Source: Business Wire, October 27, 2008)
For more information, contact Jan Johnson, Iberdrola Renewables, 503-796-7070. Dave McEntee, Simpson Tacoma Kraft Company, 253-779-6405. Source: EP Overviews, 10/29/08
Lux Research, an analyst firm focusing on emerging technologies, predicts the solar market to reach US$100 billion in 2013 despite price erosion, but also warns of difficult times ahead for smaller companies.
Solar is poised for continued growth, with new installations primed to increase nearly five-fold from 2008 to 2013, according to Lux. Starting in 2009, however, supply will exceed demand, leading to price decreases. Read more. Source: Renewable Energy Focus, 10/21/08
This week, we've got some extras from the Geothermal Conference and Expo held earlier this month. Before leaving Nevada, Stephen Lacey met up with some folks from Ormat Technologies, who gave him a tour of the company's 100-MW capacity Steamboat facility in Reno.
We'll speak with Paul Thomsen, Public Policy Manager for Ormat about some broader market trends. Then we'll walk around the grounds with John Bernardi, Environmental Compliance Specialist at the Steamboat facility, who will give us a sense for how the plant operates.
Finally, we'll have some more interviews from the conference floor. Kenneth McLeod, President and CEO of Western GeoPower talks about the impact of the credit crunch; and Barry Andrews, Head of Geothermal and Power at Chevron tells us about the company's operations in Indonesia. Source: Renewable Energy World, 10/23/08
Honeywell today announced a $25.1-million energy efficiency and conservation program for the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP). The program, which combines traditional facility retrofits with renewable geothermal technology, will help the housing authority upgrade its communities, reduce its environmental footprint and save approximately $3.2 million in utility costs per year.
HACP will use those savings — guaranteed through a 12-year performance contract with Honeywell — to finance the improvements. As a result, the project will not impact the authority's capital budget or require additional taxpayer dollars. Source: MarketWatch, 10/23/08
See the latest issue of the RE Weekly News e-newsletter. Source: Renewable Energy Weekly, 10/28/08
See the latest news from North American Windpower. Source: North American Windpower, 10/28/08
Learn more about renewable resources.
Carbon-Free Prosperity 2025: How the Northwest Can Create Green Jobs, Deliver Energy Security, and Thrive in the Global Green-Tech Marketplace is a 71-page, October 2008, document from Clean Edge and Climate Solutions, authored by Ron Pernick, Clint Wilder and Dexter Gauntlett, all of Clean Edge.
The authors suggest ten policy actions including carbon pricing, increased RPS (renewable portfolio standards) in Washington State, green building codes, tax credits for renewables development, clean-tech workforce programs and more. Source: Energy Newsbriefs - Week of Oct. 27, 2008
On October 20, the Working Group for Investment in Reliable and Economic Electric Systems (WIRES) released a new report entitled Integrating Locally-Constrained Resources into Transmission Systems: A Survey of U.S. Practices.
The report concludes that while progress is being made in preparing the nation’s transmission system for the integration of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and biomass, successfully integrating these resources on a large scale will require significant infrastructure and regulatory changes. Achieving these changes will call for the sustained commitment of utilities, regulators and policymakers alike. Source: NWCC, 10/30/08
On July 31–Aug. 1, the Midwestern Governors Association (MGA), NWCC and other co-sponsors hosted the meeting, Midwestern Wind Energy: Moving It to Markets in Dearborn, Mich.
The event focused on implementing the wind and transmission aspects of the MGA Energy Security and Climate Stewardship Platform for the Midwest and on how MGA platform implementation could help achieve DOE’s 20-percent wind vision. A session on the DOE 20 Percent Wind Energy by 2030 report was also included in the plenary program. Source: NWCC, 10/30/08
The Forest Guild, an organization of ecologically-minded foresters based in New Mexico, recently released a report titled “Synthesis of Knowledge from Woody Biomass Removal Case Studies,” which covers lessons learned and strategies for success.
”The case studies described in this report show that all aspects of biomass removals from forests are evolving,” the report conclusion stated. ”Markets are expanding as new uses are perfected and new energy plants are built. Technology is adapting to the requirements of small-diameter material.”
According to the report, some of the challenges facing sustainable removal of woody biomass from forests include lack of funding, the long distance between source and markets, and a deficiency in the science to document the sustainability of removals.
“The solutions for successful biomass removal are as varied as the forest types where projects occur or the objectives land managers seek to achieve,” the conclusion stated. Source: Biomass Magazine, 10/29/08
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) has launched a cool new feature on their website. The Ethanol Factor calculator demonstrates to users how "choosing ethanol results in cleaner emissions, reduced dependence on oil, and real savings for consumer pocketbooks." Users can calculate their individual or city's savings at the pump if they were to choose ethanol instead of traditional gasoline as their motor fuel, in addition to calculating the reduction in emissions such a decision would offer. Source: American Coalition for Ethanol, 10/29/08
Volume 6 of Implementing Wind Energy & Transmission in the West is now available online. Source: RESOLVE, 10/29/08
Welcome to the November 2008 issue of the Small Wind Newsletter. Source: IREC, Larry Sherwood, 10/30/08
Learn more about educational resources.
Southwest Windpower, the leading manufacturer of small wind turbines, played a leadership role in the passage of new legislation creating a Federal-level tax credit for qualified small wind turbines—a significant leap for the small wind industry as a whole. This legislation marks the first Federal incentive for small wind systems since 1985. Read more. Source: MarketWatch, 10/29/08
Small wind power applications get a boost in new investment tax credits under the financial rescue package recently signed by President Bush.
The financial rescue plan signed by President Bush on Oct. 3 includes approximately $18 billion in energy tax credits and incentives for commercialization of renewable energy and energy efficiency. This includes the much sought-after renewal of production tax credits for solar and wind energy.
The bill extends the 30-percent investment tax credit for developing solar energy and qualified fuel cell properties, as well as a 10-percent investment tax credit for micro turbines, through 2016. It also extends the production tax credit for utility-scale wind turbines and creates an eight-year investment tax credit for small wind turbines.
Those interested can find the legislative language beginning on page 115 of the 451-page bill, under Title One: Energy Production Incentives, Subtitle A — Renewable Energy Incentives
Much easier to digest, the Energy Star Web Site has an excellent roundup of the available tax credits for homeowners, home builders and consumers. Source: EERE Program News, 10/30/08
The World Resources Institute (WRI) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a collaboration to deliver improved science and practical tools to help companies and governments protect ecosystems and address climate change.
”This is an important collaboration in bringing research on ecosystem services into the mainstream of science, business and public policy,” said Rick Linthurst, national program director of the EPA’s Ecological Research Program.
Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from forests, wetlands, and other ecosystems. A forest, for example, not only provides wood for timber and paper but also controls erosion, purifies water, stores carbon dioxide, and offers recreation.
The partnership will bring a greater recognition and understanding of the importance of ecosystems to economic development and human well-being. It will also help planners better determine development options that allow affected natural resources to continue to produce services that meet the needs of current and future generations.
Craig Hanson, acting director of WRI’s People and Ecosystems Program, added, “This collaboration will link EPA’s quality scientific research on ecosystem services with WRI’s work to help private- and public-sector leaders make the connection between healthy ecosystems and the attainment of their economic goals. This partnership will make our Corporate Ecosystem Services Review, mapping of ecosystem services, and economic valuation efforts even more powerful.”
Businesses, local and state governments, researchers, and international organizations – which are increasingly retooling their environmental-management systems to address ecosystem services – will benefit from the partnership.
As part of the collaboration, Dr. Suzanne Marcy, lead for outreach and education in the Ecological Research Program of the EPA’s Office of Research and Development, will be based at WRI’s headquarters. She will focus on linking emerging scientific data about the health and economic value of ecosystem services with WRI’s various projects on water quality, biofuels, coral reefs, and business sustainability, among others.
In addition, WRI’s research will inform the EPA Ecological Research Program’s initiatives in the Coastal Carolinas, the Willamette Valley in Oregon, Tampa Bay, the upper-Midwest, and the Southwest. Source: World Resource Institute, 10/29/08
The Solar America Board for Codes and Standards (Solar ABCs), funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, has released three new reports of importance to the solar industry on the topics of interconnection and net metering, solar access laws, and utility external disconnect switches. Read more. Source: DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 10/29/08
Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne today announced a plan to make more than 190 million acres of Federal land in 12 western states available for development of geothermal energy resources, an initiative that could increase electric generation capacity from geothermal resources ten times over.
“Geothermal energy will play a key role in powering America’s energy future,” Kempthorne said, “and 90 percent of our nation’s geothermal resources are found on Federal lands. Facilitating their leasing and development under environmentally sound regulations is crucial to supplying the secure, clean energy American homes and businesses need.” Read more. Source: U.S. Dept. of Interior, 10/22/08
Learn more about legislative activities.
Clipper Windpower Plc and BP Wind Energy have completed a 50/50 joint venture agreement for the development of the 5,050-MW Titan Wind project in South Dakota. The JV includes a Master Turbine Supply Agreement for the purchase of up to 2,020 Liberty wind turbines from Clipper for the Titan Wind project. As well, Clipper will provide operations and maintenance services for the project for a period of five years. Clipper is investing $8.75 million US to fund a portion of the project's development, BP Wind Power is investing $25.5 million for a 50-percent share of the project. Previous project details were reported in our Aug. 1, 2008 issue. (Source: Forbes, October 22, 2008)
Contact: Mary Gates, director, Global Communications, Clipper Windpower, 805-576-1323. Source: EP Overviews, 10/23/08
The Iowa Alliance for Wind Innovation and Novel Development (IAWIND) is a partnership with Federal, state and local governments; community colleges; universities; the private sector and associations. It is a state-wide effort to support the development of wind energy in Iowa through interaction among all the entities involved as well as through facilitation of the research and training needs of wind energy companies.
The Iowa University College of Engineering is a leader in the formation of this organization. Recently the IU College of Engineering announced an agreement with Iowa Lakes Community College to allow some Iowa Lakes students to transfer to IU - specifically students enrolled in the Iowa Lakes Wind Energy and Turbine Technology program. Source: Windustry's October Newsletter, 10/28/08
Like clockwork, it seems like every time oil prices skyrocket in the United States, the country takes a step toward energy independence. Then the price of oil recedes and American energy consumers revert to their profligate ways.
It happened in 1973 when Middle East countries imposed an oil embargo. It happened in 1979 in the aftermath of the revolution in Iran. And it has happened again in the past few years as fuel prices spiked and a flush economy combined to propel the nation toward renewable energy, alternative fuels and the reduction of corporate America's carbon footprint. Read more. Source: National Public Radio, 10/28/08
On Michigan’s ‘thumb,’ a broad peninsula whose gusts make it one of the best places in the US to site a wind farm, Noble Environmental Power has erected 30 huge wind turbines – 16 more will finish the job.
But the project was hit by a financial gale last month when key underwriter Lehman Brothers went bankrupt. With Lehman out, Noble was forced to sell in a hurry. Three more Lehman-financed wind-power projects in New York are also in doubt, according to published reports.
America’s credit crisis is shaking up not only smaller alternative energy sectors like solar and geothermal, but also the largest renewable electricity sector – wind power. Read more. Source: Christian Science Monitor, 10/28/08
Imagine sections of the Great Lakes dotted with rows of gleaming, 12-story turbines, blades whirring in the stiff breeze as they generate electricity for homes and businesses onshore.
It’s only an idea – for now. But government regulators are bracing for an expected wave of proposals for offshore power generation in a region that never seems to run short of wind.
Despite its allure as a plentiful source of clean energy, they say, offshore wind power could affect the aquatic environment and commerce. State and Federal officials are taking initial steps toward writing rules, as conservation activists watch closely. Read more. Source: Chicago Tribune, 10/28/08
The next twenty years could see up to US $1 trillion of investment in renewable energy in rural areas. Wind and solar power will be harnessed; and non-food crops will provide the fuel for a new generation of biofuels. But will rural areas reap the benefits of this massive investment or will communities merely observe the remaking of rural economies?
The conventional wisdom is that renewable resources should be developed en masse, because huge wind farms, large concentrating solar plants and big biorefineries drive down the cost of harnessing renewable power. Federal energy policy is premised on this hypothesis, but the evidence suggests otherwise. The benefits of building big are small; the benefits of building small, on the other hand, are quite large. The key to sustainable rural economic development and the renewable energy future of America is a series of modest sized, locally owned wind farms, solar plants and biofuel refineries. Read more. Source: Renewable Energy World, 10/16/08
Vast stretches of Federal land in the West would be open to geothermal energy development under a plan released by U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne on Wednesday.
The plan identifies 190 million acres — nearly twice the size of California — that would be available for geothermal leasing in 12 Western states. The document, which is expected to be finalized in December, essentially clarifies which public lands are open to geothermal prospecting and which are not.
"Geothermal energy will play a key role in powering America's energy future," Kempthorne said in a news release, "and 90 percent of our nation's geothermal resources are found on Federal land." Read more. Source: Los Angeles Times, 10/22/08
Learn more about marketing and research.
The Colorado Governor's Energy Office has announced $181,995 US in grants to promote new solar technologies and programs. The four grants are contingent on equal matching funds from the recipients as follows:
The Governor's Energy office will have a second solar innovation grant application and grant program in early 2009. (Source: Denver Business Journal, Oct. 21, 2008)
For more information, contact Megan Castle, communications director for Colorado Governor's Energy Office, 303-866-2262. Source: EP Overviews, 10/28/08
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle has announced $7.3 million US in grants and loans from the Wisconsin Energy Independence Fund for the development and commercialization of new biofuel and clean energy technologies. Previous details have been covered in earlier issues. Additional renewable energy projects announced include:
The projects require matching funds of at least 50 percent of total project costs from private sources, leveraging $44.2 million US in investments. Previous project details were included in earlier Bioenergy and Biofuels and Renewable Energy publications. (Source: PR Newswire, Oct. 14, 2008)
For more information, contact David Jenkins, Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence, 608-264-7651. Source: EP Overviews, 10/28/08
Learn more about funding solicitations.
This news item comes to you as a service of Western's Renewable Resources Program.
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