It's been a while since I've done a renewable/alternative energy round-up, as I've had a variety of goings-on in my life preventing me from spending the time to compile another one. Plus, it can be exhausting even if one has the time. But I received enough encouragement in my previous installments to return with another.
So here you have it: the latest happenings in the business of saving the world from carbon.
Wind
One of the things that has always slayed me in the argument about renewable energy is the claim by those addicted to oil that "wind and solar just can't provide us with enough energy." Of course they can't NOW. That isn't the point. We need to do a lil' thang called "R & D" for short, research and development for long. We didn't go straight to the moon in 1961 after JFK said we should - it took a few years of effort, otherwise known as R & D.
As we plow money into researching and developing wind, solar, biomass, tidal, and other forms of energy, we'll discover new ways to get more output from the same amount of wind, sun, water, and pig crap. Just like we always have. With everything. Did we go from finding oil in the ground to suddenly having millions of cars and oil plants in 10 seconds? Did we go from discovering electro-magnetism to having idiot Rush Limbaugh broadcasting nationally and via the internets in the space of a day? EVERYTHING takes research and development. Period.
Which brings me to the following: Startup Green Energy Tech Installs First Small-Wind Concentrators
If you’ve ever walked through a skyscraper-laden city on a windy day, you know how big buildings can intensify the gales, creating wind tunnels that accelerate the gusts so that they blow off hats and flip up skirts. Now a 3-year-old Akron, Ohio-based startup called Green Energy Technologies wants to use that same wind-tunnel effect to generate small-wind power more efficiently.
The company has developed a 60-kilowatt, five-blade turbine that comes with what it calls a shroud, which looks like a sort of shallow metal funnel. The shroud creates a wind-tunnel effect in front of the blades, amplifying the wind velocity by a factor of two — so that a 5 mph wind that enters the shroud reaches 10 mph by the time it hits the blade — allowing the system to harness even low-speed winds and ultimately produce more electricity from them.
Green Energy claims its WindCube, unveiled last month at the Windpower conference in Chicago and intended for commercial and industrial buildings in urban and suburban locations, can generate power from winds as slow as 5 mph. Over the course of a year, Green Energy says the system can generate 100-130 megawatt-hours — about the same as a traditional 100-foot-tall turbine with blades 50-60 feet in diameter — in places with winds that average 12 mph, says Mark Cironi, president and founder of the company. For context, 12 mph is fairly windy, and is the average wind speed in cities such as Boston, Lubbock, Tex., Fargo, North Dakota, Oklahoma City and Wichita, Kan.
Further, so-called "small wind" is getting a big boost from stimulus package tax credits, and is expected to explode in growth over the next several years. The design of the WindCube also allows for prevention of harm to migratory animals.
In a great story from Long island, we learn how government incentives are making wind power affordable to business owners:
Wind Power: Can It Make a Profit?
Brian Driscoll, 57, is constantly thinking about saving the planet. He wears a bracelet that reminds him to do one thing every day to save energy or reduce waste. He has long wanted to install a wind turbine near the $6 million (revenues) commercial printing operation in New Haven, Conn. he has run with his brother Kevin, 65, for 28 years.
A windmill doesn't make economic sense, even though this poor entrepreneur is gouged 19 cents per kilowatt-hour from his utility. A 121-foot, 100-kilowatt turbine from Northern Power runs $500,000, installed. The air at Driscoll's site on Long Island Sound is so still that the average output would come to only 18% of peak output, meaning that the juice would be worth $30,000 a year. It's hard to cover the interest on a $500,000 loan with a $30,000 annual payback. "If I had to borrow that kind of money for my business, it would be for printing equipment," says Driscoll.
So taxpayers are going to buy the turbine for him. Or 83% of it, anyway. Driscoll's firm, Phoenix Press, is getting a $263,000 grant from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, plus another $150,000 from President Obama's renewable energy honeypot. That brings Driscoll's outlay down to $87,000. He'll sell excess electricity produced by the wind turbine back to his utility, United Illuminating, on nights and weekends, when Phoenix Press is closed, and he's entitled to the same larcenous rate that United charges him during the day. He expects to recoup his outlay in less than three years.
The title is a little off, as the point isn't really about making a profit - it's covering the costs of installing a turbine - but the article goes on to discuss how tax credits are making turbines far more capable of covering their costs. Until we have economies of scale and lower costs in general, that is.
Governors in the Pacific Northwest are looking at using pumped-storage facilities to mitigate dips in wind power when not enough energy is being produced. The idea is already used at hydropower plants, and the governors would like to research using pumped-storage more widely with renewable energy (most specifically, wind power).
This is done by pumping water upstream during periods of low demand, and then releasing the water to flow down through turbines during periods of higher demand. At present, hydro power is used as a back-up when wind power generation dips, but the governors claim that by 2011 the hydro power generated in the region will no longer be able to cover back-up duties for wind power.
Northwest governors support alternative energy integration study
The governors of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington have signed a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Energy supporting funding for the Bonneville Power Administration to study technologies for integrating wind and other renewable energy into the Northwest power grid.
A news release from Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NPCC) says one of the studies will evaluate potential sites for pumped-storage power plants that would provide a carbon-free resource for temporarily storing energy generated by wind farms and other renewable resources. Pumped storage is a form of hydropower in which water is pumped uphill to a reservoir during low-demand periods, such as late at night or very early in the morning, and then allowed to flow downhill to turbines during high-demand periods.
Wind power is particularly intermittent and must be backed up by another power source to ensure its reliability. One of the studies will begin by identifying and evaluating all potential sources of integrating wind that will include, at a minimum, pumped storage, demand-response programs, flywheel storage, smart grid innovations, hydrogen proposals, and conventional gas-fired generation.
A proposal has been in the works to study offshore wind, and the potential for this energy source to provide a substantial portion of our nation's energy needs. The Gulf of Maine is currently being considered as a location for a research facility.
Energy secretary considers UMaine for nat'l wind research center
Sen. Susan Collins today said Energy Secretary Steven Chu will meet this week with Gov. John Baldacci and Habib Dagher, director of the University of Maine's Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Center, to discuss a proposal to establish a National Offshore Wind Research Center at the university.
Collins invited Secretary Chu to meet and discuss renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in Maine, which could serve as "a national model for the green energy economy."
In a letter to Secretary Chu, Collins says Maine is an ideal place for the center since nearly 9% of the U.S. deepwater offshore wind energy is in the Gulf of Maine. She also said Baldacci is prepared to offer legislation to expedite the selection of an offshore wind test site and has proposed a bond package to help jump-start the development of this technology.
In a sign of the potential for industrial job growth associated with renewable energy, Mitsubishi Heavy is planning on opening a nacelle and a blade factory in the United States due to continuing demand for wind power here.
Mitsubishi Heavy: To Build Wind Turbine Factories In US
Mitsubishi Heavy, Japan's largest heavy-machinery maker, declined to provide details on each plant's capacity, location and investment value. But the company is considering "a few choices, and maybe we'll be able to announce the plan in about six months or so," said executive vice president Yoshiaki Tsukuda.
The global wind turbine market more than tripled in terms of capacity in the past five years amid rising concerns over global warming. Mitsubishi Heavy expects it to roughly double from 28 gigawatts in 2008 in the next five years.
The European market led the growth, but Mitsubishi Heavy expects the U.S. to outpace Europe, given the large potential due to its good location for wind farms and its aspiration to diversify energy sources.
Solar(/Geothermal)
In Austin, the city council recently approved a plan for the largest solar power plant in the country.
Council approves large solar plant
By unanimous vote, the council approved a partnership with Gemini Solar Development Co. to build and operate the facility and sell all its power to Austin at $10 million a year for 25 years. City officials say it would help them get closer to the city’s goal of using more renewable energy.
Council members said the project would help make Austin a greener city, and advocates said it would also help attract solar-based businesses. Critics said the project is too costly and produces too little power. They questioned why the city would partner with a company that will get its solar panels manufactured in China.
As noted, the joint-venture between a San Francisco based company and a Chinese panel manufacturer will be using a substantial number of panels made in China. The company claims that there simply aren't enough local producers in Texas to fill the demand, while one Austin businessman hoping to get a piece of the action believes the project should be delayed until the panels can be produced in Texas.
The project is expected to power 5,000 homes.
As part of the ARRA, President Obama and the Department of Energy have announced funding for geothermal and solar projects:
DOE Offers $467.6 Million For Geothermal And Solar Energy Projects
President Obama recently announced over $467 million from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act to expand and accelerate the development, deployment, and use of geothermal and solar energy throughout the United States. The announced funding represents a substantial down payment that will help the solar and geothermal industries overcome technical barriers, demonstrate new technologies, and provide support for clean energy jobs for years to come. The announcement supports the Obama Administration's strategy to increase American economic competiveness, while supporting jobs and moving toward a clean energy economy.
"We have a choice. We can remain the world's leading importer of oil, or we can become the world's leading exporter of clean energy," said President Obama. "We can hand over the jobs of the future to our competitors, or we can confront what they have already recognized as the great opportunity of our time: the nation that leads the world in creating new sources of clean energy will be the nation that leads the 21st century global economy. That's the nation I want America to be."
"We have an ambitious agenda to put millions of people to work by investing in clean energy technology like solar and geothermal energy," Energy Secretary Steven Chu said. "These technologies represent two pieces of a broad energy portfolio that will help us aggressively fight climate change and renew our position as a global leader in clean energy jobs."
Solar executives are saying they expect to be price competitive with oil and gas within five years.
Solar giants predict grid parity in five years
Just days after a new study suggested solar panel prices will fall by more than a quarter this year, top execs at two of the world's largest solar manufacturers have this week predicted the sector will be able to compete on price with conventional power sources within five years.
Speaking as part of this week's Reuters Global Energy Summit, Steven Chan, chief strategy officer at Suntech Power, told the news agency that he expected silicon costs per watt to halve over the next five years to just $1 (61p), allowing solar panels to compete with other energy sources without relying on subsidies.
"We feel that in the next five years our product could survive without the need for government subsidies," he said.
Won't that be a fun day? When all the blatherings about how solar can't compete are shown to be nothing more than "no we can't" pessimism and political posturing.
Progress Energy, a power company with utilities in Florida and the Carolinas, and a past critic of solar power, has "seen the light" (heh heh) and will begin offering incentives for solar installation.
Progress Energy warms up to solar energy
Hard to believe, but the electric company that once routinely panned solar power as too expensive and inefficient is about to introduce a whole bunch of new solar initiatives for its customers and eventually market it all here under a brand name called SunSense.
Progress Energy Florida submitted an updated 10-year plan this week to the Florida Public Service Commission that stretches its existing energy-efficiency goal of 412 million kilowatt hours to nearly 618 million kwh. That's a 50 percent increase. The company wants to offer subsidized programs to put solar photovoltaic arrays on Florida homes and businesses. And it seeks to boost its rebate by $50 (to $500) to install solar-power hot water heaters.
The article goes on to mention that Progress Energy, despite embracing solar power, is still planning on building a nuclear reactor north of Tampa. The costs associated with the reactor have soared, and for now, especially in light of the recession, the reactor is on hold. But Progress Energy's plans will have to be monitored. As the article concludes:
Catering to the popularity of solar power while lusting for nuclear power. Such is Progress Energy Florida's delicate balancing act these days.
The same news is reported on by Reuters, with details explained differently:
U.S. power company Progress Energy Inc announced a plan on Wednesday to expand the use of solar energy in the Carolinas and Florida by more than 100 megawatts over the next decade.
The Raleigh, North Carolina company announced a string of initiatives, including incentives for residential customers who buy solar installations for their rooftops. The program would offer $1.50 to $2 a watt, or about 25 percent of the installed cost of the solar system.
Progress will also offer incentives for solar water heating for both residential and commercial customers and will install solar rooftop systems on selected schools in its service area at no cost to the schools.
In California, a two bills have been passed by the state senate aimed at increasing solar usage in that state:
Senate passes Wiggins' solar bills
A pair of bills authored by North Coast Sen. Patricia Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa, aimed at increasing the use of solar power, were overwhelmingly approved by the state Senate Wednesday.
The bills combine to both encourage new installations of solar panels and to encourage residential and commercial producers of solar power to generate even more of it.
Current law allows utility customers to sell solar power to their utility provider to offset the cost of their electric bills, a situation commonly referred to as "net-energy metering." But, if customers produce more electricity than they use, the utility provider isn't required to pay them for it.
"This is kind of like having frequent flyer miles that you can never cash out or use," Wiggins said in a press release. "And it sends the wrong message to consumers about the importance of energy conservation."
If this series becomes something people would like to see regularly, I would be pleased to receive updates from around the country letting me know what is happening in their various states so that I could include the news here.
Biomass
Lawmakers seek broader U.S. biomass-for-biofuel list
Farm-state lawmakers on Wednesday asked the Obama administration to back a broader definition of biomass for use in renewable fuels, an issue entangled with congressional action on climate change.
Some lawmakers from rural districts say they will not support the climate bill without a more favorable treatment of biofuels, such as an expansive definition of biomass. The climate bill is a top priority for House Democratic leaders.
Rep Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, a South Dakota Democrat, said the administration should "take a position to meet the goal we've set" for producing fuel ethanol from cellulose, found in grass and wood.
Without a broad definition, she said, ethanol makers will not have enough raw material meet the goal of producing 16 billion gallons a year of cellulosic ethanol by 2022.
General
Congressman Martin Heinrich has proposed legislation, H.R. 2662, that would streamline the process of approving solar and wind projects on public lands. These lands are administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which is an agency in the Department of the Interior. There is currently an incredible backlog of applications seeking to develop wind and solar energy on public lands, and Heinrich's legislation would set aside $5 million from rental payments for approved projects to process new applications.
Congressman Martin Heinrich introduces clean energy legislation
"By facilitating renewable energy projects on our public lands, we can create jobs while building the clean energy economy," Heinrich said. "This is a common sense, cost effective approach to promoting clean energy development."
The Clean Energy Promotion Act would dedicate up to $5 million per year, coming from existing rental payments paid by wind and solar developers for projects on BLM lands, to these offices to process current and future renewable energy applications.
So far no solar energy plans on BLM lands have been approved. There is a backlog of 200 solar energy applications, 25 wind project applications and there are even more locations that applicants would like to begin testing for future wind projects.
In an effort to keep energy on the minds of folks in Washington, despite an obvious plethora of other issues, Maryland legislators and business leaders are pushing the feds to pass a clean energy bill similar to one passed in that state.
State lawmakers push for federal energy bill
Sen. Paul G. Pinsky said the Maryland legislature moved forward with its own legislation to advance clean energy and reduce greenhouse gases because the federal government was not addressing the issue.
"We need federal legislation. We don't want to wait state after state after state," said Pinsky (D-Dist. 22) of University Park. "Even as we worked our rear ends to get this bill passed in Maryland, all along we thought it would be better to have federal legislation that affected everyone."
The federal bill — the American Clean Energy and Security Act — would require 20 percent of power companies' output in 2020 to come from renewable resources, which include wind, solar and biomass. The measure also calls for a reduction in global warming pollution, by 83 percent of 2005 levels by 2050.
A handy article on tax incentives as regards renewables:
Top 4 Energy Tax Credits For Investors
Ever since the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was enacted in February, business owners, executives and homeowners alike have been wondering whether these tax incentives, rebates and refunds will benefit them. And they should. The ARRA contains $94 million in grants, incentives and loans for green technology projects and companies. It also includes $16.5 billion in renewable energy federal tax incentives, $4 billion in Clean Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation bonds and nearly $26 billion invested in energy efficient solutions and projects.
Despite being one of the largest energy-saving pushes by the federal government, the ARRA is only a drop in the bucket when it comes to the perks available for sustainable-minded people. There’s only one problem, however. As the incentives, tax breaks and rebates mount many consumers are becoming more and more confused by all the rules and regulations.
Clay Crownover, a policy manager with the Alliance to Save Energy, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to sustainability, knows that there can be many facets involved when qualifying for certain energy-saving programs. He also knows that people should not be discouraged from seeking these credits and rebates simply because they don’t know where to begin. Another reason Crownover implores people to not give up is because he believed an investment in energy savings is a direct investment back into one’s home, business or building. That’s on top of all the great programs out there that can ease the costs of these green improvements. "Investing in energy efficiency is investing in your business," he said. "By investing in energy efficiency, you are freeing up capital through energy cost savings that you ultimately can put back into your business, reducing your operating costs and probably giving you the ability to hire more people."
As a hopefully soon-to-be-employee of the USDA (still waiting to hear back from the interview), I'm glad to hear of news such as this from my potential employer:
USDA Rural Development accepting applications for renewable energy systems
USDA Rural Development is accepting applications for grants and loan guarantees for farmers and rural small businesses to install renewable energy systems, make energy efficiency improvements, or conduct feasibility studies. The funds are administered through Rural Development's Rural Energy for American Program.
Loan guarantees and grants are available to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. The maximum grant for renewable energy systems is 25 percent of eligible project costs, not to exceed $500,000. Energy efficiency improvement projects are eligible for up to 25 percent of eligible project costs, not to exceed $250,000. The maximum loan guarantee is 75 percent of eligible project costs, not to exceed $25 million. Combination loan guarantees and grants are also available. Feasibility studies now also qualify for grants under the Rural Energy for America Program.
In another sign of research solving problems associated with renewable energy, way to store solar and wind power as methane has been discovered. Of course, methane is not a preferable way to provide energy, but it may, in the short run, provide a method of using power initially generated from renewable sources rather than coal or oil. Also, it shows yet again that with serious R & D there are many solutions to be had.
Methane Could Be Storage Solution for Solar and Wind Power
In a surprising find, scientists have discovered a microbe that can efficiently convert direct electrical current into methane.
That may be good news for wind and solar power enthusiasts, who have long been faced with the dilemma of how to store energy when the wind isn't blowing and the sun isn't shining. This discovery opens the door for generating methane from those renewable power sources; the energy could then be stored as fuel for later use.
Nuclear
As stated in previous installments, my inclusion of nuclear/"clean coal" news is not meant to suggest that I find these forms of energy to be renewable. However, other people make different arguments, and given the various rhetoric from the administration and people in Congress it is important to keep developments on these fronts in mind.
Energy Northwest, a utility in Washington previously known as Washington Public Power Supply System, famous for the largest municipal bond default in US history which is still costing customers 15% of their current utility bills, earning the company the nickname "whoops" and forcing them to change their name, is back for more, shopping around the idea of a new reactor.
Energy Northwest considers more nuclear power
In a May 27 letter obtained by The Associated Press, the consortium asked each of its 25 member public utilities and municipalities to pitch in $25,000 for further research into building one or more small reactors. Those who pay would have first rights to any power produced if a plant is built.
Energy Northwest has spent the past year researching its nuclear options, including a 1,600-megawatt plant that would power more than 1 million homes, before deciding to gauge interest in a small project where 40-megawatt reactors can be added as needed.
The utility also recognizes the public relations problem new nuclear generation could pose. In the letter, vice president Jack W. Baker said public and political support would be key to any project's success.
"Clean" Coal
Big Coal admits "clean" coal is a joke? They're certainly boasting about the branding they've managed.
Ad Firm Behind "Clean Coal" Marketing Plan Releases Brag Sheet
Earlier this year we reported that the public relations firm behind the coal industry's multi-million dollar marketing blitz to put a clean shiny new face on coal was boasting their ability to manipulate the opinions of both Democratic and Republican politicians.
Now the advertising firm behind the heavily-aired "America's Power" campaign, R & R Partners - Advertising, has come out with its own brag-sheet detailing the ad work it did for the coal industry's main front group the, "American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity" (ACCCE).
Rob Van Raaphorst, Account Supervisor, Public Relations at R&R Advertising and Persuasion explains that their company prepared, "a fully integrated marketing, branding and issue-advocacy campaign to educate our audiences on the importance of coal in their daily lives... Outreach consisted of grassroots, earned media, paid media and advocacy tactics that created a "surround-sound" effect targeting each of our audiences through all mediums and communications. Grassroots efforts included street teams, walking billboards, mobile billboards and recruitment and mobilization of an ACCCE Army (supporters of ACCCE and its mission) at presidential primaries, debates, conventions and other key campaign events."
That's all for now. I'll be back with more l8r!