Recently in the Renewable Energy Category
Mar 05 2010
Several stories on the science and politics of global warming caught our attention this week:
Climate scientists have long declared that global warming could potentially release methane previously frozen in to the Arctic permafrost, setting off significant increases in warming trends. Now researchers at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and elsewhere say this change is underway in a little-studied area under the sea, the East Siberian Arctic Shelf, west of the Bering Strait. Scientists contend that while carbon dioxide is far more abundant and persistent in the atmosphere, ton for ton, atmospheric methane traps at least 25 times as much heat.
Nearly 570 concerned scientists have signed a letter urging Congress to “oppose an imminent attack on the Clean Air Act.” The scientists' plea comes as several coalitions of lawmakers attempt to overturn the endangerment finding using the Congressional Review Act, which establishes special procedures for disapproving regulations from federal agencies. The lawmakers claim the “Clean Air Act was never intended to regulate something like carbon dioxide.”
Is your cup of Joe on the outs? Coffee producers are creating a buzz with claims that global warming is adding risk to the long term sustainability of the industry. Many growers at the World Coffee Conference held in Guatemala this week predicted that if temperatures continue to rise, supplies of the world famous bean will decline. They contend higher temperatures are forcing their industry peers to seek higher, more costly land, driving costs up from the farm to your cup.
Feb 25 2010
Skiers know Alpine County as home to Kirkwood and Bear Valley. But along with its Sierra beauty, the thinly populated county is also home to a contaminated Superfund site, the abandoned Leviathan Mine. The open pit sulfur mine leaches acidic water, arsenic and dissolved metals, devastating local streams near the California-Nevada border.
Cleaning up the toxic site will take years and a great deal of energy. Given the remoteness of the site, Atlantic Richfield--which inherited the property from Anaconda Copper--may have to haul in huge amounts of dirty diesel fuel to power its operations.
But EPA and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory are investigating the possibility of siting wind, solar or other forms of clean energy on the site. The old Leviathan Mine is one of 12 contaminated sites under review nationwide for renewable energy production, under a program called Re-Powering America's Land. In all, there may be about 4,000 such sites across America.
In addition, they are looking at the feasibility of siting solar generators--and infrastructure to support alternative fuel vehicles--at some of the tens of thousands of abandoned gas stations around the country. (EPA estimates there may be more than 200,000 "petroleum brownfield" sites nationwide.)
"We think of recycling materials all the time, so why not take a look at recycling land," said Brigid Lowery, acting director of EPA's center for program analysis. "It just makes sense to take a look at these sites before we turn to using greenfields."
It especially makes sense given how many large renewable energy projects are tied up in permit disputes over their local environmental impact.
Environment and Energy Daily reporter Scott Streater notes that there are many precedents for recycling brownfield sites into renewable energy projects--including the fact that "the largest operating solar power plant in North America sits atop a long-abandoned landfill at Nellis Air Force Base, northeast of
Feb 19 2010
Several stories on the science and politics of global warming caught our attention this week:
The man responsible for leading worldwide global warming negotiations is leaving his post. The United Nations announced that Yvo de Boer, often called the United Nations Climate Chief, will step aside as of July 1, 2010. Recently, de Boer expressed discontent as to the outcome of the Copenhagen conference. Those who worked alongside de Boer claim they were not surprised by his decision to resign, saying he was “exhausted and frustrated.”
While you may not want it building up on your windowsill, new research claims dust could protect us from the harmful effects of global warming. That theory is being discussed at the annual scientific meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, taking place this year in San Diego, California. Scientists presenting at the conference assert that dust may limit the amount of solar radiation that reaches the Earth's surface.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) is pushing for a bill that he claims some lawmakers may accept as an alternative to renewable energy mandates. He calls it a broader clean energy standard that would require utilities to supply increasing amounts of power from specific sources, including wind, solar, biomass, clean coal and new nuclear generation. The big energy and climate bill the House approved last year includes a renewable electricity standard, and so does broad energy legislation the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved last June.
Feb 08 2010
Like Rodney Dangerfield, electric power plants that burn biomass don't get much respect in this age of high-tech solar and wind energy. But the conditional approval last week by the California Public Utilities Commission of a deal between PG&E and the owners of a small cogeneration plant near Bakersfield bodes well for the future contribution of biomass to a cleaner environment.
The Mt. Poso Cogeneration Company has operated a coal-fired cogeneration facility (combined power plant and industrial heat source) since 1989. Now it plans to convert the facility to burn agricultural and urban wood waste--everything from orchard prunings to clean demolition wood--to generate 44 megawatts of power, enough to meet the needs of about 47,000 average homes. Unless engineering or economic obstacles emerge, the plant should begin feeding biomass power into PG&E's grid by 2012.
The plant will divert woody biomass, which would have been burned in the open, to a combustion facility with modern emissions control equipment. And it will reduce carbon pollution by substituting biomass--which might otherwise have decayed, releasing greenhouse gases--in place of coal.
The retrofitting of old coal plants to run with at least some biomass won a ringing endorsement in a new study published by the Journal of Environmental Science and Technology. Substituting wood pellets for just 10 percent of the coal used in power plants in the United States and Canada would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 170 million metric tons each year, it concluded.
The idea is catching on. In December 2006, Public Service of New Hampshire began running a 50 MW former coal-fired plant entirely on wood chips. Portland General Electric is now seriously considering converting Oregon's only coal-fired plant to burning wood pellets. And several other cogeneration plants in PG&E's service area are considering similar conversions.
California likely could do even more. Currently, biomass accounts for only about two percent of the state's power (comparable to wind and small hydro). David Bischel, president of the California Forestry Association, has argued that dead trees, scrub brush and other wood waste are abundantly available as fuel for additional power generation.
Biomass generation isn't a cure-all, but it's an important part of the clean-energy solution, even for transportation. As noted previously in NEXT100, some scientists have determined that in most cases it's better for the environment to burn biomass to generate electricity for plug-in vehicles rather than converting it to biofuel to run in traditional engines.
Feb 05 2010
Several stories on the science and politics of global warming caught our attention this week:
A white roof may look like a painted masterpiece to those who want to reduce urban heat. The National Center for Atmospheric Research recently completed a study demonstrating that white roofs can be an effective method for cooling. The study’s simulations provide an idealized view of different types of cities around the world and indicate that, if every roof were entirely painted white, the urban heat island effect could be reduced by 33 percent.
According to a new report released by a leading Canadian environmental group, the city of Vancouver, which will host the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, would earn a bronze medal if fighting climate change were an Olympic sport. The report claims the event’s organizers have done a good job building energy efficient venues, but have fallen a tad short when it comes to offsetting carbon emissions surrounding the Winter Games. Environment is one of the three “official pillars” of the Olympic movement.
Just before athletes from around the world will have a chance to earn their gold, silver and bronze medals, athletes from Indianapolis and New Orleans will go after the Vince Lombardi trophy. And it is estimated that this year’s Super Bowl – which the NFL says is more environmentally responsible than in the past – will produce 310,000 pounds of carbon emissions. In addition, researchers claim the stadium in Miami will use 187,000 KW of electricity and the television sets of home viewers will consume roughly 10,004,603 KW of energy. And speaking of green, it is estimated that close to 54 million pounds of avocados will be consumed by guacamole loving fans.
Feb 05 2010
Several items relating to the business and technology of clean energy and the environment caught our attentionthis week:
San Francisco startup and solar brokering firm One Block Off the Grid, or 1BOG, is applying a business model emphasizing social media such as Twitter and door-to-door pitches to match groups of homeowners seeking solar systems with local solar installers. 1BOG put in 550 solar systems in 2009, its first year, and is expanding into new markets in 2010. The solar customers get volume discounts and 1BOG gets referral fees from the installers. The company is introducing a program in New Jersey and planning moves into San Antonio and Honolulu. "We want 2010 to be the year where we bring solar to the masses," says Dave Llorens, co-founder and general manager.
Oil-dependent Hawaii aims to get 70 percent of its total energy needs from clean resources by 2030 -- 40 percent from renewable power generation and 30 percent from energy efficiency. The islands have abundant solar, wind, geothermal and wave resources. The state is considering projects such as a 30-mile undersea cable to link proposed wind farms on Lanai and Molokai to electric grids on Oahu and Maui. Hawaii's Gas Co. is using municipal solid waste and animal fat to make synthetic gas for its customers. "We're adopting policies and technologies here that can serve as a model for the rest of the globe," Jeff Mikulina, executive director of the Blue Planet Foundation, a Hawaii clean energy advocacy group, told the Los Angeles Times.
Last March, NEXT100 reported on a novel 60-foot catamaran made of used plastic bottles under construction in a shed on the San Francisco waterfront. The boat, named Plastiki, now is going through trials on San Francisco Bay before it hoists sails early in March to cross the Pacific to Australia. Plastiki's twin hulls are made of 12,500 plastic bottles filled with dry ice. David de Rothschild, project leader and scion of the Rothschild banking family, aims to draw attention to plastic waste winding up in landfills and in the oceans. He told the San Francisco Chronicle the way to get the recycling message across is a plastic sailing adventure -- a message in a bottle.Bon Voyage!
Jan 26 2010
Clean energy enjoys huge political support. Climate change legislation, by contrast, is on life support. What critics don't realize is that putting a price on carbon emissions is the surest way to drive investment in energy efficiency, renewable energy, smart grids and other clean tech innovations.
Concerned by fierce opposition to climate legislation from vocal critics, some members of Congress have called for sidelining the climate bill and focusing only on a new energy bill to promote "innovation and new technology."
That would make every politician's life easier. But as Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., has noted, innovation doesn't come from thin air--it needs the right market environment:
If you separate climate from energy reform, you slow your ability to create those clean jobs because every market expert tells you those energy reforms can't take hold unless you price carbon. Unless you do something comprehensive you're just going a more expensive, less effective route and you'll keep trailing other countries.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., gets it as well. As he told a recent gathering of the geothermal industry, "Most importantly, Congress needs to send the market a clear signal on the costs of global warming pollution to drive far greater investments into geothermal and every other form of renewable energy and energy efficiency."
Businesses have been saying the same message, loud and clear. In a recent ad signed by dozens of major companies, including PG&E, corporate leaders warned that "today's uncertainty surrounding energy and climate regulation is hindering the large-scale actions that American businesses are poised to make. We need strong policies and clear market signals that support the transition to a low-carbon economy and reward companies that innovate."
The same logic has also motivated major automakers to call for higher gas taxes, so consumers will buy smaller, more fuel-efficient cars, including hybrids.
Let's face facts. It will be many years, if ever, before renewable energy and clean nuclear power are as cheap as coal-fired power. Not until the price of coal reflects the environmental damage it inflicts will alternatives stand on their feet without massive government subsidies. That's why legislation to stabilize the Earth's climate is so critical to creating the right climate for new investments in clean energy.
Jan 15 2010
Several items relating to the business and technology of clean energy and the environment caught our attention this week:
Internet giant Google is looking at high-altitude wind power and other renewable energy sources to beat the price of coal. In a lengthy interview with Green Inc., Google green energy czar Bill Weihl says it's exploring ways to capture stronger and steadier winds at 500 to 2,000 meters or potentially up in the jet stream. Google has invested in Makani Power, a company exploring high-altitude wind using an airborne platform. Weihl says Google also is looking at concentrated solar thermal and enhanced geothermal power.
Update from our item last Friday on the controversial wind farm project proposed for offshore Cape Cod: Federal Interior Secretary Ken Salazar met with virtually all the parties to the lengthy dispute and said he plans to decide whether to approve the Cape Wind project no later than April. The project is a test of the Obama administration's commitment to renewable energy projects on public lands and off the nation's shorelines, the New York Times says. It would be the country's first major offshore wind farm.
The symbolic Doomsday Clock showing how close we are to annihilation and the end of time was set back by one minute to six minutes before midnight from five. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, which maintains the clock, attributed the change to efforts by world leaders to reduce nuclear arsenals and work together on climate change. The group said a "new era of cooperation" has been helped by the election of President Obama and increased U.S. participation in international affairs.
Dec 21 2009
When "Miracle on 34th Street" hit the silver screen in 1947, 8-year-old Susan Walker, played by Natalie Wood, got her holiday wish when Kris Kringle gave her directions to the new home she asked Santa Claus to deliver. If the movie were written today, Susan would probably ask for an energy efficient home with ENERGY STAR appliances and solar panels.
Like Kris Kringle, Habitat for Humanity has been making children's dreams come true since 1976. But unlike Santa, Habitat delivers presents to families year round. To date, the organization has built over 350,000 houses around the world, providing close to 2 million people with safe, affordable and now energy efficient housing.
To make these homes even more environmentally friendly, PG&E created the Solar Habitat Program in 2005. So far, as part of the partnership with Habitat for Humanity, PG&E has funded solar installations on 260 homes for hard-working families. The average solar system produces 300 kWh of clean, renewable energy each month, saving participants about $500 a year. In addition, PG&E employees have donated more than 7,000 hours of their time working on Habitat for Humanity job sites.
Just last week, PG&E volunteers, including corporate officers and CEO Peter Darbee, spent the day at a Hunters Point construction site, working on one of seven four-bedroom homes. In addition to other duties, the crews worked to install and hook up eight solar panels on one of the homes.
"It's impressive to see first hand how Habitat for Humanity constructs these quality homes with the help of volunteers from the community," said Darbee. "This is an extremely organized operation that allows those of us who are volunteering to make a real contribution to the construction of these homes."
Thanks to Habitat for Humanity and its many contributors, the spirit of 34th Street lives on as families get their 21st century, energy-efficient miracles year round.
Dec 16 2009
First there was Cash for Clunkers, followed by President Obama's proposed $23 billion Cash for Caulkers program.
Less well publicized, and less alliterative, is another government green subsidy program that some analysts are calling a great success. Its less-than-jazzy name is section 1603 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Section 1603 is pumping life-saving dollars into the veins of finance-starved renewable energy companies, creating jobs as well as a cleaner environment. It provides direct cash reimbursement of up to 30 percent of a developer's total costs. In contrast, longstanding federal investment and production tax credits don't do the trick in today's economy, since many developers don't have any tax liability to offset.
So far, more than 150 projects across the country have received more than $1.7 billion in payments, ranging from $3,000 for a small solar installation in Pennsvylania to $122 million for a big Texas wind farm.
"If I had to give a grade, the 1603 would be an A+," said Greg Burkart, a managing director at financial advisory and investment banking firm Duff & Phelps.
California is still behind the curve on winning Section 1603 payments. The biggest win so far is $6.6 million for a project at a landfill in Half Moon Bay that captures methane gas (a potent greenhouse pollutant) and uses it to generate enough electricity to serve almost 12,000 homes.
The project developer, Ameresco, called it "one of the largest landfill gas-to-energy projects that's been developed in the past five years -- certainly it's the biggest project in California in the last five years."
To qualify for funds, construction on new projects must begin by 2010 and put in service sometime between January 1, 2013 and January 1, 2017, depending on the type of project.
