Report: Britain Faces a Major Energy Crisis Within 10 Years

Britain is heading for a major energy crisis within ten years, says a report published today by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

The loss of coal by 2025, along with growth in demand and the closure of the majority of our nuclear power stations will therefore be significant, leaving a potential supply gap of 40%–55%, depending on wind levels.

What the report doesn’t explain properly is that this is a direct result of the decision by Prime Minister David Cameron and his Energy Secretary Amber Rudd to engage in green gesture politics by announcing the premature phasing out of all Britain’s coal-fired power plants. These currently supply about one quarter of the country’s energy needs.

According to the report’s author, Jenifer Baxter:

“The UK is facing an electricity supply crisis.

“As the UK population rises and with the greater use of electricity use in transport and heating, it looks almost certain that electricity demand is going to rise.

“However, with little or no focus on reducing electricity demand, the retirement of the majority of the country’s ageing nuclear fleet, recent proposals to phase out coal-fired power by 2025 and the cut in renewable-energy subsidies, the UK is on course to produce even less electricity than it does at the moment.

“We cannot rely on CCGTs alone to plug this gap as we have neither the time, resources nor enough people with the right skills to build sufficient power plants.”

Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGTs) are the state-of-the-art form of gas power generation which could, theoretically, fill that yawning energy gap. The problem is, says the report, that at least 30 of them would need to be built within ten years: something which certainly isn’t going to happen in the current climate when renewables are so heavily subsidised that it is quite impossible for fossil fuels to compete on a level playing field.

In other words technologies that work are being driven out of the market by technologies that don’t work, simply because of misplaced green squeamishness about “carbon” emissions.

The report is absolutely correct in its concerns. As with Islam, so it is with energy: Britain’s political class – in common with Europe’s political class – has neither the understanding nor the appetite, let alone the courage, to take the actions necessary to avert the inevitable crisis.

Even so, the organisation that produced the report – the Institution of Mechanical Engineers – is as much a part of the problem as it is the solution. Like so many institutions it has been swallowed up by the Green Blob.

Here, for example, is the CV of the report’s author Jenifer Baxter: (H/T Climanrecon at Paul Homewood’s place)

“Jenifer entered engineering in 1995 undertaking a BTEC in general engineering at North Hertfordshire College with an aim to change the world and create a cleaner environment through engineering. Following this Jenifer gained a BEng in Environmental Engineering in 2001 and an MSc in Sustainability, Planning and Environmental Policy in 2003, both from Cardiff University. Following an early spell in research, Jenifer went to work for the waste strategy team at the Welsh Government for six years until she left to study a PhD in technological innovation for hydrogen production from waste also from Cardiff University.”

So, instead of analysing the issue from a strictly engineering perspective – as perhaps, you might hope from something which calls itself the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and not, say, the Institution of Big Fluffy Pie In The Sky Green Fantasies – Baxter does insist in imposing her environmentalist slant. Just have a read of this bit:

The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has said that the Government’s focus is “to create policy to ensure energy is affordable and secure and that in the past the balance had swung too far in favour of climate change policies”.

However it is far from clear that this market-led, consumer-based approach would lead to carbon reduction. With historically low oil prices and significant reserves of coal globally, there is potential for the cheapest fuel for power generation to be the one that is most polluting.

Green finger-wagging editorialising, or what? Woman, get this: it is not your job as an engineer to be telling us what Britain’s energy policies will or won’t do for “carbon reduction”. Your job is to tell us whether or not the lights are going to go out. And then to make recommendations as to how we might stop them going out.

Preferably recommendations that don’t include drivel like “investment in research and development activities for renewables”. What do you think it is that created this problem in the first place?

Report: Britain Faces a Major Energy Crisis Within 10 Years

Report: Ranger projects won't aid Vt. energy goals

Five proposed 20-megawatt solar projects would boost the amount of renewable power generated in Vermont, but the credit for the solar power is worth far more in other states, a recent analysis found.

That means that the power generated by Ranger Solar in Vermont likely won’t count toward Vermont’s renewable energy goals because the renewable energy credits, or RECs, will be sold elsewhere.

Companies which sell RECs pass savings onto customers, but can’t claim to provide green energy to them.

Adam Cohen, president of Ranger Solar, said he wants to sell the renewable energy credits in Vermont despite the lower price here. He said the closing of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant — with a 604-megawatt renewable energy capacity — and other facilities creates an energy demand which Ranger is poised to fill.

Demand for electricity is separate from renewable energy credit demand. Electricity goes into the grid and is difficult to track, but RECs are traceable and are measuring sticks linked to a state’s renewable goals.

By selling renewable credits, the right to claim the renewable energy is sold as well. The more renewable credits a utility purchases, the more renewable energy they can claim to meet the state’s renewable quota.

“The REC itself we’ll have and we want to sell to Vermont utilities. … We know they need a lot more RECs, so we hope utilities buy them,” Cohen said.

Kevin Jones, professor of energy technology and policy at Vermont Law School, said he doubts Ranger’s RECs will be sold in Vermont.

It’s a matter of profit, he said.

“Very clearly, the market for renewable energy credits is out of state,” Jones said. “Almost all the large-scale solar … are selling RECs.”

Ranger’s 20-megawatt proposals in Ludlow, Brandon, Barton, Highgate and Sheldon would be the five largest in the state, by far. Currently, Vermont’s largest solar field is about 5 megawatts.

Each Ranger site would require about 100 acres of land and create a tax revenue source and new jobs for construction and operation.

A study published by Synapse Energy Economics in November said Ranger Solar will “almost certainly” sell its RECs for “out-of-state” energy goals in places like Massachusetts and Connecticut because of higher selling prices there.

The study — commissioned by Ranger Solar — delved into one of the 20-megawatt proposals in Ludlow, called the Coolidge Solar Project, and concluded with overall support.

The study said the demand for renewable energy in Vermont and New England is on the rise, and the Ranger projects would introduce powerful infrastructure in Vermont to improve electricity production and capacity for decades to come.

“Vermont and every other New England state have set challenging targets for procuring … renewable energy and efficiency,” the study said. “The resulting policies ensure strong and annually increasing demand for renewable energy certificates for the foreseeable future.”

According to the Synapse study, the value of a REC in Connecticut is $55 and $67 in Massachusetts. In Vermont, the same REC is worth $10, the study said.

With Vermont’s lower selling price, outsourcing of renewable credits leaves Vermonters to rely more on fossil-fuel power sources that don’t have RECs attached to them, according to Department of Public Service documents.

The DPS also said renewable energy such as hydropower accounted for 61 percent of the state’s electricity supply in 2014. Solar power accounted for 1 percent.

But when the out-of-state REC sales are accounted for, the percentage of renewable energy in the Vermont electric energy supply drops to 45 percent — 44 percent from hydropower, 1 percent from wood and zero from solar.

Some state officials, including Gov. Peter Shumlin, have voiced serious skepticism about Ranger, saying its projects are too big for Vermont.

Chris Recchia, commissioner of the Department of Public Service, said it seems likely Ranger will sell RECs outside Vermont “in my understanding.”

The project won’t contribute to Vermont’s energy goals, he said.

“We haven’t received applications yet, and when we do we will review those based on public benefit,” Recchia said.

“The public benefit to Vermont usually depends on, first and foremost, if we’re using the electricity from those projects or whether it’s being sold to others,” he added. “Similarly, right on the heels of that, is whether the renewable energy attributes of those projects are being kept in Vermont or sold elsewhere.”

Kristin Carlson, spokeswoman for Green Mountain Power, said the state’s largest utility company would pay a premium price for power generated at Ranger sites and wants to restructure Ranger’s operation.

“What Ranger has filed for … is something called PURPA pricing,” Carlson said, referring to the Public Utility Regulatory Polices Act. “It forces all utilities to buy the power at an expensive price that is above market.”

GMP tried to block Ranger’s permits at the Public Service Board because of the PURPA arrangement and Carlson said GMP wants what is called a power-purchase agreement.

A PPA is a contract with pre-determined rates between an electricity buyer like GMP and an electricity seller like Ranger Solar. Negotiating a PPA would also give GMP rights to the renewable credits, Carlson said, which is something the company wants to expand in the future.

“You will see more renewable power (from GMP),” Carlson said. “Right now we’re trying to figure out what the fit is.”

In contrast to Ranger’s mega-developments, some smaller community solar companies have been accused of marketing deceptions.

Last month, the Vermont attorney heneral’s office issued a warning and marketing guidelines to community companies like SunCommon and GMP. Those companies, according to Attorney General William Sorrell, inappropriately told customers their solar projects were generating renewable energy for their personal use when the RECs were actually being sold out of state.

“Public statements, including those on websites or in print material, that solar energy is ‘clean’ or ‘renewable’ can be deceptive if the RECs are sold and there is no adequate disclosure about it,” the guidelines state.

The warning says “deceptive statements about the renewable attributes of a solar project where the RECs are sold would violate the Vermont Consumer Protection Act … Violations of the Act are subject to injunctive relief and civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.”

Jones said, “It’s like trying to sell someone organic vegetables that have been sprayed with pesticides.”

He said Rutland’s mission to become the nation’s “solar capital” might have unintended consequences.

Instead of Vermonters gaining access to clean energy, Jones said, Vermonters are being tapped to generate clean energy for sale elsewhere.

“Rutland might be the capital — as far as housing solar,” he said.

dan.colton @rutlandherald.com

Report: Ranger projects won"t aid Vt. energy goals

MLA Report: With the right leadership, we can build the energy future we want

There are few places in British Columbia that are more connected to power generation than Columbia River–Revelstoke. Home to considerable power projects like Revelstoke Dam, and part of the affected area of the Columbia River Basin, we understand this industry, and live daily with its benefits and consequences.

British Columbians have long benefitted from being owners of much of the power generated within this province, and through BC Hydro, a Crown Corporation that has traditionally provided significant dividends to the public purse, we have received access to consistent, low cost power.

Unfortunately, over the last 14 years under the BC Liberals, British Columbians have watched the cost of hydro skyrocket as government forced our Crown Corporation to make decisions that were not in the best interest of either BC Hydro or BC ratepayers.

It is time for British Columbians to make a new choice; a choice for better management of this precious resource, and better energy policy that protects rate payers, manages for sustainability, protects farmland, and moves us toward a green energy future.

Put forward by the BC NDP, PowerBC is a better plan for a brighter future for British Columbia. I believe that BC’s energy policy must be bold and progressive. We can protect BC Hydro customers from rising rates, produce good-paying jobs close to home, respect First Nations land title, and launch careers in clean energy and retrofit construction, maintenance, manufacturing and high-tech engineering.

PowerBC is about retrofitting public buildings, homes and businesses for energy efficiency, resulting in reduced energy costs and community-based jobs.

PowerBC is about maximizing current capacity in existing dams such as the Revelstoke Dam. Forward-thinking engineering built this structure for future capacity. We can still add one more turbine in Revelstoke Dam which would generate 500 megawatts of new capacity and create 390 person-years of skilled trades employment.

PowerBC is about making significant investments in clean energy. British Columbia is particularly well suited to produce renewable energy and could be an exporter of not only renewable energy, but of renewable energy technology.

Columbia River–Revelstoke has already embraced a diversity of energy production options that range from the SunMine in Kimberley to the bioenergy facility in Skookumchuk. Across British Columbia, there are tremendous opportunities for geothermal, wind, tidal and solar generation.

With the right leadership, we can build the energy future we want. If you want to learn more about PowerBC, go to bcndpcaucus.ca/powerbc.

Norm Macdonald is the MLA for Columbia River–Revelstoke. He can be reached at 1-866-870-4188 and norm.macdonald.mla@leg.bc.ca.

MLA Report: With the right leadership, we can build the energy future we want

Research delivers insight into the Worldwide report on air-conditioning filter mesh market for 2015

It also provides, wherever applicable and relevant, technical data of products, and sheds useful light on expected commercial production dates and current R&D status.

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Experts with proven credentials and a high standing within the research fraternity have presented an in-depth analysis of the subject matter, bringing to bear their unparalleled domain knowledge and vast research experience. They offer some penetrating insights into the complex world of Global Air-conditioning Filter Mesh Industry.

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Chapter Six: Analysis of Air-conditioning Filter Mesh Production, Supply, Sales and Market Status 2010-2015
Chapter Seven: Analysis of Air-conditioning Filter Mesh Industry Key Manufacturers
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Chapter Nine: Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Air-conditioning Filter Mesh
Chapter Ten: Development Trend of Air-conditioning Filter Mesh Industry 2015-2020
Chapter Eleven: Industry Chain Suppliers of Air-conditioning Filter Mesh with Contact Information
Chapter Twelve: New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Air-conditioning Filter Mesh
Chapter Thirteen: Conclusion of the Global Air-conditioning Filter Mesh Industry 2015 Market Research Report

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Topics: Orbis Research

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Research delivers insight into the Worldwide report on air-conditioning filter mesh market for 2015

Report presents case for Wyoming wind power to California

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A new study presents a case for California regulators to turn to Wyoming wind power to help offset the natural ups and downs of wind and solar power generated in their state.

The report released Monday by the University of Wyoming Wind Energy Research Center says Wyoming wind could help California save water — over a billion gallons a year.

Wyoming wind also could help California utility customers pay less as their state looks to get one-third of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

The reason for those savings is Wyoming’s wind patterns tend to be opposite of those in California. The wind in Wyoming tends to blow more when it’s less windy in California.

The report says wide distribution of wind and solar power makes renewables more feasible.

Report presents case for Wyoming wind power to California

Report: Germany's 'Green' Revolution Is Running Out Of Money

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It wasn’t long ago that President Barack Obama was pointing to Germany as an example of how the U.S. should develop green energy, but that was before news that Europe’s biggest economy might be running out of money for its green energy revolution.

Germany’s $412 billion plan to power itself with green energy may be running low on cash, according to a new report by financial consultants, as consumer energy prices skyrocket and traditional power plants require more subsidies to stay in business.

“The necessary equity funds for the expansion of the network infrastructure and offshore wind can probably be provided only with the participation of alternative and international investors,” warns a report by consultants with Roland Berger and the World Energy Council.

“High risks however make it questionable whether the investment needs can be met at a sufficient capacity and speed,” reads the unpublished study obtained by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, a German newspaper.

For years, Germany has been trying to force more wind and solar energy onto its electrical grid, but what started as a well-intended effort to fight global warming devolved into an expensive labyrinth of subsidies and special interest politics.

The idea was that once the grid was transformed to power more green energy, costs would go down as new technologies and efficiencies came onto market. But the report by Roland Berger and the World Energy Council cautions that at least 280 billion euros will be needed in the next 15 years to meet Germany’s green goals. And that’s with “sustained political support,” the report warns — without it, the transformation could get even more costly.

That’s only the tip of the cost-berg, the report warns. The report also warns that funding for offshore wind farms faces “high risk and market entry barriers” and a “significantly tighter situation.” Germany and other Europeans countries are increasingly relying on offshore wind farms for electricity, especially as nuclear power plants are phased out.

“The high risk of investing in offshore wind farms, however, contradicts the risk profile of institutional investors,” the report warns.

And don’t forget money needed for the transmissions systems required to bring such localized and dispersed electricity production to the homes and businesses which need it. The German Energy Agency estimates these systems will cost the country 28 to 43 billion euros by 2040.

One thing that’s often overlooked by green energy supporters is that people need energy while new sources are being built. Germany’s energy transition, however, is causing traditional power plants — which still supply most of the country’s power — to go into the red financially and require an ever increasing amount of state subsidies to survive.

“Many traditional utilities, which previously financed investments in the electricity sector, mainly through their shareholders’ equity, are today with their backs to the wall,” Uwe Franke, president of the German wing of the World Energy Council, told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Franke told the paper that “new investors would have to be found to ensure ‘the energy transition and the security of supply.’”

[H/T The Global Warming Policy Forum]

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Report: Germany"s "Green" Revolution Is Running Out Of Money

New Report Shows Iowa Leads Nation for Wind Energy

(Des Moines) — The move to more renewable sources of energy is proving to be a breeze locally, with a new study showing that Iowa leads the nation for wind power.

Mike Prior is executive director of Iowa Wind Energy Association, which issued the report. He says more than 28 percent of the energy produced in Iowa now comes from wind generation, the highest percentage of any state.

“And by the end of 2015, our expected megawatt total will be 6,300, which will be over about 30 percent of our entire generation for the state of Iowa that will come from wind energy,” he adds.

In addition to good wind resources, Prior credits the utilities in the state in helping to lead the way to more wind generation, along with supportive state lawmakers and policies.

Prior notes that wind energy is affordable energy, as electricity rates in Iowa have remained below the national average as the amount of wind generation has grown steadily over the past decade.

“For example, Iowa’s electricity rates are 30 percent lower than Wisconsin electric rates, and Wisconsin only gets about 2 percent of its energy from wind power, compared to our 28.5 percent,” he points out.

Prior also says wind energy is good for the local economy, with about 6,000 Iowans employed in the industry, and landowners receiving more than $16 million annually in wind turbine land lease payments.

New Report Shows Iowa Leads Nation for Wind Energy

Report: Filtration System Reduces Pollutants Inside the Bus

A recent study by researchers at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health concluded that a filtration system designed especially for use in school buses can diminish on-board pollutants by up to 88 percent.

“School buses are by far the safest way to transport children between school and home,” said Yifang Chu, senior author of the study and associate professor at UCLA’s department of Environmental Health Sciences. “Our goal is to make it also the cleanest way.”

Researchers designed a prototype high-efficiency cabin air (HECA) filtration system and installed two units in the rear of six school buses used for testing. The units drew in air through diffusers located on its sides of the bus and passed the air through the HECA filters. Researchers tested the air inside and outside the buses for emissions such as black carbon and fine as well as ultrafine particles.

The study, funded by the California Air Resources Board, tested buses without passengers both while they were parked and while they were running on major arteries and highways in the Los Angeles area.

Interestingly, researchers found that the decrease in pollutants was greater in freeway driving conditions. This was surprising due to the higher concentration of pollutants that come from the highly congested Los Angeles freeways. The study stated that the quality of the filtered air inside the bus was comparable to that of the beach in Santa Monica, California.

According to Zhu, exposure to pollutants can take a toll on children’s health.

“During school bus commuting, children can be exposed to significantly greater levels of air pollutants than a typical resident in the South Coast air basin,” she said. “Studies have shown that exposure to high levels of vehicle pollution is associated with pulmonary and cardiovascular health risks, including oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage and acute pulmonary inflammation.”

UCLA said in a statement that another study funded by CARB over a decade ago found “air quality problems” inside diesel-powered school buses. 

“That study led to efforts to retrofit school buses with exterior pollution-reducing devices. While that method is promising for minimizing emissions from buses’ tailpipes, it doesn’t always provide cleaner air inside the buses,” the statement read.

A prior study also conducted by Zhu and her team found that air purifiers designed for home use can decrease levels of pollution inside the school bus by approximately 50 percent. However, these filters are not designed for use inside moving vehicles.

A long-term follow-up study will test the HECA systems on a greater number of school buses with children on board.

Photo: UCLA

Report: Filtration System Reduces Pollutants Inside the Bus

Report: "Mold, mildew, no ventilation" at some Harrisburg schools

Teachers within the Harrisburg School District say the air quality inside the city’s school buildings are making them sick.

Video: Watch Porcha Johnson’s report

When multiple teachers complained about becoming sick, the district hired a company to check filters and test for mold and overall air quality.

Rich Askey, president of the Harrisburg teachers union, believes some of the schools are not safe. He says he has the pictures to prove it, including some from Camp Curtin Elementary School on North 6th Street.

“We have students and teachers that are getting nose bleeds in the middle of the day for no reason at all and having respiratory issues,” said Askey.

The district hired Siemens, an international engineering company, to examine the condition of the schools.

According to the report released on Monday, Siemens found there was ample evidence of “mold, mildew, no ventilation, and inadequate temperature control.” It also found that air filters hadn’t been replaced since 2008.

However, in a press conference held Wednesday, Siemens said it overstated its findings.

The teachers union is expected to push for a resolution to the air quality issue.

Report: "Mold, mildew, no ventilation" at some Harrisburg schools

Report: WIPP contractor still has air issues to fix

By Lauren Villagran / Journal Staff Writer – Las Cruces Bureau
PUBLISHED: Tuesday, January 6, 2015 at 12:02 am

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The contractor for the WIPP nuclear repository still must resolve issues with underground ventilation to protect workers from bad air, according to a U.S. Department of Energy review.

Nuclear Waste Partnership “does not have a sound engineering approach to determining the minimum ventilation rates that will ensure safe conditions for underground workers,” the DOE’s Office of Enterprise Assessments said in a critical Dec. 29 report.

Air flow in the deep underground repository has been severely restricted since a Feb. 14 radiation leak contaminated WIPP with americium and plutonium, shutting down the facility.

The reduced air flow has limited the amount of work that can be done underground as WIPP tries to recover. Running the diesel equipment used to haul salt from the mine and accomplish other tasks is especially an issue.

“The identified deficiencies are significant and need to be addressed before WIPP begins to use diesel engines underground,” the DOE said in its report. “Although operation of diesel equipment at WIPP under the current conditions will be challenging, it can be accomplished safely underground if appropriate safety controls and restrictions are developed using a sound engineering approach,” DOE said.

Don Hancock, a WIPP watchdog with Albuquerque’s Southwest Research and Information Center, said, “You can’t have people breathing in diesel fumes because that is a health risk. The way you alleviate the risk is to have a higher air flow so it dilutes the fumes and they are not dangerous to the workers.”

At the time of the release, high-efficiency air filters kicked in to clean the underground air of radiological contaminants before expulsing the air into the environment. Those filters are still running.

The fans associated with those filters can move only about 60,000 cubic feet of air per minute – roughly one-seventh of the air flow underground before the radiation release, according to Hancock.

In a statement, the DOE’s Carlsbad Field Office said resolution of the ventilation issues already was being addressed at the time of the assessment.

NWP is “revising ventilation plans” based on the current mine configuration and is also putting in place air monitors that would continuously sample air for diesel particulates, the statement said.

Report: WIPP contractor still has air issues to fix

Report: WIPP leak small at surface, more serious underground

By Lauren Villagran / Journal Staff Writer – Las Cruces Bureau
UPDATED: Thursday, December 18, 2014 at 2:37 pm

PUBLISHED: Thursday, December 18, 2014 at 11:19 am

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

file photo

The airborne radiation leak that shut down a nuclear waste repository in southeastern New Mexico earlier this year was ultimately small and localized, according to a report by independent researchers.

In its final report on air, soil and water samples taken from around the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant over the course of several months, the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center said the concentrations of radiological contaminants in the air above ground were “very small, localized, and well below any level of public health or environmental concern.”

Soil, sediment and surface water monitoring also showed no detectable increases over radiation levels typically measured in the area.

The findings in the report are consistent with CEMERC researchers’ presentations to the public over the past nine months.

On Valentine’s Day this past February, a hot reaction inside at least one drum of nuclear waste stored at WIPP cracked open a container, releasing plutonium and americium into the underground space. Small amounts of the radiation escaped into the air above ground before WIPP’s high-powered air filters kicked in.

The report concluded that, inside the deep underground repository, “moderate levels of radioactivity” were released.

CEMERC has been monitoring concentrations of radiation in the air at WIPP since the facility opened in 1996. The above-normal readings at its air-monitoring stations in the wake of the Feb. 14 event were the first indication of an airborne radiation release during WIPP’s 15 years of operation.

“No negative radiation-related health effects among local workers or the public should be expected,” CEMERC concluded.

New Mexico State University runs CEMERC, which is funded by the Department of Energy through a grant process “that respects its independence in carrying out and reporting the results of environmental monitoring at and near the WIPP site,” the report said.

WIPP — the final resting place for certain types of defense nuclear waste, key to the nation’s cleanup of Cold War-era weapons production — is expected to remain shuttered for several years. WIPP managers have estimated the clean-up could cost half a billion dollars.

Report: WIPP leak small at surface, more serious underground

Report: America could power itself 100 times over with solar energy

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 19: Solar panels cover the employee parking lot on the Patagonia corporate headquarters campus in Ventura, California on Friday, September 19, 2014. (Photo by David Walter Banks/For The Washington Post)

It is widely known that among all the sources of alternative energy, the one with the greatest potential is solar. How could it be otherwise? Staggering amounts of solar radiation strike the Earth each day; the only trick is capturing more of it.

In a new report, the Environment America Research and Policy Center seeks to visualize and quantify this potential as it pertains to the United States. The report argues that the U.S. “has the potential to produce more than 100 times as much electricity from solar PV and concentrating solar power (CSP) installations as the nation consumes each year.” It adds that every single state could generate more solar electricity than its residents currently consume.

Here’s a visualization, showing states that can get 1 to 5 times their current energy needs from solar, states that can get 5 to 25 times their energy, states that can get 25 to 100 times what they’re using, and states that can get over 100 times their current needs:

Environment America, “Star Power: The Growing Role of Solar Energy in America,” 2014.

The map above, notes the report, was created by comparing technical estimates of solar potential from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory with state level electricity sales data from the Energy Information Administration.

The report also suggests that 35 million homes and businesses could potentially install solar on their roofs:

Environment America, “Star Power: The Growing Role of Solar Energy in America,” 2014.

Here again, the map is based on data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which laid out the percentage of potential rooftops that could host solar panels in various climates.

Granted, it is not that all of this solar potential will necessarily ever be exploited. But then again, we only need to exploit some of it. “It’s technically achievable, and we only have to capture a fraction of it, one hundredth of it to get all of our current electricity needs,” says Environment America’s energy program director Rob Sargent.

Chris Mooney reports on science and the environment.

Report: America could power itself 100 times over with solar energy

New report features states pioneering effective renewable energy policies

With growing gridlock in Washington, states throughout the country – both red and blue – are implementing innovative renewable energy and energy-efficiency programs which could be adopted by their neighbors to improve their economies and reduce emissions cost-effectively, according to a new joint study by Stanford University’s Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance and Hoover Institution’s Shultz-Stephenson Task Force on Energy Policy. These policies could be particularly valuable as states develop plans to meet pending U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations to cut power plant carbon emissions.

The new study, The State Clean Energy Cookbook: A Dozen Recipes for State Action on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, was led by former U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman and former Secretary of State and Treasury George Shultz. The report analyzes and makes specific recommendations regarding 12 policies that states are using today to encourage energy efficiency and renewable energy. It also analyzes the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) State Energy Program, which assists all 50 states.

The authors reach “an encouraging conclusion” in the report, noting, “Both red states and blue states are turning green – whether measured in dollar savings or environmental improvement.”

The policies and states featured are:

• Energy-Efficiency Resource Standards – Wisconsin


• Energy-Efficient Building Codes – Mississippi


• Building Energy Benchmarking and Disclosure – California, Washington


• Utility and Customer Market Incentives – Arizona, Washington,


• Renewable Portfolio Standards – North Carolina, Minnesota


• Net Energy Metering – Texas, Vermont


• Community Renewables – Colorado, California, Minnesota


• Renewable Energy Tariffs – North Carolina, Virginia


• Energy Savings Performance Contracts – Pennsylvania


• Third-Party Ownership of Distributed Power Systems – New Mexico


• Property-Assessed Clean Energy – Connecticut


• On-Bill Repayment – Hawaii, New York


• U.S. Department of Energy State Energy Program – Nebraska, Massachusetts

“We are impressed by the breadth of experience that states around the country already have in encouraging energy efficiency and renewable energy in ways that save money, reduce pollution and strengthen their energy security,” said Shultz, who co-chairs the Hoover Institution’s Shultz-Stephenson Task Force on Energy Policy. “The goal of the study is to provide a source for states to compare and contrast innovative policies, so that they can learn from each other.”

“States truly are the ‘laboratories of democracy’ when it comes to renewable energy and energy efficiency, adopting groundbreaking programs and policies that could provide benefits around the country,” said Bingaman, former chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, who co-authored the study on behalf of Stanford’s Steyer-Taylor Center, with support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Prior to serving in the Senate, Bingaman was New Mexico Attorney General.

“Most of the policies we discuss in the report have met several tests,” said Dan Reicher, executive director of the Steyer-Taylor Center and one of the report authors. “They are already on the books; they are in operation in both blue and red states; they enjoy good support; and, implemented well, they can be cost-effective.” Reicher was assistant secretary of energy in the Clinton administration, a member of President Obama’s Transition Team and an executive at Google.

Each policy “recipe” in the report includes:

• A detailed policy description


• Recommendation for implementation


• Current state examples


• Discussion of policy benefits


• Specific policy design considerations


• Additional policy resources

Other authors of the report are Jeremy Carl, Hoover Institution research fellow; Alicia Seiger, Steyer-Taylor Center deputy director; David Fedor, Hoover Institution Shultz-Stephenson Energy Task Force research analyst; Nicole Schuetz, Steyer-Taylor Center project manager; and Ernestine Fu, Stanford University Ph.D. student.

Read the full report here: The State Clean Energy Cookbook

New report features states pioneering effective renewable energy policies

Report shows 1 in 3 Texans choose renewable energy options

A Texas Empowerment report released by Choose Energy shows that about one in three Texans choose renewably sourced energy options.

That’s 100 percent more than any other state, Levente McCrary, spokeswoman for Choose Energy, said in an email.

“While Texans may have bigger grids and bills when it comes to energy, they also have a lot of choice in green energy plans — which may be partly why they gravitate to green energy plans more often than any other state,” she said.

This month, Choose Energy, an online energy marketplace that helps customers in deregulated areas, such as Tyler, choose the best energy option, released the Texas Empowerment report, found atwww.chooseenergy.com/blog/state-charts/texas .

The report showed that Texas residents are experiencing a significant increase in energy bills with the summer heat. However, electricity rates are expected to decrease until August by about $2 to $3 a month for the average household.

Choose Energy selects the leading energy suppliers who offer the best options for utilities. Consumers can choose the right plan for them — a fixed plan, a short-term option, cost savings, or a greener choice. Choose Energy shows customers what percentage of their power will be renewable with each provider’s offer.

Given recent pricing volatility, Texas residents are now increasingly opting for long term, 36-month plans, thereby locking in a fixed rate for three years, the report states.

Green plans tend to cost about half a penny more per kilowatt hour, equating to $75 more a year per household for renewable energy over coal-generated power, according to the Texas Empowerment report.

“We hear a lot about being more green, whether it’s related to recycling or choosing greener resources, and it’s something that Texans have embraced whole-heartedly,” Kerry Cooper, chief executive officer of Choose Energy, said in a statement. “What we allow customers to do with Choose Energy is really examine what a green choice would mean for them and compare their options. It’s empowering to take control and make an educated decision on who should be your energy provider and still benefit the environment.”

For customers who are intimidated by a green energy plan, Cooper suggests a number of other ways to make a home more green until the customer is ready and able to use a renewable energy source:

- Conduct an energy audit of the home.

- Replace regular light bulbs with energy-saving ones, such as LED, CFL or eco-incandescent bulbs.

- Turn off lights and other devices when they aren’t needed, and be aware of appliances that are actually on standby mode rather than off.

- Wash laundry in cold water instead of hot.

- Invest in energy-efficient appliances.

- Use a solar charger for electronic devices.

- When building a home, invest in energy-efficient design and construction.

Choose Energy is available in 11 states, with additional states coming online in 2014. For more, visit ChooseEnergy.com or call 1-855-419-8758.

Report shows 1 in 3 Texans choose renewable energy options

Renewables the solution to UK's critical fossil fuel shortage &ndash; report

Renewables the solution to UK’s critical fossil fuel shortage – report

Friday, May 16th, 2014 By Tom Revell

The UK faces a desperate shortage of natural resources such as oil and coal, according to a troubling new report that underlines the need for significant investment in renewable energy.

In new analysis, researchers from Anglia Ruskin University’s Global Sustainability Institute (GSI) have comprehensively mapped known international reserves of resources, also looking at supplies of food and water.

They found that the UK’s own reserves contain only enough oil to last 5.2 years at the current rate of consumption, with just 4.5 years of coal and three years of gas.

This means the UK is slightly better off than some of its neighbours – France, for example, has less than a year’s worth of oil, gas and coal.

However, some other European states are far better off. Russia has enough oil to sustain itself for over 50 years, with over 100 years of gas and more 500 years of coal, based on current internal consumption.

Norway has enough natural gas to last itself 420 years, while further afield, Qatar could continue consuming its gas reserves at the current rate for over a millennium.

“These maps show vulnerability in many parts of the EU and they paint a picture of heavily-indebted European economies coming under increasing threat from rising global energy prices”, said Dr Aled Jones, director of the GSI.

Prof Victor Anderson, also of the GSI, added that the report highlighted the need for alternative energy sources.

“The UK urgently needs to be part of a Europe-wide drive to expand renewable energy sources such as wave, wind, tidal and solar power”, he said.

Above: European resource maps for coal, gas and oil (click to enlarge).

Increased energy security is one of the biggest advantages that domestically produced renewable energy brings.

In April, a committee of MPs criticised the British government for failing to deliver plans that offer a secure, long-term energy supply.

This came after the Conservative party pledged to cut support for onshore wind projects and the Coalition government altered subsidies for solar power, making investors uneasy about the prospects of renewable projects.

The analysis is the first phase of the GSI’s ambitious Global Resource Observatory project, a survey that will provide an international database of national demand, supply and flow figures relevant to global resource security.

The first published findings also include a map of food reserves, finding that while Europe, America and Russia are well stocked, Africa the Arabian Peninsula and the Caribbean are highly dependent on imports.

Photo: johnny choura via Flickr

Further reading:

Guy Hands: Ukraine crisis shows importance of renewable energy

MPs criticise government’s short-termist national energy security plan

Energy security, fuel poverty and social change: the lowdown on renewables

Investments in renewables must increase, warns UN

Global Sustainability Institute to map effects of global resource shortages

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Renewables the solution to UK"s critical fossil fuel shortage &ndash; report

Dennis' Daily Report: SEN. BOWMAN AND WIND ENERGY

LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE IOWA’S WIND ENERGY ECONOMY ARE  HELPING CREATE JOBS ACROSS IOWA.   ROB HACH OF ALTA, IOWA, FOUNDED A COMPANY THAT  HAD 7 ENPLOYEES WHEN THE 2008 RECESSION HIT AND THEN GREW TO A WORKFORCE OF 33 TODAY.    SEN. BOWMAN OF

MAQUOKETA TALKED WITH HACH AND ROGER LUTES, A MARSHALL COUNTY FARMER WORKING TO LAUNCH A WIND FARM ON HIS LAND, AT THE IOWA

STATEHOUSE WEDNESDAY.   LEFT TO RIGHT, HACH, BOWMAN AND LUTES.

ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WIND ENERGY, TALK TO SEN. BOWMAN.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

DENNIS VOY

Dennis" Daily Report: SEN. BOWMAN AND WIND ENERGY

New Report: San Jose Ranks 4th Among Major US Cities for Installed Solar

“Solar power is booming across the country and cities are at the forefront,” said Mac Farrell, global warming organizer at Environment California. “As one of the top ranking cities, San Jose is leading the way.”

With the cost of solar coming down, there’s growing awareness of solar power as a mainstream energy solution with widespread benefits for our health, our economy and the environment.

“Going solar isn’t just good for the planet, it’s also an excellent investment,” said San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, who has solar panels installed on his own home. “San Jose is pleased to be recognized for its solar efforts. Since adopting our Green Vision in 2007, San Jose has become a national leader in solar installations, including putting solar on city buildings to save taxpayer dollars and energy.”

“I’m so proud of San Jose for being one of the national leaders in clean, renewable energy,” said Assemblymember Paul Fong (D-San Jose). “Solar power helps Californians meet its conservation goals. I’m looking forward to continue working with our community to reduce our carbon footprint.”

The report highlighted the benefits of solar energy, including:

Solar energy avoids pollution—Pollution-free energy from the sun reduces air pollution that contributes to urban smog and global warming. It also helps save the massive amount of water that’s normally consumed during the cooling of fossil-fuel-burning power plants.

Solar energy protects consumers—Since solar has no fuel costs, it can protect us from the rising cost of fossil fuels.

Solar energy helps the economy—California has over 47,000 solar jobs, accounting for approximately one-third of all solar jobs in the country.

The top 20 solar cities in this report have more solar power within their city limits than was installed in the entire U.S. just six years ago.

“Of course Silicon Valley has embraced solar power. High-tech embraces high-tech. California’s goal is to make rooftop solar power as commonplace as the PC, and forward-thinking cities like San Jose, along with strong public policies, are making that vision a reality,” says Kelsea Jones, Deputy Director of the California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA).

The report pointed to policies that encourage investment in solar PV installations, which have been adopted by local leaders in solar cities:

* City leaders can set ambitious and achievable goals and citizens and businesses can work with local governments to meet them. Cities can lead by example by putting solar on public buildings.
* Cities can adopt policies to advance solar power in their communities, including tax incentives, low-interest loan programs and solar-friendly zoning and building codes. Cities can also run “Solarize” programs that use bulk purchasing and educational campaigns to help neighbors “go solar” together.
* City leaders can work with state governments to ensure that they have strong programs to expand solar, including renewable energy standards, solar carve-outs or feed-in tariffs, net metering and community solar programs.
* City leaders can also demand a strong partnership with the federal government to ensure that federal incentives such as tax credits are continued. And, that federal programs, such as the Solar America’s Cities and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant programs continue to provide support and technical assistance to cities seeking to expand solar.

“We are pleased that a significant number of San Jose home and business owners have adopted solar to generate clean energy, reduce their carbon footprint and lower their electricity bills,” said SunPower President and CEO Tom Werner. “As a San Jose-based solar company, and founded almost 30 years ago, we continue to support the City’s environmental goals and congratulate its leaders on this achievement.”

In 2008, SunPower installed a 185-kilowatt solar system atop the roof of the San Jose Tech Museum, the first commercial solar system on a downtown San Jose building.

“The partnership between The Tech, the city of San Jose, and SunPower is a great example of how communities can pave the way for clean, renewable energy,” said The Tech President Tim Ritchie. “The Tech is proud to be part of San Jose’s recognition and exhibit the benefits of solar power.”

“Clean Solar is the second largest residential installer in San Jose, where it was born, nurtured, and is now thriving,” added Randy Zechman, CEO of Clean Solar. “San Jose’s leadership in green building and infrastructure has been a key part of our success and happiness in this market. We are not surprised to see San Jose thriving as one of America’s top solar cities.”

“The sky’s the limit on solar energy. San Jose is a shining example of solar leadership,” said Farrell. “But, we’ve barely scratched the surface of the potential to capture this pollution-free energy source. By committing to bold goals and expanding on the good policies we’ve adopted, we can take solar to the next level.”

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Environment California Research & Policy Center is a statewide nonprofit environmental advocacy organization working to protect California’s air, water and open spaces. More information, including copies of today’s report, can be found at http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/center.

http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/news/cae/new-report-san-jose-ranks-4th-among-major-us-cities-installed-solar

New Report: San Jose Ranks 4th Among Major US Cities for Installed Solar