ASERTTI News
ASERTTI Past Chair and
Advanced Energy Executive Named to EPRI Advisory
Council
John Morrison, ASERTTI Past Chair and Vice
President of Operations for Advanced Energy, has
been named to the Advisory Council to The Electric
Power Research Institute (EPRI). EPRI, an ASERTTI
member, utilizes the Council to provide high-level
policy advice on the direction and balance of EPRI's
research program and is comprised of individuals
from many different communities, including:
environment, academic, finance, government,
international, labor and industry. "EPRI plays an
integral role in identifying research needs and
carrying out research for the utility industry,"
said Mr. Morrison. "At such a crucial moment in the
energy industry, I am honored to serve on the
Advisory Council to EPRI, an organization that has
played, and will continue to play, such a
significant role in developing and transforming
energy policy and technology."
DOE to Invest in
Western Renewable Energy Zones
DOE announced a plan to invest $2.3 million over
three years to identify areas in the Western U.S.
with vast renewable energy resources and to develop
and deliver those resources to meet energy needs.
DOE partnered with the Western Governors Association
(WGA) on the effort and has provided a cooperative
agreement with the WGA under which the work will be
conducted. Anticipated information gained through
this initiative will help regulators make informed
decisions about siting costs of renewable energy
projects in the region. For more information, see:
www.doe.gov/news/6284.htm.
DOE Announces
Solicitations for $30.5 Billion in Loan Guarantees
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced
three solicitations in late July for a total of up
to $30.5 billion in federal loan guarantees for
projects that employ advanced energy technologies
that avoid, reduce or sequester air pollutants or
greenhouse gas emissions. The three solicitations
are in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable
energy and advanced transmission and distribution
technologies; nuclear power facilities; and advanced
nuclear facilities for the ‘front-end’ of the
nuclear fuel cycle. This marks the second round of
solicitations for DOE’s Loan Guarantee Program,
which encourages the commercial use of new or
significantly improved energy technologies, and is
an important step in paving the way for clean energy
projects. For more information, see:
www.doe.gov/news/6377.htm.
Connecticut Commits to
Reduce It’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions - 80% Lower by
2050
Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell signed a bill
on June 2, 2008 that will require the state to cut
greenhouse gas emissions by 10% below 1990 levels
and 80% below 2001 levels by the year 2050. House
Bill 5600, “A Bill Concerning Global Warming
Solutions” seeks to meet this goal. The state
department of environmental protection is charged
with developing a strategy to meet these reductions
and will be working with other states that are part
of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to achieve
these goals. For more information, see:
www.eere.energy.gov/news/archive.cfm/pubDate=%7Bd%20%272008-06-11%27%7D.
Duke Energy Plans to
Use 850 Sites in North Carolina for Solar Power
On June 6, 2008, Duke Energy filed an application
with the North Carolina Utilities Commission to
implement a $100 million, 20 megawatt (MW) solar
panel project in the state. If approved, Duke Energy
would install solar panels in over 850 locations
throughout the state and maintain those systems
while rewarding the customers who offer their
locations. This effort will help Duke Energy meet
the State’s renewable energy portfolio standard and
will generate enough electricity to power over 2,600
homes. For more information, please go to the
following link -
www.eere.energy.gov/news/news_detail.cfm/news_id=11811.
Massachusetts
Governor Signs Legislation to Double Renewable
Energy Requirements
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed
energy legislation that requires electricity
generators in the state to draw their generation
from 25% renewable sources by 2030 increasing from
4% in 2009. This percentage increase has no cap and
doubles the previous renewable portfolio standard
for the state from 0.5% per year to 1% per year. For
more information, see:
www.mass.gov/?pageID=gov3pressrelease&L=1&L0=Home&sid=Agov3&b=pressrelease&f=080702_bill_energy_clean&csid=Agov3.
NY PSC Approves Energy
Efficiency Initiative
The NY PSC approved an initiative in mid-June to
reduce electricity sales in the state 7.5% by 2015.
The initiative seeks to improve upon and create new
energy efficiency programs by increasing the systems
benefit charge paid by electricity customers. These
programs are expected to save consumers an estimated
$4 billion by 2015. For more information, see:
www3.dps.state.ny.us/pscweb/WebFileRoom.nsf/Web/599B3E42019C39298525746C00710FB1/$File/pr08072.pdf.
Ohio Requires 25% Renewable
or Advanced Energy by 2025
Ohio Governor Ted Strickland approved a bill on
May 1 that will require the state's utilities to
draw on renewable or advanced energy for 25% of
their electricity supply by 2025. Senate Bill 221
requires renewable energy to meet at least half of
that requirement, which starts at 0.5% by the end of
2009 and gradually ratchets up to 25% by the end of
2024. So the actual renewable energy requirement
starts at 0.25% at the end of 2009 and increases to
12.5% by the end of 2024. The bill defines renewable
energy as electricity produced from solar electric
systems, wind power, geothermal energy, biomass
energy, low-impact hydropower, and fuel cells,
regardless of their type and the fuel they use. A
small fraction of the renewable energy must come
from solar energy, starting at 0.004% of all
electricity sales by the end of 2009 and increasing
to 0.5% of electricity sales by the end of 2024. At
least half of the renewable energy facilities must
be located within the state, and renewable energy
credits may be used to meet the requirement. For
more information, see:
www.eere.energy.gov/news/archive.cfm/pubDate=%7Bd%20%272008-05-07%27%7D#11754.
Florida Governor Signs
Energy and Climate Change Bill
On June 25, 2008, Florida Governor Charlie Crist
signed into law House Bill 7135, enacting several
new energy and climate change policies. The policies
include the Florida Climate Protection Act, which
authorizes the Department of Environmental
Protection to develop an electric-utility greenhouse
gas (GHG) cap-and-trade program. Pending legislative
approval of the final plan, the cap-and-trade
program may begin operation as soon as January 1,
2010. Among other goals, the program will develop a
timeline to reduce electric sector GHG emissions to
2000 levels by 2017, 1990 levels by 2025, and 80
percent below 1990 levels by 2005, in accordance
with Governor Crist’s Executive Order 07-127 from
July 2007. In addition, the bill directs the Public
Service Commission to adopt a Renewable Portfolio
Standard for public utilities, requires utilities to
develop standardized net metering programs for
customer-owned renewable energy generation, and
directs the Public Service Commission to investigate
utility revenue decoupling. For more information,
see:
www.pewclimate.org/node/6013.
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