- Green power
- Geothermal Energy’s Environmental and Health Benefits Worth $117 Million Annually
- OU ranks first in Big 12 for green energy consumption
- Google shakes up US utility with green power tariff
- Reports and studies
- Rule change for RPS enforcement for California public utilities
- NREL GIS tools analyze renewable feasibility
- NREL report examines consumer attitudes about renewables
- U.S. Warming Rates Significant Since First Earth Day
- LADWP To Sign Agreement For Renewable Geothermal Power
- EESI quarterly wrap-up
- EIA releases first chapters of AEO2013, interactive data tool
- New report analyzes solar system impact in California cities
- Download transcript from workshop on generation costs in California
- FEMP issues new guide for developing large-scale renewable energy projects at Federal facilities
- Second DOE-CPUC High Penetration Solar Forum Convenes in San Diego
- Funding
- Keeping PACE with energy efficiency and renewables financing
- Solar finance webinar May 1
- Sustainable Cities Exchange webinar available online
- Renewable Energy Project Finance Analysis at NREL
- Previous issues
Green Power
Geothermal Energy’s Environmental and Health Benefits Worth $117 Million Annually
Benefits of geothermal energy touted in air emissions analysis
The Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) has released an Air Emissions Comparison and Externality Analysis showing geothermal energy provides significant benefits to public health and the environment as one of the least-polluting and most environmentally friendly forms of energy. The analysis found binary geothermal plants produce virtually no greenhouse gases (GHG) and dry steam and flash geothermal plants put out only trace amounts of emissions. It estimates the public benefits from clean energy produced in California and Nevada are worth more than $117 million annually.
“Energy production and use is a major source of environmental and public health damage, and geothermal energy is a truly remarkable resource because it harnesses the power of the Earth to produce large amounts of power with virtually no impact,” said GEA Executive Director Karl Gawell. “Geothermal has tremendous untapped potential to provide energy without adding harmful elements into the environment.” Read more. Source: Geothermal Energy Association, 4/25/13
OU ranks first in Big 12 for green energy consumption
OU used more green power than any other school in the Big 12 conference this year, using about 85 percent of the school’s annual electricity costs through green power.
Green power is electricity produced from “environmentally preferable renewable resources,” including wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and low-impact hydropower, according to the press release. Read more. Source: The Oklahoma Daily, 4/22/13
Google shakes up US utility with green power tariff
Pays more on electricity to pay less on Greenpeace damage control
Google is using its giant pile of money to try and change how utility companies work, so that more businesses can buy their power from renewable sources.
As part of a $600m expansion of its North Carolina data center, Google's local utility provider Duke Energy has pledged to develop a renewable energy tariff for Google and other large companies, Google's director of global infrastructure Gary Demasi announced in an effusive blog post on Friday. Read more. The Register, 4/19/13
Visit U.S. DOE EERE Green Power Network for more information.
Reports, studies and policy
Rule change for RPS enforcement for California public utilities
The California Energy Commission has issued a Notice of Changes to Proposed Regulations and Notice of 15-day Comment Period Regarding Proposed Regulations Establishing Enforcement Procedures for the Renewable Portfolio Standard for Local Publicly Owned Electric Utilities. Read more. Source: California Energy Commission, 4/25/13
NREL GIS tools analyze renewable feasibility
The Dynamic Maps, Geographic Information System (GIS) Data and Analysis Tools website provides maps, data and tools for renewable energy resources that determine which energy technologies are viable solutions in domestic and international regions. Read more. Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 4/23/13
NREL report examines consumer attitudes about renewables
The data in this report are taken from Natural Marketing Institute's (NMI's) Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability Consumer Trends Database. Created in 2002, the syndicated consumer database contains responses from 2,000 to 4,000 nationally representative U.S. adults (meaning the demographics of the sample are consistent with U.S. Census findings) each year. NMI used the database to analyze consumer attitudes and behavior related to renewable energy and to update previously conducted related research. Specifically, this report will explore consumer awareness, concerns, perceived benefits, knowledge of purchase options, and usage of renewable energy as well as provide regional comparisons and trends over time. Read more. Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 4/23/13
U.S. Warming Rates Significant Since First Earth Day
From Climate Central:
In commemoration of Earth Day, 2013, Climate Central has created an interactive graphic that shows a state-by-state analysis of temperature trends since the first Earth Day took place in 1970. That occasion marked a significant change in America’s environmental consciousness, and led to the creation of, among other things, the Environmental Protection Agency and passage of the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts. Read more. Source: Huffington Post, 4/22/13
LADWP To Sign Agreement For Renewable Geothermal Power
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) will enter a power purchase agreement to buy 14 megawatts (MW) of reliable geothermal renewable energy – enough clean energy to serve 19,000 Los Angeles homes and avoid 64,100 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which is roughly equivalent to removing 12,300 cars off the road each year. Read more. Source: Hometown Station, 4/20/13
EESI quarterly wrap-up
Did Superstorm Sandy have an impact on Americans' perception of climate change?
How much do home values benefit from proximity to public transportation?
Why are communities of color disproportionately affected by climate change?
What's new in renewable energy?
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) addressed all these questions and more in the past four months through seven congressional briefings and three publications. If you have any questions or comments, don't hesitate to email us. Source: Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 4/20/13
EIA releases first chapters of AEO2013, interactive data tool
On April 15, the U.S. Energy Information Administration released the initial sections of its Annual Energy Outlook 2013 (AEO2013), including a chapter on legislation and regulations that discusses evolving legislative and regulatory issues, and a market trends chapter that highlights and summarizes selected aspects of energy market projections. Additional chapters will be released periodically through May 2, when the complete AEO2013 will be available.
The AEO2013 reference case was released in early December. It includes projections for the U.S. energy market through 2040, taking into account only policies that were enacted through law and established via final regulations as of the close of September 2012. Read more. Source: Biomass Magazine, 4/17/13
New report analyzes solar system impact in California cities
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is pleased to announce the availability of a new report, “The Impact of City-level Permitting Processes on Residential Photovoltaic Installation Prices and Development Times: An Empirical Analysis of Solar Systems in California Cities.”
Business process or “soft” costs account for well over 50% of the installed price of residential photovoltaic (PV) systems in the United States, so understanding these costs is crucial for identifying PV cost-reduction opportunities. Among these costs are those imposed by city-level permitting processes, which may add both expense and time to the residential PV development process. Read more. Source: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 4/11/13
Download transcript from workshop on generation costs in California
Transcript of the March 7, 2013, Staff Workshop on the Cost of New Renewable and Fossil-Fueled Generation in California, are now available online. Source: California Energy Commission 3/29/13
FEMP issues new guide for developing large-scale renewable energy projects at Federal facilities
The Energy Department's Federal Energy Management Program today issued a new resource that provides best practices and other helpful guidance for federal agencies developing large-scale renewable energy projects. Read more. Source: DOE EERE News, 3/11/13
Second DOE-CPUC High Penetration Solar Forum Convenes in San Diego
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) hosted the second High Penetration Solar Forum February 13–14, 2013, in San Diego, California, to address progress made toward the CPUC's California Solar Initiative (CSI) Research, Development, Demonstration and Deployment (RD&D) Program goals as well as the DOE SunShot Initiative's strategic goal to make solar energy cost-competitive with other forms of electricity by the end of the decade. This year’s workshop built on the success of the first DOE/CPUC High Penetration Solar Forum held in 2011.
“The DOE/CPUC workshop is a great opportunity for both organizations and the stakeholder community to work together to accelerate the research that will enable the greater deployment of solar technologies on the grid,” said Kevin Lynn, SunShot Initiative Systems Integration program manager. Read more. Source: DOE EERE SunShot Initiative, 3/4/13
Find more publications and webinars.
Funding
Keeping PACE with energy efficiency and renewables financing
Here at PennFuture, we get pretty excited about all things clean energy. One such trend that has caught our attention are the innovative financing mechanisms being adopted and implemented by states to spur investments in energy efficiency and renewables. Over the next few weeks, we plan to feature several different financing options on Re:Energy. Today, we'll talk about the exciting things happening with Commercial PACE. Commercial PACE provides access to the upfront capital while securing debt obligation to the property, providing funding for facility upgrades and low-risk investment opportunity for lenders. Read more. Source: Re: Energy, 4/25/13
Solar finance webinar May 1
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot Solar Technical Assistance Team (STAT) webinar series returns on May 1 with a one-hour financing webinar designed specifically for state and local governments.
The webinar, Solar Finance for Residential and Commercial Customers and Potential Roles of State and Local Government, provides an overview of how residential and commercial solar projects are financed and the various roles that state and local governments can play to support the deployment of solar within their jurisdictions.
Featuring Jason Coughlin, a solar financing expert with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, this webinar will be held May 1 from noon to 1 p.m. MST. Read more. Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 4/23/13
Sustainable Cities Exchange webinar available online
If you missed the April webinar on San Francisco's Commercial PACE program, watch it now!
You will find:
- Archive link to the above presentation
- A link to our next event
- PLUS other municipal energy policy and sustainability related recordings and tips
Source: Sustainable Cities Exchange, 4/17/13
Renewable Energy Project Finance Analysis at NREL
Here's a March/April wrap-up from the Finance Analysis Team at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 3/5/13
Find more funding sources.