July 26, 2010 - Energy department blogs; Senate energy bill

First, today's picture (from several days ago): the view from the Maine island of Islesford (Little Cranberry Island), across the town field:




Blogging is hot these days, so hot in fact that the U.S. Department of Energy has unveiled its own blog: "Energy Blog". (Perhaps a contest could be held to suggest a more distinctive name?)

Those of us looking for a Senate energy bill are expecting to see more details today. While it seems nearly certain that this draft won't include a renewable portfolio standard (or as federal types seem to prefer, a renewable energy standard), a broad coalition sent a letter to Senator Reid on Friday asking for a national renewable minimum standard (hosted at the American Wind Energy Association's blog). The letter was signed by diverse parties such as:

• labor representatives (Blue Green Alliance, United Steelworkers, Utility Workers Union of America)
• environmentalists (Environment America, League of Conservation Voters, Natural Resources Defense Council, Pew Environment Group)
• renewable energy groups (American Wind Energy Association, Biomass Power Association, Energy Recovery Council, National Hydropower Association, RES Alliance for Jobs), and
• utilities (AES Corporation, NextEra Energy Resources, Inc., Xcel Energy)

The United Kingdom has set ambitious renewable energy targets: to hit a 30% renewable portfolio standard by 2020, the UK will need to install 27 more gigawatts of renewables, half of which they want to come from offshore wind.  How much will it cost?  According to a new report, too much: accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers says that the United Kingdom will fall £10 billion short of the £75 billion it will need to develop its offshore wind resource up to the level of the renewable energy targets.  To meet that target, the UK will need to add 1.1 GW of new capacity per year -- but in 2009, only half of that was rolled out.  Critics point to a severe lack of pre-construction finance.  Could a different mix of resources -- perhaps one picked not in advance based on specific technologies, but competing on their economics -- result in a lower cost exposure to the British ratepayer?

As the Senate has dropped its current consideration of a climate bill, Senator John Kerry has apparently predicted "an ice-free Arctic" in "five or 10 years."

3/18/10

As Maine considers its energy future, there are many concerns about Hydro-Quebec, and what will happen if we allow our powerful northern neighbor to build transmission lines connecting their nearly limitless hydropower with New England markets.




Thorndike voters will pass judgment on a proposed wind turbine siting ordinance, including a one-mile setback and noise regulations. Two companies have proposed projects on a ridge extending through Thorndike and into Dixmont and Jackson.



The Dallas (TX) Morning News reports that China is enacting protectionist measures to ensure that China, not the US, will manufacture the components needed for the massive anticipated build-out of wind generation in Asia and worldwide.



Los Angeles mayor Villaraigosa has proposed a significant new tax on electricity, with the proceeds going to a newly-created Renewable Energy and Efficiency Trust Fund, to pay for new conservation programs and a solar feed-in tariff. Everyone's bill will go up by 9% to 28%, with the brunt of the tax falling on business and industrial energy consumers. LA has set a 20% RPS by the end of 2010.




What's going on with federal energy and climate change legislation? Lots of talk. Yesterday Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) met with major industry groups to present an 8-page concept outline. Supposedly this draft calls for greenhouse gas curbs across the board, reducing emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. The draft starts by regulating power plant emissions in 2012, with other major industrial sources emitting over 25,000 tons per year of GHGs phased in starting in 2016. Notably, this draft preempts U.S. EPA climate regulations under the Clean Air Act and supplants dozens of state climate laws.