The Trump administration is taking steps that could ultimately lead to a significant expansion of U.S. outer continental shelf acreage available for oil and gas leasing.
Under federal law, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is charged with administering site leasing for energy development on the outer continental shelf. The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act requires the Secretary of the
Interior, through BOEM, to develop a five-year national plan for oil and gas sales in federal waters. The law requires the Secretary to balance criteria including environmental impacts, energy needs and resources, and adverse effects on the coastal zone.
On January 4, 2018, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced a new Draft Proposed Program. He described its release as "an early step in a multi-year process to develop a final National OCS Program for 2019-2024," and as consistent with an April 2017 Executive Order implementing an "America-First Offshore Energy Strategy."
The Draft Proposed Program includes 47 potential lease sales -- the largest number of lease sales ever proposed for the National
OCS Program’s 5-year lease schedule. The plan includes 19 sales off Alaska, 7 in the Pacific Region, 12 in the Gulf of Mexico, and 9 in the Atlantic Region. Some of these areas have not seen leases sold in decades; for example, there have been no sales in the Atlantic since 1983 and there are no existing leases.
By contrast, the draft program includes 8 Atlantic lease sales between 2020 and 2024, covering federal waters offshore Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. The Pacific leases would similarly be the first sold in that region since 1984.
According to the press release announcing the draft's release, "Inclusion of an area in the DPP is not a final indication that it will
be included in the approved Program or offered in a lease sale, because
many decision points still remain. By proposing to open these areas for consideration, the Secretary
ensures that he will receive public input and analysis on all of the
available OCS to better inform future decisions on the National OCS
Program."
Even if an area is offered in a lease sale, it may not draw commercial interest; even if leased, an area might not actually be used for exploration and production. But the draft plan significantly expands the acreage that would be available for leasing -- according to the Secretary, "the current program puts 94 percent of the OCS off limits," while the proposed program "proposes to make over 90 percent of the total OCS acreage and more than
98 percent of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas
resources in federal offshore areas available to consider for future
exploration and development."
BOEM has solicited public comment on the draft plan, which will inform several further rounds of proposals and comment, before a Proposed Final Program (PFP) is considered. In the meantime, until a new program is finalized and adopted, the present 2017-2022 Five Year Program remains in effect.
Energy powers society; society's choices shape energy policy. A blog about our energy resources and the choices they present for society.
Showing posts with label Delaware. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Delaware. Show all posts
RGGI states propose tighter carbon budget
Friday, September 15, 2017
The nine states participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative have announced consensus on proposed revisions to that program that would provide a further 30% reduction in the regional limit on emissions by 2030, relative to 2020 levels. The proposed regional program changes are now available for stakeholder comment, after which each participating state will follow its own specific statutory and regulatory processes to propose updates to their own carbon dioxide budget trading programs.
Nine Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states -- Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont -- currently participate in RGGI, the first mandatory market-based regulatory program in the U.S. to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. RGGI is composed of individual CO2 budget trading programs in each state, based on each state’s independent legal authority. The program imposes an annual aggregate cap on greenhouse emissions from covered sources like fossil-fueled power plants in participating states. For 2017, the cap is 84.3 million short tons (62.5 million short tons adjusted for banked allowances); it declines 2.5 percent each year until 2020. Since 2008, participating states have reduced power sector carbon emissions by nearly 50 percent, while generating more than $2.7 billion in allowance auction proceeds for reinvestment in programs to benefit consumers.
RGGI participating states periodically conduct a "program review". Following their 2012 Program Review, the RGGI states implemented a new 2014 RGGI cap of 91 million short tons -- 45 % below the prior 2014 cap of 165 million short tons. At that time, the participating states decided to commence the next program review no later than 2016.
RGGI's 2016 Program Review is ongoing. According to an August 23, 2017 announcement, the participating states have reached consensus on proposed changes to the program design. Proposed changes include a regional cap of 75,147,784 tons in 2021, which will decline by 2.275 million tons per year thereafter, resulting in a total 30% reduction in the regional cap from 2020 to 2030. The proposed changes also include modifications to the existing Cost Containment Reserve and implementation of a new Emissions Containment Reserve which would add some flexibility to the cap size.
On behalf of participating states, RGGI, Inc. has announced a meeting on September 25 to gather stakeholder input. According to the announcement, after reviewing stakeholder comments, conducting additional economic analysis, and updating materials, each participating state is expected to execute its own statutory and regulatory process to update its own carbon budget trading program.
Nine Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states -- Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont -- currently participate in RGGI, the first mandatory market-based regulatory program in the U.S. to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. RGGI is composed of individual CO2 budget trading programs in each state, based on each state’s independent legal authority. The program imposes an annual aggregate cap on greenhouse emissions from covered sources like fossil-fueled power plants in participating states. For 2017, the cap is 84.3 million short tons (62.5 million short tons adjusted for banked allowances); it declines 2.5 percent each year until 2020. Since 2008, participating states have reduced power sector carbon emissions by nearly 50 percent, while generating more than $2.7 billion in allowance auction proceeds for reinvestment in programs to benefit consumers.
RGGI participating states periodically conduct a "program review". Following their 2012 Program Review, the RGGI states implemented a new 2014 RGGI cap of 91 million short tons -- 45 % below the prior 2014 cap of 165 million short tons. At that time, the participating states decided to commence the next program review no later than 2016.
RGGI's 2016 Program Review is ongoing. According to an August 23, 2017 announcement, the participating states have reached consensus on proposed changes to the program design. Proposed changes include a regional cap of 75,147,784 tons in 2021, which will decline by 2.275 million tons per year thereafter, resulting in a total 30% reduction in the regional cap from 2020 to 2030. The proposed changes also include modifications to the existing Cost Containment Reserve and implementation of a new Emissions Containment Reserve which would add some flexibility to the cap size.
On behalf of participating states, RGGI, Inc. has announced a meeting on September 25 to gather stakeholder input. According to the announcement, after reviewing stakeholder comments, conducting additional economic analysis, and updating materials, each participating state is expected to execute its own statutory and regulatory process to update its own carbon budget trading program.
New Jersey FERC license surrender and dam removal
Monday, August 15, 2016
U.S. energy regulators have accepted an application to surrender the licensee for a New Jersey hydropower project. Earlier this month, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission accepted Great Bear Hydropower Inc.'s application to surrender its license for the Columbia Dam Project, located on the Paulins Kill. While the Commission decision to accept license surrender does not necessarily mean the dam will be removed, it represents a significant step toward letting the dam owner pursue dam removal if it wishes. The case also illustrates tensions between hydropower development and dam removal, which remain active in U.S. policy discussions, and the consequences of state jurisdiction following FERC license surrender.
On January 15, 1986, the Commission issued a 40-year license for the construction, operation, and maintenance of hydroelectric facilities at the existing Columbia Dam. The project includes a 20-foot-high, 330-foot-long concrete dam, originally built by a utility in 1909. The site was sold to the state in 1955, after which the original electric generation was discontinued. Following the project's 1986 licensing by FERC, the licensee added a powerhouse containing two generating units with a total installed generating capacity of 530 kilowatts.
The dam remains owned by the state of New Jersey as part of the Columbia Wildlife Management Area, and the licensee has been operating the project under a long-term lease with the state. But significant efforts are under way to improve water quality in the Delaware River basin. The Nature Conservancy has described a strategy for watershed restoration that features the Columbia Dam's removal as a key component. After the state and The Nature Conservancy entered into an agreement to remove the dam, the licensee ultimately agreed to surrender its license and remove only its hydroelectric facilities originally added to the dam, leaving the state to perform any future dam removal.
Because the Columbia Dam Project is subject to Part 1 of the Federal Power Act, its license could not be surrendered without approval of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The licensee applied for surrender in October 2015. The Commission granted that approval on August 10, 2016.
The FERC license surrender does not necessarily mean that the dam itself will be removed, although it does provide for decommissioning of the hydropower equipment. The Commission accepted the licensee's proposal to remove the generating equipment, transformers from the powerhouse, and disconnect the electric connection to the local utility. The license surrender will not be effective until the Commission agrees that the project’s facilities have been decommissioned in accordance with this surrender order.
As for the dam, the Commission noted, "It will be up to the state of New Jersey, the dam owner, to decide whether to remove the Columbia Dam, once the hydroelectric facilities have been decommissioned. Dam removal would have some ecological, social, and economic benefits for the Paulins Kill watershed." Following the effectiveness of license surrender, safety matters would primarily be state jurisdictional, and any dam removal would proceed primarily under state law.
While hydropower continues to play a significant role in the overall U.S. energy mix, with new and ongoing federal initiatives to increase hydropower generation, in some cases economics and environmental considerations may lead to the surrender of some project licenses. This may be particularly true for some relatively small dams with fish passage issues facing relicensing in coming years.
On January 15, 1986, the Commission issued a 40-year license for the construction, operation, and maintenance of hydroelectric facilities at the existing Columbia Dam. The project includes a 20-foot-high, 330-foot-long concrete dam, originally built by a utility in 1909. The site was sold to the state in 1955, after which the original electric generation was discontinued. Following the project's 1986 licensing by FERC, the licensee added a powerhouse containing two generating units with a total installed generating capacity of 530 kilowatts.
The dam remains owned by the state of New Jersey as part of the Columbia Wildlife Management Area, and the licensee has been operating the project under a long-term lease with the state. But significant efforts are under way to improve water quality in the Delaware River basin. The Nature Conservancy has described a strategy for watershed restoration that features the Columbia Dam's removal as a key component. After the state and The Nature Conservancy entered into an agreement to remove the dam, the licensee ultimately agreed to surrender its license and remove only its hydroelectric facilities originally added to the dam, leaving the state to perform any future dam removal.
Because the Columbia Dam Project is subject to Part 1 of the Federal Power Act, its license could not be surrendered without approval of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The licensee applied for surrender in October 2015. The Commission granted that approval on August 10, 2016.
The FERC license surrender does not necessarily mean that the dam itself will be removed, although it does provide for decommissioning of the hydropower equipment. The Commission accepted the licensee's proposal to remove the generating equipment, transformers from the powerhouse, and disconnect the electric connection to the local utility. The license surrender will not be effective until the Commission agrees that the project’s facilities have been decommissioned in accordance with this surrender order.
As for the dam, the Commission noted, "It will be up to the state of New Jersey, the dam owner, to decide whether to remove the Columbia Dam, once the hydroelectric facilities have been decommissioned. Dam removal would have some ecological, social, and economic benefits for the Paulins Kill watershed." Following the effectiveness of license surrender, safety matters would primarily be state jurisdictional, and any dam removal would proceed primarily under state law.
While hydropower continues to play a significant role in the overall U.S. energy mix, with new and ongoing federal initiatives to increase hydropower generation, in some cases economics and environmental considerations may lead to the surrender of some project licenses. This may be particularly true for some relatively small dams with fish passage issues facing relicensing in coming years.
Assessing Hurricane Sandy's energy impacts
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Yesterday Hurricane Sandy made landfall in New Jersey, but the magnitude of the storm meant that heavy winds, strong rains, and a powerful coastal storm surge affected a broad swath of the mid-Atlantic and northeastern parts of the United States.
One consequence of the storm is widespread power outages. As of 8:00 AM yesterday, about 36,000 electricity customers had lost power in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Virginia. By 2:00 PM yesterday, outages were up to over 316,000, in the states listed above as well as in Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania. At that time, New York had the most outages (105,089 customers, or about 1%), but New Hampshire was the hardest hit in terms of percentage affected (18,190 customers, or about 3%). These reported outages came six hours before the storm officially made landfall, making outage numbers much higher today -- some reports indicating 8 million customers without power.
[Update: as of 9:00 AM this morning, the Department of Energy reports 8.1 million customers without electricity, including 62% of New Jersey, 31% of Connecticut, and 23% of Rhode Island.]
In addition to these power outages, some electricity generating facilities have shut down. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reports three nuclear power units in the Northeastern United States had to shut down and two units reduced as a result of impacts from Hurricane Sandy. Reasons range from water pump failure to encroaching high water to problems on the external power grid.
Another consequence of the storm is disruption to oil refineries. By 1:00 PM yesterday, two mid-Atlantic refineries had closed, with four more shutting down part of their production. In total, 1.1 million barrels per day of refining capacity had been disrupted due to the storm.
Today, as the storm has moved inland, crews are working hard to recover from the storm. It is still early to assess the total damage from the storm, as well as whether its disruption to energy infrastructure will be temporary or longer-lasting.
One consequence of the storm is widespread power outages. As of 8:00 AM yesterday, about 36,000 electricity customers had lost power in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Virginia. By 2:00 PM yesterday, outages were up to over 316,000, in the states listed above as well as in Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania. At that time, New York had the most outages (105,089 customers, or about 1%), but New Hampshire was the hardest hit in terms of percentage affected (18,190 customers, or about 3%). These reported outages came six hours before the storm officially made landfall, making outage numbers much higher today -- some reports indicating 8 million customers without power.
[Update: as of 9:00 AM this morning, the Department of Energy reports 8.1 million customers without electricity, including 62% of New Jersey, 31% of Connecticut, and 23% of Rhode Island.]
In addition to these power outages, some electricity generating facilities have shut down. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reports three nuclear power units in the Northeastern United States had to shut down and two units reduced as a result of impacts from Hurricane Sandy. Reasons range from water pump failure to encroaching high water to problems on the external power grid.
Another consequence of the storm is disruption to oil refineries. By 1:00 PM yesterday, two mid-Atlantic refineries had closed, with four more shutting down part of their production. In total, 1.1 million barrels per day of refining capacity had been disrupted due to the storm.
Today, as the storm has moved inland, crews are working hard to recover from the storm. It is still early to assess the total damage from the storm, as well as whether its disruption to energy infrastructure will be temporary or longer-lasting.
3 years of RGGI carbon market results
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
A report released this week by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
(RGGI) shows that carbon dioxide emissions from power plants in RGGI member states
fell by 23% over the program's first three years.
RGGI, the first major market-based greenhouse gas regulatory program in the United States, represents a cap-and-trade approach to reducing the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Ten states - Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont - originally agreed to cap and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of their electrical energy sectors by 10% by 2018. (New Jersey subsequently withdrew from the compact effective January 1, 2012.) RGGI's first three-year compliance period ran from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2011.
This week's report documents the performance of the RGGI member states in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector. According to the report, 97% of covered power plants - 206 out of 211 covered units - met program compliance obligations. (Raw data on each plant's performance is available through the RGGI CO2 Allowance Tracking System, also known as COATS.) Over the three-year period, annual CO2 emissions for the three-year period averaged 126 million short tons. This represents a 23% reduction compared to 2006-2008.
Part of the reduction may be attributed to increased state investment in energy efficiency as well as the economic slowdown. However, CO2 emissions in the region decreased nearly ten times more than electricity consumption did: according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, three-year average electricity consumption across the ten-state region experienced only a 2.4% decrease over the same time. This points to another significant trend in northeastern electricity markets: a shift away from coal to natural gas as the combustion fuel of choice for thermal power plants.
RGGI, the first major market-based greenhouse gas regulatory program in the United States, represents a cap-and-trade approach to reducing the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Ten states - Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont - originally agreed to cap and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of their electrical energy sectors by 10% by 2018. (New Jersey subsequently withdrew from the compact effective January 1, 2012.) RGGI's first three-year compliance period ran from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2011.
This week's report documents the performance of the RGGI member states in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector. According to the report, 97% of covered power plants - 206 out of 211 covered units - met program compliance obligations. (Raw data on each plant's performance is available through the RGGI CO2 Allowance Tracking System, also known as COATS.) Over the three-year period, annual CO2 emissions for the three-year period averaged 126 million short tons. This represents a 23% reduction compared to 2006-2008.
Part of the reduction may be attributed to increased state investment in energy efficiency as well as the economic slowdown. However, CO2 emissions in the region decreased nearly ten times more than electricity consumption did: according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, three-year average electricity consumption across the ten-state region experienced only a 2.4% decrease over the same time. This points to another significant trend in northeastern electricity markets: a shift away from coal to natural gas as the combustion fuel of choice for thermal power plants.
March 29, 2011 - Delaware offshore wind site lease moves forward
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Offshore wind in Delaware just got a boost, as the U.S. federal government is moving forward with a site lease with NRG Bluewater Wind. This represents the first commercial wind lease under the “Smart from the Start” Atlantic Offshore Wind program. Under that program, the Department of Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) is charged with streamlining the regulatory process for offshore wind projects. An early step in the Smart from the Start process is BOEMRE's issuance of a request for interest (RFI) in obtaining commercial leases for the construction of wind energy projects on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Under the federal OCS Lands Act, before developers can lease sites from the government, BOEMRE must determine if there is competitive interest in developing projects in a particular zone of the OCS. If two developers’ staked areas of interest fully or partially overlap, BOEMRE will determine that there is competitive interest in the area, triggering a competitive leasing process for that zone. If developers’ interests do not overlap, BOEMRE may proceed with a simpler noncompetitive lease process.
For the Delaware OCS sites, BOEMRE's April 2010 RFI received only one qualified response: Bluewater Wind Delaware, LLC's proposal to site a project 11 miles east of Dewey Beach.
To see if any other developers were interested in Bluewater's proposed site, BOEMRE published a second notice in January 2011, which did not reveal any additional expressions of interest. (You can find the public comments here.) BOEMRE thus determined that there is no competitive interest for commercial wind energy development in this area of the Outer Continental Shelf, placing Bluewater's project on the faster non-competitive track. This determination will soon be published in the Federal Register.
NRG, which joined with Bluewater in developing the Delaware project, has entered into an agreement to sell power from the project to Delmarva Power, Delaware's largest utility. Next steps include moving forward with the noncompetitive leasing, which will entail several layers of environmental reviews, other regulatory approvals, and technical engineering for the project.
For the Delaware OCS sites, BOEMRE's April 2010 RFI received only one qualified response: Bluewater Wind Delaware, LLC's proposal to site a project 11 miles east of Dewey Beach.
To see if any other developers were interested in Bluewater's proposed site, BOEMRE published a second notice in January 2011, which did not reveal any additional expressions of interest. (You can find the public comments here.) BOEMRE thus determined that there is no competitive interest for commercial wind energy development in this area of the Outer Continental Shelf, placing Bluewater's project on the faster non-competitive track. This determination will soon be published in the Federal Register.
NRG, which joined with Bluewater in developing the Delaware project, has entered into an agreement to sell power from the project to Delmarva Power, Delaware's largest utility. Next steps include moving forward with the noncompetitive leasing, which will entail several layers of environmental reviews, other regulatory approvals, and technical engineering for the project.
February 7, 2011 - $50 million more for offshore wind
Monday, February 7, 2011
Offshore wind just got another boost. Today Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu released a joint National Offshore Wind Strategy, which bills itself as the first-ever interagency plan on offshore wind energy. As part of this strategy, the U.S. Department of Energy envisions 10 gigawatts of offshore wind generating capacity by 2020 and 54 gigawatts by 2030.
That's not all: the Secretaries also announced up to $50.5 million in new funding for projects that support offshore wind energy deployment. The plan includes three solicitations, proposing to award up to $50.5 million over 5 years, to promote offshore wind R&D and eliminate market barriers. Up to $25 million will be available for technology development for wind turbine design tools and hardware. Up to $18 million will be available for studies and research to identify and remove market barriers. Up to $7.5 more million will bne used to fund R&D into wind turbine drivetrains.
The announcement also includes the designation under the "Smart from the Start" program of high priority Wind Energy Areas on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia. To reduce the burden on project developers, these areas will receive advanced environmental reviews by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE). If BOEMRE's review does not identify any significant impacts, leases could be available by the end of this year.
That's not all: the Secretaries also announced up to $50.5 million in new funding for projects that support offshore wind energy deployment. The plan includes three solicitations, proposing to award up to $50.5 million over 5 years, to promote offshore wind R&D and eliminate market barriers. Up to $25 million will be available for technology development for wind turbine design tools and hardware. Up to $18 million will be available for studies and research to identify and remove market barriers. Up to $7.5 more million will bne used to fund R&D into wind turbine drivetrains.
The announcement also includes the designation under the "Smart from the Start" program of high priority Wind Energy Areas on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia. To reduce the burden on project developers, these areas will receive advanced environmental reviews by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE). If BOEMRE's review does not identify any significant impacts, leases could be available by the end of this year.
4/6/10
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
With the tragic explosion and collapse of the Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia, operator Massey Energy's stock is tumbling. Coal mining has always been dangerous. Will the Big Branch disaster influence policymakers away from coal as a fuel source for electric generation? At least some financiers believe not, at least not enough to deviate from their "buy" rating. It will be interesting to see how the big coal lobby responds to the certain calls for greater government oversight of mine safety regulations.
Google and 46 other companies have asked the President for better real-time information on electricity usage. The group, including AT&T, Comcast, Hewlett-Packard, Verizon and Best Buy, wants better executive-branch support for technologies and devices that will help consumers measure their energy use in real time, and thereby to make better decisions -- the Prius effect. Beyond the social good that this would empower, no doubt Google wants to sell you the technology and interfaces to make this happen.
Premier Power Renewable Energy, Inc. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with REgeneration Finance, LLC to fund solar PV projects ranging in size from 250kW to 2MW, in California, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
In offshore ocean energy news, a University of Delaware study concludes that it has figured out how to link offshore wind arrays to avoid the need for onshore backup power.
Maryland is pushing for a more rapid ramp-up of its solar RPS. Maryland law now requires utilities to source 2 percent of their power from solar sources by 2022, but there is a proposal afoot to accelerate deployment and increase penalties. 15-year projections suggest residential consumers might pay $2 more per month, beyond the current average monthly bill of $150 -- which some say will add to $1 billion over 15 years. Interestingly, there isn't enough solar PV in Maryland today: utility companies paid $1.2 million in penalties in 2008, and if penalties increase further, that number will rise. If the policy objective is to increase renewable deployment, you have to wonder if increasing penalties is the most effective way to get there.
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has signed several green energy bills passed by the General Assembly this session. Key features include: a $500 tax credit to employers per green job created; increased funding and organizational support for clean energy research; the creation of the Virginia Offshore Wind Development Authority; and bonuses for investor-owned electric utilities who use wind energy.
Google and 46 other companies have asked the President for better real-time information on electricity usage. The group, including AT&T, Comcast, Hewlett-Packard, Verizon and Best Buy, wants better executive-branch support for technologies and devices that will help consumers measure their energy use in real time, and thereby to make better decisions -- the Prius effect. Beyond the social good that this would empower, no doubt Google wants to sell you the technology and interfaces to make this happen.
Premier Power Renewable Energy, Inc. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with REgeneration Finance, LLC to fund solar PV projects ranging in size from 250kW to 2MW, in California, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
In offshore ocean energy news, a University of Delaware study concludes that it has figured out how to link offshore wind arrays to avoid the need for onshore backup power.
Maryland is pushing for a more rapid ramp-up of its solar RPS. Maryland law now requires utilities to source 2 percent of their power from solar sources by 2022, but there is a proposal afoot to accelerate deployment and increase penalties. 15-year projections suggest residential consumers might pay $2 more per month, beyond the current average monthly bill of $150 -- which some say will add to $1 billion over 15 years. Interestingly, there isn't enough solar PV in Maryland today: utility companies paid $1.2 million in penalties in 2008, and if penalties increase further, that number will rise. If the policy objective is to increase renewable deployment, you have to wonder if increasing penalties is the most effective way to get there.
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has signed several green energy bills passed by the General Assembly this session. Key features include: a $500 tax credit to employers per green job created; increased funding and organizational support for clean energy research; the creation of the Virginia Offshore Wind Development Authority; and bonuses for investor-owned electric utilities who use wind energy.
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