Sustainable Energy News Summaries – January 26, 2009

Below please find summaries of sustainable energy news stories from the past week. The news stories address developments in renewable energy and energy efficiency particularly as they present solutions to climate change, rising energy costs, expanding energy imports, and nuclear power. This compilation was prepared by the SUN DAY Campaign which publishes a longer, daily compilation of such stories.

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1.) Cape Wind Receives Favorable Federal Review:
SustainableBusiness.com, January 19, 2009
http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/17500

and

Union of Concerned Scientists, January 16, 2009
http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/favorable-feis-cape-wind-0185.html

The federal government on Friday released a favorable Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed Cape Wind project off the shores of Massachusetts, following seven years of environmental review and public hearings. The report issued by the Minerals Management Service (MMS) found that the proposed offshore wind farm poses no major environmental problems--rejecting arguments that wind turbines could kill birds and endanger sea life, while also disrupting the scenic area's tourism and fishing industries. As planned the Cape Wind project would include 130 wind turbines, capable of providing power for 400,000 homes at a cost of roughly $1 billion.

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2.) Proposed 10-Fold Investment in Energy Efficiency for Economic Recovery Commended:
Alliance to Save Energy, January 16, 2009
http://www.ase.org/content/news/detail/5322

The Alliance to Save Energy today commended the House Appropriations and Ways and Means Committees for including in their economic recovery bills “robust” funding of some $32 billion – roughly 10 times any previous annual federal investment – for energy efficiency initiatives. The two bills will be combined when they reach the House floor. The bills include many recommendations for economic recovery – energy efficiency retrofits in public buildings and schools; creation of new ‘green’ jobs; low- income weatherization; creating a ‘smart grid’; and state and local efficiency and conservation block grants.

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3.) Latest Proposals in Congress Include Short-Term Fix, Multi-Year PTC:
Wind Energy Weekly, January 16, 2009
http://www.awea.org/windenergyweekly/WEW1321.html#Article1

Although the legislative language is not final, it appears that the stimulus package will make it easier for wind developers to monetize renewable tax incentives. The proposal also includes, among a range of other provisions helpful to the wind industry, a three-year extension of the production tax credit (PTC). These draft provisions do not technically make the PTC refundable, but would provide comparable help for renewable energy developers through a U.S. Department of Energy grant program. Those who qualify for the PTC would have the option of converting the production tax credit to a 30% investment tax credit (ITC). This ITC could be used on a tax return or converted to a DOE grant of the same amount. The legislation is expected to also include several other provisions to promote renewable energy, including an $8 billion green energy loan guarantee program and provisions to promote federal procurement of renewable energy.

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4.) Southern States Pick Up Pace On Renewable Power:

Reuters, by Eileen O'Grady, January 19, 2009

http://planetark.org/wen/51263

Southern U.S. states are picking up the pace to force electric utilities to diversify fuel resources to include wind, solar, biomass and other renewable power resources. In Texas, legislators this year may consider increasing the state's renewable mandate or requiring more solar power and non-wind alternatives. The state surpassed its current renewable target of 5,000 MW last year. If Florida lawmakers ratify recommendations from the Florida Public Service Commission, investor-owned utilities FPL Group, Progress Energy Florida and Tampa Electric would be required to meet 20 percent of their energy needs through renewable resources by 2020. In Louisiana, state regulators moved to revisit a renewable energy pilot program launched several years ago. Any renewable measure could have an impact on Entergy Corp, the state's biggest utility, and Cleco Corp.

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5.) 250-MW Solar Plant Application Submitted to San Luis Obispo County:

San Luis Obispo Tribune, January 16, 2009

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/breaking_news/story/590585.html

SunPower Corp. Wednesday filed its application with San Luis Obispo County planners to build a 250-megawatt solar power plant in eastern SLO County. Called California Valley Solar Ranch, the facility would generate enough electricity to power nearly every home in the county. SunPower is the last of three solar power firms to file applications to build solar power plants along Highway 58, north of the Carrizo Plain National Monument. The company plans to begin construction next year on 1,900 acres near the Kern County line and go into full production in 2012. All three of the solar power companies have contracts with Pacific Gas and Electric to sell the power they will produce.

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6.) RES Americas Completes 166-MW Hackberry Wind Project:

RenewableEnergyWorld.com, January 16, 2009

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=54523

Renewable Energy Systems Americas (RES Americas) announced the completion and start-up of commercial operations of its Hackberry Wind Project, a US $350 million wind farm in Shackelford County, Texas. RES Americas is the developer, construction contractor and operator of the project. The company shares ownership of the wind farm with GE Energy Financial Services a unit of GE. Austin Energy will purchase the power produced by Hackberry, moving the City of Austin closer to its goal of securing 30% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020. The project consists of 72 Siemens wind turbines with a total capacity of 166 megawatts (MW). The energy will be used by residents of the City of Austin and surrounding communities.

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7.) But Who Will Drive Them?

New York Times (editorial), January 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/17/opinion/17sat2.html?ref=opinion

A big obstacle remains to the greening of American drivers: the price tag. The Toyota Prius starts at $22,000. The price of Ford’s new hybrid Fusion sedan, estimated to travel a whopping 41 miles per gallon in the city, is expected to start at more than $27,000. The Volt, General Motors’s high-profile plug-in car, could cost as much as $40,000. With gas below $2 a gallon, even the cheaper hybrids have to compete with cars that run on boring old internal combustion engines. In December, Prius sales plummeted 45 percent compared with the same month a year earlier. If the incoming Obama administration is serious about its commitment to boost the fuel efficiency of the American fleet, it must put in place a mix of policies, beyond tightening fuel-economy standards for carmakers, to steer drivers to the new hybrid and electric vehicles. A hefty gas tax would produce a strong incentive for drivers to switch to more fuel-efficient cars. Another option would be for the government to buy up the most polluting and gas-hogging clunkers from American drivers and scrap them.

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8.) Iconic Light Bulb Is on the Way Out:

Associated Press, by Ernest Scheyder, January 16, 2009

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11475747?source=rss

The fact that the incandescent bulb, which has remained largely unchanged for more than a century, is about to become obsolete is lost on the vast majority of the public. The phase-out of the iconic light bulb begins in three years as part of the energy bill signed in 2007. They will be edged out by light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, made from semiconductors, and compact fluorescent bulbs, known by their twisty, tubular shape. New regulations require, for instance, that a typical 100-watt bulb be replaced by one that provides the same amount of light with 72 watts. Light bulbs will have to be even more efficient by 2020.

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9.) Energy Inefficient:

New York Times (editorial), January 18, 2009

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/19/opinion/19mon1.html?ref=opinion

The United States is an inefficient user of energy. For each dollar of economic product, the United States spews more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than 75 of 107 countries tracked in the indicators of the International Energy Agency. Those doing better include not only cutting-edge nations like Japan but low-tech countries like Thailand and Mexico. American drivers, households and businesses still use more energy than those in most other rich countries to do the same thing. The United States spends more energy to produce a ton of cement clinker than Canada, Mexico and even China. It is one of the most energy-intensive makers of pulp and paper, emitting more than three times as much carbon dioxide per ton as Brazil and twice as much as South Korea. The energy efficiency of electricity production from fossil fuels is lower in the United States than in most rich countries and some poor ones, mainly because of the higher share of coal in the mix. The United States uses the most energy per passenger mile among the 18 rich economies surveyed by the energy agency. Per-capita carbon dioxide emissions by households in the United States and Canada are the highest in the world. Yet, most of the carbon abatement needed between now and 2030 could be achieved with existing technologies, things like insulating homes, improving fuel efficiency, and switching to concentrated laundry detergents to reduce packaging and transport costs.

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10.) Efficiency Companies Unlikely To See Obama Boost In '09:

Reuters, by Nichola Groom, January 19, 2009

http://planetark.org/wen/51264

President-elect Barack Obama has promised to jumpstart the U.S. economy by modernizing the electricity grid and make buildings more energy efficient, but the companies in line to secure those projects are unlikely to see a meaningful boost to their bottom lines from those plans any time soon. Money in the economic stimulus bill for building improvement projects that can be done relatively quickly and cheaply is likely to be the fastest to be used, though even big orders from the government will not be enough to offset the sharp drop in demand manufacturers have seen in the last year. Most analysts, however, do not expect to see an overnight surge in new contracts and revenue. For example, regarding the cornerstone of the government's efficiency program -- transforming the nation's power grid into a so-called "smart grid" -- little is likely to happen this year as grid projects inevitably have to go through lengthy approval processes by local public utility commissions.

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11.) Business Coalition Cap-And-Trade Program Needs Strengthening:

Union of Concerned Scientists, by Alden Meyer, January 15, 2009

http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/business-coalition-0183.html

The United States Climate Action Partnership's (USCAP) proposed cap-and-trade program is a starting point, but it must be strengthened significantly to ensure that it's effective. The lower end of USCAP's 2020 emissions reduction range is inadequate. Cuts of 20 percent or more below today's levels are both needed and achievable. USCAP is advocating giving away for free to polluter allowances potentially worth billions of dollars. President-elect Barack Obama is calling for 100 percent of the allowances to be auctioned. Giving away too many allowances for free would distort the market and could result in windfall profits for polluters. In addition, USCAP's proposal to allow as much as 2 billion tons of offsets could allow U.S. companies to avoid cutting their emissions until about 2030. Offsets must be strictly limited to ensure that companies invest in the clean technologies that reduce global warming pollution here at home and that are essential to achieving much deeper reductions in U.S. emissions by mid-century.

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12.) Quotes from Obama's Inauguration Speech re. Energy & Climate Change:

New York Times, January 20, 2009

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/us/politics/20text-obama.html?pagewant...

"... Each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

"... We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together.

"... We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories.

"... With old friends and former foes, we'll work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat and roll back the specter of a warming planet.

"... And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders, nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect."

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12.) U.S. Electricity Generation and Sales Set New Records in 2007 - Non-Hydro Renewable Energy Was Leading Source of New Electric Generating Capacity:

Energy Information Administration, January 21, 2009

http://www.eia.doe.gov/neic/press/press313.html

Electricity generation and electricity sales reached record levels in 2007, according to Electric Power Annual 2007. Following a year of relatively weak growth in 2006, net generation of electric power increased by 2.3 percent, rising to 4,157 million megawatt- hours and retail sales rose by 2.6 percent to 3,765 million megawatt-hours in 2007. Continued economic growth in 2007, combined with changes in winter and summer temperatures relative to 2006 that added to electricity use for space heating and cooling requirements, contributed to the increase in electricity sales. Key points:

** For the first time, non-hydroelectric renewable energy, led by wind power, was the leading source of new electric generating capacity.

** Net generation at nuclear plants increased slightly in 2007 to 806 million megawatt-hours, despite a small decline in net summer capacity. The average capacity factor for the nuclear generating fleet was 91.8 percent, an all-time high.

** Carbon dioxide emissions from conventional electric generation and combined heat and power plants increased by 2.3 percent in 2007. Meanwhile, nitrogen oxides emissions dropped by 3.9 percent, and sulfur dioxide emissions decreased by 5.1 percent.

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13.) U.S. Department of Agriculture Approves First Ever Guaranteed Loan for Commercial - Scale Cellulosic Ethanol Plant:

U.S. Department of Agriculture, January 16, 2009

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.ret...

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced today that USDA Rural Development has approved the first ever loan guarantee to a commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant. The $80 million loan to Range Fuels Inc., Soperton, Ga., comes from the Section 9003 Biorefinery Assistance Program authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill. The project is expected to produce an estimated 63 jobs. When fully operational in 2010, the plant is expected to produce approximately 20 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year.

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14.) Bureau of Land Management To Establish Renewable Energy Offices:

RenewableEnergyWorld.com, January 22, 2009

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=54557

In a move aimed at accelerating the development of renewable energy on public lands, last week, then U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne issued a Secretarial Order that authorizes the Bureau of Land Management to establish coordination offices that will expedite the permitting of wind, solar, biomass and geothermal projects, along with needed electrical transmission facilities, on BLM-managed lands. The to-be-established energy offices, known as Renewable Energy Coordination Offices, will be designated by the BLM and will initially be located in Arizona, California, Nevada and Wyoming.

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15.) Favorable Federal Environmental Report Should Clear Major Obstacle for Nation's First Offshore Wind Power Facility:

Union of Concerned Scientists, January 16, 2009

http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/favorable-feis-cape-wind-0185.html

The U.S. Minerals Management Service has issued its long-awaited final environmental impact statement for Cape Wind, the nation's first proposed offshore wind energy project. According to local and national clean energy advocates, the agency's favorable assessment should now clear the way for the path-breaking project to move forward after languishing for years in agency review. Labor, environmental and civic leaders across Massachusetts and the nation today hailed the agency's largely positive findings as a major hurdle cleared by Cape Wind, which is projected to create as many as 1,000 jobs in the Bay State and provide up to 454 megawatts (MW) of clean energy.

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16.) US Climate Action Partnership Proposal Deeply Flawed:

Friends of the Earth, January 15, 2008

http://action.foe.org/t/6545/pressRelease.jsp?press_release_KEY=474

A proposal for global warming regulation was released today by the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (a coalition of businesses from polluting industries as well as some environmental groups). However, Friends of the Earth says much stronger approach is needed to avoid climate catastrophe. U.S. CAP’s proposed 14-20 percent emissions reduction target (below 2005 levels) for the year 2020 is far weaker than what scientists have called for. U.S. CAP wants to include the use of carbon offsets but offsets can allow U.S. corporate polluters to continue producing more than their fair share of greenhouse gas emissions, and it is nearly impossible to verify that such offsets. The U.S. CAP proposal calls for “a significant portion” of emission permits to be given away to industry for free, which would total hundreds of billions of dollars worth of polluter giveaways. U.S. CAP would allow coal-fired power plants using current technology to be built for at least another seven years.

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17.) Transportation Nominee LaHood Says U.S. Intends To Meet Auto Fuel Rule:

Reuters, January 22, 2009

http://planetark.org/wen/51315

The Obama administration intends to follow congressional orders and finalize sharply higher auto fuel efficiency standards by this spring, Transportation Secretary nominee Ray LaHood said on Wednesday. He said the agency would meet the standard for 2011-2015, and he would do everything possible, if confirmed, to finish the regulation by the April deadline set by Congress in the 2007 energy law. The Bush administration had authorized a 25 percent increase in fuel efficiency of U.S. cars and trucks to an average 32 miles per gallon by 2015. The energy law mandates the U.S. fleet average 35 mpg by 2020.

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18.) California Asks Obama's EPA for Waiver:

SustainableBusiness.com, January 22, 2009

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/17528

and

Reuters, by Nichola Groom, January 22, 2009

http://planetark.org/wen/51313

The State of California wasted no time on Wednesday, asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to grant a request denied by the Bush Administration that would allow the state to impose its own, tougher limits on greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. If the waiver is granted, it will clear the way for California and 13 other states to regulate the lowering of emissions by 30% by 2016. New EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson has said she will review the waiver decision. Mary Nichols, California's top air quality regulator, said she thinks President Barack Obama's administration will grant the waiver by May.

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19.) Not a New Deal — a Green Deal:

The Hill, by Lisa Jacobson, January 19, 2009

http://thehill.com/op-eds/not-a-new-deal--a-green-deal-2009-01-19.html

The next administration must propose bold solutions suited to our times — not a New Deal, but a Green Deal. A Green Deal would revive the economy by directing massive new investment into cleaner, more efficient and reliable energy infrastructure. It would call for the rapid and aggressive deployment of renewable energy, energy efficiency investments, a smarter energy grid and effective use of clean fossil fuels, such as natural gas. The nation could reduce greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 by 20 percent to 30 percent below current levels using largely tested approaches and technologies. President Obama has already pledged to help generate 5 million new green jobs. Investments of $50 billion in renewable energy technologies could result in nearly 1 million new jobs; $76 billion invested in manufacturing of energy efficient durable goods would create over 900,000 new jobs; $90 billion directed to building energy efficiency would yield over 800,000 jobs; and $100 billion invested in public transit and transportation infrastructure would create over 650,000 new jobs.

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20.) Economic Recovery Package Gives Big Boost to Clean Energy Economy - Plan Will Invest $78 Billion in Clean Energy and Green Transportation Projects:

Environment America, January 22, 2009

http://www.environmentamerica.org/news-releases/new-energy-future/new-en...

The draft “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” includes at least $36.3 billion for energy efficiency, $28.1 billion for renewable energy and $11.6 billion for public transit and clean transportation. Specific proposals include:

** investing $6 billion in efficiency and conservation renovations in federal buildings;

** investing $6.2 billion to help low income families weatherize their homes; and

** providing $6.9 billion in community block grants to fund state- and city-run efficiency programs.

However, Environment America warns that, as the bill stands, Big Oil, the road-builders and other polluting interests are too dominant in the transportation component of the economic recovery package.

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21.) Tax Credit Fix for Solar in the Works:

GreenTech Media, by Jeff St. John, January 22, 2009

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/tax-credit-fix-for-solar-in-the-w...

A plan to turn renewable energy investment tax credits into direct payments from the federal government is part of the stimulus bill being drafted by Congress. Language in the draft stimulus bill making its way through Congress calls for turning the investment tax credits that solar power developers rely on into direct payments to investors for the next two years. The language that would shift tax credits to grants is in a draft version of the $825 billion stimulus bill released by the House last week. But it has yet to work its way through both houses of Congress, and changes are likely.

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22.) Alternative Energy Faces Power Line "Bottleneck" In U.S. West:

Reuters, by Jim Christie, January 22, 2009

http://planetark.org/wen/51318

President Barack Obama aims to double alternative energy production over three years, but how much "green" power will come from the U.S. West is uncertain if the sunny and wind-swept region cannot overcome a shortage of power lines. Installing large solar installations and dotting landscapes with wind turbines across the western United States would be, technically speaking, straightforward, and potentially popular. Delivering the region's green power to markets, however, is proving easier said than done. Transmission line costs vary wildly. For years the rule of thumb was $1 million per mile, but a recent project in Southern California cost $16.5 million per mile. Transmission line projects in the U.S. West, much of it mountainous, face another steep challenge the Obama administration must tackle: federal bureaucracy.

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23.) Alaska Report Sets Goal for 50% Renewables by 2025:

SustainableBusiness.com, January 22, 2009

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/17527

This week the Alaska Energy Authority published a report "Alaska Energy--A First Step Towards Energy Independence" that sets a goal of producing 50% of the state's electricity from renewable sources by 2025. The report identifies and prioritizes energy projects and funding sources. It is not a detailed plan of action, but a collection of options for Alaska communities to develop their own renewable resources, including hydroelectric, geothermal, wind, ocean and solar power.

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24.) Grundfos Pumps and SunPower Dedicate 1.1MW Solar Power System:

SolarBuzz.com, January 22, 2009

http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsNAPR1375.htm

Grundfos Pumps and SunPower today dedicated a 1.1 megawatt solar power system at the Grundfos facility in Fresno. The system features a ground-mounted, high-efficiency SunPower sun tracking system on a 7.5-acre site. It is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions generated at the site by almost 2.4 million pounds annually, which is the equivalent to removing close to 200 cars from California's highways each year.

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25.) ThinkSolar Completes 650kW Solar Array:

SolarBuzz.com, January 21, 2009

http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsNAPR1374.htm

National solar integrator, ThinkSolar, in cooperation with solar contractor Pacific Solar Energy, has completed one of California’s largest commercial roof-mounted photovoltaic systems. The 650kW turnkey solar array for Lithographix is the first commercial array in the City of Hawthorne. Unirac’s Custom Solutions Group (CSG) designed the ballasted racking system to mount approximately 2,240 modules, producing enough power for 390 homes annually. The array is already performing up to standard and is expected to offset Lithographix’s energy demands by 30%.

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26.) Gatorade Goes Solar Powered:

SolarBuzz.com, January 22, 2009

http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsNAPR1376.htm

One of the largest customer-owned solar energy projects in Arizona, located at the Gatorade manufacturing and distribution facility in Tolleson, Arizona, has begun generating electricity. The photovoltaic system, installed by SPG Solar on the roof of the 797,000 square-foot distribution center, is expected to produce more than 783,000 kilowatt hours per year – the equivalent amount needed to power about 51 Valley households for a calendar year – and will result in an estimated carbon dioxide reduction of about 392 metric tons a year or 9,800 metric tons over 25 years. The system contains 2,448 Kyocera solar panels spanning 68,000 square feet.

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27.) FPL Plans 75-MW Solar Array in Manatee:

World of Renewables, January 22, 2009

http://www.worldofrenewables.com/index.php?do=viewarticle&artid=2934&tit...

Florida Power & Light plans to erect solar panels on about 500 acres of the 9,500-acre property. The solar energy center would produce about 75 megawatts of electricity, enough to power possibly as many as 17,000 homes. The solar units would not add capacity to the 2,700-megawatt power plant but enable FPL to burn -- and buy -- less fossil fuel.

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28.) GM To Spend $30 Million On Volt Battery Plant:

Reuters, by Soyoung Kim and David Bailey, January 21, 2009

http://planetark.org/wen/51297

General Motors Corp will invest $30 million in its planned U.S. plant that will build next-generation batteries for its all-electric Chevrolet Volt. The facility, scheduled to open in Michigan in 2010, will assemble lithium-ion battery cells manufactured by South Korea's LG Chem Ltd into 400-pound packs, which will power the heavily touted Volt plug-in car. The Volt, which is being designed to run 40 miles on a single battery charge, has become the centerpiece of GM's attempt to reinvent its product line at a time when sales remain at decade lows.

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29.) Worldwatch Institute Calls for Halt to All Carbon Emissions by 2050:

Reuters, by Deborah Zabarenko, January 15, 2009

http://planetark.org/wen/51225

To avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change, world carbon emissions will have to drop to near zero by 2050 and "go negative" after that, the Worldwatch Institute has reported. This is a deeper cut than called for by most climate experts and policymakers, including President-elect Barack Obama, who favors an 80 percent drop in U.S. carbon emissions by mid-century. Limiting carbon emissions aims to keep global mean temperature from rising more than 3.6 degrees F over what it was before the Industrial Revolution but Worldwatch believes global warming needs to be reduced from peak levels to 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit as fast as possible.

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30.) California Expects Fast Obama Move On Car Pollution:

Reuters, by Peter Henderson and Nichola Groom, January 23, 2009

http://planetark.org/wen/51331

California's top climate change official on Wednesday predicted President Barack Obama's administration would let the state impose its own tough limits on greenhouse gas emissions from cars by May, in what would be a victory for environmentalists. California asked the new Environmental Protection Agency chief to revisit the Bush administration's 2007 decision that denied the state's request to impose its own regulations. If the EPA reverses the Bush administration ruling, more than 12 U.S. states could proceed with plans to impose stricter limits on greenhouse gas emissions from cars. California wants to reduce the emissions by 30 percent by 2016 -- the most ambitious federal or state effort to address global warming.

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31.) Susan Tierney to Become Number Two at U.S. Energy Department:

Washington Post, by Al Kamen, January 15, 2009

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/01/15/susan_tierney_to_become_e...

Susan F. Tierney, assistant secretary of energy for policy in the Clinton administration and more recently an energy and economics consultant with Boston-based Analysis Group, is expected to be named deputy secretary of energy, according to Democratic sources. Tierney, a former Massachusetts public utility commissioner, chairman of the board of the Energy Foundation and member of the National Commission on Energy Policy, an expert on electric and gas industry issues, advises companies, government organizations and non-profits on energy markets, economic and environmental regulation and strategy, according to an Analysis Group biography. She's been on the Obama transition as a team leader for the Department of Energy.

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32.) Lawmakers Consider Energy Measures In Stimulus:

Reuters, by Ayesha Rascoe, January 23, 2009

http://planetark.org/wen/51328

The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee has approved the energy measures included in Democrats' economic recovery package. The $825 billion plan would spend about $25 billion on renewable energy, energy efficiency and electricity transmission. The package would also promote the development of so called smart power grid technology to support alternative energy use, plug-in hybrid vehicles and boost energy efficiency. The government also would provide financial assistance of up to 50 percent of the costs for advanced grid technology necessary for certain electric utilities developing smart grid demonstration projects. Representative Joe Barton (R-TX) said he believed the plan short changes funding for carbon capture and storage technology and ignores nuclear power. He called the $2.4 billion devoted to clean coal development in the economic stimulus legislation "relatively miserly."

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33.) Energy and Commerce Passes Economic Recovery Legislation:

U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy & Commerce, January 23, 2009

http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&i...

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce today approved an economic recovery package that will invest in clean energy technology, advance broadband internet access, increase health care coverage to Americans, and provide critical assistance to states. The energy package will accelerate deployment of smart grid technology, provide energy efficiency funds for the nation’s schools and hospitals, offer support for the nation’s governors and mayors to tackle their energy challenges, and establish a new loan guarantee program to keep renewable energy on track during the economic crisis. A full description of the energy provisions of the legislation is available here: http://energycommerce.house.gov/images/stories/Documents/Markups/PDF/ene...

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34.) House Ways & Means Committee Approves $20B for Renewables:

SustainableBusiness.com, January 23, 2009 News

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/17538

The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday approved the $20 billion in energy tax credits and incentives proposed in the Obama administration's economic stimulus package. A party-line vote of 24 to 13 approved the tax cuts for alternative energy including a multiyear extension of the production tax credit for wind, geothermal, hydro power and bioenergy. The bill extends by three years, to the end of 2012, the in-service deadline for renewable power facilities, such as wind, geothermal and biomass. Those in operation before that date will be eligible for the production tax credit (PTC).

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35.) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - As Passed by the Full House Committee on Appropriations:

U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, January 21, 2009

http://appropriations.house.gov/pdf/PressSummary01-21-09.pdf

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009 is the first crucial step in a concerted effort to create and save 3 to 4 million jobs, jumpstart our economy, and begin the process of transforming it for the 21st century. To put people back to work today and reduce our dependence on foreign oil tomorrow, we will strengthen efforts directed at doubling renewable energy production and renovate public buildings to make them more energy efficient.

• $32 billion to transform the nation’s energy transmission, distribution, and production systems by allowing for a smarter and better grid and focusing investment in renewable technology.

• $16 billion to repair public housing and make key energy efficiency retrofits.

• $6 billion to weatherize modest-income homes.

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36.) U.S. Representative Oberstar Says Infrastructure Projects Are Ready to Go:

U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, January 22, 2009

http://transportation.house.gov/News/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=804

In December 2008, I proposed to House Leadership that the economic recovery and jobs creation legislation include at least $85 billion for infrastructure investment, including $30 billion for highways and bridges; $12 billion for transit; $5 billion for rail; $5 billion for aviation; $14 billion for environmental infrastructure; $7 billion for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and $10 billion for Federal buildings. In contrast, the Recovery and Reinvestment Act marked up by the Appropriations Committee yesterday includes approximately $63.5 billion for programs within the jurisdiction of this Committee, including $30 billion for highways and bridges; $9 billion for transit; $1.1 billion for rail; $3 billion for aviation; $6.9 billion for environmental infrastructure; $4.5 billion for the Corps of Engineers; and $7.7 billion for Federal buildings.

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37.) U.S. Senator Baucus Unveils Tax Cuts for Stimulus Package:

The Hill, by Alexander Bolton, January 23, 2009

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/baucus-unveils-tax-cuts-for-stimulus...

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) on Friday introduced a $275 billion package of tax cuts to promote renewable energy development, job creation and business investment in hope of stimulating the flagging economy. To promote the development of renewable-energy technology, Baucus has called for $30 billion in tax cuts and incentives for wind and solar power.

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38.) 57-MW Stetson Wind Farm Starts Commercial Operations in Maine:

RenewableEnergyWorld.com, January 23, 2009

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=54573

First Wind has confirmed that commercial operations have started at its Stetson Wind farm. Situated in Washington County, Maine, Stetson Wind will have the capacity to generate enough energy to power approximately 23,500 New England homes per year. Stetson Wind, a 57 megawatt (MW) project, will surpass First Wind’s Mars Hill facility as the largest wind energy project in operation in the State of Maine. The project consists of 38 General Electric 1.5-MW wind turbines, and will have the capacity to generate approximately 167 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity every year.

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39.) Collapse of the Clean Coal Myth:

New York Times (editorial), January 22, 2009

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/opinion/23fri3.html?_r=1&ref=opinion

In December, hundreds of acres of Roane County in eastern Tennessee were buried under a billion gallons of toxic coal sludge after the collapse of one of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s containment ponds. Coal combustion in this country produces 130 million tons of coal ash every year — enough to fill a train of boxcars stretching from Washington, D.C., to Australia. Just as the T.V.A. was dealing with this mess, Lacy Thornburg, a federal district judge in North Carolina, ordered the giant utility to reduce emissions from four coal-fired power plants that had been sending pollution into North Carolina. Taken together, the coal ash disaster and Judge Thornburg’s ruling did much to undercut the coal industry’s cheery “clean coal” campaign, whose ads would have us believe that low-polluting coal is here or just around the corner. It is neither.

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40.) Xcel Colorado Seeks 2,200 MW in New All-Source RFP:

Energy Prospects, by Penelope Kern, January 20, 2009

http://www.energyprospects.com/cgi-bin/package_display.pl?packageID=2808

Xcel Energy of Colorado is looking to acquire 2,200 MW of fossil fuel-based and renewable generation between now and 2015. Public Service Co. of Colorado, Xcel's Colorado utility, hopes to acquire 700 MW of wind or solar generation and as much as 600 MW of solar-thermal generation with storage capability or natural gas backup. Xcel has 1,083 MW of wind generation in Colorado. Combined with the solar power on its system, it generates over 10 percent of its power needs with renewables. The company is on target to meet the state's 20 percent-by-2020 renewables portfolio standard three to five years ahead of time.

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41.) Geothermal Energy Bringing Millions of New Dollars to Federal, State, and Local Governments:

Geothermal Energy Association, January 15, 2009

http://geo-energy.org//publications/reports/Geothermal_Revenue_Under_the...

According to a new report "Geothermal Revenue Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005," changes made in 2005 to federal geothermal leasing laws are bringing in millions of new and additional dollars to federal, state, and county government coffers. In just two years, FY 2007 and FY 2008, $82 million in new revenues were generated by geothermal activities. Three competitive geothermal lease sales in 2007 and 2008 for parcels in California, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah generated $56 million in income. Future trends appear to indicate that the geothermal windfall to the federal, state, and local governments will continue.

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42.) Oregon Institute of Technology's Journey to the Center of the Earth:

Oregonian, by Abby Haight, January 11, 2009

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/for_decades_the_oregon_...

Within a year, the Oregon Institute of Technology will become the first campus in the world powered entirely by its own renewable geothermal source. A massive drilling rig will punch into a geological fracture almost a mile below ground, tapping 300-degree water to feed a 1.5-megawatt electrical plant. The $4.5 million high-heat plant will produce enough energy to power the entire Klamath Falls campus -- and then some. At a total cost of about $8.5 million, the plan includes a second, low-temperature power plant that can run on existing wells on the campus.

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43.) Trashing Energy Production:

EnergyBiz Insider, by Ken Silverstein (Editor-in-Chief), January 19, 2009

http://www.michigangreen.org/article461.html

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, about 13 percent of all municipal waste is used to create energy. Roughly 450 waste-to-energy facilities now operate as base-load plants in the United States. They run all day, every day while being available 90 percent of the time. They are typically located in urban areas with the main benefit being the restriction of landfill gas or methane -- a potent greenhouse gas with a warming potential 21 times greater than carbon dioxide. Critics, however, say that burning trash is both expensive and filthy -- one that releases an array of toxic fumes into the air. The process produces ash and heavy metals as well as as much greenhouse gases as oil-fueled power plants; municipalities should instead focus their efforts on recycling.

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44.) Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control Issues Draft Decision Approving 6.6 Megawatts of Projects Using FuelCell Energy Power Plants:
GlobeNewswire via COMTEX News Network, January 16, 2009
http://fcel.client.shareholder.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=359826
FuelCell Energy, Inc., a leading manufacturer of high efficiency, ultra-clean power plants using renewable and other fuels for commercial, industrial, government and utility customers, today announced that the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) has issued its draft decision approving 6.6 megawatts (MW) of projects incorporating the company's highly efficient Direct FuelCell power plants. The final decision by the DPUC is scheduled for the end of January. The DPUC approved a 3.4 MW DFC-ERG power plant for a natural gas letdown station in Bloomfield and a 3.2 MW Direct FuelCell/Turbine (DFC/T) for a substation in Danbury.

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45.) U.S. Army Acquiring Thousands of Electric Vehicles:

GreenBiz.com, by Ariel Schwartz, January 14, 2009

http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2009/01/14/us-army-acquiring-electric-vehicles

Secretary of the Army Pete Green has announced that the United States Army plans on leasing thousands of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs). The NEV purchase, which is part of a larger Army energy security strategy, will be the biggest ever in the United States. 4,000 EVs will be purchased by the Army within three years for security patrol, maintenance, passenger transport, and deliveries. This year, the Army will lease 794 NEVs. 1,600 will be leased in 2010, and 1,600 more will be leased in 2011.

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46.) No Shortcuts On Path To Energy Efficiency:

Dow Jones, January 21, 2009

http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Content.asp?ContentID=284682

The $825 billion stimulus package proposed in Congress includes more than $21 billion on energy efficiency programs, with $7 billion earmarked for grants to state and local governments for energy efficiency programs. Experts warn that energy efficiency funding should focus on incentives to ensure results. While funding for energy efficiency is badly needed, it's unlikely to make much of a difference unless utilities are able to profit, or at least be kept whole, from costs associated with helping their customers cut their energy use, utility officials and industry analysts say.

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47.) Northeast Greenhouse Gas Allowance Auction Raises $106.5 Million:

EERE Network News, January 21, 2009

http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/news_detail.cfm/news_id=12199

The second auction of allowances for greenhouse gas emissions held by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) was a robust auction that yielded $106.5 million for use by the 10 RGGI states, according to Potomac Economics, an independent market monitor. The auction was held on December 17, and while some feared that the economic situation would depress the prices for the emission allowances, in reality the prices went up, selling at a clearing price of $3.38 per allowance. That's about 10% higher than the clearing price of $3.07 per allowance that was reached in the first auction, which was held in late September 2008.

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48.) Climate Change and Other Environmental Issues Slide in Poll of Public’s Concerns:

New York Times, by Andrew C. Revkin, January 22, 2009

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/science/earth/23warm.html?_r=1&ref=us

A new poll by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center suggests that Americans, preoccupied with the economy, are less worried about rising global temperatures than they were a year ago but remain concerned with solving the nation’s energy problems. In the poll global warming came in last among 20 voter concerns; it trailed issues like addressing moral decline and decreasing the influence of lobbyists. Only 30 percent of the voters deemed global warming to be “a top priority,” compared with 35 percent in 2008. In contrast, dealing with the nation’s energy problems ranked sixth in the poll — just behind education and social security — with 60 percent of voters endorsing it as a top priority.