- DOE Selects 12 Solar America Cities to Receive up to $2.4 Million
- California Utility to Install 250 Megawatts of Solar Panels
- California Agency Reduces Zero-Emission Vehicle Requirements
- Northern California Utility Draws on Renewable Natural Gas
- FERC and Oregon to Coordinate Reviews of Wave Energy Projects
- Washington Nationals Start the Baseball Season in a New Green Park
- Boulder, Colorado, to be Nation’s First "Smart Grid City"
DOE Selects 12 Solar America Cities to Receive up to $2.4 Million
DOE announced last week its selection of 12 cities across the country as Solar America Cities. Each city will receive $200,000 (a total of $2.4 million) to integrate a variety of solar technologies, such as solar water heating, solar photovoltaic electric systems, and large-scale solar thermal electric systems (concentrating solar power). Combined with industry cost sharing and funding from each city, the total amount invested will be approximately $12.1 million.
The 12 cities include Sacramento, San Jose, and Santa Rosa, California; Denver, Colorado; Orlando, Florida; the combined twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Knoxville, Tennessee; Houston and San Antonio, Texas; Seattle, Washington; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In addition to the funding, DOE will also provide hands-on assistance from technical experts to help cities integrate solar technologies into their energy planning, zoning, and facilities; streamline local regulations and practices that affect solar adoption; provide solar financing options; and promote solar technology among residents and local businesses through outreach, curriculum development, and incentive programs. DOE selected 13 Solar America Cities in 2007, so the latest selection brings the total number of Solar America Cities to 25. See the DOE press release and the Solar America Cities Web site.
California Utility to Install 250 Megawatts of Solar Panels
Southern California Edison (SCE) launched a project last week to install 250 megawatts of solar PV on commercial buildings over the next five years. The project is the nation’s largest solar PV project, covering 2.33 square miles of rooftop at an estimated cost of $875 million.
Although the utility has submitted the project to the California Public Utilities Commission for approval, it is already pressing ahead with projects in three quickly growing counties: Inland Empire, Riverside, and San Bernardino. SCE hopes to have the first solar projects in service by August and will set a marathon pace by installing solar projects at a rate of one megawatt per week.
When complete, the project will produce enough power over the course of a year to meet the power needs of 162,000 average homes in Southern California. More importantly, it will help to relieve stresses on the power grid in some of the fastest-growing urban areas in the country. See the SCE press release.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger lauded the project. "These are the kinds of big ideas we need to meet California’s long-term energy and climate change goals," said the governor. "I urge others to follow in their footsteps. If commercial buildings statewide partnered with utilities to put this solar technology on their rooftops, it would set off a huge wave of renewable energy growth." See the governor’s press release.
California Agency Reduces Zero-Emission Vehicle Requirements
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) decided last week to scale back its requirements for the sale of zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) throughout the state by allowing new credits for the sale of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and vehicles with hydrogen-fueled engines.
When originally instituted in 1990, CARB’s ZEV program would have required ZEVs, such as battery-powered electric vehicles, to comprise 10% of the new light-duty vehicles offered for sale in California for model year 2003. Over the intervening years, that approach was gradually modified, allowing automakers to earn credits for producing ultra-clean conventional vehicles, ultra-clean hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and vehicles fueled with natural gas or hydrogen.
The most recent version-approved in 2003 and adopted in 2004-required battery-powered ZEVs to comprise 2% of the cars and light trucks offered for sale in the state for model years 2005 through 2008, but also allowed automakers to avoid that requirement by producing a quota of fuel-cell vehicles. See the article from the April 20, 2003, edition of this newsletter.
A credit system in the 2003 regulations effectively reduced the percentage of required ZEVs to less than 1% of sales in 2005, but that would have ramped up quickly starting in 2009. The regulations were meant to result in 2,500 total ZEVs for the model years from 2009 to 2011 (about 833 ZEVs each year), 25,000 ZEVs for model years 2012 to 2014, and 50,000 ZEVs for model years 2015 to 2017.
The approach approved last week added a new option for plug-in hybrids or internal combustion hydrogen vehicles, which CARB is calling Enhanced, Advanced-Technology, Partial ZEVs, or "Enhanced AT PZEVs" for short. The new regulations would result in 58,500 Enhanced AT PZEVs for 2012-2014, and if automakers follow that path, only 7,500 ZEVs would be required. A similar option for model years 2015 to 2017 would cut the number of ZEVs to 25,000. Different automakers may choose different paths, so the ultimate result may fall between the two approaches.
The board also called for a revision of the regulations for model years 2015 and later to greatly strengthen the requirements for vehicles that emit low amounts of greenhouses gases, in line with the state’s other greenhouse gas regulations. See page 4 of the 2003 regulations (PDF 89 KB), CARB’s summary of the changes (PDF 13 KB), and a ZEV fact sheet with more details about the changes (PDF 97 KB).
While CARB has faced criticism at times for backing off on its requirements for battery-powered electric vehicles, the ZEV program has met the state’s goal of encouraging cleaner cars to be sold in California. The ZEV fact sheet referenced above notes that as of 2006, the ZEV requirements had resulted in 4,400 battery electric vehicles; 26,000 neighborhood electric vehicles (small, low-speed vehicles); 160 fuel cell vehicles; 109,000 ultra-clean hybrids and compressed natural gas vehicles; and 672,000 ultra-clean conventional vehicles (designated as "Partial ZEVs" or PZEVs) throughout the state.
Northern California Utility Draws on Renewable Natural Gas
Burning natural gas is not normally seen as a use of renewable energy, but a project underway in northern California is adding a renewable dimension to this traditional fossil fuel. In early March, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) began injecting biogas from manure into its natural gas pipeline in Fresno County.
The 5,000-cow Vintage Dairy, located near the town of Riverdale, is flushing the manure from its cows into a covered lagoon that is more than three stories deep, with an area of nearly five football fields. Microbes in the oxygen-free environment of the lagoon convert the manure to methane through a process called anaerobic digestion. Methane from the lagoon is scrubbed and pressurized by BioEnergy Solutions and then injected into the PG&E pipeline. Under a long-term contract, BioEnergy Solutions plans to deliver up to 3 billion cubic feet of renewable natural gas to PG&E each year. PG&E is also investigating its own methods of generating biogas. See the PG&E press release and the BioEnergy Solutions Web site.
PG&E will soon be increasing its supply of renewable natural gas, according to Environmental Power Corp. (EPC). EPC is using anaerobic digestion to create renewable natural gas from manure and agricultural wastes at its Huckabay Ridge facility in Stephenville, Texas. The facility began full commercial operation in January and is expected to produce 635 billion Btu of natural gas per year, which is equal to about 616 million cubic feet. The natural gas is currently being delivered to the Lower Colorado River Authority, but as of October, it will be delivered to PG&E under a 10-year contract. See the EPC press releases on reaching commercial operation and on the PG&E contract.
While natural gas pipelines in the West are starting to carry a small amount of biogas, a proposed new pipeline in the Midwest would carry ethanol. Two petroleum pipeline companies are looking into a dedicated pipeline to carry ethanol from the Midwest to distribution centers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. and Buckeye Partners, L.P. are teaming up to assess the pipeline, which could transport more than 10 million gallons of ethanol per day. See the Magellan press release and a map of the proposed pipeline (PDF 305 KB).
FERC and Oregon to Coordinate Reviews of Wave Energy Projects
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the State of Oregon signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) last week to coordinate their reviews of wave energy projects along the state’s coastline. The MOU establishes Oregon’s support of FERC’s procedures for a short-term license for experimental pilot projects. FERC and Oregon agree to notify each other of proposed wave energy projects and will work together to identify potential issues and to set a schedule to process permit applications. Oregon also intends to prepare a comprehensive siting plan for wave energy projects in state waters, and FERC agrees to consider whether proposed projects are consistent with the plan. Oregon intends to be a leader in promoting the development of wave energy projects. See the FERC press release and the full MOU (PDF 1.0 MB).
Wave energy and other ocean energy technologies are still in their development phase, but they are gaining ground both in the U.S. and throughout the world. For instance, in early March the British firm Lunar Energy announced plans to install a 300-megawatt tidal energy plant in South Korea. The company plans to carry out resource and feasibility studies by July and intends to install a 1-megawatt pilot facility by March 2009. If successful, the facility will be expanded to 300 megawatts by 2015. The company’s Rotech Tidal Turbine incorporates a 37.7-foot open turbine into a structure weighing more than 2,700 tons, which rests on the ocean floor. The turbines will be manufactured by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries, and the project will be carried out in cooperation with Korean Midland Power Company. See the Lunar Energy press release.
Washington Nationals Start the Baseball Season in a New Green Park
The Washington Nationals officially started the 2008 Major League Baseball season on Sunday night, with President Bush throwing the first pitch in a new, "green" stadium. Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty announced last week that the ballpark received LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, making it the first major stadium in the U.S. to achieve LEED Certification. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is a widely recognized standard for green buildings, and LEED Silver is the third-highest rating available under the LEED rating system. The energy-saving features in the new ballpark include high-efficiency field lighting, which uses 21% less energy than typical field lighting, as well as a 6,300-square-foot green roof above one of the concession areas. See the mayor’s press release.
Such efforts may gain ground in the future, as Major League Baseball has just teamed up with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to launch the "Team Greening Program." The program will provide each team with an individualized Web-based software tool, which will offer specific advice and resources regarding such topics as energy use, purchasing, concession operations, water use, recycling, and transportation. The tool includes advice on how each club can increase its use of renewable energy. See the NRDC press release.
Renewable energy was a hit at ballparks last year, with several clubs installing new solar power systems. The Colorado Rockies took an early lead, starting the season with a 9.9-kilowatt solar power system at Coors Field. The system employs SunPower Corporation’s solar panels and was installed through a partnership between the Rockies and Xcel Energy. By June, the Cleveland Indians and the San Francisco Giants were also in the solar ballgame. With the help of Green Energy Ohio, the Indians installed an 8.4-kilowatt system at Progressive Field, while Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) helped the Giants beat the competition with a 122-kilowatt system at AT&T Park. (This is surely the only place where you’ll read that the Giants beat the Rockies and the Indians last year!) See the SunPower press release, the Green Energy Ohio Web site, and the PG&E press release.
Boulder, Colorado, to be Nation’s First "Smart Grid City"
Xcel Energy announced in March that it will make Boulder, Colorado, the nation’s first "Smart Grid City." Starting in August and continuing through next year, Xcel Energy will upgrade the city’s electrical distribution grid with advanced "smart grid" technologies, including a metering system that allows real-time, high-speed, two-way communication between the utility and its customers. Customers will also be able to fully automate their home’s energy use through the installation of programmable in-home control devices. The effort will draw on the expertise of the Smart Grid Consortium, a group of leading technologists, engineering firms, business leaders, and information technology companies established by Xcel Energy in late 2007.
Among the many advantages of a smart grid is its ability to make better use of customer-located energy systems, such as solar panels, fuel cells, and battery systems. Such "distributed energy systems" can earn more for the power they produce during periods of peak power use, and systems such as fuel cells and small generators can be powered up by the utility to supplement the grid, while battery systems can be drawn down. Smart grids also make it easier to use demand reduction technologies, which shut down energy-intensive equipment or delay equipment from running during peak periods. The grid could interface with "intelligent" appliances, such as a refrigerator that delays its cooling cycle for a short time during peak periods. It would also enable vehicle-to-grid technologies for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, which could delay charging the vehicles until off-peak hours or could even draw power from the vehicles if needed. The result should be a more efficient, reliable electrical grid that also reduces the cost of power. See the Xcel Energy press release and Smart Grid City Web page.
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Kevin Eber is the Editor of EREE Network News, a weekly publication of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
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