EC February 2013

ec@lists.wvsierraclub.org

10 participants
23 discussions

Fwd: Digest for wva-sun@googlegroups.com - 9 Messages in 2 Topics
by James Kotcon 16 Feb '13

16 Feb '13

SB 185 is the Governor's "Alternative-Fuel Motor Vehicle tax credit" bill. It eliminates the existing tax credits for biofuels, electric vehicles, hydrogen vehicles, and even "coal-derived liquid fuels". Tax credits for "Alternative-fuel" vehicles would be limited to natural gas and liquified petroleum gas. This is an aggressive attack on renewables in the transportation sector and would help to lock in fossil fuels. The same bill in the House is House Bill 2506. It has been assigned to the Roads and Transportation Committee, Margaret Staggers is Chair. Jim Kotcon >>> wva-sun(a)googlegroups.com> 2/16/2013 12:17 PM >> ( mailto:wva-sun@googlegroups.com ) SB 185 ( http://groups.google.com/group/wva-sun/t/48ab5358b7ac8f07 ) John Christensen <john(a)mtvsolar.com> Feb 16 09:50AM -0500 Read it and weep, here is the governor's bill to "fix" the alternatively fueled infrastructure and vehicle Tax Credit. Not exactly what we were hoping instead we got a shot over the bow so to speak. John http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=sb185%20int… -- *John Christensen* *Government Affairs and Advocacy Mountain View Solar 410-499-4873 cell 304-258-4733 office* *www.mtvsolar.com When the sun shines my meter runs in a positive direction! How about yours? *

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Fw: "Power Hour" in Morgantown re: energy efficiency in WV
by Sally Wilts 14 Feb '13

14 Feb '13

excellent opportunity to distribute postcards ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Walton Shepherd <wshepher(a)mix.wvu.edu> To: sallywilts(a)yahoo.com Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 9:58 PM Subject: Re: "Power Hour" in Morgantown re: energy efficiency in WV Sorry! Here's the attachment... On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 9:56 PM, Walton Shepherd <wshepher(a)mix.wvu.edu> wrote: Hello Sally, > >I was given your name by Cathy Kunkle at EEWV, because in two weeks we're holding a "Power Hour" to educate informed citizens on the poor coal-related decisions our power company has made, why that has led to higher power bills and more pollution, and most importantly what we can do about it. In particular is the attempt by MonPower to buy a 40-year old coal plant and stick us with the bill. > >Would you be able to help spread the word? Details are below and attached, and I will also have a Facebook page soon. This meeting will cover some pretty great "big picture" stuff that I know will be of interest to you and to your members. > >Please call or email me when you have a moment if you would like to discuss next steps, or what I could do to help you in any way. > > >Thank you for your work, and I hope to meet you! > > >W. Chris Shepherd >304.206.7907 > > > >Morgantown Power Hour: >Wednesday, February 27, 6 PM at the Morgantown Library >373 Spruce Street, Room A > >Why is my power bill going up, up, UP? > >Because MonPower wants you to pay UP for buying an old coal plant that will cost us $1.7 BILLION DOLLARS, while it refuses to invest in energy efficiency that would make your bill go DOWN. > >So what are we to do about this $1.7 billion in higher power bills? > > >SAY NO TO PRICEY OLD POWER PLANTS, >AND YES TO EFFICIENCY. > > > > >Learn how you can advocate for common-sense solutions like energy efficiency that will save you money and avoid more rate hikes by avoiding the unnecessary cost of buying yet another old coal power plant. > > >MonPower, your electric monopoly, is planning to purchase an expensive 40-year old coal plant, while refusing to invest instead in energy efficiency programs to meet our power needs, even though energy efficiency is a far cheaper way to meet energy needs when compared to buying an antiquated coal plant for $1.7 BILLION DOLLARS. > > >It’s just common sense that we should increase our energy efficiency first, instead of letting MonPower stick the tab of an old, multi-billion dollar coal plant onto our power bills. > > There are two bills in the legislature this session that would result in the better and less expensive investment in energy efficiency - learn how you can help support these pieces of legislation, which will make your bill go DOWN, not UP like your power company is hoping for.

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Fwd: Why Bill McKibben is risking arrest again
by Jim Sconyers 13 Feb '13

13 Feb '13

I guess this tells us what the plan was for Mike Brune and Allison Chin to get arrested at the White House. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: May Boeve - 350.org <organizers(a)350.org> Date: Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 9:58 AM Subject: Why Bill McKibben is risking arrest again To: Jim Sconyers <jimscon(a)gmail.com> Dear friends, Right now, 50 or so of our friends and allies are on their way to risk arrest at the White House to encourage President Obama say no to the Keystone XL pipeline. If he is serious about his words last night in the State of the Union, stopping the pipeline is the first and simplest way for him to show it. Among the group at the White House today are people whose homes and communities are affected by the pipeline; who have suffered the impacts of extreme weather events like Hurricane Sandy; who lead companies in the clean energy economy; who lead advocacy organizations, and who lead communities of faith. Each of them tell part of the story of climate change: its causes, impacts, and solutions -- as well as the movement to stop it. Together, they are delivering a message to President Obama. *I am inspired by these stories, and our web team has set up a page where you can read some of them, and share them with your social networks to show your solidarity. Click here to get to know some of the folks at the White House today: 350.org/February13<http://act.350.org/go/2732?t=1&akid=2723.570617.H9klVX> * This Sunday on February 17, the force of this movement will come together in bigger numbers than ever before. That action, combined with the serious message on display in Washington today, are our best tools to push the President to make his words real. *Right about now, Bill is risking arrest alongside our friends, but he wanted me to pass on this message:* "I'm very glad to see leaders and celebrities standing up to Keystone, but I don't forget for a moment that it was 1,253 ordinary Americans going to jail who built this momentum in the first place. And it's the tens of thousands who descend on DC this weekend who will push this to the next stage. We really shouldn't have to be put in handcuffs to stop Keystone XL -- our nation's leading climate scientists have told us it's dangerous folly, and all the recent Nobel Peace laureates have urged us to set a different kind of example for the world, so the choice should be obvious. But given the amount of money on the other side, we've had to spend our bodies, and we'll probably have to spend them again." I hope you can share their stories from today -- each person participating represents a key part of this fight. I also hope you can come to be heard yourself this Sunday when we gather for our big action on the National Mall. Take a moment to appreciate the commitment these folks are making today, and share their messages with your friends -- *this is such an important time for us and our movement: 350.org/February13<http://act.350.org/go/2732?t=2&akid=2723.570617.H9klVX> * Onwards, May ------------------------------ 350.org is building a global movement to solve the climate crisis. Connect with us on Facebook <http://facebook.com/350.org> and Twitter<http://twitter.com/350>, and sign up for email alerts <http://350.org/signup?akid=2723.570617.H9klVX>. You can help power our work by getting involved locally, sharing your story<http://local.350.org/stories/?akid=2723.570617.H9klVX>, and donating here. <http://350.org/donate?akid=2723.570617.H9klVX> ** *To stop receiving emails from 350.org, click here.<http://act.350.org/cms/unsubscribe/unsubscribe/?t=3&akid=2723.570617.H9klVX> * * * -- Jim Sconyers jimscon(a)gmail.com 304.698.9628 Remember, Mother Nature bats last.

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Fwd: From The Colorado Movement to the Sierra Club Executive Board
by Paul Wilson 12 Feb '13

12 Feb '13

anybody else get this? fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: East BoCo United <eastbocounited(a)gmail.com> Date: Mon, Feb 11, 2013 at 11:00 AM Subject: From The Colorado Movement to the Sierra Club Executive Board To: To The Sierra Club On Banning Hydraulic Fracturing To Whom It May Concern: We would like to take this opportunity to address a recent petition calling for the Sierra Club to take a leading position on banning the process of hydraulic fracturing. The petition and supporting documentation around it spoke very closely to our daily experience of this tragic topic. We believe that the effort and its request reflect the quality and passion of your membership, as well as the growing national awareness of the profoundly destructive impacts of hydraulic fracturing, Our group, East Boulder County United, is comprised mainly of residents of Lafayette, Louisville and Gunbarrel Colorado, all which sit on the Wattenberg Shale. We live our lives, raise our families and educate our children and value our environment and community highly, and it has been only recently and entirely against our will that we have been forced to enter the fight against fracking. We were not aware that our community, with its hospitals, homes, and elementary schools sits 8000’ above a layer of shale that spells potentially massive corporate profits. Like so many populations around the world we have seen the growing political tensions and corruption that are required by industries seeking enrichment at the cost of our environment and public health. We live daily with this reality and struggle to find our way forward despite a government that has capitulated entirely to the gas and oil companies. We lead lives of growing desperation and fear as one well after another is plugged into our aquifers, our community space, and our common air. We think about the immediate toxicological effects to our children, neighbors, and loved ones. We wonder if the air will give us cancer. We wonder if the nose bleeds of our children signal neurotoxicity. Beyond all of this, we fret over the looming threat of global warming and the massive destabilizing impacts that the fossil fuel industry produces for our species for inherently short-term personal enrichment. Our group is a small community’s attempt to fight against an industry and government that does not care about our future. We have had our successes and are growing. But we can never hope to possess the power, national visibility and resources of groups like your own. We are a desperate, secondary attempt to fill the void that the larger environmental groups have created by not confronting the realities of hydraulic fracturing directly. It does not need to be like this. The Sierra Club and other national organizations can take the lead on fighting the environmental and political devastation that the fossil fuel industry continues to force upon us. To this end we would in the strongest sense request that you lead a national ban on the process of hydraulic fracturing. It is the only responsible position to take, and would go so far to address the growing destruction this industry is creating. Please contact us at your nearest convenience, and thank you for your time. We await your response. Sincerely, East Boulder County United EastBoCoUnited(a)gmail.com Eastbocounited.org -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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FW: [wvec-board] Ryerson from DAILY UPDATE 9 February 2013. News of interest to Mon river watershed denizens.
by Beth Little 11 Feb '13

11 Feb '13

This from below: Rutter notes an executive order has established a moratorium on drilling in state parks, I was unaware of this. Does anyone have more info? From: wvec-board(a)yahoogroups.com [mailto:wvec-board@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of cindy rank Sent: Monday, February 11, 2013 9:04 AM To: WVEC Subject: [wvec-board] Ryerson from DAILY UPDATE 9 February 2013. News of interest to Mon river watershed denizens. As we discussed at our Spring Review a couple years ago (2010 ?), Ryerson Lake and Park in nearby southwesterm PA was harmed by CONSOL deep mining that weakened the structure of the dam...... Litigation, fines, and discussion about how and who to 'fix', repair, replace, mitigate the destruction continue.... The latest involves mediated negotiations about it all...... See article below for a bit more detail.... Cindy R. 304-924-5802 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Donald C. Strimbeck <dcsoinks(a)comcast.net> Date: Sat, Feb 9, 2013 at 4:14 AM Subject: by Bob Niedbala <http://www.observer-reporter.com/apps/pbcs.dll/personalia?ID=bniedbala> Staff Writer niedbala(a)observer-reporter.com Greene Co. Mediator releases interim report on Ryerson negotiations Friday, February 8,2013 . <http://orweb.sx2.atl.publicus.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=OR&Date=2013020 8&Category=NEWS02&ArtNo=130209339&Ref=AR?q=100> The Duke Lake dam at Ryerson Station State Park A mediator attempting to settle litigation between the state and Consol Energy regarding damage to the dam at Ryerson Station State Park released a report Friday that includes recommendations he said he believes can serve as a basis for resolving the dispute. The mediator, Thomas A. Rutter, released the interim mediation report with the approval of all parties to the case. Expanding cracks in the concrete dam at Ryerson forced the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in 2005 to drain the lake and remove part of the dam. DCNR filed a claim against Consol suggesting the damage was caused by Consol's Bailey Mine, which was mining near the park. The state Department of Environmental Protection later determined the damage was caused by mining and ordered Consol to restore the dam. Denying its mining activities was to blame, Consol appealed DEP's decision to the state Environmental Hearing Board, where the case is scheduled for trial in May. Rutter's recommendations build on a proposal he presented at a public meeting on restoration of the dam last month. He proposes a settlement under which Consol would pay to rebuild the dam in return for it being allowed to drill for natural gas beneath the park, but only from properties adjacent to the park. Consol would be given the opportunity to lease gas resources beneath the park. Once its drilling activities are completed on the eight parcels of land it now owns adjacent to the park, the company would deed those parcels to the state, which will increase the size of the park by about one third, Rutter said. Consol would also agree never to conduct gas drilling on the park lands and would establish a monitoring program to address concerns related to future mining in the area of the park. Rutter notes an executive order has established a moratorium on drilling in state parks, but he urged parties to consider the proposal for reasons stated in the report. "This matter has dragged on too long. If the parties miss this opportunity, I fear that this case will proceed and the community will continue to suffer while this lengthy and costly litigation proceeds," Rutter wrote. The report was released at the request of DCNR secretary Richard J. Allen. "The report in my view provides a reasonable framework to reach a resolution of the litigation and to restore the dam," Allen wrote in a letter to Rutter, which also was released. Allen said he believes from newspaper articles and other information he's received that the community would support such a resolution, but to insure the public is fully informed he suggested the report be released. Consol spokeswoman Lynn Seay said in an email that the company has supported the process outlined by the mediator. "We're hopeful that this mediation sets a new course that takes it out of the attorney's hands and into a construct where all parties can align around the common goal of restoring Ryerson dam and the recreational aspects to the park as soon as possible," she said. A spokesman for the Center for Coalfield Justice, which intervened in the case, could not be reached Friday for comment. In his report, Rutter said he believes from discussion with the parties that any settlement involving Consol paying a substantial sum to resolve the claim would have to address, in exchange, Consol's development issues. The company owns coal rights beneath part of the park that could be mined in the future, he said. In addition, its subsidiary, CNX Gas, has acquired the assets of MOB Corp. that include four gas wells in the park. CNX gas has not drilled any wells in the park but is interested in doing so in conjunction with its shale gas development on the parcels it owns adjacent to the park, he said, DCNR has estimated the cost to rebuild the dam at $21.7 million not including design and pre-construction services. Consol has estimated repairs and renovations at between $10.6 and $17.6 million Rutter said that oral and written testimony he received from about 200 individuals and groups, include more than 40 who testified at the hearing Jan. 26, indicate people want the dam restored as soon as possible and would accept a "reasonable resolution" to ensure that result. He said he heard little opposition to the settlement proposal he presented at the hearing, which involved having Consol compensate the state for the dam while allowing it to drill for gas beneath the park. Each of the parties is ready to prove its case before the hearing board, he said. Both sides "have marshaled impressive, well credentialed experts who support their positions." Parties estimate it could take three to five years to resolve the case through administrative and appellate court proceedings. But even if the state wins, the public will lose by the time that has passed until the lake is restored, Rutter wrote. If the state should lose, he added, it might find it hasn't the money to replace the dam itself. Negotiation teams have made progress but the matter has come to a "critical point" at which those involved in the mediation must obtain authority to negotiate a settlement under terms specified in the report. "I may be optimistic, but if you can agree to these terms I believe the rest of the case can be settled in short order." Rutter said. Further public comment in writing is still be accepted regarding the report. Comments can be sent to: . Stewart L. Cohen, DCNR special counsel, Two Commerce Square, 2001 Market Street, Suite 2900, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103; facsimile: 215-567-6019; . Stan Geary, senior counsel, Consol Energy, 1000 Consol Energy Drive, Canonsburg, Pa. 15317; facsimile: 724-485-4837; . Michael Heilman, assistant regional counsel, DEP, 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15222; facsimile; 412-442-4267 . Odam Salim, Center for Coalfield Justice, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, P.O. Box 7226, Pittsburgh Pa. 15213-0221; facsimile 412-648-1992 Copyright 2012 Observer Publishing Company.All rights reserved. __._,_.___ <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wvec-board/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJxdGJ2djUwBF9TAzk3 MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIxNTg0MDQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTM2NTM5MgRtc2dJZAMzMjE3BHNlYwNm dHIEc2xrA3JwbHkEc3RpbWUDMTM2MDU5MTQzMw--?act=reply&messageNum=3217> Reply via web post <mailto:clrank2@gmail.com?subject=Re%3A%20Ryerson%20from%20DAILY%20UPDATE%20 9%20February%202013%2E%20News%20of%20interest%20to%20Mon%20river%20watershed %20denizens%2E> Reply to sender <mailto:wvec-board@yahoogroups.com?subject=Re%3A%20Ryerson%20from%20DAILY%20 UPDATE%209%20February%202013%2E%20News%20of%20interest%20to%20Mon%20river%20 watershed%20denizens%2E> Reply to group <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wvec-board/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJmaG0xaTdrBF9TAzk3 MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIxNTg0MDQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTM2NTM5MgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNudHBj BHN0aW1lAzEzNjA1OTE0MzM-> Start a New Topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wvec-board/message/3217;_ylc=X3oDMTM1MXFvNWw2 BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIxNTg0MDQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTM2NTM5MgRtc2dJZAMzMjE3 BHNlYwNmdHIEc2xrA3Z0cGMEc3RpbWUDMTM2MDU5MTQzMwR0cGNJZAMzMjE3> Messages in this topic (1) Recent Activity: . <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wvec-board/members;_ylc=X3oDMTJnMWM3OWhkBF9TA zk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIxNTg0MDQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTM2NTM5MgRzZWMDdnRsBHNsawN2b WJycwRzdGltZQMxMzYwNTkxNDMz?o=6> New Members 1 <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wvec-board;_ylc=X3oDMTJmbDR1cWwzBF9TAzk3MzU5N zE0BGdycElkAzIxNTg0MDQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTM2NTM5MgRzZWMDdnRsBHNsawN2Z2hwBHN0a W1lAzEzNjA1OTE0MzM-> Visit Your Group <http://groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJlbWwxb2hwBF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycElkAzIxN Tg0MDQxBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTM2NTM5MgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNnZnAEc3RpbWUDMTM2MDU5MTQzN A--> Yahoo! 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Washington Post -- use of coal by europe rising
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 08 Feb '13

08 Feb '13

http://m.washingtonpost.com/

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FW: Where does your gas money really go?
by Beth Little 05 Feb '13

05 Feb '13

From: Union of Concerned Scientists [mailto:action@ucsusa.org] Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2013 5:41 PM To: blittle(a)citynet.net Subject: Where does your gas money really go? <http://action.ucsusa.org/images/content/pagebuilder/12457.jpg> <http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=gR8l9n1oqJAe8psn-2jRAA> Forward this email <http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=08bzufgBRHExASitJ4tusQ> Sign up <http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=sxtLMsw-kc6lp10TGyQ-7A> Donate Union of Concerned Scientists <http://action.ucsusa.org/images/content/pagebuilder/12460.jpg> <http://action.ucsusa.org/images/content/pagebuilder/12419.gif> <http://action.ucsusa.org/images/content/pagebuilder/12419.gif> It's Time to Talk REAL Oil Savings Americans spend a lot of money on gas. But that money doesn't benefit your gas station or you, even if you own oil company stock. Most of the money goes to one place: oil company coffers. <http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=BAXOJ8uHC4Ukus-uYWIFwA> Where your gas money goes Help us tell the real story of where your gas money goes. <http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=v2Sa7vDKezMBvOJ9FY5-Kw> <http://action.ucsusa.org/images/content/pagebuilder/12434.gif> Where Does Your Gas Money Really Go? Dear Elizabeth, Several major oil companies recently released their 2012 earnings, and their profits soared to new heights. It is not breaking news that oil companies reap huge benefits from our oil use. In fact, as a new Union of Concerned Scientists report shows, the vast majority of what you spend at the pump ends up in oil company coffers. Oil companies are using a portion of their profits to improve their public image, arguing that these record-breaking earnings benefit the millions of Americans who own stock in oil companies-so go ahead-fill up your gas tank and help out your fellow citizen's retirement portfolio. But this rhetoric begs the question: Does your oil use benefit you? In Where your Gas Money Goes <http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=Lq0WHD5DOaIpz7o9S6eDeA> , UCS calculated how much money an average consumer spends on gas, where that money really goes, and what a consumer can expect in return on their oil stocks. Our analysis shows that the 'average' ExxonMobil shareholder gets far less than a penny back from their annual gas expenditures. Even ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson, who owns 1.7 million shares of company stock, would get only 34 cents back from a full year of purchasing gas only from his own company stations. The good news is that we can all benefit by investing in oil saving solutions. In fact, whether you are an average driver or an oil company CEO, reducing your own oil use is always a smart fiscal strategy. Here are some encouraging numbers: . $9,000 - the amount you would save on fuel costs by investing $3,500 in purchasing the Ford Fusion SE Hybrid instead of the conventional model; . 11 million - the number of barrels of oil we could save every day by 2035 by investing in efficiency and innovative solutions instead of standing still; . 9% over 9 years - the amount that Exxon has reduced energy use at its refineries by investing in efficiency. Together we can cut projected oil use in half over the next 20 years, but we need a strong and informed chorus of voices to stop oil companies from blocking progress. While we don't have the same marketing budgets as the oil companies, we do have dedicated supporters like you who think it's time to spend less at the pump and invest in solutions that will protect consumers, the climate, and our environment from the growing costs of our oil use. Will you help us start a REAL conversation on oil spending and oil solutions? Check out our new Where Your Gas Money Goes <http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=8B8ci73wElBZb_gVheGWdw> report and share it with your friends and family on Twitter and Facebook. <http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=85LuKFArZnSK6CAdPyf5YQ> And if you're not on Twitter or Facebook, you can help spread the word here. <http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=3BOdhF6z5LGDmDfdAgMlGA> Thanks for working toward a "Half the Oil" future. Sincerely, Rachel Cohen <http://action.ucsusa.org/images/content/pagebuilder/Rachel_Cohen.jpg> Rachel Cohen National Field Organizer Clean Vehicles Program Union of Concerned Scientists The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future. UCS is a 501(c)(3) organization. All gifts are tax deductible. You can be confident your donations to UCS are spent wisely. <http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=xtwkP6sRQKycEP_tooMW1g> <http://action.ucsusa.org/images/content/pagebuilder/12435.jpg> Union of Concerned Scientists 2 Brattle Square | Cambridge, MA 02138-3780 Telephone: 800-666-8276 | Fax: 617-864-9405 ucsaction(a)ucsusa.org www.ucsusa.org To stop receiving emails from UCS about clean vehicles, click here to update your interests <http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=j4YjomPl6jJ5EcJXQHOV8g> . 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For electric power generation, the end of fossil fuel is in sight
by James Kotcon 05 Feb '13

05 Feb '13

my new blogpost: U. Delaware study shows an all-renewable grid by 2030 is possible ( http://groups.google.com/group/va-sun/t/6623d3dabe2dd68b ) Ivy Main <ivymain(a)cox.net> Feb 04 03:58PM -0500 This new study answers the questions we always get about what to do when the wind doesn't blow and the sun doesn't shine. It is available at www.ceoe.udel.edu/windpower Below is my blogpost about the study, which you can find at my blog, www.powerforthepeopleva.com, or at http://m.dailykos.com/story/2013/02/04/1184546/-For-electric-power-generati… Ivy Main Vice Chair, Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club home: 703-448-7618 cell: 703-967-2876 ivymain(a)cox.net Read the Virginia Energy Blog: PowerforthePeopleVA.com For electric power generation, the end of fossil fuel is in sight by Ivy Main Feb 04, 2013 9:53am PST The rap on renewable energy is that it’s too variable to meet society’s demand for a constant supply of electricity. The answer to the problem turns out to be: More renewables. Climate change is acting like an ever-tightening vise on our energy options. Each year that passes without dramatic decreases in our use of carbon-emitting fuels means the cuts we have to make simply get more drastic. By 2030, say experts, we must entirely replace coal with efficiency and renewable energy, or fry. Even the most intrepid environmentalists wonder if it can be done without huge price hikes and wholesale changes in how we live and use energy--changes that society may not accept. A new study out of the University of Delaware shows it is possible to power the grid 99.9% of the time with only solar and wind energy, at a cost comparable to what we are paying today. This counters the conventional wisdom that we will always need large amounts of fossil fuel as a backup when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine. It also means the goal of getting largely beyond fossil fuels by 2030 is not just achievable, but practical. The study focused on a regional transmission grid known as PJM, which encompasses parts or all of fourteen states, mostly in the Mid-Atlantic. Researchers ran 28 billion computer simulations to find the most cost-effective combinations of wind and solar that could power the entire grid, at the least possible cost and with minimal amounts of energy storage. The winning combination relied on natural gas turbines for backup on only five days out of the four years modeled. The study authors looked for the least cost taking account of carbon and other external costs of fossil fuels, which are not being accounted for today, but they also assumed no technology improvements over time, making their cost estimates conservative overall. All the least-cost combinations used much more storage than we have today, but needed it for only 9 to 72 hours to get through the entire four years modeled. The secret to dealing with the inherent variability of wind and solar, it turns out, is to build even more wind and solar. One wind turbine is unreliable, but tens of thousands spread across a dozen states greatly reduces the variability problem, and tens of thousands of wind turbines balanced with millions of solar panels is better still. To get to 99.9% renewables, you keep adding wind turbines and solar panels until you are producing three times the electricity that you actually need to meet demand. To power the grid with renewables just 90% of the time, you would have to produce “only” 1.8 times the electricity needed. (And yes, we have the windy sites and the sunny places to support all those projects.) While it may sound strange to build more generation than you need, that is already the way grid operators ensure reliability. To take one example, if you were in Virginia when the “Big One” struck in 2011, you will recall that the earthquake caused the North Anna nuclear plant to shut down for four months. Nuclear energy provides a third of the electricity in Dominion Virginia Power’s service territory, and yet the lights stayed on. That’s because the grid wizards at PJM simply called on other power sources that had been idle or that had spare capacity. The other component of reliability is the ability to match demand for power, which rises and falls with the time of day, weather, and other factors. So-called “baseload” plants like nuclear, coal, and some natural gas turbines don’t offer that flexibility and must be supplemented with other sources or stored energy. PJM currently uses more than 1,300 different generating sources, as well as about 4% storage in the form of pumped hydro. The right combination of other sources can replace baseload plants entirely. Pairing wind and solar improves their ability to meet demand reliably. Onshore wind tends to blow most strongly at night, while solar energy provides power during the peak demand times of the day. Offshore wind power is also expected to match demand well. Combining them all reduces the need for back-up power. But until now policy makers have assumed that solar and wind won’t be able to power the grid reliably, even when combined and spread out over PJM’s more than 200,000 square miles, and with the addition of wind farms off the coast. Critics have insisted that renewable energy requires lots of back-up generating capacity, especially from some natural gas turbines that can ramp up and down quickly. New gas turbines have even been designed specifically to integrate with renewables in anticipation of increasing amounts of wind and solar coming onto the grid. This makes the work of the U. Delaware researchers a game-changer by showing that wind and solar can be backed up primarily by more wind and solar. And so we can begin planning for a future entirely without fossil fuels, knowing that when we get there, the lights will still be on. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Group va-sun. You can post via email ( mailto:va-sun@googlegroups.com ). To unsubscribe from this group, send ( mailto:va-sun+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com ) an empty message. For more options, visit ( http://groups.google.com/group/va-sun/topics ) this group. -- VA SUN is an open community of people who share a common interest in going solar or promoting solar energy in Virginia. Anyone is welcome and encouraged to join this group. As a group we do not represent any particular installer or company, but instead seek to share neutral, informed, and accurate information and to promote a vibrant, transparent, open and fair market for solar. This group is open to anyone who shares this vision. The group is not open to advertising for a specific product or company. --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "VA SUN" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to va-sun+unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to va-sun(a)googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.

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Re: [EC] Fwd: Mississippi power plant poll
by fmoose39＠hotmail.com 04 Feb '13

04 Feb '13

We should have a poll. I would go as far as saying we need billboards like FOC have. It should state the cost and how much we may have to pay. I would say we need to have several in the larger cities. Sent from my HTC One™ X, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone ----- Reply message ----- From: "James Kotcon" <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> To: <Duane330(a)aol.com>, <almostnixie(a)cs.com>, <daniel.chiotos(a)gmail.com>, "Jim Sconyers" <jimscon(a)gmail.com>, <ec(a)osenergy.org>, "Bill Price" <Bill_Price(a)sierraclub.org>, <wjreilly99(a)yahoo.com> Subject: [EC] Fwd: Mississippi power plant poll Date: Fri, Feb 1, 2013 7:24 PM The line below caught my attention: "75 percent of respondents say cost overruns should be paid by utility shareholders." This is exactly the issue with the First Energy and AEP transfers. Stockholders want to preserve their profits by dumping uncompetitive power plants on ratepayers. Would it make sense to commission a similar poll in WV? JBK ---------- Forwarded message ----------From: Caitlin Pixley <caitlin.pixley(a)sierraclub.org>Date: Thu, Jan 31, 2013 at 3:52 PMSubject: Fwd: TestTo: CONS-FRED(a)lists.sierraclub.org--------------------------- cc:Mail Users----------------------------- ** Remember to DELETE the 'Sender: ...' lines above before REPLYing ** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MS: Poll shows customer opposition to rate hikes via Kemper coal plant (Sierra Club) The Sierra Club was supposed to release last Thursday the results of a poll meant to gauge Mississippi Power Co. ratepayers’ attitudes toward the Kemper County coal plant. The environmental group delayed the results because of a hearing in which the Mississippi Public Service Commission reached a rate case settlement with the utility. The delay ended Wednesday morning. The poll, conducted by Fondren Strategies, surveyed by landline and mobile telephone 400 respondents that a press release says were certified to be Mississippi Power customers. The results say 65 percent of those polled said the possibility of their electricity rates going up approximately 33 percent once the plant is finished erodes their support of the project. About 75 percent of respondents say cost overruns should be paid by utility shareholders. Mississippi Power has already filed to recover $172 million in financing costs associated with the project. The filing came one day after last week’s settlement, which lowered the maximum cost recoverable via PSC ratemaking proceedings from $2.88 billion to $2.4 billion. If the PSC grants the $172 million recovery request, Mississippi Power says rates will go up an average of 21 percent, starting in April and lasting through 2013, for customers who use an average of 1,000 kWh per month. The project’s overall rate impact, the company said on an analyst call Friday, will hover around 25 percent. The Sierra Club has opposed the plant since its inception in 2009, calling it an expensive and unnecessary environmental hazard. The club has called for the plant to be converted to a natural gas-fired facility, which it says is cleaner than the lignite coal the plant will eventually use. The project is on time for a May 2014 completion, Mississippi Power said recently. Sierra Club’s own press release can be found here. Fondren Strategies interviewed 400 voters in MS from Jan. 14 – 17; MoE is +/- 4.9% points at the 95% CI -- Caitlin PixleyConservation AssociateSierra Club Atlantic Chapter353 Hamilton StreetAlbany, NY 12210(518)426-9144caitlin.pixley(a)sierraclub.org Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SierraClubAtlanticChapter- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-FRED list, send any message to: CONS-FRED-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp

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Coal ash findings could have big impact on power companies | RenewablesBiz
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 04 Feb '13

04 Feb '13

http://www.renewablesbiz.com/article/13/02/coal-ash-findings-could-have-big… If the Plant Scherer lawsuits filed Thursday in DeKalb County State Court are successful, they could have broad implications for power companies. -- Sent via http://www.addtoany.com

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EC February 2013