Art and Pam, there is nothing in the bill that promotes large wind farms to my knowledge. How many KW would those type generators produce? The max in this bill would be 2000 KW total for industrial applications.
John Christensen WV Environmental Council Lobby Team Member 410-499-4873 cell www.wvecouncil.org
[Original Message] From: Art and Pam Dodds pamelart@hughes.net To: jbc329@earthlink.net; Frank Young fyoung@mountain.net; James
Kotcon James.Kotcon@mail.wvu.edu; Bill Howley billhowley@hughes.net; ec@osenergy.org; John balasko mjmb@westco.net; Larry LMWatBullRun@yahoo.com
Cc: dsgjr@aol.com; wvapath@yahoogroups.com Date: 2/4/2010 10:42:59 AM Subject: Re: [WVaPATH] Re: [EC] WV Net Metering rules vs. "Alternative"
energy
Greetings:
The use of solar and wind, which are volatile sources, requires more coal
to
be burned than if they were not in the system at all. This makes the
waste
products such as tires, bio-fuel, methane from coal beds, and trash, more reliable and will reduce the amount of coal used instead of increasing
the
amount of coal used.
Residential solar panels and residential small windmills provide energy
that
can be stored in batteries and used when needed, without negative impacts
to
the grid or to the environment. Residential renewables save coal and
money
to the person at the residence by storage of energy in batteries and by
net
metering. HOWEVER, industrial-scale wind turbines require electricity
from
the grid in order to operate properly, require coal-fired plants to
operate
at all times for the required reliable back-up, and require that the coal-fired boilers ramp up and down to keep pace with the volatile wind source. It is important to remember that the generating capacity of the coal-fired or nuclear plants must be maintained at the projected load, regardless of what other volatile sources of energy, such as wind and
solar,
are in the system.
Additionally, construction of industrial-scale wind turbines on our
mountain
ridges requires thousands of acres of deforestation, results in habitat fragmentation, causes negative impacts to our water resources due to increased stormwater runoff and decreased groundwater recharge, and slaughters bats and birds (for example, it is estimated that 3,000 bats
are
killed annually at Backbone Mountain alone). The cumulative negative impacts to our water resources by deforestation for transmission lines
and
industrial-scale wind turbines, in addition to the horrid mountain-top removal operations, will create water resource problems that will
ultimately
be irreversible. We strongly advise that you NOT add wording that
promotes
construction of industrial-scale wind turbines. Incentives for SMALL, RESIDENTIAL windmills would help tremendously to reduce the need for electricity from the grid.
Pam and Art Dodds
----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry" LMWatBullRun@yahoo.com To: jbc329@earthlink.net; "Frank Young" fyoung@mountain.net; "James Kotcon" James.Kotcon@mail.wvu.edu; "Bill Howley"
ec@osenergy.org; "John balasko" mjmb@westco.net Cc: dsgjr@aol.com; wvapath@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 6:02 AM Subject: Re: [WVaPATH] Re: [EC] WV Net Metering rules vs. "Alternative" energy
I think that this is an improvement. There are two issues- reducing the need for new plants, and reducing the environmental impact. Does this
bill
address the 1% cap issue? There is no technical reason not to permit a greater percentage than 1%, especially for relatively reliable sources
such
as waste to energy boilers.
We might also suggest some way for preferred sources (like those with
less
impact (solar, wind) or those most reliable (WVO diesel, etc)) to
supersede
more traditional sources, too. I can craft some language for that if desired. ----- Original Message ----- From: John Christensen To: Frank Young ; James Kotcon ; Bill Howley ; ec@osenergy.org ; John balasko Cc: dsgjr@aol.com ; wvapath@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 9:07 PM Subject: [WVaPATH] Re: [EC] WV Net Metering rules vs. "Alternative"
energy
the new rules we are proposing in Manypenny's bill tba....please advice
as
to any problems
John Christensen WV Environmental Council Lobby Team Member 410-499-4873 cell www.wvecouncil.org
----- Original Message ----- From: Frank Young To: James Kotcon;Bill Howley;ec@osenergy.org;John Balasko Cc: dsgjr@aol.com; wvapath@yahoogroups.com; jbc329@earthlink.net Sent: 2/3/2010 8:00:11 PM Subject: Re: [EC] WV Net Metering rules vs. "Alternative" energy But Jim, the net metering rules of 2006 or 2007, promulgated as part
of
the PSC's tariff making authority, apply only to generators up to 25 Kilowatt (KW) capacity. Anything beyond 25 KW- which an industrial
facility
using a waste coal or natural gas generator would be, would fall under
the
federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA)- which requires utilities to buy power from qualified facility generators at "avoided cost". So the various line capacities and previous year
aggregate
loads do not apply to anything beyond 25 KW anyway.
Frank ----- Original Message ----- From: James Kotcon To: Bill Howley ; ec@osenergy.org ; John Balasko Cc: dsgjr@aol.com ; wvapath@yahoogroups.com ; jbc329@earthlink.net Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 11:04 AM Subject: Re: [EC] WV Net Metering rules vs. "Alternative" energy The original net-metering rules, established around 2007, only
applied
to large utilities, and exempted the small municipal systems and rural
coops
in the state. This new rule would apply to all sellers of electricity, including those smaller systems with <30,000 customers.
The new net-metering rules were mandated in the Alternative andRenewable Energy Portfolio Act of 2009, pushed by Gov. Manchin. The
biggest
concern I have is that it extends the net-metering to non-renewable
sources
including various coal, tire-derived-fuels, natural gas, waste coal, and coal-bed methane. Furthermore, it retains the limit of 1 % of the
utilities
aggregate load, and no more than 15 % on any one 3-phase line or 5 % on a single-phase line. I think that means that an industrial facility using
a
waste coal or natural gas generator could preclude net-metering to residences using wind or solar. The more I think about this, the more it seems like a REALLY BIG PROBLEM.
While the Governor's bill established the portfolio standard, it isnot clear that it was meant to apply to the net-metering program.
JBK >>> "John Balasko" <mjmb@westco.net> 2/3/2010 10:49 AM >>> This may be the original "net metering order" filed by theCommissioners for all electric utilities. Why don't the currently
proposed
rules apply to all electric utilities and not just those with less than 30,000 customers, and what are the significant differences? In response
to
the case 06-0708-E-GI, several smaller utilities filed net metering
tariffs
with the Commission. Mr. Rodecker filed for the Philipi utility. I'm
new
to this area, but I was told by a friend who has solar panels that excess generation produced by the customer was not paid for by the utility. The currently proposed rules provide for a true-up at the end of each
reporting
period. I'll have to do some more reading.
John 06-0708-E-GI 01/26/2007 Order View Document General investigation into net metering, smart metering andinterconnection standards set forth in the Federal Energy Policy Act of
2005
Commission Final Order that all electric utilities
providing
service are directed to file the net metering tariff on or before
2/15/2007;
that each electric utility shall inform its customers of the net metering tariff and contact information for those customers interested; that each utility shall file affidavit evidencing notice on or before 4/10/2007;
etc.
Case Final. Removing from open docket.
From: Bill Howley Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 9:49 AM To: John Balasko Cc: owner@goetc.com ; WVBiker98@aol.com ; WVaPATH@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [WVaPATH] WV Net Metering????? The rules for larger power companies may already be in place. I
know
of quite a few people who have been doing net metering with Allegheny and Appalachian Power for a couple of years now. The rules you note only
apply
to smaller utilities that do not have net metering programs in place. Allegheny has been doing net metering in MD for ten years. They already have programs set up. This rule is specifically for smaller WV
companies,
because they have never had to do net metering before.
Del. Mike Manypenny from Taylor County has introduced a bill in thecurrent legislative session that would dramatically expand WV's net
metering
program. Right now, net metering is set up so that any credits you run
by
producing more power than you use disappear in a relatively short time. Manypenny's new bill (I'll get you a bill number soon) allows businesses, homeowners and farmers to become net producers of electricity by
requiring
power companies to actually purchase power from you up to certain limits.
I
believe Manypenny's bill requires power companies to buy power up to 3 megawatt hours per year from businesses and 1 megawatt hour per year from farmers.
John Balasko wrote: Thom, Kathy, Donna, Bill, WVPATH I thought you all might enjoy the continuation of this joke that
we
have gotten ourselves into.
Is this something that requires lobbying action?
http://www.psc.state.wv.us/scripts/WebDocket/ViewDocument.cfm?CaseActivityID =288733&NotType='WebDocket'
GO 258 02/02/2010 Order View Document General Order No. 258 Commission Procedural Order that the Rules GoverningElectric Utility Net-Metering Arrangements and Interconnections are promulgated as Commission proposed legislative rules; directing the Executive Secretary to publish a copy of the Notice of Rulemaking in Charleston; directing the Executive Secretary to serve a copy of the
Notice
by electronic mail or by First Class Mail upon all electric utilities operating in WV; directing the Executive Secretary to file a copy of the Rules with the Office of the Secretary of State; establishing a comment period; Initial Comments may be filed on or before 4/4/2010; Reply
Comments
may be filed until 5/5/2010; etc.
The way I read the proposed rules Allegheny Power and AppalachianPower would be exempt from net metering because they serve more than
30,000
customers.
Here is a list of the other generators affected: Black Diamond Power, Elk Power, Union Power, City of NewMartinsville, City of Philippi, Craig-Botetourt Electric Coop; Harrison Rural Electrification, Shenandoah Valley Electric
Also, "The total rated generating capacity of all customers served under this tariff shall be limited to one percent (1%) of theCompany single hour peak load
during the previous year. Do you think the legislature will approve the proposed rules?????The whole state and everything in it is controlled by COAL.
Why do we allow our metallurgical coal to be shipped to China,India, and Eastern Europe by Consol, Massey, and others. If these
companies
and our "leaders" were so concerned about "national security," the
shipments
would be stopped.
John
_______________________________________________ EC mailing list EC@osenergy.org http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec