Jeff
There are several changes that I would recommend.
First, thanks to WVU and several other independent medical research organizations, there is more than ample scientific evidence that the financial and social impact on health care, including premature death, loss of productivity and inability to work due to diseases like heart disease, cancers, and asthma caused by pollution from coal fired power plants are significant. But this report does not appear take into consideration these "legacy" costs when evaluating the economic comparatives of coal to renewable energy.
As one who has a fiduciary responsibility to they State and Legislature for all our positions as a member of the PEA, I must go on record demanding that the true cost be identified in any economic analysis. As you know from my often offered, and to some, an irritating report, the Province of Ontario has in their annual Provincial Budget BOTH the generation/distribution of electric power from several generating methods, and the Province wide universal health care plan known as OHIP. The Provincial Government completed several years ago a detailed study to determine the true cost of coal fired power and included the cost of health care directly attributed to pollution from their coal fired power plants. Their 2 year study led them to conclude that renewable energy is less costly when the total cost is honestly added up, so they are on track to shut down ALL of their coal fired power plants by 2012. While the economics of BOTH power generation/distribution and health care are undoubtedly different between Ontario and West Virginia, we must, in all honest to the State Legislature, report the true cost of coal as it is understood today...and not by living in the past.
Secondly, I note the Coal Association is asked for input data, but what about asking renewable energy industry sources, like WV Wind Working Group, environmental organizations like, but not limited to, the WV Chapter and National Sierra Club, OPEC, WV Environmental Council, and health care professionals who deal with these health impacts on a daily basis. Solar Energy, both photovoltaic and concentrated solar power technologies in particular, have been coming down in total costs significantly, some industry literature reporting 50% drop in the last year for some systems. Qualified industry sources should be consulted and asked to supply the current economics of these rapidly growing energy technologies.
Third, the fact that the power industry has stated that they do not need to construct any renewable energy systems to me illustrates the illusion of this Alternative Energy Standard. No other jurisdiction that I am aware of has such a phony approach...we need a clean renewable energy standard period...20% by 2020.
And the reason for that is that since the original standard was written, climatology scientists around the world have observed the impacts of climate change, and have determined that their original models for predicting the rise of temperature and impacts of climate change were too conservative. They clearly are warning that we are moving much more rapidly to a crisis level of GHG emissions. As the Durban South Africa meeting has just concluded and illustrates, the world IS coming together to address climate change, and we must too.
But the opportunities for job creation are the plus side of solving this crisis, hence our State Energy Plan must be more aggressive in cutting GHG emissions that will create jobs in doing so. There are numerous studies supporting this statement, and we are foolish to ignore the global trends...as we do so at our economic peril.
Finally, there should be a far more aggressive incentive program for net metering and distributed power.
Respectfully
Allan Tweddle
From: Herholdt, Jeff F Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 8:57 AM To: Randy.C.Huffman@wv.gov ; David Warner ; spettit@waco-trio.com ; Mike Ross ; allantweddle@msn.com Cc: Butler, Marie ; ahaden@psc.state.wv.us Subject: FW: DRassessment12 16 11.doc
Gentlemen
Last Monday (12/12) you were advised of the Public Service Commission and Division of Energy/ Public Energy Authority role in preparing a report on West Virginia's Alternative and Renewable Portfolio.
In that email I shared with you information we provided to the PSC for use in preparation of the preliminary report.
The preliminary report is to be submitted by the PSC by January 1 while the final report is due July 1, 2012.
Attached is the draft preliminary report. Would appreciate your review and comments if any on this by Wednesday, December 21.
Please feel free to contact me with questions. Jeff
From: Haden, Amy [mailto:AHaden@psc.state.wv.us] Sent: Friday, December 16, 2011 4:04 PM To: Herholdt, Jeff F; Hitt, Richard Subject: DRassessment12 16 11.doc
Jeff,
Attached is a draft of the assessment. Note that parts of the text are highlighted with notes for your review and editing. At 8-9, the section of the economic impact of the Act on coal and coal mining was simplified. The discussion of the displacement analysis did not appear to be responsive to the Q. about the impact on coal and coal mining and it was a little difficult to follow. After looking at it, Rick and I thought it might be better to leave it out with some language added about following up with more information in future Assessments.
The copy will be revised for the table of contents pages, etc. after we finish the draft stage. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Thanks,
Amy