New subject: [WVaPATH] Re: WV Net Metering rules vs. "Alternative" energy

4 Feb 2010

      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"
billhowley@hughes.net;
...
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 and 

Renewable 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 is 

not 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 the 

Commissioners 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 and 

interconnection 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 the 

current 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 Governing 

Electric 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 Appalachian 

Power 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 New 

Martinsville, 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 the 

Company 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

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Re: [EC] [WVaPATH] Re: WV Net Metering rules vs. "Alternative" energy