Archive for the ‘Renewable Energy’ Category

Wind and Solar are ahead of coal in more than ways than one.

Written by Mike Pisauro on February 17th, 2009 in Business, Renewable Energy, Solar, Sustainability, Wind | No Comments »

Everyone is talking about renewable energy.  Renewable energy is part of the Obama administration’s plan  and part of the stimulus plan.  Renewable energy is front and center to the State’s energy master plan and its Global Warming Response Act.  Well, wind and solar energy is also a major employer and economic driver.    I saw a couple of days ago over at Renewable + Law that wind and solar employees more people than the coal industry.

That is fairly amazing considering on how little electricity the country generates from renewables compared to the almost 50% from coal.  It does mean that by investing in renewables government will be driving employment.  I hope this also means that are at a tipping point away from fossil fuels and moving towards a more sustainable manner for generating energy.

Federal RPS has been introduced

Written by Mike Pisauro on February 8th, 2009 in legislation, Renewable Energy | No Comments »

On Wed. Representative Markey posted a bill that would create a Federal Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). The bill proposes that a certain percentage of the electricity generated in the country comes from renewable sources. The bill proposes the following schedule:

Year Required %

2012 ……………………….. 6.0%

2013 ……………………….. 6.0%

2014 ……………………….. 8.5%

2015 ……………………….. 8.5%

2016 ……………………….. 11.0%

………………………..

2023 ……………………….. 21.0%

2024 ……………………….. 23.0%

2025 – 2039 …………….. 25.0%

Overall, this bill is a modest proposal. Currently, 31 states plus D.C. have various forms of a RPS already in place. For example under this bill the country would be generating 21% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2022. This compares well with Arizona, for example which has set 12% for its 2022 goal. And it compares well with NJ which currently requires 22.5% by the same time frame. Please note that under the recently released EMP NJ is proposing to increase its 2022 goals to 30%. It does not compare as well as California which is going to require 33% of its electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020. New York has targeted 25% of its electricity should come from renewable sources by 2013.

There are several good things in this bill. First, by creating a national RPS there will be a drive to changing how we create energy from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Second, the bill has, like almost all environmental bills, a clause which allows States to do better than the Federal government has proposed. So, even if this bill is enacted, California’s goal of 33% by 2020 will not be negatively affected by the Fed’s goal of 17.5%. NJ can continue to pursue its goals of 30% by 2020 as well.

Tidal Power coming to NJ

Written by Mike Pisauro on January 11th, 2009 in Clean Up, Ocean, Renewable Energy, Uncategorized, Wave & Tidal | No Comments »

Tidal power is coming to NJ.  On Dec. 17, 2008, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted a preliminary permit to Natural Currents Energy Services (NCES).  The company proposes to install two in stream tidal turbines, in the Manasquan River, to generate approximately 150,000 to 300,000 KW hours of electricity per year.  The electricity would be used to power the Kingsbridge Marina and Kingsbridge Financial Groups buildings in Point Pleasant, NJ.  NCES notes that any excess would be sold back to the grid per NJ’s net metering laws.

The preliminary permit is the first step in a multistep process before permission is granted to install and operate the turbines.  The issuance of a preliminary permit only allows NCES to the study the environmental impacts of the proposed project and will provide priority for NCES’ application for permits to install and operate the project.   The preliminary permit does not allow NCES to actual install the turbines and operate them.  Once the studies are complete than an applicant to apply for a FERC license.

NCES is proposing to study the site’s geology, navigation and local marine ecology during the preliminary permit period.  The study will look at the proposed project’s impact on fish and marine animals between January to December 2009.  For example, NCES is proposing to study the impact of fish passing through the turbines between May and August 2009.   As part of the permit application process various Federal and State agency filed comments to the application.  According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, the proposed project location is habitat for eighteen federally managed species.  Some of these species are: winter flounder, windowpane, Atlantic butterfish, summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, alewife and blueback herring.  NMFS is concerned that the proposed studies are not designed to give adequate data on the impacts of the turbines on the fish populations as it is scheduled for times where some fish are not present.   Therefore, NMFS is suggesting the studies continue for a full year.

Now that the permit has been issued, NCES has 45 days to submit a schedule. They must also submit reports every six months on the project.  Hopefully, FERC and the other interested agencies insure that the applicant crafts the studies to be meaningful and not merely to minimize any possible negative results.  Once all the data is collected then during the licensing process it can be determined whether tidal turbines make sense for this location.

If the site is appropriate it will help NJ meet its class 1 renewable goals of 22.5%.  Wave and tidal generators are classified as Class 1 renewable energy.  It is interesting that while this permit had been filed during NJ’s energy master plan process, there is barely any mention of wave or tidal energy as part of the recently issued EMP.   What role should tidal power have or can have in NJ?  Also, should NJ encourage these kind of projects in the State and if so how?

U.S. somehow is #1 for wind energy

Written by Mike Pisauro on December 31st, 2008 in legislation, Renewable Energy, Wind | No Comments »

The American Wind Energy Association noted in their 2008 Year End Review that the United States is #1 for wind energy production.  We as of September 2008 produce more than 21,000 megawatts of electricity from wind turbines.  AWEA’s news release is here.  Given the Bush administration’s lack of interest in renewable energy and the almost expired tax credits for renewable energy, this is fairly amazing.

With President Elect Obama’s professed support for renewable energy and NJ’s goal of 30% of our electricity coming from renewable sources in our new energy master plan, I hope NJ and the rest of the Country can improve on this milestone.  Given local opposition to the installation of wind turinbes in New Jersey I do have my doubts whether NJ will be a leader in wind energy.  That opposition comes from towns and individuals seeking to ban wind turinbes or objecting to their installation.  There is at least on bill in the legislature which would make it somewhat easier for a person or business to install wind turbines on their property but that bill cannot get a hearing in an Assembly committee and does not seem to be moving in the Senate either.

I have hopes, but I am not holding my breath.    Hopefully 2009 brings better things.

Global Warming Action plan has been released.

Written by Mike Pisauro on December 18th, 2008 in Global Warming, Renewable Energy, Sustainability | 1 Comment »

Recently, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection released the State’s draft plan on addressing global warming.  (click here for a copy of the plan).  This plan behind schedule as the Global Warming Response Act required that the plan be presented to the Governor, legislators and the Treasurer no latter than June 30, 2008.  NJSA 26:2C-42(c).  At least part of the delay was the desire to utilize the State’ energy master plan which was released in October.

DEP will be holding several public hearings on portions of the plan in January with the intent of finalizing the plan.  This would also seem to me to indicate that DEP will not make the January 1, 2009 deadline for reporting how the State is doing with emissions, reduction of emissions and progress on the plan.

While I am reviewing the plan, here are a few highlights.  The Plan is broken down into sectors: Land Use, Transportation, Energy Efficiency, Renewable energy and provides many recommendations on how to proceed.  The Plan also points to three things the State has done while it was generating this plan:  The Energy Master Plan, RGGI and the State’s Low Emission Vehicle program.

I do not want to knock the State, but if these are the three major things the State has done to move its battle on global warming, I am somewhat disappointed.  First, we missed the first RGGI auction.  The second auction is scheduled for today and NJ is participating.  Second, the EMP was just finalized and many of its recommendations need legislative action.  Some of this Legislative action has been proposed for many months (if not a couple of years) and is not moving.  Lastly, the State’s adoption of the California low emission vehicle program is on hold and in litigation.  For California’s program to be in effect, EPA had to issue a waiver to California.  Once that waiver was issued the other states could follow.  EPA denied that waiver last year.   This denial has resulted in a lawsuit by California and a call for EPA to reconsider.  With the new administration and our new EPA administrator, Lisa Jackson, hopefully the waiver will be reconsidered and issued.

In short I still have to finish my review but I am glad that there is a plan and the State will be taking public comments on the plan.  I hope to have more information on the plan up shortly.

NJ is #2 in solar and seeking to increase

Written by Mike Pisauro on December 14th, 2008 in Renewable Energy, Solar | 1 Comment »

As I have previously noted the State of New Jersey has finalized its long over due Energy Master Plan (here).  As part of that plan, the State is looking to increase the State’s use of renewable energy from 22.5% by 2020 to 30% by 2020.  This is called the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard or RPS.   The RPS is split into Class 1 and Class 2 renewables.  Class 1 renewable is solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, wave, tidal, landfill gas, fuel cells, anaerobic digestion.   Under current regulations 20% of our electricity is required to come from Class 1 renewables by 2020.

The State as part of its RPS the State carves out 2.12% of the total renewable energy for solar installation.  This means that of the 20% of Class 1 renewable, 2.12% must come from solar energy.  The carve out is credited on making New Jersey the second highest State for solar generation behind California.

The Energy Master Plan proposes to increase the use of solar from 2.12% to a total of 2,120 GWh of solar.  The State is changing from percentage to actual amounts because if the State is successful in reducing energy consumption than the overall amount of solar energy under the old percentages would be lower.

In essence the EMP is a reaffirmation of the State’s commitment to renewable energy.  While this is good news and even though the State has stated a commitment to solar and renewable energy and the State has the second highest level of solar installation, 2008 was not a good year for solar.  Below is a graph from New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program on solar installations from 2001 to the end of June 2008.  (website)

2001 to June 2008 Solar Installation

2001 to June 2008 Solar Installation

There was a significant drop off in the installation of solar energy this year.  This may be the result of the freezing of the State’s rebate program.  The State stopped accepting new rebate applications for all but government entities for 2008.  Maybe as PSE&G’s loan program takes hold the numbers will reserve themselves.  What is clear is that if the State is serious on achieving increased adoption of solar energy it must makes sure the incentives are in place to achieve its goal.

Another Wave Project Coming to New Jersey

Written by Mike Pisauro on December 6th, 2008 in Ocean, Renewable Energy | 1 Comment »

A company called Grays Harbor Ocean Energy Company, LLC has filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a wave energy project off of the coast of New Jersey.    I want to thank EnviroPolitics Blog for pointing out the application.

Grays Harbor is applying for permission to install 100 Wave Energy Converters (WEC) of the coast of New Jersey.   Each WEC would generate 1 megawatt each.  They are planned somewhere between 12 to 25 miles of Atlantic City in Federal waters.  The power cables would then feed in to the grid for use by A.C. and New Jersey in general.  This would be the second WEC project off of the coast of Atlantic City.   One of the very interesting things about the application is Grays’ proposal that they be granted additional power generation so that Grays can install wind turbines on the WECs down the line.  This would increase the generation capacity of the facility.

According to Grays Harbor application they plan to do their environmental studies in 2009 and then apply for a 5 MW five year FERC license by 2010.  The first phase of the project would be installed in 2011.  They proposed to then apply for a FERC license for the full 100 MW and install it by 2016.  The total project is expected to cost $400 to $600 million.

Another interesting aspect of Grays Harbor proposal is that it seems to be part of a larger plan that Grays Harbor is pursuing concurrently.

I will have to take a look at the application a little more closely and Grays Harbor.  Also, I have not seen much from New Jersey on the application.

People support renewable energy

Written by Mike Pisauro on December 2nd, 2008 in Renewable Energy | No Comments »

I saw a recent entry on the Environmental Law Prof. Blog regarding renewable energy (link).  The blog discusses a report from the World Public Opinion. org.  According to the WPO a majority of people support renewable energy  including a requirement that utilities generate renewable energy.  This is good news as it means that there is support for Renewable Portfolio Standards.  New Jersey has a very progressive RPS and is looking to improve upon that with its Energy Master Plan.  As I wrote earlier, NJ is seeking to increase its RPS from 22.5% by 2020 to 30% by 2020.  (link).  Hopefully, this report also provides some support for a Federal RPS, which President-elect Obama has indicated that he supports.

Offshore wind, renewable energy and carve outs

Written by Mike Pisauro on November 18th, 2008 in Clean Up, Ocean, Politics, Renewable Energy | 1 Comment »

New Jersey, as does many other states, has a renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS).  This requires utilities to either generate a certain percentage of the energy used in the state from renewable sources or to pay others to generate that electricity from renewable sources.  This payment is in the form a renewable energy credits (RECs).  People and companies that have wind turbines or solar panels (among other sources) create RECs for each megawatt of electricity that is generated.  These RECs are then purchased by the utilities to fulfill their RPS obligations.

Currently NJ requires that 22.5% of electricity comes from renewable sources by May 31, 2021.  Because the BPU and the State of New Jersey want to encourage the development of solar energy, the RPS has a carve out for solar energy.  By May 31, 2021 2.12% of our electricity must come for solar systems.  The remainder of the 20.38% is required to come from Class I and Class II renewables.  Wind and solar are examples of Class I.  Hydro and resource recovery facilities are examples of Class II systems.

Two things are occurring that will change this landscape.  First, the energy master plan seeks to increase the RPS requirements.  The RPS will be increasing to 30% once BPU proposes new regulations to implement the EMP.  Again, there will be a carve out for solar energy.  Under the EMP the state is expecting 2,120 gwh of solar energy which is an increase of gigawatts.  The State is also seeking 3000 MW from offshore wind by 2020.

The second new event is that the BPU is considering a carve out for offshore wind.  This would make two class I carve outs.  BPU is looking to see whether it is feasible or advisable for there to be a carve out to encourage offshore wind farms so that the EMP’s goals of 1,000 MWs can be reached by 2012 and 3,000 by 2020.  BPU is setting up a stakeholder process to determine whether if to set up a carve our; how to set up a carve out, what the schedule for the RPS should be and other factors.  A copy of the BPU’s order is here.

The solar carve out is probably a major factor in NJ being the second in the nation in energy generated from solar systems.  California is number one.  The question is can a carve out for offshore wind accomplish the same thing.   Also, is a carve out even necessary?

Energy Master Plan

Written by Mike Pisauro on October 21st, 2008 in Renewable Energy | 1 Comment »

Tomorrow the final verison of the energy master plan will be presented to the public.  The energy master plan is the State’s blueprint to energy production and usage.  The State is required to produce an energy master plan every three years.  The current plan is several years in the making and twelve years or so (I think) overdue.  We will see what the final plan looks like, but the draft plan was lacking in many respects.  Once I have had a chance to look it at I will try to give a review.

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