A National Renewable Energy Standard Bill Surfaces in DC
Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Sam Brownback (R-KS), with Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tom Udall (D-NM), Mark Udall (D-CO) and others joining, announced today that they will introduce a stand-alone Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) bill. The bill will require sellers of electricity to obtain the following milestones in adding renewable energy resources or energy efficiency:
2012-2013 - 3%
2014-2015 - 6%
2017-2018 - 9%
2019-2020 - 12%
2021 - 2039 -15%
Renewable resources that can be used toward compliance will include wind, solar, ocean, geothermal, biomass, landfill gas, incremental hydropower, hydrokinetic, new hydropower at existing dams, and waste-to-energy. For utilities that are unable to meet their RES targets, the bill proposes to charge a compliance payment at a rate of 2.1 cents per kilowatt hour, with such amounts then being used for renewable energy development or to offset consumers' bills.
A first step, yes. But a small one.
Follow the link to learn more:
Demonstration of Low Temperature Geothermal Power Generation
Seeing how Stoel Rives is a Silver Sponsor of the Geothermal Energy Expo, held in Reno until October 7, 2009, it appears timely to talk about some geothermal energy news (click here for conference details, come by and see us at booth #520).
On October 2, 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the Geothermal Research Initiative, a program to demonstrate low temperature geothermal electrical power generation systems using oilfield fluids produced at the Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center. This program is moving forward as a collaboration between the Office of Fossil Energy and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Geothermal Technologies Program.
The Geothermal Research Initiative will demonstrate the versatility, reliability, and deployment opportunities which utilize the co-produced water from oilfield operations. These systems are designed to offset the electricity usage of the oilfield while also creating a second use for water which would otherwise be discarded. The DOE believes that the co-produced water can become a significant energy resource with an estimated 10 barrels of hot water being produced along with each barrel of oil in the United States.
The program will produce operational and performance data which will be freely available to the public. The goal of the program is to educate industry and the public about the potential for geothermal energy production from co-produced water and establish the best systems for particular climates.
Show me the Money: Applications Available now for Washington's State Energy Program
On July 1, 2009, Washington State’s Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (“CTED”) issued application guidelines and forms for its State Energy Program (“SEP”) (available by clicking here). The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the “Recovery Act”) provided $60.9 million in new funding for Washington’s SEP. Subsequently, the Washington Legislature allocated $38.5 million to CTED to administer a loan and grant program for energy efficiency and renewable energy program (see our client alert, available here, regarding the legislative action).
Eligible energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean energy projects may be eligible for SEP funding between $500,000 and $2 million.
Eligible energy efficiency projects are those that use technologies that have been deployed at commercial scale that result in the reduction in energy consumption through increases in the efficiency of energy use, production, or distribution, and high-efficiency cogeneration. Ineligible projects are those that are eligible for Recovery Act Funding for community wide urban residential and commercial energy efficiency upgrades as described in (i) Chapter 379, Laws of 2009; (ii) Low income weatherization projects and programs which are eligible for funding through the state’s low-income weatherization program; (iii) Loans support to financial institutions for energy efficiency projects as described in Chapter 379, Laws of 2009; (iv) state energy efficient appliance rebates; and (v) green jobs training as described in Chapter 536, Laws of 2009.
Eligible renewable energy projects are those that are located in Washington and use existing commercial scale technologies that generate liquid fuels, process heat or electricity using algae, bark, biodiesel, biomass, biosolids, food waste, fresh water, gas from sewage treatment facilities, landfill gas, geothermal, pulping liquors, sawdust, solar, hydrokinetics, wind, wood chips and various other waste products. Ineligible projects include those that use the following feedstocks: municipal solid waste, wood from old growth forests, and chemically treated wood.
Eligible clean energy innovation projects include are those that offer innovative new technologies or service delivery models for energy efficiency, renewable energy, or other areas of clean energy. Projects must have a solid chance at commercial scale deployment within two to three years. Ineligible projects include carbon sequestration projects, lab scale projects, and those excluded under federal SEP guidelines.
Interested parties must file a notice of intent to apply by July 27, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific.
Full applications are due on August 17, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific.
Information workshops will be held on July 13, 14, 15, and 16. Click here for the specific dates and times. I will be attending the July 13 workshop in Everett, WA. An informational webinar will also be held on July 23.
Stanford Sees Results in Geothermal Reservoir Characterization
In October 2008, the Department of Energy (“DOE”) agreed to provide $43.1 million for 21 research projects to research, develop and demonstrate enhanced Geothermal Systems (“EGS”) which are next-generation geothermal energy technologies capable of producing baseload electricity across the United States. DOE's geothermal technologies program works in partnership with U.S. industry to establish geothermal energy as an economically competitive contributor to the U.S. energy supply. With cost share by the applicants, the public-private investments came to approximately $78 million.
One of the recipients selected by the DOE was Stanford University in California whose proposal included the development of reservoir engineering approaches including nanotechnology. This week Stanford announced that it had developed a method to learn more about the fracture systems in geothermal reservoirs by using tiny particles (nanoparticles) as tracers to characterize fractured rocks. The ultimate goal of the Stanford project is to utilize the nanoparticles as sensors to characterize subsurface fractures.
You can learn more about the DOE’s geothermal program at http://www1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/
