Sustainable Energy Network: News Stories – August 25, 2008

Below
please find summaries of sustainable energy news stories from the past week.  The news stories address developments in renewable energy and energy efficiency particularly as they present solutions to climate change, rising energy costs, expanding energy imports, and nuclear power.  This compilation was prepared by the SUN DAY Campaign which publishes a longer, daily compliation of such stories.  (The
news stories summarized below do not necessarily reflect the views of either the SUN DAY Campaign or the Sustainable Energy Network.)

 

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1.) Americans Spent Ten Times as Much on Oil Imports in June Than Was
Invested in All New U.S. Ethanol Producing Capacity Last Year:

Office of U.S. Senator Richard Lugar, August 12, 2008

http://lugar.senate.gov/press/record.cfm?id=302075&&year=2008&

“Americans spent 10 times as much on imported oil in the month of June than all the investment in new U.S. ethanol producing capacity for the entirety of 2007,” U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar said. Trade data released by the U.S. Census Bureau today showed that the U.S. spent $45.207 billion on oil imports for the month of June, up from $40.36 billion in the month of
May, also $20 billion more than was spent in the month of June 2007 ($26.723 billion). Investment in new U.S. ethanol capacity during 2007 was $4.47 billion according to the Renewable Fuels Association.

 

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2.) Renewable Power's Growth in Colorado Presages National Debate:

Washington Post, by Peter Slevin, August 18, 2008

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/17/AR2008081702193.html

When
Colorado voters were deciding whether to require that 10 percent of the state's electricity come from renewable fuels, the state's largest utility fought the proposal, warning that any shift from coal and natural gas would be costly, uncertain and unwise. Then a funny thing happened. The ballot initiative passed, and Xcel Energy met the requirement eight years ahead of schedule. And at the government's urging, its executives quickly agreed to double the target, to 20 percent. In Colorado -- a state historically known for natural gas and fights over drilling -- wind and solar power are fast becoming prominent parts of the energy mix. Wind capacity has quadrupled in the
past 18 months, according to Gov. Bill Ritter (D), and Xcel has become the largest provider of wind power in the nation.

 

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3.) Poll Says 74% of Americans Think T. Boone Pickens' Energy Plan Can Work:

RenewableEnergyWorld.com, August 18, 2008

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53357

In
a new national Sacred Heart University Poll, 74.0% of Americans said it was very or somewhat possible that the 10-year energy independence plan proposed by Texas oilman, T. Boone Pickens, could be accomplished. Pickens is running advertising touting his plan to use American ingenuity along with solar and wind energy as well as bio-fuels to cut dependence on foreign oil in 10 years. Only 14.4% of those surveyed indicated the plan was somewhat impossible or not at all possible to accomplish and 11.6% were unsure.

 

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4.) Connecticut Announces Solar Loan Program:

RenewableEnergyWorld.com, August 18, 2008

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53354

Through the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF), one of the first of its kind in the nation, a combination of rebates and tax credits can be used to lower the cost of leasing solar systems, helping more residents obtain clean, solar energy. CCEF is investing US $38.6 million and hopes to help approximately 1,000 homeowners in the next three years. Residents with qualifying credit and whose household income is less than or equal to 150 percent of the median income in their area are eligible for the program. A Hartford family of four with a total household income of less than US $121,000, for example, would qualify for a complete solar photovoltaic system with no down payment required.

 

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5.) Citi and Helio Micro Utility Launch Green Energy Community Investment Fund:

SolarBuzz.com, August 15, 2008

http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsNACO807.htm

Citi
Community Capitaland Helio Micro Utility today announced the creation of the Green Energy Community Investment Fund to initially finance up to four megawatts of solar electricity production this year. Through this new initiative, solar power systems will be installed on qualifying commercial and public sector facilities throughout the U.S., with an emphasis on underserved communities. The first of its kind in the clean energy sector, the Green Energy Community Investment Fund™
puts a special focus on commercial, non-profit and public entities in low and moderate income areas. The Fund will follow the same model as the established Helio Green Energy Plan, enabling qualifying entities to buy the power generated from a solar installation rather than the panels themselves, thus providing upfront savings and smoothing the path to solar adoption.

 

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6.) U.S. Department of Energy Wants Zero-Net Energy Commercial Buildings Available by 2025:

RenewableEnergyWorld.com, August 18, 2008

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53339

Last
week, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency David Rodgers announced the launch of a new Zero-Net Energy Commercial Building Initiative with establishment of the National Laboratory Collaborative on Building Technologies. In 2005, commercial buildings used 18 percent of energy in the United States and accounted for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. The Zero-Net Energy CBI plans to make new commercial buildings capable of generating as much energy as they consume available by 2025. Energy generation will be achieved through advanced energy efficiency technologies and on-site renewable energy generation systems, such as solar power and geothermal energy.

 

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7.) Report Says U.S. Could Halve Gasoline Consumption by 2035:

ClimateBiz, August 14, 2008

http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/08/14/us-could-halve-fuel-consumption-2035-report

The
U.S. could feasibly halve its gasoline consumption if the country
switched to hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles by 2035, according to a new Massachusetts Institute of Technology report "On the Road in 2035: Reducing Transportation's Petroleum Consumption and GHG Emissions." The authors suggest reducing vehicle weights as much as 20 percent weight and size of new cars and work to improve light duty vehicle engines and transmissions with an eye toward fuel efficiency. From then through the next 30 years, the authors recommend increasing
work on advanced technologies, such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cells. Advanced powertrains must move to take the majority of the market.

 

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8.) North Carolina Sets Goal of 30% Energy Savings for Major Buildings:

Triangle Business Journal, by Richard R. Rogoski, August 15, 2008

http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2008/08/18/focus4.html?f=et159&b=1219032000^1685888&ana=e_vert

With
the passage of Senate Bill 668 last year and Senate Bill 1946 in May, North Carolina has set stringent energy-conservation standards for all new construction and major renovations of state-owned buildings, including those of the University of North Carolina System and the North Carolina Community College System. New construction projects will have to be designed, constructed and certified to at least 30 percent greater in terms of energy efficiency than standards set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). For renovations, energy savings must be 20 percent
or greater.

 

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9.)
U.S. Representative Markey to President Bush - Keep Our Oil At
Home;U.S. Exporting 9 Times More than Potential Offshore Resources:

U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, August 19, 2008

http://globalwarming.house.gov/mediacenter/pressreleases_2008?id=0033#main_content

Today Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, sent a letter to the president asking him to explore stopping the exports of U.S. oil to foreign nations. According to the letter, the United States’ record export levels this year amounts to nearly 10 percent of all the oil the United States consumes every day. U.S. oil exports increased to 1.806 million
barrels a day in May 2008 -- the most recent month for which data is available -- from last year’s average export level of 1.433 million barrels a day of oil and petroleum products. In addition, the United States reached the highest level of oil exports in our nation’s history in February of this year.

 

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10.) Report Says Renewable Energy Could Electrify California Economy and Job Market:

Los Angeles Times, by Margot Roosevelt and Tami Abdollah, August 19, 2008

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-greenspace19-2008aug19,0,131123.story

A
report, "Harvesting California’s Renewable Energy Resources: A Green Jobs Business Plan,” was released Friday by the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies, a Sacramento-based nonprofit. It surveys major studies and concludes that if California gets a third of its power from renewable sources by 2020, as pending legislation would
require, as much as $60 billion would be pumped into the state economy. Manufacturing could increase by 200,000 jobs. California is requiring utilities to reach 20% renewable energy by 2010. But the Air Resources Board says that is not enough to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels, as the law requires.

 

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11.) Securing Idaho's Energy Future - The Role of Energy Efficiency and Renewables:

Harvest Clean Energy, July 16, 2008

http://www.harvestcleanenergy.org/IdahoEnergy/index.html

A
major new report called "Securing Idaho’s Energy Future: The Role of Energy Efficiency and Renewables" found that Idaho’s families, farms, and businesses spend over $3.7 billion per year for energy, 80 percent of which is produced outside of the state. The good news is that with bold leadership and sound public policies to promote the use of Idaho’s vast natural resources (wind, solar, and biomass) and maximizing energy
efficiency, Idaho can increase its in-state sources of energy from today’s 20 percent to 50 percent by 2025 in ways that grow Idaho’s economy.

 

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12.) Solar Power Begins to Heat Up - Utilities Seek It Out as Costs Fall, Mandates Rise:

USA Today, by Paul Davidson, August 18, 2008

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20080818/1b_solar18.art.htm?loc=interstitialskip

Electric utilities are warming to solar power in a shift that promises to turbocharge a technology that has been hindered by high prices and slow consumer adoption. Solar power has grown but still makes up well under 1% of U.S. power generation. More than 90% of solar panels have been installed on rooftops by maverick consumers and businesses. Utilities' embrace of solar energy will help push it to about 10% of power generation by 2025, predicts Ron Pernick, principal of research firm Clean Edge.

 

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13.) Southern California Edison Signs Contract for More Than 900 Megawatts of Wind Energy:

BUSINESS WIRE, August 18, 2008

http://cf.us.biz.yahoo.com/bw/080818/20080818005267.html?.v=1

Southern California Edison (SCE) signed a 20-year contract with DCE, an affiliate of Caithness Energy, which will provide up to 909 megawatts of wind power. Developers say that once completed, the Caithness project will be one of the world’s largest fully permitted wind farms. The project, called Caithness Shepherd’s Flat, involves the installation of 303 wind turbines across 30 square miles in Gilliam and Morrow Counties in North-Central Oregon between 2011 and 2012. Shepherd’s Flat is expected to generate 2 billion kilowatt-hours per year of renewable energy, which is more than one-tenth of SCE’s overall
renewable portfolio.

 

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14.) Pessimism Over Green Power Seen as Overdone - At Least Regarding Geothermal:

Las Vegas Review-Journal, by John G. Edwards, August 15, 2008

http://www.lvrj.com/business/27010889.html

The
number of new geothermal power projects increased 20 percent since January and nowhere is geothermal development hotter than in Nevada. Nevada has 45 projects under way with the potential to generate up to 1,900 megawatts of electricity. The Geothermal Energy Association now counts 103 projects under way in a dozen states, including Nevada. The projects could generate 4,000 megawatts of power, enough to meet the needs of 4 million homes. In January, the association counted 86 new projects with a potential of producing 3,368 megawatts of power. The Western Governors Geothermal Task Force projected that geothermal power
could total 15,000 megawatts by 2025. Existing geothermal plants in the United State can generate 2,957 megawatts of electricity.

 

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15.) Google Invests $10M in Enhanced Geothermal:

SustainableBusiness.com, August 19, 2008

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/16597

and

http://www.forbes.com/2008/08/19/google-geothermal-energy-biz-energy-cz_jf_0819google.html

In
a continuing effort to develop electricity from renewable energy
cheaper than from coal, Google, through its philanthropic arm
Google.org, announced $10.25 million in investments in a breakthrough energy technology called Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). Today's announcement also includes funding for research on next-generation geothermal resource mapping, EGS information tools, and a policy agenda for geothermal energy.

 

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16.)
Energy Efficiency Program Linked to Property Tax - City of Annapolis,
Maryland Wants to Offer Low-Interest Rate Loans for Power-Saving
Additions:

Annapolis Capital, by Ryan Justin Fox, August 14, 2008

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/08_14-10/ENV

Annapolis officials want to offer tax-exempt, low interest rate loans to property owners who install energy-reducing additions. And the payments on those loans would be placed directly on property tax bills. Property owners
who want to finance energy improvements to their properties can apply for a low-interest loan from the Chamber of Commerce Foundation through a funding pool provided by CommerceFirst. The loan payments are added to the property's tax bill, which the city collects. The savings from reducing power consumption should balance out the cost of the loan for property owners, officials said.

 

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17.) Environment America Endorses Barack Obama for President:

Environment America, August 20, 2008

http://www.environmentamerica.org/issues/election-2008/press-release2

Environment America today endorsed Barack Obama for President, citing his clear and bold solutions to our current energy woes and strong commitment to the protection of our environment.  “Senator Obama has publicly committed to fully addressing the pressing problem of global warming and moving the United States toward a new energy future.  He has made clean energy one of the top issues of his campaign and as a public servant representing Illinois at the state and federal levels has a long and consistent record of supporting the environment,” said Margie Alt, Executive Director of Environment America. Over his career as a U.S. Senator Obama has voted with Environment America 86% of the time, including achieving a 90% on the 2008 Environment America Congressional scorecard.  His one vote missed in our 2008
scorecard was an absence rather than a vote in opposition. By
comparison, Senator McCain has an extremely disappointing lifetime voting score of 30 percent for votes scored by Environment America.

 

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18.) U.S. Representative Boehner's Bluff Called - Boehner Calls Renewable Energy, Repeal of Oil Tax Breaks "Poison Pills":

Sierra Club, August 19, 2008

http://action.sierraclub.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=67481.0

Today Rep. John Boehner, the House GOP leader, used an opinion piece in the Washington Times and a press release to attack the Sierra Club's energy policy as "anti-American."  This statement follows weeks
of hysterics from Boehner and other members of his caucus over energy issues. House Republican Leadership claims that they support a comprehensive, "all of the above" energy approach, but immediately attacked just such a compromise the minute it was offered.

 

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19.) Two Megawatt Solar Array Dedicated at Denver International Airport:

SolarBuzz.com, August 19, 2008

http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsNAPR1185.htm

A
two megawatt solar energy system is being dedicated at Denver
International Airport (DIA). The solar photovoltaic system, spanning seven and a half acres at the airport’s entrance, will generate over three million kilowatt hours (kWh) of clean electricity annually, demonstrating Denver’s commitment to environmental sustainability by reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere by more than 6.3 million pounds each year. Xcel Energy will purchase the renewable energy credits from the clean electricity produced in support of Colorado’s Renewable Energy Standard, which requires large utilities to generate 20 percent of their power from renewable energy sources by 2020. The array is one of the largest solar installations at any public airport
in the U.S.

 

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20.) New York City Mayor Bloomberg Offers Windmill Power Plan:

New York Times, by Michael Barbaro, August 19, 2008

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/nyregion/20windmill.html?ref=nyregion

In
a plan that would drastically remake New York City’s skyline and
shores, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg is seeking to put wind turbines on the city’s bridges and skyscrapers and in its waters as part of a wide-ranging push to develop renewable energy. The plan, while still in its early stages, appears to be the boldest environmental proposal to date from the mayor, who has made energy efficiency a cornerstone of his administration. Aides said that for offshore locations, the city was eyeing the generally windy coast off Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island for turbines that could generate 10 percent of the city’s electricity needs within 10 years.

 

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21.) World Geothermal Power Generation Nearing Eruption:

Earth Policy Institute, by Jonathan G. Dorn, August 19, 2008

http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/2008/Update74.htm

The
United States leads the world in generating electricity from the
earth’s heat. As of August 2008, geothermal capacity in the United States totaled nearly 2,960 megawatts across seven states—Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. California, with 2,555 megawatts of installed capacity—more than any country in the world. Thanks to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which made geothermal power generation eligible to receive the federal renewable energy
production tax credit, electricity generated from geothermal resources now costs the same as fossil-fuel-based electricity in many markets in the western United States. With favorable economics, the geothermal industry is experiencing a surge in activity. As of August 2008, some 97 confirmed new geothermal power projects with up to 4,000 megawatts of capacity were under development in 13 states, with some 550 megawatts of this already in the construction phase.

 

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22.) Party Is as Party Does - Democratic Party Platform Outlines Green Goals:

Grist Magazine, August 21, 2008

http://lists.grist.org/dm?id=5EB1E83DB15DEA2048B7AEC077F1BCFC

The Democratic Party released its national platform last week. The section "New American Energy" declares that Democrats will create up to 5 million jobs in the green-energy sector, "clean up our coal plants," make the U.S. 50 percent more energy-efficient by 2030, institute a
cap-and-trade program, increase auto fuel efficiency, source 25 percent of electricity from renewables by 2025, invest in cellulosic ethanol, install a smarter electricity grid, and reduce oil consumption 35 percent by 2030. The platform also says that "man-made" climate change is "not just an economic issue or an environmental concern" but "a
national security crisis," requiring a "global response" including "binding and enforceable commitments to reducing emissions, especially for those that pollute the most." 

 

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23.) U.S. Department of Energy Announces $26 Million to Develop Energy Efficient Processes for U.S. Industry:

U.S. Department of Energy, August 22, 2008

http://www.energy.gov/news/6486.htm

U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy John Mizroch today announced over $26 million in federal funding over three years, subject to Congressional appropriations, cost-shared development of energy-efficient industrial processes in the steel and other
energy-intensive industries.  These projects support the Energy Policy Act of 2005 goal of reducing the energy intensity of U.S. manufacturing industries by 25 percent in 10 years as well as contributing significant reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) and other emissions.

 

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24.) Xcel Ditching Two Coal Plants, Going to Solar - Public Utilities Commission Approves Plan to Help Meet 2020 Goal:

Rocky Mountain News, by Gargi Chakrabarty, August 20, 2008

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/aug/20/xcel-ditching-2-coal-plants-going-to-solar

The
Colorado Public Utilities Commission approved Xcel's voluntary decision to shutter electricity generating stations in Denver and Grand Junction totaling 229 megawatts - making it the first utility in the nation to do so in order to reduce pollution emissions. The commission also approved the utility's request for a 200-megawatt solar plant using concentrated solar technology that not only helps generate electricity from the sun, but also allows energy to be stored for later use. The
commission approved, too, Xcel's request to add 850 megawatts of wind energy to its system.

 

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25) Geothermal Energy's Potential:

EnergyBiz Insider, by Ken Silverstein (Editor-in-Chief), August 22, 2008

http://www.energycentral.com/site/newsletters/ebi.cfm?id=554

Geothermal energy now makes up just a sliver of the electricity generation pie. Geothermal now provides less than 1 percent of the world's power although could supply as much as 20 percent in the coming decades. The federal government has a goal of getting 7 million homes and businesses to use geothermal heat pumps by 2010. According to the Geothermal Energy Association, 45 geothermal projects are now being planned or developed in nine western states -- facilities that have the potential
to add another 2,000 megawatts to the existing 2,800 megawatts now available.

 

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26.)
California Legislature Takes Aim at Urban Sprawl and Global Warming - A
Bill Calling for Financial Incentives to Target Greenhouse Gases Would
Be the First in the Nation:

Los Angeles Times, by Margot Roosevelt, August 21, 2008

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-sprawl21-2008aug21,0,2160319.story

The
Legislature is on the verge of adopting the nation's first law to
control planet-warming gases by curbing sprawl. The legislation, SB 375, would offer incentives to steer public funds away from sprawled development. The state spends about $20 billion a year on transportation, and under the new law, projects that meet climate goals would get priority. It requires the state's 17 metropolitan planning organizations and its regional transportation plans to meet concrete targets to reduce global-warming emissions. The targets will be set by the state Air Resources Board.

 

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27.) US Leaders Meet at Summit to Discuss Clean Energy:

Las Vegas Review Journal, August 20, 2008

http://www.lvrj.com/news/27170059.html

On
August 19, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and other public and business leaders met at the National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas to discuss how the federal government needs to take a leadership role in clean energy. The leaders suggested renewing tax credits, establishing caps on carbon emissions, funding research, and called for bipartisan support of clean energy policies.  Many agreed that clean energy can only take off if it is cheaper. Speakers said other important initiatives include setting a national standard for the
amount of electricity utilities must generate from renewable resources, updating and nationalizing building code and appliance efficiency standards and modernizing the nation’s electric grid to accommodate more renewable energy.

 

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28.) Super-Size It - Mega-Wind Farm Proposals Proliferate:

Wind Energy Weekly, by Carl Levesque, August 22, 2008

http://www.awea.org/windenergyweekly/WEW1303.html#Article5

While superlatives may make for eye-catching headlines, no wind farm can assume it will claim the title of largest facility, given that several such wind plants are simultaneously in the works in this constantly changing era. The Titan wind project, a 5,050-MW proposed wind farm in South Dakota, includes a previously announced 1,550-MW project which will be combined with a 3,500-MW contiguous wind resource.  The
Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council granted final approval for a 909 MW wind farm, to be located in Gilliam and Morrow counties. Pickens’s Mesa Power first made news when it said back in June 2007 that it was courting around 250 landowners in the Texas Panhandle in order to develop a “2,000-4,000 MW” wind farm. Shell WindEnergy, Inc., and TXU Corp. subsidiary Luminant have announced a joint agreement between the two companies to develop a 3,000-MW wind project in the Texas Panhandle. Anschutz Corp. affiliate Power Company of Wyoming, LLC, has started development work on a 2,000-MW project in Carbon County, Wyo.

 

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29.) Hawaiian Blessing Sets Stage for Transformation of Coal-Fired Plant to Bioenergy Facility:

BiobasedNews.com, August 21, 2008 

http://www.biobasednews.com/node/17659

U.S.
Senator Daniel Akaka and U.S. Representatives Neil Abercrombie and Mazie Hirono helped launch Hawaii’s newest renewable energy project at a Hawaiian blessing ceremomy for the Hū Honua Bioenergy Facility in the community of Pepeekeo, on the Big Island’s Hamakua Coast. The 24 megawatt (MW) power station will convert locally grown biomass into electricity, supporting the state’s aggressive renewable energy targets. Over 95% of the area’s residents approached have signed a petition in support of converting the power plant into a biomass-to-energy facility.

 

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30.) Cow Manure Could Be Used to Power Up to 3% of North America's Electricity Needs and Slash Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

EDIE.com, July 29, 2008

http://www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?id=15040

In
an article published in the Institute of Physics' Environmental
Research Letters, a team from the University of Texas said using it as biogas has the potential to reduce the US' net GHG emissions by 99m metric tonnes - wiping out about 4% of the country's emissions from electricity production. The current livestock population in the US could produce about 100bn kW hours of electricity. "Cow Power: The Energy and Emissions Benefits of Converting Manure to Biogas" recommends using anaerobic digestion to turn manure into biogas which standard microturbines can use to produce electricity.

 

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31.) Golden Image of Corn-Based Ethanol Shows Some Erosion:

USA Today, by Andy King, August 21, 2008

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2008-08-21-ethanol-corn_N.htm

Market changes and a growing chorus of concerns about ethanol make ethanol supporters question how long the good times will last. Corn prices, though down lately, remain high at $5.98 a bushel, making it harder for ethanol producers to profit. Livestock producers blame the ethanol industry for driving up feed prices and fueling food inflation for consumers. Industry supporters say opponents are overstating the impact of ethanol on food prices and ignoring other factors in driving up food
costs — high oil prices and bad weather in exporting nations, for
example. But they acknowledge that corn-based ethanol is not seen as the long-term solution to greater energy independence, but rather a transition to more efficient biofuels that may not benefit those farmers fueling current ethanol plants.

 

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32.) New York State Public Service Commission Sets Energy Efficiency Incentives for Utilities:

Central New York Business Journal, by Eric Reinhardt, August 20, 2008

http://www.cnybj.com/index.php?id=408&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=8673&tx_ttnews[backPid]=1&cHash=a0d0f0a52c

The
New York State Public Service Commission agreed to set aside up to $27 million as an incentive for electric utilities to develop programs aimed at energy efficiency. The goal of the program is to reduce consumption by up to 693,591 megawatt hours annually. That represents a portion of the PSC's share of the statewide goal to reduce consumption 15 percent by 2015. The incentives would only be paid if a utility meets its goal.

 

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33.) Energy-Efficient Appliances Gain Favor - Homeowners Increasingly See Potential for Savings Over Life of Product:

Associated Press, by Dave Carpenter, August 22, 2008

http://www.thestate.com/business/story/498238.html

While consumers have warmed to energy efficiency only gradually, the trend is increasingly evident with household appliances. Overall U.S. sales by appliance manufacturers fell to $23.4 billion last year and continue to slump as fewer homes are built in a tight economy, but energy-efficient models account for a growing share. In a reflection of increased
consumer demand as well as manufacturers’ innovations, 55 percent of the major appliances shipped to stores and distributors in the first half of 2008 carried the government’s Energy Star rating for high energy efficiency — up from just under 50 percent a year earlier, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

 

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