Sustainable Energy Network: News Stories – October 6, 2008

Submitted by admin on Mon, 10/06/2008 - 13:21

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.  You may find some of these stories of use to you in your own work. This compilation was prepared by the SUN DAY Campaign which publishes a longer, daily compilation 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.) Renewable Energy Tops 10% of U.S. Energy Production:

RenewableEnergyWorld.com, September 26, 2008

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/infocus/story?id=53684

According to the latest "Monthly Energy Review" issued by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, renewable energy accounted for more than 10 percent of the domestically-produced energy used in the United States in the first half of 2008. For the period January, 1 to June 30, 2008, the United States consumed 50.673 quadrillion Btus (quads) of energy. Of that amount, 34.162 quads was from domestic sources and 16.511 quads was imported. Domestically-produced renewable energy (biomass/biofuels, geothermal, hydropower, solar, wind) totaled 3.606 quads, an amount equal to 10.56% of U.S. energy consumption that is domestically-produced.

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2.) Obama Says Wall Street Bailout May Cut His Energy Plan:

Reuters, September 29, 2008

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/50393/story.htm

US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Friday that if elected he might have to scale back his plan for energy investment to help pay for a proposed US$700 billion financial industry bailout. Obama did not give details on what part of his energy plan might have to be cut, but he added, "we're not going to be able to do everything" because of the high cost of the bailout. Obama said he wanted to free the United States from reliance on Middle East oil imports within 10 years by boosting US oil production, investing in alternative energy sources and building more fuel efficient cars. McCain said he would eliminate billions of dollars in federal ethanol subsidies to help cover the cost of the Wall Street bailout.

 

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3.) U.S. Department of Energy to Provide Up to $17.6 Million for Solar Photovoltaic Technology Development:

U.S. Department of Energy, September 29, 2008

http://www.energy.gov/news/6607.htm

The U.S. Department of Energy today announced up to $17.6 million, subject to annual appropriations, for six early stage photovoltaic (PV) module incubator projects that focus on the initial manufacturing of advanced solar PV technologies.  Including the cost share from industry, which will be at least 20 percent, the total research investment is expected to reach up to $35.4 million.  These projects support President Bush’s Solar America Initiative, which aims to make solar energy cost-competitive with conventional forms of electricity by 2015.

 

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4.) U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary Says Ethanol Helps Bring Gas Prices Down and Advances Second-Generation Biofuels Development:

FarmWeek, September 24, 2008

http://farmweek.ilfb.org/viewdocument.asp?did=12050&r=4.848659E-03&r=0.5...

John Mizroch, DOE acting assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy, credited corn-based biofuels production with paving the way for use of “next-generation, non-foodstock” sources such as cellulosic energy crops. Those “advanced biofuels” are expected to fill 21 billion gallons of U.S. motor fuels use annually by 2022 under a nationwide renewable fuels standard (RFS). Departmental goals include cost-competitive cellulosic ethanol production by 2012, and Mizroch hopes to see development of “real flex-fuel vehicles” that can use higher ethanol blends or other fuels without the current mileage “penalty” experienced by E85 (85 percent gasoline) users.

 

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5.) U.S. to Study Effects of Wind Energy Industry on Habitats:

World-Herald, by Nancy Gaarder, September 26, 2008

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10443105

The federal government is launching an extensive environmental analysis of wind energy. The review is being fueled by the competing demands of habitat protection and energy exploitation in the Upper Great Plains, where some of the nation's largest tracts of intact native prairie and densest concentrations of wetlands are found. The region involved — eastern Nebraska, western Iowa and Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Montana — is home to some of the most productive water fowl habitat in the nation and thus is important to birders and hunters across the country.

 

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6.) California Governor Schwarzenegger Signs Legislation Promoting Renewable Energy:

World of Renewables, September 29, 2008

http://www.worldofrenewables.com/index.php?do=viewarticle&artid=2443&tit...

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced that he has signed bills to continue to build on California’s commitment to increase renewable energy use. AB 1451 will build on the state’s solar power usage by continuing a property tax exclusion for projects that utilize solar panel energy and expanding the exclusion to builders-installed solar energy systems in new homes. AB 2267 builds on California’s green economy by requiring the California Public Utilities Commission to grant incentives to eligible California-technology manufacturers. This bill also requires the California Energy Commission to give priority to California-based companies when granting awards and will not only create jobs for hardworking Californians but will attract more clean-tech and green-tech companies to the state. AB 2466 will increase energy efficiency and help protect the environment by authorizing local governments to receive a utility bill credit for surplus renewable electricity generated at one site against the electricity consumption at other sites.

 

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7.) Environmentalists See Red in Ohio Energy Debate:

Associated Press, by Julie Carr Smyth, September 26, 2008

http://www.examiner.com/a-1608688~Environmentalists_see_red_in_Ohio_ener...

Environmental groups complained Friday that electric companies are trying to skirt a new Ohio law that requires utilities to produce part of their power using wind, solar or other renewable sources. In filings with state regulators, power companies pushed for rules that backers of green energy said go against the intent of Ohio's tough new standards. Some utilities asked to use energy efficiency projects they've already completed to meet the law's future goals, for example. Some asked to bank power savings made one year to apply toward reductions expected the next. Some asked to use traditional coal and nuclear power, both considered non-renewable, to meet renewable targets.

 

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8.) Amid Boom, Concerns at Small Solar Firms:

New York Times, by Jan Ellen Spiegel, September 24, 2008

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/business/smallbusiness/25sbiz.html?_r=...

While solar industry groups and experts are not predicting a bust, they are raising concerns that growth is about to be tempered. The solar power industry is experiencing growing pains over how power is financed and distributed. In the end, larger companies may gain the upper hand, and the incentives could decrease or even disappear. The Solar Energy Industries Association, a trade group, estimates there are about 3,400 companies and organizations and 30,000 to 40,000 direct solar energy-related jobs in the United States, though calculating the overall economic benefit of the solar industry is difficult. What may determine whether small businesses will continue to dominate the industry are the so-called power purchase agreements. Those agreements are much like leasing a car. Instead of owning a solar system, a homeowner or business essentially leases power from a system on its property that is owned by another company. Such arrangements may be best managed by large companies, and there is already evidence that they are becoming popular alternatives, especially for commercial projects, when the initial cost is a stumbling block.

 

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9.) Off-Shore Wind Power Set to Expand:

Worldwatch Institute, by Ben Block, September 29, 2008

http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5894

Off-shore wind has so far taken a back seat to on-shore wind farms during the current boom in wind energy development. Off-shore turbines are more difficult to maintain, and they cost $.08-$0.12 per kilowatt-hour, compared to $.05-$.08 for on-shore wind. But off-shore wind farms offer several benefits over their land-based counterparts. Strong ocean winds allow one off-shore turbine to generate substantially more power than one on-shore turbine. Also, if an off-shore wind farm is located near a coastal city, clean energy would be available without dedicating land to new transmission lines. According to a U.S. Department of Energy report, more than 900 GW of off-shore wind power could potentially be tapped from U.S. shores, mostly along the northeastern and southeastern seaboards. The United States is expected to finalize its leasing rules for off-shore wind farms this year.

 

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10.) Wind Power Dollars Pour into West Texas Economy:

Reuters, September 26, 2008

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE48P77T20080926?fee...

Millions of dollars in new tax revenue generated from the wind power boom sweeping rural west Texas have helped fund a rash of school building projects, the first signs of an expected economic revival. In many cities stretching from Abilene to Midland, local officials are harnessing tax dollars from a boom in wind power projects. Texas, better known for oil and gas production, leads the nation in wind capacity at more than 5,800 megawatts, a number expected to swell to 18,000 MW as new transmission lines are built.

 

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11.) Sacramento Municipal Utility District Rates Customers on Energy Consumption:

Sacramento Bee, by Chris Bowman, September 26, 2008

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1267187.html

In the nation's first experiment of its kind, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District has 35,000 randomly selected customers receiving a monthly "home electricity report" with bar graphs comparing their consumption with the neighborhood average. The utility figures they'll likely conserve more electricity to keep up with the Joneses, or strive to do one better than them. Midway through the yearlong trial, the neighborhood comparisons appear to be yielding the desired results – and then some. SMUD had hoped to save 2 to 3 percent in monthly energy costs for customers, and it looks like it has far exceeded that.

 

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12.) First US Carbon Auction Brings States US$39 Million:

Reuters, September 30, 2008

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/50404/story.htm

The first auction in the United States of permits allowing power plants to emit a greenhouse gas raised nearly US$39 million, which states plan to use to protect consumers from any higher energy bills that could result from capping the pollution. The auction kicked off the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, an agreement by ten states to begin regulating carbon dioxide emissions from more than 230 power plants in January. The permits sold for for US$3.07 per ton. The price was lower than the US$4.50 to $4.00 per ton that contracts on the permits had been fetching in recent weeks on futures markets. It is also lower than carbon prices in the European Union, where they were trading for about US$34 dollars per ton.

 

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13.) Feds Ready $50B in Energy-Saving Deals:

Federal Times, by Tim Kauffman, September 14, 2008

http://federaltimes.com/index.php?S=3722129

The Energy Department is weeks away from announcing a slate of new contracts that agencies can use to finance up to $50 billion in energy-savings investments over the next decade. About 10 contractors are expected to get the contracts under that department’s Super Energy Savings Performance Contracts program. The new contracts, larger in size and scope than existing contracts, should spur a much larger investment in energy savings projects both nationally and overseas. Task orders issued under the new contract could be worth up to $50 billion over the 11-year life of the master contract. That would be a nearly 20-fold increase from the $2.6 billion in Super ESPC contracts awarded over the past 11 years for 187 projects.

 

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14.) GAO to Markey - Carbon Sequestration Won’t Happen Without National Strategy; Regulation Would Create Incentives, Coordination Severely Lacking Among Agencies, Says Report:

U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Energy Independence & Global Warming, September 30, 2008

http://globalwarming.house.gov/mediacenter/pressreleases_2008?id=0045#ma...

A Government Accountability Office report released today says climate-fighting carbon sequestration technologies won’t significantly advance until a national strategy to regulate carbon emissions and interagency cooperation measures are established. The report shines a light on the lack of leadership from the Bush administration on global warming and climate-friendly technologies. It also points to a lack of coordination among agencies involved in developing and regulating CCS infrastructure in the United States, for example with pipeline transportation of carbon dioxide emissions. To review the report, see: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081080.pdf.

 

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15.) International Energy Agency Urges Governments to Adopt Effective Policies to Halve CO2 Emissions via Renewable Energy by 2050:

International Energy Agency, September 29, 2008

http://www.iea.org/Textbase/press/pressdetail.asp?PRESS_REL_ID=271

The International Energy Agency estimates that nearly 50% of global electricity supplies will have to come from renewable energy sources if we want to halve CO2 emissions by 2050 in order to minimize significant and irreversible climate change impacts. IEA today launched a new study, "Deploying Renewables: Principles for Effective Policies" in which it carried out a comparative analysis of the performance of the various renewables promotion policies around the world. The study encompasses 35 countries, including - all OECD members and the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), and addresses electricity production, heating and transport. In 2005, these 35 countries accounted for 80% of total global commercial renewable electricity generation, 77% of commercial renewable heating/cooling (excluding the use of traditional biomass) and 98% of renewable transport fuel production.

 

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16.) Unirac to Support 1.2 MW Colorado State University Project:

SolarBuzz.com, September 30, 2008

http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsNAPR1223.htm

Unirac Inc., a manufacturer of solar photovoltaic mounting solutions, has been selected by BP Solar to supply a custom ground mount solution for a 1.2 MW solar array at Colorado State University - Pueblo. When completed, the array will be one of the largest at an education facility in the United States. Estimated to contribute more than 10 percent of the University’s electricity needs, BP Solar expects the project to begin producing energy in late 2008. Unirac’s Custom Solutions Division designed the racking technology to mount approximately 7,000 modules along a strip of land that could not easily serve any other purpose.

 

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17.) Rhode Island Chooses Deepwater Wind to Build Off-Shore Wind Farm:

RenewableEnergyWorld.com, September 30, 2008

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53708

Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri announced last week that Deepwater Wind was chosen as the developer to construct a wind energy project off the shores of Rhode Island that could provide 1.3 million megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity per year, 15 percent of all electricity used in the state. It is expected that the project will cost more than US $1 billion to construct, with all the capital coming from private investment sources. The state and Deepwater Wind will now enter a 90-day period to negotiate a formal development agreement.

 

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18.) Senator Barack Obama Delivers Clean Energy, Jobs and Savings for America:

Environment America, September 30, 2008

http://www.environmentamerica.org/news-releases/election-2008/election-2...

Barack Obama’s support for clean energy policies as a U.S. senator has had measurable benefits for Americans according to web-based publication by Environment America. While Sen. McCain has stated he supports alternative energy, Environment America found that he has consistently opposed standards and incentives for wind and solar power. Barack Obama’s votes in the U.S. Senate will save Americans $26 billion each year at the pump and enough energy by 2020 to power 26 million American homes—nearly enough power for every household in all eight Great Lakes states. In separate votes, tax credits for renewable energy and a renewable electricity standard were blocked in part because of opposition from Sen. John McCain. Sen. Obama voted for these policies which would bolster the current clean energy boom and create millions of new “green jobs.”

 

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19.) Millions Harness the Power of Change - EPA's New Campaign Challenges Americans to Change the World, Start with Energy Star:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, October 1, 2008

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d0cf6618525a9efb85257359003fb69...

Today is the 4th annual Energy Star "Change a Light" Day, and more than 1.8 million Americans have pledged to change at least one light at home to an Energy Star qualified light. These pledges will save $220 million in energy bills and prevent the release of more than 3 billion pounds of greenhouse gases. If every American household took the pledge to change one light in your home to a more energy efficient one, seal and insulate your home, power-down computers when they're not in use, program your thermostat to save energy when no one is home, and choose Energy Star qualified products, we would save more than 110 billion kilowatt hours of electricity and $18 billion in annual energy costs, while preventing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to more than 18 million cars annually.

 

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20.) Americans Want Renewable Energy, Not Coal and Nukes - Survey:

SustainableBusiness.com, October 1, 2008

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/16855

If the next President and Congress are going to continue to invest in energy through subsidies, tax breaks and other incentives, the focus should shift from coal and nuclear power to promoting wind and solar energy, enhanced energy efficiency, hybrids and other highly fuel-efficient cars, according to a new national survey conducted for CLEAN and the Civil Society Institute (CSI) by the U.S. survey firm Opinion Research Corporation. More than four out of five Americans want to see government aid for wind and solar power put on the same or better footing as coal-fired and nuclear power plants. In addition nearly three out of four Americans (73%)--including 64% of Republicans, 82% of Democrats and 68% of Independents--would support “a five-year moratorium on new coal-fired power plants in the United States if there was stepped-up investment in clean, safe renewable energy and improved home energy-efficiency standards.”

 

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21.) America’s Ethanol Producers Cut Energy Consumption - Efficiency Gains Add to Ethanol’s Green Footprint:

Renewable Fuels Association, September 30, 2008

http://renewablefuelsassociation.cmail5.com/e/530389/ewsi1y/

According to a recent report by John Christianson (CPA of the independent accounting firm Christianson & Associates, PLLP), the average amount of energy as measured by British Thermal Units (BTUs) required to produce ethanol and a livestock feed co-product across all ethanol production technologies was reduced by 13.5 percent between 2004 and 2007. The most efficient biorefineries demonstrated an even more dramatic reduction 19 percent reduction in BTU energy requirements, today using fewer than 21,000 BTUs per gallon of ethanol produced.

 

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22.) U.S. Motorists Cut Driving in July for Ninth Month:

Bloomberg, by Angela Greiling Keane, September 30, 2008

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=av.ZoZUiJOf0

U.S. motorists, paying record prices for gasoline, drove less in July for a ninth consecutive month, the Federal Highway Administration said. Vehicle-miles traveled on all U.S. roads fell 3.6 percent from a year earlier. The month's 9.6 billion-mile drop brought the total since November to 62.6 billion miles, the agency said. The annual total may fall for the first time since 1980. The decline came as the price of gasoline at U.S. pumps rose to a high of $4.11 a gallon on July 15. The average price for the month was $4.06, 37 percent more than a year earlier.

 

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23.) U.S. Gasoline Demand Drops for 23rd Week, MasterCard Says:

Bloomberg, by Barbara Powell, September 30, 2008

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=ayMa2pq3om40

U.S. gasoline demand dropped 4.7 percent last week, the 23rd consecutive decline, as consumers drove less after Hurricane Ike disrupted supplies, a MasterCard Inc. report today showed. Motorists bought an average 9.083 million barrels of gasoline a day in the week ended Sept. 26, down from 9.526 million a year earlier. Fuel consumption in the U.S. was 4.1 percent higher than the prior week. Demand for the year is down 2.8 percent from a year earlier, the report showed.

 

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24.) Climate Change Could Raise Pennsylvania's Average Annual Temperature 12 Degrees, Threatening Environment and Economy, New Report Finds - Severity Will Depend on Extent of Global Warming Emissions Reductions:

Union of Concerned Scientists, October 1, 2008

http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/climate-change-pa-0146.html

If global warming emissions are not significantly curtailed, by late this century summer temperatures could exceed 90 degrees daily in southern parts of the state, some tree species could decline sharply, and farmers could suffer major losses, according to a new Union of Concerned Scientists report that provides the most in-depth look at the potential consequences of climate change in Pennsylvania to date. The state already has taken several important steps to address the problem. But the state should require coal-fired power plants in the state to replace a percentage of the coal they burn with biomass. It also should ban construction of new coal-fired plants unless they can capture and store their carbon emissions.

 

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25.) California Law Will Reduce Climate Pollution Through Better Transportation and Land Use - Governor’s Signature on SB 375 Will Boost Efforts to Implement Global Warming Solutions Act:

Natural Resources Defense Council, September 30, 2008

http://www.nrdc.org/media/2008/081001.asp

California’s historic endeavor to solve global warming got a major boost today when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a landmark law, SB 375, to reduce vehicle pollution through better transportation and land use planning. The legislation by Sen. Darrell Steinberg would reduce heat-trapping pollution from cars by providing incentives for cities to build more compact neighborhoods with more options for people to walk, bike and take public transportation instead of driving.

 

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26.) Greens Use Bailout to Go Anti-Nuke:

Politico, by Erika Lovley, October 1, 2008    

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/14149.html

Some environmental groups see a silver lining in the $700 billion financial bailout that is stalled in Congress, asserting the eye-popping price tag could help derail the development of another costly investment: nuclear energy. A nuclear plant can easily cost $6 billion to $8 billion, according to the industry trade group, the Nuclear Energy Institute. And green groups point to a Government Accountability Office report that predicts the risk of default on nuclear loan guarantees to be “well above 50 percent.” A new Internet ad by Friends of the Earth is using the financial crisis to warn voters that investing in costly nuclear plants could result in the taxpayer bailout of another industry if nuclear companies default. Instead, the environmentalists hope lawmakers will consider wind, solar and other renewable energies that the groups say are safer and less expensive. The bailout already has the presidential candidates talking about scaling back their energy wish lists. McCain wants to build 100 plants, which would cost $800 billion in today’s dollars — $100 billion more than the proposed Wall Street rescue plan.

 

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27.) U.S. Department of Energy Announces Loan Guarantee Applications for Nuclear Power Plant Construction:

U.S. Department of Energy, October 2, 2008

http://www.energy.gov/news/6620.htm

The U.S. Department of Energy today announced it has received 19 Part I applications from 17 electric power companies for federal loan guarantees to support the construction of 14 nuclear power plants in response to its June 30, 2008 solicitation.  The applications reflect the intentions of those companies to build 21 new reactors, with some applications covering two reactors at the same site. The aggregate estimated construction cost of these 14 projects is $188 billion. The nuclear industry is asking the Department to provide loan guarantees in the amount of $122 billion, which significantly exceeds the $18.5 billion in loan guarantees available under the June 30, 2008 Nuclear Power Facilities solicitation.   

 

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28.) Solar Thermal Collector Manufacturing Activities Decline Substantially in 2007:

Energy Information Administration, October 2, 2008

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/solar.renewables/page/solarreport/solar07.pdf

After 3 years of rapid growth, solar thermal collector shipments declined substantially in 2007. Many foreign solar companies have been eyeing U.S. solar thermal market investment opportunities. They believe that the U.S. solar thermal market is poised to take off, especially utility-scale solar thermal power and domestic solar water heating. As a result, these companies began seriously competing for the U.S. solar thermal market in 2007. This is likely a factor in the slowdown in the U.S. solar thermal

collector market experienced in 2007, and it is not yet clear whether this is the beginning of a general decline or merely a brief interruption in a long-term upward trend.

 

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29.) Substantial Power Generation from Domestic Geothermal Resources:

U.S. Geological Survey, September 29, 2008

http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2027

The U.S. Geological Survey assessment released today is the first national geothermal resource estimate in more than 30 years. The results of this assessment show that the United States has an estimated 9,057 Megawatts-electric (MWe) of power generation potential from domestic, conventional, identified geothermal systems, 30,033 MWe of power generation potential from conventional, undiscovered geothermal resources, and 517,800 MWe of power generation potential from unconventional (high temperature, low permeability) Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) resources. The results of this assessment indicate that full development of the conventional, identified systems alone could expand geothermal power production by approximately 6,500 MWe, or about 260% of the currently installed geothermal total of more than 2500 MWe.

 

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30.) Addressing Challenges through Better Federal Energy Management Plans and Clarifying the Greenhouse Gas Emission Measure Will Help Meet Long-term Goals for Buildings:

General Accounting Office, October 1, 2008

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08977.pdf

Based on draft DOE data, most of the 22 agencies reporting to DOE for fiscal year 2007 met energy goals for energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions, and renewable energy. Specifically, all but one agency met the energy efficiency goal. Because the greenhouse gas emission goal is tied to the energy efficiency goal, the same number of agencies met the greenhouse gas emission goal, while 17 of the 22 agencies met the renewable energy goal. The federal government is the nation's single largest energy consumer, spending approximately $17 billion in fiscal year 2007.

 

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31.) Senate Passes Renewable Tax Credits Alongside Bail-Out Package:

BusinessGreen, by James Murray, October 2, 2008

http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2227399/senate-passes-r...

The US renewable tax credits that are due to expire at the end of the year could be renewed by the end of the week after legislation extending the tax breaks was attached to the controversial $700bn economic rescue bill passed last night by the Senate. $18bn of tax breaks will be made available, with tax credits for residential and commercial solar systems being extended by eight years, while credits for wind energy have been extended by a year and those for marine renewables, such as wave and tidal power, have been extended by two years. The package also includes tax credits for home owners making energy-efficiency improvements and purchasers of electric cars.

 

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32.) Congressional Budget Office's Analysis of Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008:

Congressional Budget Office, October 1, 2008

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/98xx/doc9852/hr1424Dodd.pdf

The bill would provide a number of tax incentives related to energy and fuel production and energy conservation. It also includes several provisions that would raise revenue, with the largest effect from a modification of the requirements imposed on brokers for the reporting of their customers’ basis in securities transactions. CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimate that, over the 2009-2013 period, the bill would reduce revenues by $6.8 billion, increase outlays by about $0.2 billion, and increase projected deficits by about $7 billion. CBO and JCT estimate that, over the 2009-2018 period, the bill would increase revenues by about $0.3 billion, increase outlays by about $0.2 billion, and reduce projected deficits by less than $0.1 billion.

 

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33.) Greenpeace and Environment America Hail House Blueprint for Global Warming Action:

Environment America, October 2, 2008

http://www.environmentamerica.org/news-releases/global-warming-solutions...

and

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/press-center/releases2/greenpeace-applauds...

Today, 152 members of Congress sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi laying out a blueprint for U.S. action to solve global warming. The letter, authored by Reps. Henry Waxman (Calif.), Ed Markey (Mass.), and Jay Inslee (Wash.), establishes principles for "strong, fair, and science-based" legislation. The principles call for reducing total U.S. emissions of global warming pollutants by 15 to 20 percent by 2020 and by 80 percent by 2050 in order to keep the global rise in temperatures to no more than 3.6 degrees F (2 degrees C) over pre-industrial levels. At increases of more than 3.6 degrees F, scientists believe that the effects of global warming would become catastrophic. The principles also call for requiring polluters to pay for their emissions and for using the revenue to invest in "the best clean energy and energy efficiency technologies" and to "return revenue to consumers."

 

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34.) Google Search for Cleaner Energy Unveiled:

Reuters, by Braden Reddall, October 2, 2008

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE4911PN20081002?fee...

Google launched a plan on Wednesday to wean the United States off burning coal and oil for power by 2030, and cut oil use for cars by 40 percent. That will cost trillions of dollars, but Google believes it should ultimately save money. Through its philanthropic arm Google.org, the company is backing start-ups designing wind, solar and geothermal technologies, which it hopes will eventually be cheaper than coal. Google invested $45 million in such companies this year. Google itself is improving its servers and their buildings, identifying $5 million in building efficiency investments that will pay for themselves in two and a half years.

 

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35.) Could The Credit Crunch Kill Green Energy?

Forbes, by William Pentland, October 1, 2008

http://www.forbes.com/2008/10/01/energy-credit-solar-biz-energy-cx_wp_10...

In 2007, the clean energy sector attracted $2.2 billion in venture-backed investments, up 45% from 2006. Biofuels production jumped from 4.9 billion gallons in 2006 to roughly 6.5 billion gallons last year. Meanwhile, in 2007 the U.S. added 314 megawatts of new solar energy systems to the grid, up by 125% from the previous year. Solar energy start-ups raised the lion's share of new investments in the sector, or roughly $600 million in capital raised in 39 deals. However, success in both wind and solar energy depends on scale, or the ability to lower costs by producing large amounts - and scale depends on capital. But now, worry is growing that the nascent industry could be choked off by the credit crisis just as it is starting to take off.

 

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36.) 4.2 Million New 'Green' Jobs Predicted - But Renewable Energy and Efficiency Needed for Growth, Says Study:

Associated Press, by H. Josef Hebert, October 1, 2008

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/381416_greenjobs02.html

A major shift to renewable energy and efficiency is expected to produce 4.2 million new environmentally friendly "green" jobs over the next three decades, according to a study commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The report by Global Insight Inc. says that about 750,000 people work today in what can be considered green jobs, from scientists and engineers researching alternative fuels to makers of wind turbines and more energy-efficient products. But that's less than one-half of 1 percent of total employment. By 2038, another 4.2 million green jobs are expected to be added, accounting for 10 percent of new job growth over the next 30 years.

 

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37.) Italy's Enel Opens Its Biggest Wind Farm in U.S.:

Reuters, by Ian Simpson, October 2, 2008

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE4915UV20081002?fee...

Italian power company Enel SpA has inaugurated its biggest wind power project, a 250- megawatt U.S. wind farm. The Smoky Hills plant in the state of Kansas will be operational by the end of the year, Enel said in a statement. It is the biggest wind power project built in Great Plains state. The site can supply the power needs of 85,000 U.S. households

 

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38.) World Geothermal Energy Nearing Eruption:

SustainableBusiness.com, by Jonathan Dorn, October 1, 2008

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.feature/id/1590

Electricity generation using geothermal energy is now taking place in 24 countries, 5 of which use it to produce 15% or more of their total electricity. In the first half of 2008, total world installed geothermal power capacity passed 10,000 megawatts (MW) - enough electricity to meet the needs of 60 million people, roughly the population of the United Kingdom. In 2010, capacity could increase to 13,500 MW across 46 countries - the equivalent to 27 coal-fired power plants. The U.S. leads the world in geothermal energy production with nearly 2,960 MW across seven states - Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. As of August 2008, some 97 confirmed new geothermal power projects with up to 4,000 MW of capacity are under development in 13 states, with some 550 MW in the construction phase. Expected to create 7,000 permanent full-time jobs, the new capacity will include numerous large-scale projects such as the 350 MW and 245 MW projects by Vulcan Power near Salt Wells and Aurora, Nevada; the 155 MW project by CalEnergy near the Salton Sea in southern California; and the 120 MW project by Davenport Power near the Newberry Volcano in Oregon. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that with emerging low-temperature technologies, at least 260,000 MW of U.S. geothermal resources could be developed. A study led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology indicates that an investment of roughly $1 billion in geothermal research and development over 15 years (roughly the cost of a single new coal-fired power plant) could lead to commercial deployment of 100,000 MW by 2050.

 

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39.) Scientists Seek Breakthroughs in the Field of Cellulosic Ethanol:

BusinessWest, September 29, 2008

http://www.businesswest.com/details.asp?id=1725

The first wave of biofuels, most notably corn ethanol, have shown promise, but have also sparked debate over competing uses of corn for food versus fuel — and led to the realization that the amount of ethanol derived from grains will plateau at between 12 billion and 15 billion gallons per year, a small dent in the 140 billion gallons of gasoline currently consumed in the U.S. Biomass feedstock sources — forest growth and byproducts, perennial crops like switchgrass, paper pulp, and more — are almost by definition plentiful and renewable, and have the potential to supply 35% of U.S. fuel demand. But while biomass sources are far more abundant than grain-ethanol sources, the cost to convert them to fuel are more expensive.

 

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40.) Physicists Urge U.S. to Prioritize Energy Efficiency:

American Physical Society, September 16, 2008

http://www.aps.org/about/pressreleases/energyreport.cfm

The 46,000-member American Physical Society just released a study "Energy Future: Think Efficiency" saying that the U.S. can reduce its dependence on foreign oil and greenhouse gas emissions by making cars and buildings much more energy efficient. The report concludes that technologies are available to safely move beyond the 35 mile per gallon Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard mandated by law by the year 2020; the federal government should establish policies to ensure that new light-duty vehicles average 50 mpg or more by 2030. Energy use by buildings could be no higher in 2030 than it is today if technologies that are available or in the pipeline are installed in a cost-effective manner; widespread, cost-effective construction of residential zero energy buildings (ZEB)—buildings that use no net energy—is feasible by 2020, except in hot, humid climates.

 

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41.) House Approves Bailout on Second Try:

New York Times, October 3, 2008

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/04/business/economy/04bailout.html?hp=&ad...

The House of Representatives gave final approval on Friday to the $700 billion bailout for the financial system. The crucial vote was 263-171, passing by a comfortable bipartisan margin. The Senate approved the plan on Wednesday night by a vote of 74 to 25, after adding a portfolio of popular tax provisions. The bill now heads to President Bush who is eager to sign it.

 

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42.) Federal Solar Tax Credits Extended for 8 Years, US Poised to Become Largest Solar Market in the World:

Solar Energy Industries Association, October 3, 2008

http://seia.org/cs/news_detail?pressrelease.id=217

The U.S. House of Representatives passed historic legislation that extends the 30-percent federal investment tax credit for both residential and commercial solar installations for 8 years. The solar investment tax credit (ITC) provisions will:

· Extend for 8 years the 30-percent tax credit for both residential and commercial solar installations;

· Eliminate the $2,000 monetary cap for residential solar electric installations, creating a true 30-percent tax credit (effective for property placed in service after December 31, 2008);

· Eliminate the prohibition on utilities from benefiting from the credit;

· Allow Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) filers, both businesses and individuals, to take the credit;

· Authorize $800 million for clean energy bonds for renewable energy generating facilities, including solar.

 

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43.) Florida Public Service Commission Announces Renewable Energy Rules - 20% by 2041:

Miami Herald, by John Dorschner, October 2, 2008

http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/710615.html

The staff of the Public Service Commission recommended Thursday that electric utilities be required to provide 20 percent of their power from renewable sources by the year 2041. The draft rule recommends the commission require utilities to have 5 percent from renewables, such as wind and solar, by 2017, 10 percent by 2025 and 15 percent by 2033. The proposed rule was immediately decried by environmentalists as being too weak. They pointed out that Gov. Charlie Crist has said ''multiple times'' that he wanted to shoot for 20 percent by 2020. Many companies creating renewable energy -- such as solar power firms and sugar firm Florida Crystals -- had also lobbied for a 2020 benchmark.

 

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44.) Michigan Could Find Energy Windfall Just Off Its Shores:

World of Renewables, October 3, 2008

http://www.worldofrenewables.com/index.php?do=viewarticle&artid=2460&tit...

Michigan could host as much as 320,000 megawatts of power from offshore wind, more than 10 times the amount of peak electricity produced now in the state from all sources, according to a report by the Michigan State University Land Policy Center. That is 80 times the projected output of the world's largest wind farm planned by billionaire T. Boone Pickens in the windy Texas panhandle. The state has 40% of the surface area of the lakes under its jurisdiction and controls much of the lakes' bottom, where turbines would stand. That puts Michigan ahead of even other Great Lakes states for wind projects. According to the American Wind Energy Association, Michigan is the 14th windiest state on land, at 16,000 megawatts of possible wind power. No one had measured the state's offshore wind potential before.

 

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45.) Biofuels Must Follow Sustainable Practices - Report:

SustainableBusiness.com, October 3, 2008

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/16873

The emerging global biofuels industry could require as much land by 2050 as is currently farmed for food, according to a new report in the October 3 issue of Science magazine. The United States lacks the standards to ensure that producing biofuels won't cause environmental harm, says a group of 22 international scientists and co-authors. But because the industry is so young, policymakers have an exceptional opportunity to develop incentive programs to develop sustainable practices.

 

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46.) International Energy Agency Announces Release of U.S. CHP/DHC Scorecard:

United States Clean Heat & Power Association, October 2, 2008

http://www.iea.org/G8/CHP/profiles/us.pdf

The International Energy Agency (IEA) today released its new report "Combined Heat and Power (CHP)/District Heating and Cooling (DHC) Country Scorecard: United States". The new IEA United States Scorecard finds that the country has a long history of using CHP and DHC-8% of US electricity generation is provided by 85 gigawatts of installed CHP capacity, the largest installed capacity in the world. However, there is much greater potential for CHP and DHC that can be tapped by a more active government policy focus to address key barriers such as lack of recognition of CHP in GHG regulation, and lack of economical procedures for interconnecting CHP to the power grid.

 

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47.) Houston Taking on Global Warming - Mayor Plans to Reduce Greenhouse Gases by 2010:

Houston Chronicle, by Matthew Tresaugue, October 2, 2008

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6037264.html

America's energy capital is seeking to slash emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases that contribute to climate change under the plan, which city officials released with little fanfare days before Hurricane Ike. Mayor Bill White's plan would reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 11 percent below 2005 levels by 2010. The goal is to reduce this smoggy, sprawling city's impact on the climate by buying renewable power and hybrid cars, replacing lightbulbs and rehabbing buildings to make them more energy-efficient, among other strategies.

 

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48.) Weather-Related Disasters Dominate:

Worldwatch Institute, by Petra Löw, October 2, 2008

http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5452?emc=el&m=152155&l=4&v=718c84efb9

In 2007, there were 874 weather-related disas­ters worldwide, a 13-percent increase over 2006 and the highest number since the systematic recording of natural perils began in 1974. Weather-related disasters around the world have been on the rise for decades: on average, 300 events were recorded every year in the 1980s, 480 events in the 1990s, and 620 events in the last 10 years. Economic losses from weather-related disasters totaled about $69 billion in 2007, an increase of 36 percent over the figure in 2006.