SUSTAINABLE ENERGY COALITION
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY COALITION / SUN DAY CAMPAIGN
6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite #340
Takoma Park, MD 20912-4446
301-270-6477, ext.23; fax: 301-270-4291
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POTENTIAL + STATUS OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY – 2008 NEWS STORIES
(January 1, 2008 – October 24, 2008)
Contents:
RENEWABLE ENERGY – GENERAL
BIOFUELS – CELLULOSIC + ETHANOL
BIOMASS + BIOGAS
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
SOLAR ENERGY
WATER POWER
WIND ENERGY
VEHICLES – ELECTRIC, HYBRID, PLUG-IN
FUEL CELLS + HYDROGEN
ENERGY EFFICIENCY - GENERAL
ENERGY EFFICIENCY - APPLIANCES/EQUIPMENT
ENERGY EFFICIENCY - BUILDINGS
ENERGY EFFICIENCY - COMBINED HEAT + POWER
ENERGY EFFICIENCY - LIGHTING
ENERGY EFFICIENCY - TRANSPORTATION
ENERGY EFFICIENCY - U.S. GOVERNMENT + MILIARY
GREEN JOBS
PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS
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RENEWABLE ENERGY – GENERAL:
New Energy Economy Emerging in the United States:
Earth Policy Institute, by Lester R. Brown, October 15, 2008
The old energy economy, fueled by oil, coal, and natural gas, is being replaced by one powered by wind, solar, and geothermal energy. The transition is moving at a pace and on a scale that we could not have imagined even a year ago. For example, Texas now has nearly 6,000 megawatts of wind-generating capacity online and a staggering 39,000 megawatts in the construction and planning stages. The largest U.S. solar cell installation today is a 14-megawatt array at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, but photovoltaic electricity at the commercial level is about to go big time. Geothermal energy is also developing at an explosive rate; Some 96 geothermal power plants now under development in twelve western states are expected to double U.S. geothermal generating capacity.
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"Limbo Lands" Could Be Revitalized with Renewables:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, October 3, 2008
Formerly contaminated lands across the United States have unexpected value as promising sites to generate renewable energy, a new analysis by NREL and the Environmental Protection Agency shows. More than 9,000 polluted parcels in 50 states known as "limbo lands" were analyzed and rated according to their potential to host wind and solar electricity facilities, or produce biofuels. The sites vary from 1 million acres of Western range to inner-city parking lots. Many sites turn out to have excellent or even superb renewable energy potential for at least one technology.
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Renewable Energy Tops 10% of U.S. Energy Production:
, September 26, 2008
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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State-Level Policies Work; Utilities and States Issue RFPs for Renewable Energy:
, by Graham Jesmer, September 22, 2008
In an effort to diversify their generation portfolios, electric utilities across the U.S. have issued requests for proposals (RFPs) for renewable energy projects. One of the main reasons that these have been issued is that utilities are pushing to meet state-level renewable portfolio standards (RPS), also known as renewable electricity standards. Between the late 1990's and 2007, 8,900 megawatts (MW) of new non-hydro renewable capacity was installed in RPS states, which is more than 50% of all new non-hydro renewable capacity, and RPS compliance was at 92% in 2006. In total, state RPS programs will require approximately 60,000 MW of new renewables by 2020.
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Google Sees Energy Solution in the Math:
CNET News, by Stefanie Olsen, September 9, 2008
Google CEO Eric Schmidt outlined an energy plan Monday to reduce America's dependence on oil and create green jobs. He said that, if by 2030, the U.S. were to adopt renewable energy sources for 100 percent of its power generation, replacing energy production from coal-fired plants, and replace at least half of its cars with plug-in hybrids, then it could cut carbon emissions by half. If the plan is adopted, Schmidt calculated that the U.S. would save 77 percent of $2.7 trillion in energy spending over the next 22 years. So expenditures would only be $600 billion; or assuming an 8 percent discount rate (factoring interest rates), the government could save even more in that time.
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Securing Idaho's Energy Future - The Role of Energy Efficiency and Renewables:
Harvest Clean Energy, July 16, 2008
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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U.S. Renewable Energy Growth Accelerates:
Worldwatch Institute, by Ben Block, August 13, 2008
Renewable energy markets surged in the United States in the first half of this year despite uncertainty over federal tax credits and a sluggish national economy, according to mid-year figures. Wind, solar, and geothermal energy are all on the rise. At least 17,000 megawatts (MW) of these three energy sources are now under construction. According to the Energy Information Administration, renewable energy will account for about one-third of new electricity generation added to the U.S. grid over the next three years. Wind energy is leading the way with 19,500 MW of installed capacity at mid-year, including more than 1,000 MW added in the last six months. Nearly 3,000 MW of geothermal is currently on-line and about 4,000 MW is under development. Less than 500 MW of concentrated solar power - utility-scale solar plants that use mirrors to produce heat for power generation - is operational, but another 4,000 MW is in the works.
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Clean Technology Investment Soars, Report Says:
San Francisco Chronicle, by Deborah Gage, July 8, 2008
Venture investments in clean technology hit a record $2 billion in the second quarter, up nearly 60 percent from a year ago, according to a new report by Cleantech Group of San Francisco. The two technologies that attracted the most money in the second quarter were solar thermal and second-generation biofuels. Second-generation biofuel companies create fuel from algae or wood or other organic matter - not food crops such as corn. U.S. companies attracted most of the money - 74 percent - and companies in California accounted for 40 percent of that.
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Renewable Energy Is "Green Gold Rush":
Reuters, July 1, 2008
In what is being called a "green gold rush," global investment in renewable energy surged some 60 percent to $148 billion (74 billion pounds) in 2007. Buoyed by soaring fossil-fuel prices and concerns over the carbon dioxide emissions that fuel global warming, investment in clean energy from sources like wind, solar and biofuels last year rose three times faster then predicted by the UN Environmental Program. Wind power attracted the most capital last year at $50.2 billion, or a third of all clean energy investment, UNEP's Global Trends in Sustainable Energy Investment 2008 report said. Investment in solar energy soared by 254 percent to $28.6 billion last year, while the biofuel sector foundered with funds falling nearly one third to $2.1 billion.
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Investment in Renewable Energy Reaches $100 Billion:
, May 6, 2008
High oil prices and an array of government incentives are leading to soaring rates of investment in renewable energy, according to the United Nations' annual "Global Trends in Sustainable Energy Investment" report. The UN report calculates global investment capital flows into renewable energy companies reached $100 billion for the first time in history last year. More than $30 billion of the total was the result of mergers and acquisitions led by investment banks such as JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs.
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G.E. Says U.S. Renewable Energy Could Quadruple in 10 Years:
Reuters, by Nichola Groom, April 29, 2008
Solar, wind and other sources of renewable energy could double or even quadruple their presence in the United States in the next 10 years, an executive in General Electric's energy finance unit said on Tuesday. Kevin Walsh, managing director of the renewable energy group at GE Energy Financial Services, said renewables could make up between 5 percent and 10 percent of the nation's energy mix, up from 2.5 percent currently, in 10 years.
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Clean Edge Releases Annual Clean Energy Trends Report:
Clean Edge News, March 11, 2008
Global clean-energy markets are expanding rapidly, with revenues in four benchmark sectors — biofuels, wind power, solar photovoltaics, and fuel cells — up 40 percent from $55 billion in 2006 to $77.3 billion in 2007, according to the Clean Energy Trends 2008 report, recently released by clean-tech research and publishing firm Clean Edge, Inc. The four sectors are projected to more than triple over the next decade, growing to $254.5 billion by 2017. The annual Clean Energy Trends report, produced by leading clean-tech research and publishing firm Clean Edge, can be downloaded at no cost at trends2008.php. The 2008 report finds that for the first time three leading clean- energy technologies (biofuels, wind, solar photovoltaics) each surpassed $20 billion in revenue:
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2007 Was A Banner Year for Renewables in the U.S.:
Worldwatch Institute, by Janet L. Sawin, March 13, 2008
Last year was a banner year for renewable energy in the United States, especially for the wind industry. The industry broke all past global records, installing 5,244 megawatts (MW) of new wind energy capacity in 2007, or 30 percent of all new U.S. capacity added. This brings the cumulative national total close to 17,000 MW—enough to power more than 4.5 million U.S. homes. The United States continues to lead the world in production and use of ethanol as well, with most of this coming from corn. The industry had about 6.9 billion gallons (more than 26 billion liters) of annual production capacity in 2007—a 60 percent increase over 2005—and most gasoline in the United States is now blended with ethanol. In addition, the nation is helping to lead a resurgence of concentrating solar power, with two new parabolic trough plants completed during the past two years, for a total of 65 MW of new capacity. And more than 2,000 MW of additional capacity are now planned or under construction.
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Renewable Energy Companies Thriving in Volatile Market:
PRNewswire, February 5, 2008
America's renewable energy industries are thriving at a time of unprecedented market volatility -- and wind and solar companies in particular are among the few bright spots in the current gloom over Wall Street. U.S. wind energy companies collectively invested $9 billion dollars in 2007 building 5244 MW of new wind power facilities -- a new record according to the American Wind Energy Association and enough additional energy to supply 1.5 million homes. U.S. solar companies are also growing at their fastest pace in history -- more than 324 MW of new capacity was added last year, according to the Solar Energy Industry Association.
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Clean Energy Investment "Breaks the $100 Billion Barrier" in 2007:
Renewable Energy Focus, January 4, 2008.
The clean energy sector powered ahead in 2007, according to analysts New Energy Finance. In spite of difficult conditions on the credit markets, the amount of new money invested in the sector grew to US$117.2bn, up 35% from 2006’s US$86.5bn*, and more than US$20bn ahead of predictions.
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BIOFUELS – CELLULOSIC + ETHANOL:
Ethanol No Longer Seen As Big Driver Of Food Price:
Reuters, October 24, 2008
Heavy demand for corn from ethanol makers was seen as a key driver of corn futures to record highs in June, but since then the sharp decline of corn along with other commodities shows that belief was mistaken, according to Global Insight, Philadelphia. Corn is down about 50 percent from its record high in June, even as the amount of the grain used to produce the renewable fuel in the United States remained the same. Nonetheless, the use of corn to produce ethanol in the United States does add to the price of the grain. Analysts, including some in the ethanol sector, say ethanol demand adds about 75 cents to $1.00 per bushel to the price of corn, as a rule of thumb. Other analysts say it adds around 20 percent, or just under 80 cents per bushel at current prices.
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Minnesota E85 Use Increases 55% in First Three Quarters of 2008:
, October 20, 2008
According to a new report from the Minnesota SmartFleet Committee, E85 use in the state fleet during the first three quarters of 2008 is 55 percent greater than during the same period in 2007. In the first nine months of 2008, 529,000 gallons of E85 were used to fuel the state's roughly 1,700 flexible fuel vehicles. Last year at this point, only 295,000 gallons of the locally-produced, largely renewable fuel had been used.
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Federal Ethanol Incentives and Tariffs Help Save the American Consumer Money:
Renewable Fuels Association, October 20, 2008
The assertion has been made in this year's presidential debates that one way to balance the federal budget and help solve the economic crisis is to eliminate the tax incentives that have helped to build America’s domestic renewable fuels industry. The claim that cutting these programs will save taxpayer dollars is wrong. In 2007, the ethanol industry added nearly $48 billion to the nation’s GDP and generated $4.6 billion in federal tax revenues and nearly $3.6 billion in tax revenues for state and local governments. the increased demand for grain used in ethanol production reduced federal farm program costs by more than $6 billion. Domestic ethanol production has reduced America’s dependence on foreign oil by over 400,000 barrels a day. Several independent analyses have recently concluded the use of ethanol in the U.S. is saving consumers between $0.25 and $0.50 a gallon. The production and use of 6.5 billion gallons of domestic ethanol in 2007 reduced oil imports by 228 million barrels, saving $16 billion of taxpayer dollars.
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Plant-Based Cellulosic Fuel Makers Face Tough Test:
Associated Press, October 15, 2008
It may be one of the biggest green gambles of the century: a national goal of converting wood, grass, corn stalks and garbage into 16 billion gallons of cellulosic biofuels annually by 2022. No commercial-scale refineries exist, researchers have yet to agree on the best technology for fuel conversion and there is no distribution network to handle fuel once it is made. An estimated 200-plus large-scale facilities are needed to meet the Environmental Protection Agency's standards — each capable of producing about 100 million gallons a year. Add it all up and the country's not even close to meeting the EPA's renewable fuel standards a mere 14 years from now.
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Ethanol to Save Americans $1 Billion at the Pump This Year:
GrainNet, October 13, 2008
Based on expected ethanol production of approximately 9.4 billion gallons this year, total national savings due to ethanol will be between $1 billion and $1.25 billion, according to the American Coalition for Ethanol. Because of ethanol's blending economics, adding more ethanol to each gallon of gasoline would mean additional savings. At today's volume and prices, Americans would save $1.62 billion annually if every gallon of gas contained 10 percent ethanol. Moving to E15 would take the nation's annual fuel savings $2.23 billion.
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E85 Stations Exceed 1,800:
National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, October 13, 2008
The number of E85 stations has now exceeded 1,800. There are currently 1,802 private and public refueling stations across the U.S. The number of facilities has grown 28 percent since October 2007. Currently, the states with the highest number of E85 sites are: Minnesota with 357, Illinois with 188 and Missouri with 112. Unfortunately, seven states do not offer E85 including: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Alaska and Hawaii.
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USDA Economist Says Biofuels Account for 10% of Food Inflation; High Market Volitility to Continue:
AgWeb, by Tanner Ehmke, October 3, 2008
Biofuels are responsible for 10% of the inflation in food values, and the high volatility in the agricultural commodity markets is likely to continue through 2009, USDA Chief Economist Joseph Glauber says. Glauber spoke Thursday at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s conference “Agricultural Markets and Food Price Inflation," highlighting the correlation of high commodity prices and rising food prices. “The impact (of bio fuels) on the raw commodities is pretty large - corn on the order of 30%, soybeans on the order of 40%,” Glauber said. “However, the impact on food prices varies quite a lot.”
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Scientists Seek Breakthroughs in the Field of Cellulosic Ethanol:
BusinessWest, September 29, 2008
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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America’s Ethanol Producers Cut Energy Consumption - Efficiency Gains Add to Ethanol’s Green Footprint:
Renewable Fuels Association, September 30, 2008
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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New Ethanol Advertising Campaign Takes Off:
Renewable Fuels Association, September 22, 2008
Beginning this week, the Renewable Fuels Association launches two ads very clearly stating the benefits of today’s domestic renewable fuels industry.
Key ethanol statistics:
* Number of biorefineries: 171 in 25 states
* Annual Capacity: 10.25 billion gallons
* Estimated 2008 production: 9 billion gallons
* Estimated livestock feed production: 30 million metric tons
* Percent of gasoline blended w/ ethanol: 70 percent
* Impact on gasoline prices: $0.29-0.40 per gallon reduction, according to Iowa State University
* Impact on oil imports: 228 million fewer barrels of oil imported in 2007 as a result of ethanol production and use
* Economic impact: 238,000 new jobs and $47.6 billion added to GDP in 2007
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Ethanol Makers Hit by Cash Crunch, Corn Prices:
Reuters, September 17, 2008
Shares of U.S. ethanol makers took a beating on Wednesday as they wrestle with unpredictable corn prices and dwindling cash piles at a time when capital markets look unlikely to provide easy financing. The financial squeeze comes despite the sector's rampant growth. Annual U.S. ethanol capacity has grown 60 percent since last year to 10.96 billion gallons as producers expect federal mandates and pricey oil to open up markets for the alternative motor fuel.
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Ethanol and the US Corn Crop:
Renewable Fuels Association, September 11, 2008
Critics often misrepresent the impact of ethanol production on American corn and total grain supplies, contorting facts and reporting statistics completely out of context. In 2002/03, the United States produced a corn crop of 9.0 billion bushels and used 1.1 billion bushels (11.5%) for ethanol production. In 2007/08, the United States produced a corn crop of 13.1 billion bushels and used 3.0 billion bushels (23%) for ethanol production. Thus, while the amount consumed by ethanol production increased, so too did the entire crop.
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Monthly Ethanol Results:
, August 27, 2008
The Energy Information Administration has released its most recent
ethanol production and end stocks data (for the month of June). The EIA has released its month of June ethanol production estimate at 17.5 million barrels vs. a previous record 18.5 million barrels for the month of May. The 17.5 million barrels of June 2008 production represents a decrease of 5.5% below May 2008 production and an increase of 38.8% vs. June of 2007. The June 2008 production missed a target of a 19.1 million barrels needed to be produced in order to maintain the pace required to meet USDA's target for corn use in 2007/08 of 3 billion bushels.
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What Are Biofuels and How Much Do We Use?
Energy Information Administration, August 27, 2008
In 2007, the United States consumed 6.8 billion gallons of ethanol and 491 million gallons of biodiesel. By comparison, 2007 consumption of motor gasoline and diesel (not inclusive of biofuels) was 139 billion gallons and 39 billion gallons, respectively. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 increased the mandatory levels of renewable fuel blending credits to a total of 36 billion gallons by 2022, including 16 million gallons of cellulosic biofuels. Ethanol usage is predicted to increase to nearly 24 billion gallons in 2030, which would represent approximately 16% of total gasoline consumption by volume in 2030. Thirty-one percent of corn production in 2008 is projected to be used for ethanol, and this percentage is expected to rise to 36 percent by 20308. Biodiesel consumption is predicted to increase to 1.2 billion gallons by 2030, or approximately 1.5% of total diesel consumption. Consumption of renewable diesel, made from cellulosic materials, is expected to substantially exceed biodiesel consumption by 2030.
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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
“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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U.S. Ethanol Production Third Largest Contributor to Nation’s Gasoline Supply - Right Behind Saudi Arabia; Saves Consumers $75 Billion This Year:
Ethanol Across America, August 8, 2008
The Ethanol Across America education campaign released part of an internal study today that places the U.S. fuel ethanol industry as the third largest contributor to the U.S. gasoline supply – surpassing Iraq and several other OPEC countries. Today, the U.S. produces over 600,000 barrels per day of ethanol. Using data from EIA on the top imported crude oil suppliers, the report illustrates how the production from the national ethanol program (9 billion gallons per year) ranks third, behind only Canada and Saudi Arabia, on a gasoline equivalent basis. Among other crude oil suppliers, it is noteworthy that U.S. ethanol production is approximately double that the U.S. receives from Iraq or Venezuela.
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A New Environment for Biofuels:
RenewableEnergyWorld, by Stephen Lacey, August 13, 2008
The Energy Information Administration projects U.S. gasoline consumption to be around 146 billion gallons next year. Although every gallon of gasoline requires a 10% blend of ethanol (called E10), a more realistic projection is that 90 percent of that gasoline will be blended. That leaves a market for around 13 billion gallons of ethanol. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, current ethanol capacity is at around 9.4 billion gallons per year. If factoring in refineries under construction, capacity will be at around 13.6 billion gallons sometime in 2009. That means that there will be more ethanol than the market requires.
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April 2008 Ethanol Production and Demand:
Renewable Fuels Association, July 2, 2008
According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), American ethanol facilities were producing 562,000 barrels per day (b/d) in April. That is up from 561,000 b/d in March. Ethanol demand, as calculated by the Renewable Fuels Association, continued to outpace production. In April, the RFA estimated ethanol demand at 597,000 b/d, up by 49,000 b/d over March.
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Biofuels Help Meet U.S. Energy Goals:
San Francisco Chronicle, by Bob Dinneen, July 1, 2008
The Energy Information Administration estimates the increased use of ethanol in the United States, which today represents about 7 percent of the total U.S. gasoline supply, will help reduce petroleum consumption by 330,000 barrels per day for 2008. America is producing well in excess of 500,000 barrels of ethanol daily, equaling the gasoline output of two to three medium-size oil refineries. According to a report prepared by the investment firm Merrill Lynch, biofuels are keeping oil and gasoline prices $21 a barrel lower than they might otherwise be. At today's prices, that would represent a savings of 50 cents per gallon for gasoline at the pump.
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Report Says Biofuels Majority of Non-OPEC Oil Growth:
Bloomberg News, May 13, 2008
Biofuels will account for 63 percent of oil supply growth from non-OPEC countries this year, taking global production of crop-based fuel to more than 1.5 million barrels a day, the International Energy Agency said today. Biofuels output will grow by 425,000 barrels a day this year, a 57 percent increase from a year ago, the IEA said in its monthly report.
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Ethanol - Getting Even Greener; New Argonne National Laboratory Report Identifies Gains:
Renewable Fuels Association, April 21, 2008
According to a new analysis conducted by the Argonne National Laboratory, American ethanol facilities are using dramatically less energy and water than just five years ago while producing more ethanol. In 2001, U.S. ethanol production was 1.77 billion gallons. In 2006, U.S. ethanol production was 4.9 billion gallons, an increase of 276%. During this period of production growth, the Argonne analysis shows significant improvement for ethanol’s already green footprint. In the past five years, water consumption is down 26.6%; grid electricity use is down 15.7%; and total energy use is down 21.8%. Read the full analysis from Argonne (pdf) at .
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Research and Markets Issues 'U.S. Biofuel Market Analysis' Research Report:
Grainnet, April 25, 2008
The US ranked as the largest producer of ethanol (Biofuel) in 2006, capturing a market share of around 36% in the global production. The US biofuel industry especially ethanol production is expected to lead the global production during the forecasted period of 2008-2017. Corn is anticipated to dominate the future ethanol production in the US, however, cellulosic ethanol requirements are expected to boom during the period 2008-2017. Biodiesel prices in the US are expected to see a declining trend to push up commercial usage during 2008-2015. Supply of raw material (corn and soybean oil) will be a major concern for the US biofuel industry in coming years.
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Ethanol Helps Turn the Tide of Oil Dependence - Government Projects Ethanol Use Lessening Petroleum Demand:
Renewable Fuels Association, March 25, 2008
The latest report from the Energy Information Administration concludes that ethanol will reduce U.S. petroleum demand by 130,000 b/d in 2008. According to the EIA’s Short-Term Energy Outlook: “The slowing economy combined with high petroleum prices is expected to constrain growth in U.S. consumption of liquid fuels and other petroleum products to just 40,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) in 2008. After accounting for increased ethanol use, U.S. petroleum consumption falls by 90,000 bbl/d.” See the full EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook here:
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2007 Final Ethanol Production and Demand:
Renewable Fuels Association, March 4, 2008
The American ethanol industry produced a record amount of fuel ethanol in 2007. According to year-end data released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) today, U.S. ethanol production averaged 423,000 barrels per day (b/d), totaling 6.48 billion gallons for the year. That is an increase of 108,000 b/d over 2006. Ethanol demand, as calculated by the Renewable Fuels Association, continued to outpace production. For 2007, ethanol demand averaged 446,000 b/d totaling 6.84 billion gallons of demand for the year. That is an increase of more than 1.5 billion gallons over 2006 demand.
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Ethanol Indicative of Potential of Green Economy - U.S. Ethanol Industry Rare Economic Bright Spot in 2007:
Renewable Fuels Association, February 25, 2008
According to an economic analysis released today on the economic impacts of the U.S. ethanol industry in 2007, the industry stands in sharp contrast to other industries which have outsourced their jobs to foreign nations. The analysis, conducted by John Urbanchuk of LECG, LLC, determined that the “increase in economic activity resulting from ongoing production and construction of new capacity supported the creation of 238,541 jobs in all sectors of the economy during 2007. These include more than 46,000 jobs in America’s manufacturing sector American jobs making ethanol from grain produced by American farmers.” The goods and services required to produce the estimated 6.5 billion gallons in 2007 added $47.6 billion to the Gross Domestic Product and raised household incomes by $12.3 billion.
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2008 State of the Ethanol Industry Address:
Renewable Fuels Association, February 26, 2008
Ethanol is now a ubiquitous component of the U.S. motor fuel supply, blended in more than 50% of the nation’s gasoline, and will very soon be in virtually every single gallon of gasoline sold from coast to coast and border to border. The 6.5 billion gallons of ethanol produced last year provided employment for 238,000 workers, added $47.6 billion to the nation’s GDP, and put an additional $12.3 billion into the pockets of American consumers. The ethanol industry generated an estimated $4.6 billion in federal tax revenue and $3.6 billion in additional tax revenue for state and local governments. Moreover, according to USDA, the increased demand for grain used in ethanol production reduced federal farm program costs by more than $8 billion, meaning that even with the cost of the tax incentive, ethanol saved U.S. taxpayers more than $9.2 billion last year.
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GM Plans Half its Cars on Ethanol by 2012 - Report:
Reuters, February 8, 2008
General Motors Corp is planning for half its cars in the United States to be running on ethanol by 2012. GM North America President Troy Clarke at the Chicago Auto Show said GM will have 11 ethanol-capable vehicles on the market this year and 15 in 2009.
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Ethanol Plants Adding Millions to State and Federal Revenue - New Report Capturing Economic Benefits Shows Huge Net Gains:
Ethanol Across America, January 31, 2008
According to a new report released by the Ethanol Across America Education Campaign, U.S. ethanol production facilities are generating hundreds of millions of dollars to local, state, and federal governments through direct and indirect economic generation. The Economic Impacts of Ethanol Production, the latest in the ongoing series of the Ethanol Across America Issue Brief Reports, chronicles the impacts of these facilities through case studies and examination of existing studies. With 26 states now hosts to ethanol facilities, the total of state income taxes and property taxes was more than $2.2 billion in 2006 and is estimated to approach $3 billion by 2008.
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BIOMASS + BIOGAS:
Wood as a Power Source May Be Making Comeback - Interest Increases in Wood-Fired Electric Plants Amid Nationwide Push for Renewable Power:
Associated Press, by Jay Lindsay, October 9, 2009
New wood-burning electricity plants are again being proposed from Massachusetts to New Mexico as the nation finds itself in a third energy shock. There were 196 wood burning electricity plants in the United States as of January 2007, including 72 with 40 megawatt capacity or larger, according to the Department of Energy. Last month, Duke Energy Corp., one of the nation's largest electric power companies, and the French nuclear engineering company Areva announced plans to build up to 12 wood-electricity plants with roughly 50 megawatt capacity on the Eastern Seaboard in the next six years. At least another eight wood-burning electricity plants of 40 megawatt capacity or larger have been proposed around the country. Developers say they wouldn't need to cut down trees to power plants because there is a surplus of wood currently available.
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AREVA & Duke Energy Develop Biomass Plants:
, September 25, 2008
AREVA and Duke Energy announced the formation of ADAGE, a joint venture that will be dedicated to the development of green biopower energy solutions for U.S. electricity customers. ADAGE will facilitate the development of biopower plants that will use wood waste to produce electricity. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates the total installed capacity of wood biomass power generation to be 6,000 megawatts. EIA and several energy consulting firms predict that this figure may double over the next 10 years.
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Cow Manure Could Be Used to Power Up to 3% of North America's Electricity Needs and Slash Greenhouse Gas Emissions:
, July 29, 2008
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 tons - 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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Burning Biomass:
EnergyBiz Insider, by Ken Silverstein (Editor-in-Chief), August 11, 2008
If Austin's city council goes along, the municipal utility there will build a power plant that uses industrial waste wood to generate 100 megawatts of electricity in 2012. About 20 utilities in North America are now using wood chips to replace 5-25 percent of the needed coal or natural gas. State laws that have been enacted to require utilities to offer some green power are the impetus for the changes. Among non-hydro renewable sources, biomass plays a key role today with 7,000 MW of installed capacity and producing 37 billion kilowatt hours of electricity each year, says the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration. The Energy Department also says that the co-firing of biomass and fossil-fired fuels is the most immediate step that utilities can take to cut their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
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Abandoned Farmlands Are Key to Sustainable Bioenergy:
, July 3, 2008
Elliot Campbell, Robert Genova and Christopher Field of the Carnegie Institution's Department of Global Ecology, with David Lobell of Stanford University estimate that globally up to 4.7 million square kilometers (approximately 1.8 million square miles) of abandoned lands could be available for growing energy crops. The worldwide harvestable dry biomass could amount to as much as 2.1 billion tons, with a total energy content of about 41 exajoules. While this is a significant amount of energy (one exajoule is a billion billion joules, equivalent to about 170 million barrels of oil), at best it would satisfy only about 8% of worldwide energy demand.
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Jam-Packed Year of Bioenergy Industry Growth:
BioCycle Magazine, by Mark Jenner, January 2008 (edition)
Even after adjusting for cancelled ethanol projects, there was still over 10 billion gallons of ethanol project activity - 500 million gallons of that was focused on cellulosic ethanol. Biodiesel had 2.5 billion gallons of capacity on the drawing board, or under construction. Over 2 million tons of fuel pellet milling capacity are planned or on the way. I also recorded 700 MW of electrical production from solid biomass or from methane gas in landfills or manure digesters.
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GEOTHERMAL ENERGY:
US To Boost Geothermal Energy Use On Federal Lands:
Reuters, October 23, 2008
and
The US Interior Department said on Wednesday it would make more than 190 million acres of federal lands in 11 western states and Alaska available to energy companies to develop geothermal energy resources for generating electricity. The geothermal areas that will be leased could provide 5,540 megawatts of electric generation capacity by 2015, enough to meet the power needs of 5.5 million homes. Lands within the National Park System, such as Yellowstone National Park, would still be unavailable for leasing under the final geothermal plan. Half the geothermal leasing revenue and royalties would go to the state where the lease occurred and the relevant county would get 25 percent. The other 25 percent would go to a federal fund for investing in geothermal development.
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Technological Innovation Driving Renewed Interest in Geothermal Energy:
, by Stephen Lacey, October 9, 2008
With 2,957 megawatts (MW) of capacity online today, the U.S. is the global leader in geothermal capacity. But the industry still represents a miniscule portion of America's energy mix, especially when considering the role it can play as a provider of continuous baseload power. In the next 5 years or so, the industry will add around 3,979 MW of capacity. When you consider the other emerging technologies like EGS [Engineered Geothermal Systems] and systems that utilize low-temperature resources, the potential is far greater than is being projected.
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Geothermal Energy Development Gathers Steam:
Associated Press, by Scott Sonner, October 7, 2008
An unusual combination of economic and environmental forces have created a "perfect storm" that could help geothermal shed its back-seat status to its renewable cousins wind and solar energy. New projects are under way in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. When developed, the projects will provide up to 3,368 megawatts of new electric power capacity, more than doubling U.S. capacity from 2,936 megawatts in 2006, to nearly 6,304 megawatts. More than 2,100 megawatts of known geothermal resources can be easily developed in Nevada - enough to exceed a state requirement that 20 percent of Nevada's total power production be renewable by 2015
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Report Says US Geothermal Capacity Is Set to Double:
Glitnir Bank, October 6, 2008
US geothermal energy capacity is poised to more than double over the next seven years to nearly 6,000 MW, according to a new report by Glitnir - an Icelandic bank active in the global geothermal energy market. The installed geothermal power generation capacity has increased by 4% to 2,958 MW. The overall number of projects has increased and projects currently underway would expand installed capacity in the U.S. by a 100-130% in the years to come.
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World Geothermal Energy Nearing Eruption:
, by Jonathan Dorn, October 1, 2008
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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Substantial Power Generation from Domestic Geothermal Resources:
U.S. Geological Survey, September 29, 2008
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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The State of U.S. Geothermal Production and Development:
, by Leslie Blodgett, September 25, 2008
With 2,957.94 megawatts (MW) of installed geothermal capacity, the United States remains the world leader with 30% of the online capacity total. A recent industry update showed an increase in the pace of geothermal production in the U.S. - in fact, a 20% increase in the number of new geothermal power projects under development in the U.S. as of January 2008. There are 103 projects underway in 13 states. When developed, these projects could potentially supply up to 3,979 MW of power, meeting the needs of roughly 4 million homes. When we that number is added to the 2,957 MW currently online, geothermal power could reach nearly 7,000 MW. At this pace of development, geothermal production could exceed 15,000 MW by 2025.
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US Geothermal Development Up 20% in 2008:
, August 22, 2008
The Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) has released its U.S. Geothermal Production and Development Update for August 2008. This report shows continued growth in the number of new geothermal power projects under development in the United States, a 20% increase since January of this year. The report identified 103 projects underway in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. When developed, these projects could provide nearly 4,000 megawatts (MW) of new electric power, enough electricity to meet the needs of roughly 4 million homes.
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Geothermal Energy's Potential:
EnergyBiz Insider, by Ken Silverstein (Editor-in-Chief), August 22, 2008
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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World Geothermal Power Generation Nearing Eruption:
Earth Policy Institute, by Jonathan G. Dorn, August 19, 2008
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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Pessimism Over Green Power Seen as Overdone - At Least Regarding Geothermal:
Las Vegas Review-Journal, by John G. Edwards, August 15, 2008
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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Geothermal Power Tapping Its Potential - A New York Seminary and 3 Million Households Are Discovering That It Is a Viable Alternative as Oil Prices Keep Rising Steeply:
Chicago Tribune, by Stevenson Swanson, August 11, 2008
Tapping the energy stored in the Earth, the General Theological Seminary, the oldest Episcopal seminary in America, is in the midst of a multiyear effort to construct the largest geothermal project on the East Coast. When completed, 20 wells reaching depths of at least 1,500 feet will supply water to heat and cool the seminary's 275,000 square feet of space. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that if all the heat trapped up to 2 miles under the U.S. were tapped, it could generate enough electricity to meet all of the country's power needs for 30,000 years.
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U.S. Geothermal Production and Development Update:
Geothermal Energy Association, August 7, 2008
A new survey, the "U.S. Geothermal Production and Development Update, August 2008" shows continued growth in the number of new geothermal power projects under development in the United States, a 20% increase since January of this year. The report identified 103 projects underway in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. When developed, these projects could provide nearly 4,000 MW of new electric power, enough electricity to meet the needs of roughly 4 million homes. Current geothermal capacity on-line is 2,957 MW according to the report, and with the new additions, geothermal power could reach nearly 7,000 MW. Given the high reliability and capacity factors for geothermal power, this would meet the household electricity needs of the cities of Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Seattle combined. The report can be found at:
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Interest Warming for Geothermal Energy:
KCPW News, by Elizabeth Ziegler, April 21, 2008
Geothermal power plants could harness roughly the same amount of energy in Utah as one traditional coal-fired power plant, but without the environmental concerns. Bob Blackett, of the Utah Geological Survey, says the state could produce between 600 to 800 megawatts of electricity from geothermal sources. Utah is one of six states in the Great Basin region that has tapped into this energy source. California generates the most geothermal power, followed by Nevada and Utah.
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Geothermal Bounty Bubbles with Potential:
Salt Lake Tribune, by Patty Henetz, April 17, 2008
Geothermal energy is clean, runs 24 hours a day and could be providing millions of people with electricity in Utah and the West. Geologists, utilities and entrepreneurs already believe Utah possesses some of the best geothermal reservoirs in the nation, resources that could generate 850 megawatts, enough to meet the needs of 2.6 million people. And as the price of coal, natural gas and oil continues to climb, geothermal is attracting more interest. So what's the holdup?
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Celebrate Geothermal Energy as "Mother Earth's" Energy on Earth Day 2008:
Geothermal Energy Association, April 18, 2008
Earth Day is a time to appreciate the natural world and explore ways we can reduce our impact on the Earth. A great way to celebrate Earth Day is by using an energy source that comes directly from "Mother Earth"---geothermal energy. Geothermal energy helps reduce the impact of pollution on our air, water, and wildlife, and its use is growing. On Earth Day 2008, 6 million Americans will be using geothermal energy in their homes. About 3 million will receive electricity from geothermal power plants, and another three million will use geothermal heat pumps to heat and cool their homes. In the future, there could be millions more!
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The Great Forgotten Clean-Energy Source - Geothermal; The U.S. Uses Less Than One Percent of Our Available Geothermal Energy:
Discover, by Prachi Patel-Predd, April 3, 2008
If we could extract all the geothermal energy that exists underneath the United States to a depth of two miles, it would supply America’s power demands (at the current rate of usage) for the next 30,000 years. Getting at all that energy is not feasible—there are technological and economic impediments—but drawing on just 5 percent of the geothermal wealth would generate enough electricity to meet the needs of 260 million Americans. The Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) asserts that reaching that 5 percent level, which would produce 260,000 megawatts of electric power and reduce our dependence on coal by one-third, is doable by 2050.
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The Heat Beneath Your Feet - The Department of Energy Takes Its First Step Toward Clean, Renewable Energy from the Earth:
ScienceLine, by Molika Ashford, March 14, 2008
The 2009 Department of Energy (DOE) budget released in early February includes about $30 million for geothermal energy exploration – mostly for the construction of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) demonstration plants. An Enhanced Geothermal System is a drilled and blasted version of natural geothermal systems like geysers and hot springs. This is the first step toward achieving enough clean, constant power from the earth to provide around 10 percent of our baseline energy needs – a goal put forward by a panel of experts in January 2007.
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Geothermal Energy, Power From the Underground:
High Country News, by James Yearling, February 25, 2008
The city of Reno, north of Las Vegas, is a "hotspot" for geothermal power production. Geothermal plants now provide enough electricity to serve all 200,000 residents. And energy analysts say Reno's success barely scratches the surface: Projects slated for the West could nearly double the nation's geothermal generating capacity in the next few years, according to a new survey from the Geothermal Energy Association. Geothermal sources now generate nearly 3,000 megawatts per year in the U.S. - more than any other nation, but still only 0.4 percent of total energy use, roughly equivalent to two large coal-fired power plants.
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Scientists See Potential Geothermal Energy Source Under Cascades:
News Tribune, by Les Blumenthal, January 21, 2008
Deep beneath the Cascade Mountains, where molten magma heats the Earth’s crust and occasionally bursts up in volcanic eruptions, lurks an energy source that scientists believe could be tamed to help power the region.
The geothermal potential of the Cascades is starting to attract a buzz. In the next 10 or 15 years, some predict, commercial-sized power plants could start generating electricity. A recent Massachusetts Institute of Technology study found that the amount of geothermal power that could be recovered from deep drilling would represent nearly 3,000 times the amount of energy being consumed in the United States.
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Geothermal Energy Set to Double Across Western States:
Environmental News Service, January 14, 2008
and
The amount of new geothermal power now under development in the United States will roughly double U.S. geothermal capacity, according to a survey that will be released Wednesday by the Geothermal Energy Association. These projects, when developed, will provide up to 3,368 megawatts of new electric power capacity for the grid, more than doubling U.S. geothermal power capacity from 2,936 MW to almost 6,304 MW - enough to meet the needs of six million households.
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Geothermal Power Production Set To Double Out West:
New West, by Joseph Friedrichs, January 16, 2008
A report released today by the Geothermal Energy Association said that new geothermal projects soon to be developed out West will double the nation’s capacity for the renewable energy source. At least 86 geothermal power projects are currently underway in the West, GEA officials said. These projects will provide economic benefits for residents in at least 12 states, including more than 5,000 permanent jobs and thousands additional in construction and manufacturing.
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SOLAR ENERGY:
Solar Market to Reach $100 Billion in 2013:
Renewable Energy Focus, October 21, 2008.
Lux Research, an analyst firm focusing on emerging technologies, predicts the solar market to reach US$100 billion in 2013 despite price erosion, but also warns of difficult times ahead for smaller companies. Solar is poised for continued growth, with new installations primed to increase nearly five-fold from 2008 to 2013. Starting in 2009, however, supply will exceed demand, leading to price decreases. Lux’ report: “Solar State of the Market Q3 2008: The Rocky Road to $100 Billion” predicts that this change will transform the solar industry, creating a market where sales grow dramatically, but it is increasingly difficult for companies to profit.
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U.S. Solar Producers Foresee Cost Parity with Coal, Gas in 5-8 Years:
Reuters, October 17, 2008
US producers of solar power will no longer need federal subsidies within eight years because by then solar power will cost less than electricity generated by conventional power plants, industry players said this week. In the areas where utility retail prices are the highest, within five years you will see grid parity. regions that now have the lowest-cost power will be on par with solar within eight years because coal and natural gas prices will not come down in the face of increased demand in developing China and India, even if much of the globe goes into a major economic slump.
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Solar Electric Power Association Issues Challenge for Massive Solar Deployment Despite Global Economic Woes - Utility and Solar Industries Called Upon to Work in Collaboration to Increase Solar Capacity Thirty Fold by 2016:
Solar Electric Power Association, October 15, 2008
Prior to the recent economic downturn, analysts were predicting that the country could see an increase in solar capacity of more than thirty fold between 2009 and 2016. This is approximately three times the estimated amount of generation predicted to come on line as a result of existing renewable portfolio standards and policies in states with solar carve outs. If realized, this level of increased solar deployment would represent more than 60 billion kilowatt-hours of solar generation, 440,000 permanent jobs, and over $230 billion in investments and associated economic development benefits.
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Rising Solar Output Could Hit Producers' Margins:
Reuters, by Matt Daily and Nichola Groom, September 25 2008
Solar companies' success in ramping up new production lines and factories could leave the fast-growing renewable energy market awash in solar panels next year, driving down prices and profit margins in the nascent industry. Estimates on global production of solar panels for 2009 vary widely, from a low of about 8 gigawatts to more than 20 gigawatts -- far higher than the 5 gigawatt output expected for 2008. The cost of solar energy has fallen sharply in recent years as technology has improved and production has increased. Most companies and analysts are expecting price declines of about 5 percent to 10 percent next year. But the energy systems are expected to remain dependent on government subsidies for the next three to five years to make them competitive against traditional forms of power generation.
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U.S. Department of Energy to Invest $35 Million in Concentrating Solar Power Projects:
EERE Network News, September 24, 2008
DOE announced on September 19 that it will invest up to $35 million over the next 4 years in 15 concentrating solar power (CSP) projects which, combined with the project cost-sharing from the project participants, will result in up to $67.6 million being invested in these projects. CSP technologies concentrate the sun's heat for conversion into electricity, and the ability to store that thermal energy and draw on it after sunset will greatly increase the economic feasibility of CSP power plants. Of the 15 projects, 11 will involve the research and development of thermal energy storage technologies, 1 involves R&D for advanced heat transfer fluids, and 3 will be geared toward near-term demonstrations of thermal storage technologies. The projects are expected to further DOE's goal of reducing the cost of CSP electricity from today's 13-16 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) with no thermal storage to 8-11 cents per kWh with 6 hours of thermal storage by 2015, and to less than 7 cents per kWh with 12-17 hours of thermal storage by 2020.
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Thin-Film Solar Set to Take Market Share From Crystalline Solar PV:
GreenTechMedia, by Jennifer Kho, September 8, 2008
A new report from Greentech Media and the Prometheus Institute forecasts that worldwide thin-film solar production will grow eightfold by 2010, with amorphous silicon leading the way. Thin-film solar production is expected to double in each of the next three years to reach 4.18 gigawatts worth of equipment in 2010, according to a report to be released by Greentech Media and the Prometheus Institute today. The authors also forecast that production will continue to grow, reaching almost 10 gigawatts in 2012.
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Interstate Renewable Energy Council Report Shows Solar Markets Booming:
Interstate Renewable Energy Council, September 5, 2008
[tt_news]=1187&tx_ttnews[backPid]=1&cHash=268a2ff6c0
Solar markets are booming in the United States according to a new report from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. "U.S. Solar Market Trends for 2007" is a comprehensive report on U.S. solar installations by technology, state and market sector. The solar growth rate accelerated after the 2006 increase in the federal investment tax credits. By 2007, the capacity of PV installed each year more than doubled the annual amount installed in 2005. Over 80,000 installations were completed in 2007 and the capacity of photovoltaic (PV) installations completed in 2007 grew by 48% compared with 2006. Download the report at:
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Report Says Solar to Produce 2600 Terrawatt-Hours by 2030; Can Bring Clean Energy to Over 4 Billion People and Employ 10 Million:
, September 2, 2008
and
and
Solar electricity can contribute largely to the energy needs of two-thirds of the world's population--including those in remote areas--by 2030. The "Solar Generation" report, published by Greenpeace and the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA), estimates that by 2030, more than 1800 gigawatts (GW) of photovoltaic systems will have been installed worldwide. This represents over 2600 terrawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity produced per year, or 14% of global electricity demand. This is enough power to supply over 1.3 billion people in developed areas and over 3 billion people in remote rural areas who currently have no access to mains electricity.
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Solar Power Begins to Heat Up - Utilities Seek It Out as Costs Fall, Mandates Rise:
USA Today, by Paul Davidson, August 18, 2008
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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Utility Plan Sees Future in the Sun - Report Outlines How Colorado Could Tap Solar Market:
Rocky Mountain News, by Gargi Chakrabarty, August 5, 2008
Electricity produced from Colorado's bright, hot sun could supply half the state's peak demand during summer, helping 1.7 million homes crank up their air conditioners and coolers. That solar power would replace electricity generated by burning traditional fuels such as natural gas or coal, helping reduce emissions of carbon - a global warming pollutant - by 10.45 million metric tons, equal to taking 1.9 million cars off the roads. These conclusions were detailed Tuesday in report called "On the Rise" by Environment Colorado.
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NanoMarkets Predicts Thin-Film Solar Cell Industry Will Produce More than 26 Gigawatts by 2015:
NanoMarkets, July 7, 2008
According to NanoMarkets, a leading industry analyst firm based here, the thin-film photovoltaics (TFPV) market will produce the equivalent of 26 gigawatts (GW) by 2015 and will generate well over $20 billion in revenues in that same time frame. This extraordinary growth rate is due in part to the rapid deployment of photovoltaics of all kinds, but also to the low cost, flexibility and manufacturing advantages associated with TFPV compared with the now dominant crystalline silicon PV. By 2015, NanoMarkets expects that TFPV will account for more than half of the world's production of PV.
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Solar Cell Investment Seen Matching Chip Sector:
Reuters, June 24, 2008
Global investments in solar cell production will match those flowing into semiconductor making by 2010, technology researcher iSuppli said on Tuesday. Production of photovoltaic solar cells is expected to rise to about 12 gigawatts (GW) by 2010 from 3.5 GW last year, requiring heavy investment. Each photovoltaic factory will require an investment of $500 million and more ... and will generate annual revenue of $1 billion per year or more, putting them into the size, cost and employment range of semiconductor fabs."
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The Economics of Solar Power:
McKinsey Quarterly, June 24, 2008
Solar energy is becoming more economically attractive as technologies improve and the cost of electricity generated by fossil fuels rises.
By 2020, hundreds of billions of dollars of investment capital will probably boost global solar-generating capacity 20 to 40 times higher than its current level. Within three to seven years, solar energy's unsubsidized cost to end users will approach the cost of conventional electricity in a number of markets, including parts of the United States (California and the Southwest), as well as Italy, Japan, and Spain. Installed global solar capacity will grow by roughly 30 to 35 percent a year, from 10 gigawatts today to about 200 gigawatts in 2020.
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New Study Finds that Solar Could Provide 10 Percent of U.S. Electricity Generation by 2025:
Clean Edge News, June 17, 2008
The Utility Solar Assessment (USA) Study, produced by Clean Edge and Co-op America, provides a comprehensive roadmap for utilities, solar companies, and regulators to reach 10% solar in the U.S. by 2025. For the first time solar power is beginning to reach cost parity with conventional energy sources. As solar prices decline and the capital and fuel costs for coal, natural gas, and nuclear plants rise, the U.S. will reach a crossover point by around 2015. Installed solar PV prices are projected to decline from an average $5.50-$7.00 peak watt (15-32 cents kWh) today to $3.02-$3.82 peak watt (8-18 cents kWh) in 2015 to $1.43-$1.82 peak watt (4-8 cents kWh) by 2025. The report can be downloaded at and
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Solar Report - Concentrating Solar Power, Technology, Cost, and Markets:
Renewable Energy Magazine, May 21, 2008
Greentechmedia and the Prometheus Institute have just released a new report on concentrating solar power (CSP). "Concentrating Solar Power - Technology, Cost, and Markets" is the industry's most comprehensive research report to date on the burgeoning CSP market. Over the past six months alone, over $30 Billion in investment has been proposed for plants to be constructed in the next several years. The report finds that the sector could amass up to $200 Billion in aggregate investment globally for installations through 2020. That being said, the CSP market segment will remain relatively small compared to the overall solar market dominated by the evolution of flat plate and tracking photovoltaics. CSP clearly has a role to play over the next decade. With the current plants, those in construction, those under consideration, and the pace of development, it is clear that some tens of GW of cumulative production over the next decade - possibly as much as 50 GW - of CSP capacity will be installed by 2020.
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U.S. a "Sleeping Giant" for Solar Energy:
Solar Energy Industries Association, May 6, 2008
Dr. Alex Marker, a research fellow for SCHOTT Solar, today provided expert testimony to the Commission on Security and Cooperation Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) regarding the economic impact of a robust solar industry in the U.S.: "The U.S. is a sleeping giant when it comes to solar energy. By extending the Investment Tax Credit (ITC), this giant will awaken. In 2007, U.S. PV installations increased by 45 percent. More than 4,000 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity is in the pipeline and scheduled to come on-line in the next five to ten years."
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On the Rise - Solar Thermal Power and the Fight Against Global Warming:
Environment America, May 8, 2008
Concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies—which use the sun’s heat to generate electricity—can make a large contribution toward reducing global warming pollution in the United States, and do so quickly and at a reasonable cost. CSP can also reduce other environmental impacts of electric power production, while sparking economic development and creating jobs. America has immense potential to generate power from the sun. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has identified the potential for nearly 7,000 gigawatts (GW) of solar thermal power generation on lands in the southwestern United States—more than six times current U.S. electric generating capacity. Solar thermal power plants covering a 100-mile-square area of the Southwest— equivalent to 9 percent the size of Nevada—could generate enough electricity to power the entire nation.
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Another Sunny Year for Solar Power:
Worldwatch Institute, by Janet L. Sawin, date - ??
Global production of photovoltaic (PV) or solar cells-which convert the sun's light directly to electricity-increased 51 percent in 2007, to 3,733 megawatts. According to early estimates, more than 2,935 megawatts of solar modules were installed that year, bringing cumulative global installations of PVs since 1996 to more than 9,740 megawatts-enough to meet the annual electricity demand of more than 3 million homes in Europe. Over the past five years, annual global production of PV cells has increased nearly sevenfold, and cumulative installations have grown more than fivefold. In the United States, cell production rose 48 percent to 266 megawatts. Although this represents a dramatic increase in production from the once world-leading U.S. solar industry, the nation's shares of global production and installations continued to fall in 2007. PV cell production accounted for only 7 percent of the global total, down slightly relative to 2006.
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U.S. Solar Market Grows 45% After Two Years of Investment Tax Credits:
Solar Energy Industries Association, April 21, 2008
The Solar Energy Industries Association's "2007 U.S. Solar Industry Year in Review" noted that 254 megawatts of photovoltaic and concentrating solar power were installed in 2007. This included 150 MW of grid-tied PV, 40 MW off-grid, and 64 MW of CSP. Another estimated 1,000 megawatts (thermal) were installed as solar hot-water and space heating (100 MW-thermal) and pool heating (900 MW-thermal). Concentrating solar power increased 18 percent to a total of 419 MW when Nevada Solar One came online last June. Contracted and announced CSP projects in the pipeline now total 4 gigawatts, including the world's largest, the 280-megawatt CSP to be built by Abengoa for Arizona Public Service. Four gigawatts of solar energy would power 1 million households.
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Solar PV to Show Largest Growth in US:
Renewable Energy focus, April 10, 2008
Solar photovoltaic energy from homes in the United States will show one of the largest increases in energy consumption to 2030, according to government forecasts. Consumption from grid-connected PV systems will grow by 19.6% per year over the 25-year period from 2005, according to the revised early release of the ‘Annual Energy Outlook 2008 with Projections to 2030' produced by the Department of Energy. The report was revised to reflect the impact of the federal ‘Energy Independence & Security Act of 2007' that was enacted in late December.
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Solarbuzz Reports World Solar Photovoltaic Market Growth of 62% in 2007; Spain Soars to 640MW:
, March 17, 2008
World solar photovoltaic (PV) market installations reached a record high of 2,826 megawatts (MW) in 2007, representing growth of 62% over the previous year, according to the Annual PV Industry report issued today by Solarbuzz LLC. Germany's PV market reached 1,328 MW in 2007 and now accounts for 47% of the world market. Spain soared by over 480% to 640 MW, while the United States increased by 57% to 220 MW.
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Solar Energy Market Will Soar to $12 Billion by 2012:
PRNewswire, February 28, 2008
After three years of continuous upswing in solar power revenues, topping $3.8 billion in 2007, will its future be just as bright? A new report from SBI, The U.S. Solar Energy Market, indicates that several factors favorable to the industry will propel the market to triple digit growth, to reach nearly $12 billion by 2012. Although growth may prove to have some bumps along the road, factors such as solar power's technological momentum, increasing private-sector solar investment and growing public-sector support will carry it overall.
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Photovoltaics Market to Top $32.3 Billion by 2012, Says BCC Research:
World of Renewables, January 7, 2008
According to a new research report from BCC Research Analysis, the global photovoltaics market is projected to be worth $32.3 billion by 2012, resulting in a compound average annual growth rate of 14.9%
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A Solar Grand Plan - By 2050 Solar Power Could End U.S. Dependence on Foreign Oil and Slash Greenhouse Gas Emissions:
Scientific American Magazine, by Ken Zweibel, James Mason and Vasilis Fthenakis, January 2008
A massive switch from coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power plants to solar power plants could supply 69 percent of the U.S.’s electricity and 35 percent of its total energy by 2050. But $420 billion in subsidies from 2011 to 2050 would be required to fund the infrastructure and make it cost-competitive.
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WATER POWER:
Off Oregon's Coast, Wave Power Makes a Splash:
Oregonian, by Gail Kinsey Hill, September 21, 2008
In Oregon, Tillamook County officials have quietly obtained a permit from federal regulators to study six sites to turn wave energy into electricity. Developers are just beginning to study potential sites along the West and East coasts, and they're still maneuvering among competing technologies, whether buoy-style or cylinder-shaped. Little is known about the impact on marine life and associated industries or on seabeds and shorelines. Wave energy projects in Oregon could be generating 500 megawatts of electricity by 2025 or sooner, according to the Wave Energy Trust. That's about 3 percent of the electricity used by Oregonians today.
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Hydropower Firm Voith Siemens Welcomes Obama:
National Hydropower Association, September 5, 2008
The National Hydropower Association praised presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) for demonstrating his commitment to hydropower by visiting the York, Pennsylvania, turbine manufacturing plant owned by NHA member Voith Siemens. During the visit, Obama spoke to plant workers and Voith Siemens officials, toured the facility, and held a “town meeting” event. During that event, he described his commitment to renewable energy. Hydropower provides about 8 percent of America’s electricity, making it the nation's largest renewable energy resource. Through new technologies, such as Voith Siemen’s advanced turbines, and new applications, such as tidal, wave, and in-stream hydrokinetic approaches, the industry could double its output in the next 20 years.
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Oceans of Opportunity:
EnergyBiz Insider, by Ken Silverstein, September 8, 2008
Ocean Renewable Power Co. says that the waters off Maine's coastline will provide the foundation by which it can spawn a new generation of electricity. Its project there will start small and build over time. In the long term they say that the plant, to be placed in the Passamaquoddy Bay, would produce as much as 20 megawatts. Similarly, the California, Oregon and Washington State coastlines are potentially rich sources of ocean power. Alaska may be the plushest area in this country while Canada is also a plentiful spot. Existing tidal power plants include a 240 megawatt facility in France, a 20 megawatt plant in Nova Scotia and a 0.5 megawatt one in Russia. Unlike hydropower, ocean energy does not require the permanent impediment of water flow and the subsequent harm to aquatic life.
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A Powerful Revival - Old Dam in Pennsylvania Upgraded As Electricity Source:
Baltimore Sun, by Tom Pelton, June 15, 2008
The decrepit-looking, century-old Holtwood Hydroelectric Dam on the Susquehanna River doesn't look like an energy source of the future. Nonetheless, a Pennsylvania power company, PPL Corp., is planning to spend $350 million to build new water-powered turbines next to the dam. The first new hydroelectric power plant in the East in 20 years, it would double the dam's electrical output, providing another 100,000 homes in the region with pollution-free electricity, according to the company. At a time when utilities are looking to generate more power without global-warming pollution, some point to the project as a good example of going back to the future. Across the country, power companies are upgrading generators in 23 dams in Idaho, Kentucky and California, among other places. America today gets 7 percent of its electricity from hydroelectric power, and this could rise to perhaps 11 percent by simply adding more and better generators to existing dams. About 79,000 dams are scattered across the U.S. Only 2,400 of these dams have hydroelectric generators built into them. Adding more turbines to the existing dams could add as much as 37,000 megawatts of power.
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Hydropower - America's Leading Renewable Energy Resource Has Bright Future:
National Hydropower Association, June 13, 2008
A recent report by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) found 90,000 MW of untapped generation potential from hydropower and new waterpower technologies across the United States. This could produce enough energy to serve the needs of 22 cities the size of Washington, DC. For conventional hydropower, opportunities include capacity gains and efficiency improvements at existing facilities, new small hydropower projects, and new facilities installed on existing non-powered dams. Currently pending before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission are license applications for 430 megawatts of conventional hydropower capacity and 900 megawatts of pumped storage capacity. Another 448 megawatts of conventional hydropower and 2,783 megawatts of pumped storage are before the Commission in the pre-filing stage, before a license application is submitted.
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Feds Fund Energy Generation from Ocean Waves, Tides:
Environmental News Service, May 5, 2008
Ocean waves, tides, and currents are a vast, untapped source of energy that the U.S. Department of Energy wants to harness to meet Americans' growing energy demand while at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Today, the Energy Department announced up to $7.5 million in federal funding for research and development to help advance the viability and cost-competitiveness of advanced water power systems. The Energy Department plans to award industry-led partnerships to research, develop and/or field test advanced water power technologies. Successful applicants will be required to develop collaborative project teams involving at least one other industry, university or national laboratory partner and a minimum 50 percent non-federal cost share is required.
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WIREC Shows the Potential - and Support for - Hydropower and Other Renewables:
National Hydropower Association, March 3, 2008
There is more than 95,000 megawatts of potential hydropower capacity in the United States,” Church Ciocci said. “That’s enough to power 76 million homes, avoiding 647 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. In the United States, the Electric Power Research Institute reports that hydropower has the potential to more than double its capacity through the use of new technologies that improve efficiency at existing facilities, add energy generation applications at existing non-powered dams, and harness the power of waves, tides, and other sources of moving water.
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Big Hydro Is Dead; Long Live Big Hydro:
Miller-McCune, by Lea-Rachel Kosnik, January 23, 2008
We cannot build new, large hydroelectric dams; they have significant negative effects on migrating fish and local riverbeds. While the benefits of traditional large hydro development are questionable, however, efficiency improvements at existing dams, called “uprating,” have the potential to increase hydropower production from as little as 8 percent to as much as 50 percent. This comes without any increases in reservoir size or dam size and with, through improved turbine technology, diminishing fish mortality levels. The increasing cost of energy and the need to find fossil fuel alternatives, combined with the concern over fishery impacts of large dams, has led to a considerable acceleration of research over the last decade into technological improvements for fish passage and protection.
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WIND ENERGY:
Wind Development Seen Biggest Challenge for Power Grid:
Reuters, by Eileen O'Grady, October 23, 2008
The need to build high-voltage power lines to link growing electric supply from renewable sources, such as wind and solar, to homes and businesses is the biggest challenge facing the power grid, the North American Reliability Corp (NERC) said in its "2008 Long-Term Reliability Assessment" to be issued Thursday. As much as 145,000 megawatts of power from wind turbines is proposed in the next decade, up from about 21,000 MW in the U.S. currently.
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Wind Energy Industry Installs 1,400 MW in 3rd Quarter of What will be Another Record Year:
American Wind Energy Association, October 22, 2008
The U.S. wind energy industry installed 1,389 megawatts (MW) this quarter, bringing to 4,204 MW the total of wind power projects completed in what is expected to be another record year. With even more reported under construction, the industry is on track to surpass the banner year of 2007, when 5,249 MW were installed, with a total of about 7,500 MW this year (7,500 MW would generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of about 2.2 million homes). Texas added 693 MW - the most wind power capacity of any state in the 3rd quarter. The state with the fastest wind power capacity growth was West Virginia, which more than tripled its existing capacity with the addition of a 164-MW project. The share of domestically made components in wind turbines has risen from about 30% in 2005 to 50% today.
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Wind Generated 50% More Electricity in First Half of 2008:
Wind Energy Weekly, October 3, 2008
During the first half of 2008, wind generated close to 50% more electricity in the U.S. than the same period last year. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s "Monthly Energy Review," 24.5 million MWh of wind power were generated in the U.S. during the first half of the year. In the first half of 2008, wind provided just under 1.3% of total electric generation, compared to 0.7% during the same time last year. All non-hydro renewable generation increased to 2.3% of generation, up from 1.7%, with solar photovoltaic (PV) and biomass generation increasing 25-35% since the same time last year.
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Michigan Could Find Energy Windfall Just Off Its Shores:
World of Renewables, October 3, 2008
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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Off-Shore Wind Power Set to Expand:
Worldwatch Institute, by Ben Block, September 29, 2008
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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Wind Power Dollars Pour into West Texas Economy:
Reuters, September 26, 2008
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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Small Wind Energy on the Rise in US:
Renewable Energy World, by Jeff Swicord (Voice of America), September 26, 2008
According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), interest in small wind technology is on the rise. The association says 10,000 turbines were sold in the U.S. last year and that number is expected to grow by 20 percent a year. Consumers can choose from hundreds of models on the market ranging from US $14,000 to $60,000. The industry says the average U.S. household uses about 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity a month. These units can produce between 400 to 1,000 kWh per month depending on the available wind.
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Wind Coalition Excited About Kansas:
World of Renewables, September 25, 2008
As the Kansas Energy Office hosts its seventh annual Renewable Energy Conference, members of The Wind Coalition are developing wind projects that will bring the state’s total of clean, renewable energy to 1,000MW by the year’s end. According to the Kansas Corporation Commission, Kansas could develop as much as 7,100 MW of wind energy by 2030 – a number five times what would be achieved under Governor Kathleen Sebelius’ 20% objective by 2020. The Wind Coalition says by 2030, the estimated royalties would be about $20 million annually, and tax revenue would be approximately $19 million annually.
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U.S. Wind Energy Installations Surpass 20,000 Megawatts - Delay in Extending Federal Tax Credit Places 2009 Project Pipeline on Hold, Discourages Manufacturing Investment:
American Wind Energy Association, September 3, 2008
The U.S. wind industry has raced past the 20,000-megawatt (MW) installed capacity milestone, achieving in two years what had previously taken more than two decades (the 10,000-MW mark was reached in 2006). Wind now provides 20,152 MW of electricity generating capacity in the U.S., producing enough electricity to serve 5.3 million American homes or power a fleet of more than 1 million plug-in hybrid vehicles. The 20,000 MW of wind power installed in the U.S. today can generate as much electricity every year as 28.7 million tons of coal or 90 million barrels of oil. Wind generation currently displaces 34 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to taking 5.8 million vehicles off the road.
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US Wind Turbine Market to be Worth $60 Billion in 2013, Report Predicts:
Clean Edge News, September 1, 2008
According to a new technical market research report from BCC Research, the domestic market for wind turbine components and systems will be worth $60.9 billion in 2013. This represents an increase from the 2007 market value of $7.9 billion and the estimated 2008 market value of $11.2 billion. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2008 and 2013 is expected to be 40.0%.
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U.S. Wind Turbine Market To Reach $60B - Report:
, August 29, 2008
The U.S. Market for wind turbine components and systems will increase from $11.2 billion in 2008 to $60.9 billion in 2013, according to a new report. "Wind Turbines: The U.S. Market" from BCC Research, says the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) fort the market between 2008 and 2013 is expected to be 40.0%. The report analyzes the market by state and includes the top ten spenders on wind turbine technology: Texas, California, Iowa, Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, New York, Kansas and Illinois. Texas has the largest statewide expenditure, exceeding $2.4 billion in 2007 and an estimated $3.0 billion in 2008. This should grow at a CAGR of 38.0% to reach $15.2 billion in 2013.
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U.S. Wind Markets Surge to New Heights:
Energy Bangla, August 14, 2008
On the back of three years of consistent growth, the US wind market is poised for a record-breaking surge with cumulative installed wind capacity to surpass 150 gigawatts (GW) by 2020, according to a recent market study from Emerging Energy Research, a leading research and advisory firm analyzing clean and renewable energy markets on a global basis. With 5,329 MW of new wind capacity installed in 2007, the US wind power market was responsible for installing more than 27% of newly added global wind capacity his past year, securing the US' position as the largest wind growth market by annual installations for the third straight year. 2008 is poised to set another record for annual installations in the US, with over 8 GW of wind projects currently under construction scheduled for operation by year's end
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US Now World Leader in Wind Power Production:
Environmental Finance, August 7, 2008
US wind capacity is expected to increase 45% in 2008 although Congress' failure to extend the production tax credit (PTC) for the renewable energy industry threatens to derail further development, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). Total US installed wind power capacity now stands at 19,549MW, up 2,726MW from the end of 2007, making the US the world leader in wind electricity generation, according to the AWEA's second quarter 2008 market report. Germany has installed generating capacity of about 23,000MW, but the US produces more electricity because of stronger winds
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U.S. Small Wind Turbine Market Grew 14% in 2007 - Up-Front Costs and Lack of Federal Incentives Remain Obstacle to Strong Growth:
American Wind Energy Association, July 17, 2008
Driven by consumer concerns over climate change and rising electricity prices, the U.S. small wind turbine market grew 14% and deployed 9.7 megawatts (MW) of new power generating capacity in 2007, the American Wind Energy Association said today in its annual small wind turbine market report. Small wind systems have rated capacities of less than 1 kilowatt (kW) up to 100 kW and are used for a broad range of applications, from charging batteries on sailboats and recreational vehicles to powering individual homes, farms, and small businesses. See the full Small Wind Market Report at
Global_Market_Study.pdf
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In Windy West Texas, An Economic Boom:
Worldwatch Institute, by Ben Block, July 23, 2008
As wind energy continues to expand across the U.S. heartland, rural America is likely to experience a revitalization not experienced since the homestead land grabs of the 19th century. Green jobs - high-quality employment for environmentally sustainable industries - and related spin-off opportunities are proliferating across West Texas. Local leaders predict that the economic growth has only just begun. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that 300 gigawatts of wind energy capacity can be installed throughout the country by 2030. If investments continue to spread, and necessary infrastructure such as new transmission lines are built, wind energy alone could create thousands of jobs, while providing a clean source of electricity.
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Wind Turbine Industry Steps Up to Global Demand:
Renewable Energy World, June 23, 2008
Emerging Energy Research, a leading research and advisory firm analyzing clean and renewable energy markets, expects global installed wind base to grow more than fivefold from its 2007 total of 94 GW to more than 576 GW by 2020. According to EER's just-released market study, "Global Wind Turbine Markets and Strategies 2008-2020," global wind demand will continue to boom, going from nearly 20,000 MW in 2007, to just under 50,000 MW in annual installations by 2020 and requiring massive investments in turbine supply. With an increase in average turbine size from just under 1 MW to nearly 1.5 MW in the past six years, EER anticipates global demand for multi-megawatt machines will continue to rise. EER expects larger projects, particularly over 50 MW, will increase their share in the future. Projects 100 MW and larger will nearly double their contribution to global MW added through 2020 from 24% to over 40%, according to EER.
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Quietly, Wind Farms Spread Footprint In U.S.:
Reuters, May 18, 2008
While growth in ethanol use as an alternative fuel has had a big impact on rural America, wind power has also been growing steadily for the past three years, with wind farms springing up all over the windy expanse of the Great Plains and beyond. While only 1 percent of U.S. electricity comes from wind, it is attracting so much support these days that many in the industry believe it is poised for a growth spurt. Last year, a record 3,100 turbines were installed across 34 U.S. states and another 2,000 turbines are now under construction from California to Massachusetts. In all, there are about more than 25,000 U.S. turbines in operation, an investment of $15 billion.
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Study Supports U.S. Wind Expansion:
Worldwatch Institute, by Ben Block, May 19, 2008
Wind energy can supply 20 percent of U.S. electricity needs by 2030 at a "modest" cost difference, a new U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) report says. The analysis predicts that the 20 percent wind scenario would cost about 2 percent more than sticking with the current energy mix, which relies more heavily on traditional fossil fuels. The 20 percent wind scenario entails higher initial capital costs (to install wind capacity and associated transmission infrastructure) in many areas, yet offers lower ongoing energy costs than conventional power plants for operations, maintenance, and fuel," said the report, which was written in conjunction with industry and environmental analysts. Under the scenario, 500,000 new jobs would be created.
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Wind Energy Could Produce 20 Percent of U.S. Electricity By 2030 - U.S Department of Energy Report Analyzes U.S. Wind Resources, Technology Requirements, and Manufacturing, Siting and Transmission Hurdles to Increasing the Use of Clean and Sustainable Wind Power:
U.S Department of Energy, May 12, 2008
The U.S Department of Energy (DOE) today released a first-of-its kind report that examines the technical feasibility of harnessing wind power to provide up to 20 percent of the nation’s total electricity needs by 2030. Entitled “20 Percent Wind Energy by 2030”, the report identifies requirements to achieve this goal including reducing the cost of wind technologies, citing new transmission infrastructure, and enhancing domestic manufacturing capability. Most notably, the report identifies opportunities for 7.6 cumulative gigatons of CO2 to be avoided by 2030, saving 825 million metric tons in 2030 and every year thereafter if wind energy achieves 20 percent of the nation’s electricity mix.
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Major New Technical Report Finds Wind Can Provide 20% of U.S. Electricity Needs By 2030 - U.S. Department of Energy Analysis Finds That Wind Can Be Major Contributor to Energy Mix:
American Wind Energy Association, May 12, 2008
The report finds that achieving a 20 percent wind contribution to U.S. electricity supply would:
*Reduce carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation by 25 percent in 2030.
*Reduce natural gas use by 11%;
*Reduce water consumption associated with electricity generation by 4 trillion gallons by 2030;
*Increase annual revenues to local communities to more than $1.5 billion by 2030; and
*Support roughly 500,000 jobs in the U.S., with an average of more than 150,000 workers directly employed by the wind industry.
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With Uncertainty Looming over Federal Incentive, U.S. Wind Industry Installs 1,400 MW in First Quarter:
American Wind Energy Association, May 7, 2008
With the fate of a key federal incentive in the balance, the U.S. wind energy industry continued new installations at a breakneck pace in the first quarter of 2008, putting 1,400 megawatts (MW) or approximately $3 billion worth of new generating capacity in place, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said today in its quarterly market report. The new wind power facilities installed this quarter span 10 states and bring total U.S. wind power capacity to over 18,000 MW, or enough to serve the equivalent of 5 million homes. Texas added over half this new capacity and now has well over 5,000 MW installed. Over 4,000 MW of projects are now also under construction nationwide. Additionally, AWEA reports an increase in the share of U.S.-made wind turbine components—from less than 30% to approximately 50% in three years.
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Swept Up by Wind:
EnergyBiz Insider, by Ken Silverstein (Editor-in-Chief), April 14, 2008
The U.S. is now the world's second largest magnet for wind-powered investment. According to Ernst & Young's Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Indices, the U.S. posts the highest score of 72. It is followed by India, Spain and the UK, which score 64 each. The U.S. pulled in $9 billion last year and may collect another $65 billion by 2015, adds Emerging Energy Research. Denmark ranks first. Wind power now supplies almost 17,000 megawatts in the United States. It increased by 45 percent last year and is expected to perform just as well in the current year, although it still only provides about one percent of the electricity generated here. Two decades from now some say it will supply 20 percent and others say it will be around 5 percent.
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Two New Reports - Wind’s Growth Spurs Upward Adjustments in Projections:
Wind Energy Weekly, April 4, 2008
In its five-year forecast, BTM Consult predicts a global wind power annual growth rate of 20.7%. Annual installation of capacity will grow from today’s 19,791 MW in 2007 to 50,000 MW per year in 2012, reaching total global installations of 287,000 MW in 2012, according to BTM’s 13th annual update on the “International Wind Power Industry.” Meanwhile, in its annual “Global Wind Energy Report 2007,” the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) projects the global wind energy market will reach 240,000 MW by 2012, a total growth rate of 155%.
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Low-Cost Energy Is Blowing in the Wind:
Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, by Emma Ritch, April 4, 2008
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Although currently a smaller market than solar photovoltaics, wind power is picking up speed with homeowners looking for ways to offset rising energy costs. New models are quieter, shorter and smaller, combating the bad reputation that has kept wind turbines out of urban and suburban areas for years. The U.S. market for wind power is about 13 million homes, says Andy Kruse, co-founder of Arizona-based Southwest Windpower Inc., which made the Scremposes' Skystream turbine. Kruse bases his figures on wind strength and open land, calculating that a home needs at least half an acre to accommodate the turbines, he says. The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) uses a similar calculation to estimate a potential market of 15.1 million homes by 2020.
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Global Wind Energy Council Says Wind Boom Will Continue:
, March 28, 2008
The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) is forecasting that the global wind market will grow by more than 155 percent, reaching 240 gigawatts (GW) of total installed capacity by 2012. With both the U.S. and the Chinese markets growing at a much faster rate than expected a year ago, the emergence of significant manufacturing capacity in China will have a more important impact on the growth of the global markets. GWEC now forecasts an addition of 146 GW will come online in the next five years, equaling an investment of more than $277 billion. By 2012 wind generated electricity is expected to reach over 500 terrawatt-hours (TWh) annually, up from 200 TWh in 2007. In 2012, Europe will continue to host the largest wind energy capacity, with the total reaching 102 GW, followed by Asia with 66 GW and North America with 61.3 GW, according to GWEC.
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Global Wind Power Capacity Reaches 100,000 Megawatts:
Earth-Policy Institute, by Jonathan G. Dorn, March 4, 2008
At its current growth rate, global installed wind power capacity will top 100,000 megawatts in March 2008. In 2007, wind power capacity increased by a record-breaking 20,000 megawatts, bringing the world total to 94,100 megawatts—enough to satisfy the residential electricity needs of 150 million people. Driven by concerns regarding climate change and energy security, one in every three countries now generates a portion of its electricity from wind, with 13 countries each exceeding 1,000 megawatts of installed wind electricity-generating capacity.
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US Wind Power Grew 45 Percent in 2007:
Reuters, by Bernie Woodall, January 18, 2008
US wind power grew by 45 percent in 2007, blowing away past annual growth marks. Utilities seeking green alternatives, some in states requiring more renewable power, helped wind power account for US$9 billion invested and 30 percent of all new US power generation in 2007. In 2006, wind power grew by 20 percent, when about US$4 billion was spent in the industry.
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VEHICLES – ELECTRIC, HYBRID, PLUG-IN:
Study Confirms Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles Excel on MPG and Emissions Reductions:
Market Wire, September 24, 2008
A year-long study by San Diego Gas & Electric has confirmed the viability of electricity as a clean and low-cost transportation fuel and the advantages that plug-in hybrid electric vehicles offer over standard hybrid electric vehicles for increased gas mileage and lower tailpipe emissions. When compared with the standard hybrid, the plug-in hybrid achieved a 60-percent increase in gas mileage, a 37-percent decrease in carbon dioxide (CO2) tailpipe emissions, and an 18-percent reduction in fuel costs. When compared with conventional gasoline-fueled vehicles that average 22 miles per gallon (MPG), the fuel cost savings jump to 57 percent.
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Affordable Electric Cars are Many Years Away:
Reuters, September 19, 2008
General Motors Corp's plug-in Chevy Volt and other electric vehicles have generated widespread consumer fervor for cleaner, less fuel-dependent cars. But at roughly US$10,000 each, the light, long-lasting lithium-ion batteries key to powering electric cars will make those vehicles prohibitively expensive until production levels are ramped up to the hundreds of thousands. GM's plug-in Chevrolet Volt, slated to hit showrooms in late 2010, is expected to be able to go 40 miles on a single charge before dipping into its gas tank. But GM will only produce 10,000 Volts in its first year of production, eventually increasing that to about 60,000. GM has not said how much the Volt will cost, but plug-ins are expected to carry a premium of around US$10,000, compared with a premium on hybrid electric cars of between US$3,000 and US$5,000.
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Electric Car's March into the Mainstream Gathers Pace - GM Debuts Plug-In Hybrid Volt, as Tesla Outlines Plans for New Factory:
BusinessGreen, by James Murray, September 17, 2008
The emergence of hybrid and electric cars as a mainstream alternative to conventional vehicles moved a step closer yesterday, as General Motors (GM) debuted its long anticipated plug in hybrid, the Chevy Volt. The small four seater plug-in hybrid is designed to run for about 40 miles on a lithium-ion battery before switching over to a conventional internal combustion engine. The first models should reach showrooms by November 2010, with the company aiming to deliver 10,000 cars in the first year. Meanwhile, US electric car start up Tesla Motors yesterday detailed plans for a new $250m manufacturing facility designed to produce its next generation four door Model S electric sedan.
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Registration Data Show US Hybrid Vehicle Sales Jumped 38 Percent to Record in 2007:
Associated Press, by Dee-Ann Burbin, April 20, 2008
U.S. registrations of new hybrid vehicles rose 38 percent in 2007 to a record 350,289, according to data to be released Monday by R.L. Polk & Co., a Southfield-based automotive marketing and research company. Hybrids made up just 2.2 percent of the U.S. market share for the year, but they were growing steadily even as overall sales declined 3 percent. Rising gas prices may affect some buyers, but sales jumped in 2007 because buyers had more options. Additionally, hybrids have been on the market long enough for consumers to trust the technology.
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FUEL CELLS + HYDROGEN:
Fuel Cell Forecast:
EnergyBiz Insider, by Ken Silverstein, October 22, 2008
Among the winners of the bill that Congress passed in early October are fuel cell makers. The new law sets the federal investment tax credit for fuel cells through 2016. It also increases the benefit from $1,000 per kilowatt to $3,000 per kilowatt or 30 percent of the capital cost, whichever is less. Furthermore, utilities are now entitled to receive the tax credit when they purchase such technologies. According to the U.S. Fuel Cell Council, global sales for all types of fuel cells were reported to be up by 10 percent and had reached $387 million in 2006, the latest year for which such information is available. Spending on research is also up 4 percent to $829 million. Its base case assumption is that stationary fuel cells would be used to generate electricity and will supply 1 percent of the energy consumed in this country in 2020. That will grow to 5 percent in 2035 and 10 percent in 2050.
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Fuel Cells Promise New U.S. Jobs - Up To 675,000 Jobs by 2035:
BUSINESS WIRE, October 1, 2008
Commercializing fuel cells and shifting from gasoline to hydrogen could generate 675,000 new jobs over the next 25 years, concludes a Department of Energy study "Effects of a Transition to a Hydrogen Economy on Employment in the United States" sent to Congress. Commercialization would create jobs in manufacturing, assembly, fuel production, repair, recycling, construction, and at auto shops and dealerships nationwide. The study evaluated a scenario in which 89% of new vehicle sales are fuel cell vehicles and 5% of US power is fuel cell generated by 2035, and a scenario in which fuel cells account for 20% of vehicle sales and 2% of power generation. More than three times as many jobs are created in the more aggressive scenario.
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The Impact of Increased Use of Hydrogen on Petroleum Consumption and Carbon Dioxide Emissions:
Energy Information Administration, September 12, 2008
(08)04.pdf
The development of a large market for hydrogen-powered light-duty fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) would likely require a major financial commitment by industry and government. The ultimate success of that market will depend on the ability to overcome significant technical and infrastructure challenges. Competition from other promising new vehicle technologies, such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) that could run on electricity from the grid for 50 to 80 percent of their travel, as well as continued improvement in more conventional technologies, make the prospect of widespread use of hydrogen FCVs an even greater challenge. Nonetheless, if the challenges can be met, FCVs powered with hydrogen can provide considerable reductions in light-duty vehicle (LDV) energy demand and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2050.
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Fuel Cell Industry Survey Shows Growth in Jobs, Sales, R&D:
U.S. Fuel Cell council, July 8, 2008
The fuel cell industry reports substantial job growth and gains in sales and research spending in the most recent reporting year, according to the 2007 Worldwide Industry Survey, released today. Participating companies reported a 22% gain in fuel cell specific employment, to 8,647 employees. Reported global sales were up 10% to $387 million, with research spending up 4% to $829 million. All are 2006 figures compared to 2005. This is the industry’s fourth global survey, sponsored by the US Fuel Cell Council, Fuel Cell Commercialization Conference of Japan, Fuel Cell Europe, and Hydrogen & Fuel Cells Canada. Reporting is voluntary; 182 organizations participated.
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GM Plans 1,000 Fuel Cell Cars In California By 2014:
Reuters, April 4, 2008
General Motors Corp plans to have 1,000 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in California between 2012 to 2014 to comply with the state's goal to put thousands of cleaner cars on its roads. GM has about 60 Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell vehicles in Southern California now. With 1,000 cars, GM will be "in the ballpark" of meeting its share of the 7,500 zero-emissions cars California wants on its roads between 2012 and 2014. GM would also have enough fuel cell cars on the road to amass statistics on the technology's durability.
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Fuel Cell Vehicles 15 Years Away, Research Council Says:
Worldwatch Institute, by Ben Block, July 21, 2008
Hydrogen fuel cells may be the best energy-saving alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles, and the technology could be economically competitive by 2023, a U.S. National Research Council report announced. The study, which did not include electric vehicles, concluded that hydrogen is the preferred alternative to conventional vehicles to wean the United States off oil and to reduce U.S. automotive emissions. Producing the hydrogen, however, will require increased fossil fuel consumption and worsen the nation's impact on climate change unless a federal policy switches the country to alternative energy sources. The maximum practical number of fuel cell vehicles that the automobile industry could produce would be 2 million in 2020, 60 million in 2035, and more than 200 million in 2050, which would equate to 60 percent of the U.S. automobile fleet that year.
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ENERGY EFFICIENCY – GENERAL:
New Report Shows Efficiency Programs Can Lower Utility Bills and Reduce Pollution in Ohio:
Environment Ohio, October 20, 2008
A new report “The Power of Efficiency: Opportunities to Expand the Economy, Save Money and Reduce Pollution in Ohio” details successful energy efficiency programs around the country and makes recommendations for Ohio’s future energy efficiency programs. For example:
* Through public education and targeted rebates, New York encourages homeowners to replace outdated and inefficient appliances with energy-saving models. Participating families save an average of $600 per year in energy costs.
* Wisconsin created a program to help manufacturers and industrial facilities reduce energy use, providing technical advice, training, information and financial incentives. In 2006, Wisconsin businesses saved more than $17 million through energy efficiency.
* Minnesota’s largest electric utility helps businesses identify opportunities to reduce lighting costs and provides rebates to facilities that install energy-efficient lighting. From 2001 to 2003, the program saved businesses and institutions in Minnesota nearly $16 million on electricity—savings that will last many years.
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Report Says California Saves Money by Saving Energy:
Associated Press, by Terence Chea, October 20, 2008
California has saved about $56 billion in electricity costs and created 1.5 million jobs over 35 years by using energy more efficiently than other states, according to a new study "Energy Efficiency, Innovation, and Job Creation in California" released Monday by David Roland-Holst, an economist at the University of California at Berkeley. California was among the first states to create energy-efficiency standards for new homes, buildings and household appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines. The average Californian now uses about 40 percent less electricity than the average American. That means the $56 billion that Californians would have spent on electricity between 1972 and 2006 could be spent on goods and services that create more jobs than energy. The study also estimated that the state's plan to reduce the greenhouse gases, which include measures to cap emissions and increase energy efficiency standards, could create 400,000 new jobs and increase household incomes by up to $48 billion annually by 2020.
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Panel Urges Efficient Energy Use in Oklahoma:
Tulsa World, by Rod Walton, October 7, 2008
In theory, most Oklahomans could shave about one-third off their annual electrical power consumption by taking advantage of a wide array of energy efficiency methods, according to a statewide study by AEP-PSO and OG&E Electric Services presented Monday to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. In reality, however, customers would likely cut about 3 percent from peak usage by adopting "achievable" methods of energy conservation, officials told the state's utility regulators. The 10-year Oklahoma plan, which projects energy savings through 2018, differed dramatically with a similar 10-year study out of California, which predicted twice as much savings for its electric-utility consumers.
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States Rated on Employing Energy Efficiency as the "First Fuel" to Power Their Economies - State Scorecard Highlights Model Policies to Win Race for Energy Independence:
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, October 6, 2008
California tops the list of U.S. states employing energy efficiency as the "first fuel" to grow their economies while meeting electricity demand, combating global warming, and contributing to U.S. energy security, according to a new report "2008 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard." California was followed by Oregon, Connecticut, Vermont, New York, and Washington. Minnesota and Massachusetts tie for seventh place with Wisconsin and New Jersey rounding out the final two spots in the top ten.
Idaho rated as the "most improved" state since ACEEE’s first state scorecard report graded state action through 2006. The 2008 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard report is available for free download at pubs/e086.htm
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Physicists Urge U.S. to Prioritize Energy Efficiency:
American Physical Society, September 16, 2008
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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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
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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Virginia Can Reduce Electricity Needs by 20 Percent Through Energy Efficiency:
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, September 19, 2008
By investing in energy-efficient technologies, the Commonwealth of Virginia can reduce its electricity needs by one-fifth; deliver cleaner, less-expensive power to Virginia consumers; create thousands of new jobs; and better position the state to more cost effectively meet its future energy requirements, according to a new report "Energizing Virginia: Efficiency First." It concludes that the Commonwealth can meet close to 20 percent of its electricity needs by 2025 through energy efficiency, a strategy that also would cut Virginians’ utilities bills by $15 billion by 2025 and create nearly 10,000 new jobs – the equivalent of bringing almost 100 new manufacturing facilities to the state. And by reducing electricity use, Virginia can play its part in reducing global warming and contributing to a more sustainable environment.
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Congressional Testimony - Review of the Status of Existing Federal Programs Targeted at Reducing Gasoline Demand in the Near Term and to Discuss Additional Proposals for Near-Term Gasoline Demand Reductions:
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, July 23, 2008
There is a huge potential for cost-effective investments in energy efficiency across all sectors of the economy: on the order of 46 billion barrels of oil equivalent between now and 2030. This is about 2.5 times bigger than what some have suggested might be available from off-shore drilling. And it is about 5.5 times greater than what we will get from the improved CAFE standards enacted by Congress last December.
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The Most Energy-Efficient Countries:
Forbes, by Joshua Zumbrun, July 7, 2008
The countries with the most energy-efficient economies are those who import their energy supplies. Japan leads the way. Japan has very little domestic energy production and is forced to import most of its fuel supply--creating a powerful economic incentive to use those expensive imports efficiently. The island nation uses 4,500 BTUs per U.S. dollar of gross domestic product (i.e., energy intensity). The U.S. is using slightly more than 9,000 BTUs per dollar of GDP. The top 10 countries use 7,500 BTUs or less. China uses 35,000 BTUs per dollar of GDP.
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State Efficiency Analyses Show Economic Growth & Job Creation: U.S. Energy Policy Assessments Can Benefit:
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, June 3, 2008
A new report "Positive Returns: State Energy-Efficiency Analyses Can Inform U.S. Energy Policy Assessments" concludes that energy efficiency can contribute to the growth of state economies, and, by extension, to the United States as a whole. The report concludes from a review of 48 state- and regional-level efficiency potential studies, performed over the last 15 years, that energy efficiency will result in a small but net positive benefit for the American economy as a result of policies that emphasize investment-led energy efficiency improvements. These studies can inform the direction the United States must take to ensure viable energy security and climate change solutions. Key findings of the report include:
*The set of studies reviewed in this report demonstrate an average of 23 percent efficiency gain with a nearly 2 to 1 benefit-cost ratio;
*A 20 percent efficiency gain by 2030 could provide an estimated 800,000 net jobs while a 30 percent efficiency improvement might generate as many as 1.3 million net jobs; and
*Efficiency-led policies, in effect an emphasis on greater energy productivity, would likely increase the nation’s economy (as measured by our Gross Domestic Product, or GDP) by about 0.1 percent by 2030.
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Energy Efficiency Boom: New ACEEE Study Shows Huge Impact on U.S. Economy of Investments in Energy Efficiency:
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, May 15, 2008
Energy efficiency may be the farthest-reaching, least-polluting, and fastest-growing energy success story of the last 50 years. But it also is the most invisible, the least understood, and in serious danger of missing out on needed future investments. In the first attempt to quantify the overall impact of the hidden U.S. energy efficiency boom, a major new report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, "The Size of the U.S. Energy Efficiency Market: Generating a More Complete Picture," shows that U.S. energy consumption (as measured per dollar of economic output) will have been slashed by the end of 2008 to half of what it was in 1970, from 18,000 Btus to about 8,900 Btus. The report notes: "Investments in energy efficiency technologies are estimated to have generated approximately 1.7 quads of energy savings in 2004 alone.
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EPRI Analysis Shows Energy Efficiency Can Curb Need for New Generation:
BUSINESS WIRE, April 21, 2008
Energy efficiency improvements in the U.S. electric power sector could reduce the need for new electric generation by an additional 7 to 11 percent more than currently projected over the next two decades if key barriers can be addressed, according to a preliminary analysis of potential energy savings released today. The growing demand for electricity is expected to soar 30 percent by 2030, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That demand growth projection would be even higher without the implementation of existing building codes, appliance standards and market-driven consumer incentives, which will shave electricity consumption by 23 percent, according to the EPRI-EEI study. However, additional efficiency gains could be achieved only by overcoming major market, regulatory and consumer barriers, the analysis found.
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ENERGY EFFICIENCY – APPLIANCES/EQUIPMENT:
Report Says Existing Technologies Can Nearly Halve Data Centers' Energy Use:
GreenerComputing, June 30, 2008
Data center managers have technologies at their disposal that can nearly halve energy consumption and reduce associated greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equal to taking 8 million cars from the road, according to new research. The Data Center Demonstration Project, launched by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, studied energy-saving technologies deployed at 17 data centers in an attempt to gauge the feasibility of recommendations issued last year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Eighteen months of research found that retrofitted legacy data centers can become nearly as energy efficient as new facilities.
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ENERGY EFFICIENCY - BUILDINGS:
Green Building Standards Under Construction:
Worldwatch Institute, by Ben Block, August 27, 2008
The world's leading certification system for sustainable architecture - the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, commonly known as LEED - is set to undergo its most sweeping changes in 2009. The proposed revisions encourage designs that would reduce a building's impact on global climate change. The number of LEED-certified buildings worldwide has nearly quadrupled since 2005. More than 2,400 commercial and residential buildings worldwide are LEED certified, and nearly 14,000 are under way.
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U.S. Department of Energy Wants Zero-Net Energy Commercial Buildings Available by 2025:
, August 18, 2008
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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North Carolina Sets Goal of 30% Energy Savings for Major Buildings:
Triangle Business Journal, by Richard R. Rogoski, August 15, 2008
^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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Building Momentum to Go Green:
EnergyBizInsider, August 6, 2008
According to the U.S. Green Building Council, offices consume 70 percent of the electricity load in the United States. They account for roughly 38 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions here and over the next 25 years, carbon dioxide emissions from those structures are projected to grow faster than any other sector, at 1.8 percent a year. That's why the organization has, in conjunction with like-minded organizations, issued a memorandum asking building owners to make their properties carbon-neutral by 2030. Those buildings would use no energy from external power grids. They could be built and operated at fair market values, it adds, noting that the average building that is certified under the council's standards uses 32 percent less energy.
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Mounting US Energy Bills Boost Green Homes - Survey:
Reuters, July 28, 2008
Environmentally friendly homes, once a luxury reserved for the rich, have become more accessible to middle class Americans seeking to trim their energy and water bills, according to a study released on Thursday. Within the last three years, more than 330,000 homes have been built in the United States featuring environmentally sustainable design, solar power, or other green technology, the joint study by McGraw-Hill Construction and the US Green Building Council showed. That's 6.2 percent of all homes being built, triple the percentage in 2005, when 1.8 percent of new homes were "green."
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To Reduce Greenhouse Gases, Start by Shrinking Buildings:
Washington Post, by Katherine Salant, July 12, 2008
New Mexico architect Edward Mazria's proposal, which he calls the 2030 Challenge, is well known in green building circles. It calls for an immediate 50 percent reduction in fossil-fuel-based energy in all new construction and major renovations of existing buildings, and further reductions of 10 percent every five years, starting in 2010. By 2030, all fossil-fueled equipment would be phased out, and all energy used in new and renovated buildings would come from renewable energy sources such as the sun, wind or earth. This may seem impossible, but Mazria says that the majority of his initial 50 percent reduction in houses could be met simply by building smarter so that less energy is required. With housing, the first step is a smaller house.
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Stronger Building Energy Codes and Incentives Could Lead to Dramatic Energy Savings in Buildings:
Environment America, July 1, 2008
According to a new white paper the country's energy consumption could be cut by 11 percent by 2020 through simple building efficiency measures such as more efficient lighting, water heating, and appliances, and by designing new buildings to be more energy efficient. “Building an Energy-Efficient America: Zero Energy and High Efficiency Buildings” describes the many opportunities for increasing energy efficiency in buildings and makes recommendations for what local, state and federal officials can do to secure huge energy savings in new and existing buildings. Nearly half of the energy we use in the United States—10 percent of the energy in the world—is consumed powering the buildings in which we live and work and much, if not most of that energy is wasted.
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Green Buildings May Be Cheapest Way to Slow Global Warming - By Building Green--and Retrofitting Existing Buildings, the Countries of North America Could Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions by More Than 25 Percent:
Scientific American, by David Biello, March 17, 2008
North American homes, offices and other buildings contribute an estimated 2.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere every year—more than one third of the continent's greenhouse gas pollution output. Simply constructing more energy-efficient buildings—and upgrading the insulation and windows in the existing ones—could save a whopping 1.7 billion tons annually, says a new report from the Montreal-based Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), an international organization established by Canada, Mexico and the U.S. under the North American Free Trade Agreement to address continent-wide environmental issues.
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ENERGY EFFICIENCY – COMBINED HEAT + POWER:
International Energy Agency Announces Release of U.S. CHP/DHC Scorecard:
United States Clean Heat & Power Association, October 2, 2008
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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ENERGY EFFICIENCY – LIGHTING:
Strong Growth in Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Reduces Electricity Demand:
Worldwatch Institute, October 16, 2008
Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are replacing incandescent light bulbs at a quick pace around the world. Between 2000 and 2004, for example, estimated sales in the United States grew 343 percent-from 21 million to 93 million-and by 2007 they reached 397 million. In the United States, CFLs accounted for more than 20 percent of sales in 2007, a strong growth from less than 1 percent before 2001. But other wealthy nations have shown much higher CFL use rates for quite some time, including 80 percent of households in Japan and 50 percent in Germany (in 1996 in both cases). Substituting CFLs could reduce global lighting energy demand by nearly 40 percent by 2030.
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Subway To Replace Lightbulbs in 22,000 Stores:
, September 25, 2008
The Subway restaurant chain will reduce its greenhouse gases nationwide by an estimated 3 million pounds, simply by replacing one incandescent light bulb with a more efficient compact fluorescent bulb in each of 22,000 stores. By replacing just one bulb with a Philips, energy efficient, compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb, each restaurant will reduce its annual energy consumption by 87.6 Kilowatt hours. Together, the 22,000 restaurants will save 1,927,200 Kilowatt hours--which is equivalent to removing more than 275 cars from the road for one year.
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That Newfangled Light Bulb:
New York Times (editorial), February 17, 2008
The question is how to dispose of these compact fluorescent bulbs once they break or quit working. Unlike traditional light bulbs, each of these spiral bulbs has a tiny bit of a dangerous toxin — around five milligrams of mercury. And although one dot of mercury might not seem so bad, almost 300 million compact fluorescents were sold in the United States last year. That is already a lot of mercury to throw in the trash, and the amounts will grow ever larger in coming years.
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Sales of Compact Fluorescent Lights Jump to 20% of the Market:
EERE Network News, January 23, 2008
The sales of Energy Star-qualified compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) nearly doubled last year, according to the estimates of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In 2007, 290 million CFLs were sold, and the energy-saving bulbs now account for about 20% of the light bulb market in the United States. Energy Star-qualified CFLs use approximately 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.
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LED Global Market Should Keep Getting Brighter and Brighter:
Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, by Emma Ritch, January 14, 2008
The lighting sector has an up-and-coming new field, thanks in part to aggressive global government mandates. The global market for light-emitting diodes -- known as LEDs -- is projected to grow from $205 million in 2006 to $985 million in 2011, according to Mountain View-based market research group Strategies Unlimited.
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ENERGY EFFICIENCY – TRANSPORTATION:
Available Technology Could Dramatically Cut Truck Fuel Consumption, Pollution, New Report Finds:
Union of Concerned Scientists, October 23, 2008
Technology available today could dramatically reduce big-rig-truck fuel consumption and emissions that cause global warming and smog, according to a new report "Delivering the Green" released today - one day before the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is expected to issue two new draft rules for trucks registered in California as well as those entering the state. CARB requires trucking companies and independent truck owners to take full advantage of global-warming-pollution-reduction technology available today, the report concludes, it would reduce heat-trapping emissions by 17 million metric tons of carbon-dioxide-equivalent in 2020, an amount equal to taking 2.5 million of cars and trucks off the road; reduce annual national diesel fuel consumption by 1.4 billion gallons; and nationally, total fuel savings between now and 2020 would be 11.8 billion gallons.
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Report Says U.S. Could Halve Gasoline Consumption by 2035:
ClimateBiz, August 14, 2008
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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In Washington, a Drive for Lower Speed Limits:
Scripps Howard News Service, by Michael Collins, August 13, 2008
Some lawmakers in Congress have certainly considered the consequences of your driving habits. And they want you to slow down. Record-high gas prices have triggered talk that it may be time to lower the speed limit on federal highways to 55 or 60 mph. The push for a lower speed limit harkens back to 1974, when the country was facing another energy crisis and Congress and President Richard Nixon reduced the limit to 55 mph in response to the Arab oil embargo. A report by the Congressional Research Service concluded that the 55 mph speed limit enacted in 1974 resulted in reduced consumption of 167,000 barrels of petroleum a day, roughly a 2 percent reduction in the nation's highway fuel consumption.
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Ford Boosts Better Fuel Economy in Engines - Technologies to Improve Car and Truck Efficiency by 20%:
Detroit Free Press, by Sarah A. Webster, August 7, 2008
Ford Motor Co.'s group vice president for global product development, Derrick Kuzak, said Wednesday that Ford would "achieve class-leading fuel economy" for its new cars and trucks in North America "through unprecedented spending on advanced gasoline engines." That includes EcoBoost, a Ford-branded engine technology that combines gasoline-injection with turbocharging for up to a 20% improvement in fuel economy, as well as other technologies.
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Redesigning Urban Transport:
Earth Policy Institute, July 9, 2008
Forward-thinking city planners have begun to realize that urban transport systems based on a combination of rail lines, bus lines, bicycle pathways, and pedestrian walkways offer the best of all possible worlds in providing mobility, low-cost transportation, and a healthy urban environment. With a full array of walking and biking options, the number of trips by car can easily be cut by 10–20 percent. The combination of rail and bicycle, and particularly their integration into a single, overall transport system, makes a city eminently more livable than one that relies almost exclusively on private automobiles. Noise, pollution, congestion, and frustration are all lessened.
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ENERGY EFFICIENCY – U.S. GOVERNMENT + MILIARY:
U.S. Postal Service Aims to Cut Energy Use by a Third:
GreenBiz, October 3, 2008
The United States Postal Service (USPS) plans to reduce energy use 30 percent by 2015. USPS launched this week an internal communications and conservation program to meet this goal, the organization announced. The organization is trying to get the message across to 685,000 workers in 34,000 facilities to reduce energy use by simple measures, such as turning off lights and computers or reporting HVAC problems. In order to meet the 30 percent reduction goal, USPS is applying a variety of strategies, such as energy efficiency requirements for equipment, green building practices, lighting retrofits in processing plants, renewable energy systems and alternative fuel vehicles.
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Military Wants to Lead U.S. into the Green:
Reuters, August 8, 2008
The U.S. military has a history of fostering change, from racial integration to development of the Internet. Now, Pentagon officials say their green energy efforts will help America fight global warming. In the next few years, the military can reduce energy consumption by 10-20 percent. It spends about $14 billion a year on energy, up from $11 billion in 2005, about half on jet fuel. The military also has set a goal that 25 percent of its energy should come from renewable sources by 2025 and aims to create machines and methods to help Main Street America reach similar targets.
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GREEN JOBS:
Growing Green Jobs:
EnergyBiz Insider, by Ken Silverstein, October 20, 2008
According to the Worldwatch Institute, the renewables sector now employs globally about 2.3 million people. Germany, Spain and Demark are leaders in this area. With more progressive leadership across the globe, green jobs could expand by the millions in the decades to come. Its best case scenario projects global wind power employment to increase to as much as 2.1 million in 2030 while solar photovoltaic job creation would generate as many as 6.3 million new jobs by 2030. A similar study sponsored by the United Nations' Environment Program pegs job growth in all renewable energy fields to be 20 million over several decades.
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Colorado Governor Ritter Says Renewable Energy Jobs in State Total 90,000:
Associated Press, by Judith Kohler, October 14, 2008
Gov. Bill Ritter says the growth in renewable energy and energy efficiency that his administration has promoted is paying off economically, having generated about 90,000 jobs in Colorado. Those are the preliminary figures from a new state study by the American Solar Energy Society that says those industries have generated about 40,000 jobs directly and 50,000 indirectly. Jefferson County west of Denver alone has about 500 renewable energy companies.
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Clean Edge and Climate Solutions’ Carbon-Free Prosperity 2025 Report Finds Potential for 63,000 New Clean-Energy Jobs in Oregon and Washington:
Clean Edge, October 6, 2008
A new study "Carbon-Free Prosperity 2025" focuses on five clean-energy sectors that provide the best opportunities for Oregon and Washington to build a leadership position in intellectual capital and job creation:
• Solar PV Manufacturing, which is projected to provide up to 22,560 new jobs in the region by 2025;
• Wind Power Development, expected to reach up to 6,000 new jobs;
• Green Building Design Services, creator of up to 16,834 new jobs;
• Sustainable Bioenergy, which could account for 10,419 new jobs; and
• Smart-Grid Technologies, an industry that could create up to 7,000 new jobs.
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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
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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Amid Boom, Concerns at Small Solar Firms:
New York Times, by Jan Ellen Spiegel, September 24, 2008
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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United Nations Says "Green" Energy Should Create 20 Million Jobs by 2030:
Reuters, September 24, 2008
Development of alternative energy should create more than 20 million jobs around the world in coming decades as governments adopt policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a U.N. report released on Wednesday. Some 2.3 million people already work in green energy jobs with half of them in biofuels, said the report "Green Jobs: Towards Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World," commissioned and funded by the U.N.'s Environment Program. It said some 12 million new jobs could be created by 2030 in biofuels-related agriculture and industry. Manufacturing, installing, and maintaining solar panels should add 6.3 million jobs by 2030 while wind power should add more than 2 million jobs. Even more jobs could be created in the building, recycling, clean vehicle manufacturing sectors.
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California Air Board Says There's Dollars in Green:
Reuters, September 19, 2008
California's landmark legislation to cut carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 will help the state's economy in the long run, according to a report issued Wednesday by the state agency charged with implementing the cuts. A macroeconomic analysis of a California Air Resources Board (CARB) proposed plan to implement the emission cuts estimates that in 2020 the state's productivity will be increased US$27 billion over what would be realized if the state doesn't cut its polluting ways. Also, California going green will mean 100,000 more jobs in 12 years than today and an increase in per capita income by US$200 a year.
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Two Million U.S. Jobs Seen in Clean Energy:
TMCnet, September 11, 2008
The Center for American Progress and the University of Massachusetts' Political Economy Research Institute propose that a total of $100 billion for the entire country could be raised with proceeds from auctions of carbon permits under a global warming cap-and-trade program. According to their report, "Green Recovery -- A Program to Create Good Jobs and Start Building a Low-Carbon Economy," clean energy investments would create four times as many jobs as spending the same amount of money in the oil industry. The report proposes that the $100 billion of initial investments would fund the following: $50 billion for tax credits for private businesses and homeowners for building retrofits and new investments; $46 billion in direct government spending to support public building retrofits and expand mass transit; and $4 billion for federal loan guarantees.
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New Study Shows Extending Solar Tax Credits Will Create Jobs, Increase Investment:
Solar Energy Industries Association, September 15, 2008
A new economic study issued today by Navigant Consulting, Inc., shows that more than 1.2 million employment opportunities, including 440,000 permanent jobs, and $232 billion in investment would be supported in the U.S. by the solar energy sector alone through 2016 if Congress extends the solar investment tax credit (ITC) for 8 years. According to the study, by 2016, the solar energy industry would create 440,000 permanent U.S. jobs with much of the direct growth occurring in domestic manufacturing, construction and the trades. This figure reveals the strength of the solar job creation engine when compared to the current 79,000 direct employees of the coal mining industry and the 136,000 direct employees in oil and gas extraction.
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Green Investment Will Yield Two Million New Jobs in Two Years - Report Outlines Rapid Recovery Economic Program That Moves America Toward A Clean Energy Future:
Natural Resources Defense Council, September 9, 2008
A new report “Green Recovery – A Program to Create Good Jobs and Start Building a Low-Carbon Economy” released by the Natural Resources Defense Council and partner labor and environmental groups shows that the U.S. can create two million jobs by investing in clean energy technologies that will strengthen the economy and fight global warming. The report finds that investing in clean energy would create four times as many jobs as spending the same amount of money within the oil industry. A $100 billion initial investment in our clean energy future would create roughly triple the number of good jobs — paying at least $16 dollars an hour — as spending the same amount of money within the oil industry. A Green Recovery program can, at the least, bring back 800,000 construction jobs lost during the past two years.
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Report Says Renewable Energy Could Electrify California Economy and Job Market:
Los Angeles Times, by Margot Roosevelt and Tami Abdollah, August 19, 2008
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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Coal Industry Hands Out Pink Slips While Green Collar Jobs Take Off:
Worldwatch Institute, July 10, 2008
A transition to renewable energy sources promises significant global job gains at a time when the coal industry has been hemorrhaging jobs for years, according to the latest Vital Signs Update released by the Worldwatch Institute. An estimated 2.3 million people worldwide currently work either directly in renewables or indirectly in supplier industries. The solar thermal industry employs at least 624,000 people, the wind power industry 300,000, and the solar PV industry 170,000. More than 1 million people work in the biomass and biofuels sector, while small-scale hydropower employs 39,000 individuals and geothermal employs 25,000.
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New Report - Millions of U.S. Workers Stand to Gain from Green Industries; Today’s Job Skills Will Be Essential in Tomorrow’s Clean-Energy Economy; Fight Global Warming:
Natural Resources Defense Council, June 3, 2008
and
Workers at every skill level will be in high demand and enjoy greater job security in key industries essential to building a clean-energy economy in America and fighting global warming, according to a new report released today by a coalition of conservation and labor groups. The report, "Job Opportunities for the Green Economy," takes a state-by-state look at existing jobs skills across a wide range of occupations and income levels that would benefit from America’s transition towards a clean energy economy. The report quantifies the number of workers who can apply their skills to six categories of green industries – building retrofitting, mass transit, fuel-efficient automobiles, wind power, solar power, and cellulosic biomass fuels.
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'Green Collar' Jobs Have Growth Potential:
United Press International, March 26, 2008
The green-collar job sector is growing in the United States and could include more than 14 million workers by 2017 industry, analysts said Wednesday. It is hard to pin down what constitutes a green-collar job but the American Solar Energy Society said jobs there are 8.5 million U.S. jobs that involve Earth-friendly enterprises and renewable energy sources. That figure could grow by 5 million in the next 10 years, Jerome Ringo of the Apollo Alliance said.
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PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS:
Americans Want Renewable Energy, Not Coal and Nukes - Survey:
, October 1, 2008
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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Poll Shows Energy Cost Acceptable for Renewable Sources - 69 Percent Willing to Pay More:
Review-Journal, by Keith Rogers, August 26, 2008
In six Western states, a majority of likely voters are willing to pay higher prices for energy from clean renewable resources such as wind and solar rather than continue to rely on oil, natural gas and coal for power, an independent regional poll commissioned jointly by the Review-Journal, the Denver Post and the Salt Lake Tribune, and conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. In all, 64 percent of the 2,400 respondents said they would be willing to pay more for clean energy, and 28 percent said they would be reluctant to do so. Eight percent weren't sure. In Nevada, 69 percent said they would be willing, while 25 percent said they would not be, with 6 percent unsure.
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New Poll Shows that Americans Prefer Clean Energy:
League of Conservation Voters, August 11, 2008
A new national energy poll reveals that Americans favor investment in clean, renewable energy over increased oil drilling when presented with the full spectrum of energy options. The report was released today by the League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, and the Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund. Some of the poll’s top findings indicate that 83 percent of Americans support a plan to end America’s addiction to oil through investment in wind, solar, and next generation biofuel technology, 20 percent more than supported increased offshore drilling. 80 percent believe that America should put a stop to billions of dollars in oil subsidies and use the money to invest in renewable sources. Click here to download the Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research poll:
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Poll - Western Voters Support Clean Car Policies:
Union of Concerned Scientists, July 29, 2008
A survey released by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) reveals strong voter demand for aggressive policies by the WCI to reduce transportation emissions. Eighty-four percent of respondents agree that cars, trucks and other transportation sources should be required to reduce their greenhouse gas pollution along with power plants and factories. Large majorities support state action to reduce global warming pollution by requiring automakers to produce more efficient cars that pollute less and use less gasoline (88 percent) and oil companies to make cleaner fuels (81 percent). Even if the price of gasoline drops in the short term, 95 percent of voters surveyed in Arizona, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington say that immediate action is needed to avoid a future crisis, and 91 percent say it is critical to end U.S. dependence on oil.
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American Voters Support Increased Ethanol Use - New Poll:
Renewable Fuels Association, July 15, 2008
Between June 23 and July 1, the Democratic polling firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner and the Republican polling firm Public Opinion Strategies conducted a survey of 1,200 registered voters. Asked if they favor or oppose continuing to increase use of ethanol, an impressive 59 percent come out in favor. By a 71 to 17 percent margin, voters believe the rising cost of oil and gas is the primary reason food prices have been going up, rather than blaming the rising use of corn-based ethanol. A 50 percent majority of voters describe themselves as more likely to support a candidate for president who supports increasing the use of ethanol.
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Poll Says Majority of Texans Open to $4 Charge for Wind Farms:
Houston Chronicle, by Janet Elliott, July 11, 2008
A majority of Texans would be willing to pay $4 more on their monthly electric bills to create a network of power lines from wind farms, according to a recent poll. The survey, commissioned by a group of wind generation companies, is being released in advance of state utility regulators' debate over how much new transmission to require for wind-generated electricity. The Public Utility Commission is considering several plans, at costs ranging from about $3 billion to $6 billion. The commission staff estimates the plans could cost average household electric consumers $2.50 to $5 extra a month.
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Poll Reports 94% of Americans Say It's Important for the U.S. to Develop and Use Solar Energy:
Solar Energy Industries Association, June 10, 2008
A vast majority of Americans, across all political parties, overwhelmingly support development and funding of solar energy. These findings were reported today in the SCHOTT Solar Barometer, a nationally representative survey conducted by the independent polling firm, Kelton Research.
- 98% of Independents, 97% of Democrats, and 91% of Republicans support development of solar.
- 74% of Independents, 72% of Democrats and 72% of Republicans favor extension of Federal tax credits for renewable technologies.
- 77% of Americans feel Federal government should make solar power development a national priority
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