NASEO NEWS
New Speakers
Confirmed for the NASEO-ASERTTI State Energy Policy and Technology Outlook
Conference
Register today
for the 2012 NASEO/ASERTTI State Energy Policy and Technology Outlook Conference
on February 7-10, 2012, at the
Fairmont Washington, D.C. The
conference agenda is
now available online. Distinguished speakers include:
- The Honorable Paul Tonko, Member, U.S. House of
Representatives
- The Honorable Rob Portman, Member, U.S. Senate Energy and
Natural Resources Committee (Invited)
- Patricia Hoffman, Assistant Secretary, Office of Electricity
Delivery and Energy Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy
- Marcilynn Burke, Acting Assistant Secretary for Land and
Minerals Management, Bureau of Land Management (Invited)
- Kathleen Hogan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy
Efficiency, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,
U.S. Department of Energy
- Steve Chalk, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S.
Department of Energy
- Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn, President and Chief Executive
Officer, American Council on Renewable Energy
- John Felmy, Chief Economist, American Petroleum Institute
- Christophe Tulou, Director, District of Columbia Department
of the Environment
This year's Conference will explore how states are encouraging economic
development and technology innovation through private investment to modernize
the nation's energy systems and infrastructure in public facilities, power
systems, and the transportation sector.
NATIONAL NEWS
U.S. Green Building Council and 15 Partners Release Green Building Executive
Action Report
Along with 15 partners, including NASEO, the U.S. Green Building Council
(USGBC) released a report this week that recommends nearly three dozen executive
actions across 23 agency programs where the Obama Administration can drive the
economic and environmental benefits of green building without new legislation.
The report,
Better Buildings Through Executive Action: Leveraging Existing Authorities to
Promote Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in Multifamily, Residential and
Commercial Buildings, builds on a 2010 report that identified nearly 100
legal authority opportunities across 30 existing federal programs worth more
than $72 billion to improve energy efficiency in U.S. building stock.
USGBC and the partner organizations worked closely with federal government
officials to identify new executive policymaking opportunities to achieve
greener buildings. Since the first report in April 2010, there has been
significant progress in implementing several proposals, including the
Administration’s Better Buildings Initiative, such as improving the Energy
Efficiency Commercial Building Tax Deduction, using Department of Energy loan
guarantees and utilizing Small Business Administration financing programs to
support energy efficiency retrofits at commercial buildings.
DOE Reports Show Major Potential for Wave and Tidal Energy Production Near U.S.
Coasts
The U.S. Department of Energy released two nationwide resource assessments
showing that waves and tidal currents off the nation's coasts could contribute
significantly to the United States' total annual electricity production, further
diversify the nation's energy portfolio, and provide clean, renewable energy to
coastal cities and communities. These new wave and tidal resource assessments,
combined with ongoing analyses of the technologies and other resource
assessments, show that water power, including conventional hydropower and wave,
tidal, and other water power resources, can potentially provide 15% of our
nation's electricity by 2030. The two reports—"Mapping
and Assessment of the United States Ocean Wave Energy Resource" and "Assessment
of Energy Production Potential from Tidal Streams in the United States"—
represent the most rigorous analysis undertaken to date to accurately define the
magnitude and location of America's ocean energy resources. The information in
these resource assessments can help to further develop the country's significant
ocean energy resources, create new industries and new jobs in America, and
secure U.S. leadership in an emerging global market.
DOE Announces New Online Tools to Help Deploy Distributed Wind Energy Systems
The Department of Energy (DOE) announced two new online tools to assist state
and local policymakers, consumers, and stakeholders in evaluating siting and
policy issues to help accelerate the use of distributed wind energy systems –
such as wind turbines installed at a homes and businesses. DOE's Office of
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy funded development of the "Distributed
Wind Site Analysis Tool" and "Distributed
Wind Policy Comparison Tool" through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
grants. The tools are designed to help more people across the country install
wind turbines to produce clean, renewable energy.
New Online State and Local Resource Available Now: Clean Energy Financing
Decision Tool and Guide
States and communities are increasingly investing in energy efficiency and
renewable energy to achieve their air quality, economic, and energy goals. In
doing so, they have found that the up-front costs of improving energy efficiency
and increasing renewable energy generation can be a barrier for many homeowners,
building owners, and businesses. One way to address these barriers is by
adopting clean energy financing programs that can make efficiency and renewable
energy more affordable for these sectors. EPA's State and Local Climate and
Clean Energy Program is supporting these efforts with the launch of a new online
Financing
Program Decision Tool and a
Financing
Program Decision Guide.
The
Financing Program Decision Tool is designed for state and local staff in the
early stages of choosing a clean energy financing program. Answer a handful of
simple questions, and the Tool highlights quickly the most promising program
options for your jurisdiction to pursue. The
Financing
Program Decision Guide complements the Tool. This Guide includes the basics
on financing-program options, as well as key considerations and factors for
states and communities to weigh as they start up or expand their clean energy
financing programs. Learn more here:
http://epa.gov/statelocalclimate/state/activities/financing.html.
Learn about Your State and Local GHG Emissions with EPA's new GHG Map Tool
For the first time, comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) data reported directly
from large facilities and suppliers across the country are now easily accessible
to the public through
EPA’s GHG
Reporting Program. The 2010 GHG data released include public information
from facilities in nine industry groups that directly emit large quantities of
GHGs, as well as suppliers of certain fossil fuels. EPA’s interactive
GHG Map Tool
allows users to view and sort GHG data for calendar year 2010 from more than
6,700 facilities in a variety of ways—including by state, county, facility,
industrial sector, and the type of GHG emitted. This information can be used by
communities to identify nearby sources of GHGs, help businesses compare and
track emissions, and provide information to state and local governments.
GHG data for direct emitters show that in 2010:
- Power plants were the largest stationary sources of direct
emissions, with 2,324 million metric tons of carbon dioxide
equivalent (mmtCO2e), followed by petroleum refineries with
emissions of 183 mmtCO2e.
- CO2 accounted for the largest share of direct GHG emissions,
with 95 percent, followed by methane with 4 percent, and nitrous
oxide and fluorinated gases accounting for the remaining 1
percent.
- 100 facilities each reported emissions over 7 mmtCO2e,
including 96 power plants, two iron and steel mills, and two
refineries.
Mandated by the FY2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act, EPA launched the GHG
Reporting Program in October 2009, requiring the reporting of GHG data from
large emission sources across a range of industry sectors, as well as suppliers
of products that would emit GHGs if released or combusted. Most reporting
entities submitted data for calendar year 2010. An additional 12 source
categories will begin reporting their 2011 GHG data this year.
STATE NEWS
California OKs Energy Efficiency Rules for Battery-Charged Devices
The California Energy Commission on January 12 approved a first-in-the-nation
energy efficiency standard that will reduce wasted energy by battery chargers
used with cell phones, laptop computers, power tools, and other devices. The
proposed standards can save nearly 2,200 gigawatt hours (GWh) each year, enough
energy to power nearly 350,000 homes.
Because nearly two-thirds of the 8,000 GWh of electricity consumed in California
by battery charger systems (or battery chargers) is wasted by inefficiency, the
Energy Commission proposed appliance efficiency standards requiring battery
chargers to consume less energy while providing the same performance. Consumer
chargers used in cell phones, personal care devices, and power tools will be
required to comply with the new standards by February 1, 2013. Industrial
charger compliance (e.g. forklifts) is required by January 1, 2014. Compliance
for small commercial chargers (such as walkie-talkies and portable barcode
scanners) is required by January 1, 2017.
Kentucky's Proposed Renewable Energy Legislation Has Big Potential, Study Says
North American Windpower
Kentucky could create over 28,000 jobs over 10 years and lower electricity
costs by passing the clean energy legislation that is currently in front of the
state's General Assembly, according to a new study from Synapse Energy
Economics. The Clean Energy Opportunity Act (H.B.167), introduced by State
Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, D-District 34, calls for the establishment of a renewable
and efficiency portfolio standard (REPS), which would require utilities to
obtain 12.5% of their electricity from renewable energy and achieve 10.25%
cumulative savings from energy-efficiency efforts by 2022. Synapse's study
concludes that making small but significant steps to begin diversifying
Kentucky's energy portfolio over the next 10 years will lower the bills of the
state’s residents, business owners and industrial facilities. The firm projects
that, under the REPS, average annual electricity bills could be 8% to 10% lower
than if an REPS were not adopted. Furthermore, the REPS would lead to over
28,000 net new jobs in addition to any jobs lost in fossil fuels, and would add
$1.5 billion to gross state product once fully implemented in 2022.
|
