-- Scotts Contracting - StLouis Renewable Energy

Search This Blog

6.22.2015

Mankind faces mass extinction

Study

There is no longer any doubt: We are entering a mass extinction that threatens humanity's existence.

Published on Jun 19, 2015
There is no longer any doubt: We are entering a mass extinction that threatens humanity's existence. That is the bad news at the center of a new study by a group of scientists including Paul Ehrlich, the Bing Professor of Population Studies in biology and a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment






Thank You for stopping by-Share and Comment below. If additional information in needed or you have a question let me know. Together we can make a difference and create a future that will benefit everyone. Build a Green StLouis Green Building Tips and Resources via: Scotty- St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog
-->

6.21.2015

Solar Yes Its Gaining Momentum

Summer Solstice Solar Information
It’s the summer solstice on Sunday! The day where we get more sunshine than any other.
At Environment America, our favorite thing about the sun is that it has the capacity to power our entire planet every minute that it shines – and there are a lot of minutes of sunshine this weekend!
Here are seven more reasons why we think solar is awesome! (Be sure to tweet your favorite!) 

1.Solar is pollution-free! We can reduce air, water, and climate altering carbon pollution by capturing the power of the sun.
TWEET THIS 

2. It promotes healthy neighborhoods! Solar helps reduce the impacts of harmful air contamination by fossil fuels: especially among young children and the elderly.
TWEET THIS 

3. It promotes vibrant communities! Community solar provides a way for people to join together to access the benefits of the sun.
TWEET THIS 

4. Solar can save you money! Because solar is local and has no fuel costs, it can help lower costs for all electric customers – whether you have solar or not.
TWEET THIS 

5. It works everywhere! Even cloudier regions of the US are great for current solar technology. For example: New Jersey has more solar than sunny New Mexico.
TWEET THIS 

6. It helps local economies! Solar is currently the fastest growing industry in the nation. It creates good jobs in our community that cannot be outsourced.
TWEET THIS 

7. People love it! Solar is America's top choice in virtually every poll. With the nation so divided on many issues, it's nice to see something that most of us agree on.
TWEET THIS 

The time of solar is here and it’s getting easier to #PutSolarOnIt  by the day. Be sure to spread to word about why you love getting energy from the sun!

Happy Summer Solstice!



The above is especially true in StLouis-Remember when Ameren needed an additional Million Bucks to haul coal from the Western States to Missouri and they raised our Electric Rates.


Thank You for stopping by-Share and Comment below. If additional information in needed or you have a question let me know. Together we can make a difference and create a future that will benefit everyone. Build a Green StLouis Green Building Tips and Resources via: Scotty- St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog
-->

6.19.2015

Missouri the Clean Power Plan-Comprehensive State Energy Plan Should Support Compliance

Like many U.S. states, Missouri is on the cusp of an energy transformation. Missouri has been long dependent on electricity generated predominantly from coal-fired power plants, but a suite of market and political factors are slowly beginning to shift the Show-Me state toward cleaner, lower carbon energy sources.
Set for release later this summer, the EPA’s Clean Power Plan (CPP) will further curb carbon emissions in Missouri and across the U.S. power sector. At the same time, a comprehensiveState Energy Plan now under development by Governor Nixon’s administration offers an excellent opportunity to prioritize renewable energy and energy efficiency in Missouri’s CPP compliance strategy and accelerate the state’s transition to a clean energy economy.

A legacy of coal dependence

For decades, Missouri has been heavily dependent on coal for its power generation. In 2013, coal accounted for 83 percent of the state’s electricity generation—the fifth most coal-dependent among all states (see pie chart). To generate that power, all of the coal must be imported because Missouri has virtually no coal mining production. In 2012, that amounted to more than $1.4 billion leaving the state, primarily to Wyoming.
Missouri is currently among the nation's most coal dependent states.
Missouri is currently among the nation’s most coal-dependent states. Source: EIA
Missouri’s coal dependence also takes a heavy toll on public health, local air and water quality, and of course, in contributing to climate change. Power plants are our nation’s largest source of global warming emissions and Missouri consistently ranks in the top 10 states for power sector carbon emissions. From heat waves to major flooding, global warming is already impacting Missouri communities.

The winds of change

Fortunately, the coal industry’s grip on Missouri’s power supply is slowly beginning to loosen. In 2008, voters approved arenewable electricity standard (RES) that requires Missouri’s electric providers to supply at least 15 percent of their power from renewable energy sources by 2021.
Missouri’s RES has already helped spur more than 450 megawatts of wind power in the northwest corner of the state, and has driven important economic and environmental benefits. However, this just scratches the surface of how clean energy resources can deliver for Missouri consumers. The state is ranked 14th nationally in terms of wind resource potential and is home to a tremendous amount of potential for solar energy and energy efficiency that remains untapped.

Closing uneconomic coal plants

In addition to investing in more renewables, closing old, inefficient, and uneconomic coal generators is another quick and cost-effective strategy for cleaning up Missouri’s power supply. Ameren Missouri—the state’s largest electric utility—has announced that it will beclosing its 564-MW Meramec coal power plant in the next few years. Meramec’s closure joins the nearly 300 coal generating units in 39 states (representing 46,600 MW of power capacity) that have either retired or are scheduled to between 2012 and 2020 thanks to growing competition from cleaner, more affordable energy alternatives. A 2013 UCS analysis identified another 1,635 MW of economically vulnerable coal generators in Missouri alone that should also be considered for retirement.

Making progress toward Clean Power Plan compliance

These sensible commitments to renewable energy and cutting carbon emissions have positioned Missouri well for complying with the EPA’s forthcoming Clean Power Plan.
In fact, a new UCS analysis shows that these existing commitments will put Missouri more than two-thirds of the way towards meeting the 2020 emission reduction benchmarks proposed by the EPA (see bar chart). Thirty additional states are also on track to be more than halfway toward their 2020 benchmarks thanks to existing RES policies, energy efficiency resource standards, and scheduled coal plant retirements.

Missouri needs a comprehensive state energy plan

Missouri's Projected Progress Toward Meeting its 2020 Benchmarks under the Clean Power Plan. Missouri's current renewable electricity standard and decision to close uneconomic coal generators are helping to cut carbon emissions and contributing to the state's compliance with the Clean Power Plan.
Missouri’s Projected Progress Toward Meeting its 2020 Benchmarks under the Clean Power Plan. Missouri’s current renewable electricity standard and decision to close uneconomic coal generators are helping to cut carbon emissions and putting the state far along the pathway toward compliance with the Clean Power Plan.
This is all good progress for one of the most coal-dependent states in the nation. But Missouri can and should do more to accelerate its clean energy transition. That starts with Governor Nixon’s administration developing a compliance strategy for fully meeting the Clean Power Plan’s targets by prioritizing investments in renewables and efficiency. And one effective way to ensure that happens is for the state to develop a comprehensive and aggressive State Energy Plan that also prioritizes clean energy development.
One year ago today, Governor Nixon put the wheels in motion for such a plan when he signed Executive Order 14-06, which instructed the Missouri Department of Economic Development’s Division of Energy to develop—through broad stakeholder input—a comprehensive State Energy Plan. A 55-member governor-appointed steering committee representing a broad range of energy interests helped lead the plan’s development; several public hearings were held; and six technical working groups were convened (of which, several of my colleagues participated in) to explore multiple topics on Missouri’s current and potential future energy use.

Policy recommendations

Initially scheduled for release last month, the State Energy Plan has since been delayed to October 15. While delay is not normally good, in this case it could be a positive. Thus far, discussions on the state’s energy plan have not included considerations for the Clean Power Plan. By postponing until after the final rule’s expected release, Governor Nixon’s team now has a golden opportunity to include recommendations directly related to a compliance strategy that makes Missouri a clean energy leader.
To help ensure that happens, here are three recommendations Governor Nixon’s state energy plan needs to include:
  1. Strengthen the Renewable Electricity StandardIndependent analysis has shown that Missouri can cost-effectively exceed its current 15 percent by 2021 RES. Leading states in the Midwest and nationally have established RES targets of at least 25 percent.
  2. Adopt a mandatory Energy Efficiency Resource Standard (EERS). Missouri currently has voluntary goals for energy efficiency, but the state should join leading states and enact a mandatory EERS requiring utilities to reduce electricity demand by 2 percent annually.
  3. Strengthened net metering policy. Missouri’s current policy for incentivizing rooftop solar investments is inadequate. The state should strengthen its net metering policy to expand the program size, increase system capacity limits, and provide monthly credits for excess power at the retail level.
Investing more heavily in renewable energy and energy efficiency offers a smarter, faster, and less risky pathway toward a more affordable, reliable, and diversified electricity system that delivers not just short-term economic and environmental gains, but also achieves the long-term goals of addressing climate change.
Now is the time for Governor Nixon to lead his state toward a clean energy future.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tell <a href="https://twitter.com/GovJayNixon">@GovJayNixon</a> to prioritize <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/renewable?src=hash">#renewable</a> energy and energy efficiency for Missouri: <a href="http://t.co/ax3jWqXTZJ">http://t.co/ax3jWqXTZJ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CleanPowerPlan?src=hash">#CleanPowerPlan</a></p>&mdash; Scotty (@StLHandyMan) <a href="https://twitter.com/StLHandyMan/status/611901419633819648">June 19, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Missouri and the Clean Power Plan: Comprehensive State Energy Plan Should Support Compliance - The Equation



Read about the Missouri Clean Energy Plan at the MO Division of Energy

 Thank You for stopping by-Share and Comment below. If additional information in needed or you have a question let me know. Together we can make a difference and create a future that will benefit everyone. Build a Green StLouis Green Building Tips and Resources via: Scotty- St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog
-->

6.18.2015

Kids Wood Truck Toy and Puzzle

No Plastic-Wood Kid Toy-Puzzle Designed by Scotty
Wood Kids Toy and Puzzle Design by Scotty


I made the wooden puzzle toy the other day in the picutures for my girls grandson.  He seems to like it and keeps him occupied for hours.  The vehicle designs were inspired by Dr Seuss.
Wooden Toy Puzzle vehicle designs were inspired by Dr Seuss
Wooden Toy Puzzle vehicle designs were inspired by Dr Seuss

Build Note: Next time I'll use rubber or quiet wheels instead of wooden noise makers on our wood floor.







Thank You for stopping by-Share and Comment below. If additional information in needed or you have a question let me know. Together we can make a difference and create a future that will benefit everyone. Build a Green StLouis Green Building Tips and Resources via: Scotty- St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog
-->

6.15.2015

#FeelTheBern

Finally a Politician for the People #FeelTheBern who returns politics to the people.  #Sanders2016


Bernie tells 700+ crowd: No one in this country who works 40 hrs a week should live in poverty
  1. AccountsView all


6.14.2015

Bargain Shop for Dealer Solar Deals

One of my independent solar suppliers sent me his solar deals recently, as always I pass the savings onto you. All the above equipment is NEW, never installed UNLESS otherwise noted. 

 email scottscontracting@gmail.com
Bargain Shopping for Solar Supplies at StLouis Renewable Energy

Solar Deals
735 kw left of Trina Solar 245w poly panels, 63 cents a watt pallets or 59 cents/w container loads...or MAKE OFFER to buy ALL of what's left! FOB California. 

1.4 MW left of Suntech 255w poly panels, 63 cents a watt pallets or 60 cents/w container loads...or MAKE OFFER to buy ALL of what's left! FOB California. 

156 Suntech 210w mono solar panels, 55 cents a watt or BEST OFFER takes all! FOB California. 

Got a few hundred Sunpower 435w 'B panels' left, sell pallets for 65 cents a watt, or BEST OFFER to take ALL. 

1 MW of U.S. made white-label 300 watt 72-cell mono B panels, 49 cents a watt or best offer takes all! 

Got a few dozen new Global Solar 275w thin-film flexible laminates (looks like Unisolar)...MAKE OFFER! 

ALSO HAVE about new 30 Unisolar flexible laminates, MAKE OFFER. 

Got a special deal on some LG Mono-X 305 watt 60-cell panels in pallet quantities @ $1 a watt! 

830 kw of Lightway 300w/305w 72 cell panels available, 59 cents/watt for pallet quantities or+ ! 

German-made Axitec ALL-BLACK 250w mono panels, 80 cents/watt 1 to 3 pallets, 79 cents/w 4 pallets +! Add a penny/w for 260w size. 

Kyocera KD 325w 80-cell panels, 88 cents a watt pallets, 85 cents/w container loads! 

Canadian Solar 280w/285w poly panels, 61 cents a watt container loads! 

Trina Solar 290w 72-cell poly panels, 61 cents a watt for any pallet qty or 56 cents/w for container loads !! 

Hanwha 185w ALL-BLACK mono panels, 59 cents a watt pallets! 

115 watt 12-volt U.S. made panels, $115 each in pallet quantities! 

MiaSole 130 watt 12-volt thin-film panels, 57 cents a watt pallet quantities! 

Several pallets full of slightly used 72-cell panels (used for testing purposes), sizes range from 285w to 345w....40 cents a watt or BEST OFFER! 

16,000 LED lights, Par 30 & Par 38 styles, new in box...MAKE OFFER! 

INVERTER DEALS: 

Fronius Symo 22.7 kw 480v inverters, $3635 each! (16 cents a watt! ) Got 44 of these available. 

Solectria PVI 14-28TL, 28 kW inverters $4400 each! (That's under 16 cents a watt! ) 40 available. 

Qty. 3, SolarMax inverters: a 12k, a 15k, and a 18k, all new in box...MAKE OFFER! 

Qty. 9, new-in-box Power One 100kw 3-phase inverters, 8 are 480 volt, 1 is 208 volt...MAKE OFFER on one or all! 

Still have a lot of new SMA, Fronius and Power One non-AFCI residential-size inverters left, 3kw to 8kw sizes, 25 cents a watt or LESS! FOB California. 

300 kw Power One 480v 3-phase inverter, new with cosmetic damage BUT full warranty from Power One...MAKE OFFER! 

LOTS of new solar thermal panels for solar hot water systems being liquidated, two different brands, MAKE OFFER. Call for info! 

Bargain Shopping for Solar Supplies at StLouis Renewable Energy

Thank You for stopping by-Share and Comment below. If additional information in needed or you have a question let me know. Together we can make a difference and create a future that will benefit everyone. Build a Green StLouis Green Building Tips and Resources via: Scotty- St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog
-->

Connect with Scotts Contracting

FB FB Twitter LinkedIn Blog Blog Blog Blog Pinterest