Re: Hit BP Where it Hurts: Divest.

On Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 10:38 AM, Natasha, Care2 Action Alerts <actionalerts@care2.com> wrote:

Care2 subscriber since Aug 29, 2010

Divest From BP » Dear Scotts Contracting, BP. The very name conjures images of the explosion that oiled wildlife, killed 11 people and ruined the livelihoods of thousands along the Gulf Coast. How can we hit BP where it hurts? Follow the money trail -- and fully divest from BP » Boycotting gas stations does very little damage to this multimillion corporation, while hurting Saint Louis gas station owners and employees. The only way to affect BP is to pull your investments. Even after losing half its stock price, BP is still the fourth largest company in the world in terms of revenue. Because investment portfolios are so complicated, you may be supporting BP without even knowing it. Ultimately, BP only cares about the bottom line. But that's not good enough for us. Let's send BP a clear message: We want and support companies that care about the environment, people's lives and the future as much as we do. We want a company that reflects our values -- not snubs them. Find out where BP may be lurking in your investments -- and fully divest. » Thank you for taking action! Natasha Care2 Campaign Team Take action link: http://www.care2.com/go/z/e/AF3TR/zKJr/BJ1xQ

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Homes without Furnaces? Is it possible?

A House Without a Furnace in Vermont
Using the Passive-House Satandard Allows a Fossil Fuel-Free Home to be
Built in Snowy Vermont

Beyond Fossil Fuels
Can We Build in a Brighter Shade of Green?
Herb Swanson for The New York Times

Barbara and Steven Landau, with their sons, Nathan and Zack, are
building an energy-efficient home to the passive-house standard, which
relies on insulation, sunlight and an airtight exterior. By TOM ZELLER
Jr.Published: September 25, 2010

NORWICH, Vt.
Beyond Fossil Fuels

Energy Efficiency Begins at Home

Articles in this series examine innovative attempts to reduce the
world's dependence on coal, oil and other carbon-intensive fuels, and
the challenges faced.

WHEN Barbara Landau, an environmental and land-use lawyer in suburban
Boston, was shopping for insurance on the energy-efficient home she
and her husband were building in the woods just outside of town here,
she was routinely asked what sort of furnace the home would have.

"None," she replied.

Several insurers declined coverage.

"They just didn't understand what we were trying to do," Mrs. Landau
recalls. "They said the pipes would freeze."

They won't. A so-called passive home like the one the Landaus are now
building is so purposefully designed and built — from its orientation
toward the sun and superthick insulation to its algorithmic design and
virtually unbroken air envelope — that it requires minimal heating,
even in chilly New England. Contrary to some naysayers' concerns, the
Landaus' timber-frame home will be neither stuffy nor, at 2,000 square
feet, oppressively small.

It has been a good deal more expensive to build, however, than the
average home. That might partly explain why the passive-building
standard is only now getting off the ground in the United States —
despite years of data suggesting that America's drafty building
methods account for as much as 40 percent of its primary energy use,
70 percent of its electricity consumption and nearly 40 percent of its
carbon-dioxide emissions.

Proponents of the standard, who note that passive homes often use up
to 90 percent less heating and cooling energy than similar homes built
to local code, say the Landaus embody the willingness of more
homeowners to embrace passive building in the United States. Even
Habitat for Humanity, the affordable-housing philanthropy, is now
experimenting with the standard.

Yet the market remains minuscule, and the materials and expertise
needed to build passive homes are often hard to find. While some
25,000 certified passive structures — from schools and commercial
buildings to homes and apartment houses — have already been built in
Europe, there are just 13 in the United States, with a few dozen more
in the pipeline.

"Even though the passive house standard is tried and true, and is used
all throughout Europe — we know it works, we know there's some
simplicity to it," says Mrs. Landau, "here in the United States, we
were reinventing the wheel."

STEVEN LANDAU, a partner at a factory design firm in Burlington,
Mass., was already an efficiency geek before the words "passive house"
entered his vernacular. He'd long ago outfitted the family's current
home near Boston with a full complement of efficient gizmos and
upgrades, including a high-efficiency German boiler and solar
collection tubes designed to pull daylight into dark corners and
hallways.

Arrays of futuristic-looking LED tubes illuminate the Landaus' current
basement, and a wattage meter keeps tabs on how much juice the home is
consuming at any given time.

Mr. Landau was also well acquainted with the growing number of "green"
building certifications and rating systems in the United States,
including popular ones like the federal government's Energy Star for
Homes program and the LEED rating system, for Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design, from the United States Green Building Council.

The goals of these various systems vary widely. Some, like LEED, award
points for a variety of environmentally friendly features, like using
sustainable construction materials, in addition to energy efficiency.
Others, like Energy Star, focus squarely on energy use.

But the most common green building standards, Mr. Landau said, fell
short of his ambitions — which included avoiding any on-site use of
fossil fuels. "I remember reading a book about someone in England in
the 1980s who built a superinsulated house that was only heated by the
body heat of the occupants and maybe a tea kettle," Mr. Landau
recalls. "I thought to myself, 'Why can't we build our houses that
way?' "

Energy Star and LEED aim for efficiency improvements of at least 15
percent over conventional construction — and both programs can earn a
variety of tax credits and other incentives. The passive-home
standard, perhaps because it's unfamiliar to many officials who create
efficiency stimulus programs, is eligible for few direct government
subsidies, despite the fact that homes using it can be up to 80
percent more energy-efficient, over all, than standard new houses and
consume just 10 percent of the heating and cooling energy.

Add photovoltaic solar panels or other energy harvesting systems, and
passive homes can quickly become zero-energy-use homes — or even power
generators that can feed electricity back to the grid, according to
Katrin Klingenberg, the director of the Passive House Institute-U.S.
in Urbana, Ill.

Article Continues:http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/business/energy-environment/26smart.html?pagewanted=2&_r=3&ref=business&adxnnlx=1285498035-sIL1I8C/jwflSjuXt6Q5MQ
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Demolition to Completion of a Energy Efficient UpScale Home

Deconstruction 101
Outdated rambler demolished to make way for the ultra energy-efficient
upscale home.

By:
Jennifer Goodman

For Bethesda Bungalows, which builds on small infill lots in suburban
Washington, D.C., the first step to a high-performance house is
tearing down—and salvaging—an old, inefficient one.
<p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The ultra-green KellyGreen
Home will be built on the 0.14-acre site of the original 1954 house,
an inefficient and outdated rambler.</p>

The ultra-green KellyGreen Home will be built on the 0.14-acre site of
the original 1954 house, an inefficient and outdated rambler.

Credit: Jean Dimeo

The ultra-green KellyGreen Home will soon be built on the 0.14-acre
site of the original 1954 rambler. The one-story house was functional,
says Bethesda Bungalows project manager Brad Beeson, but inefficient.

"It had no insulation in the walls, old single-pane windows, old
appliances, and an old HVAC system, and water heater," he says.

As the owners prepared to say goodbye to their outdated dwelling,
Beeson drew up a plan to carefully deconstruct it, with an eye toward
salvaging any usable materials. The new house is being built to LEED
and NGBS standards, and both programs provide points for diverting
demolition waste from the landfill.

Workers from Baltimore-based architectural salvage company Second
Chance descended on the house in early June and over two days stripped
out flooring, toilets, appliances, light fixtures, and framing. On
other projects with longer deconstruction times, Beeson says the
salvage company has reclaimed framing and roofing materials and even
electrical wires. "It's not an easy process," says Beeson. "It's
time-consuming and exacting."
DEMOLITION CHECKLIST

*

* Before teardown, determine which materials in the house are of
value and contract with a local architectural salvaging company to
cart them away for resale.
*

* Select a demolition contractor with experience in recycling
elements of the house—such as copper pipes--before taking construction
waste to a landfill.
*

* During demolition, keep a hose running on the dry parts of the
site to keep dust and debris from coating nearby houses and cars.
*

* Try to keep the wrecking process to two days or less.
*

* Reach out to neighbors and invite them to watch the deconstruction.

All the salvaged products and materials end up at the nonprofit's
warehouses near Baltimore's Inner Harbor where they are sold to
architects, builders, and the general public. Homeowners can receive a
hefty tax writeoff for donating their old materials after making a
one-time donation to Second Chance for their salvaging services.

"We try to get all of our customers to sign up with Second Chance, and
we've been pretty successful due to the significant tax benefits,"
Beeson says.

In addition to what Second Chance salvaged, Bethesda Bungalows' crew
removed the oak flooring, to be used later on another project (see
video below). By the time Rockville, Md.-based contractor GM Williams
& Sons arrived for demolition in early July, the 1,200-square-foot
house was not much more than the framing and foundation, and about 25%
of demolition waste had been diverted from the landfill, Beeson
estimates.

IN AND OUT

Orchestrating a major teardown on a tight lot in an upscale
neighborhood with potentially finicky neighbors is not for the faint
of heart, but Beeson and his subs made it look easy. He said his motto
during demolition is to finish the job as quickly, but as carefully,
as possible. Click here for video footage of the demolition.

"During teardown, we always have a hose running on site to keep the
dust down and away from the neighbors, and we make sure the dump
trucks don't ding any cars," he says. "We try our best to make friends
with everyone in the neighborhood, and they're usually very interested
in watching what we're doing."

Unlike some jurisdictions, Montgomery County, Md., promotes infill
development and gives more legal weight to the owners of the teardown
project than to neighbors who might have issue with it, Beeson says.

"The permit application process makes it so that it's almost
impossible for a neighbor to stop the process, unlike in other areas
where neighbors can create a lot of problems for a remodel job," he
says.

Jennifer Goodman is Senior Editor Online for EcoHome.

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Drillers blame Interior for expected permit delay – House Dems back Obama's new 'chunky' energy agenda

Build Green Scotty, Scotts Contracting www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com --- On Thu, 9/30/10, Morning Energy <morningenergy@politico.com> wrote: From: Morning Energy <morningenergy@politico.com> Subject: POLITICO's Morning Energy, presented by America's Natural Gas Alliance – All eyes on Salazar – Drillers blame Interior for expected permit delay – House Dems back Obama's new 'chunky' energy agenda Date: Thursday, September 30, 2010, 4:33 AM POLITICO's Morning Energy By Josh Voorhees ALL EYES ON KEN SALAZAR - The Interior secretary is slated to deliver a speech this morning on the Obama administration's "comprehensive energy strategy" and his department's "progress in raising the bar for the oil and gas industry's safety and environmental practices in deepwater." That last part has observers guessing Salazar will unveil the new interim offshore drilling rules that are expected this week. An Interior spokeswoman declined to comment on the rumors, but the administration has previously suggested that the rules would be unveiled by the end of this month. (SPOILER ALERT: Today is Sept. 30.) Speech is at the Wilson Center in D.C. at 10:30 a.m. INDUSTRY OFFENSIVE - The American Petroleum Institute briefed reporters in advance of the expected rollout, and the group signaled a possible future line of attack if a permitting holdup follows the end of the moratorium as many expect. API upstream director Erik Milito stressed that the industry was confident that it will be able to meet the new rules and that any delays that occur would be the result of an understaffed Interior Department. "Just lifting the moratorium isn't going to put people back to work," he said. "It's going to take the commitment of resources from the government to allow the industry to get back up and running." Milito said that API is concerned that BOEMRE's restructuring has so far focused mostly on safety at the expense of beefing up the permitting staff and that he's "just not sure" if the few personnel moves the agency has made to bolster the permitting side will be enough to avoid lengthy delays. Happy Thursday and welcome to Morning Energy, where we were a bit surprised by the number of our readers who seem to be Detroit Red Wings fans. Congress may be going home for campaign season but we'll still be in town, so keep the e-mails coming to Josh Voorhees at jvoorhees@politico.com TOP TALKER - NYT [Front Page, Above the Fold] looks at the possibility of Cuba offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Next year, a Spanish company begins drilling 50 miles off the Florida Keys, but Cuba's unprepared for anything like the BP disaster. Expect to see the GOP and industry tout this piece to show why the U.S. is best equipped to drill safely offshore. NYT: "Cuba currently produces little oil. But oil experts say the country might have reserves along its north coast as plentiful as that of the international oil middleweights, Ecuador and Colombia - enough to bolster its faltering economy and cut its dependence on Venezuela for its energy needs. "The nascent oil industry in Cuba is far less prepared to handle a major spill than even the American industry was at the time of the BP spill. Cuba has neither the submarine robots needed to fix deepwater rig equipment nor the platforms available to begin drilling relief wells on short notice." http://nyti.ms/97Afwt CUBA EMBARGO? - The NYT story quotes N.M. Gov. Bill Richardson as saying the drilling plans are a "potential inroad" for loosening the economic embargo on Cuba, especially given American drilling contractors are Republicans who could work on Congress. Richardson: "I think you will see the administration be more forward-moving after the election." ** A message from America's Natural Gas Alliance: In 2008, the natural gas industry supported 2.8 million jobs across the United States. Natural gas also added $385 billion to the economy. How does your state benefit from natural gas? http://bit.ly/d9LJ7V ** CHUNKY CHANGE - House Democratic leaders yesterday suggested to Morning Energy that they agree with President Obama's recent remarks about breaking the climate and energy issue up "in chunks" next congress. "I think what the president said reflects the thinking of many of us on the Hill," Rep. Chris Van Hollen, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told ME. "I do believe that will be the likely direction we go." The Maryland lawmaker didn't bite when asked how energy and climate legislation would fare under Republican leadership. "I'm not even going to talk about it. But if we are the majority ... it'd probably be broken up into different pieces and not as one package. That's my best guess." (hat tip: Samuelsohn) NOT A NEW IDEA - Majority Leader Steny Hoyer struck a similar tone in a conversation with ME, in which he downplayed the notion that Obama's remarks had broken new ground. "First of all, the Senate automatically broke it up because they had two jurisdictions," Hoyer said. "So it's not necessarily a new idea." Asked if the Democrats would push the same agenda next year if they remain in the majority, Hoyer replied, "Certainly, we're for dealing with both energy security independence and dealing with the global warming challenge." SENATE ON SAME PAGE - Hoyer and Van Hollen's comments came hours after key Senate Democrats and Republicans signaled that they, too, were on board with the piecemeal approach. "From John Kerry to Lamar Alexander, the reaction on Capitol Hill to the president's remarks in a Rolling Stone magazine interview suggest there's room for compromise on energy and environmental issues when Congress returns next year," reports Samuelsohn. http://politi.co/boJtn4 MORAN TO PUSH OFFSHORE BAN IN ALASKA, MID-ATLANTIC - The Washington Post looks ahead to legislative fights over offshore drilling, quoting House Interior Approps Chairman Jim Moran (D-Va.) saying that if the Dems stay in power, he will press for a drilling ban off Alaska and the mid-Atlantic. "The gulf is going to go back to drilling. That's just the nature of the gulf," Moran said. But "I think we have at least a 50-50 chance of protecting the Atlantic and Pacific coasts." http://wapo.st/aQsJAY LAME DUCK HOPES SHRINK - With lawmakers headed home until after the election, many energy observers are holding their breaths in hopes of lame duck action (we're looking at you, RES-ers). But the chances of any substantial energy action appear to be a long shot. "Senate Democratic leaders are backing away from plans to tackle any type of energy legislation during the upcoming lame duck session, including a renewable electricity standard and a response to the BP oil spill," your morning host and Samuelsohn report. http://politi.co/bBDl6m STEALING THE RES'S THUNDER - The standalone RES has seemed like the only major energy game in town since summer recess, but that's not the case anymore. Sen. Lindsey Graham yesterday floated a proposal that would set a nationwide "clean energy standard" that also allows nuclear power and "clean coal" power plants to qualify. "The RES introduced by Senators Bingaman and Brownback short-changes nuclear power, a safe reliable form of clean energy," Graham said. "It is essential that nuclear power be fully embraced in any clean energy standard. ... [The standalone RES] also does not have an expansive view of biomass opportunities. It is too quick to pick winners and losers in the clean energy race." NOT TO BE OUTDONE - Clean energy advocates who have continued to beat the drum for a standalone RES told ME yesterday that they believed Sen. Chuck Schumer will become the latest lawmaker to attach his name to the Bingaman-Brownback proposal. A spokesman for the New York Democrat did not return messages, but, if true, his addition would bring the unofficial head count of likely Yes votes to 44. AT LEAST IT'S SOMETHING - Harry Reid filed for cloture last night on motions to proceed to three bills once Congress returns, one of which is the natural gas vehicle legislation that had been part of this summer's narrow energy package. The vote on the T. Boone Pickens-backed bill is expected Nov. 17. Mark your calendars. SUBPOENA POWER - The good news for the co-chairs of the president's oil spill panel is that someone is listening to their complaints that they don't have subpoena power. The bad news is that it's not the people that they need to convince. Senate Democrats were unable to get their Republican colleagues to agree to a UC motion last night to grant the panel the power it wants. The GOP has shown little interest in giving subpoena power to a panel that was chosen by the president and that they view as anti-drilling. Meanwhile, Democrat Reps. Ed Markey and Lois Capps sent letters yesterday afternoon to Harry Reid and McConnell begging them to take action. "Senate Republicans need to stop providing cover for Big Oil, and pass my bill giving the commission subpoena power so it can report back to the President by the January deadline with all the facts that led to this environmental and economic catastrophe," Capps said in a statement. A 'HOSTAGE' SITUATION - That's how Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu described the ongoing drilling moratorium yesterday, making it clear that she has no plans to drop her hold on Jack Lew, Obama's nominee for OMB director, until Gulf drilling restarts. "Let my people go. Let them get back to work," she told reporters. "I know that [the administration is] working hard but all of that good will and wish and leaning forward is not resulting in more permits being issued." IT'S ALL ABOUT THE PERMITS - Landrieu also stressed that she won't necessarily lift her hold when the administration lifts the moratorium. "It doesn't do me any good to technically have the moratorium lifted if there are no permits issued," she said. DELIVERING A MESSAGE- That's how Sen. Jay Rockefeller yesterday described his EPA-regulation-delaying bill that he hopes will make it to the floor by the end of the year (despite the fact that Obama is expected to veto it should it make it to his desk). "The point is the message," the West Virginia Democrat told reporters. "I want to have it happen. I want to have him not veto it." Samuelsohn has more: http://politi.co/aa8Yxy REPUBLICAN RESPONSE - Robert Dillon, a spokesman for Sen. Lisa Murkowski, e-mails Morning Energy: "Americans don't need a messaging bill, they need someone to address this issue head on. Sen. Murkowski offered legislation to stop the EPA and her Republican colleagues continue to push such a solution. If the president chooses to veto such legislation, so be it. He will have to face voters in two years and justify his decision." And a statement from Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.): "Democrats keep finding excuses to avoid protecting Americans from a new energy tax, and yet they express surprise that Americans are so fed up with Washington. Senator Reid should honor his promise and grant an up-or-down vote on the EPA's backdoor, job-killing carbon regulations." CLIMATE ADAPTATION - The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research delivered a report to John Holdren yesterday detailing the needed national and regional preparations for adapting to a changing climate. Report: http://bit.ly/ck0a55 BOXER UP A TOUCHDOWN - A new Public Policy Institute of California poll out today has the EPW chairwoman up 7 points on GOP challenger Carly Fiorina, 42-35. http://bit.ly/9VzfmE COBELL SETTLEMENT STUCK IN SENATE - As if Ken Salazar needs another headache, the Indian trust fund deal can't get past Tom Coburn. http://politi.co/9GB5za CHECKING THE TRAPS LAT - BP and governors of the five Gulf Coast states announced plans Wednesday to funnel a promised $500 million in research funds through an organization run by the governors, not the nation's scientific community. http://lat.ms/9RWlIy LAT - New Interior Department scientific integrity rules: http://lat.ms/aJUkWm Houston Chronicle - New BP chief says safety is Job 1: http://bit.ly/cPfYTn POLITICO - Congress sends CR to Obama http://politi.co/cKVFO2 ** A message from America's Natural Gas Alliance: One solution for more abundant domestic energy is staring us in the face. Natural gas is the natural choice-now and in the future. We know we need to use cleaner, American energy. And, we have it. Today, the U.S. has more natural gas than Saudi Arabia has oil, giving us generations of this clean, domestic energy source. Natural gas supports 2.8 million American jobs, most states are now home to more than 10,000 natural gas jobs. As Congress and the Administration look for ways toward a cleaner tomorrow, the answer is right here: natural gas. Learn more at www.anga.us. And, follow us on Twitter @angaus. ** Go to Morning Energy Now >> http://www.politico.com/morningenergy ================================= 2010 Capitol News Company, LLC Morning Energy. To unsubscribe, http://dyn.politico.com/Unsubscribe_auto.cfm?email=buzscott@yahoo.com&uuid=5B19F2E0-188B-498D-2040133923BE197C&alertID=18 =================================

A case for promoting biomass.

Got Wood?
A case for promoting
biomass.http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/podcast/2010/09/wood-is-good
by Stephen Lacey, Editor
Published: September 22, 2010

Holland, The Netherlands -- Biomass is perhaps the most flexible
renewable energy. As a carbon-containing resource, it can be converted
into a variety of materials, chemicals and fuels. And unlike the wind
and sun, it can be stored. So why doesn't biomass get more respect?
Click to play podcast-->http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/podcast/2010/09/wood-is-good

In this week's podcast, we'll look at a variety of biomass sectors:
Gasification, combustion and conservation, and make the case for more
sustainable use of the resource.

We'll travel to the Energy Research Center of the Netherlands where
researchers are working on a gasification technology that could be key
to creating cost-competitive synthetic natural gas from waste biomass.
Program Leader Bram van der Drift shows us around the facility and
gives us an optimistic-yet-realistic picture of the readiness of the
technology.

Then we'll talk with Christiane Egger of the Upper Austrian Renewable
Energy Agency and Wilson Rickerson of Meister Consultants Group about
the stark differences between the European and American renewable
heating markets. They'll describe what it takes to create a robust
renewable heating industry.

Finally, Ian Gray of the Ceres Sustainability podcast talks with
Dorjee Sun, CEO of Carbon Conservation, about the emerging carbon
credit market for forest conservation projects. He'll describe the
logistics of financing and managing projects around the world.

Inside Renewable Energy is a weekly audio news program featuring
stories and interviews on all the latest developments in the renewable
energy industries.

And in case you haven't seen it, below is a tour of a local wood
pellet plant, New England Wood Pellet. The company is part of the
Biomass Thermal Energy Council, set up to promote renewable bioheat in
the U.S.

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Renewable Energy Rebates-Ameren UE-Federal Tax Incentive

Ameren UE Renewable Energy Rebate Program

Recently I was asked:

• "Why does Ameren UE buy back the electricity created by Renewable Energy System on my House?" 

When I directed the question to Ms L.Cosgrove who handles the Local Ameren UE Renewable Energy Department.  She replied:

•    "AmerenUE provides the MO Solar Rebate in response to Missourian’s passing Proposition C back in November, 2008[ii],[iii]"

In a nutshell it seems to me that Ameren UE will either have to build Renewable Energy Producing Systems or Purchase the Electricity that is made from Residents and Businesses to comply with the Law. 

Which means that Ameren has a Stake in any Renewable Energy Sytem that produces Electricity and is Interconnected utilizing Net Metering to our / their Electircal Grid here in the St Louis Area. 

Good News for all those who would like additional Monetary Incentives for Installing RE (Renewable Energy) Sytems.

The Ameren Rebate and the Federal Tax Incentive can add up to as much as 2/3 of the cost of the RE System. 

---

[i] Lisa M. Cosgrove | Renewables Specialist  | 1901 Chouteau Avenue, MC 611 | St. Louis, MO 63103

314-554-2649 | fax 314-206-1387 | lcosgrove@ameren.com   

[ii] See http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2008petitions/2008-031.asp for more details.

[iii] 2008 Initiative Petitions
Approved for Circulation in Missouri

Amendment to Chapter 393 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, Relating to Renewable Energy, version 4, 2008-031

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT

Be it enacted by the people of the state of Missouri:

Chapter 393, RSMo, is amended by repealing sections 393.1020, 393.1025, 393.1030, and 393.1035, and substituting therefor three new sections to be known as sections 393.1020, 393.1025 and 393.1030, to read as follows:

393.1020. Sections 393.1025 to 393.1030 shall be known as the Renewable Energy Standard.

393.1025. As used in sections 393.1020 to 393.1030, the following terms mean:

 1. "Commission", the public service commission;

 2. "Department", the department of natural resources;

 3. “Electric utility”, any electrical corporation as defined by section 386.020;

 4. "Renewable energy resources", electric energy produced from wind, solar thermal sources, photovoltaic cells and panels, dedicated crops grown for energy production, cellulosic agricultural residues, plant residues, methane from landfills or from wastewater treatment, clean and untreated wood such as pallets, hydropower (not including pumped storage) that does not require a new diversion or impoundment of water and that has a nameplate rating of 10 megawatts or less, fuel cells using hydrogen produced by one of the above-named renewable energy sources, and other sources of energy not including nuclear that become available after the effective date of this section and are certified as renewable by rule by the department; and

 5. "Renewable energy credit" or “REC”, a tradable certificate of proof that one megawatt-hour of electricity has been generated from renewable energy sources.

393.1030.1. The commission shall, in consultation with the department, prescribe by rule a portfolio requirement for all electric utilities to generate or purchase electricity generated from renewable energy resources. Such portfolio requirement shall provide that electricity from renewable energy resources shall constitute the following portions of each electric utility’s sales:

(a) No less than two percent for calendar years 2011 through 2013;

(b) No less than five percent for calendar years 2014 through 2017;

(c) No less than ten percent for calendar years 2018 through 2020; and

(d) No less than fifteen percent in each calendar year beginning in 2021. 

At least two percent of each portfolio requirement shall be derived from solar energy. The portfolio requirements shall apply to all power sold to Missouri consumers whether such power is self-generated or purchased from another source in or outside of this state. A utility may comply with the standard in whole or in part by purchasing RECs. Each kilowatt-hour of eligible energy generated in Missouri shall count as 1.25 kilowatt-hours for purposes of compliance.

2. The commission, in consultation with the department and within one year of the effective date of sections 393.1020 to 393.1030, shall select a program for tracking and verifying the trading of renewable energy credits. An unused credit may exist for up to three years from the date of its creation. A credit may be used only once to comply with this act and may not also be used to satisfy any similar non-federal requirement. An electric utility may not use a credit derived from a green pricing program. Certificates from net-metered sources shall initially be owned by the customer-generator.  The... continues on web site 

MO Kit Bond Fails-Sensenbrenner Plots Revenge-Mabus Report

Bond's surprise EPA-delay gambit fails – Sensenbrenner plots 'select' climate revenge – Mabus report to be unveiled today – White House inches closer to lifting moratorium

SNEAK PEAK – Navy Secretary Ray Mabus this morning will unveil his recovery plan for the Gulf Coast. POLITICO's Gordon Lubold reports that the former Mississippi governor will ask Congress to use the penalties that will be collected under the federal Clean Water Act to fund his proposal, which includes economic development, community planning, ecosystem and environmental restoration, public health efforts and assistance to individuals and business affected by the spill. http://politi.co/9pyWu1  

WHILE WE'RE ON THE TOPIC – The National Oil Spill Commission will reconvene today to discuss the environmental and economic rehabilitation of the Gulf region. The highlight of the second and final day is expected to be the 10:30 a.m. panel, which is comprised of Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour. Landrieu is expected to tout her so-called "RESPOND Act" that would funnel 80 percent of the money collected from BP for Clean Water Act violations to coastal restoration projects in the Gulf. You can find the full agenda for the event here: http://bit.ly/97wDc4  

WHITE HOUSE INCHING CLOSER TO LIFTING DRILLING BAN – That was the headline from Day 1 of the commission's hearing. "[BOEMRE chief] Michael Bromwich … said Monday he expects to issue interim rules and a key report later this week – a month early – as the Obama administration weighs its next move on offshore drilling," reports Samuelsohn. http://politi.co/bXivFc  

BUT DON'T EXPECT DRILLING TO RESUME OVERNIGHT – "Even when the moratorium is lifted, you're not going to see drilling come on the next day or the next week," Bromwich said. "It's going to take some time."

Commission co-chair William Reilly (G.H.W. Bush's EPA chief) offered a similar take, saying that while he believes the deepwater drilling ban will be lifted before the Nov. 30 deadline, it won't be business as usual any time soon for drillers. "It'll be a de facto moratorium going forward. ... The combination of new regulations and the changes in some of the requirements ... might delay presumption of drilling beyond the moratorium lifting itself."

ALASKA DRILLING – Sen. Mark Begich suggested yesterday that he may take a page out of Landrieu's playbook and cause procedural headaches for the administration until it provides clarity on offshore drilling off his state's coast. "I'll use whatever means necessary to get them to respond to this. All we're asking for is a very simple thing: Tell us what the rules are and give us a timetable. It's not complicated. And yet they spend more time explaining how they're going to have more discussions about having some other discussions, which really means they're not going to make a decision right away."

MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL PROTESTORS REMOVED – Roughly 100 people were arrested yesterday outside of the White House while protesting against the controversial mining technique. AP: http://bit.ly/dBoe69 . YouTube video: http://bit.ly/9fYGnI  

JAMES HANSEN, TOO – The head of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (and an outspoken advocate for a carbon cap) was among those cuffed, according to Grist's David Roberts, who ID-ed him in this flickr pic: http://bit.ly/b8qD4r  

FRIENDLY FIRE? – Samuelsohn reported yesterday about how some fringe enviros are looking for a green savior to challenge Barack Obama in the 2012 primaries. http://politi.co/b1F04H  

Here's some react from the print edition's cutting room floor:

Grist's Roberts: "Primarying Obama would be clinically insane. For one thing, the only thing it would show anybody is that the left is hopelessly inept and out of touch (after all, Obama remains wildly popular among the stalwart elements of the Dem base, including blacks, low-income, and young people). … There's more Obama could have done, and more I wish he would do, but he isn't even among the top five problems that greens need to deal with."

Michael Shellenberger, the Breakthrough Institute: "In our view, the spectacular failures of Kyoto and cap and trade are proof that we need a new environmentalism, not a new president. Cap and trade failed because it is bad politics to focus on making fossil fuels more expensive rather than on making clean energy cheap."

SOMETHING PATTY MURRAY AND JIM INHOFE CAN AGREE ON – Eighteen Dems and 23 Rs have joined forces to challenge EPA's proposed industrial boiler regulations. The group says that the Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) rules will create serious obstacles in the construction of new biomass projects and could cause the loss of thousands of high-paying manufacturing jobs. They want EPA to exercise discretion it has under the Clean Air Act to set flexible rules that don't do harm to the industry.

FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE – "Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski has not been shy about invoking the late Sen. Ted Stevens in her write-in bid to retain her seat, and the Alaskan political legend could even make a posthumous appearance in her campaign before Nov. 2," reports POLITICO's Shira Toeplitz. "Stevens recorded two television ads for Murkowski in the days before he died in a plane crash Aug. 9 en route to a fishing trip." http://politi.co/dpIdze  

DON YOUNG ENDORSES… NOBODY – Alaska Public Radio reports the veteran GOP congressman isn't picking anyone in the general election contest. Can be spun both ways: Good for Joe Miller, b/c Murkowski doesn't get a boost; good for Murkowski, because the key Republican doesn't choose the primary winner. http://bit.ly/bfFkDH  

SKIMMING THE HOUSE SCHEDULE SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO – Of the 85(!) bills on the House suspension calendar for today, here are, um, three ME readers may be interested in:

H.R. 4168 - Algae-based Renewable Fuel Promotion Act – would make algae-based biofuel eligible for the cellulosic biofuel producer credit and the special allowance for cellulosic biofuel plant property.

H.R. 6016 - Audit the BP Fund Act – directs a GAO audit of the operations of the fund created by BP to compensate persons affected by the Gulf oil spill.

H.R. 6160 - Rare Earths and Critical Materials Revitalization Act – supports research, development, demonstration and commercial application across the rare earths supply chain. As you know, rare earths play a major role in clean energy technologies such as wind-generators turbines and hybrid car batteries.

LIGHTNING ROUND –

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service yesterday released its plan to respond to the effects of global warming on at-risk plants and wildlife. Plan: http://bit.ly/cdDFuq  

The Center for a New American Security yesterday released a report calling for the Pentagon to start planning now to transition to a non-petroleum future. Report: http://bit.ly/bxdEpc  

The Center for American Progress Action Fund yesterday released an analysis showing that "Big Oil companies and other special interests" have spent $500 million in lobbying and campaign contributions to defeat clean energy and climate legislation. Analysis: http://bit.ly/aEw1q3  

TODAY'S BRIEFINGS –

Operation Free will host a 9:30 a.m. briefing today in the Capitol (S-120) to argue against Senate efforts to undercut EPA's ability to regulate carbon emissions. The group will also release its "Fuel Scorecard" measuring the fuels against a series of economic and security indicators. Scorecard: http://bit.ly/9JBPow  

NRDC hosts a 9:30 a.m. briefing today to get reporters ready for the next round of U.N.-led climate talks, which start Oct. 4 in Tianjin, China. They'll talk expected goals for the meeting and its significance in China, which always has a central role in the negotiations given its ranking as the world's largest GHG emitter.

CHECKING THE TRAPS –

WSJ – Lawyers vying for spots in BP lawsuit: http://bit.ly/aDC69J  

AP – Poor management led to 2008 TVA coal ash disaster: http://bit.ly/ad4JYT  

LAT Editorial – No on Prop. 23: http://lat.ms/a3d3Jc  

LAT – LA's Department of Water and Power on Monday recorded an all-time peak energy demand as the area was belted by record heat: http://lat.ms/bdz3Qy  

STILL WITH US? Good. Here's your reward: http://bit.ly/dstgz1  

** A message from America's Natural Gas Alliance: One solution for more abundant domestic energy is staring us in the face. Natural gas is the natural choice—now and in the future. We know we need to use cleaner, American energy. And, we have it. Today, the U.S. has more natural gas than Saudi Arabia has oil, giving us generations of this clean, domestic energy source. Natural gas supports 2.8 million American jobs, most states are now home to more than 10,000 natural gas jobs. As Congress and the Administration look for ways toward a cleaner tomorrow, the answer is right here: natural gas. Learn more at www.anga.us. And, follow us on Twitter @angaus. **

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Paid for By Big Oil- "Pledge to America"

Paid For By BIG OIL

See what is spilling from the mouths of Big Oil and their favorite candidates

As the GOP releases its "Pledge to America" -- an unabashed promise to continue bowing to Big Oil and fighting clean energy -- we will continue tracking campaign contributions from the oil industry and the outrageous statements made by the politicians they support. Check out the "spills" at: http://www.sierraclub.org/paidforbybigoil/

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Re: USGBC-Missouri Gateway October Program - Photovoltaics: Concept to Completion

On Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 3:37 PM, U.S. Green Building Council - Missouri Gateway Chapter <usgbc-stl@mobot.org> wrote:

REGISTER   Click Here to visit our Event Registration page.   CONTINUING EDUCATION   This program has been submitted to the USGBC Education Provider Program for approval of 1 GBCI CE Hour     CALL FOR PROPOSALS   USGBC-Missouri Gateway  is accepting proposals for educational programs to be offered in 2011.  Proposals are due Friday, October 1 at 5pm.   Click here for details!   REGISTRATION  NOW OPEN    OCTOBER 23   A bike ride to benefit the USGBC-Missouri Gateway Chapter Scholarship Fund! SAVE THE DATE OCTOBER 5 8:30 am - 5 pm   CLEAN ENERGY AND EFFICIENCY    Washington University's Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering will host a day-long short course on energy and environment as pertains to the building environment.   The morning session of the short course will examine current national trends in energy generation and use, and the implications of these trends on the environment; specifically water consumption. In the afternoon, participants will learn of various methods for improving energy and water use efficiency, along with some promising renewable energy technologies.   More Information   To register, contact Kim Coleman, 314.935.5548   USGBC-Missouri Gateway October 12 Program Photovoltaics: Concept to Completion SPECIAL FOR LEED PROFESSIONALS: All LEED Professionals are invited to attend this program for FREE regardless of their membership status!  Spread the word.  Invite your colleagues.   As the name implies, this presentation will discuss Photovoltaic Systems from Concept to Completion.  Financial incentives available from federal, state, and local utilities will be discussed, as well as how to get financial incentive information on other localities.  Recent state renewable and energy efficiency policy victories and their impacts will be discussed, in addition to a preview of Renew Missouri's future policy initiatives.   This presentation will discuss photovoltaic system components available, sizing of photovoltaic systems, solar production analysis, costs of photovoltaic systems, and return on investment for photovoltaic systems.  Additionally, we will explore case studies of local photovoltaic systems within Missouri including architectural impact, bidding and negotiation process and other lessons learned.   SPEAKERS Erin Noble, Co-Director, Renew Missouri, a project of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment Dane Glueck, President, Missouri Solar Energy Industries Association John Berendzen, Partner, Fox Architects speaking about the Emerson Data Center 100kW photovoltaic array Mike Steinbaum, VP & Chief Operating Officer, Sunwheel Energy Partners, discussing solar arrays installed on local low-income housing units   WHEN Tuesday, October 12, 2010 5:30 -6:00 pm - Registration & Networking 6:00 -7:30 pm - Formal Presentation  *note early start time*   WHERE AmerenUE Headquarters 1901 Chouteau, St. Louis MO 63103 map    FEE Free for USGBC-Missouri Gateway Chapter members & full-time students $20 for non-members SPECIAL FOR LEED PROFESSIONALS: All LEED Professionals are invited to attend this program for FREE regardless of their membership status!   RSVP Visit our Event Registration page, then scroll down and click on the "Register" button under the Photovoltaics: Concept to Completion - October 12 Program event listing.   Thanks to our Event Sponsors!        MicroGrid Energy Thanks to the Chapter's Platinum Sponsors!  AmerenUE  *  Grainger  *  William A. Kerr Foundation Missouri Botanical Garden  *  Vertegy, An Alberici Enterprise

Forward email US Green Building Council - St. Louis Regional Chapter | 3617 Grandel Square | St. Louis | MO | 63108

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DOE to maintain stimulus spending at $1bn a month

24 September 2010 - The US Department of Energy (DOE) will shell out up to $1bn of its Recovery Act cash each month for 18 months, while speeding up loan guarantees across all projects.

 

The pace of disbursement of the DOE's $32.7 bn Recovery Act funds for clean energy and energy efficiency will be maintained until early 2011, said Matt Rogers, the department's chief of economic stimulus spending.

 

"The Department of  Energy will continue to outlay $800m to $1bn every month for the next 18 months before this portfolio of projects really begins to ramp down," he told the Platts Energy Podium newsmaker event in Washington, DC, on 23 September.

 

So far, the DOE has spent $7.3 bn of its 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, but only $1bn has yet to be obligated to specific projects, he added.

 

Meanwhile, spending in the DOE's loan guarantee programme, for which department has about $66 bn in authority, is set to accelerate.

 

Three or four awards of these funds – mainly non-stimulus spending – will soon be issued every month, said Rogers. The DOE has selected 14 projects for loan guarantees since the programme, which dates back to 2005, got under way in early 2009.

 

Loans for only three of these projects have been finalized, but the rate should pick up with new procedures and the return of private capital to the market, he added.

 

Applications for several large wind, solar and biofuel projects are now moving through the system, he said.

 

Source:

POWER-GEN WorldWide

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Coal Fired Power Plant Captures CO2 !!!

Southern Company captures CO2 at coal-fired power plant in Georgia

September 24, 2010

Source: Southern Company

Southern Company has captured carbon dioxide from one of its power plants for the first time, a milestone that significantly advances the development of technology considered crucial to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from power generation. 

The research accomplishment was achieved this month at subsidiary Georgia Power's Plant Yates near Newnan, Ga. 

The pilot-scale project at Plant Yates, which uses a capture system developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), will provide additional process improvements before the technology is demonstrated next year at a much larger 25-megawatt scale at Plant Barry, which is owned and operated by Southern Company subsidiary Alabama Power near Mobile, Ala. 

During the pilot at Plant Yates, a small amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) was captured, using a solvent that absorbs CO2, and then returned to the plant's flue gas. At Plant Barry, the carbon dioxide will be compressed and transported via pipeline to deep underground storage formations. 

"Capturing CO2 from an operating power plant is an important step forward in our efforts to develop effective and cost-efficient technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions while ensuring a continued reliable and affordable supply of electricity for our customers," said Chris Hobson, Southern Company chief environmental officer. "Along with our other carbon capture and storage research initiatives, our success here will help us move closer to the ultimate goal of commercial deployment." 

Southern Company is a participant in several major research initiatives to advance the development of carbon capture and storage technology, a key component in the nation's effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

In addition to the projects at Yates and Barry, Southern Company operates the National Carbon Capture Center for the U.S. Department of Energy near Birmingham, Ala., and its subsidiary Mississippi Power is building an advanced commercial-scale coal gasification power plant in Kemper County, Miss., that will include carbon capture and re-use for enhanced oil recovery. Other carbon capture and storage projects are under way or completed at other Southern Company facilities. 

The test at Plant Yates will help confirm MHI's emission-control design and provide other findings important to the much larger-scale work next year at the Plant Barry test, which represents one of the industry's largest demonstrations of a start-to-finish power plant carbon capture and storage system.

Article is found at: http://www.pennenergy.com/index/power/display/7687122732/articles/pennenergy/power/coal/2010/09/southern-company_captures.html

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Cold Water vs. Climate Change

Build Green Scotty, Scotts Contracting www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com --- On Tue, 9/28/10, Keith Goodman, Repower at Home <info@climateprotect.org> wrote: From: Keith Goodman, Repower at Home <info@climateprotect.org> Subject: Cold Water vs. Climate Change To: "B Scott" <buzscott@yahoo.com> Date: Tuesday, September 28, 2010, 12:05 PM   Dear B, Supporters like you have almost completed the Repower at Home Coal Challenge -- preventing the equivalent of 7 million pounds of coal from being used by 10.10.10. In fact, you're 75% of the way there. But to finish strong, there are a few simple things you can do that will save you money and save a huge amount of energy in your home. The small choice between using cold water and hot water to run a load of laundry makes an enormous difference. Hot wash cycles use 90% more energy without getting your clothes any cleaner. On top of that, the hot cycle makes colors fade and wears out your clothes more quickly. To stay on pace, we need 203 supporters to pledge to start using the cold wash cycle. That's one easy commitment that will help save your clothes, your cash and your planet. Make a commitment to use the cold wash cycle and take on the Coal Challenge. Cutting down on household energy use is one of the most effective ways to break America's addiction to fossil fuels -- especially coal, the dirtiest one of all. It's also an easy way for you to do your part to take on the global climate crisis. The October 10 Coal Challenge is a declaration that you and I won't wait around for anyone else to fight against climate change. This is our chance to take the lead. You can get involved by making a commitment to lower your energy usage -- and your energy bills -- by making simple changes around the house. Using the cold wash cycle is just one of many things you can do right now to help end our dependence on fossil fuels. Please pledge now to wash your clothes with cold water and stop throwing money down the drain. Burning coal speeds up climate change and fills our cities with asthma-inducing smog. This is our chance to fight back -- I hope you'll get involved today. Thanks, Keith Goodman Director Repower at Home   This email was sent to buzscott@yahoo.com. Paid for by the Alliance for Climate Protection

When You Can Save Money by Spending More

by:Sonya Stinson
Monday, September 27, 2010

article was clipped from http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-110668-6660-1-when-you-can-save-money-by-spending-more?ywaad=ad0035

Home Insulation
Wrapping your home in the best insulation can save money on energy.
On his website, BuildItSolar.com, retired engineer Gary Reysa posted an insulation upgrade cost-saving calculator he created. The savings depend on how hot or cold your climate is.
If you live in Orlando, Fla., you would only shave off up to $136.74 over 10 years for upgrading from an R-value of 10 to an R-value of 30 if your home is heated with natural gas, and about $256.49 if you used electricity. In Duluth, Minn., the same upgrade yields up to $3,817.33 in savings over 10 years with natural gas heat and $7,160.29 with electric heat. An R-value is a measure of the insulation material's capacity to resist heat flow.
Reysa warns that the calculator doesn't take every heat source into account, so your actual savings may not be as high as the number you get. Areas with cold climates would have the smallest discrepancies.
Light Bulbs
Swapping your five most frequently used light fixtures or their bulbs for Energy Star-qualified compact fluorescent lamps can save money -- more than $165 a year, according to Energystar.gov, a U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency website.
Fluorescent lamps use an estimated 75 percent less energy, generate 75 percent less heat and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent light bulbs. And while a $2 four-pack of incandescent bulbs may seem like a better deal compared to $2 to $15 a piece for these lamps (for 40, 60 or 100 watt lamps, respectively), the more efficient fluorescent lamps use about $130 less in energy costs per bulb over their lifetimes, according to Energystar.gov.
Let's say you're lighting up 10 rooms with three bulbs each. Switching to the pricier compact fluorescent lamps actually saves you nearly $3,900 in the long-run, according to Energystar.gov.
Other Energy Savers
With full-size refrigerators starting at $400 and passing $4,000 for some high-end, side-by-side models, you may be tempted to hold onto your old fridge for as long as it keeps humming to save money. But according to Energystar.gov, refrigerators made before 1993 cost an extra $50 per year to operate compared to new Energy Star-qualified models. A box made before 1980 costs about $150 more per year to run.
The website also points to a potential 20 percent savings from installing more efficient heating, ventilating and air-conditioning, or HVAC, units in your home. But before you replace your HVAC system, check for air leaks, which are likely culprits for your energy dollars disappearing.
Through 2010, you can get federal tax credits worth 30 percent of the cost, up to $1,500, to install Energy Star appliances, windows, insulation, roofs, HVAC systems and water heaters in an existing home that is your primary residence. A number of states also offer rebates for purchasing similar energy-efficient upgrades.


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