10.21.2010

Re: DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technical Assistance Project Alerts Update

On Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 10:57 AM, TAP Web Seminars <eere@service.govdelivery.com> wrote:

TAP Webinar October 27: Using RETScreen to Identify the Most Promising Clean Energy Projects

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Technical Assistance Program (TAP) for state and local officials will host a Webinar on Wednesday, October 27, titled Using RETScreen to Identify the Most Promising Clean Energy Projects.

At this Webinar, you will hear about RETScreen, which is a leading online software tool that can help state and local officials quickly conduct feasibility analyses for clean energy projects. This software is relatively easy to use and is free of charge. It can therefore significantly reduce the expense associated with identifying and assessing potential energy projects.

The presenter will be Wilson Rickerson, who leads the Meister Consultant Group international energy and climate practice.

The October 27 Webinar will take place from 3:00–4:15 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and is free of charge, but you must register in advance in order to obtain a URL to view the slides via the Internet and phone number to hear the presentations.

You can find more information about the presenters and background information about the subject on the TAP Webinar page on the EERE Web site.

Upcoming TAP Webinars
TAP sponsors a regular series of Webinars targeting state and local grant recipients of DOE State Energy Program and Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program through the Solution Center, including:

October 21
Overcoming Common Pitfalls: Energy Efficient Lighting Projects

October 22
Tips and Tools for Promoting Your Energy-Efficiency Project

October 26
Quality Assurance for Residential Retrofit Programs

October 28
Benchmarking Your Building's Energy Using EPA's ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager

October 29
Designing Effective Incentives to Drive Residential Retrofit Program Participation

November 1
How to Design a Community Energy Alliance

November 3
Preparing for the Arrival of Electric Vehicles

November 4
Effective O&M Policy in Public Buildings

November 8
Local Power Empowers: CHP and District Energy

November 9
Driving Demand: Working With and Learning from Contractors

This service is provided to you at no charge by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE). Visit the Web site at http://www.eere.energy.gov.

Sent by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy · 1000 Independence Ave., SW · Washington DC 20585 · 877-337-3463

--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com
scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com

Human Waste Converted to Energy

Nation's first sewage powered gas plant goes online

October 20, 2010

Source: SAWS

San Antonio Water System and Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC) and local officials joined together to host the grand opening of their new biogas facility at the Dos Rios Water Recycling Center. The biogas project is the first sustainable project of its kind in the nation, capturing biogas generated during the sewage treatment process and selling it through a commercial gas pipeline.

"SAWS is constantly improving its operations to become more sustainable, and this project is a sound investment for our environment and our community," said Robert R. Puente, SAWS President/CEO. "By reusing biogas instead of burning it off, we are helping protect the city's air quality and developing a renewable energy resource."

Methane gas is generated by biosolids during the sewage treatment process. Previously, SAWS burned off the gas using flares. With this 20-year partnership, Ameresco will treat and transfer at least 900,000 cubic feet of gas to a nearby commercial gas pipeline, where they will sell it on the open market. In return, SAWS ratepayers will receive a royalty on the sale of the gas, estimated at $200,000 a year, reducing the cost of SAWS operations and keeping rates affordable. SAWS is the first large wastewater utility to partner with a private sector company, Ameresco, to actively sell biogas in the United States.

"At Ameresco, we are driven to help our customers find renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions to achieve their goals," said Michael T. Bakas, Ameresco's senior vice president of renewable energy. "Whether those goals are a sustainable environment, reducing costs or reusing a resource, our energy engineers, project managers and plant specialists can make these goals a reality. Ameresco is proud to be a part of this team and groundbreaking project."

With the addition of the biogas facility, SAWS is recycling and reusing almost all of the waste coming into Dos Rios through its "recycling trifecta." Biosolids are also reused to generate compost, which is used in landscaping, gardening and agriculture to improve soil quality. Finally, the third part of the trifecta is recycled water. About 115 million gallons a day of high-quality recycled water are used for the Riverwalk, golf courses, parks, and commercial and industrial customers as well as in the upper San Antonio River and Salado Creek.

--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com
scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com

Don't Let Big Polluters Buy the Election!

Politicians talk about fighting the special interests all the time. But meanwhile anti-climate congressmen are taking campaign cash in exchange for keeping global warming off the agenda.

Tell your senators to stop cutting selfish deals that imperil our planet »

It's obvious the biggest polluters don't want a climate bill or the EPA to regulate their emissions. It's selfish -- but they're businesses acting in their own interest.

But we elect our politicians to act in our interests and protect the future of our country. Instead some are sacrificing us, our children, our air and our land to the whims of a few special interests who want to maintain the status quo -- no matter the consequences.

Big polluters have already spent more than $500 million to stop climate legislation. We can't let them buy the elections too.

Tell your senators to stand up for YOU and reject campaign cash deals with big polluters »

--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com
scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com

Re: Did Roy Blunt Hire an Illegal Worker?

On Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 9:44 AM, Scott's Contracting <scottscontracting@gmail.com> wrote:

Here's a tibbit of information on the Blunt vs Carnahan Political Race

Did Roy Blunt Hire an Illegal Worker?

posted by: Robin Marty 21 hours ago

It seems Meg Whitman isn't the only Republican this cycle to have a little issue with potentially illegal housekeeper. Now accusations are peculating that Missouri's Republican senate candidate Roy Blunt has the same problem, as well.

Via PoliticMo:

The Missouri Democratic Party released documents Tuesday that they say paint Blunt as hiring an illegal immigrant and working to expedite her case during his time as Missouri Secretary of State.

"Blunt clearly states in the letter that dora has done some work for his family, and blunt attaches a letter clearly showing Blunt knew of her status," said Corey Platt, with the MDP.

In the letter, sent on official state letterhead, Blunt writes to Gene McNary, then Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization, explaining the situation.

"Dora Narvaez has done some work for Roseann [Blunt]," Blunt wrote. He wrote that Roseann Blunt, Blunt's previous wife, received a letter from Narvaez expressing her "concern regarding her status in the United States."

A woman who identified herself as "Narvaez" told the Kansas City Star she worked as a housekeeper for the Blunt's for some time in 1990, but declined further comment.
Much like Whitman, the Blunt campaign is completely denying the allegations, in this case stating the woman in question was just a volunteer:

"Robin Carnahan has made some wild false assertions in this campaign, but this one is just plain crazy. Robin Carnahan and her handlers have been shopping this false story to state and national reporters for months. This person never worked for the Blunts. She simply helped out at a couple of church events. Constituents who are having problems with a government agency reach out to Roy Blunt all of the time and he passes this information on to the appropriate officials all of the time. This is desperate, dirty politics from Robin Carnahan's failing campaign."

One local blog says there is no way both versions could be true:

The Star: "A woman who identified herself as Narvaez spoke briefly with The Star. She said she had worked as a housekeeper for the Blunts for several months in 1990."

The Associated Press: "Blunt spokesman Rich Chrismer says the woman merely helped at some church events, and was never employed by the Blunts."

Not sure how both of these claims can be true. Maybe Roy Blunt's campaign didn't know that the Star had talked to Narvaez before issuing their statement?

Robin Carnahan has been gaining on Blunt in the most recent polls, and this scandal may continue to drive her numbers up.

Read more: missouri, politics, senate, election 2010, roy blunt, robin carnahan

--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com
scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com