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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Re: Taste of St. Louis Recycling Volunteers Needed

If you'd like to view this email in a Web browser, please click here Please forward this email TASTE OF ST. LOUIS VOLUNTEER CHALLENGE St. Louis Earth Day has partnered with Taste of St. Louis in an effort to make this massive event (300,000 people over 3 days) more environmentally friendly and drastically reduce the environmental impact. All of the food vendors have committed to sourcing only compostable serviceware and all cups will also be compostable, resulting in 100% compostable attendee waste with very few exceptions. Recycling will be happening in the back end of the event. St. Louis Earth Day is requesting your help to recruit 200 volunteers in 2 weeks. Yes, this is a challenge, but we believe there is enough passion in the community to make this happen. If successful, we can divert 70% or more of the total event waste (31 tons last year!) from the landfill as we educate attendees about recycling and composting. As an incentive for your support, volunteers over the age of 21 who refer 3 or more volunteers will be entered into a drawing for 2 VIP tickets to Taste. Nine sets of tickets will be raffled off. All volunteers have to do is supervise waste stations to help people put their waste in the right container. A brief but thorough training will occur 30 min before the shift start. The organizers of Taste of St. Louis are also offering booth space to organizations who are able to recruit 10-20 volunteers for one or more 3-hrs shifts. The exposure is excellent – 300,000 St. Louisans of all walks of life! Please pass this along to organizations who may benefit from this opportunity. Taste of St. Louis is October 1-3. Please help us change the status quo and revolutionize the approach to events in the St. Louis area. Contact me or visit our website for more info and to register: Taste of St. Louis Volunteer Challenge I know we can make this happen with your support! What is Green? Green, also known as sustainability, centers on creating new or revising existing products, services, and ways of living to minimally impact the environment. 'Going Green' benefits individual health, the local and global economy, and the environment. What is StLouisGreen? StLouisGreen.com is your online source for everything Green in the St. Louis Area. StLouisGreen.com connects you to: Green Companies and Products Green Events and Activities Green Jobs and Opportunities Green Education and What If's

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From the online desk Tuesday, Sep. 28, 2010 Investigation: Tax auctions look 'like government-sponsored loan-sharking' BY BRIAN BRUEGGEMANN - News-Democrat EDWARDSVILLE -- A group of Madison County Board members announced Monday they're launching an investigation into the county's property tax auctions. The auctions were the subject of a News-Democrat investigation, which showed that former Madison County Treasurer Fred Bathon took in about $140,000 in campaign donations from investors who bought delinquent property tax debts. Those investors routinely were allowed to buy people's tax debts at an 18 percent penalty rate -- the highest allowed under state law. The investors took in up to $200,000 apiece in penalties for some years. County Board members Jean Myers, of Troy, Mike Walters, of Godfrey, Bill Meyer, of Hamel, Hal Patton, of Edwardsville, Chris Wangard, of Troy, and Chris Slusser, of Wood River, all Republicans on the Democrat-controlled County Board, said they have started a fact-finding process. They also encouraged affected property owners to call a hotline set up to report complaints about the process. The number is 917-3705. From left, Madison County Board members Chris Slusser and Jean Myers and Madison County treasurer candidate Kurt Prensler hold a news conference Monday in Edwardsville to announce their investigation into the county's property tax auctions. CLICK FOR MORE PHOTOS Story: Tax buyers, politicians benefit from tax sales "It looks like government-sponsored loan-sharking. The end result of this corruption could be that residents lost their homes," Slusser said. "For those property owners who did not, they -- at a minimum -- paid outrageously high interest rates that were sanctioned by our county treasurer's office. It's despicable." Myers said in Jarvis and Pin Oak townships alone, the two townships that make up the majority of her board district, 239 parcels were auctioned in the 2001-2003 tax sales for an average of 2.4 percent, followed by 278 parcels auctioned from 2004-2006 at the maximum 18 percent. "One thing is clear: The officials placed in charge of the tax sale auction in Madison County have forfeited our trust and taken advantage of property owners all across the county," Myers said at a news conference. "These constituents were preyed upon at a time when they were most vulnerable, most down on their luck. The public trust has been completely eroded, with nearly 10,000 affected property owners, making the scope of this misconduct staggering." Matt Melucci, chairman of the Madison County Democratic Party, issued a statement saying the party welcomes any investigation of the tax sales. He also pointed out that some of the GOP board members at the news conference are members of a County Board committee that oversees the property tax process. At the county's annual property tax auction, investors buy the right to pay citizens' unpaid property taxes. The investors make money by charging a penalty to the property owners. If the property owner doesn't eventually pay the taxes and the penalty, the investor can take the property. In most counties, the tax bills are sold in a reverse auction, meaning the investor offering to take the lowest penalty rate is the winning bidder. But witnesses say Bathon, a Democrat, conducted the tax sale like a bid opening, where investors were not allowed to undercut each other or "bid down" the penalty percentage. All the bidders would shout an opening bid; the one who shouted the lowest bid first was the winner. Often, though, a group of bidders would simultaneously shout bids of 18 percent, then Bathon's office would decide which bidder shouted first, and the bidding would be cut off at that point. Current Madison County Treasurer Frank Miles, who took office in December, now allows bidders to submit "trailing" bids, where the bidders can undercut each other with subsequent bidding. "As treasurer of Madison County, I not only welcome public scrutiny into how the 2010 delinquent property tax sale was conducted, but scrutiny regarding any facet of the treasurer's office," Miles said, noting the average penalty rate when he conducted the tax sale this year was 9 percent, down from 18 percent the previous year under Bathon. "Any issues related to tax sales prior to my assuming the position as Madison County treasurer should be directed to Mr. Bathon." Miles' opponent in the November election, GOP candidate Kurt Prenzler, said Monday that Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office needs to intervene. "The stench from this administration building can be smelled from Springfield to Chicago. Lawmakers and prosecutors have a duty to uncover what has happened and to find a way to make things right for the struggling property owners that were deceived." The penalty rate compounds every six months, maxing out at 108 percent. Myers said the average interest rate being paid by redeeming property owners has grown from 25 percent in calendar year 2007 to 36 percent in calendar year 2009. Myers said she submitted a formal request Monday morning with the county clerk's office for a variety of records, including: * Name, address, parcel number of each property redemption, plus tax, penalty and interest amounts * E-mail records involving any of several tax buyers who have done business at the tax sales * Phone records for the treasurer's office for the calendar years 2006-2010 * Videotapes, documents, memos, and records from the 2006-2009 tax sales. Patton said, "The most amazing fact is that 30 tax buyers, as well as numerous county staff all attended these auctions, and not a single warning was issued to the County Board about the changes made that resulted in such high interest rates for the county residents at risk. The silence from the administration building is deafening." Wangard said the GOP group's immediate focus "is to find answers for the 10,000 property owners that have paid -- or continue to face a future inflated payment -- for the simple privilege of continuing to live in their home. This scandal represents the next in a long line of scandals from Washington, D.C., to Springfield -- and now to Edwardsville. Property owners have been taken advantage of by our government and that deserves to see the light of day." Myers said she welcomes bipartisan participation in the investigation, including from County Board Chairman Alan Dunstan, a Democrat. Dunstan could not be reached for comment. Bathon has not returned calls seeking comment on the issue for several weeks. Patton, who serves on a tax committee for the County Board, said the committee was never informed of the increase in penalty rates during Bathon's tenure. "If that information had been brought to my committee, this investigation would have started a long time ago," Patton said. Myers said, "I never attended a tax auction. Shame on me." But she added, "The treasurer's responsibility is to conduct that auction according to the statutes and in the best interest of the taxpayers. We were as caught off-guard by this information as anybody else was." Melucci, who serves as circuit clerk in addition to being the Democratic Party chairman, said the party welcomes "a review of the process by a lawful authority and not by a group of self-appointed individuals, some of whom serve on the Real Estate Tax Cycle Committee. How can they claim ignorance of the process when they are charged with oversight of that very process?" Board member Larry Trucano of Collinsville, a Democrat who serves as chairman of the tax committee, said Monday he's never been to the county's tax auction, and the subject is not discussed at committee meetings. "We don't discuss that at the committee meetings. Never have, that I know of," Trucano said. Contact reporter Brian Brueggemann at bbrueggemann@bnd.com or 239-2511. Read more: http://www.bnd.com/2010/09/28/1416899/tax-auctions-catch-countys-eye.html#ixzz10pe0Of4w Build Green Scotty, Scotts Contracting www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com

what happens to housing when greed and failed policy collide

Risk run amok: what happens to housing when greed and failed policy collide

Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies this morning releases a report for those who admit they don't know what they don't know about the meltdown. One of its authors, Eric S. Belsky, managing director at JCHS, says, "The combination of a glut of global liquidity, low interest rates, high leverage, and regulatory laxity in the context of initially tight and then overvalued housing markets triggered staggering risk taking. Capital markets supplied credit through Wall Street in large volumes for risky loans to risky borrowers and then multiplied these risks by issuing derivatives that exposed investors to risks in amounts much larger than the face amount of all the loans." A tad academic, but not moot. Continued Here: http://www.builderonline.com/builder-pulse/risk-run-amok-what-happens-to-housing-when-greed-and-failed-policy-collide.aspx?cid=NWBD100924002

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