Reduction of Energy Use Translates into $Savings

Greg A Jablonski

Re: Renewable Energy

(Greg sent you a message."Youve got my permission to put my comments on the blog")
I changed out all my windows to vinyl double paned, low-E ones and changed out all my light bulbs to CFL's, bought an energy star water heater and dish washer, wash my clothes in cold water...my electric bill was cut by ALMOST HALF!!!
October 29 at 4:09pm

US Dept of Treasury,Payments for Specified Renewable Energy Property in Lieu of Tax Credits

Payments for Specified Energy Property in Lieu of Tax Credits

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APPLY

The Treasury Department is now accepting applications for this program. To apply go to https://treas1603.nrel.gov/.

GUIDANCE

Posted here are the guidance document pdf icon, terms and conditions pdf icon, and sample application form pdf icon. All applicants should carefully review these documents prior to submitting an application.

ACCOUNTANT’S CERTIFICATION

The independent accountants’ requirements for the examination opinion attesting to the accuracy of costs (Attachment A) have been revised. We have added clarifying language that requires accountants to attest to the accuracy of costs on a test basis. Statements have been added regarding management’s and the practitioner’s responsibilities and we have added a “Report of Management on Eligible Cost Basis”.

Attachment B, Agreed-upon Procedures (AUPs), has been revised. If you have questions on the AUPs, please send them to 1603Questions@do.treas.gov

For properties placed in service having a cost basis in excess of $500,000, applicants must submit an Accountant’s Certification pdf icon.

ASSIGNMENT OF PAYMENTS

For information on assigning payments received under this program to a financial institution click on the following links:

* Assignment Information pdf icon
* Notice of Assignment pdf icon

IMPORTANT REMINDER

Applicants must be registered with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). To register, go to www.ccr.gov/startregistration.aspx. This registration must be completed before a payment can be made.

Thank you for your interest in this program.

Questions. Please e-mail any questions you may have to 1603Questions@do.treas.gov. Please note that the purpose of the 1603 mailbox is to answer questions regarding how to apply for the 1603 program. This includes: how to submit an application, assign a payment, and prepare the independent accountant’s report. We also answer general questions regarding applicant and property eligibility. We cannot, however, answer questions that are more appropriately answered by tax accountants, lawyers and the Internal Revenue Service. This includes questions regarding what can and cannot be included in cost basis and whether or not certain business structures meet eligibility requirements. Also, we cannot confirm eligibility for specific projects.

If you have already applied for the Section 1603 payment and have questions on your application, or need technical support to up-load documents, change your password, or seek confirmation of additional up-loaded documents, please address those questions to: treas1603@nrel.gov.

Electric Light & Power, Executive Digest

Let the Spending Begin
by Teresa Hansen, editor in chief

The electric utility industry, specifically the power-delivery side of the industry, soon will be responsible for creating tens of thousands of jobs and improving customer service and reliability in 49 states. At least that’s the intent of $3.4 billion that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently awarded to 100 companies to build the smart grid.

These awards are important enough to the administration that President Obama made the announcement. The winning projects are split into four categories: advanced metering infrastructure, electric distribution systems, electric transmission systems and equipment manufacturing. Most press releases I’ve seen report that this money will support installation of about 18 million smart meters, 700 automated substations and 200 advanced transformers.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu told GridWeek attendees in September that the $4.5 billion his department plans to distribute as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be the down payment on the clean energy economy. The recent awards represent the first round of those funds.

The 100 awardees must match the stimulus money they’re receiving with an equal amount of private funding. This will bring the total amount to be invested in the smart grid as a result of this announcement to about $7 billion. In addition, this money should begin to enter the market right away and must be spent in its entirety within the next 36 months. This is good news for the industry, especially for those companies receiving the funding and their vendor partners.

Investments of $7 billion in the next three years should help stimulate the economy, but how far will it go to transform the current grid, which was built to deliver electricity generated from fossil fuel, into the grid that will transport and distribute the green, sustainable energy Chu envisions? I’ve heard several experts say that it will cost $50 billion or more to prepare the grid for renewables integration, electricity storage devices, distributed generation (such as rooftop solar), plug-in vehicles and energy efficiency technologies. That means close to $45 billion of private money needs to be invested in the grid in the next few years.

Given that the entire American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will divvy up more than $700 billion, $45 billion doesn’t sound like that much. It’s easy for us to become desensitized when we hear "billions" and "trillions" being spouted off in news reports every night. Nevertheless, $45 billion is a lot of money, and for that matter, $3.4 billion is a lot of money.

Many people still are concerned whether this money will result in successful implementations, especially when questions exist about standards and the DOE’s funding stipulations. I understand these concerns, but I try to remember that the main purpose of this money is to stimulate the economy, create jobs and develop a clean energy economy. I hope the taxpayer money and private investments lead to well-planned and executed projects that perform according to plan, a tall order for recipients.


I congratulate the investor-owned utilities, municipalities, cooperatives and public utilities, as well as the handful of equipment manufacturers that received this first round of stimulus funding. Now go forth, raise capital, create jobs and build the grid that will allow our industry, its customers and our nation to flourish.

Water Saver

Dual Flush Retro-Fit Toilet Kit---FLUSH CHOICE™

In today's economy, we are all trying to cut costs and save money. Conserving water is not only helping reduce our costs in our homes and businesses, it is also allowing us to become eco-friendly conscious.

A Dual Flush Toilet is one that allows you to choose to flush with half the normal amount of water or a full flush when needed. The vast majority of toilet flushes only require a small amount of water to clean the bowl. For a family of four it is estimated that a Dual Flush Toilet can save up to 20,000 gallons per year! Why flush your money down the drain year after year with rising water costs?

Over the last few years, we have seen the new dual flush toilets come into new construction/remodels for homes as well as businesses. The only problem with these new toilets is that they seem to be quite high in price, therefore, it takes awhile to see our ROI (return on investment).

Currently, the majority of homes and businesses have the 2 piece toilets and in order to have a dual flush toilet, it was/is required that you replace your existing toilet. This can become quite costly with the purchase, installation and take into account that your bathroom flooring will have to be re-done to match the new style of toilet.

Dual flush retrofit valve kits give the following benefits:

.Saves money on your water utility bill
.Saves our precious water resources
.Reduces the polluted septic water
.Cuts down on required chemical and energy used in the purification process
.Retro-fits and upgrades existing toilets-no need to buy new toilets
.Fits almost all two piece toilets
.You can select and vary the amount of water used
.Can be installed by anyone using the simple instructions
.Can be professionally installed for much less cost of a new toilet.

Your overall savings will depend on the age of your toilet. If you currently have older toilets, and most of us do, with a 5 gallon capacity tank-your savings will shock you. For any of the newer model tanks, say 3.5 or 1.6 gallon size, savings will be more than substantial.

One study documented dual flush water savings with flush volumes reduced by 68 per cent in single-family dwellings, 56 per cent in office washrooms, and 52 per cent in restaurants. Total water savings will vary depending on frequency of use (for example, a coffee shop registered an average of 143 flushes per day).So that's how this revolutionary new product works and how it can start saving you money from the day it's installed.

Installing a dual flush toilet kit is one of the easiest ways to become eco-friendly and save money and water at the same time. You will defiantly see your ROI in just a few short months. If you consider yourself handy around the house and can follow simple step by step instructions, you will see your ROI much sooner. If you would rather have it professionally installed, your local plumber can install it for the cost of a service call.

When choosing your dual flush kit, you will find there are a several different brands on the market and you will want to make sure you find one with a good warranty. Having a good warranty of at least 5 years on the product will assure you the brand you choose is going to last. Remember, the unit is going to live in water and having the warranty of at least 5 years will assure you that the manufacturer is confident in their product.