Indian tribe sees bright future in solar power

 2010 Jan 13


JEMEZ PUEBLO, N.M.
A poverty-stricken Indian tribe that holds the sun and nature's other gifts sacred sees a brighter future for itself in solar power.
The 3,000 members of the Jemez Pueblo are on the verge of building the nation's first utility-scale solar plant on tribal land, a project that could bring in millions of dollars.
Experts say tapping into the sun, wind and geothermal energy on Indian land could generate the kind of wealth many tribes have seen from slot machines and blackjack tables.
"We don't have any revenue coming in except for a little convenience store," says James Roger Madalena, a former tribal governor who now represents the pueblo in the state Legislature. "It's very critical that we become innovative, creative, that we come up with something that will last generations without having a devastating impact on the environment."
The 30-acre site where 14,850 solar panels will be set up has been selected, and after four years of arduous planning and negotiations, a contract to sell outsiders the electricity produced by the four-megawatt operation is at hand. The plant would be capable of cranking out enough electricity to power about 600 homes.
The project — which would cost about $22 million, financed through government grants, loans and tax credits — could bring in around $25 million over the next 25 years. That could help the tribe improve its antiquated drinking water system and replace the lagoons it uses to treat wastewater.
Renewable energy is a new option for bringing revenue to Indian country, where many communities are poverty-stricken and unemployment is often double the national rate. Jemez Pueblo's effort comes after the federal government in 2008 turned down a request to let it build a casino because the proposed site was too far away from the community.
"Not every tribe is a gaming tribe, but every tribe is an energy tribe," says Roger Fragua, a Denver-based consultant who works with the Council of Energy Resource Tribes.
Indian tribes control more than 55 million acres of land across the nation, and those lands are capable of producing an estimated 535 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year from wind power, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's Tribal Energy Program. Solar has even greater promise, at 17 trillion kilowatt hours per year, or more than four times the amount of electricity generated annually in the U.S.

Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2010/0114/Indian-tribe-sees-bright-future-in-solar-power
 
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Boiling Point: High Hopes for Geothermal Energy

 2010 Jan 14

By Paul Glader

Geothermal is boiling hot these days. Wind and solar might even want to watch out.
The industry is adding 144 geothermal power plants in 14 states, says Karl Gawell, executive director of the Geothermal Energy Association. That’s up from 121 projects on the books last March and a 73% increase from the 83 projects underway two years ago.

“We’ve added 200 megawatts in the last year,” said Mr. Gawell, during a stop at The Wall Street Journal’s New York office on Wednesday ahead of the industry’s big finance forum today. “Compared to wind, it’s not much. But it is a lot for a small industry with only 3,000 installed megawatts.”
One big shot in the arm: The federal stimulus, which is chanelling $400 million to the geothermal industry in the form of tax incentives and cash grants. The trade group has seen member ship swell to about 150 from just 30 members five years ago.
Another big key: Technology. Geothermal companies are developing new technologies that allow lower-temperature water in the earth’s core to be turned into geothermal energy. That makes development possible in more place, putting states such as Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana on the map in addition to traditional geothermal heartlands such as California.
Geothermal’s potential, thanks to advanced technologies, could be huge. The U.S. Geological Survey notes about 6,000 megawatts of discovered geothermal supplies (that’s like six nuclear power plants), with undiscovered potential between 8,000 and 73,000 megawatts. New technology could—theoretically—open the door to a whopping 800,000 megawatts.

Read more: http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2010/01/14/boiling-point-high-hopes-for-geothermal-energy/
 
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Why the U.S. Needs Nuclear Power Other clean energy sources can't meet the needs of a growing economy.

2009 Nov 8

By ARIS CANDRIS

As America climbs out of one of its worst recessions in decades, we must keep in mind that long-term economic growth requires an abundant, affordable supply of electricity.

By 2030, electricity demand in the U.S. is expected to grow by 21% from its current level, according to the U.S. Energy Administration. To meet our needs we have several options.

One is to increase our dependence on fossil energy sources. Unfortunately, this will only add to the environmental burden caused by burning carbon-based fuels. Another option, the Obama administration's goal, is to increase the supply of energy sources that reduce the country's carbon footprint. These sources include solar, wind, hydro, biofuels and geothermal energy, as well as new domestic sources of natural gas, which burns cleaner than oil or coal.

Toward that end, the proposed Senate climate-change bill, sponsored by Sens. Barbara Boxer (D., Calif.) and John Kerry (D., Mass.), provides incentives to electric companies to use energy sources that reduce carbon emissions. The bill also expands federal loan guarantees to support the financing of new nuclear plant projects.

These loan guarantees are crucial for providing the financial security that's needed to build advanced nuclear energy plants. These new plants will promote energy independence, improve our country's economic competitiveness, and help provide a cleaner environment for future generations.

To be sure, the U.S needs to embrace all forms of renewable and sustainable energy technologies whenever possible. But the simple, unavoidable truth is that all renewable energy sources produce only a small percentage of our total electricity output. Wind and solar combined, for example, account for less than 5% of the total U.S. electricity supply. It is doubtful that they can be scaled up to a degree that would make a significant impact on rising electricity demand over the short or intermediate term.

Greater energy efficiency and conservation also make good business and environmental sense. But a 21% growth in demand for electric power, compounded by the need to replace aging power plants, is too great to satisfy with energy efficiency and conservation alone.

Nuclear energy, therefore, must play a larger role in our effort to become and remain energy independent, and to reduce carbon emissions. The growth of nuclear power will also have peripheral benefits, as it constitutes an economic stimulus package in and of itself.

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704224004574489702243465472.html

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BC Hydro advances 36 hydroelectric projects in Clean Power Call

2009 Nov 20

VANCOUVER, B.C., Canada

BC Hydro announced a total of 47 British Columbia renewable energy projects, including 36 hydro projects, remain under consideration for power purchases under its 2008 Clean Power Call.

The province-owned utility said Nov. 17, 2009, that it will begin discussions with the developers of 13 proposed hydroelectric and wind power projects that it has identified as the most cost-effective. Additionally, it will offer developers of the other 34 projects the opportunity to make their proposals more cost-effective.

By technology, the remaining projects are 36 hydro, 10 wind, and one waste heat project.

Another 21 renewable energy projects were eliminated from consideration. The Clean Power Call originally received 68 proposals representing more than 17,000 gigawatt-hours of hydropower, wind, waste heat, biogas, and biomass. (HydroWorld 12/1/08)

"BC Hydro is committed to working with companies that provide clean, renewable power to find new sources of cost-effective energy to help meet new energy demand as we look towards serving future generations of customers in the province," BC Hydro President Bob Elton said.

BC Hydro said it will begin awarding contracts in December 2009. (HydroWorld 8/10/09)

Read more: http://www.hydroworld.com/index/display/article-display/0105997557/articles/hrhrw/hydroindustrynews/newdevelopment/2009/11/bc-hydro_advances.html

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