http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=50850

December 14, 2007

Nevada Gets First U.S. Solar Thermal Plant

Las Vegas, Nevada [RenewableEnergyAccess.com]

Ausra Inc. announced it is building the first U.S. manufacturing plant for solar thermal power systems in Las Vegas. The 130,000-square-foot, highly automated manufacturing and distribution center will produce the reflectors, towers, absorber tubes and other key components of the company's solar thermal power plants.

"With market-priced solar power, we are entering the Solar Decade, in which massive construction of solar plants will take place."

--Bob Fishman, President and CEO, Ausra

In November 2007, Ausra and California utility PG&E announced a power purchase agreement for a one-square-mile, 177-megawatt (MW) power plant. Ausra's new facility will manufacture the solar field equipment for the PG&E project and for other power projects throughout the southwest. The factory will be capable of making over 700 MW of solar collectors per year and will begin regular operation in April 2008.

"Americans want clean power, and are tired of the market fluctuations, price increases, and pollution from fossil power plants. With market-priced solar power, we are entering the Solar Decade, in which massive construction of solar plants will take place. We are investing now in the systems and capacity to serve that need," said Bob Fishman, president and CEO of Ausra.

Mass Commonwealth Solar Program

http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=50893

December 18, 2007
Massachusetts Announces Commonwealth Solar Program
Boston, Massachusetts [RenewableEnergyAccess.com]

The Massachusetts Division of Energy Resources announced the state's new Commonwealth Solar program designed to encourage the use of solar photovoltaic (PV) power by offering rebates that reduce the cost of solar panels and installation. The new program, which makes use of existing renewable energy funds, is expected to result in the installation of more than 27 megawatts of solar power capacity over the next four years. Under Commonwealth Solar, businesses and residences that install PV systems from 2008-2012 will be eligible for rebates averaging $3 per watt at the start of the program. Rebates will be higher for installation of Massachusetts-manufactured solar panels, and they will decline with the size of the installation. "This is the kind of renewable energy program envisioned in the Green Communities legislation that unanimously passed the House of Representatives last month," said Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi. "It is important to move swiftly and to use all available resources to reduce our dependence on imported fuels."

Energy Bill Update

• Energy bill signed into law by Bush on 19 Dec 2007
• DOES NOT include the renewable portfolio standard (RPS) or investment/production tax credits for renewables
• Does include the Green Jobs Title (Title X) that I wrote memo about
  
• Renewable fuel standard (RFS) of 36 bill gallons by 2022 (5x current levels)
• CAFE std of 35mpg by 2020
• Federal buildings must use Energy Star or other designated energy efficient products by end of fiscal 2013
• New appliance efficiency standards in Energy Policy and Conservation Act
• Establish Office of High-Performance Green Buildings in US Gen Services Admin

CAP Report - Capturing the Energy Opportunity

Podesta, J., T. Stern and K. Batten (2007). Capturing the Energy Opportunity: Creating a Low-Carbon Economy. Washington, D.C.: Center for American Progress, November.

• Part of "Progressive Growth" CAP's economic plan for next administration
• pp. 36-37: summary of recommended policies with columns for "what does it do?" "environmental benefits," and "economic/job benefits." No consistent methodology for assessing economic/job benefits - what does BP have in mind to add meat? In many cases, the recommended size/expense of the program is not discussed, which would make I-O analysis hard.
• 21,36 Cap and trade emissions to achieve 80% reduction of 1990 levels by 2050. All permits auctioned. Create $75 bill in auction rev annually over first 10 years. Estimate based on 10 studies, by EIA EPA, MIT, Tellus, and several private authors (ftnt 44). 10% to compensate businesses in energy intensive sectors (and affected shareholders, employees, communities). 45% to offset energy price increases for low- and moderate-income Americans. 45% to science&tech innovation "across the board" and funding for RD&D, tax incentives, other initiatives. STILL VAGUE - NOT CLEAR HOW MONEY IS ALLOCATED.
• 36 Eliminate tax breaks and subsidies for oil and gas. Generate $6 bill annually over 10 years "for investment in low carbon policies" described in the paper. Numbers from Friends of Earth 2006 report (ftnt 45).
• TRANSPORTATION: how much will these policies cost? who will benefit? who administers?
• Higher CAFE stds: 40mpg by 2020 and 55 by 2030. MANDATE - NO DIRECT GOV'T COST.
• Feebates: surcharge on gas guzzlers goes toward rebates for efficient vehicles of same class. REVENUE NEUTRAL (ADMIN COSTS).
• Manufacturing retooling incentives: promote production of fuel efficient vehicles. COST?
• Healthcare for hybrids: legacy healthcare cost support in return for production of more efficient vehicles. COST?
• Efficient vehicles tax credit: $4000 for most efficient vehicles, regardless of technology. COST?
• Plug-in hybrid tax credit: $8000 for first 1 million plug-ins. COST - up to $8 bill.
• Alternative Fuel Standard: 25% low-carbon transport fuels (incl. electricity) by 2025
• Variable Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC): update to make credit vary with price of oil
• Low-Carbon Fuel Standard: reduce lifecycle emissions from transportation fuels by 10% by 2020
• Renewable Fuels Certification Program
• Alternative fuel pumps mandate: 15% of fuel pumps (incl. charging stations for PHEVs) provide low-carbon fuels in any county where 15% vehicles can run on these fuels
• Mass transit and smart growth. MORE SPECIFIC PLANS?
• ELECTRICITY:
• National Energy Efficient Resource Standard: utilities meet 10% energy savings through efficiency upgrades by 2020
• Decouple utility sales from profits
• Grid upgrade: increase efficiency of transmission, encourage dist. gen
• Appliance energy efficiency standards
• Building efficiency: improving building codes, retrofitting public buildings, incentivize deployment of dist gen, energy efficient housing grants and mortgages
• Renewable Electricity Standard (RPS): 25% by 20
• Tax credits and low-interest loans for renewables: SPECIFICS?
• CO2 sequestration: commercial demonstration projectsqu
• Emissions standards and CO2 capture funds for new coal-fired facilities
• Green gov't purchasing: vehicles, low-carbon fuels, energy efficiency, RE
• Taxpayer investments should reduce and withstand the effects of global warming. HOW TO INSTITUTIONALIZE?
• Gov't partnerships to develop CC adaptation strategies: with state and local gov't, non-profits, businesses
• White House National Energy Council: prioritize global warming
• Energy Innovation Council: interagency group, develop multi-year national energy RD&D strategy
• Energy Technology Corporation: finance and execute large-scale, commercially viable demo projects
• Clean Energy Investment Administration: loan guarantees for clean energy projects
• Clean Energy Job Corps: training for "green collar" workers
• More low-carbon energy RD&D: more than double current investment
• Create E-8 group of countries: developed and developing countries, devoted to confronting ecological/resource issues
• Investment in developing countries' energy/environment sectors

QUESTIONS/STUFF TO RESEARCH
p. 20 Problems with EU emissions trading scheme
Safety and cost information on underground CO2 storage

8 Jan 2008

Back from break. Won't be doing Heidi's phone calls, as planned, so I have January to research.
Began yesterday by reading Ctr for American Progress (CAP) Nov 2007 report titled "Capturing the Energy Opportunity." Need to talk to Bob about what, exactly, I should be doing.

Tomorrow:
Go through CAP report again and fill in notes and questions. Begin looking into questions identified, as well as sources from footnotes that seem interesting.