MORE NEWS, 2-10 (OBAMA CALLS FOR RES; WORKING ON A BETTER BATTERY; GREEN POWER EXPRESS IS WIRES FOR WIND; S. DAKOTA READIES FOR BIG WIND)

OBAMA CALLS FOR RES
Obama says renewable energy key to economic future
Tom Doggett (w/Walter Bagley), February 9, 2009 (Reuters)

"U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday pushed for more investment in solar and wind energy, saying the country that can make renewable energy sources price-competitive with traditional fossil fuels will become the economic superpower of the future.

"Obama, speaking at a townhall meeting in Elkhart, Indiana, said renewable energy companies needed tax breaks and loan guarantees to provide incentives for firms to manufacture and customers to purchase solar and wind energy…Obama said he wanted the government to invest every year in new technologies to drive down renewable energy costs over the long term."

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"The roughly $800 billion stimulus package pending in Congress to revive the American economy includes billions of dollars in tax breaks and other financial incentives to boost the use of renewable energy…intended to ensure solar and wind energy companies have steady business.

"Obama called on Congress to require U.S. utilities to generate a certain amount of their electricity supplies, such as 15 to 20 percent, from renewable energy sources…

"The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee was scheduled to hold a hearing on Tuesday on draft legislation that would set a national renewable energy standard…"


WORKING ON A BETTER BATTERY
Sounding the charge for electric-car batteries
Steven Mufson, February 7, 2009 (Washington Post via Houston Chronicle)

"Two big batteries stand side by side at the General Motors testing lab in Warren, Mich. One is an artifact, built a dozen years ago. Weighing 1,200 pounds, it could fill the back of a large pickup truck…The other battery is new and produces the same amount of energy but is a relatively trim 400 pounds…it will squeeze into the body of the compact Chevy Volt that GM plans to start producing next year…

"But while battery technology has traveled far from the big clunkers in the late 1990s, the costs and limits of current batteries remain the biggest obstacles to mass marketing plug-in vehicles. Although nearly every major auto company is moving ahead with electric car plans, the batteries still cost about $8,000 or more…and that could make electric cars money-losers. Moreover…manufacturing capacity is limited, and few factories are in the U.S."

For the Volt, GM bought the black Korean battery, not the silver Massachusetts battery. (click to enlarge)

"Solving these problems could become more critical as President Barack Obama pushes to toughen fuel-efficiency standards. Automakers are lobbying Congress for help establishing a battery industry in the United States.

"…According to Lux Research, a consulting firm specializing in emerging technologies, the electric-car battery market is projected to grow sixfold by 2013. About 70 percent of it will be lithium-ion batteries. Similar technology could become widespread in storing wind and solar energy for utilities, too."

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"So far, Asian battery makers have a leg up. General Motors this month announced that it had passed over U.S. battery firms and chosen LG Chem, a Korean firm, to make the lithium-ion battery cells for the Chevy Volt.

"…U.S. firms are turning to the federal government to help them rev up production…Both sides of the aisle in Congress have backed government support…Fourteen companies have banded together in a National Alliance for Advanced Transportation Battery Cell Manufacture seeking $1 billion to $2 billion in investment over the next five years. They say it is the only way to compete with Asian manufacturers…"


GREEN POWER EXPRESS IS WIRES FOR WIND
ITC proposes project to move wind power to Chicago
Scott DiSavino (w/ John Picinich), February 9, 2009 (Reuters)

"ITC Holdings Corp on Monday proposed to build a $10 billion to $12 billion power transmission network to move up to 12,000 megawatts of electricity from wind-abundant areas in the Dakotas, Minnesota and Iowa to the heavily populated Chicago area… ITC said the proposed "Green Power Express" network would facilitate the development of wind power projects by moving that clean generation to areas in need of additional renewable energy…"

Practical project or coal industry boondoggle? (click to enlarge)

"The power grid operators in the eastern part of the United States said in a report Wednesday the region would need to spend about $80 billion for new transmission infrastructure to increase the amount of energy from wind power to about 20 percent over the next 15 years…The Green Power Express will cross parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana and will ultimately include about 3,000 miles of extra high-voltage (765-kilovolt) transmission.

"ITC filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) seeking approval of a revenue requirement formula and incentives including recovery of development expenses….[and will partner] with several local utilities and wind developers on the project, including NorthWestern Corp, FPL Group Inc's NextEra Energy (formerly FPL Energy) and Iberdrola Renovables SA…"


S. DAKOTA READIES FOR BIG WIND
South Dakota Wind Energy Association organized
Brandon Bennett, February 9, 2009 (Rapid City Weekly News/Black Hills Pioneer)

"Saying that enough time has been wasted stepping around organized efforts to promote wind energy, supporters have completed a successful effort to establish the South Dakota Wind Energy Association. The initial membership and organizational board meeting was held in Pierre in January…local state and even federal governments are still working on ordinances for wind energy…

"...[Executive Director Steve Wegman wants to] have community meetings to bring a variety of people together…Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, Iowa and Minnesota all have more wind turbines than South Dakota. Only Nebraska has less."

So much potential, so little installed capacity. (click to enlarge)

"Local businessman Tim Hauck installs wind energy systems on a part-time basis…welcomes an association…[and] still has some questions…he hopes to expand his involvement…[and] hopes the association will help the industry grow.

"One of the key guiding principles of SDWEA will be to support the development of wind energy as a sustainable economic and environmentally-friendly resource for South Dakota and its citizens…The association will also act as a forum for education, research and reliable information about wind development and become a source of reliable information for state leaders and citizens…

"New officers were elected to lead the Board of Directors …The board is comprised of representatives from each of the primary sponsoring organizations, four directors elected from within the membership and the at-large members…[Newly elected Association President Jeffrey L. Nelson, General Manager of the East River Electric Power Cooperative] believes that widespread interest to promote wind energy in South Dakota was the driving force behind the association's creation…"

S.D. is at the heart of the white swath of power. (click to enlarge)

"The board and membership set SDWEA's goal for 2009 to create a blueprint for future wind development in South Dakota…through a series of community wind meetings…bringing together public and private interests and…enhancing the value of future wind development to communities, economic development and job creation, technical and higher institutions and for land owners.

"For those interested in joining SDWEA, contact Steve Wegman at (605) 295-1221."