MORE NEWS, 4-22 (WIND ENERGY JOBS DRAW THRONGS; WHOLE FOODS BUYS MORE NEW ENERGY; EFFICIENCY LEGISLATION GETS BIG ENDORSEMENT)

WIND ENERGY JOBS DRAW THRONGS
Scores sign up for potential wind energy jobs
Dave Dreeszen, April 20, 2009 (Sioux City Journal)

"Last week's public appeal for workers for a potential wind turbine plant in Sioux City produced a large early response…By mid-morning Monday, more than 1,450 people had completed an employment survey through the Iowa Workforce Developement's Web site…

"…[T]he numbers could strengthen the city's case for landing a large-scale wind energy project, which would create 400 high-paying jobs. As the Journal first reported last Thursday, the Northwest Iowa city has been told it's one of two finalists, but is running a "close second'' to another Midwest community."

Iowa is now 2nd in the nation in wind - and can't get enough. (click to enlarge)

"To help overcome the company's doubts about the size and skills of the tri-state labor pool, state and city officials asked the public last Friday to fill out the employment surveys. Workers have until Friday to complete the forms online…or at the local Workforce Development office…

"The plant also would create dozens of management level positions. Assembly; machinists; quality/safety control and assurance; computer control operators; mechanical engineering; electronic technicians; warehousing; logistics; human resources; information technology; administration. The hourly jobs would pay between $16 to $25 and offer health, disability and life insurance, plus a retirement plan and vacation."


WHOLE FOODS BUYS MORE NEW ENERGY
Whole Foods Market(R) Announces Alternative Energy Investment, Energy Savings with New Store Designs, Existing Store Retrofits; Natural and Organic Grocer to Add Solar To More Than 20 Additional Locations. Contracts for Third Year of Wind Energy Credits to Offset 100 Percent of Its Non-renewable Electricity Use
April 21, 2009 (PR Newswire)

"Whole Foods Market [announced] a comprehensive energy commitment that more than triples the number of stores with solar panels, extending its commitment to offset 100 percent of its use of non-renewable electricity with wind energy, and investing in energy reduction opportunities while retrofitting existing stores with energy efficient lighting, equipment and mechanical components…

"Whole Foods Market recently contracted to add solar to more than 20 locations…[and will be on] the rooftops of more than 30 of the Company's stores nationwide. With an installation at its Berkeley, Calif., store in 2002, the Company became the first retailer to introduce solar power as its primary lighting source. Including potential future rollout phases, Whole Foods Market hopes to have close to 70 total locations with rooftop solar panels, close to one fourth of the Company's total number of stores…"

Solar roof at the Berkeley Whole Foods. (click to enlarge)

"Continuing its industry-leading commitment to wind power, Whole Foods Market is once again offsetting electricity use in its North American locations in 2009, bringing its four-year total purchase to 2 million megawatt-hours of renewable energy credits from wind farms…In December 2005, the Company became the first Fortune 500 Company to offset 100 percent of its electricity use with wind energy credits…

"The Company is also expanding its comprehensive energy approach to reduce reliance on fossil fuels by using on-site alternative and renewable energy sources for new stores while reducing energy consumption in existing stores and facilities.

"Whole Foods Market hosts and pays for the energy delivered by an on-site hydrogen fuel cell at the Glastonbury, Conn., store. The fuel cell, a first for a supermarket, generates 50 percent of the electricity and heat and nearly 100 percent of the hot water needed to operate the store. Plans are in place to add fuel cells to other locations…"

3656 N. Halsted, Chicago. LEED Gold-certified. (click to enlarge)

"Whole Foods Market has set internal energy-reduction goals for new stores as well…and is participating in programs to develop buildings that will use 30 to 50 percent less energy than required by code, as well as working with manufacturers and partners to develop increasingly higher energy efficiency equipment and systems for supermarkets…

"Environmental certifications for new Whole Foods Market stores have been abundant…The Company opened the first-ever LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified grocery store in Sarasota, Fla., in 2005. Since then...Austin, Texas; Pacific Coast Highway/El Segundo, Calif.; Lakewood/Dallas, Texas; and...the Chicago South Loop store have earned LEED certification...The Company is also setting internal goals for greenhouse gas [tracking and] reduction in future years by using smart design and energy reduction technologies."


EFFICIENCY LEGISLATION GETS BIG ENDORSEMENT
Proposed House Legislation Would Reduce Nationwide Energy Use 10%, Doubles Savings From 2007 Act
April 21, 2009 (American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy)

"Pending federal energy efficiency provisions could reduce U.S. energy use by 10.6 quadrillion Btu's, about 10% of projected U.S. energy use in 2020…These energy efficiency savings are more than the entire current energy use of the state of California, and are larger than the annual energy use of 49 of the 50 states. These savings are more than triple those of 2005 energy legislation and about double those of 2007 energy legislation…

"The analysis examines the energy efficiency provisions in the “discussion draft” of the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACESA), authored by Representatives Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Ed Markey (D-MA). This bill includes a variety of energy efficiency and renewable energy provisions as well as a cap-and-trade program to reduce emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases…"

click to enlarge

"More than half of the savings in the bill comes from the inclusion of a Federal Energy Efficiency Resource Standard (EERS), which would require utilities to reduce electricity demand by 15 percent and natural gas demand by 10 percent by 2020. This provision alone will create 222,000 net jobs and prevent 262 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, and is a key policy for achieving the savings possible from energy efficiency.

"The bill also includes major savings from a number of other programs…[1] Retrofit for Energy and Environmental Performance (REEP) program, to promote comprehensive energy efficiency retrofits for residential and commercial buildings, which would save consumers an estimated $5.9 billion dollars in 2020…[2] A provision requiring states to establish goals for transportation sector greenhouse gas emissions reductions to ensure an absolute decrease in emissions after a designated year…"

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"According to [THE American council for ACEEE an energy-efficient ecnomy (ACEEE)], there are a number of ways the bill could be improved to maximize efficiency savings. First, the current draft of the bill does not address allocation of income from sales of emissions allowances…Second, the bill should include a provision to improve industrial energy efficiency similar to S. 661…To complement the industrial centers provision in S. 661, the bill should also establish a network of Building Training and Assessment Centers. In addition…[and] further maximize savings and help with energy costs in low-income housing by including a provision to help fund retrofits to multifamily housing.

"…ACEEE’s studies of energy efficiency’s potential indicate that current technologies can cost-effectively save 25-30% of total energy use, and that new technologies could increase the available cost-effective savings."