MORE NEWS, 8-20: NEW ENERGY DELIVERY CHARGES; UTILITY IN MONSTER 550 MV SUN BUY; FORD EV WILL SMART RECHARGE; NEW EMISSIONS TRADING REGS

NEW ENERGY DELIVERY CHARGES
California ‘Green’ Transmission Lines Could Cost $15.7B; Meeting California’s proposed 33 percent renewable power mandate by 2020 will require lots of expensive – and unpopular – new transmission lines. More rooftop solar panels and other systems would reduce that need, but cost more.
Jeff St. John, August 14, 2009 (GreenTechMedia)

"[Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative] from California regulators and utilities puts a $15.7 billion price tag on the new transmission lines needed to meet the state's goal of getting one-third of its electricity from renewable sources in the next decade.

But the report notes that distributed generation – mostly rooftop solar panels – could take a bite out of those costs if it can compete economically with larger-scale wind, solar-thermal and geothermal power projects."

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"…[T]he California Public Utilities Commission said in June that it would cost about $12 billion for new transmission to meet California's proposed 33 percent renewable portfolio standard…The state already requires its major utilities to deliver 20 percent renewable energy by next year. State lawmakers are considering boosting that to 33 percent by 2020.

"But that will require a whole new set of transmission lines, marching north and south along the state's Central Valley and east and west across its mountain ranges and deserts, according to a map…[that avoids specific proposed routes due] to the political challenges that come with siting new transmission lines."

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"The Sunrise Powerlink, a transmission line meant to link San Diego to planned solar thermal plants in California's southeast desert…[remains in legal jeopardy]…[A]nother big transmission project planned for California's Central Valley was canceled…[due to] vocal opposition from environmental groups and landowners.

"California faces in microcosm the challenge facing the country as a whole as it seeks to get more power from [New enmergy]…Going for more distributed power, mostly rooftop solar but also small-scale wind and geothermal power, would reduce the need for long-range transmission…But it would also cost…about $58 billion in total statewide electricity spending by 2020, or an added 18.1 cents per kilowatt-hour in average electricity costs… But then, just sticking to a 20 percent renewable energy goal by 2020 would cost California $50.6 billion (15.8 cents per kilowatt-hour) in new electricity spending…"

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"This week's report [showed] how far along the state's biggest utilities are…Pacific Gas & Electric sold 9.8 gigawatts of renewable power in 2008, and would have to add 21.1 gigawatts by 2020… Southern California Edison sold 12.6 gigawatts in 2008, and needs 20.1 gigawatts more…And San Diego Gas & Electric sold 1 gigawatt of renewables in 2008, which is short 5.9 gigawatts of its projected 2020 goal…All in all, the state's utilities are short a collective 68.9 gigawatts of the projected share of the proposed 33-percent renewable power by 2020 mandate…"


UTILITY IN MONSTER 550 MV SUN BUY
Southern California Edison makes big solar power deal; The utility agrees to buy enough electricity to supply up to 170,000 homes from two solar projects to be built in Riverside and San Bernardino counties by Arizona company First Solar.
Tiffany Hsu, August 19, 2009 (LA Times)

"Southern California Edison will pair with Arizona company First Solar Inc. on two large solar power projects in Riverside and San Bernardino counties that will be able to supply electricity to as many as to 170,000 homes…

"The installations operating at full power can produce up to 550 megawatts of photovoltaic electricity. By comparison, an average natural-gas-fueled power plant produces roughly 1,000 megawatts…First Solar will begin building the 250-megawatt Desert Sunlight facility…in 2012 and the 300-megawatt Stateline project…in 2013. Both installations, to built mostly on public land, are expected to be finished in 2015 and to create hundreds of construction jobs."

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"Financial terms of the deal and the anticipated cost of the electricity weren't disclosed. Edison will buy the power from the facilities, which First Solar plans to sell to investors by the time construction is complete.

"First Solar, which has manufacturing facilities in Ohio, France, Germany and Malaysia, will use thin-film cadmium telluride panels for the projects…[which] will help Edison inch closer to the state goal of deriving 20% of all electricity from renewable sources by 2010. The California Legislature is considering bumping up the state target to 33% by 2020."

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"Last year, 16% of Edison's energy portfolio [was New Energy]… more than 65% of the solar energy produced in the country…In February, the company struck a deal with BrightSource Energy… to build seven solar farms, the first of which could be operating in 2013…With a production capacity of 1,300 megawatts, the project could end up powering nearly 845,000 homes…[I]n June [it signed onto] two projects with German company Solar Millennium for a potential 726 megawatts…[to] start up in 2013 and 2014…But with the prolonged timeline and strict regulations on how to direct the energy to consumers, utilities may miss the state's goal…

"First Solar, meanwhile, is at the forefront of photovoltaic companies…The Edison projects could bring First Solar as much as $1.3 billion in revenue…First Solar already has a 21-megawatt solar farm with power slated for Edison under construction…and a 550-megawatt project with Pacific Gas & Electric Co…The company's revenue has boomed from $1.3 billion in 2008 to an estimated $2.1 billion in 2009…"


FORD EV WILL SMART RECHARGE
Ford shows off recharging technology of future
Brent Snavely, August 18, 2009 (Detroit Free Press)

"As the nation moves toward electric cars and trucks…Ford…[and partners DTE Energy, Southern California Edison and Progress Energy] say widespread adoption of plug-in electric vehicles is unlikely until vehicles can easily communicate with the electric grid — as they can with the new Ford technology.

"Ford and several of its electric utility partners demonstrated a touch screen system that allows consumers to program when, how long and at what rate they wish to recharge their car…"

Current Ford V2G user interface with elaborations. (from CleanMPG – click to enlarge)

"Ford, in contrast to General Motors Co., has approached plug-in vehicles as one of many possible strategies to bring fuel-efficient vehicles to market…GM [recently] announced that its extended range electric Chevrolet Volt, scheduled to go on sale late next year, will be rated for 230 miles per gallon in city driving."

Another view. (click to enlarge)

"Ford acknowledged that…[its] plan is more cautious than that of some automakers, but…[it] seems to be taking a practical approach…Next year, Ford will introduce an all-electric version of its Ford Transit Connect commercial van. That will be followed by an electric Ford Focus compact car in 2011, as well as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and a next-generation hybrid electric vehicle in 2012…

"Questions remain, such as who will install outlets that allow for faster vehicle charging...Utilities must also decide how to price and bill for charging electric cars, as well as developing new utility rate structures and new customer billing systems…[T]he touch-screen [wireless vehicle-to-meter customer directed control of charging] programming technology that Ford developed will help customers manage the connection between the two industries…"


NEW EMISSIONS TRADING REGS
CFTC seeks to boost oversight of carbon trading
Tom Doggett (w/Marguerita Choy and Carol Bishopric), August 17, 2009 (Reuters)

"The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission…proposed increasing federal oversight of the Chicago Climate Exchange's carbon spot contract…[with] new authority provided by Congress that gives the agency more oversight over contracts listed on exempt commercial markets that play an important role in setting the price for a commodity.

"The Chicago Climate Exchange's carbon contract could become the second contract subject to the CFTC's new authority. The agency boosted oversight of the Intercontinental Exchange's natural gas contract last month after it determined that contract played a significant role in price discovery."

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"The CFTC said it was seeking similar authority over the CCX's carbon contract "to promote transparency and guard against fraud, manipulation and other abuses."

"The agency will seek public comment on the carbon contract proposal for 15 days before making a final decision…The exchange's carbon contract is based on the value of 100 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions."

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"CCX is North America's only active voluntary, legally binding trading system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with offsetting projects…[It] has over 350 members, including companies from the automotive, chemical, coal, electronic and financial services sectors.

"…CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler…[said] even more contracts on exempt commercial markets should be subject to agency oversight because they play a big role in setting prices for the underlying commodities…[and] said they could include energy, metal, agricultural and financial contracts."