QUICK NEWS, 3-2: TERRA-GEN BREAKS GROUND ON NEW TEHACHAPI WIND; NO CLIMATE BILL FOR SENATE; LA LOOKS AT CARBON CHARGE; NY ADDS NEW ENERGY NET METERING

TERRA-GEN BREAKS GROUND ON NEW TEHACHAPI WIND
Installation of first 150 MW of 1,550 MW wind project begins
Herman K. Trabish, March 1, 2010 (Original reporting from NewEnergyNews)

Terra-Gen Power, LLC, began construction on the first phase of a major new wind installation in the venerable and potent Tehachapi Wind Resource Area in California’s Mojave Desert.

Preparations for the 100 GE 1.5-megawatt turbines began in the Alta-Oak Creek Mojave wind project March 1. The first phase will result in 150 megawatts of emissions-free energy. The entire project, to be built on privately owned land, will see the building of 320 turbines with an 800-megawatt capacity. It will be about 50% of the fulfillment of the power purchase agreement (PPA) between Terra-Gen and California mega-utility Southern California Edison (SCE) in which Terra-Gen contracted to supply SCE with 1550 megawatts of wind power-generated electricity.

Look carefully at this recently snapped photo: There is a rainbow ending in the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area and wind developers are there looking for their pots of gold. (click to enlarge)

SCE will use Windhub, its new Tehachapi substation immediately adjacent to where the project is being installed, to relay the electricity from the Alta-Oak Creek Mojave wind project along newly completed SCE transmission system lines to SCE customers in Los Angeles, about 100 miles to the southwest. The Windhub substation and new lines are part of the Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project (TRTP) SCE has been developing along with a constellation of public and private stakeholders in Kern County’s Tehachapi Valley and adjacent areas since the 2003-to-2006 period, in anticipation of capturing the rich wind and solar resources of the region.

The Alta-Oak Creek Mojave wind project is expected to create a large number of construction jobs as well as 50 permanent jobs. It is likely the construction jobs will lead to further work as Terra-Gen moves toward doubling the current planned capacity of Alta-Oak Creek Mojave on its way to meeting the terms of its PPA with SCE.

SCE's Windhub is just completing (click to enlarge)

The Tehachapi Wind Resource Area has been a major wind power generating region since the early 1980s when a visionary group of California New Energy pioneers began building utility-scale wind projects in the Altamont Pass near San Francisco, the San Gorgonio Pass near Palm Springs and the Tehachapi Mountains.

Tehachapi was identified in 2009’s Phase 1 report from the Western Governors Association (WGA) Western Renewable Energy Zone (WREZ) Initiative as one of the West’s richest and ripest of Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) with minimal economic or environmental obstacles to development. Several other wind projects and wind installation expansions are planned, as well as hundreds of megawatts of solar power plant projects, as the SCE TRTP high capacity transmission lines advance toward their final 4,500 megawatt carrying capacity.


NO CLIMATE BILL FOR SENATE
Poll – Key U.S. senators do not see climate bil in 2010
Tom Doggett and Richard Cowan (w/Chuck Abbott, Christopher Doering, Timothy Gardner, Ayesha Rascoe, Deborah Zabarenko, Jasmin Melvin and Eric Walsh), 25 February 2010 (Reuters)

"The U.S. Senate is unlikely to pass a comprehensive climate change bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions this year…While the Obama administration and a bipartisan core of senators still hope there is life for a climate change bill that would put a price on carbon emissions and help reinvigorate ailing international talks, [12 key Democrat and Republican Senators who could hold the swing votes] interviewed by Reuters this week were much more pessimistic.

"The survey underscores that global warming -- a scientific finding still hotly disputed by many Americans -- could end up being set aside by politicians focusing on issues that hold more appeal to voters ahead of congressional elections in November…[I]t would be a further blow to global negotiators seeking to cobble together a successor to the Kyoto Protocol…It also would put the the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in charge, at least for the time being, of forcing such pollution controls. But even EPA this week notified Congress it would move somewhat more slowly with regulations and only against the big polluters…"

From Reuters. (click to enlarge)

"The sober assessment comes despite the latest effort to forge consensus by a trio of senators across the spectrum -- Democrat John Kerry, Republican Lindsey Graham and independent Joseph Lieberman - and after President Barack Obama offered additional measures to entice Republicans, including federal loan guarantees to help pay for more power plants.

"After months of work, the senators still haven't produced a bill they think can win broad support, although they say one will be unveiled soon. The House of Representatives passed a bill that included a contentious cap-and-trade mechanism last June, surprising many who thought a consensus could not be reached…The Senate's rules that usually require 60 votes to pass controversial legislation such as climate change also present a major hurdle."

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"…[W]hile lawmakers see little hope of the Senate approving a climate change bill this year, they are more optimistic about a stand-alone energy bill that would expand offshore drilling, support building more nuclear power plants and require a portion of U.S. electricity supplies to be generated by renewable energy sources like wind and solar power…A Senate panel already has approved such a bill…

"Lawmakers are responding not only to the political realities, but to their constituents, who are showing diminishing concern about global warming…The proportion of people who believe global warming is probably a hoax more than doubled since 2008 to 16 percent of the American public…Those who are most certain that global warming is happening and caused by humans has fallen to 10 percent from 18 percent…Even long-time supporters of legislation to fight global warming, like Democrat Dianne Feinstein from California, appear to be throwing in the towel for this year."


LA LOOKS AT CARBON CHARGE
Villaraigosa considers a carbon surcharge for DWP customers; The extra revenue would be used to move the utility from coal to wind, solar and geothermal sources of energy. The mayor wants 20% of the agency's power to come from renewables by December.
David Zahniser, February 28, 2010 (LA Times)

"Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is moving ahead with a plan requiring customers of the Department of Water and Power to pay higher bills to help the utility tap more sources of renewable energy.

"While Villaraigosa has been talking publicly about the need for the city to tighten its belt, his advisors have been working behind the scenes to gauge public support for a monthly DWP "carbon surcharge" of $2.50 -- one that would move the utility away from coal and toward wind, solar and geothermal sources of energy."

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"Unless the DWP secures the extra revenue, Villaraigosa will not meet his goal of having 20% of the utility's electricity come from renewable sources by Dec. 31…[The proposed surcharge] could be higher or lower than the $2.50 proposal included in a voter survey commissioned by the mayor…[that] concluded that 64% of respondents would support a $2.50 surcharge…[This could influence] the City Council, which will probably vote on a new DWP surcharge in coming weeks…Villaraigosa promised to end the DWP's reliance on coal by 2020 and ensure that the agency's renewable-energy portfolio reached 40% the same year…Since then, the mayor and council members have spent much of their time on a plan to eliminate a $484-million budget shortfall, which could result in the layoffs of thousands of city employees.

"Councilwoman Jan Perry said it would be "hard to explain" why the city is scaling back on services, including road repairs and libraries, while asking DWP customers to absorb more expensive bills…Villaraigosa aides have already met twice with Perry, who heads the council's Energy and Environment Committee…[emphasizing] the poll…"

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"…[A] city-hired consulting firm released a report on the DWP's existing surcharge, known as the Energy Cost Adjustment Factor…[which] pays not just for the fluctuating cost of renewables, but also other energy sources, such as coal and natural gas…PA Consulting recommended that the City Council immediately increase that surcharge eightfold, then begin the process of restructuring rates so that customers who use less power pay comparatively less.

"One environmental advocacy group favored a "carbon tax" but doubted that the DWP was prepared to pursue Villaraigosa's newest renewable-energy promise…[Polling data showed] that 85% of respondents favored a reduction in electrical rates for those who use energy-saving appliances, while 84% backed tax incentives for companies that invest in clean energy technologies…[O]nly 52% favored a surcharge or fee to cover the cost of converting the DWP from coal to renewable sources…[H]owever, 64% of respondents said they were willing to pay a $2.50 surcharge to move the DWP off of coal…[but a] $2.50 surcharge would get Villaraigosa only part of the way toward his 2020 renewable-energy goal…"


NY ADDS NEW ENERGY NET METERING
Bill would encourage solar, wind power
Dan Heath, February 26, 2010 (Plattsburgh Press Republican)

"A measure to promote expanded use of solar- and wind-powered electricity-generation systems has been approved by both legislative chambers in Albany…[The bill] changes the current net-metering law to remove restrictions that prevented many non-residential customers from taking part.

"Net metering allows those producing and using renewable energy to send excess electricity to their power company for a credit…The bill will be forwarded to Gov. David Paterson’s office for final approval."

Make that 44 states. (click to enlarge)

"The law was amended in 2008 to allow non-residential customers to take part. But the amendment contained peak-load limitations that prevented the larger systems needed by many businesses, schools, municipalities and nonprofit organizations from being eligible. Systems of up to 2,000 kilowatts are now allowed.

"The New York Solar Energy Industries Association issued a statement in support of the legislative action…The change is expected to spur greater investment in solar electrical systems and create more jobs in green technology fields, such as solar and wind power…[because it] allows customers willing to invest in on-site systems as a hedge against future energy prices an opportunity to do so…[and moves the state] toward meeting [its] goals of 2,000 megawatts by 2020 and 5,000 megawatts by 2025…"