QUICK NEWS, 6-17: RHODE ISLAND OPENS UP FOR OCEAN WIND; SOLYNDRA’S CYLINDRICAL PV’S BIGGEST; THE CAR’S FUTURE IS NEARLY HERE; OBAMA’S NEW OIL WATCHDOG

RHODE ISLAND OPENS UP FOR OCEAN WIND
Law sets new standard for approval of wind farm
Alex Kuffner, June 16, 2010 (Providence Journal)

"…Under a new law…[the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission] will have just 45 days to rule on a revised contract being negotiated by [National Grid] the largest electric utility in Rhode Island and [Deepwater Wind] the state’s preferred offshore wind developer.

"…Governor Carcieri signed legislation that establishes an abbreviated process for the PUC to consider the merits of a long-term agreement for National Grid to buy power from the eight-turbine wind farm that Deepwater is planning in state waters off Block Island…[The] $200-million project [is expected to] lead to a utility-scale, 100-turbine wind farm also off Rhode Island and spur the development of a green-manufacturing hub…"

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"…The new law has aroused fervent opposition from a wide variety of critics…[who] have called it a special-interest measure designed to benefit a single private entity…The PUC last March unanimously rejected the original contract proposal between National Grid and Deepwater because it judged the price of 24.4 cents per kilowatt-hour to be not “commercially reasonable…” …Rather than ruling whether the price is broadly commercially reasonable, the PUC must now approve the contract if it is deemed to be “commercially reasonable for a small offshore wind-demonstration project that is limited to eight wind turbines, even if there may be other energy alternatives in the region that could produce electricity at a lower unit cost.”

"The Conservation Law Foundation…hasn’t changed its position on wind energy, but it has pulled its support of Deepwater’s proposal…Rep. Laurence W. Ehrhardt, R-North Kingstown — whose district includes Quonset Point where Deepwater would stage its projects — also initially backed the company’s plans, but was persuaded otherwise by the PUC’s decision against the contract…[R]epresentatives of Common Cause and Operation Clean Government as well as other objectors testified against the bill, but it was easily approved last week by both chambers of the Assembly, with a 25-10 vote in the Senate and a 56-15 vote in the House."

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"The new law caps the price of wind power at 24.4 cents per kilowatt-hour, more than twice the cost of energy from conventional sources. Deepwater, however, expects to be able to decrease some capital costs and reach a lower price. Any cost savings would be passed on to ratepayers…The law also directs the PUC to consider positive effects of the project on economic development and potential environmental benefits, including reducing carbon emissions…

"Paul Rich, Deepwater’s chief development officer, said his company and National Grid started a new round of negotiations…He expects an agreement soon…Under the company’s current timeline, it would still be able to order turbines and other components this year to qualify for a crucial federal investment-tax credit that expires in December…"


SOLYNDRA’S CYLINDRICAL PV’S BIGGEST
LPS Industries Completes Largest Solyndra Installation in the United States; The LPS installation consists of approximately 3,800 Solyndra solar panels.
10 June 2010 (World of Photovoltaics)

"Solyndra, Inc., a manufacturer of innovative cylindrical photovoltaic (PV) systems for commercial rooftops, today announced that LPS Industries, a diversified manufacturer and leader in the flexible packaging industry, has completed the largest Solyndra installation in the United States to date, a 704kW installation in Moonachie, New Jersey.

"The LPS installation consists of approximately 3,800 Solyndra solar panels, producing over 825,000 kWh of electricity and eliminating more than 1,100,000 pounds of CO2 emissions annually – enough energy to remove 93 cars from the road or power more than 100 residential homes per year according to [the U.S. EPA]…"

The LPS installation (click to enlarge)

"Solis Partners designed, engineered and installed the system in combination with a new white ‘cool' roof system. Solis worked with Allied Building Products on procurement, financing, and logistics…

"Solyndra panels are designed to optimize solar electricity production on commercial rooftops. The unique panels employ cylindrical modules which capture sunlight across a 360-degree photovoltaic surface capable of converting direct, diffuse and reflected sunlight from the rooftop into electricity…"

Installing a panel of the Solyndra cylinders (click to enlarge)

"…The Solyndra system is lightweight, non-penetrating and achieves over a 130 mph wind rating as the panels allow wind to blow through them. These factors enable the installation of solar PV on a broader range of rooftops without traditional anchoring or ballast required with flat-plated panels…

"The project was partially financed by the innovative PSE&G Solar Loan program which will be repaid by Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs)."


THE CAR’S FUTURE IS NEARLY HERE
Volt electric car nearly ready, GM says
June 16, 2010 (AP via Toronto Star)

"Engineers at General Motors Co. are planning a big event at the end of June to announce the completion of the Chevrolet Volt rechargeable electric car, the automaker’s electric vehicle chief said…

"When it reaches showrooms in November, the Volt will be able to travel 40 miles on pure-electric power. After that, the small gasoline engine will kick in to generate power for the electric motor. GM says the two engines eliminate the fear that batteries will run down before the car arrives at its destination."

click thru for Plug-In Partners

"…GM is still fixing software that monitors more than 1,000 functions in the Volt’s powertrain. In some cases, the software would detect a problem and activate a dashboard light to warn the driver, while in others it would merely record the problem so it is available for dealer service technicians to check…

"Issues that lingered as recently as April with heating and cooling the passenger cabin have been worked out…Engineers are now testing the vehicle on steep grades in the Arizona heat, and they plan to put thousands more miles on test cars in July, August and September…After that, the decision will be made on when to start production at a Detroit-area plant, which is likely in early fall…"

click thru to track the coming choices in plug-in vehicles

"…[The Volt] will meet expectations for [the 40-mile] range of travel solely on electric power…Shortly after the Volt goes on sale, Nissan Motor Co. will roll out its Leaf all-electric car, which the company says will get up to 100 miles on a single charge. The Leaf has no backup engine on board and must be recharged after its batteries are depleted before it can travel again. But it also uses no gasoline.

"The four-door hatchback Leaf will have a base price of $32,780, but it’s eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit, making it closer to $25,000. The Volt is expected to cost around $35,000, or $27,500 with the tax credit, although pricing has not been announced."


OBAMA’S NEW OIL WATCHDOG
President Obama taps Michael Bromwich as watchdog for offshore oil drilling
Juliet Eilperin, June 16, 2010 (Washington Post)

"The man appointed…by President Obama to oversee offshore oil drilling has no experience with oil and gas issues, but he has a reputation for cleaning up embattled organizations.

"Michael Bromwich will need those skills as the new director of the Minerals Management Service, an agency that has come under fire in recent years for failing to adequately monitor offshore oil and gas development."

Stewardship? Maybe when they expand it to cover ocean energy. (click to enlarge)

"The agency, part of the Interior Department, has been the subject of two scathing inspector general's reports in the past two years, documenting how MMS officials have improperly accepted gifts from officials they regulate and have even engaged in illegal drug use and sexual activities with them.

"Bromwich's résumé boasts a long list of watchdog positions…[He was brought in at] Delaware's Department of Corrections…[and with] Bromwich's help…an agreement [was] reached in 2007…Bromwich also served for five years as an inspector general for the Justice Department under President Bill Clinton…[and he was] an associate counsel in the Iran-contra investigation in the late 1980s…"

This is what happens when the watchdog doesn't watch. (click to enlarge)

"The April 20 Deepwater Horizon explosion has only intensified scrutiny of MMS. On May 27 its director, Elizabeth Birnbaum, stepped down after less than a year on the job, under pressure from Interior Secretary Ken Salazar."

[President Obama:] "[Bromwich's assignment] is to build an organization that acts as the oil industry's watchdog -- not its partner."