QUICK NEWS, September 17: WIND EXPELS EXELON; HOW THE EV WILL GROW; THE 7 POINT NEW ENERGY FUTURE

WIND EXPELS EXELON An Argument Over Wind

Matthew l. Wald, September 14, 2012 (NY Times)

“…Last week, the American Wind Energy Association expelled [major energy secotr player] Exelon [which owns some two percent of U.S. wind capacity] as a member because the company opposed a renewal of the [production tax credit]…The association says that if the tax credit expires, some 37,000 jobs will be eliminated next year and that deliveries of new turbines will spiral to zero…

“…Exelon says the tax credit is distorting energy markets because the credit itself is larger than the average value of electricity produced in the Midwest. Surges of wind energy late at night during periods of low electricity demand are driving the market price of electricity below zero, according to independent statistics. [Wind industry advocates say negative pricing is rare and highly localized and simply points up shortcomings in transmission capacity]…[With] the Obama administration favoring an extension…and Mitt Romney opposing it…the credit’s fate may be resolved by the November election…[Wind adovacates argue that the production tax credit does not directly affect market prices. But opponents say that when new generation is added in a way that creates sudden surpluses, the market impact is clear…Either way, low prices are a boon for consumers, the wind industry said.]”

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“…Texas [recently] had a shortage of generating capacity as a result of a market distortion…[because if] wind developers can make money even when prices are negative…it discourages others from building other kinds of power plants…The problem for Texas is that wind generation does not coincide with peak demand…State power planners estimate that for every 100 megawatts of wind machines installed in the state, only about 8 megawatts will be available on peak days.

“The tax credit, which applies to projects that are completed by Dec. 31, is 2.2 cents per kilowatt-hour. [The wind industry noted that companies that burn coal and natural gas get a subsidy too, in that they are allowed to dump pollutants into the air without paying for the damage]…Depending on the tax status of the wind farm developer, the credit can be worth as much as $34 per megawatt-hour…[Exelon] said that in the last two years, the average price of a megawatt-hour at the Northern Illinois Hub , one of the main spots on the grid in eastern North America where electricity is priced, has ranged from $28 to $31…” Tweet

HOW THE EV WILL GROW Electric Vehicle Geographic Forecasts; Plug-in Electric Vehicle Sales Forecasts for North America by Metropolitan Area, State/Province, Region, and Selected Utility Service Territories

3Q 2012 (Pike Research/Navigant)

“Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) are forecast to reach 400,073 annual sales in the United States and 107,146 in Canada by 2020, but the real story of these sales is in the cities and utility service territories where the vehicles will be located…

“…[This Pike Research/Navigant] report breaks down these sales by state and across cities with more than 500,000 residents in the United States, plus forecasts for Canadian provinces and the seven largest cities in Canada…”

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“…[It] forecasts that California, New York, Florida, and Texas will lead the way in PEV sales. By 2020, Hawaii is expected to have the highest penetration rate of PEVs as a percentage of all light duty vehicle sales. Among metropolitan areas, New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco are anticipated to have the largest sales of PEVs through the decade…

“…In Canada, the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia, which account for 75% of the Canadian population, will represent 97% of Canadian PEV sales by 2020. Toronto and Montreal will lead Canadian PEV sales…” Tweet

THE 7 POINT NEW ENERGY FUTURE Claiming the Future: A Seven-Point Action Plan for Repowering America

Ron Pernick, September 4, 2012 (Clean Edge)

“Mitt Romney’s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention…ought to serve as an urgent wake-up call to anyone that cares about America’s energy, environmental, and economic future…[C]lean tech is…the stuff of major multinationals such as GE, Toyota, and Siemens who are investing and making billions of dollars…[and of startups] working to innovate electric vehicles, solar power finance, and plastics recycling; and of young Americans…working to advance clean technologies, address climate change, and build thriving…ventures.”

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“…[R]enewables energy production isn’t a marginal industry; it’s expanding rapidly in importance and penetration…Perhaps this growth is exactly why some entrenched interests – and the politicians they fund – are working so hard to demonize clean tech, spread misinformation, and demoralize its supporters. But…renewables are overwhelmingly supported by citizens of all stripes and affiliations in poll after poll.

“…Our research shows that the world’s industrialized nations could pursue…Large-scale deployment of both centralized and distributed renewables, including solar, wind, and geothermal…The targeted use of current and next-generation natural gas power plants…Aggressive investments in a smart, two-way grid…The cost-effective and low-hanging fruit of energy efficiency…”

“…[T]he majority of U.S. citizens believe that our nation’s future should be firmly planted in advanced energy technologies, not the polluting fossil fuels that powered the last century. For the sake of our nation, let’s hope that whoever is sitting in the White House in January 2013 will support the efforts of Americans across the country in moving forward, not backwards, and in emboldening America’s technology-driven, problem-solving culture. Nothing less than our nation’s economic competitiveness and the health of future generations relies on it…” Tweet