QUICK NEWS, September 26: LOAN GUARANTEES GET STOPPED AND GO ON; OHIO’S FIGHT OVER NEW ENERGY; THE MILITARY IS BUILDING MICROGRIDS

LOAN GUARANTEES GET STOPPED AND GO ON
Energy Department OKs new loan guarantees for green projects; As the Solyndra investigation unfolds, two executives of the bankrupt company invoke their right against self-incrimination before a congressional panel.
Ken Bensinger and Alexa Vaugh,September 24, 2011 (LA Times)

"The Department of Energy granted final approval to three new loan guarantees for green energy projects, even as it faced continued scrutiny over $528 million in government loan assurances to solar panel maker Solyndra, which went bankrupt.

"The new guarantees were announced…after executives of Solyndra invoked their 5th Amendment privilege against self-incrimination before a congressional subcommittee investigating the loan guarantee process."

click to enlarge

"Meanwhile, two other solar companies said they would probably not get funding under the same program, despite earlier promises from the government… SolarCity…was informed…the Department of Energy would not be able to complete its review process by a Sept. 30 deadline…[and] First Solar…[will not be able to] complete its application for a $1.93-billion loan guarantee for a solar farm…

"The loan guarantee program was authorized by Congress in 2009. Unlike a loan, a guarantee is a promise to repay a third party for financing a project should the borrower fail to meet its obligations…Nine projects are still awaiting a green light from the DOE, including two other First Solar efforts. To date, the agency has completed 21 loan guarantees, worth up to $10.1 billion…"


OHIO’S FIGHT OVER NEW ENERGY
New Bill Prompts Concerns About Future Of Ohio's Wind Industry
Laura DiMugno, 22 September 2011 (North American Windpower)

"…Senate Bill 216, proposes to repeal Ohio's alternative energy portfolio standard (AEPS). The current AEPS, enacted in May 2008 under then-Gov. Ted Strickland, contains two separate resource requirements, both of which would be revoked…

"The renewable energy portion of the AEPS requires 12.5% of the state's electricity generation to come from renewables such as wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, biologically derived methane gas, landfill gas, solid waste, fuel cells and certain hydroelectric facilities. This component of the AEPS includes enforceable annual benchmarks, as well as carve-outs for solar energy."

How in the world can they argue New Energy won't have a positive impact on jobs? (click to enlarge)

"The second segment of the program, dubbed “advanced energy resources,” imposes a requirement that another 12.5% of the state’s electricity be obtained from other sources such as nuclear, “clean” coal, energy efficiency and demand response, and does not include specific benchmarks.

"…[Those who want to repeal AEPS say it] drives up the cost of energy for Ohio families and businesses, and denies that the state's renewable energy industry will have a positive impact on jobs in the state…[But] Ohio has 67 MW of wind power currently online, 57 MW of which were added just this year…[and advocates say repealing AEPS] has the potential to be disastrous to Ohio’s nascent wind industry…[Insiders say] S.B.216 has little chance of passing…[but begins] a conversation in the statehouse about Ohio’s energy policy…"


THE MILITARY IS BUILDING MICROGRIDS
Military Microgrids; Aggregation Platforms to Secure Mission-Critical Loads and Achieve Net Zero Energy, Renewable Energy, and Demand Response Goals
3Q 2011 (Pike Research)

"The United States Department of Defense (DOD) is the single largest consumer of petroleum in the world. U.S. military operations are also the largest consumer of all forms of energy globally. Microgrids can shrink the amount of fossil fuels consumed to create electricity by networking generators as a system to maximize efficiency. Yet they are also a vehicle to help integrate renewable energy resources (such as wind and solar) at the local distribution grid level. Simultaneously, microgrids enable military bases – both stationary and tactical – to sustain operations, no matter what is happening on the larger utility grid or in the theater of war."

click to enlarge

"As awareness about the electrical grid’s vulnerability to terrorist attacks has increased in recent times, the U.S. military has become one of the strongest proponents of microgrids. Microgrids offer the ultimate secure power supply for fixed base military operations. Many army, navy, air force, and other related bases and offices already have vintage microgrids in place. What is new is that these facilities are looking to envelop entire bases with microgrids and integrate distributed energy generation on-site. These resources, when capable of safe islanding from the surrounding grid, offer the ultimate security since fuel never runs out with solar or wind resources. [According to a new report from Pike Research, the capacity of military microgrids will grow at a rate of 739% between 2011 and 2017 and the] opportunity to help develop these microgrids has attracted a number of powerful technology companies including Lockheed Martin, GE, Honeywell, Boeing, and Eaton..."