News Updates: Another KS coal proposal? the poor PTC, KEC hearing today, MO voters to consider mandatory RES, incentive rate for transmission
September 30, 2008
Given the events of the past couple weeks on Wall St and in Congress… that’s frankly the news I have been following (in horror).
Time to catch up on clean energy news, though. Keep track of the sunshine. Don’t let the rain get you down… etc. I’m sure there’s a country music lyric that suits the situation but can’t think of it at the moment.
Alternative proposal for a new coal plant in Kansas (Clay Center Dispatch). Quotable: “Unless the small town members of the Kansas Power Pool are able to negotiate long-term electric supply contracts with major energy suppliers, the organization would be justified in constructing its own coal or nuclear plant in Kansas, Colin Whitley, KPP general manager told Clay Center Rotarians Thursday noon.”
PTC hanging in limbo (not unlike the current status of the bailout package) (NYTimes). To understand better how the Production Tax Credit is wrapped up with other tax initiatives, you’d best read the whole story. The main point:
“Tax credits for investing in solar energy and producing wind energy will expire at the end of the year unless Congress resolves the impasse, and lawmakers said they saw no immediate prospect of an agreement.
“The deadlock comes at a time when economists and politicians of all stripes are saying the United States must rapidly develop solar, wind and other energy sources as alternatives to oil.”
First Kansas Energy Council public hearing on 2008 policy recs set for today in Wichita (LJWorld). While the bulk of public reaction has been regarding the proposed reduction of the KS speed limit from 70 to 65, there’s a lot more to these recommendations than that. Greenhouse gas reductions, etc… Pay attention. There’s a lot of recs to keep track of.
Editorial – Missouri’s RES/ Clean Energy Initiative sets good goals (KCStar). As many of you know, MO currently has a Renewable Energy Standard (RES) on the ballot for voters to consider in November. It will mandate that investor-owned utilities get 15% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2021.
For transmission junkies – NYState and FERC come to interesting agreement on incentive rate reimbursenment for major transmission line (Windpower Law).
Well – there was a LITTLE bit of sunshine in there. Depending on your view through the window, I expect.
— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org
