The Shape of Energy Subsidies in the U.S.

October 10, 2008

We get this question a lot - what energy sources receive what government subsidies? Then it turned out that Nancy just received this nifty little graph. Source: General Accounting Office (GAO).

Tah dah.

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org

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Couldn’t make the KS Wind/ Renewables Conference this week? The KS media has you covered.

September 26, 2008

Here’s a start on the excellent coverage of this week’s ninth annual KCC-sponsored Wind and Renewable Energy Conference. I’m not going to get it all posted this morning, but hopefully soon.

Kansas aims to cash in on wind power (Salina Journal/ Harris News)

NASA scientist warns Kansans about CO2 emissions (Dodge Globe)

Global warming reaches emergency status (Salina Journal)

Some of the coverage also got wrapped up with the fact that KS had NASA scientist and climatologist James Hansen in town the day after the KS Chamber of Commerce heard from global warming skeptic and scientist Roy V. Spencer.

There were definitely varying takes on the contrast between the two speakers. This contrast is also not unconnected to the Kansas coal controversy.

NASA scientist urges action on global warming; His speech at clear odds with sentiment of researcher who says CO2 not to blame (Hutch/ Harris News)

Energy summit sparks debate, Coal plants may be back on table for legislature (TCJournal)

Speaker: CO2 not to blame for global warming (Hutch/ Harris News)

Editorial - Renewable Energy Must be Embraced (TCJournal)

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org

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NASA Climatologist Dr. James Hansen to speak at Washburn Law on Monday Sept 22

September 18, 2008

Notice from the Washburn Environmental Law Society - they will host a lecture by Dr. James Hansen at noon on Monday, September 22, 2008. Dr. Hansen will be speaking in room 102, with additional seating and video feed in room 100, at Washburn Law School in Topeka, KS.

Dr. Hansen will of course be in town to speak at the KCC’s 9th Annual Wind and Renewable Energy Conference September 23 and 24 at the Topeka Ramada Inn.

Very excited to see so many friends at that event! Right around the corner.

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org

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Trash Talk: Making energy from garbage

September 18, 2008

Reprinted in full from the KCStar -

Canadian company discusses method to transform garbage into energy
By DAVID KLEPPER

TOPEKA | A Canadian company has a novel idea for generating energy from landfill trash, and some Kansas lawmakers say it could be part of the next generation of energy sources.

Representatives of Calgary-based AlterNRG met with Kansas officials Monday to discuss the company’s plasma gasification technology, which uses a process developed for NASA to superheat landfill garbage and convert it into a highly energized gas, which can then be used to produce electricity.

There’s no plan now to implement the technology in Kansas, but four Kansas lawmakers who met with AlterNRG say it’s the kind of innovation that Kansas — and the nation — must look at to supply energy for the future.

Officials from the company met with the lawmakers and Rod Bremby, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, as well as executives from Kansas City Power & Light and Deffenbaugh Recycling and Waste Management Services.

The meeting “really could be the start of something great for our state,” said state Rep. Ronnie Metsker, an Overland Park Republican who was at the meeting.

Whether or not plasma gasification ever comes to Kansas remains to be seen. But the lawmakers said their constituents demand that they start looking at all options.

“There is a definite interest out there in talking about these issues and finding solutions,” said state Rep. Kay Wolf, a Prairie Village Republican. Rep. Terrie Huntington, a Fairway Republican and Sen. David Wysong, a Mission Hills Republican, also helped organize the meeting.

The process involves plasma torches capable of producing temperatures of 5,400 degrees.

It was initially developed by Westinghouse to help NASA test spacecraft at the intense heat of atmosphere re-entry, said Alex Damnjanovic, an AlterNRG vice president.

Plasma gasification can be applied to almost any waste now put in landfills, and it produces fewer carbon emissions than standard power plants that burn coal or natural gas.

The facilities probably would be built on site at a landfill, running on either new waste hauled to the dump or perhaps waste mined from the landfill.

Two commercial plants using the process are operational in Japan.

AlterNRG hopes to open its first U.S. plant in Massachusetts.

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Check it out - UNL poll shows that rural Nebraska strongly supports renewable energy

July 11, 2008

CEP: Talk about a great economic development tool for showing renewable manufacturers and businesses that rural NE is open for their business.

Reprinted in full from cattlenetwork.com. CEP added the emphases in bold.

LINCOLN, Neb. — Rural Nebraskans overwhelmingly support aggressive pursuit of renewable forms of energy to resolve the energy crisis, according to the Nebraska Rural Poll. Yet Nebraska is one of 18 states with no standards to require such development.

A majority of respondents to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln poll also reported they believe Americans should reduce their energy consumption, with many saying they already have taken steps to do so.

Rural Nebraskans’ embrace of renewable forms of energy and lifestyle changes may be all the more telling, poll organizers note, since the survey was taken from March, when gas prices averaged about $3.20 per gallon, through May, when they were at $3.75. Now they’re at about $4.

Surveys were mailed to about 6,200 randomly selected households in Nebraska’s 84 rural counties. Results are based on 2,496 responses.

Members of the UNL team that conducts the poll, now in its 13th year, were struck by rural Nebraskans’ strong support for renewable forms of energy – and how out of touch state policy seems to be with that sentiment.

Ninety-one percent agreed or strongly agreed that more should be done to develop such alternative energy sources as ethanol, biodiesel, wind and solar.

“Rural Nebraskans think we ought to be trying everything. We ought to be blending everything together to come up with a reasonable package” to address energy needs, said Randy Cantrell, a rural sociologist with the university’s Rural Initiative and Center for Applied Rural Innovation.

Twenty-eight states have a renewable portfolio standard, which requires electricity providers to obtain a minimum percentage of their power from renewable energy resources by a certain date. Four others have goals in place. Nebraska has neither.

“Nebraska’s own Senator George Norris, who championed the Rural Electrification Act more than 80 years ago, would roll over in his grave at this, because we are not adapting,” said agricultural economist Bruce Johnson.

“It’s a total incongruity,” he added. “Here’s over 90 percent of rural Nebraskans saying we really need to move toward renewable energy and it’s a safe bet that metro-Nebraskans feel the same way. But where are the elected leaders of the state who have hardly begun to move on this?”

One example of obvious, but so far unrealized, growth potential in alternative energy is wind.

“Given that Nebraska is ranked sixth nationally in wind-power potential, this state should be front and center on wind energy development, not just on ethanol production which has sort of fallen into Nebraska’s lap,” Johnson said.

Support for specific forms of alternative energy was strong, as respondents were asked to predict the importance of energy sources for the next generation. Eighty-nine percent said they expected both wind and solar to be important forms of energy. Other energy sources and percentages of those that said they’d be important, included: ethanol from corn, 79 percent; ethanol from other sources, 81 percent; nuclear power, 74 percent; and hydrogen, 66 percent. Even methane – 80 million metric tons of which is produced by livestock each year – is expected to be an important energy source in the future by 55 percent of respondents.

Eighty-seven percent of respondents said they expect oil to continue to be an important source.

Elsewhere in the poll, 77 percent of respondents agreed that Americans need to change their lifestyles to reduce energy consumption; only 10 percent disagreed.

“That’s a huge statement,” Johnson said, especially since it may be more difficult in rural America than elsewhere to make certain lifestyle changes.

As of March, when the poll was taken, poll respondents indicated they already had made some changes in the following ways: cut down luxury household spending, 94 percent; reduce heat or air conditioning use in home, 91 percent; cut amount of driving, 91 percent; attempt to use household appliances more efficiently, 89 percent; cut necessary household spending, 88 percent; acquire more goods and services locally, 80 percent; and shorten or postpone vacation plans, 75 percent.

One finding in the survey might offer a bright spot to some communities, Johnson said. “We may see some revival of rural main streets,” as rural Nebraskans look to buy goods and services closer to home.

Despite the hunger for new energy sources, rural Nebraskans indicated there are some limits. Fifty-seven percent agreed or strongly agreed that the environment should be protected even if that limits energy supplies.

“They’re saying, ‘as important as energy is, we shouldn’t sacrifice the environment,’” Johnson said.

Overall, Johnson said, the poll’s findings may reflect the emergence of a “whole new social movement.” Put another way by Cantrell, energy conservation and development of alternative energy sources, once stereotyped by some as a fringe cause, is becoming a “mom and apple pie issue.”

The development also reflects “the tendency of human beings to wait until there is a crisis” to act, Cantrell added.

The Rural Poll is the largest annual poll of rural Nebraskans’ perceptions on quality of life and policy issues. This year’s response rate was about 40 percent. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percent. Complete results are available online at Nebraska Rural Poll.

The university’s Center for Applied Rural Innovation conducts the poll in cooperation with the Rural Initiative with funding from the Partnership for Rural Nebraska and UNL Extension and the Agricultural Research Division in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

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Research and Resources: Briefing on DOE’s 2007 report on wind power

July 10, 2008

Sat in on an interesting conference call yesterday morning. High points follow below. Topic was DOE/ EERE’s annual report on US wind power for 2007.

Some of the wind/electricity jargon below might be outside the experience of some of our blog readers - sorry! any questions, just email me or leave a comment and I will clarify.

(For .pdf of the report, click here. Page 2 presents list of major findings and statistics.)

The report’s authors were from Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, NREL presented the conference call, and the ppt will be posted on www.windpoweringamerica.gov. Data came from AWEA, EIA, and FERC.

Note: The report was limited to large (utility scale) wind. Large was defined as 50 kW turbines and up. Small, distributed wind was not included.

Major findings:

Wind is becoming a major player in the electricity industry. US wind capacity increased 46% in 2007 (compared to 19% in 2006, 12% in 2005), with 5,329 MW added (ahead of 1400 MW of new coal, behind 7,500 MW of new natural gas) and $9 billion invested.

TX was the leading state in capacity growth. The US leads the world in annual capacity growth. Wind contributed 35% of all new US electric generating nameplate capacity in 2007. From 1998-2007, the cumulative average wholesale price of wind was competitive with conventional power.

2008 is shaping up to be a record-breaking year, with 225 GW of wind in interconnection queues (not that all of it will get built). However, 2009 may be a year of retrenchment, given the instability of the Production Tax Credit - back to the boom and bust cycle.

Community wind appears to be losing steam.

Other findings:

GE is dominant wind turbine manufacturer but other manufacturers are challenging its market share.

The huge demand for wind turbines is inspiring the US wind turbine manufacturing industry. These factories are springing up around Kansas, but not in it.

Some states are achieving quite high wind penetration (20% is considered to be about the limit for the existing grid - this is energy capacity, not nameplate capacity) - MN 7.5%, IA 7.5%, CO 6.1%. KS is at 2.3% of actual grid penetration (or 12th on the list). Some individual utilities are achieving even higher penetration - Xcel Energy 9.3%, for example.

Average size of turbines is growing, average size of facility is growing (avg. 120 MW), IOU market share is growing, via wind European utilities are becoming, major players in the US utility market, opportunities and models for sale of wind power are growing,.

Price pressure continued to increase for wind power as for conventional power - weak dollar, rising materials and turbine costs, and component shortages (12-24 month waits for turbines blades) responsible in part. There is a fair amount of regional variability.

However, at the same time, capacity factors are rising for newer installations (especially in TX and Heartland regions), and this helps balance the costs. Wind remained competitive in wholesale markets. Wind prices are driven by project performance and capital costs.

Wind performance is improving over time. (They don’t know why - possibly better siting, possibly better turbines, possibly higher hub heights at levels of higher quality winds, they don’t know, it needs further study, they’d love to know). In the best wind resource areas, 25.9% of farms built between 2004-2007 are running over 40%.

O&M costs are also dropping at newer facilities. Wind integration costs are “well below $10/ MWh - and typically below $5/ MWh - for wind capacity penetration of as much as 30% of the peak load of the system in which the wind power is delivered.” NREL is also carrying on a major wind and solar integration study.

Lack of adequate transmission remains major barrier for wind development. Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) are a good strategy to get around this. So are state level transmission authorities.

Policy matters to wind development. Federal: Production Tax Credit (PTC), Clean and Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs), and USDA rural development funds (9006).

State wind policies: An RPS is critical. In 2007, more than 75% of wind capacity was built in states with RPSs. Green pricing programs also important, as are state renewable energy funds and state tax incentives. Carbon reduction policies also important.

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org

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Do YOU Qualify? New energy grant could help jump start rural Kansas in renewable energy and energy efficiency

July 8, 2008

As the Governor’s office announced last week, the Kansas Energy Office of the KCC has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the National Governors Association as part of the Clean Energy States Grant Program. From the press release:

“Kansas is a leader in helping America secure a clean energy future,” said Governor Kathleen Sebelius, Co-Chair of the NGA Center’s Securing a Clean Energy Future Initiative. “From our rapidly expanding wind energy industry, to our new efficiency partnerships with utilities, to our first-in-the-nation ethanol plant, the fuel for the future is right here in the Heartland.”

As Ray Hammarlund, director of energy programs at the KCC, explained to CEP, the grant money will be used to help rural Kansas entities apply for existing federal funds to implement renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. The focus will be applying for CREBS and 9006 grants.

CREBs stands for Clean and Renewable Energy Bonds - basically interest-free loans for financing qualified energy projects. They are funded by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, through the federal Production Tax Credit for wind and solar. Rural electric cooperatives, municipal electric utilities, and government entities (including tribal councils) are eligible. (If the PTC is not renewed these funds are in jeopardy.)

9006 rural development funds come through the Farm Bill. They provide grants and loans to agricultural producers and rural small business for assistance with renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements. Rural areas with populations of 50,000 or less (and that’s most of KS, except for about six or seven counties, right?) are eligible.

The one-time funds are a first step in Hammarlund’s larger plan - to make such applications a long-term part of the Kansas Energy Office.

“These are established federal funds,” he says. “Kansas is not claiming its share. We can’t let that happen.”

Other neighboring states have filed far more applications, and reaped much larger awards per grant.

“Last year Kansas filed 12 applications for a total of $232,000,” Hammarlund says. “Nebraska filed 102 applications for $12 million. Iowa filed 55 applications and was awarded $17 million. Kansas absolutely needs to get in on these programs.”

Part of the grant funds will go to hiring a person to be a go-between Kansas applicants and the federal funding entities. The job will also include analyzing other states’ successful applications, and strategizing how the grant and loan funds can be tailored to Kansas’s own energy situation. Hammarlund is already interviewing candidates for the job.

“Our office has so many great partners who are helping this program off the ground - Department of Commerce, Small Business, K-State Research and Extension - there’s so many,” Hammarlund said. “The key will be getting this expertise centralized, with one person dedicated to tracking it and then helping Kansas applicants take advantage of the fantastic resources that this state already has in terms of energy.”

What does a successful application look like? While Hammarlund wants to wait on some of the analysis before he fully answers this question, he does have a pretty good idea already. Community wind projects are a definite possibility. Solar projects might be right for some communities. Energy efficiency is also important.

“Energy efficiency - saving energy - is always low-hanging fruit,” Hammarlund said. “Some of the smaller areas don’t have as many resources to make these programs happen. Getting grants or loans could really jump start their programs.”

Interested in knowing more, or being one of the communities that applies for these grants? Call the KCC at 785-271-3100 and ask for Ray Hammarlund.

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org

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Walk the Talk: What will it take to go green?

June 27, 2008

According to a new survey of public opinion, Americans are shifting their thinking on green living (info located by CEP’s Christina!) (RBC Capital). Some would argue the shift is slight. Some would say it is significant.

Some of the major findings: Americans are less likely to object to nearby renewable energy installations, such as wind power, and 4 in 10 are considering moving closer to their place of work to cut down on driving.

Also very interesting - six out of 10 said they believed that their personal activities have a meaningful impact on global warming, yet 20 percent admitted they are not taking any steps to reduce their own carbon footprint.

More interesting findings (reprinted from the article):

Six out of 10 say they would rather pay more for cleaner fuels, but an almost equal number of Americans (58 per cent) say it is more important to keep the green in their wallets than to participate in green initiatives.

76 percent said they are driving less, 19 per cent are using or plan to take public transportation more often and 11 percent have made or are considering carpool arrangements.

82 percent of respondents said they will consider buying a hybrid when they purchase their next vehicle.

Americans with incomes of more than $100,000 are also feeling the energy pinch, with 48 per cent saying they are dining out less often and 21 per cent saving less for retirement.

When asked how their summer vacation plans have been altered, half of those surveyed said they are either staying locally or are not vacationing at all.

Almost two-thirds of Americans said they would support a ”holiday,” or repeal, of the federal gas tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Of this group, none said they would drive less, and nearly 20 per cent said they would actually drive more because they could afford to.

Only 16 per cent of Americans said that they would oppose the construction of any type of energy plant or facility in their hometown, down from 23 per cent in 2007.

Seventy-one per cent of Americans said they would support an alternative-energy system in their hometown, including a wind or solar facility, up from 58 per cent last year.

Although a majority of Americans attribute the rapid rise in gas prices to a lack of oil refining capacity in the U.S., eight out of 10 said they oppose the construction of an oil refinery in their hometown.

When asked if the U.S. will ”find a solution to its energy problems in your lifetime,” 66 per cent of survey respondents said no, up from 42 per cent last year. Eight out of 10 Americans polled said they will consider a candidate’s stand on energy issues in this year’s presidential election, an increase from about five out of 10 in 2004.

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org

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News Updates: Climate change and agriculture, wind and economic development in Kansas

June 4, 2008

Climate change is already hurting crops across the globe. Lower yields, more pests, faster-growing weeds. (As a gardener that’s my nightmare; I can only imagine what farmers think.)

USATODAY picked up on the recent USDA report about the damaging impact of climate change on agriculture. Quotable:

Historically, the damage to food supplies by bad weather has been regarded as fleeting: catastrophic in the short term but ultimately remitting. Droughts ease, floodwaters recede, and farmers replant their crops.

But as a new government report indicates, such views are increasingly narrow and outdated, in that they fail to acknowledge the creeping reach of global climate change…

… Some agricultural changes are already observable. In the central Great Plains, in states known for their grassy prairies and sprawling row crops, there are new neighbors: trees and large shrubs, often clustering in islands in the middle of fields…

Human practices () have abetted the turnover, but climate change, scientists say, has been a primary driver, as invasive species reproduce more quickly and expand into areas once deemed too cold for their survival. In turn, high-quality pastureland, once ideal for livestock grazing, has become poor-quality brush, and farmland faces competitors for space.

Wind turbine manufacturer coming to KS? We sure hope so. Governor Sebelius gave the opening address at the giant AWEA conference going on right now in Houston. She went out of her way to emphasize that Kansas was open for wind business. Quotable:

A recent poll by the Land Institute showed that three out of four Kansans want the state to increase its commitment to wind-powered energy. The mood of the heartland is changing and Kansans want a comprehensive energy strategy which includes maximizing our wind resources…

… This is a case where consumers are well ahead of Congress as the demand for cleaner energy alternatives is growing across the country. Moving toward renewable energy provides great opportunities for more good-paying jobs, while helping to address global warming concerns.

That’s why today, Kansans want comprehensive energy reform – and they want it to include a strong commitment to harness the resource that we have in the blowing wind. Kansans are ready to play their part in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.

As Governor, it’s important to me to ensure that my state has a stable and reliable source of electricity that fosters strong economic growth. But it’s equally important to me to protect our environment for future generations.

However, did the KS legislature’s recent and very close decision not to extend the tax break for a wind turbine manufacturer put this economic development in peril? Good question. One legislature who supported the legislation hopes that there is still a good chance (TCJournal). Quotable from Sen. Laura Kelly:

“It (the tax break) expires in 2009. I would hope they (the company) would have confidence in us to work hard to get it in the next session. That would be my fantasy.”

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org

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Wind meeting coming up in Scott City

June 3, 2008

According to the editor of the Scott City Record (via Dan Nagengast of the KRC), there will be a community wind meeting in Scott County, KS, on June 10.

The program will be held at the Wm. Carpenter 4-H Bldg. in Scott City, on north US83 Hwy., at the Scott County Fairgrounds. As you get to the north end of Scott City, turn east at the golf course (Fairground Road) and you can’t miss it.

We are charging $10 per person, which includes a light lunch. This will also include the cost of printed handouts.

RSVP to editor@screcord.com no later than Mon., June 9.

According to Dan, speakers will include Allen Simmons from Westar  on negotiating Power Purchase Agreements,  John Cyr on financing wind projects, Mike Irvin from Farm Bureau Legal Foundation on leasing, and Dan himself on wind projects and policies more generally.

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org

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Legislative Updates: Wind gets dissed at sine die

May 30, 2008

Governor Sebelius was less than pleased that Republican leadership blocked an attempt at sine die to rescue some of the economic development initiatives that they had bundled in with the third coal bill, which she vetoed as she did the first two (TCJournal).

One of those initiatives was the extension of tax credits for a wind turbine manufacturer considering coming to Kansas. The project could bring 950 permanent jobs to the state, as well as support ongoing wind development.

The vote was 49-47 against. 63 votes are needed for passage. 96 legislators were present at sine die, an unusually high number. (There seems to be a delay in the posting of the House Journal today, so CEP can’t yet post the official recorded vote.) Quotable:

But following Thursday’s vote, Neufeld said that bringing up new measures in the sine die session is out of line with normal procedure. “The majority of folks came here saying we weren’t going to do business, and they didn’t want to do business,” he said.

Sen. Laura Kelly, D-Topeka, criticized that logic, saying legislators “don’t normally take hostage an economic development bill, either.”

“This was a unique situation where lots of games got played during the session,” Kelly said. “And (today) was an opportunity to move forward on an important economic development.”

There also seems to be a glitch in the Governor’s website where her comments are posted, so CEP cannot link to them directly - but luckily WIBW has posted some of them as well. Most notably, Sebelius pointed out that the Kansas Chamber of Commerce (a vocal supporter of the coal bills) did not back these other economic development initiatives. Quotable:

“It is also unfortunate that the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who was part of the coalition to promote the coal legislation, was not insistent that these measures be considered on their own merit before the legislature adjourned. Despite knowing that two previous vetoes had been sustained, the Chamber agreed to a strategy to include key economic development legislation in a package with the coal bill, which they knew was likely to be vetoed. Even though there was an opportunity to pass the stand- alone legislation today, neither the Chamber, Republican leaders or legislators worked for a successful outcome.

“It is unfortunate that Kansas business owners, their employees and the state’s economy will be the victims of this legislative decision made on the final day of the 2008 legislative session.”

As of yet, there is no response posted on the Chamber’s website. WIBW also posted Speaker Neufeld’s response:

“Despite what some have said, Kansas lawmakers worked hard this session and passed dozens of good laws. For anyone to say this session was all about coal and nothing else refuses to look at the entire work of the Kansas Legislature….

“An overwhelming majority of Representatives and Senators serving all 105 Kansas counties voted in support of comprehensive energy legislation this session, but the Governor refused to listen and vetoed our efforts to return regulatory certainty to Kansas and guarantee reliable and affordable electricity for all Kansans… And while we were unable to come to an agreement on immigration reform, we had serious debate about how our state should address this very important issue.”

“I expect both of these issues to be back in front of the Legislature next year.”

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org

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Research and Resources: Updated wind map for Kansas!!!! (at 70 meters, and the findings are preliminary)

May 30, 2008

How cool is this? Kansas might be even windier than we thought. Or at least, now we can see the wind patterns at much, much higher resolution.

Via the Kansas Energy Office, here are the preliminary findings for Kansas for 70 meters. The previous wind map was developed from readings taken at 50 meters. 70 meters is around 230 feet. The sweep of an industrial wind turbine blade is usually between 70-100 m, depending on the size of the turbines (which usually range from 1.5 to 3 megawatts).

According to Jim Ploger of the Kansas Energy Office, last year NREL offered to fund this study for Kansas and Oklahoma. Other states already had this data. Previously, Kansas only had a wind map based on 50 meter readings.

The firm True Wind processed the data from a mixture of site readings and extrapolations. NREL is verifying the results. The final map should be released near the end of the summer, and it will include 50 m, 70 m, and 100 m readings. NREL allowed the early release of the preliminary version so that the Energy Office could take the most up to date data down to the giant AWEA wind conference in Houston next week.

The .jpg conversion below is not fantastic…. sorry… here is a .pdf version for you as well. However, just with color codes, the following isn’t hard to interpret: greens are areas of lower wind resources (12-15 mph), pink is 15.7-16.8 mph, purple is 16.8-17.9, yellow is 17.0-19.0, and orange is 19.0-20.1.

(If you look closely at the pdf version, you can also see the transmission lines).

better jpg of wind

Pretty, huh? Now - what value does this map actually have? I called up one of my favorite wind developers to ask questions (but forgot to ask him if I could quote his name directly. Since I didn’t get permission I can’t.)

His main answer - this map gives wind development in Kansas a much more accurate starting point. A map like this can definitely increase competition for wind resources in Kansas.

Also, this high resolution of data helps wind on other levels, too - from the everyday folks who want to put up turbines in the backyard, to small towns looking to offset their fuel costs through installing community wind.

What does the “mean average” tell us? It tells us the windiest possible sites. The windiest sites are the best, because the more the wind blows the cheaper your power is to produce.

However, wind is extremely complex. There’s a lot of data that these maps can’t tell us. Wind developers, for example, study the wind at sites for a long time.

Some of the things they also need to know about are wind shear and turbulence. Wind shear is the degree of shift, or increase in wind speeds between certain heights, like 70m to 100m. Turbulence is a pattern of extreme variability. Choppy, high winds can wreak havoc on the equipment.

Interestingly, the high value wind resources are definitely concentrated in the western half of the state, with a nice scattering through the central portion. The Flint Hills do have nice resources, but other areas in the state have even better.

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org

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News Updates: carbon regulation hits the Senate, grow your own, wind energy in KS, carbon dioxide and oil refineries

May 28, 2008

Warner-Lieberman is coming up for debate in the Senate. If you know what W-L is, you read that and probably went either “yay!” “gulp!” “not this year, my pretty” or “hmm.”

And if you don’t know what it is please allow me to explain - Warner-Lieberman is a piece of climate legislation (that link goes to Reuters/ NYTimes) that promotes a cap-and-trade system of carbon regulation (the last link explains how cap and trade basically works).

Actually, at the Kansas Energy Council’s last Greenhouse Gas Policy Committee meeting, I enjoyed this presentation from Kansas Energy Office staff - an overview of what is in Warner-Lieberman.

Grow more of our own. Growing more foods locally is a good way for a region to cut down on its carbon footprint. It might not be a great option for large parts of Arizona, say. But in certain parts of Kansas, we can definitely make this happen.

In fact, we once did. Wamego was once known as the Sweet Potato Capital of the world. My area of the state, Jefferson County, was famous for its apples and hard cider (before Prohibition).

K-State researcher Rhonda Janke says this success could return (KHI News Service). This isn’t just a nostalgic farm story of better days, though. Kansans could also make money. Quotable:

According to her research, people in the 10-county region in 2006 spent more than $260 million on fruit and vegetables but only 8 percent of that was for locally grown produce. A reasonable goal, she said, would be to double that output, expanding the current 2,114 acres in the region dedicated to fruits and vegetables to 3,794. That would still be less than the 4,222 acres of produce farming done in the valley in 1950 and far below the 33,104 acres in 1910, that Janke believes was probably the peak.

Wind Energy Technology program expands. Cloud County Community College (CCCC) (that acronym could be like 4-H, but it’s not) just got $155,000 from the Department of Commerce for its wind technician curriculum.

CCCC has only one of five such programs nationwide. Kansas alone will need 625 new technicians over the next few years as its wind farms currently under construction come online.

More Kansans putting up wind turbines at homes and farms. This story is from Emporia. Hard to pay them off in a timely fashion, though, without net metering.

Any oil refining geeks out there? There have to be… Up north in the Sioux City Journal (you know, the folks that got the Hyperion oil refinery, regardless of what your thoughts are on the timing of that decision), a reporter asks whether the proposed project really is all that green.

The issue is much the same as we just confronted in Kansas over Sunflower’s proposed coal plants - yes, the refinery will have much upgraded technology compared to other older refineries. However, the scale of the refinery is huge and it will still emit 17 million tons of carbon dioxide per year, and there is no way yet to sequester or capture those emissions. (Either way, fascinating article.)

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org

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Research and Resources: Wind power in KS, wind webinar, guide to PPAs, businesses adapting to climate change

April 25, 2008

More wind forums coming soon in Kansas. Dan Nagengast of the Kansas Rural Center has to take a bit of a break on holding community wind forums - it’s planting season right now, and that takes precedence - but he has several others in the planning stages.

Stay tuned for dates and locations.

Conference calls on wind power. The National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL) and DOE/EERE’s Windpowering America are sponsoring a series of webcast/ conference calls on wind power, targeted at the ag community. The next is Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 11:00am, with time for Q&A.

The topic, “Wind Farming,” will be presented by David Kolsrud, who has helped to develop, organize and fund over 20 renewable energy projects – primarily ethanol, biodiesel and wind projects. He will talk the steps in getting wind farming projects underway.

If you want the info on how to connect to the call, just email Maril at “hazlett at climateandenergy dot org” EDIT: Or, I found the info online as well - click here. You can easily attend this webinar from a computer at home - as long as you have access to both a phone and an internet connection at the same time (dial-up users with one line, this might be tough for you). If you are in search of a better connection, ask your local librarian.

How to negotiate power purchase agreements (PPAs). Windustry has added a new tool to its Community Wind Toolbox - tips on negotiating PPAs. A PPA is a contract where energy providers enter into long-term agreements with energy purchasers. Getting a PPA signed is a crucial part of getting a wind farm developed.

How businesses can adapt to climate change. Is your business possibly at risk from climate change? If so, is that risk short or long-term? How can you adapt?

As a recent report by the Pew Center observes, not all business sectors are at the same level of risk. Their conclusions:

The report finds that susceptibility to the physical effects of climate change varies considerably across sectors of the economy. For example, higher demand for air conditioning during prolonged heat waves could stress and possibly overwhelm the electricity grid. Longer and more intense rains could restrict access to construction sites and slow productivity in the buildings sector. And the agriculture industry is at risk of extreme drought that could render previously arable land unusable. While some sectors are more at risk than others, all businesses face the possibility of property damage, business interruption, and changes or delays in services provided by electric and water utilities and transport infrastructure.

The Pew report is based on three different case studies of large corporations trying to adjust to environmental concerns.

Another - slightly scarier - scenario-based report was also released last year by Global Business Network and the EPA. It’s aimed at corporate business management, but right up front the report offers concrete strategies that businesses and entrepreneurs of any kind would also find helpful.

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org

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CEP Wind Week: Wind power and concerns about human health

April 18, 2008

NOTE: Wind Week will have to extend into next week! We just had too much material - in particular, on the environmental impacts of wind power. So stay tuned.

*********************

This past week, a few folks have mentioned Karen Dillon’s recent article in the KCStar, where she looked into possible effects of wind turbines on human health.

Since people seemed to want to know more, CEP did a bit of additional research. Before diving in to our findings, though, we’d just to state our position right up front:

CEP supports the responsible and sustainable development of renewable energy, including wind power. However, we do not think wind turbines should simply go anywhere on the landscape. Clearly, there are places where wind power is not appropriate, and scale should also be carefully considered.

We also recognize that all technologies have benefits and burdens that must be considered. During their life cycle, all technologies have environmental impacts – on air, soil, and water quality, as well as on human health and wildlife. As beneficiaries of technology, it is our obligation to mitigate and/or eliminate these impacts as much as possible.

So, that said. CEP then took a look at the issues on wind power’s impact on human health and wildlife. Some of the most reliable information on this question comes from a recent report by the National Research Council of the National Academies, “Environmental Impacts of Wind Energy Projects.” (You can read it online, but it costs $$ to download.)

HUMAN HEALTH

Major point: So far there is “relatively little dispassionate analysis of the human impacts of wind-energy projects. Much that has been written has been from the vantage points of either proponents or opponents.”

Translated, there’s just not a lot of scientifically objective evidence out there yet, either way. Instead, you have two pretty polarized camps. One side says that the noise from turbines is awful and that shadow flicker will drive you nuts. Etc. The other side more or less says, nope.

Let’s try and stand in the middle for a second.

Read the rest of this entry »

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CEP Wind Week: Potential of Wind Energy

April 18, 2008

For a great video on how wind power can work for Kansas, check out this offering from the Reno County Growth Coalition. Lots of helpful facts, including about the impact of wind on wildlife, noise of turbines, etc.

The video focuses on the Elk River wind farm, the home of rancher Pete Farrell. The farm is located in Butler County, which is on the edge of the Flint Hills.

Pete gave a great presentation at the Solomon Valley wind forum yesterday up in Phillipsburg. (More on that later today.) If driving to Phillipsburg from the east on I-70, you pass right by the Lincoln County (or Smoky Hills) wind farm. Phase I just got up and running, and Phase II is under construction. Yesterday, the CEP blog featured a photo essay on the Smoky Hills wind farm, taken by talented photographer Jason Becker.

Other offerings in CEP’s Wind Week so far:

Wind power and human health
Photo essay, Smoky Hills Wind Farm
What you need to know to get started on wind energy
Colby Wind Summit
Wind in the News

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org

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CEP Wind Week: What you need to know to get started on wind energy

April 16, 2008

If you’d walked outside yesterday in western Kansas, the wind might have just about bowled you over. I got a couple of phone calls from out west, and that’s what they both said. Even walking outdoors here in Jefferson County, the sheer force of the gusts got my attention (and according to the wind resource maps, we’re located in a comparatively low-wind area of the state).

So. There’s wind in Kansas. It blows. Pretty hard, as a matter of fact. Pretty steady during some times of year. Might as well take advantage of it, if you can. Seems logical.

However, what are the next steps? How do you learn about wind as a potential resource for harvest? What are the pros and cons? What sort of infrastructure does it take to harvest the wind - transmission lines, etc? What are your choices of economic development models, what sort of state policies can help (or harm) wind development, and what are the boundaries - meaning, while the wind might blow like the blazes all over the state, we shouldn’t necessarily slap wind turbines down just anywhere.

All good questions. You won’t read all the answers in this one short blog entry. However, some of these answers we all have to figure out together, as a state and a community, by having conversations about wind energy.

LEARNING THE BASICS

CEP can connect you to resources that will help get the conversation started. This week on the CEP blog is wind week, but every day of the year you can check out our main website’s Wind page, where we centralize everything you read here. For a basic overview of how wind works, start there.

Also, CEP offers two helpful fact sheets with basic wind information:

- The Difference Wind Makes (.pdf)
- Harness the Wind (.pdf)

CEP is a small nonprofit that offers information about wind and other renewables in the same vein that we offer information on energy efficiency - to help reduce emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Two larger nonprofit organizations that concentrate solely on wind (and offer many more online resources) are the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and Windustry.

Transmission. As soon as you start reading about wind, though, you quickly realize that you better learn something about electricity and its transmission. Check out CEP’s main website page on electrical transmission. If you want to know even more, check out our CEP Conversations interview with transmission expert Kimberly Gencur-Svaty.

Maps. If you are trying to figure out how your property might fit into the wind picture, you will need maps - primarily of where the wind resources are, where transmission line access is, and where wind development is not recommended to go (archaeological and heritage sites, unfragmented grasslands, prairie chicken habitat, wildlife areas and buffer zones, etc.).

- Kansas wind resources (.pdf from the KCC)
- Areas of concern for wind development in Kansas (.pdf from the KCC)
- Transmission lines in Kansas (as of April 2008)

GETTING MORE INVOLVED

Developing Wind Resources. This is where it gets more complicated. There are many different ways to develop wind power.

Large installations. These larger, utility scale developments (usually 100 MW and up) are owned by outside investors. Landowners usually receive payments per turbine, and counties receive payments as well.
Community wind. Usually smaller arrays (100 MW and less) where community members or entities (schools, farmers’ co-ops, etc.) have a significant financial stake in the venture and its returns. Large and community wind both benefit from state Renewable Portfolio Standards.
Small wind. Smaller turbines installed at homes, businesses, farms, and ranches. To succeed in offering rural areas more access to energy independence, small wind needs effective state net metering policies.

There are also many different types of wind developers. Given that wind is a young, booming industry, it has also attracted its fair share of speculators. These are entities more interested in easy profits than in building long-term relationships with communities, and developing the resource with respect for people and the environment. Some refer to speculators as “lease hounds.” (There are also other terms, but this is a G-rated blog.

To navigate these tricky waters, first check out these fact sheets:

- How to Develop Your Wind Resource (.pdf)
- Before You Sign Any Wind Leases (.pdf)

For county commissioners and others concerned with siting guidelines, see AWEA’s Wind Siting Handbook. For further information on community wind development, see the Windustry’s Community Wind Toolkit.

There are also other resources for your legal concerns about wind development, especially signing leases. First - call a lawyer! No matter what! Don’t sign anything without having a lawyer look at it, no matter what any supposed “confidentiality” agreements might say. Nothing and no one can take away your right to legal consultation. For Pete’s sake. This is America.

Second, check out this .pdf on wind lease guidelines from Southwest Kansas Royalty Owners Association (SWKROA). You know them. They protect Kansans’ (and others) interests in mineral rights. They know how resource contracts work. There’s also the Farmer’s Legal Guide to Harvesting the Wind, available for purchase and download.

Conversations and Community

If you are able, try to attend one of the wind forums that the Kansas Rural Center and CEP are co-sponsoring across the state - the next is Thursday, April 17 in Phillipsburg. (Or you can read about Monday’s forum in Colby, or the early April forum in Kingman. Links to handouts are included.)

Hopefully these resources can give you a place to start.

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org

Other offerings in CEP’s Wind Week so far:

Wind power and human health
Photo essay, Smoky Hills Wind Farm
What you need to know to get started on wind energy
Colby Wind Summit
Wind in the News

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CEP Wind Week: Colby Wind Summit, Colby, KS – April 14th

April 15, 2008

by Eileen Horn

“Remember, it’s not what they say, it’s what they write.”

They, meaning wind developers - and the many different varieties of wind lease agreements being waved in the faces of many Kansas landowners. This piece of advice was one of many tips shared at the Colby Wind Summit yesterday.

In a packed room at the City Limits Convention Center, over 250 landowners, state and county officials, and concerned citizens gathered to learn about wind energy in Kansas, and their potential stake in its development.

The morning began with a presentation by Dan Nagengast of the Kansas Rural Center, who set the tone for the Summit with a look at Kansas’ wind policy context. Nagengast noted that Kansas is 3rd among all states in wind energy potential, but only 12th in terms of wind energy development.

A particularly sobering moment occurred when he showed map after map of policies which support wind energy development in the U.S. (Sources for these maps can be found online at Pew Climate.) The maps showed states such as Texas, Oklahoma, Minnesota and Iowa pursuing policies like net metering, a state Renewable Portfolio Standard, and tax credits for wind development.

As he flipped through the slides, Kansas stayed blank. Not a single policy to support meaningful wind development. The woman seated next to me laughed and shook her head in disgust.

As Nagengast said, “A stream of federal dollars to support wind energy programs is flowing from Washington right around and past our state.”

Nagengast did provide an inspiring example - Minnesota’s pursuit of community wind. This type of wind development features large commercial towers, but not in the typically large arrays that Kansas has seen developed here. Community wind means that community members own a significant stake in the project, and share in its returns. These community entities might be a school, a municipal electrical utility, a farmers’ cooperative, or a rural electric coop. One of the advantages to community wind, Nagengast noted, is the local economic impact. Owner-investors are local and therefore the money stays close to home.

The economic impacts of wind development were echoed by Jennifer O’Hare, Attorney for Lincoln County, home to the new Smoky Hills Wind Farm developed by Tradewind Energy.

O’Hare noted that, in Lincoln County, their experience with the Smoky Hills Wind Farm development has been overall, very positive. Said O’Hare, “Our restaurants are lovin’ life…our motel has been full. It’s been a boom for sure, but there are things you as landowners need to be ready for.”

O’Hare went on to describe her experience as a county attorney and as a private practice lawyer in Lincoln County. As county attorney, she saw firsthand the aspects of wind energy development that Lincoln County hadn’t anticipated- including zoning and siting concerns, what to do if an accident occurs on the construction site, and how best to invest the county revenues generated from the development.

The focus of her talk though, was to provide practical advice for the 200+ landowners in the room, many of whom had already been approached by wind developers, or had neighbors who had.

O’Hare advised landowners to beware of leases with long “option periods.” These option periods tie up land, and give owners a one-time payment, but with no guarantees that a wind farm will actually be built. In some cases, these agreements have been signed for up to 150 years-effectively tying landowners’ hands.

She also advised landowners to consider the wind lease payment amounts, and to contact other landowners around the state who have developed wind energy to compare payment amounts. Other advice included a caution to carefully consider the proposed improvements that the wind project would make to your property, in terms of roads, etc. Would these new roads cause you to need to change culverts and access points to your land? Also, she advised farmers to consider any overlap with their oil and mineral leases.

As O’Hare spoke, the crowd was attentive. Many were furiously taking notes. Her closing statement especially seemed to strike a chord at the table where I was sitting:

“This wind is yours. But it’s also your kids’ and your grandkids’. Consider these leases carefully, because in many cases, these leases will extend beyond your lifetime.”

In the afternoon, Lieutenant Governor Mark Parkinson addressed the crowd, and posed the question: “Why is Kansas behind the times on wind when our resource is so good?”

He recalled conversations a few years ago with wind developers who perceived KS as “unfriendly” to wind development.

At the time, developers perceived that Kansas didn’t provide a rate for wind energy that would allow them to recover their costs. The Kansas transmission grid was underdeveloped. The Lt. Governor went on to describe the newly-convened Kansas Wind Working Group. The Governor and utilities also agreed to increase wind energy in their portfolios to 10% wind energy by 2010, and 20% by 2020.

In Parkinson’s view, Kansas is uniquely poised to benefit from wind energy development, especially if a federal cap and trade, carbon tax, or a federal Renewable Portfolio Standard is passed.

Parkinson was especially enthusiastic about the potential for Kansas to be a net energy exporter. If a federal RPS is passed, then states without access to renewable energy, especially Southeastern states, would have to buy renewable energy from other states- and as Parkinson hopes- that energy would come from Kansas.

The final presentation of the day highlighted an innovative project at the University of Minnesota. There, researchers and students are collaborating to develop a renewable energy research center which tests technologies on a practical production scale- ready for landowners to use.

The project highlighted by Corey MarQuart, Engineer at UM, was a project which would use wind energy to create hydrogen (by hydrolysis of water) and then use that hydrogen to combine with nitrogen and make anhydrous ammonia. This ammonia could then be used in multiple fertilizer applications.

According to MarQuart, this addresses the transmission line issue that many rural landowners face. Many landowners who are far from transmission lines could still use wind energy, but instead of connecting it to the grid for electricity, they could use it to create fertilizer on site.

As the Colby Wind Summit came to a close, many in the audience still had questions. They stayed to talk with the speakers - and with each other.

Clearly, this topic is of interest to Kansans. Conversations such as this wind summit are critical for those considering the impact of wind development on our state.

One thing the summit made very clear: If Kansans want to develop our wind resources, we can do it in a way that provides local economic benefits for schools, social services and roads. We can adopt state policies which attract responsible wind development and turbine manufacturers. We can adopt policies which protect landowners and provide benefits for multiple generations.

Or not.

The choice is ours.

— Eileen Horn, www.climateandenergy.org

************************

The Wind Summit was sponsored by National Renewable Energy Laboratory “NREL”, Kansas Rural Center, Northwest Kansas Planning & Development Commission, and the Thomas County Economic Development Alliance.

Educational materials distributed at the Wind Forum:

The Kansas Wind Map: http://www.kcc.ks.gov/energy/kswindmap.pdf

Wind Projects: Getting Started: http://www.climateandenergy.org/_FileLibrary/FileImage/WindGettingStarted.pdf

Wind Projects: Landowner Options: http://www.climateandenergy.org/_FileLibrary/FileImage/WindLeaseInfo.pdf

The KS Transmission Grid:
http://climateandenergy.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/kansas-electrical-transmission-map.png?w=577&h=433

Other offerings in CEP’s Wind Week so far:

Wind power and human health
Photo essay, Smoky Hills Wind Farm
What you need to know to get started on wind energy
Colby Wind Summit
Wind in the News

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Free, easy, online Earth Day Kit - download materials for your own community’s celebration

April 14, 2008

For your community’s Earth Day celebration, do you need information on climate and energy? CEP offers several handouts that can help.

To download the following, you will need Adobe Reader.

Home and Kids

Tips to Save Energy

Go on a carbon diet - Lose a Ton! GREAT FOR KIDS!

Questions about CFL lightbulbs and Mercury

Topics in the News

Costs of Carbon

Energy and Water

The Difference Wind Makes

Developing Wind Resources

Wind Leasing Information

FAQs about the Kansas Coal Controversy

What the Experts Say

Find out for Yourself! Helpful Websites and Resources

Our Changing Climate

Renowned Religious Leaders on climate change

Renowned Scientific Organization on climate change

REMEMBER - there are many experts in your community who can also help discuss these topics at Earth Day events.

Leaders of local faith communities. Many faith traditions have a long history of considering how humans interact with the natural world.

Extension agents. Your local extension agent has access to many earth-friendly resources, from energy saving tips, to help with soil and water conservation.

Master Gardeners. Gardeners are familiar with the earth on a very basic level, from soil quality to insect cycles. They can also suggest easy projects that you and your family can do at home.

HVAC experts and contractors. We use enormous amounts of energy to heat and cool our homes. Weatherizing and insulating can make a big difference to saving energy and saving money, too. These hands-on experts can help explain your options.

Mechanics. Ask a local mechanic to give tips on maintaining and driving your vehicles for better fuel efficiency.

Outdoorsmen, birdwatchers, and wildlife management professionals. These folks all spend a lot of time outdoors, carefully watching the environment.

Science teachers. From grade schools to community colleges, science teachers are an important community resource.

Legislators. After this last legislative session especially, your state legislators have heard a great deal about energy policy in Kansas. Invite them to your event and ask plenty of questions about current events - they are on break during April.

If you have any questions or if we can help, please just let us know! For a list of Earth Day events where CEP will appear, please check here.

— Eileen Horn and Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org

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News Updates: Kansas rocks!! - plus the production tax credit for renewables, the current status of CO2 regs in the U.S., plus more

April 8, 2008

Kansas won the men’s basketball national championship. We are the champions!

Just had to say it. Now on to climate and energy related news.

Clean Energy Tax Stimulus Act of 2008. Last week a bipartisan group of U.S. senators released a bill proposing to develop renewable energy and expand energy efficiency in buildings, homes and appliances. According to the GreenTech blog:

(The act) extends the investment tax credit for eight more years for businesses. Consumers would have the existing 30 percent federal tax credit on renewable energy projects, such as solar panels, extended another year and the $2,000 cap removed.

The bill doesn’t detail how the tax credits would be paid for, which is a crucial question.

Previous proposals attempted to pay for the renewed tax credit by rescinding existing tax breaks on oil companies. Those proposals were defeated in the Senate and were threatened by a White House veto at the end of last year.

For several months, executives in the solar and wind industries have been complaining that the lack of policy certainty is stalling the U.S. clean energy industry.

As many renewable energy advocates are aware, the instability of these production tax credits - they are often renewed from year to year, and the total amount spent on them doesn’t even come close to the amounts spent on subsidizing fossil fuels - has long hampered the renewable industry. According to Tax-news.com:

The legislation extends the placed-in-service deadline through 2009 for the Production Tax Credit to encourage electricity production using renewable energy resources such as geothermal, wind, biomass, hydropower facilities. With this change, these renewable energy plants will have valuable tax stability for 10 years, the bill’s sponsors argue.

To read a summary of the proposed legislation, click here (.pdf).

The current status of the U.S. regulating carbon dioxide. Yes. A little bit of a hot button for us here in Kansas, but in fact the debate extends far past the boundaries of our state (CSMonitor). Last year the Supreme Court ruled that the carbon dioxide emitted from burning fossil fuels was subject to the Clean Air Act, and that the EPA had to regulate it.

The EPA staff is raring to go, but EPA administrator Stephen Johnson has not exactly hopped to it. Critics charge that he is stalling until Bush gets out of office - for a long time, the Bush administration and its supporters fought pretty hard against accepting the scientific findings regarding the risks of climate change. Supporters say that caution in developing carbon regulation is a good thing, especially since these regulations will cover far more than the vehicle tailpipe emissions that were originally at issue in the Supreme Court case.

When KDHE Secretary Bremby testified before Congress on this same topic, he essentially said that the longer the federal government takes on this question, the harder you make it on the states. Regulatory uncertainty on the federal level leads to regulatory uncertainty on the state level.

In turn, that directly affects Kansans’ businesses and everyday lives - and a lot has had to be put on hold until the federal government gives clear signals.

And speaking of the EPA - mercury regulations. In February, a three-judge appeals court struck down an EPA regulation that “allowed for a pollution trading system to reduce mercury emissions from power plants, instead of requiring each plant to install the best available mercury controls” (AP). The Bush administration has appealed this ruling. The Utility Air Regulatory Group, a group of electric utilities, has filed a separate appeal.

And last, a plea from the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, for Governor Kathleen Sebelius to veto the second Holcomb bill. Reprinted straight from the KCStar online letters:

As a community of Catholic women, we had our beginnings 150 years ago in the state of Kansas. We continue strong commitments of service to the state and her people. As Kansas legislators ponder the decisions about the coal-fired plant, we wish to express our support for the decision of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to veto the legislation connected to building new coal-fired plants.

Pope Benedict XVI, in his Word Day of Peace message on Jan. 1, 2008, wrote of the responsibility of caring for the Earth: “The technologically advanced countries are facing two pressing needs: … to reassess the high levels of consumption due to the present model of development, and to invest sufficient resources in the search for alternative sources of energy and for greater energy efficiency.”

Kansas is blessed with an abundance of two renewable energy sources: wind and sun. We trust that the gifts within the minds and hearts of our Kansas communities will find the avenues to restructure our energy sources, provide for the needs of our communities, and protect the gift of Earth.

Sister Eileen Haynes
and the Social Justice Committee of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth
Easton, Kan.

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org

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