Los Alamos County Completes Abiquiu Hydropower Project, Bringing New Clean Energy Resources to New Mexico

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu issued the following statement on the completion and startup of the Abiquiu Hydropower Project in New Mexico – the first hydropower project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to be completed nationwide.

“Today marks a major milestone in securing America’s clean energy future as we celebrate the completion of the Department of Energy’s first major Recovery Act-funded water power project. By increasing renewable energy output at existing hydropower facilities, we can create clean energy jobs, bolster our nation’s economic competitiveness, and contribute to America’s diverse energy portfolio,” said Secretary Chu. “The Abiquiu Low-Flow Turbine Hydropower Project highlights the clean energy potential and local economic benefits that come with the environmentally responsible use of our rivers.”

The project received a $4.5 million Recovery Act grant from the Department of Energy’s Wind and Water Power Program, which was leveraged with $4.5 million from the private sector to fully fund the project. The low-flow turbine will increase renewable energy generation capacity by 22 percent at the Abiquiu facility – from 13.8 megawatts to 16.8 megawatts. The new turbine will produce enough energy to power 1,100 homes annually and will supply clean energy to Los Alamos County, including DOE’s Los Alamos National Laboratory. Hydropower projects at both new and existing facilities will play an important role in meeting President Obama’s bold but ambitious goal of generating 80 percent of America’s electricity from clean energy sources by 2035.

At today’s commissioning ceremony, representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy joined New Mexico Senator Tom Udall and Los Alamos County officials to celebrate the unveiling of the 3 megawatt turbine-generator, which was installed by the Los Alamos County Department of Public Utilities at the Abiquiu Hydroelectric Facility on the Rio Chama River in New Mexico.

DOE’s Wind and Water Power Program works to improve the performance, lower the costs, and accelerate the deployment of innovative wind and water power technologies. Greater use of the nation’s abundant wind and water resources for electric power generation will help stabilize energy costs, enhance energy security, and improve our environment.

Puget Sound Energy is offering public schools and other educational institutions an opportunity to bring renewable energy into the classroom – or perhaps, onto the classroom.

This week the utility opened the grant-application period for organizations seeking to install small-scale solar arrays or wind power turbines. Schools and nonprofit institutions with a renewable-energy education focus are eligible to apply for a PSE grant, which can range from $5,000 to $20,000.

PSE’s Renewable Energy Education Program (formerly called Solar Schools) and voluntary Green Power Program have provided $394,139 in grants to fund 23 educational solar-power projects in Western Washington during the last seven years.

The programs promote understanding and acceptance of renewable-energy technologies and expand the range of options available to local educators, students, families and communities in PSE’s nine-county electric service area.

Successful applicants will receive grants to fund renewable-energy education and demonstration projects at their facility. The grant can provide supplemental funds to an existing project or cover the entire cost, up to $20,000, of a renewable-energy demonstration system. Grants also support real-time, Web-based monitoring software that allows students and interested community members to track how much energy is being generated at any given time. Also provided are educational materials and support, including science teacher training, classroom activity guides and renewable-energy science kits.

Small-scale renewable-energy demonstration systems ranging from 900 watts to 2 kilowatts require no fuel and minimal maintenance while generating enough power, on average to operate 10 to 20 notebook computers, each consuming 33 watts for eight hours a day. The wind- and solar-power generating equipment has a typical lifespan of 20 or more years.

Schools and other educational institutions qualifying for a grant must submit plans detailing their educational goals and objectives for a solar or wind demonstration project. Applicants are also required to have used a PSE energy efficiency program within the past 36 months. Grant applications must be received by PSE no later than 5 p.m. on March 15, 2011. An electronic application is available for online submittal. Applications can be found on PSE’s website at:

http://www.pse.com/community/educationalprograms/pages/SolarSchools.aspx

In 2010, seven Puget Sound-area schools and educational institutions received approximately $100,000 in PSE grants for solar photovoltaic demonstration systems and educational materials:

•Griffin Elementary School, Olympia
•Tahoma Senior High School, Covington
•Vashon Island High School
•The Center for Local Food and Sustainable Living at 21 Acres, Woodinville
•Town of La Conner Wastewater and Compost Facility
•Sunrise Elementary School, Redmond
•Echo Glen Children’s Center, Snoqualmie
Dedication ceremonies are being planned in 2011 for newly installed demonstration projects at Green River Community College in Auburn (2009 grant), Vashon Island High School, Millennium Elementary in Kent (2009 grant), Griffin Elementary in Olympia, La Conner Wastewater and Compost Facility, and 21 Acres Center for Local Food and Sustainable Living at 21 Acres in Woodinville.

About Puget Sound Energy

Washington state’s oldest local energy utility, Puget Sound Energy serves more than 1 million electric customers and nearly 750,000 natural gas customers in 11 counties. A subsidiary of Puget Energy, PSE meets the energy needs of its customers through incremental, cost-effective energy efficiency, procurement of sustainable energy resources, and far-sighted investment in the energy-delivery infrastructure. PSE employees are dedicated to providing great customer service and delivering energy that is safe, reliable, reasonably priced, and environmentally responsible. For more information, visit www.PSE.com.

Source: Puget Sound Energy

Senior business leaders, policymakers and clean energy thought leaders convened tyesterday for the first annual Clean Economy Summit, hosted by the Clean Economy Network Education Fund.  The goal of the two-day conference is to produce a practical business and policy roadmap for achieving a clean economy and accelerating job creation in the United States.

Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) kicked off the Summit at the Mayflower Hotel with a keynote highlighting the problems and opportunities in building the U.S. clean economy.

“U.S. energy policy is not happening in a vacuum. Nations around the world are looking for solutions to the same problems,” said Lugar. “Alternative energy and energy efficiency technologies have the potential to be major export industries that would benefit the American economy for generations. The economic benefits of these technologies will flow to nations that win the race to develop and deploy them.”

The Summit seeks to explore top policy issues facing the emerging clean economy and to identify next steps for building this promising industry in the United States. Roundtable topics will include: Transportation and Infrastructure, Deployment, Manufacturing and Commercialization, Clean Economy Markets, and Electricity. Educational panels will explore existing opportunities with key federal agencies, as well as current policy issues including the regulation of carbon and regional innovation.

“The Clean Economy Network is focused on developing a vibrant American clean economy through a collaborative and solutions-oriented approach,” said Jeff Anderson, the organization’s executive director. “This Summit will facilitate constructive dialogue and forge the strong, non-partisan partnerships between the public and private sectors that will be necessary to transform the vision of a clean economy into reality.”

The first day of the Summit will conclude with a Gala Dinner, during which former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, CEO of A123 Systems David Vieau and Verizon will be honored with leadership awards. Additionally, Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) will give a keynote address as part of the awards event.

On Tuesday, the Summit features numerous high profile speakers, including former Senator Byron Dorgan, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, Brightsource Energy CEO John Woolard, NRG Energy CEO David Crane, and many others.

Founded in March 2009, the Clean Economy Network Education Fund (CENEF) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Together with its affiliate the Clean Economy Network, CENEF is the country’s largest clean energy organization, including 18 chapters and individual members representing thousands of companies and tens of thousands of green jobs. Members are professionals, entrepreneurs, investors and researchers, and are committed to shaping a new economy based on clean technology and innovation. For more information: http://www.cleaneconomysummit2011.com/

SOURCE Clean Economy Network Education Fund

Private investments in G-20 clean power projects could total $2.3 trillion by the end of the decade, according to a report released today by The Pew Charitable Trusts. Massive energy demand and strong clean energy policies will drive investment to Asia, led by China and India. However, by adopting such policies, every G-20 member has the opportunity to attract more private investment in clean power projects and compete more effectively for business in this emerging global industry.

Global Clean Power: A $2.3 Trillion Opportunity examined projected private investment in wind, solar, biomass/energy from waste, small hydro, geothermal and marine energy projects. The underlying data for this report were compiled by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the world’s leading provider of news, data and analysis on clean energy and carbon market finance and investment. The report modeled three policy scenarios to determine future growth through 2020: Business-as-usual: no change from current policies; Copenhagen : policies to implement the pledges made at the 2009 international climate negotiations in Copenhagen and; Enhanced clean energy: maximized policies designed to stimulate increased investment and capacity additions.

“The message of this report is clear: countries that want to maximize private investments, spur job creation, invigorate manufacturing and seize export opportunities should strengthen their clean energy policies,” said Phyllis Cuttino, director of the Pew Climate and Energy program.  

The report found that the clean energy sector continues to be an immense economic opportunity. G-20 members have the potential to gain an additional $546 billion in clean power project investments over the next decade compared to Business-as-usual. Under the Enhanced clean energy scenario, the projected $2.3 trillion investment in clean power projects would be equivalent to adding the entire GDP of the United Kingdom to the global economy. Over that same time span, total renewable energy capacity additions in the G-20 are projected to reach 1,180 gigawatts, almost four times the amount of renewable energy capacity that exists today.

In the G-20, total attracted clean power project investment is projected to be:

• Business-as-usual : $1.7 trillion by 2020
• Copenhagen : $1.8 trillion by 2020
• Enhanced clean energy : $2.3 trillion by 2020

Asia became the top regional destination for clean power finance this year – with China and India leading the way due to strong clean energy policies. By 2020, China, India, Japan and South Korea will account for approximately 40 percent of global clean power project investments.

“Strong and consistent policies in Asia have helped double private investment over the past two years. Asia is now the leading region for clean energy investment, and its lead is set to extend in the near future unless Europe and the US make a step change in their support for the sector,” said Michael Liebreich, CEO of Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

Under all three scenarios, China maintains its global leadership position and has the potential to attract cumulative clean energy asset investments of $620 billion over the next decade. Due to its clean energy policies, India rockets up to third place by 2020 under all scenarios after being ranked 10^th in 2009. India could realize a 763 percent increase in investment under the enhanced scenario, the largest of all G-20 members.

Europe was an early leader in the global clean energy economy thanks to strong clean energy policies and targets. The report found investment in clean power projects in the European Union could total $705 billion over the next decade under the Enhanced clean energy scenario. The United Kingdom and Germany, traditional clean energy powers in Europe, rank in the top five globally of attracted clean power project investments under all three scenarios.

The report also found that the United States is among those countries with the most to gain from passing strong clean energy policies. For example, the U.S. has the potential to attract $342 billion in clean power project investments over the next 10 years under the Enhanced clean energy scenario. That would represent an additional $97 billion compared to attracted investment under Business-as-usual, a 40% increase in investment. Only India and the United Kingdom have the potential to increase investments at a higher rate.  

Read the entire report, including other key findings, country profiles, interactive graphics and video at www.PewEnvironment.org/CleanEnergy.

The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today’s most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life.

SOURCE The Pew Charitable Trusts

The University of Liverpool is to open the first interdisciplinary centre dedicated to energy research in the North West.

The Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy, named after the nineteenth century engineering pioneers George and Robert Stephenson, will undertake research into renewable energy sources such as fuel cell technology and bio fuels.

As supplies of current fossil-based fuels diminish, the development of new energy sources is one of the defining challenges of the 21st Century.  The Stephenson Institute will bring together energy-related research activities to focus on developing clean and sustainable energy technologies including hydrogen generation and storage, solar harvesting, wind and marine energy and fusion technology.

The Institute is also recruiting 10 world-class scientists to join existing research groups in Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science and Engineering.  The recruitment underlines the University of Liverpool’s priorities for future research and represents a major investment by the institution.

Professor Werner Hofer, the Director of the Institute, said: “The provision of energy is one of the greatest challenges facing the world today and the Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy will provide a new approach to developing new, cleaner and safer ways to produce energy.  Many of the new technologies that will power our future are still emerging and the creation of the Institute will enhance our ability to help tackle this global challenge.”

In addition to its research programme, the Stephenson Institute will allow students and postgraduates to work on energy-related projects and technologies providing them with relevant skills and knowledge to meet the UK and global demand for graduates in this emerging job market. The Institute will develop expert networks, including policy-makers and management, to highlight global energy and sustainability issues.

Source: University of Liverpool