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Recognizing Van Jones

2010-02-24T21:54:11Z

Yesterday, Van Jones announced that he will be joining the Center for American Progress, taking a teaching position at Princeton University as a fellow in the Center for African American Studies and at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in the Program in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy, and accepting a 2010 NAACP Image Award for his pioneering work on the environment and civil rights.

NAACP President Benjamin Jealous touts Jones as “simply one of the few Americans in recent years to have generated powerful new ideas that are creating more jobs here…In America, we ultimately judge people on what they are doing for tomorrow, not for what they did yesterday.”

Moving concrete ideas forward on the economy and the environment is imperative and requires an inclusive approach. Jones offers tremendous perspective and solutions to generate skilled labor by training Americans, an integral effort in building a clean energy future right here in the United States. Stanford University is also expected to host Van Jones in April to speak at the ASSU FutureFest, Secretary Chu is slated to speak in March. Van has moved an environmental and employment agenda forward that is critical in this day and time; it is fitting that the fruits of his labor are now being recognized.

To read NRDC President Frances Beinecke’s post on Van’s achievements please visit: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/fbeinecke/van_jones_a_welcome_return_for_1.html

To read a posting on Van’s New York Times Bestseller please visit: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/bcolander/kudos_to_mr_jones.html

OCS Wind Energy Summit

2010-02-19T21:27:46Z

Today, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar joined Governors and representatives of the Atlantic Coast states to discuss a regional approach to offshore wind development on the US Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). A press call was held after their meeting which focused on coordinating efforts and the potential of creating an offshore wind energy industry in the US. Secretary Salazar reported that the overarching tone of the conversation was that the US does not want to be left behind the UK and other countries that have moved forward on offshore wind. He emphasized that this is an opportunity to create jobs and clean energy here in the US.

The big outcome of this effort will hopefully be the creation of an Atlantic Wind Consortium to coordinate offshore wind efforts; Salazar noted that in addition to the states that participated today, he anticipates DOE, DOD and FERC also being part of this consortium. Governors and Salazar discussed the importance of the federal government streamlining its process for moving this industry forward. He explained that they are currently evaluating how they can expedite offshore wind permitting processes to assure investors that these projects will move forward.

Offshore transmission concerns were also raised during their meeting. Salazar explained that there are currently efforts underway for groups of states to connect to a transmission backbone. Salazar hopes that within 30 days they can disclose a working document for how they intend on moving forward based on today’s discussions.

Governors and representatives praised President Obama for his leadership, and Secretary Salazar for his follow through, on prioritizing offshore wind and clean energy generation. They echoed the opportunity to create jobs and clean energy domestically and the importance of remaining coordinated in moving forward. Salazar praised the states for their leadership in offshore wind development and acknowledged that the issues raised during their meeting today can be worked through together and they now have a shared priority.

Click here for the Department of Interior’s Media Advisory and participants: http://www.doi.gov/news/mediaadvisories/2010_02_18_advisory.cfm

Secretary Salazar Says No to Continued Uncertainty and Reaffirms Cape Wind Deadline

2010-01-13T23:46:21Z

Today in Washington, D.C., Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar met with key Cape Wind stakeholders. Representatives from two of the Wampanoag tribes, the state of Massachusetts, the town of Barnstable, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, and Clean Power Now were all in attendance. This meeting was a follow up to last week’s decision by the National Park Service that the Nantucket Sound is in fact eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

“If an agreement among the parties can’t be reached, I will be prepared to take the steps necessary to bring the permit process to conclusion,” Salazar reportedly said last week.

Today, Salazar emphasized his intention to reach a decision on Cape Wind by no later than March 1st. The continued emphasis on this deadline was met with encouragement by Salazar to have both sides work through their differences in the interim or they can expect him to make a final ruling at that time.

During the meeting, Salazar set forth a clearer timeline that will provide an opportunity for public comments on Section 106 while emphasizing the March 1st deadline where parties are expected to sign a Memorandum of Agreement. Then the Department of Interior will move forward with a final Record of Decision or the Secretary will formally terminate the consultation and commence a final 45 day review which would lead to a final Record of Decision in April. Advocates of this technology naturally want to see offshore wind projects move forward and these assurances in timeline are critical for an industry whose investors are watching closely to determine this technology's future in America.

There appear to be two overarching national priorities governing Salazar’s review and decision of the Cape Wind project. The first involves upholding this Administration’s focus on moving America towards a new clean energy frontier while properly siting renewable energy projects. The second priority is more unique to Salazar’s specific role as “chief historic preservation officer” of the country. This second priority is particularly intriguing as it underscores Salazar’s responsibility to properly tell America’s story while shaping and preserving our rich past. This is perhaps a heavier lift that speaks directly to the cultural sensitivities involved in embarking on this new clean energy frontier. With that said the clear take away from this meeting was that Salazar believes that continued uncertainty is bad for everyone and while he wants to make certain that everyone is heard, he is focused on bringing this process to an end.

While today’s meeting reaffirms the Administration’s commitment to putting a timeline on what has been nine years of continued uncertainty, it is still unknown how this process will conclude. It is uncertain as to how proposals for relocation of Cape Wind will be handled although Salazar stressed the notion that potential accommodations within the confines of the existing application can be explored to mitigate historical and cultural impacts. The significance of this meeting will likely not be fully realized for years to come. However, it is clear that many are waiting with bated breath to see how Secretary Salazar is going to manage historical and cultural relationships with advocates and industry while shaping the future of offshore renewables in America.

New Challenges for Cape Wind: National Park Service Weighs In

2010-01-04T22:43:35Z

Today, the National Park Service decided that the Nantucket Sound is in fact eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. This determination will require the Interior Department to consider any related significant archeological, historic and cultural values when reviewing Cape Wind's permit. This long-awaited decision sparked immediate action by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. Salazar has committed to meeting with involved parties next week to find "a common-sense agreement on actions that could be taken to minimize and mitigate Cape Wind's potential impacts on historic and cultural resources."

The National Park Service's Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places made this reviewed based on concerns raised by the Mashpee and Aquinnah Wampanoag tribes. These tribes argue that the designation of Nantucket Sound as a Historic Place is necessary since Cape Wind's 130 turbines will be visible on the horizon. These tribes hold that this visual will compromise their ancient rituals, which require among other things, an unblocked view of the sunrise.

This decision will undoubtedly continue to extend Cape Wind's timeline for bringing their project online and providing renewable energy through offshore wind. The core of this conflict is not new. On land, we have witnessed resistence to energy projects based on a host of challenges including NIMBYism, improper takings, historic and cultural considerations. Change enables new voices to be heard and innovative solutions to be applied. The merits of both sides will be need to be heavily weighed to determine the best way to balance our growing demand for clean energy with the attention to cultural sensitivties as we embark on new ways to generate renewable energy offshore.

NRDC has been following this issue closely. For additional blog coverage please view:

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/bcolander/us_offshore_wind_development_s.html

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/plehner/now_is_the_time_for_cape_wind.html

The Next Decade Of Offshore Wind

2009-12-18T19:17:33Z

Emerging Energy Research, EER released a study today on the next decade of progress for the global offshore wind industry. The global installed base is expected to grow to nearly 45GW in 2020. Among other things, this study exhibits the phases of offshore market development:

Phase 1: 1997-2007

Intitial pilots, ramp up to industrial scale wind farms offshore

Phase 2: 2008-2013

Steady deployment of 100MW + farms using 4 MW+ turbines

Phase 3: 2014-2020

Continued expansion to exponentially larger scale projects, greater than 400 MW

Of particular note is the progress in Asia and North America. Currently, these regions are looking aggressively to Europe for cost benchmarking and advanced technology of offshore renewables. It is expected that between 2010 and 2020, these two regions will contribute approximately 25% of the total new offshore wind capacity installed-globally.

The study highlights cost, indicating that cost and learning curves do remain steep with no template project. This has forced the industry to move beyond the prototype model in an attempt to fully capture greater economies of scale with increased project standardization of dimensions and cost.

Europe's leadership in offshore wind deployment can undoubtedly be attributed to progressive policies that have enabled them to create incentives and manageable permitting procedures. This has enabled firms to finance these projects even if their costs vary widely based on specific sites. "With over 30 GW in the pipeline at different development stages and over 3.2 GW under construction, the European offshore wind market is focused on addressing specific, economic, technical and construction risks associated with the final phase of several projects."

"Offshore is still very much a European industry led by the UK and followed by Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark," says Sala de Vedruna. EER expects Asia to tap its offshore markets in 2014, led by China and Korea. In North America, test projects in the US (Deepwater Wind) and Canada (NaiKun) may come to fruition by 2012, with over 6 GW projected by 2020, according to EER.

Offshore Renewables: The Atlantic Renewable Energy Office Announcement

2009-12-16T21:14:11Z

On December 9th, Secretary Salazar announced that the Minerals Management Service (MMS) will establish a new regional office in 2010. This office will be dedicated to supporting the development of renewable energy development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) off the Atlantic seaboard. This announcement, made while Salazar was touring the Middelgrunden wind farm near Copenhagen, demonstrates yet another concrete step towards the United States making offshore renewables a reality.

The primary duties of this regional office will be to evaluate permits for renewable energy activities in an “effective, efficient, and consistent manner while being responsive to the States, developers and other stakeholders.” In addition, this office will be responsible for the implementation and management of the offshore renewable energy program, leasing, environmental programs, task force formation, State consultations and post-lease permitting in Federal waters off the East Coast.

The world waits with bated breath to see how the United States will deploy offshore renewables. Perhaps more to the point, the world is particularly interested in how the US will navigate bureaucratic obstacles to offshore renewable energy projects in our current financial climate. The difficulty lies in striking the right balance between launching properly sited, mature technologies with the right mix of financial incentives to enable a new industry to be competitive all while being mindful of the environmental sustainability of a project. Fortunately, it can be done.

Recent developments, such as this, have been encouraging. Here are other encouraging noteworthy developments:

-Department of Interior’s creation of the first-ever framework for offshore renewable energy development

-Secretary Salazar’s announcement of the first-ever exploratory leases for offshore wind production on the OCS offshore in New Jersey and Delaware

-Governors from Virginia, Maryland and Delaware signed a Memorandum of Understanding to generate clean renewable energy

-Secretary Salazar’s attendance at the historic climate change talks in Copenhagen, Denmark

-President Obama’s Ocean Policy Task Force made landmark national ocean policy with the release of their Interim Report of the Interagency Ocean Policy in September and further released their Interim Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning Framework this week

Obama Touts Insulation as ‘Sexy’

2009-12-15T21:01:22Z

Energy efficiency is in…period. Hopefully, it is here to stay. In the midst of our trying economic climate, who doesn’t want to be more intentional about saving money?

Today, during a visit to a Virginia Home Depot, President Obama focused on energy efficiency as a “win-win” given its ability to save energy, money, and jobs all while helping the environment. However, President Obama went a step further in his energy efficiency advocacy. “Here’s what’s sexy about it — saving money,” said the president.

“If you saw $20 bills just sort of floating through the window up into the atmosphere, you’d try to figure out how to keep them,” Mr. Obama said. That, he added, is “exactly what’s happening.”

In previous blogs, I have focused on the importance of energy efficiency while coyly suggesting that it is sparking new appeal and to that end, “sexy”. It is indeed gratifying to see leadership at this level, sharing the win-win benefits of increasing our commitment to energy efficiency. Energy efficiency is unique in that every individual has the ability to modify their behavior and contribute to being mindful of their energy use. This is not a difficult task and one that has perhaps previously lacked appeal because it does involve taking a closer look at things like insulation-admittedly not a glitzy subject, but a critical energy efficiency tool. However, there are many steps being taken by individuals like you and the government at every level, which will enhance our energy efficiency in the future.

Recent headlines:

Administration Announces Nearly $8 Billion in Weatherization Funding and Energy Efficiency Grants

Obama Administration Announces $3.2 Billion in Funding for Local Energy Efficiency Improvements

Retrofitting 32,000 Homes for More Energy Efficiency and Comfort

Secretary Chu Announces $256 Million Investment to Improve the Energy Efficiency of the American Economy

Click here to see where Recovery Act funds are going.

Click here for more information on Clean Energy Jobs.

Click here for more information on energy efficient appliances.

When It Comes to Offshore Wind-Mayor Bloomberg Gets It!

2009-12-14T21:46:36Z

During his trip to Copenhagen, for the historic climate talks, Mayor Bloomberg had the opportunity to visit the Horns Rev 2 offshore wind farm, off the coast of Denmark. The New York Times shows New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg peering out of a helicopter window at what could foreshadow the future of renewable energy in New York. I had the opportunity to view these same wind turbines and am pleased to hear Bloomberg describe them as “impressive” and going a step further by adding that “[i]t gives you a feeling for what it will be, I hope, off the Long Island shore.”

Bloomberg briefly acknowledged the history of difficulty in moving offshore wind proposals forward in New York. However, this has not stopped him from remaining steadfast in his pursuit to move his renewable energy agenda forward. In New York, Bloomberg is hoping to have a consortium of government agencies and utilities in both Long Island and New York develop what could be the world’s largest offshore wind power complex -- a 700 megawatt renewable energy project expected to cost roughly $3 billion.

Here are more Bloomberg reactions to his offshore wind farm visit in Copenhagen:

“I don’t understand what there is to complain about.”

“Would they rather be staring at a coal plant?”

“It’s a lot better than buying foreign oil.”

Sometimes, you really do have to see it to believe it…and when you do, you often wonder why you can’t have the same. I am glad to see that when it comes to offshore wind -- Mayor Bloomberg gets it!

LI - NYC Offshore Wind Collaborative to Pursue Ocean Floor/Wildlife Surveys

2009-12-11T13:46:26Z

This week, the Long Island – New York City Offshore Wind Collaborative announced that consultants will soon begin to conduct “pre-development activities”. These activities will include desktop studies of the ocean’s wind, wave and wildlife environment. This effort is designed to inform what could be the largest offshore wind farm proposal developed in the country.

The Collaborative, a group that is represented by energy utilities and a host of New York State and New York City agencies, has received responses from approximately 30 wind developers and firms from its Request for Information (RFI). This RFI, issued on July 1st 2009, signaled the tremendous interest in developing a wind farm in the Atlantic Ocean, 13 nautical miles off the shore of the Rockaway Peninsula.

In the spring of 2010, the Collaborative expects to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP). Current projections anticipate that the wind project could be designed for 350 megawatts of generation with the ability to expand up to 700 megawatts. In the interim, engineers and scientists have been enlisted by the Collaborative to conduct desktop studies of the proposed project site. These studies will guide ocean floor surveying, wildlife migration patterns, and help further evaluate the overall feasibility of the project.

This effort represents a critical step in the proper development of offshore renewables. It is indicative of an attempt to get the first generation of offshore wind “right “by ensuring that these projects are built sustainably with environmental implications thoroughly explored prior to deployment. It is critical that appropriate measures are implemented to ensure that offshore renewables are developed without jeopardizing the health of our already-stressed, valuable ocean systems.

The collaborative consists of:

Long Island Power Authority (LIPA)
Con Edison
New York Power Authority (NYPA)
The City of New York/New York City Economic Development Corporation
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey

The New York State Department of State, Department of Environmental Conservation and Office of General Services are also participating by providing the Collaborative with input and guidance.

The concept for the offshore wind project emanated from Governor David A. Paterson’s Renewable Energy Task Force and is consistent with the Governor’s “45 by 15” program, which establishes the goal for New York State to meet 45 percent of its electricity needs through improved energy efficiency and renewable sources by the year 2015. The offshore wind project is also aligned with City of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s PlaNYC goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in New York City 30 percent by 2030. The project would significantly boost the installed capacity of renewable energy in New York City and provide clean energy to thousands of City households, businesses and public institutions.

A transmission interconnection study by the Collaborative concluded that an interconnection for up to 700 MW of wind power, located at a proposed location in the Atlantic Ocean, would be feasible with upgrades to the current transmission systems. An application to interconnect the offshore wind project has been filed with the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) for up to 700 MW by 2015.

Members of the Collaborative reiterated a strong desire to help implement the plan and some expressed an interest to purchase clean renewable energy from the project. NYPA and NYSERDA indicated they would be able to lend technical support by way of consultants working with each agency on wind power projects. NYSERDA also indicated the possibility of funding being made available from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative aimed at advancing clean, renewable energy projects that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state.

The New York State Department of State and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will offer general information on the planning and regulatory aspects of the project.

Offshore Wind Update in the U.S. - Will Rhode Island Be the First?

2009-12-11T12:10:27Z

Yesterday, National Grid signed a development agreement with Deepwater Wind to build what is now anticipated to be the first U.S. offshore wind farm. Under a 20 year power purchase agreement, Deepwater Wind will sell electricity to National Grid from approximately 8 turbines producing 28 megawatts in Rhode Island. This project has the potential of eventually supplying 15% of Rhode Island’s electricity.

Rhode Island has been very clear in their intent to have 25% of its electricity from renewable energy through long-term contracts. In June of 2009, Governor Carcieri signed a law requiring the largest utility in Rhode Island, National Grid, to make long-term contracts to buy 90 megawatts of renewable power. During the signing of this legislation, the Governor noted that this step would assist Deepwater Wind in securing $1.5 billion in funding for its two offshore wind farms.

Of course, other renewable sources will continue to be explored in Rhode Island, in an ongoing effort to provide even more cost effective renewable power. However, offshore wind may have an advantage in Rhode Island of serving as the primary source of renewable energy that they anticipate generating given how suitable their coastline is for offshore renewables and how limited land is for land-based wind farms. What works heavily in Rhode Island’s favor is a mix of geography, construction logistics and limited resistance to the project.

As a matter of process, this project must still be approved by the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission. By law, the agreement between National Grid and Deepwater will be evaluated to determine whether or not the contract is “commercially reasonable”. Cape Wind is the other contender to become the first offshore wind farm in U.S.

The Deepwater wind farm will be based off the coast of Block Island and is expected to cost 24.4 cents per kilowatt-hour upon operation in 2013; the contract also calls for annual price increases of 3.5%. Currently, the retail price of electricity for a home in Rhode Island is approximately 13 cents per kilowatt-hour. The Governor’s office anticipates that when this project comes online, customers can anticipate an average increase to their monthly electric bill of $1.35.

Deepwater is aiming to have this project up and running by 2012, which based on current projections, should make them the first offshore wind farm in the country. This project would be followed by a larger offshore wind farm, one with 106 turbines and 15 miles off the mainland. This is indeed a tremendous step forward for renewable energy.

DEAL TIMELINE

June 26: Governor Carcieri signs law requiring National Grid to purchase 25% of its electricity from renewable energy.

Aug. 31: Deepwater Wind is the only developer to submit a proposal by National Grid’s deadline.

Oct. 15: National Grid rejects Deepwater’s first offer, estimated at 30.7 cents per kilowatt hour.

Nov. 18: National Grid rejects a second offer from Deepwater of 25.3 cents per kilowatt hour.

Dec. 9: An agreement is reached at 24.4 cents per kilowatt hour.

Inching Toward – But Not Reaching – Stronger Energy Efficiency in Florida

2009-12-01T23:00:27Z

While many states around the country are taking giant steps forward toward greater energy efficiency, Florida is unfortunately just inching along. Today, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) set energy efficiency goals of approximately 3.5% over ten years for the State's largest utilities. This is about half of the level advocated by NRDC and Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, as well as the independent energy efficiency expert hired by the staff of the public service commission. It's also far behind the fourteen leading states, which have approved goals between 15% and over 20% over ten years. While the goals set by the PSC are a modest improvement over what the Florida utilities had requested, they leave a tremendous amount of customer savings, economic stimulus and greenhouse gas reductions on the table.

To highlight a positive outcome from this decision, the PSC based its goals on the right cost-effectiveness test - the total resource cost test (TRC). This test ensures that the total cost of energy efficiency measures are less than the total savings. This is a major improvement over the test that the PSC has been relying on for years, but finally discarded today- the rate impact measure (RIM) test. Perversely, the RIM test considers customer savings a bad thing - calling them "lost revenue to utilities" and preventing efficiency measures that will result in lower bills and less pollution.

However, the PSC continued to use a second test that eliminates the most cost-effective energy efficiency measures. This test, called the two-year payback screen, simply defies logic and is a terrible energy efficiency policy for Florida. Why would you eliminate the most cost-effective measures from your goals? The evidence shows that customers still face barriers to adopting these measures and requiring utilities to help their customers overcome them - rather than more expensive measures - is the most cost-effective way to improve energy efficiency.

Fortunately, it was clear during today's hearing that several of the Commissioners understand that this test makes no sense (one called it "arbitrary"). But when it came to voting on goals, the Commissioners only restored the top ten measures that had been eliminated. While this was a slight improvement, it left the goals at less than half of what they should be and still misses almost all of the best opportunities for achieving energy efficiency. We are hopeful, however, that we can build on the skepticism exhibited by several of the Florida PSC's Commissioners and get Florida to join the leading states in making the leap toward greater energy efficiency.

New Website Lets New Yorkers Switch to Clean Energy in Three Clicks

2009-11-30T14:58:04Z

If they knew they had a choice, I'd bet a lot of consumers would quickly support renewable energy. But most consumers just don't know they can start America on the path toward a clean energy economy with their personal energy choices. Now - for New Yorkers who want to use green power and feel like they're making a difference - it just got easier.

A new website launched today simplifies the process of supporting renewable energy in New York! The site - www.greenpowernyc.com - is a joint effort by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Alliance for Clean Energy New York.

We created this website to provide New Yorkers with a tool to lead the way in repowering America, starting with their own homes and small businesses. It was designed to be an easy streamlined process for supporting green power in only three clicks!!!

Simply go to www.greenpowernyc.com and it'll walk you these through 3 easy steps:

Step 1: Choose the type of renewable energy you want
Step 2: Choose a provider
Step 3: Fill out a short form to sign up

This allows residents and small business owners to select their desired type of clean power and energy provider, and switch to supporting clean energy using renewable energy certificates (RECs). This exciting tool will help New Yorkers cut global warming pollution, increase economic development in the clean energy sector, and avoid the construction of new fossil fuel power plants in the area.

What is a REC? This is how it works: Once electricity is put on the grid, it's impossible to route it to any one destination, like your home. Fortunately, customers are able to purchase RECs that have been sold by the renewable energy generator as environmental commodities. Each certificate represents the environmental benefits of a megawatt-hour of renewable electricity. Your purchase will enable you to make a claim to that renewable energy that no one else can make. Once you've purchased it, that certificate is "retired" so it can't ever be used again.

NRDC is excited about this project that was made possible by a generous donation from the Wolfensohn Family Foundation. Currently, ConEdison Solutions, Community Energy and Sterling Planet are the green power providers participating in this exciting venture. We welcome other green power providers to join this partnership, thereby providing even more clean energy options to NYC residents.

And I encourage my fellow New Yorkers to make the switch!

For more information on RECs and green power purchasing, please visit the following:

http://www.green-e.org/learn_re_claims.shtml

http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/buygp/types.htm

Press release:

http://www.nrdc.org/media/2009/091130.asp

U.S. Offshore Wind Development Stymied Once Again

2009-10-21T22:38:42Z

"Massachusetts blown away in wind power development race" says the Boston Herald, "Stop delaying the process of approving Cape Wind" shouts the Cape Cod Times, "National Grid rejects power offer from Deepwater Wind" reports the Providence Business News. What is all the fuss about? It is quite simple actually, without precedent, brace yourself for chaos.

This week the Boston Herald highlighted Massachusetts' thorny reception for this renewable energy alternative. The article cited the state's reputation for being a hard place to build wind as a result of their extensive local control and permitting processes. Despite the fact that other countries, who have advanced leaps and bounds in the world of offshore wind, have experienced a "snowballing effect" where wind has become vastly more acceptable once citizens have had the opportunity to get comfortable with several projects and shaken the all too familiar and often crippling impact of fearing the unknown.

Earlier this week the Cape Cod Times focused on the most recent roadblock in Cape Wind's enduring eight year challenge of bringing offshore wind to the United States. Timely approval of this project runs parallel to the Administration's aggressive objectives for addressing global warming and energy security through the development of renewable energy. As they continue to await direction from MMS, despite their demonstration that its environmental benefits will likely outweigh its impacts, Cape Wind has failed to move forward. In order for this project to move forward, the pending National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106 process needs to be entered with a favorable Record of Decision.

At the heart of Cape Wind's most recent setback for approval are claims from two Indian tribes, the Wampanoag and Horseshoe Shoal. These tribes are alleging that Section 106 requires that the 440 ft tall turbines must be abandoned to comply with NHPA in order to protect artifacts and areas where their cultural ceremonies are held. In a letter to MMS this summer, the Wampanoag Tribe has said that the agency is "failing miserably" to involve these tribes in the Section 106 process. All the same, Cape Wind notes that the tribe has received $50,000 from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to conduct a small wind farm construction feasibility study. Furthermore, many find the timing of these new allegations strategically inconvenient as these cultural concerns were not previously raised, despite Cape Wind's extensive and notorious pursuit of approval. This process should be closely watched as it will set the precedent for future renewable energy sites if the designation of sacred lands as tribal cultural properties is upheld.

Finally, the Providence Business Times covered National Grid's rejection of Deepwater Wind LLC's initial proposal to supply electricity from a wind farm planned off the coast of Block Island. While there seems to be encouragement from the Governor of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation to continue these talks, it was very apparent that National Grid did not believe that Deepwater's proposal was "commercially reasonable" at this time. This is particularly disappointing to both Deepwater and Rhode Island as Deepwater's project could serve as a mechanism to make Rhode Island essentially a Northeast offshore wind industry hub; naturally this translates into domestic jobs and enhanced domestic energy security.

As chaotic as this week has been in the world of domestic offshore wind, there is no negating the promise of this technology. Other countries continue to forge ahead while we continue to hope for federal leadership and support for viable renewable alternatives to dirty fuels at scale. In the interim, today's frustrations will hopefully materialize and become tomorrow's examples of offshore wind in the United States.

Florida Utilities Drag State Efficiency Ranking Down

2009-10-21T15:38:33Z

This post is co-authored by Brandi Colander, NRDC, and John D. Wilson, SACE.

Florida is the dim bulb in the otherwise efficiency-dark Southeast, and the 2009 Energy Efficiency Scorecard from ACEEE shows how badly its electric utilities are dragging Florida's ranking down. Slipping from 19th to 23rd in the country in a much-improved study, the impact of Governor Charlie Crist's leadership on energy policy hasn't shown up in a comparison with other states.

This report is extremely timely because it shows the extraordinary customer savings that Florida could achieve if the Florida Public Service Commission approves strong energy efficiency goals on October 27th. Florida's utilities have put forward a deeply-flawed status quo proposal for the next ten years of energy efficiency. In the ACEEE study, Florida's utilities received only 4 out of a possible 20 points for their efficiency programs, ranking Florida 30th in the country for "Efficiency Programs and Policies."

Furthermore, most of the states with lower rankings than Florida are not actively engaged in scaling up energy efficiency. Therefore, of those states with any significant efficiency programs, Florida ranks near the bottom. This is in direct contrast to FPL's claim that it is the "the nation's leading utility in customer energy efficiency programs."

Per customer, Florida's utilities are achieving approximately one-tenth of the amount of energy efficiency as leading states. And we're not the only ones who are noticing: the Florida Chamber of Commerce recently commented on several areas where Florida lags in competitiveness, including Florida's average energy consumption. And the state's economic development authority, Enterprise Florida, has laid out "Sustainable Energy" as part of a "crucial" agenda for the state. Growing Florida's "energy efficiency industry" is not just a matter of saving money or using energy more wisely, it is about building a sustainable need for a skilled local workforce.

Increasing energy efficiency by a factor of ten would mean a major change in the way Florida utilities do business.

Floridians deserve this opportunity.

U.S. Offshore Wind Developments: Deep-Water Turbine Farms vs. Near-Shore Projects

2009-07-21T00:05:10Z

There is a growing debate about domestic offshore wind siting. Fortunately, we are beyond; to build or not to build. Now of course the question is where, or perhaps how? As offshore wind technology advances there may be ways to minimize some of the aesthetic concerns that have been attributed to delaying U.S. offshore wind development. Winds are typically much stronger and more sustained farther away from the shoreline; some offshore wind developers are looking to leverage this natural occurrence.

The Cape Wind project, often anticipated as the first U.S. offshore wind farm as they await final federal sign-off, plans to erect 130 turbines 5-13 miles from Cape Cod and Nantucket. New Jersey and Delaware have recently received leases from the Department of Interior to explore the feasibility of large wind farms 12-18 miles from the coastline. Deepwater Wind, a recipient of two of these federal leases also plans to build a two-phase farm in partnership with Rhode Island offshore with 8 turbines near Block Island and an additional 110 turbines 15-18 miles in federal waters to generate power for sale to the electrical grid. Bluewater Wind, also recipients of two of the federal exploratory leases, seek to build two large projects 14-18 miles off the coast of New Jersey and Delaware, using similar technology to Cape Wind. New York power companies are looking into developing a wind farm 13 miles off the Rockaways. Massachusetts has proposed a 120 turbine farm 48 miles off New Bedford.

New structural designs will be required for offshore wind farms built further away from the shore and the farther from the onshore electrical grid the more expensive to build. With only one deep-water project currently existing in the world 12 miles off the east coast of Scotland in roughly 150 feet, the increased costs and viability of these projects are still being determined. Furthermore, we want to ensure that siting, irrespective of how far off the coast, is done in a manner that is sensitive to pre-existing environmental conditions and natural resources.

Everyday, the potential for this technology to produce significant amounts of clean renewable energy is becoming more tangible. Whether you ascribe to the notion that farther is better or closer is tried and true, I would submit that the objective is progress and we need the application of both technologies. We should continue to move forward as opposed to waiting on the "perfect" technology at the expense of not moving at all. These technologies should not be perceived as being mutually exclusive from one another. As we learn from smaller projects that are sited more closely to the shoreline, we in a more cost effective manner, learn invaluable lessons about each new domestic generation of offshore wind technology while emphasizing careful planning and siting.

International Offshore Wind Happenings:

-December 2007, the world's first floating turbine was launched off the cost of southern Italy. This prototype wind energy unit was placed 11 ½ miles off the coast in deepwater, 371 feet by Blue H.

-Lynn and Inner Dowsing, as of May 2009, became the world's largest operational offshore wind farm. Located off the coast of Lincolnshire, England it generates 194 MW using 54 wind turbines. This project is able to power roughly 130,000 homes; built in 59 feet of water, roughly 3.2 miles from the shoreline.

-The initial world leader in offshore wind power generation was Horns Rev in Denmark. Built in the North Sea, and capable of producing 160 MW. It is anticipated that Horns Rev and Nysted offshore wind farms will increase their wind power to 50% by 2025. These offshore wind farms are owned by Vattenfall, who this year purchased Nuon to create one of the largest power companies in northern Europe and an energy company that plans to be climate neutral by 2050.

Recent Domestic Wind Developments:

-On June 23, 2009 Secretary Salazar announced the five exploratory leases for offshore wind development off New Jersey and Delaware coasts.

"This is tremendous news for New Jersey and I thank Secretary Salazar and the Obama Administration for issuing these leases which are so critical to getting the development of our offshore wind turbine projects underway," said Governor Jon S. Corzine. "New Jersey's Outer Continental Shelf is a resource that holds a great promise for our energy independence and should be considered a haven for the clean, renewable and environmentally friendly energy that wind power provides. This is a major step for the State in meeting its goal of 1000 megawatts by 2013 and 3000 megawatts by 2020."

"The development of clean energy will be a major part of our economic recovery and will help lay the foundation for long-term economic security for our families, our state and our nation," said U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ). "We should be proud that New Jersey has led the way in the effort to harness the tremendous potential that offshore wind in the Atlantic has to generate clean electricity. This lease is a step toward lowering energy costs for families, creating innovative 21st Century industry jobs and reducing our reliance on dirty energy."

-Click here to view Secretary Salazar's testimony before the Committee on Environment and Public Works before the U.S. Senate on July 7, 2009. Salazar describes the Department of Interior's efforts to develop the renewable energy industry in response to climate change.

"Companies are investing in wind farms off the Atlantic seacoast, solar facilities in the Southwest, and geothermal energy projects throughout the west. These new energy sources produce no greenhouse gases and, once installed, they harness abundant, renewable energy that nature itself provides."