|
|
Enron Mail |
SOLAR IS COMING TO A ROOFTOP NEAR YOU
Solar energy is about to get more economical for families and businesses in the southeast region of Pennsylvania. In a brand-new program that will debut later this summer, consumers in the PECO Energy service territory will be able to apply for financial support to purchase and install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. The key elements of the new program are: ~grants of up to $8,000 for solar PV systems sized between 1 and 5 kW; ~consumer loans to help residential consumers pay for PV, solar water heating systems or energy efficiency improvements; ~financial incentives to encourage housing developers to include PV in their housing projects; and ~loans and other financial incentives to help commercial and industrial customers install PV. This is terrific news for any homeowner or business that is interested in using clean power but can't afford the still relatively high cost of solar. The program was developed by the Sustainable Development Fund (SDF), which was created by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission as part of the transition to electric competition. The SDF's mission is to promote renewable energy, energy conservation and sustainable energy businesses. The SDF recently issued a Request for Proposals to select a PV program administrator who will be responsible for managing the PV grant program. If you are interested in the PV program, or in submitting a proposal to serve as program administrator, visit their website at www.trfund.com/sdf. Also be sure to contact SDF by email at sdf@trfund.com so that you can be put on a contact list and given updated information about the PV program. For more information about solar power in the Philadelphia area, check the Philadelphia Million Solar Roofs Program website: www.phillysolar.org. REPRESENTATIVE VITALI SPOTLIGHTS GLOBAL WARMING IN PENNSYLVANIA On May 24th, Representative Greg Vitali hosted a hearing on greenhouse gas emissions and global warming in Pennsylvania which was attended by environmental advocates, concerned citizens and industry representatives. The hearing, sponsored by the House Democratic Policy Committee, focused on Vitali's recently introduced House Resolution 200, which requests the Department of Environmental Protection to investigate the causes and effects of global warming in Pennsylvania and to develop a strategy for reducing the state's greenhouse gas emissions. John Dernbach, Environmental Law Professor at Widener University, Dr. Tom Delworth of the Geophysical Dynamics Laboratory at Princeton University, John Hanger, President and CEO of PennFuture, and the Reverend Joy Kaufmann, Director of Public Advocacy for the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, all testified as to the need for a statewide strategy to attack global warming. Pennsylvania currently emits a whopping 1 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions are contributing worldwide to rising temperatures and seas, loss of crops and species, and increased disease and starvation. Several regional assessments predict that Pennsylvania's average summer temperature will rise between 3 to 10 degrees by the year 2100. Biodiversity will diminish, including the loss of maple, beech and birch forests, and cold water fishes such as trout. There will be increases in vector-borne diseases, and more frequent extreme weather such as storms and droughts. There is great news, however! As several of the testifiers pointed out, Pennsylvania is in a unique position to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using energy efficiently and developing renewable energy resources. After all, a single household switching to renewable energy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equal to planting 950 trees or not driving 20,000 miles. In fact, the four bills recently introduced by the Renewable Energy Caucus (HB 1076, 1077, 1078 and 1079) provide incentives for building renewable energy supply, encouraging the use of personal power and energy efficiency and building greener, more efficient buildings. Testifiers repeatedly stressed that passing this package of bills along with House Resolution 200 will be a critical step in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. Help ensure that Pennsylvania takes a leadership role on global warming! Ask your representative to support House Resolution 200 and the Renewable Energy Bills. To see a copy of the Resolution or the Bills, visit the House of Representatives Bill Room at http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/BI/billroom.htm. CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY PROVIDES INSPIRING LEADERSHIP WITH HUGE WIND PURCHASE Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is making the nation's largest single retail purchase of wind energy. CMU will buy 5 percent of its total electricity next year from new wind power generated in western Pennsylvania. The purchase of wind-generated electricity, equivalent to the energy required by nearly 650 homes per year, is part of Carnegie Mellon's commitment to cleaner energy and the environment. CMU is using their research and education programs as well as their own campus practices to improve environmental quality, while also supporting the development of wind power generation in Western Pennsylvania. Carnegie Mellon's wind energy will be generated by the Exelon-Community Energy Wind Farm at Mill Run, under construction in Springfield and Stewart Townships in Fayette County, about 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. The Carnegie Mellon wind energy purchase of 4,778 megawatt-hours will require more than an entire dedicated turbine to meet the demand. CMU's decision to buy locally generated wind energy makes a contribution both locally and globally. With the current attention on an impending energy crisis, it is both satisfying and responsible to use energy that generates no pollution and uses no fuel. The university's actions show that doing right by the environment is also a good business decision. Their vision is one that can and should be copied by educational institutions, government, businesses and individuals throughout the Commonwealth. By moving from local coal-fired power plant production to wind power, CMU's purchase will eliminate the equivalent of 13 tons of nitrogen oxides per year, a precursor of ozone smog; 35 tons of sulfur dioxide, which leads to acid rain; 5,100 tons of carbon dioxide, the primary contributor to global warming; and 0.18 pounds of mercury, a pollutant that is toxic to humans and the environment. The reduction in carbon dioxide emissions is equivalent to planting nearly 19,000 acres of trees or taking more than 1,000 cars off the road. PECO CUSTOMERS WILL SOON SEE HOME-GROWN WIND ENERGY ADDED TO THEIR MENU PECO customers will soon have the option to buy home-grown wind energy as a result of an exciting new business venture between PECO Energy Company and Community Energy, Inc. (CEI) - a local renewable energy marketing company. PECO will buy the output of the Somerset Wind Farm and Mill Run Wind Farm, which will be built in western Pennsylvania, and the new Waymart Wind Farm which is planned for Scranton, PA. This purchase agreement will make PECO the largest wind marketer east of the Mississippi, and gives consumers a chance to support regional development of new renewable energy supply. Homes and businesses will be able to buy the wind energy in "blocks" based on kilowatt-hours, allowing them to ensure that a certain amount of their power comes from the new Pennsylvania wind farms. Customers will be able determine how much extra they want to spend each month - depending on how many blocks they buy - providing a flexible new way to support renewable energy. An additional five dollars would represent about a third of a typical residential customer's monthly usage. PECO and CEI will soon be pre-subscribing these wind blocks to interested customers in advance of these new wind farms' anticipated energy production later this year. For more information about how you can buy a wind block, call Community Energy at 610-254-9783. GETTING TO 10% CONFERENCE HELPS SET THE AGENDA FOR GROWING PENNSYLVANIA'S GREEN POWER MARKET Hundreds of developers, marketers, green power advocates and interested citizens from all over the country recently flocked to Harrisburg to discuss how Pennsylvania will get 10 percent of its energy from renewable sources by the year 2010. Described by attendees as "inspiring" and "timely," the conference kicked off with Ray Anderson, Chairman and CEO of Interface, sharing his vision for conducting business in the new millennium, where profits and environmental protection are not only compatible but mutually dependent. Workshops were standing room only as leaders in renewable energy brought each other up to date on recent developments in the industry, and pinpointed key opportunities for future success. Perhaps just as important as the sessions was the networking, as colleagues congregated at every opportunity to catch up and share information. Thanks again to all of the speakers, attendees and volunteers for working with us to make this terrific event productive and exciting. We hope that this event helped galvanize our collective talent to continue pushing Pennsylvania to the 10 percent goal and beyond. GREEN POWER CALENDAR Wind Power 2001 Date: June 3 - 7, 2001 Time: programs run throughout each day Location: Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, DC Contact: For more information, please visit the AWEA website at http://www.awea.org/conference/index.html#WINDPOWER%202001%20Overview Description: Every five years, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) hosts its annual meeting in Washington, DC, in order to give wind industry members the opportunity to educate federal lawmakers about the reality of wind-generated electricity and to lobby for legislation that will encourage the growth of the industry. This year, instead of three full days of sessions, AWEA sets aside two afternoons for visits to Capitol Hill and adds one additional day. Out of Breath 5K Date: Sunday, June 10, 2001 Time: 7:30 am registration, 8:45 am race start Location: Wehr's Dam, Covered Bridge Park, South White Hall Township Cost: $15 on race day Contact: Ari Mittleman (610) 432-7571 Description: Come and join in the fun and race for cleaner air! The Parkland High School Grassroots Environmental Organization is organizing this event, and all proceeds benefit the Harrisburg Coalition Against the Incinerator. Sixth National Green Power Marketing Conference Date: July 30 - August 1, 2001 Location: Portland, Oregon Contact: For more details, visit www.eren.doe.gov/greenpower/conference Description: The purpose of the National Green Power Marketing Conference is to review the status of green power marketing in both competitive and regulated markets and to explore strategies to increase the development of renewable energy resources through customer choice. Conference organizers include the US DOE, US EPA, EPRI, and Edison Electric Institute. The Green Power: Turn It On! program is sponsored by PennFuture, a non-profit, public interest environmental group with offices in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh. PennFuture encourages everyone to buy renewable electricity, but does not endorse any supplier. If you have information related to green power to include in the next Green Power: Turn It On! Update, please call Brenna Herpmann in the Philadelphia office at 215-569-9692, or email her at Herpmann@pennfuture.org We hope you found our Green Power Update informative. However, if you prefer not to receive the Update, or to receive it without the attachment, simply reply to this message and type "no Update" or "no attachment" in the subject line. - gpupdate_60601.ZIP
|