March 28, 2008

Tougher smog rules are here. But the clean air debate once again illustrates the divide between a conservative, pro-industry administration and its harshest critics among the environmental and health communities. The standards aim to protect public health and set out to limit ozone pollution, or smog, by utilities and other manufacturers as well as the automotive sector.

The Environmental Protection Agency took the middle road. Ground level ozone, whose main component is smog and which contributes to heart and respiratory ailments, is triggered when sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds. The new rule changes the current standard of 80-84 parts per billion to 75 parts per billion. EPA's own scientific experts said that the threshold should be lowered to between 60 and 70 parts per billion, all to minimize the number of premature deaths.

March 26, 2008

Two lawsuits intend to de-energize parts of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Environmental and conservation groups are saying that broad transmission corridors that have been authorized by the law are illegal, claiming they allow utilities to bypass state jurisdiction, environmental standards and private property rights.

By expanding the national infrastructure, policymakers also hope to modernize it and bring it in line with a 21st Century economy. Those in the trenches repeatedly express that the capacity of the transmission system is inadequate and will be unable over a sustained period to support huge increases in power demand while also maintaining that the grid is outdated. The issue has been compounded by the difficulties in both winning permits and the necessary capital, thereby increasing the risks of large-scale reliability problems.

In its annual state-of-the-industry report, Outlook 2008, AWEA announced that last year's 45% growth rate is a record breaking milestone for the U.S. wind power industry.

New wind power installations comprised 30% of all new electricity generating capacity added in 2007. More than 5,200 MW of wind were added to the U.S. supply last year, which is enough to generate zero-emissions, renewable electricity for 1.5 million American homes. The report notes that new wind plants accounted for the largest portion of new generation of any type built in the U.S. over the year.

March 24, 2008

Dominion Resources is about to make a major investment in its pipeline infrastructure. Its Ohio subsidiary has filed an application with Ohio regulators to replace nearly 20 percent of its 21,000-mile pipeline system over 25 years at a current cost of $2.6 billion. Once approved, modernization will begin next year.

The utility's undertaking is not uncommon. Quite a bit of the infrastructure was laid in the 1950s and 1960s and over time, the lines have corroded. Moreover, the growth in natural gas-fired power plants has increased and put pressure on developers, who say they need greater access to gas-rich areas as well as more pipeline capacity.

WYANDOTTE -- Wilson Middle School will go green -- or at least greener -- next month with a solar-powered system designed to help deliver illumination during education.

Installation of the system began Tuesday through a program unique for a school district in the state. Paid for by a $50,000 state grant with another $50,000 kicked in by the city, the 10-kilowatt photovoltaic system will serve as a sort of hybrid energy conservation system and learning tool.

"Every student in Wyandotte goes through Wilson Middle School," said Melanie McCoy, general manager of the service that oversees water and electric providers. "And we, as the municipal service, can put information on our bills and on cable. It's a great mix and a great opportunity for information sharing."

March 21, 2008

Electricity reliability may not be top-of-mind with consumers but it is with technology wonks. Albany, N.Y. is now testing the use of the latest iteration of grid technologies that can carry 10 times the electrons of conventional copper wires.

The so-called high-temperature superconducting cable must actually be super-cooled. That will virtually eliminate the resistance to electricity flow, thereby greatly increasing the efficiency of the wire. The second-generation technology is one solution to the challenging task of providing sufficient electric power to densely populated areas. Burying cable and acquiring rights-of-way is prohibitively expensive, often representing three-quarters the cost of such projects. With their greater capacity, however, superconducting cables hold lots of promise.