Author Archives Laura Arnold

Indianapolis Housing Agency creates a solar farm at complex; Future of IPL Rate REP or feed-in tariff in doubt

Posted by Laura Arnold  /   April 16, 2012  /   Posted in Feed-in Tariffs (FiT), IPL Rate REP, Uncategorized  /   No Comments

Dear Blog Readers:

This is a very nice article but it never mentions once what the program is that is being utilized by the Indianapolis Housing Agency (IHA). They are selling the electricity from the solar photovoltaic panels under a program offered by Indianapolis Power and Light (IPL) called Rate REP which is a voluntary feed-in tariff (VFIT).

IPL's Rate REP became effective on March 30, 2010, as a three-year pilot program approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC). The future fate of the program past March 30, 2013, however, is in doubt. The IURC has directed IPL to file a petition to extend and/or expand the pilot program nine (9) months before it expires. That means that IPL will need to file a petition with the IURC by June 30, 2012. Currently it is not clear whether IPL intends to request to extend and expand the program or if IPL will alllow this program to expire.

I urge blog readers to educate themselves about IPL's Rate REP and to contact the company about extending and expanding the program. Rate REP faced a bit of a hiatus in February 2011 when IPL requested to suspend the program as it was originally approved. A case was filed before the IURC a year ago (Cause No. 44018) in which IPL requested to make a number of significant changes to the program. The IURC issued an order in that case 3/07/2012, however, IPL has still not made a compliance filing implementing the changes approved by the IURC. Why there has been such a delay is anyon'e guess.

Only a handful of projects have been approved thus far under Rate REP. For details see http://wp.me/PMRZi-Hv.

Please join our campaign to extend and expand Rate REP. Email me at Laura.Arnold@indianadg.net to join the Rate REP campaign.

Laura Ann Arnold

Solar panels line the roof of a housing unit at Laurelwood Apartments. The Indianapolis Housing Agency, which owns the complex, expects to earn about $20,000 a year selling the energy created by panels installed on the roofs of eight units.  /  Charlie Nye / The Star

Original article: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012204120347

Energy created by panels at complex will be sold to IPL under feed-in tariff called Rate REP

7:15 AM, Apr. 12, 2012  |

4 Comment

Written by Bruce C. Smith

A $10 million renovation of the Laurelwood Apartments has included the first urban solar farm in the housing system run by the Indianapolis Housing Agency.

Officials announced Tuesday that 248 solar panels have been attached to the south-facing roofs on eight apartment buildings in the complex.

Covering 4,340 square feet, the array is producing 59 kilowatts of electricity, enough to power several average-size homes. The power is sent to the Indianapolis Power & Light Co. grid.

The housing agency expects to earn about $20,000 a year selling the energy to IPL and plans to use the money for community maintenance and other purposes, said IHA director Rufus "Bud" Myers.

"This is another example of IHA utilizing green technology to both benefit the environment and improve the lives of our residents," Myers said.

Another IHA housing project, 16 Park, on the Near Northside, opened last year with an innovative roof that features gardens and a water recycling system.

"We hope to show through this program that our communities are contributing partners in making Indianapolis more sustainable -- all while generating critical revenue to reinvest in our neighborhoods," he said.

Laurelwood residents don't use the solar power directly, and the project didn't affect their utility costs. But resident Janet Lawrence said the system is a rare feature in public housing.

"It is something that I take pride in. Wherever you live, you want it to be nice. It's not so much where you live but how you live," she said.

While solar panels may be installed in other housing agency developments, Lawrence suggested that other green technology might be considered. "Maybe there could be wind turbines at Blackburn Terrace, because they have lots of open space."

She looked to the roofs of several nearby two-story Laurelwood buildings and noted how the solar panels extend only a few inches above the black shingled surface. From a distance, they're barely visible.

IPL rejected a flood of solar energy projects proposed last year by out-of-state developers. Instead, it's been waiting to buy power from local solar array sites such as Laurelwood.

At Laurelwood, the solar farm is a $350,000 portion of the $10 million in renovations that have been made at the complex over several years.

Some of the funding came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a federal program that Rep. Andre Carson, D-Indianapolis, said "is a critical first step toward an all-in energy approach that promotes solar, wind and nuclear energy alongside the resources we are already using."

He called the Laurelwood solar farm "an inspiring example of Hoosier ingenuity and innovation."

It also is a public-private partnership. Investors bought federal income tax credits.

Private money from institutional investors -- such as banks and insurance company's looking for green projects to support -- was arranged by Indianapolis-based City Real Estate Advisors. CEO Jeffrey A. Whiting said City has arranged nearly $60 million in private investment over several years for agency projects.

Call Star reporter Bruce C. Smith at (317) 444-6081       

Congressman Andre Carson:   

"I joined the Indianapolis Housing Authority (IHA), Indianapolis Power and Light (IPL), and Johnson Melloh Solutions this week for the unveiling of a brand new Urban Solar Farm at Laurelwood Apartments on Indy’s south side.

This remarkable facility utilizes over 4,000 square feet of solar panels to capture and convert energy into usable power.  IHA is able to sell the energy generated to IPL, creating a new revenue stream with which the organization can strengthen the surrounding community. The project was funded, in part, by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.

For many families throughout the 7th District, energy costs are a significant financial burden. We need an all-in approach that promotes renewable resources alongside oil and coal. By increasing our energy profile, we not only step away from our dependence on foreign oil, we lower costs for Hoosier families.

The IHA Urban Solar Farm is a remarkable example of the Hoosier ingenuity and innovation that is leading the way for the rest of the country."

  

RENEWABLE ENERGY EXPERIENCES EXPLOSIVE GROWTH DURING FIRST THREE YEARS OF OBAMA ADMINISTRATION

Posted by Laura Arnold  /   April 13, 2012  /   Posted in Uncategorized  /   No Comments

SUN DAY CAMPAIGN

6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite #340; Takoma Park, MD 20912

301-270-6477 x.11

sun-day-campaign@hotmail.com

News Advisory

RENEWABLES EXPAND 27% SINCE 2008--NOW 12% OF DOMESTIC ENERGY PRODUCTION

 ELECTRICAL GENERATION FROM NON-HYDRO RENEWABLES INCREASES BY 55%

For Immediate Release: April 4, 2012

Contact:  Ken Bossong, 301-270-6477 x.11

Washington DC –According to the most recent issue of the "Monthly Energy Review" by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), with data through December 31, 2011, renewable energy sources expanded rapidly during the first three years of the Obama Administration while substantially outpacing the growth rates of fossil fuels and nuclear power.

Between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2011, renewable energy sources (i.e., biofuels, biomass, geothermal, solar, water, wind) grew by 27.12%. By comparison, during the same three-year period, total domestic energy production increased by just 6.72% with natural gas and crude oil production growing by 13.66% and 14.27% respectively. Moreover, during the same period, nuclear power declined by 1.99% and coal dropped by 7.16%.

Looking at all energy sectors (e.g., electricity, transportation, thermal), renewable energy sources accounted for 11.74% of domestic energy production in 2011 – compared to 9.85% in 2008. In fact, renewable energy sources provided 10.90% more energy in 2011 than did nuclear power, although nuclear still provides a larger share of the nation’s electricity. (On the consumption side, which includes oil and other energy imports, renewable sources accounted for 9.29% of total U.S. energy use during 2011.)

During the first three years of the Obama Administration, geothermal grew by 15.63%, hydropower by 26.28%, solar by 28.09%, biofuels by 46.58%, and wind by 113.92%. Only biomass dipped - by 1.21%. Hydropower accounted for 34.62% of domestic energy production from renewable sources in 2011, followed by biomass (26.75%), biofuels (22.20%), wind (12.75%), geothermal (2.42%), and solar (1.24%).

Looking at just the electricity sector, according to EIA’s "Electric Power Monthly," with data through December 31, 2011, net electrical generation by non-hydro renewable energy sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal, solar, wind) grew by 54.6% during the first three years of the Obama Administration. During the same period, conventional hydropower expanded by 27.6%. Combined, electrical output from renewable energy sources was 36.5% greater for calendar year 2011 than it was for calendar year 2008. By comparison, between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2011, natural gas used in electrical generation grew by 15.1% while nuclear and coal dropped by 2.0% and 12.7% respectively.

During 2011, hydro and non-hydro renewables combined accounted for 12.67% of net electrical generation compared to 9.25% in 2008. Comparing the 12-months of 2011 against the same time period in 2008, wind grew by 116.3%, solar by 110.0%, hydropower by 27.6%, geothermal by 12.5%, and biomass by 3.1%. For all of 2011, non-hydro renewables accounted for 4.75% of net electrical generation while conventional hydropower accounted for 7.91%. However, non-hydro renewables have been growing rapidly and for the last quarter of 2011, they accounted for 5.5% of net U.S. electrical generation. Among the non-hydro renewables contributing to net electrical generation in 2011, wind accounted for 61.4%, followed by biomass (29.1%), geothermal (8.6%), and solar (0.9%).

“The numbers speak for themselves - notwithstanding politically-inspired criticism, the pro-renewable energy policies pioneered by the Obama Administration have generated dramatic growth rates during the past three years, vastly outpacing those of all other energy sources,” said Ken Bossong, Executive Director of the SUN DAY Campaign. “The investments in sustainable energy made by the federal government as well as state and private funders have paid off handsomely underscoring the short-sightedness of emerging proposals to slash or discontinue such support.”

# # # # # # # #

The U.S. Energy Information Administration released its most recent "Monthly Energy Review" on March 28, 2012.  It can be found at: http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/index.cfm.  The relevant charts from which the data above are extrapolated are Tables 1.1, 1.2, and 10.1.  EIA released its "Electric Power Monthly" with data for 2011 on February 29, 2012; see: http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly. The relevant charts are Tables 1.1, 1.1.A, ES1.A, and ES1.B.

The SUN DAY Campaign is a non-profit research and educational organization founded in 1993 to promote sustainable energy technologies as cost-effective alternatives to nuclear power and fossil fuels.

Pulaski County (IN) School Wind Turbine is Churning; Utilizing Net Metering with NIPSCO and not Feed-in Tariff

Posted by Laura Arnold  /   April 03, 2012  /   Posted in Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), Uncategorized  /   No Comments

Dear Blog Readers:

The West Central School Corporation wind project apparently joins the  North Newton School Corporation in deciding to use net metering rather than NIPSCO's feed-in tariff (FIT).

To view the earlier blog post on the West Central School Corporation wind project. please visit http://wp.me/pMRZi-wG.

Also see the blog post on the North Newton School Corporation wind project at http://wp.me/pMRZi-BU

So what does this mean for any future wind turbine projects using the NIPSCO feed-in tariff? Let me know what you think.

Laura Ann Arnold

updated: 4/3/2012 12:28:06 PM

http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?id=53014

InsideINdianaBusiness.com Report

A 300 foot wind turbine project by the West Central School Corp. is delivering electricity. The school system says the turbine, built by Indianapolis-based Performance Services, is designed to eventually pay for itself, and any additional electricity will go to Northern Indiana Public Service Co.

April 3, 2012

News Release

Francesville, Indiana. West Central School Corporation (WCSC) wind turbine project is now complete and began producing electricity on Friday, March 30, 2012.

WCSC is one of the first public school corporations in Indiana to utilize net metering with Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO). The project includes one 321-foot high, 900 kW, three-blade PowerWind turbine on school property, with Performance Services serving as the design builder. The project is designed to pay for itself and at the same time significantly reduce the cost of energy at the schools, offsetting nearly 100% of the electrical bill at the campus. In doing so, the school corporation hopes to be able to maintain the existing tax rate. Over the 25-year life of the project, net revenue is expected to exceed $4 million after all project related costs.

An essential component of the wind project is a renewable energy curriculum.  Lessons plans, a K-12 curriculum map, and unique learning opportunities will be made available for K-12 students.  This project will become a real-world lab in which WCSC students will have the opportunity to learn and explore renewable energy first hand.

Tim Thoman, President of Performance Services noted, "We are excited to bring another PowerWind turbine online for an Indiana public school.  West Central has shown great leadership in their vision to reduce operational costs for their corporation over the next 25 years.  Superintendent Chuck Mellon has been patient awaiting final interconnection approval from NIPSCO.  Performance Services is grateful to have had the opportunity to work with West Central School Corporation on this important community wind project. "

For more information about West Central School Corporation, visit

http://www.wcsc.k12.in.us/

Performance Services is an Indianapolis-based design-build engineering company that specializes in constructing and renovating schools, universities and healthcare facilities to deliver optimal environments through both the Guaranteed Energy Savings Contract and Design-Build procurement methods. Innovative wind power and geothermal systems are integral to the energy services portfolio. The company has provided energy services to customers since 1998 and is the leading qualified provider of guaranteed energy savings projects and ENERGY STAR labeled schools in Indiana. To learn more, visit

http://www.performanceservices.com.

PowerWind GmbH is a German OEM of onshore wind turbines (500 kW, 850 kW, 900 kW and 2500 kW) and service provider, focusing on Community-scale wind projects. These wind farms of between 1 MW and 30 MW are mostly locally owned; the energy is often consumed in the immediate vicinity of the turbines. Typical customers include local businesses, factories and farmers, regional project developers and power providers, schools and universities as well as municipalities and leisure facilities. Backed by U.S. growth investor Warburg Pincus, the company has a successful four-year operative track record in eight countries.

Source: West Central School Corp.

Muncie (IN) Free Press: Economics and politics of renewable energy (Part 3 of 3)

Posted by Laura Arnold  /   March 28, 2012  /   Posted in Uncategorized  /   No Comments

Submitted by Wanton Writer on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 1:22pm. http://www.munciefreepress.com/node/25463

By Rick Yencer

MUNCIE, IN - Renewable energy like wind, solar and geothermal could be the norm in 50 years and Delaware County continues to lead the nation and world in manufacturing and application of wind turbines and geothermal heating and cooling systems.

Despite a Tom and Jerry episode between Democrats and Republicans over tax incentives given to Brevini Wind and its German handyman, VAT Energies, the market for renewable energy still comes to Muncie to see that $90 million plus geothermal system that Ball State University will ultimately use to heat and cool its campus.

It was amusing to see big media turn renewable energy into a folly and failure without mentioning one word about Congress and the Indiana General Assembly failing to create more tax incentives and even mandates for renewable energy. And it was also troubling not a word was mentioned about renown physicist Amory Lovins who offered a 1984 review that the United States was losing the energy war to Germany while spending time criticizing German national Oliver Viehweider for never creating a single job while promising to build a wind vane to brand Delaware County just like the Nestle Quick Bunny in Anderson as the renewable energy capital of the word.

Sure, millions in tax incentives were provided to Brevini and VAT and some of that money will never be recovered. That is still small comparing nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in property tax abatement to General Motors and Borg-Warner Automotive just to see the Chevrolet plant become a gravel lot and the Borg-Warner factory an empty shell.

Brad Bookout, county redevelopment director, pointed to neighbor Ohio to explain what needed to be done to continue to future of renewable energy. The Ohio Legislature mandated public utilities acquire a portion of their energy from renewable sources that developed both wind and solar facilities.

Indiana and its Republican controlled Legislature is beholding to oil and coal and state utility regulators are more interested in unproven technology like coal gasification that Duke Energy is spending billions to build or to support Indiana Michigan Power and its dependence on that big Cook Nuclear Plant besides other fossil fuels.

Indiana Michigan has taken steps to use renewable energy like the wind farm, Wildcat One, that is being built north of Elwood in Madison and Tipton counties. Indiana is not the windy state like the great West and both sides of the Rocky Mountain.

But as Ball State proved, Indiana has vast water resources like the rest of the Midwest with the largest fresh water source in North American, the Great Lakes. And Ball State seems to attract the attention of dozens of universities and institutions that want to kick the coal and oil habit.

Lovins also pointed out during his speech on the Ball State campus that Congress effectively killed the renewable energy industry in 2010 with denying incentives and funding. That Republican crowd that again is supported by big oil and coal continues to push for the Keystone XL pipeline to bring oil from coal shale from Canada to Texas.Even President Barack Obama signed on to support a portion of that project much to the concern of environmental groups and renewable energy advocates.

Lovins described sustainable energy as reinventing fire and predicted it could take half a century for the greatest country in the world to evolve. It could take Germany less than 10 years with plans to shut down nuclear reactors and go totally with wind, solar, and geothermal power.

And Germany and its Volkswagen industrial and military machine, will be mass producing electric, carbon fiber body cars next year with a new battery guaranteed to last for days while United States motorists pay nearly $5 a gallon for gasoline while spending a trillion dollars a year to keep the military securing Mideast oil fields in the name of fighting Islamic terrorism.

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