Interior Department Approves First Solar Projects on Public Lands
Also on October 5, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) approved the first large-scale solar plants ever to be built on U.S. public lands.
The U.S.-based solar firms behind the projects are getting access to almost 6,800 acres of public lands for 30 years to build and operate the plants. The plants could produce up to 754 MW of solar energy, or enough to power 226,000-566,000 typical U.S. homes. The projects will generate almost 1,000 new solar jobs.
Two kinds of solar technology will be deployed. Tessera Solar’s Imperial Valley Solar Project will use Stirling Energy System’s SunCatcher technology on 6,360 acres in California’s Imperial County. 28,360 solar dishes will produce up to 709 MW, enough to power 212,700-531,750 homes.
The Chevron Lucerne Valley Solar Project, proposed by Chevron Energy Solutions of California, will employ solar PV technology on 422 acres in San Bernardino County. With 40,500 solar panels, it will produce up to 45 MW, enough to power 13,500-33,750 homes.
The Recovery Act’s payment for specified energy property in lieu of the tax credit program makes Tessera and Chevron eligible for about $273 million and $31 million, respectively.
The two projects are the first in a series of renewable energy projects on public lands under final review by DOI that would provide thousands of clean energy jobs and advance U.S. clean energy technologies. In April 2009, DOI’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) committed to helping the US reach its clean energy goals by using a "fast track" program to help projects expedite approval. Each project has undergone thorough environmental review. See the DOI press release and the DOI fact sheets on the Imperial Valley and Chevron Lucerne Valley projects.
Other California projects are on the immediate horizon, too. On September 8, the California Energy Commission (CEC) approved construction of the Abengoa Mojave Solar Project, a 250 MW solar thermal parabolic facility planned for San Bernardino County. Construction is slated to begin this year, with commercial service by early 2013.
The CEC has also recently approved several concentrating solar (CSP) projects that await DOI approval, including the 1,000 MW Blythe Solar Power Project, a parabolic trough facility that would be the world’s largest CSP power plant; the 250 MW Genesis Solar Energy Project, which will also employ parabolic troughs; and the 370 MW Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating Station, which will be the first large-scale deployment of solar towers in the US (eSolar deployed a 5 MW system in Southern California last year).
See the CEC press releases on licensing the Abengoa Mojave, Blythe, Ivanpah, and Genesis projects; an article on the eSolar power tower and a description of CSP technologies.
EPA, DOT Prepare Fuel Economy Standards for 2017-2025 Model Years
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S. EPA announced on October 1 that they will begin the process of developing tougher greenhouse gas (GHG) and fuel economy standards for passenger cars and trucks built in model years 2017-2025. This will build on the first phase of the national program covering cars from model years 2012 through 2016.
In preparation for the upcoming joint rulemaking, the agencies and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) performed an initial assessment of potential stringencies with annual GHG reductions in the range of 3%-6% per year, which would result in average fleet fuel economies equivalent to 47-62 miles per gallon of gasoline in 2025. The assessment demonstrates that substantial reductions in fuel consumption and GHGs can be achieved with the use of advanced technologies.
The assessment considers the costs and effectiveness of applicable technologies, compliance flexibilities available to manufacturers, potential impacts on auto industry jobs, and the infrastructure needed to support advanced technology vehicles. The assessment was developed through extensive dialogue with automobile manufacturers and suppliers, NGOs, state and local governments, and labor unions. The EPA and NHTSA emphasize that this is an initial assessment, and significant additional data gathering and analysis will be performed to support the future joint rulemaking.
In a memorandum issued on May 21, 2010, President Obama directed the EPA and DOT to issue a Notice of Intent (NOI) that would lay out a coordinated plan to propose regulations that will extend the national program. He also directed the agencies to coordinate with CARB in developing a technical assessment to inform the NOI and subsequent rulemaking process. Along with the initial assessment of potential reductions in fuel consumption and GHGs, the NOI outlines next steps for additional work the agencies will undertake, including issuing by November 30 a supplemental NOI that will include an updated analysis of possible future standards. As part of that process, the agencies will conduct additional studies and will meet with stakeholders to better determine what level of standards might be appropriate.
The agencies aim to propose actual standards within a year. As of October 5, the NOI has not yet been published in the Federal Register. See the DOT press release, the NHTSA and EPA Web sites, and the unofficial version of the NOI .
Solar Panels Return to the White House
On October 5, the Dept of Energy (DOE) announced it plans to install solar panels and a solar water heater on the roof of the White House Residence, the central building in the White House Complex.
The installations will be part of a DOE demonstration project to show that U.S. solar technologies are available, reliable, and ready for installation in homes throughout the country. DOE is initiating a competitive procurement process to select the company responsible for the installations.
The announcement came on the one-year anniversary of President Obama’s Executive Order 13514 on Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance, which called on the federal government to lead by example toward a clean energy economy, as well as to reduce, measure, and report direct and indirect greenhouse gas pollution.
To gain momentum from the White House installation, DOE also released "Procuring Solar Energy: A Guide for Federal Facility Decision Makers" to support the use of solar energy throughout the federal government. See the DOE press release and the guide for procuring solar energy.
Electric Vehicles Initiative Launched
The International Energy Agency (IEA) joined China, France, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and the US in launching the Electric Vehicles Initiative (EVI) on October 1 at the Paris Motor Show in France. The initiative will provide a platform for global cooperation on development and deployment of electric vehicles (EVs).
The EVI began at the Clean Energy Ministerial which was held in Washington, D.C., in July 2010; it was cemented during IEA’s Advanced Vehicle Leadership Forum, a two-day roundtable on EVs and plug-ins that was held at the Paris Motor Show.
Countries participating in the EVI have agreed to promote EV demonstrations in urban areas and share the results; to share information on EV research and development programs; and to collect and share information on EV deployment targets, best practices, and policies. The participating countries will present more detailed plans at Electric Vehicle Symposium-25 in Shenzhen, China, in November, and initial EVI results are planned for presentations at the Shanghai Motor Show in April 2011. See the IEA press release.
The venue for launching the EVI was appropriate, as the Paris Motor Show featured a wide variety of EVs. Jaguar wowed crowds with the C-X75 concept vehicle, an electric supercar with a 560 mile range using two natural gas-fueled microturbines. The supercar draws on a lithium-ion battery pack to power 145 kW motors mounted on all four wheels, achieving 780 horsepower and 1,180 foot-pounds of torque.
Fisker Automotive unveiled the production version of its Karma, a premium plug-in hybrid that generates 300 kW of power and more than 981 foot-pounds of torque. The Karma has a 50 mile electric-only range that’s extended to 300 miles with a turbocharged, four-cylinder engine. The engine drives a generator to power two 175 kW motors that are mounted to the rear differential.
Other electrified vehicles of interest include Hyundai’s ix35 diesel-electric hybrid concept vehicle; Saab’s first EV, the 9-3 ePower, which will undergo field trials next year; and a tiny three-seat EV concept vehicle from Kia Motors, called the POP. The Paris Motor Show is open to the public through October 17. See the Paris Motor Show Web site and the press releases from Jaguar, Fisker Automotive, Hyundai, Saab, and Kia.
U.S. Coal Plants Face Long Term Viability Risks
A new analysis of coal plants in the US suggests that many of them could be retired from service early.
The Wood Mackenzie analysis found the power industry is facing unprecedented challenges, including new regulations and policies as well as lagging economic growth. They conclude that coal plant retirements will be driven mainly by more stringent air emission regulations, potential new rules for handling coal ash, and the future potential for climate change regulations. Other factors include rising capital costs, a lack of growth in power demand, low to moderate natural gas prices, and competing renewable energy sources.
They note that most of the recent retirement announcements have been accompanied by plans to replace that capacity with natural gas combined-cycle facilities or to repower the facilities with natural gas. Natural gas facilities offer lower emissions and a greater ability to cycle up and down in power output, so they work better with variable power sources such as wind energy. See the Wood Mackenzie press release.
Recent examples of coal plant retirements include Xcel Energy, which proposed in mid-August to retire 900 MW of coal-fired capacity at its Valmont and Cherokee plants in Colorado by 2017 and 2022, respectively, in keeping with a new state law.
Both plants will be re-powered with natural gas.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) also announced in August that it will idle nine units totaling about 1000 MW at three coal plants over the next five years. One unit may be converted to burn biomass fuel. Progress Energy Carolinas announced last year that it will shut down four coal plants in North Carolina by 2017. The four plants lack scrubbers and have a total capacity of nearly 1500 MW. Exelon Power is closing three coal plants near Philadelphia totaling 732 MW by mid-2012. See the press releases from Xcel Energy, TVA, Progress Energy, and Exelon Power.
Clean Energy Conferences Abound Through the End of 2010
Among the largest upcoming conferences is Solar Power International, running October 12-14 in Los Angeles. Previously called the Solar Power Conference and Expo, it was created in 2004 when two nonprofits, the Solar Electric Power Association and the Solar Energy Industries Association, partnered to present a business-to-business solar expo. More than 1,000 companies throughout the solar supply chain will exhibit this year. See the conference Web site.
Among other upcoming conferences is the Excellence in Building Conference and Expo in Portland, Oregon, October 12-14; Renewable Energy Markets 2010, also taking place in Portland, from October 19-22; the 2010 Geothermal Energy Expo, the world’s largest, sponsored by the Geothermal Energy Association and coming to Sacramento, California, from October 24-27; the 2010 Summit on Emerging Technologies in Energy Efficiency, also coming to Sacramento, on November 7-9; and the CitiesAlive 8th Annual Green Roof and Wall Conference, which runs from November 30-December 3 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
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EREE Network News is a weekly publication of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
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