I have two new video posts. You can view them at the following links:
Sam Sadler Answers Questions on Smart Grid After Presentation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc7RqF-uowQ&feature=channel_page
Sam Sadler on Renewable Energy Petition He Is Leading
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMeUaCYGmsw&feature=channel
Friday, March 27, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
EPA Makes Efforts to Minimize Harmful Affects of Coal Mining
(Washington, D.C. – March 24, 2009) The United States Environmental Protection Agency has sent two letters to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expressing serious concerns about the need to reduce the potential harmful impacts on water quality caused by certain types of coal mining practices, such as mountaintop mining. The letters specifically addressed two new surface coal mining operations in West Virginia and Kentucky. EPA also intends to review other requests for mining permits.“The two letters reflect EPA’s considerable concern regarding the environmental impact these projects would have on fragile habitats and streams,” said Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “I have directed the agency to review other mining permit requests. EPA will use the best science and follow the letter of the law in ensuring we are protecting our environment.” EPA’s letters, sent to the Corps office in Huntington, W.Va., stated that the coal mines would likely cause water quality problems in streams below the mines, would cause significant degradation to streams buried by mining activities, and that proposed steps to offset these impacts are inadequate. EPA has recommended specific actions be taken to further avoid and reduce these harmful impacts and to improve mitigation. The letters were sent to the Corps by EPA senior officials in the agency’s Atlanta and Philadelphia offices. Permit applications for such projects are required by the Clean Water Act.
EPA also requested the opportunity to meet with the Corps and the mining companies seeking the new permits to discuss alternatives that would better protect streams, wetlands and rivers. The Corps is responsible for issuing Clean Water Act permits for proposed surface coal mining operations that impact streams, wetlands, and other waters. EPA is required by the act to review proposed permits and provides comments to the Corps where necessary to ensure that proposed permits fully protect water quality. Because of active litigation in the 4th Circuit challenging the issuance of Corps permits for coal mining, the Corps has been issuing far fewer permits in West Virginia since the litigation began in 2007. As a result, there is a significant backlog of permits under review by the Corps. EPA expects to be actively involved in the review of these permits following issuance of the 4th Circuit decision last month. EPA is coordinating its action with the White House Council on Environmental Quality and with other agencies including the Corps.
For more information on wetlands and the letters: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/
Philadelphia Group Gets Funding For Environmental Work
PHILADELPHIA (March 25, 2009) -- Neighborhood Interfaith Movement, a non-profit in Philadelphia, is one of 40 organizations across the country to get federal funding for community-based environmental work. NIM will use a $20,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to train people who will teach families how to create healthy homes.
"I commend the Neighborhood Interfaith Movement for its commitment to these communities and for demonstrating the kind of local leadership that is vital to building strong public health protections for all Americans," said William T. Wisniewski, acting regional administrator for EPA's mid-Atlantic region.
NIM’s environmental project will provide training to people who will advocate for healthy homes. Educational workshops and outreach will target residents in Germantown, Tioga, and Nicetown neighborhoods to reduce childhood lead poisoning and lessen exposure to pesticides and pests. Also, the project will aim to reduce the high rate of asthma in these neighborhoods.
EPA’s funding to NIM is part of the agency’s effort to assist communities dealing with environmental justice challenges. Since initiating the environmental justice small grants program 15 years ago, EPA has awarded $20 million in funding assisting 1,130 community-based organizations and local and tribal governments.
For more information on the grants program see: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/environmentaljustice/index.html
"I commend the Neighborhood Interfaith Movement for its commitment to these communities and for demonstrating the kind of local leadership that is vital to building strong public health protections for all Americans," said William T. Wisniewski, acting regional administrator for EPA's mid-Atlantic region.
NIM’s environmental project will provide training to people who will advocate for healthy homes. Educational workshops and outreach will target residents in Germantown, Tioga, and Nicetown neighborhoods to reduce childhood lead poisoning and lessen exposure to pesticides and pests. Also, the project will aim to reduce the high rate of asthma in these neighborhoods.
EPA’s funding to NIM is part of the agency’s effort to assist communities dealing with environmental justice challenges. Since initiating the environmental justice small grants program 15 years ago, EPA has awarded $20 million in funding assisting 1,130 community-based organizations and local and tribal governments.
For more information on the grants program see: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/environmentaljustice/index.html
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
SmartGrid Q and A
We had a question/answer segment in the Renewable Energies seminar I recently spoke at. After having been asked for the information enough times, I am posting it as closely to what was actually said. This portion of the presentation will be posted on video form next week.
Q: What is Smart Grid?
A: SmartGrid is a term used to incorporate a number of technologies, not just one technology
It could include technology to make certain home appliances operate at times of the day when more desirable energy sources are producing.
· The term also represents digital upgrades of technologies for transmission and distribution and the new utilization of newer alternative energy sources. An incorporating of new technologies if you will.
Q: What is different about it than what we have in place right now?
A: Our grids today are not an incredible amount different than they were 120 years ago.
· Use of improved distance two-way communications,sensors, and computing technology will improve the efficiency, reliability and safety of power delivery and use. Smart Meters for instance, can communicate power usage in real time allowing for better coordinated usage and source creation. Austin started it’s smart Grid construction in 2003 when it replaced 1/3 of it’s meters with Smart Meters and now has about 500,000 in service today.
· Smart grids can also coordinate the production of power from large numbers of small power producers such as owners of rooftop solar panels — an arrangement that would otherwise prove problematic for power systems operators at local utilities.
· The US Dept of Energy said a modern Smart Grid must:
Be able to heal itself
Motivate consumers to actively participate in operations of the grid
Resist attack
Provide higher quality power that will save money wasted from outages
Accommodate all generation and storage options
Enable electricity markets to flourish
Run more efficiently
Q. What kind of effect would Smart Grid have on us?
A. One United States Department of Energy study calculated that internal modernization of US grids with smart grid capabilities would save between 46 and 117 billion dollars over the next 20 years
· If we make the US grid 5% more efficient, same impact on C02 emissions as taking 53 million cars off the road:
Q. What kind of support is it getting from the government?
A. President, Barack Obama asked the United States Congress "to act without delay" to pass legislation that included doubling alternative energy production in the next three years and building a new electricity "smart grid".
Q. Do you support it?
A. Absolutely
Q. How could this save the consumer money?
A. With a standard grid if someone generates their own power and it feeds back into the grid it can create issues involving safety and inconsistency because it is designed to flow one way. Smart Grid allows for Decentralized Power Generation: as it allows individual consumers to generate their own power in whatever quantities they so desire gaining a type of independence from many grid-related problems and reaping the financial benefit of self-generated power.
· There are a number of power companies in many countries, especially in Europe that have installed double tariff electricity meters in homes to help people use power in the nights and weekends for off-peek power which can be much less expensive than peek hour electricity. This way consumers can save money using appliances such as water heaters, washing machines…
Portions of the data presented was in reference to data provided by GE and Wikipedia
Q: What is Smart Grid?
A: SmartGrid is a term used to incorporate a number of technologies, not just one technology
It could include technology to make certain home appliances operate at times of the day when more desirable energy sources are producing.
· The term also represents digital upgrades of technologies for transmission and distribution and the new utilization of newer alternative energy sources. An incorporating of new technologies if you will.
Q: What is different about it than what we have in place right now?
A: Our grids today are not an incredible amount different than they were 120 years ago.
· Use of improved distance two-way communications,sensors, and computing technology will improve the efficiency, reliability and safety of power delivery and use. Smart Meters for instance, can communicate power usage in real time allowing for better coordinated usage and source creation. Austin started it’s smart Grid construction in 2003 when it replaced 1/3 of it’s meters with Smart Meters and now has about 500,000 in service today.
· Smart grids can also coordinate the production of power from large numbers of small power producers such as owners of rooftop solar panels — an arrangement that would otherwise prove problematic for power systems operators at local utilities.
· The US Dept of Energy said a modern Smart Grid must:
Be able to heal itself
Motivate consumers to actively participate in operations of the grid
Resist attack
Provide higher quality power that will save money wasted from outages
Accommodate all generation and storage options
Enable electricity markets to flourish
Run more efficiently
Q. What kind of effect would Smart Grid have on us?
A. One United States Department of Energy study calculated that internal modernization of US grids with smart grid capabilities would save between 46 and 117 billion dollars over the next 20 years
· If we make the US grid 5% more efficient, same impact on C02 emissions as taking 53 million cars off the road:
Q. What kind of support is it getting from the government?
A. President, Barack Obama asked the United States Congress "to act without delay" to pass legislation that included doubling alternative energy production in the next three years and building a new electricity "smart grid".
Q. Do you support it?
A. Absolutely
Q. How could this save the consumer money?
A. With a standard grid if someone generates their own power and it feeds back into the grid it can create issues involving safety and inconsistency because it is designed to flow one way. Smart Grid allows for Decentralized Power Generation: as it allows individual consumers to generate their own power in whatever quantities they so desire gaining a type of independence from many grid-related problems and reaping the financial benefit of self-generated power.
· There are a number of power companies in many countries, especially in Europe that have installed double tariff electricity meters in homes to help people use power in the nights and weekends for off-peek power which can be much less expensive than peek hour electricity. This way consumers can save money using appliances such as water heaters, washing machines…
Portions of the data presented was in reference to data provided by GE and Wikipedia
Monday, March 9, 2009
New Green Jobs on the Horizon
New green jobs on the horizon in Cellulosic Ethanol:
BP held a press release naming a joint venture with Verenium Corp. for the production of cellulosic ethanol derived from grasses and other non-human consumable vegitation.
The joint venture will invest $300MM for development, market preparation and distribution of the biofuel including a production plant located in Highlands County, Florida. The plant will be 25 times larger than the other smaller plant they operate. Kelly Lindenboom, Vice President, Corporate Communications with Verenium Corp. commented, "This collaboration is intended to progress the development of one of the nation's first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanolfacilities...and to create future opportunities for leveraging cellulosic ethanol technologies." The joint venture company itself will initially be based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The two companies forecast breaking ground on the plant in 2010 and expect production in 2012. They plan to produce 36 million gallons per year at this facility. With plans of expansion possibly on the gulf coast already in the works.
More information is available on the press release link below:
http://finance.boston.com/boston?GUID=8025729&Page=MediaViewer&Ticker=VRNM
The joint venture will invest $300MM for development, market preparation and distribution of the biofuel including a production plant located in Highlands County, Florida. The plant will be 25 times larger than the other smaller plant they operate. Kelly Lindenboom, Vice President, Corporate Communications with Verenium Corp. commented, "This collaboration is intended to progress the development of one of the nation's first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanolfacilities...and to create future opportunities for leveraging cellulosic ethanol technologies." The joint venture company itself will initially be based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The two companies forecast breaking ground on the plant in 2010 and expect production in 2012. They plan to produce 36 million gallons per year at this facility. With plans of expansion possibly on the gulf coast already in the works.
More information is available on the press release link below:
http://finance.boston.com/boston?GUID=8025729&Page=MediaViewer&Ticker=VRNM
Artwork compliments of:
BP Corporation
Verenium Corporation
Friday, March 6, 2009
Green for Green
It's time we talk about the facts. From the the time of it's conception wind energy has limped along on financial crutches such as grants, donations, fund-raisers, etc. Return on investment has been negligible. It's time we examine within and look at a more realistic picture. With an average price tag around $2MM per wind turbine. On average that turbine would generate 1.5MW. Enough for about Let's say that electricity goes to market in Nevada at around $60 per MW. Without accounting for maintenance or any other residual cost it would take 2.6 years to pay for the investment. Is that enough incentive to attract someone to not only invest in that, but in the research to improve it?
Here's the reality. Money drives progress. Let's quit pretending we don't want money. The "we can do this without them" mentality is not progressing our cause at an acceptable rate. With the inefficiency of the wind turbines previously mentioned, our planet will be cluttered with wind turbines that don't even turn until around 11 mph depending on the design.
I have caught a lot of flack over this. Money is not evil. Private funding is necessary for progression. It improves the world we live in every day in every aspect. In the next 2 years our company needs to supply 1,323.2MW and that's per hour of course. With the wind turbines previously metioned we would need to build 883 units at a cost of $1,766,000,000.00. Does anyone out there want to loan me the money? I didn't think so. We are left with a plan of two generalized options: First, going after private money. Secondly, increase efficiency.
My point here is that it's not about the money. It's what comes as a result of the money... improvement and efficiency! And improvement is what revolutionizes the industry and silences all those that claim "...wind energy is not a viable source of power".
Sam Sadler
Here's the reality. Money drives progress. Let's quit pretending we don't want money. The "we can do this without them" mentality is not progressing our cause at an acceptable rate. With the inefficiency of the wind turbines previously mentioned, our planet will be cluttered with wind turbines that don't even turn until around 11 mph depending on the design.
I have caught a lot of flack over this. Money is not evil. Private funding is necessary for progression. It improves the world we live in every day in every aspect. In the next 2 years our company needs to supply 1,323.2MW and that's per hour of course. With the wind turbines previously metioned we would need to build 883 units at a cost of $1,766,000,000.00. Does anyone out there want to loan me the money? I didn't think so. We are left with a plan of two generalized options: First, going after private money. Secondly, increase efficiency.
My point here is that it's not about the money. It's what comes as a result of the money... improvement and efficiency! And improvement is what revolutionizes the industry and silences all those that claim "...wind energy is not a viable source of power".
Sam Sadler
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