New Petition Link

We created a new link for the Dallas/ Fort Worth Petition for More Renewable Energy. Please visit it and sign the petition at:

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/greenenergy

DOE Webinar July 30

DOE Webinar July 30: Funding Opportunity for a Wind Turbine Drivetrain Testing Facility

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program invites you to join a 1 hour webinar on July 30, 2009 at 11:00 am EDT/8:00 am PDT to discuss the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled "Recovery Act: Large Wind Turbine Drivetrain Testing Facility," which is currently open. The full announcement, DE-FOA-0000112, can be found on the FedConnect Web site.

During the webinar, the program will provide a brief overview of the FOA, followed by a question and answer session using questions provided in advance. The program is required to adhere to DOE procurement guidelines during the webinar; therefore, please submit questions in advance by 2:00 pm EDT on July 27, 2009 by email to WindDynamometer@go.doe.gov. Questions submitted after this deadline will be answered at a later date via the FedConnect Web site.

The objective of this FOA is for the design and construction of a large dynamometer facility for testing 5 to 15 MW rated drivetrains, with supporting systems, and the operation and maintenance of these facilities for the benefit of wind stakeholders nationwide. The proposed facility can be new construction or involve the design and modification of an existing building suitable for electrical, mechanical, and other physical needs associated with a dynamometer test stand. Overhead cranes, access doors, and other facility infrastructure suitable for accommodating associated components and equipment will be required. It is envisioned that the facility will include sufficient office space for permanent staff and visiting users as well as conference rooms, lunch room, restrooms, computer stations, etc. Applicants will be required to submit detailed multi-phase plans including concept designs, preliminary designs, engineering procurement and construction contract management, and a plan for achieving long term sustainable operation, maintenance, and funding without future DOE assistance.

To join the webinar, registration is required in advance. Please visit the webinar's registration page to register. Participants will be provided with the webinar URL and conference call-in number once registration is complete.

Letters of Intent for the FOA are due at 07/22/2009, 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Applications for the FOA are due at 08/13/2009, 11:59 PM Eastern Time.

The webinar registration page can be found at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/775897096

elleven CONSULTING GROUP

I wanted to give a special "thank you" to everyone behind the elleven CONSULTING GROUP. I cannot thank you enough. Thank you to Edward Earle, Stan and Ryan for all they have done to help in our branding process. You have made all the difference in the world. You are truly my "Agency of Record".

Sam Sadler Answers Questions on Smart Grid

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

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

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