Get Energy Smart! NOW!

Whether it is avoiding fatty foods, saving money for the future, or taking cod liver oil regularly, somewhat unpleasant actions today to prevent disaster tomorrow are a struggle against our very nature. This struggle extends from individuals to society, as present consumption and today’s concerns too often triumph over a ‘discounted’ future.

With climate change, this problem is taken to nearly the penultimate extreme. Either we (invidually, collectively as a nation, collectively as a global society, collectively intergenerationally) get our act together or we’re discounting future into catastrophe.

Now that we have an Administration where scientists will be able to speak about science without fossil fuel lobbyists or 20-something ideologues taking red ink to their science, the US government will be speaking more forcefully about Global Warming. Overshadowed by the President’s statement on energy and Global Warming, we have news of a new NOAA report that paints a very ugly and dry picture for a 1000 years out if we don’t get serious about our societal spoons of cod liver oil.

[Read more →]

Energy is on our minds. Energy alternatives and energy efficiency articles are weekly, if not daily, items in our newspapers. Last week, The Washington Post‘s home section had an amusing, somewhat informative story about a home energy audit in its Thursday Home section. A worthwhile read that will, we can hope, get a few more people to take the sensible step of getting an energy audit. (Before doing so, highly recommend some reading and, perhaps, doing the ‘online’ version to be better educated when the auditor hits the house.) An energy audit, whether of home or nation, is a sensible part of taking steps to Make Energy CENTS from the Home to the Globe. Sadly, the Post didn’t rest on its laurels.

Today’s Metro section front page has the uneven (writing politely) Energy Costs Generating Light-Bulb solutions. The author, Lisa Rein, gets facts wrong (no, those “twisty, low-energy light bulbs” don’t use 1/3rd of electricity of incandescents, but about 1/4th (27 percent)), takes political rhetoric at face value (no, Governor Kaine’s target of a 19 percent reduction in carbon footprint doesn’t merit the words “aggressive goal”, espcially considering that this is less than half the target the International Panel on Climate Change calls for developed nations to undertake), and repeats Corporate greenwashing (Dominion Virginia Power doesn’t merit being put forward as some sort of poster child for energy savings, even as it brags about have “sold 2.4 million low-energy bulbs and received thens of thousands of hits on its Web site of section of energy-saving tips”.). This article is a good example of general beat (local) reporter taking on a subject of substance, where expertise might actually matter.

Energy Efficiency (negawatts, negagallons) is one of the top opportunities for the United States to change its path toward a more sensible energy future. It is a profitable path, that can quickly pay off. The opportunities are too poorly understood, in no small part due to poor communication like this Post piece.

[Read more →]

Some coal plants, that is …

Hidden in the open, amid much noise about the Obama Administration’s first steps, few have heard a very positive Obama team action that suggests that more tools are now on the table for turning the tides on Global Warming’s rising seas.

Less than three days after the Bush Administration ended, the Obama Administration Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent the Otter Creek Big Stone II 500 megawatt coal plant back to the drawing boards, “citing worries about the plant’s contributions to global warming and inadequate emissions monitoring”. And, without a moment to spare. “This action took place on the dead last day for review for the plant’s application.”

There is not a single item that could happen more quickly or send a stronger signal that the United States is now quite serious about Global Warming than a decision to end the construction of new coal-fired electricity plants. All it would take is a finding, one possible from the EPA, that carbon dioxide and other global warming gases threaten our health. The Big Stone II decision is an indication that such a finding might come in the near future.

[Read more →]

Earlier today, House Ways and Means Committee passed “H.R. 598 by a party-line vote of 24 to 13. The legislation will now be combined with other components of the recovery package from other House Committees into H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for consideration by the full House of Representatives next week.”

“This legislation will provide critical benefits and incentives to middle-America, poor-America, and businesses, large and small, who are struggling during this economic downturn,” said Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY). “This plan will go a long way to help relieve the pain these families and businesses are experiencing so that we can restore some confidence and economic security and help America maintain its prominence in the global marketplace. Simply put, the American people cannot keep the engine of our economy running if they don’t have money to spend and this package provides tax relief and critical benefits to help them take home a little more each month and help the economy grow.”

Within this legislation are many elements focused on renewable energy, from the homeowner to the large institutions.

[Read more →]

If you like laws and sausages, you should never watch either one being made. Otto von Bismarck

The House of Representatives is starting the grind of turning the draft American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009 (ARRA) into legislation. It isn’t a pretty scene to watch … yet, watch it you must if you care about how $850 billion dollars or so might get spent.

Energy Efficiency is a big player in the ARRA, with some 24 mentions in the Henry Waxman’s 258 page draft bill. YEAH!

Well, sort of …

As highlighted by Ed Mazria of Architecture 2030 in material sent to Congress, there is little backbone behind these mentions, at least when it comes to the building infrastructure:

We found that only in some cases were there any requirements, and the programs with requirements were pretty vague as to render them ineffective. There were no benchmarks or energy reduction targets mentioned in the bill.

What all this means is that most building projects put forward may have little, if any, effective energy reduction strategies.

The ARRA invests, significantly, in oversight (for Inspector General (IG) offices and otherwise) but, when it comes to energy issues (and energy efficiency), there are no standards being put forth against literally $10s of billions (actually, over $100 billion in aggregate) of spending. To influence the making of sausage, it helps if you come to the table with ingredients. Mazria has developed “language that helps to prioritize and serve as a guideline for projects submitted for grants” that would “send a strong message to the building community, that business as usual is no longer the order of the day. That we expect better performance from our building stock and that the federal government will lead the way.”

Here Architecture 2030’s suggested language for insertion associated with all building programs:

Provided further, That for any new building construction or renovation project grants made under this heading, preference shall be given to projects that achieve overall energy savings compared to the Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey 2003 (CBECS or other comparable codes, standards or measurement protocols authorized by the Secretary of Energy) of, in the following order of priority—(1) carbon neutral, (2) 85 percent, (3) 70 percent, (4) 55 percent.

While this does not achieve the multiple wins and extent of reach and impact of the Architecture 2030’s $197 billion plan to create 9 million jobs, spark $1.5+ trillion in economic activity and leap the nation forward in terms of reducing carbon emissions, the impact of these simple words should not be discounted. Architecture 2030’s estimate:

We estimate that we could affect about one billion square feet of building with the Stimulus, including new and renovated space (not including weatherization). That is about 158 trillion Btu’s of US energy consumption (and associated GHG emissions). Assuming a 50/50 split between new building and renovation, half of that amount will be added to total US energy consumption and the other half will be fixed until the renovated buildings are renovated again (15-20 years?).

So few words, so much impact.

As Ed concluded his note to Congress (and me):

As our new President said, there is some heavy lifting to do. It’s time to begin

.

Have to wonder whether this is the case. Let’s state things as nicely as possible: the Joint Congressional Committe on Inaugural Ceremonies did not take adequate steps to guide people and ensure that people with tickets would actually be able to see the event. Thousands (more likely 10,000s) failed to get in, even after hours in line in below-freezing weather, without any information being provided to them nor toilets nor … But, look on the bright side:

“Apparently we just could not get them all screened in time, and so we were a bit overwhelmed by the numbers,” Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrance Gainer said. Between 4,000 and 5,000 people “were discombobulated,” he said. “There were another 236,000 who were very happy with the service.”

Putting aside the likely questionable figures (after all, the original claim from the Capitol Police was that no ticket holders failed to make it inside the reserved section), what was the reason for the problems according to Gainer?

Part of the problem, Gainer said, was that people wearing bulky winter clothing took up more space than officials had expected.

Yes, according to Gainer, it seems that Washington, DC, isn’t suffering from enough global warming.

My writing, my intellectual energy, and my life passion are rarely targeted to the dance floor, but this first evening of a new era in America and, perhaps, global history called for putting on a tuxedo. Not for attending an “official ball”, to struggle for a peek at our new President, but to an environment more fitting to my writing, intellectual energy, and life passion: the Environmental Ball and Clean Energy Ball. While twirling on the dance floor was a joy, the most moving and powerful element was being among so many people who were not simply celebrating Obama, but celebrating an opportunity to put their skills, passions, expertise to work.

Among those dropping in to the Ball, the new Secretary of Energy, Stephen Chu. Scott Sklar introduced Chu, who emphasized the power and importance of having not a politician, but a nobel-prize winning scientist with experience running a national laboratory at the head of the Department of Energy. Chu spoke simply, yet powerfully.
[Read more →]

In his inaugural address, President Barrack Hussein Obama did not shy away from making serious statements. We live in serious times and President Obama’s speech reflected that in a call on all to step up in addressing those challenges. And, amid his words, the President gave weight to issues of energy and global warming.

each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

In the first paragraphs of his first speech, the 44th President signaled clearly that denial of our challenges of global warming will no longer be acceptable in the the halls of the Executive Branch.

We will restore science to its rightful place

Change has arrived!
[Read more →]

It is amazing that Peabody Coal has chosen to do this. Right on the tail of Clean Coal Carolers, Peabody is throwing sun glasses on ever-so cool clean coal.

Surprising, among the last energy-related actions of the Bush Administration is to set the stage for a renewable energy future for the liberal bastion of Massachusetts. One of the darker aspects of the Teddy Kennedy and RFK, Jr, legacy will be their strenuous efforts to block the Cape Wind projection. Friday, the Department of Interior Minerals Management Service “said the 24 square-mile [Cape Wind] wind farm in Nantucket Sound would pose little or no threat to wildlife and fish”. Unless there is legislative action (Ted are you going to dig your hole deeper?), there will be a Federal “record of decision” in 30 days. An agenda item for the incoming Obama team.

[Read more →]