Salem-News.com Energy articles

Wind Power Reaches Milestone on BPA System

BPA is instituting new operational procedures and developing new technologies to deal with the variability of wind on the system.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Wind has arrived. In early August, for the first time, the Bonneville Power Administration’s transmission grid reached a milestone, carrying more than 2,000 megawatts of wind power for more than an hour.

On Aug. 6, after flirting with the 2,000-megawatt threshold for weeks, total wind generation on BPA’s system blew right past that level at 5:15 p.m., reaching a new all-time peak of 2,089 megawatts at 6:19 p.m.

Nuclear Power Reversals/Fast-Rising Costs

Expert says 3 big setbacks in June validate worries about escalating cost projections‏ - Ratings Warning From Moody’s Followed by Mothballing of New Reactor Plans in Texas and Ontario; Developments in Line with Cooper Report from June Projecting Trillions in Excess Costs for Nuclear, Compared to Combination of Renewables and More Efficiency.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - Three major developments in the nuclear power industry in late June underscore the key findings of the “The Economics of Nuclear Reactors,” a report released by economist Dr. Mark Cooper at Vermont Law School.

The report finds that it would cost $1.9 trillion to $4.1 trillion more over the life of 100 new nuclear reactors than it would to generate the same electricity from a combination of more energy efficiency and renewables.

Obama Administration Awards nearly $17 Million for Oregon’s State Energy Program

Funding Will Speed Adoption of Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technologies for Oregon

(WASHINGTON, DC) - U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced $16.8 million in Recovery Act funding to support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in Oregon.

Under DOE’s State Energy Program, Oregon proposed a statewide plan that prioritizes energy savings, creates or retains jobs, increases the use of renewable energy, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

This initiative is part of the Obama Administration’s national strategy to support job growth, while making a historic down payment on clean energy and conservation.

U.K. Expert Says U.S. Is Not LOSING International Nuclear Power `Race`

No “Nuclear Renaissance” on the Continent: French, Finnish, and U.K. Experiences Hold Little Relevance for U.S. – Other Than As Cautionary Tales; Copying France “Would Require Nationalization of U.S. Electric Utilities.”

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - Lobbyists and utility company officials who claim that the United States is missing out on a so-called “Nuclear Renaissance” have their facts wrong about what is going on in Europe with nuclear reactors, according to University of Greenwich Professor of Energy Studies Stephen Thomas.

The U.K. energy expert said that, not only is nuclear power in France, Finland, and Great Britain now plagued with problems, but almost nothing that is positive about the experiences in those nations would translate to the United States.

Financing Renewable Energy Conference to be Held in San Francisco

Novogradac & Company LLP's event takes place at Hotel Nikko between April 29th and May 1st 2009.

(SAN FRANCISCO) - The new Obama Administration, recently enacted legislation and economic uncertainty have exerted considerable influence over the Renewable Energy Tax Credit (RETC) program.

Novogradac & Company LLP will explore these and other factors affecting the renewable energy industry at its Financing Renewable Energy Conference.

BPA Outlines Major Transmission Expansion for Pacific Northwest

Economic stimulus package provides capital to help BPA move forward with new transmission line, create jobs.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - The Bonneville Power Administration has decided to build a major new transmission project - the McNary-John Day 500-kilovolt transmission line.

The $246 million project creates about 700 jobs at its peak. When energized in late 2012, the line will allow BPA to provide transmission service to more than 870 megawatts of energy.

Greenpeace & ICF: Stimulus Will Fight Global Warming

Groups say Recovery Package Would Cut At Least 61 Million Tons of CO2 Every Year.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - A new Greenpeace-commissioned carbon footprint analysis of the economic recovery package projects that the bill’s energy efficiency and conservation provisions alone could cut carbon dioxide emissions by over 61 million metric tons annually, equivalent to the greenhouse gases from electricity use in 7.9 million American homes or taking over 13 million cars off the road.

In Oregon this would mean investments in various State programs, such as almost $90 million for mass transit investments, almost 7 million for the State Energy Program and 23 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program.

Albany Dedicates Hydroturbine Generating Facility

The hydro turbine-generator is located at the Vine Street plant on the Santiam-Albany Canal at the site where electricity in Albany was first generated in 1888.

(ALBANY, Ore.) - The City of Albany will dedicate its renovated hydroelectric power generating facility at the Vine Street Water Treatment Plant, 300 Vine St. SW, at 1:30 p.m. Friday, February 13th 2009.

An open house with tours of the plant is scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, February 14, 2009, according to Marilyn Smith, Albany's Public Information Officer.

She said the timing is perfect for Oregon's upcoming statehood anniversary, "The events are open to the public and coincide with the state of Oregon's 150th birthday celebration."

Senators Introduce Bill to Promote Biogas Production Through Tax Credits‏

Biogas is produced through technologies such as anaerobic digestion (AD) that can convert animal wastes and other agricultural or organic wastes into at least 50% methane.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Billions of gallons of fossil fuels could be reduced through renewable energy sources produced from animal waste with a little ingenuity and modest government support.

Today, a bipartisan group of seven Senators led by Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska introduced groundbreaking legislation that promotes the development of biogas – a natural gas substitute created by the conversion of organic wastes such as the anaerobic digestion of animal wastes – through tax incentives.

PGE Employees Brave Storm to Help Hatchery Save Salmon

The salmon at the hatchery are due to be released into the Clackamas and Sandy rivers in March.

(CLACKAMAS, Ore.) - Several employees of Portland General Electric along with members of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife staff braved severe winter conditions last week to avert the loss of up to 900,000 spring chinook salmon destined for release into the Clackamas and Sandy rivers.

The salmon fingerlings being reared at ODFW’s Clackamas fish hatchery were imperiled by a sequence of events that began with a power failure following a major snowstorm at the hatchery on December 22nd.

The situation became progressively more precarious when a large diesel back-up generator started to malfunction two days later, on Christmas Eve, prompting employees from both organizations to give up time with their families to protect the fish.