Talking Green

Support SB1447: Va. Energy Efficiency Bill

I received an email from CCAN to support this energy efficiency bill that is likely to move forward.

Dear Dewita,

The momentum to pass a meaningful energy efficiency bill in Virginia is growing at a rapid pace and an energy efficiency bill is likely to move forward in the state capitol very soon.

We're building on the growing momentum with a Statewide Call In Day today!

There are competing bills that are likely to move forward in Richmond. We need every legislator to know that their constituents support true energy efficiency in Virginia.

Will you just take a moment to call your Senator in Richmond? Tell them:

• To support Senator McEachin's energy efficiency legislation, SB 1447. This legislation calls for a mandatory 19% reduction in energy use by 2025 while rewarding utilities for their efficiency investments, and creates jobs while lowering electricity bills.

• To oppose Senator Wagner's so-called "efficiency" legislation, SB 1348. The Wagner bill would pay utilities to reduce energy consumption during peak usage -- something utilities will do regardless -- instead of reducing the total amount of energy consumed in Virginia.

For a complete call script, click here: www.chesapeakeclimate.org/vacall

To find your legislators' phone numbers, click on this link: http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform

From the language (below), this is a pretty strong bill - for Virginia! The bill is sponsored by Sen. Donald McEachin (D).

Here's the summary, via Virginia legislation.

Energy efficiency by electric utilities.
� Requires investor-owned electric utilities and electric cooperatives to implement energy efficiency programs.

�Utilities are eligible to recover costs of approved programs that achieve quantifiable, observable savings where the scope of the program is sufficient to reduce demand from retail customers by amounts needed to attain a targeted 19 percent consumption reduction goal by 2025.

�Investor-owned electric utilities are also eligible to earn a 200 basis points' enhanced return on equity on investments in approved energy efficiency programs.

�The integrated resource plans developed by electric utilities shall include investments in energy efficiency resources sufficient to achieve a 19 percent reduction in the utility customer's consumption in 2025, compared to the projected level of consumption that would occur without such investments.

�The net energy metering program shall be revised to supplement energy efficiency programs.

�The State Corporation Commission is required to develop regulations that provide access to the electrical grid by distributed generators with combined heat and power systems.

�The measure requires electric cooperatives to prepare integrated resource plans on the same terms applicable to investor-owned electric utilities.

� If a utility fails to comply with a benchmark, it is required to pay an alternate compliance payment in an amount not to exceed 3 cents per kilowatt hour consumed in excess of the benchmark amount.

�Funds collected from alternate compliance payments are to be deposited in a special fund named the Virginia Energy Efficiency and Integrated Resource Plan Compliance Fund.

� The Fund shall be used to finance financial incentives, including grants and low-interest loans, to persons other than utilities for the implementation of energy efficiency and conservation programs.

� A Virginia Energy Efficiency Commission is established as an advisory Commission in the executive branch to evaluate the success of energy efficiency programs, to verify the achievements of such programs, and to identify new cost-effective opportunities for new energy efficiency programs.

Full text of the bill is here.

If It Isn't Boring, It's Green

I went to attend the Green Recovery event today, hosted by Center for American Progress. The room was packed! Think there were more people coming to this event than last one (with Van Jones). The three featured speakers are: Gov. Rendell (PA), Thomas Friedman, author of the book "Hot, Flat and Crowded," and Carol Browner, former Administrator of EPA who is now a Principal with Albright Group, LLC.

A few notes from the event.

Rendell:

• "The big motherlode is still coal. We're truly the Saudi Arabia of coal."
• Talks about the new deal op-ed by Paul Krugman referring to FDR when faced with the price tags during Depression.
• The 5 things we must do: 1) Make tax credit for renewable energy permanent, 2) Fuel portfolio standard, 3) Federal investments into clean technology (mention about PA energy independence fund), 4) No more burning coals, and 5) Invest in infrastructure sensitive to help become green like freight trains, mass transit, etc.
• In the end, we still have to sell this idea (conservation, energy efficiency, and use of renewable energy) to the American people.

Friedman:

• Green is the new red, white and blue. If it isn't boring, it's green. 
• After every book tour, his pocket is always stuffed with biz cards of innovators. This just show that there are so many people out there working on some ideas. Even the craziest green ideas.
• ET= energy technology revolution.
• Exxon is not your friend. They are not on Facebook. They don't have chat room for people to talk to them directly. So, he encourages the young people to get out of FB and move into the board room and speak out. 
• Mother nature is about chemistry, biology and physics so we can't tell ma nature our excuse of not to do anything about climate change "sorry, we have a recession."

Heard it also there Gov. Rendell was asked twice by reporters about the potential of him becoming Sec. of Energy or in maybe getting in to some sort of advisory capacity for the White House. Another reporter asked Carol if she'll be heading to EPA (again). Both flatly denied the rumors.

It was not easy to juggle between taking notes and listening to the speakers. I could hardly read my own notes. However, because we're living on the Internet speed, CAP has the short version of video of the program (from their website).

Here it is, enjoy..

Waxman!

What a change! Rep. Henry Waxman win the fight for Chairman of the Energy and Commerce committee from Rep. John Dingell.

Waxman is good for the position. Because Obama needs climate friendly leader in Congress to get this going..via Bloomberg.

Obama has promised to spend $15 billion a year to help private industry develop clean energy technology and to institute a cap-and-trade system to reduce emissions 80 percent by 2050.           

Obama vs. McCain on Energy

OK, we have only a week to go - to make a difference! I know I've posted something in this nature before, here. Just want to go over again. If you are a one issue person - which is kind of hard to imagine these days! or several issues - and energy is the deal breaker, NYT has this comparison side by-side for the two candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain.

More details read here..

Sure every election is important, however, I don't remember if last election cycle Google also pushing voting info. Because this year, they are via their 2008 US Voter Info where you can map out your polling place. Just to test how good the map is I put my address and find out that Google didn't have the info yet (as of today). Too bad.. Because Virginia holds keys to White House, according to CNN.

Google passing out info during DNC convention

You also can get info from these sources. Came out swinging from the left - green front on global warming, oil dependence, climate change: here, here, here, here, here - and from the leaning right.

By the way, if you are Virginia voters you might qualify to vote absentee.

So get ready to vote...