Democrats vs. Republicans – Key Votes on the National Energy Bill

Date: 12 Jul 2005 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The U.S. House and Senate have passed different versions of a national energy bill. A Conference Committee is trying to work out an agreement on a final bill. We took a look at the votes on various provisions in the bills and created some charts showing the differences based on political party affiliation.

We’re more interested on what’s going on at the state and local levels but from time to time it is instructive to look at what’s coming down from the top in terms of energy policy.

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Klickitat County’s Energy Overlay Zone Streamlines Future Siting of Energy Projects

Date: 6 Jul 2005 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Over three years, Klickitat County in southern Washington, studied the potential impacts of future energy projects within its borders and came up with a plan to direct those projects to the most appropriate areas. The county’s new "Energy Overlay Zone" is a zoning tool aimed at expediting renewable energy development. The Energy Overlay Zone covers more than 1,000 square miles, two-thirds of Klickitat County.

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Gas Optional Vehicles: Austin Energy Charges Ahead

Date: 7 Jun 2005 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Preferring the term “gas-optional” vehicles rather than plug-in electric hybrids, Austin Energy has adopted a strategy to diversify and grow its electric utility operations and hopes to convince cities nationwide to follow their lead.

Roger Duncan at Austin Energy is traveling the country promoting the idea that the time is ripe for a convergence of municipally owned electrical operations with the transportation sector. The fit becomes natural through the increased use of gas-optional vehicles (GOVs).

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FERC Adds Another Standard for DG Interconnection

Date: 19 May 2005 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has adopted standard rules for interconnecting distributed generation (DG) projects of 20 MW or less with the electricity grid. These new rules will operate alongside FERC’s previously issued rules that govern interconnections of DG projects larger than 20 MW. FERC also has an ongoing proceeding that is developing special rules for interconnecting wind energy projects with the grid [see FERC’s Generation Interconnection web site].

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Washington Laws Encourages Locally Manufactured DG Equipment

Date: 19 May 2005 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Two proposals unanimously passed by the legislature and signed into law earlier this month by Washington’s Governor, Christine Gregoire, should put distributed generation and renewable energy on the fast track in the state. The first bill (SB 5101) establishes a renewable energy production incentive that is larger if the equipment comes from in-state manufacturers. The second bill (SB 5111) provides corporate tax breaks for solar energy businesses in the state based on their sales.

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Minnesota Passes 20 Percent Ethanol Mandate

Date: 12 May 2005 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

On May 10th, Minnesota’s Governor signed a bill into law that could result in a requirement that the state’s gasoline supplies contain 20 percent ethanol (E-20). If the rules go into effect, it would double the current 10 percent ethanol blends that are now standard throughout the state.

Under the legislation, a new E-20 mandate would take effect in 2013 unless ethanol has already replaced 20 percent of the state’s motor vehicle fuel by 2010. The rule would expire at the end of 2010 if Minnesota is not granted federal approval to use E-20 gasoline blends.

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