India's Blackout Lesson: Coal Failed, Small Solar = Big Results

From a story by Justin Guay, Sierra Club International Program:

Of course they still have to face the problems they have inherited from trying to copy/paste a centralized grid from the West. So what can they do to solve peak problems with the grid they already have in place? Deploy lots and lots of distributed solar and efficiency.

That's because, unlike coal, solar for the most part is available when you need it - during peak hours. Which is why it's great to see States like Gujarat taking the lead in roof top solar programs with the support of the IFC. And efficiency makes the peaks smaller so you need less power in the first place.

The irony here of course is that distributed generation has always been ignored as trivial compared to the real need for a large scale 'modern grid.' That’s because policymakers and commentators lack the imagination to understand the fact that when aggregated, small can be very, very big.

Take the hidden truth behind India's modern grid (as my colleague Jigar Shah points out): it is actually already a distributed system that is largely powered by filthy, costly diesel gen sets. That’s because power outages are so frequent that businesses and wealthy individuals have been forced to pay for this backup generation to ensure power. This is a tremendous opportunity for companies seeking targeted diesel replacement strategies to save people and companies tremendous amounts of money, while providing reliable power.

Outdated power plants killing fish

From an article by Betsy Bloom in the La Crosse Tribune:

Outdated power plant cooling systems take a major toll on fish and other wildlife in the upper Mississippi River, according to a Sierra Club report released Thursday.

The report refers to the plants’ open-cycle cooling systems as“giant fish blenders” that also spew out heated water harmful to aquatic habitats.

The plants suck in millions of gallons of water each day from the river that is circulated to help cool equipment, then released back into the river, according to the report.

Larger fish can become trapped against screens at the mouths of intake pipes, while smaller fish and other organisms are churned through the system and succumb to the high-temperature water, the report claims.

Mentioned in the region were Dairyland Power Cooperative’s plants at Genoa and Alma, along with the Alliant Energy plant at Lansing, Iowa.

The four coal-fired plants on the Wisconsin side of the river combined draw in more than 890 million gallons of water a day, according to the report.

The Sierra Club faults not only the power companies but also the Environmental Protection Agency for not requiring the plants to upgrade to a closed-cycle cooling system it contends uses 95 percent less water.

Dairyland Power spokeswoman Katie Thomson disagreed with the report’s conclusions, saying the plants have a “a very minimal impact on the Mississippi River.”

Genoa nuclear waste set to move to dry casks

From an article by Chris Hubbuch in the Winona Daily News:

Dairyland Power will begin removing spent fuel from its Genoa, Wis., nuclear plant and encasing it in steel and concrete casks later this spring, nearly a quarter century after the plant ceased operations.

Though the federal government has no immediate plans to take possession of the radioactive waste, the move to store it temporarily on site should cut by two-thirds the power cooperative's cost to staff the plant and speed up the decommissioning process, expected to take another seven years and bring decommissioning costs to an estimated $79 million.

It's a scenario that Dairyland's founders couldn't have envisioned in 1941, when they banded together to create a network to provide reliable electric power to rural Wisconsin.

But those founders were thinking about the future, said Dairyland president William Berg, who encouraged some 700 delegates of Dairyland's members to continue building value during his address at the cooperative's 70th annual meeting Wednesday.

That means building a system with the capacity to meet future needs while preserving the environment and embracing renewable energy sources when the future of coal - the basis for most of today's power - is in question.

Dairyland now generates about 11 percent of its electricity with renewables such as wind, hydro and biomass-fueled generators. Berg said the company is on track to meet its goal of 25 percent by 2025.

Students, faculty urging state to stop burning coal on campus heating plants

From a story by Martha Boehm on WEAU-TV, Eau Claire:

LA CROSSE, WI (WEAU)--Some students at UW-La Crosse want the state-run heating plant, that’s been on campus for decades, to stop burning coal. The No Coal Coalition wants the state to consider other fuel options.

“It may take a while, but what we really want is a definitive statement from them for a day and a year that they will be able to transfer our campuses off of coal," said UW-La Crosse senior Jennifer Dausey.

Dausey has been working with the No Coal Coalition and Environmental Council for about a year. About a dozen students and faculty members want the Wisconsin Department of Administration, which owns the heating plant at UW-L, to stop burning coal to heat campus buildings.

"We always say that we should have been off coal yesterday," Dausey said. "There’s no reason we need to keep burning this dirty energy. It’s not only destroying families in the mining process, but it’s also destroying our health and our lungs. It causes so much asthma it’s ridiculous.”

Dausey says the coalition not only wants the plant to stop using coal, but to cut back on its natural gas emission, which is the second way it produces energy.

“It’d be easiest to switch to burning biomass, which is like wood pellets and it’s going to become a bigger economy here in Wisconsin with our natural resources," Dausey said.

Plant will convert waste heat to electricity for Minnesota & Wisconsin

From an article posted on Ormat:

Ormat Technologies Inc. (NYSE: ORA) has begun commercial operation of a power station in Minnesota, and will sell the electricity produced to Great River Energy.

Ormat said that the GRE recovered energy generation (REG) power plant is a 5.5 MW net power plant that converts the waste heat from the exhaust of a gas turbine in a compressor station along a natural gas pipeline in Martin County, Minnesota. The plant converts recovered heat to electricity without the need for any additional fuel or water.

The electricity produced by the project is sold to Great River Energy under a 20 year power purchase agreement. Great River Energy provides wholesale electric service to 28 distribution cooperatives in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Ormat CEO Dita Bronicki said, "This is the 10th REG unit we own and operate in the US, that brings the total installed capacity to approximately 53 MW and contributes to the important goal of emission free power generation."

Ormat called the technology environmentally benign, with no emissions of carbon dioxide or nitrogen oxide.

The dirty fight over cleaner power

From an article by Dee J. Hall in the La Crosse Tribune:

When state Department of Natural Resources Secretary Scott Hassett resigned suddenly in the summer of 2007, Gov. Jim Doyle's office announced that Hassett was leaving to "write, travel and consult on environmental and regulatory issues."

Privately, however, Hassett told a different story: That Doyle, a fellow Democrat, had forced him out of the top spot at the DNR because of the agency's insistence that the state clean up UW-Madison's coal-burning Charter Street heating plant - a move now expected to cost Wisconsin more than $200 million.

Hassett has told at least two former top DNR officials that he was forced to resign and one

of the reasons was the Charter Street enforcement action, which pitted two state agencies against one another in a conflict that hit close to the governor's office.

"There was no doubt in my mind that he (Hassett) was forced out," said George Meyer, DNR secretary from 1993 to 2001, recounting a conversation he had with Hassett at Hassett's Lake Mills-area home in March. Meyer said Hassett told him he believed the enforcement action against the plant was a key reason for his ouster.

Tom Thoresen, retired deputy chief conservation warden for the DNR, said Hassett told him a similar story in a phone conversation earlier this month.

Thoresen said he called Hassett to thank him for helping push for a bill that would take away the power of the governor to appoint the DNR secretary and return that authority to the Natural Resources Board. Four former DNR secretaries, including Hassett and Meyer, signed a letter last month backing Assembly Bill 138.

"I did talk to Scott Hassett ... thanking him for his signing on to the DNR letter to legislators," Thoresen said. "Scott told me that yes, Charter Street was part of the reason for his being let go."

Doyle spokesman Lee Sensenbrenner declined to answer directly whether Hassett, and his deputy, Mary Schlaefer, were forced out. He pointed to a July 20, 2007, news release that implied Hassett was resigning because of overwork after four and a half years on the job.

"Anyone who claims that Charter Street is the reason for Scott Hassett's departure is a liar," Sensenbrenner said in a statement.

UW-L rally: Burning coal isn’t cool

From an article by K.J. Lang in the La Crosse Tribune:

Some University of Wisconsin-La Crosse students want to kick coal off campus.

Students plan to rally at 3 p.m. today to show their opposition to UW-L burning coal for heating. Similar rallies will happen across the nation as part of the Sierra Club's "National Day of Action."

UW-L is among nine UW campuses still using coal, according to the state Department of Administration. Yet of the 1,925 facilities that report air emissions in Wisconsin, only 50 burned coal in 2008, said Ralph Patterson, emission inventory team leader for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Several speakers at UW-L will talk about the effect burning coal has on climate change, human health and clean air.

"Coal is a dirty, outdated way to be powering our campuses and health facilities," said Jennifer Feyerherm, director of Wisconsin's Clean Energy Campaign for Sierra Club.

The Sierra Club contends UW-L, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Stout all are in violation of the Clean Air Act because they didn't install modern pollution controls when making plant renovations, said Feyerherm.

The Department of Administration considers the four UW plants to be in compliance, said Emily Winecke, communications specialist with the department.

Flood-damaged homes to make energy in Cassville

From an Asssociated Press article in the Telegraph Herald (Dubuque):

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Flood-damaged homes in Cedar Rapids may soon be generating electricity in southwest Wisconsin.

The Cedar Rapids/Linn County Solid Waste Agency on Tuesday approved a contract to sell at least 6,000 tons of ground-up wood debris to a Cassville, Wis., plant that will burn it to produce energy.

DTE Energy Services of Ann Arbor, Mich., has converted an old coal-fired plant in Cassville to one that will burn biomass.

RENEW Wisconsin's spring newsletter now online

The spring edition of RENEW's newsletter includes the following articles:

Legislature to Tackle Wind Permitting
The Importance of Doing the Math
Stimulus Package 101
Policy Drives Solar Hot Water Market
PSC Investigates Renewable Tariffs
Open Letter from RENEW President
Calendar

Alliant drops plans for Iowa power plant

From an article in The Business Journal:

Alliant Energy Corp. said Thursday that its Iowa utility, Interstate Power and Light Co., has canceled plans to construct the proposed coal-fired Sutherland Generating Station Unit 4 in Marshalltown, Iowa.

The company said in a press release that the decision was based on "current economic and financial climate; increasing environmental, legislative and regulatory uncertainty regarding regulation of future greenhouse gas emissions and the terms placed on the proposed power plant by regulators."

The decision follows Wisconsin regulators' denial in December of a proposed 300-megawatt expansion of the Nelson Dewey Generating Station by Wisconsin Power and Light Co., Alliant's Madison-based utility. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin ruled that the $1.26 billion project was too costly when weighing it against other alternatives such as natural gas generation and the possibility of purchasing power from existing sources.

In a statement, Alliant Energy chairman, president and CEO Bill Harvey said the PSC's decision and the cancellation of the $1.2 billion-to-$1.3 billion Iowa power plant project "removes the option of adding new coal-based capacity to meet our customers' future energy needs."

Stoneman coal plant conversion moving forward

From an article by Craig Reberth in the Telegraph Herald (Dubuque):

CASSVILLE, Wis. -- Pending a state Department of Natural Resources air-quality hearing next week and the ensuing public comment period, work should start on converting a Cassville power plant from coal to 100 percent renewable fuel.

In May, DTE Energy Services, of Ann Arbor, Mich., announced it was purchasing the E. J. Stoneman power plant. DTE said it planned to convert the coal-fired plant to burn wood waste, a renewable fuel.

The Stoneman facility was built in 1950. Integrys Energy Services bought the 53-megawatt capacity plant in 1996 from Dairyland Power Cooperative and operated it as a merchant power plant, selling power in the open market. This is DTE Energy's initial foray into Wisconsin.

Once the air permit is issued, the project will move forward, DTE officials say. The plant probably will be pulled off-line by the end of this month, with demolition and construction to take place during the summer. The plant could be back online as early as June 2010.

Work includes converting the boilers from burning pulverized coal to a stoker technology and conversion of the material handling process. It is estimated the project will use 40 people at the peak of the effort.

Good news from Madison for biomass growers?

The Charter Street heating plant on the campus of the UW-Madison will switch from coal to biomass before the end of 2010.

From an announcement from Governor Doyle:

MADISON—Governor Jim Doyle announced today that a new biomass boiler will be installed at the Charter Street Heating Plant as part of his commitment to stop burning coal at state-owned heating plants on Madison’s Isthmus.

“We must move away from our dependence on coal,” Governor Doyle said. “This new project will help build the biomass market in Wisconsin, keep the money we spend on energy in the local economy and create green jobs in the area.”

The new biomass boiler will be capable of burning up to 100% biomass, everything from wood chips to switchgrass pellets, and will eventually be able to burn about 250,000 tons of biomass per year. This demand for biomass will help create and sustain a biomass market in Wisconsin and provide economic benefit for landowners, farmers and processors in the state.

With the switch to biomass, there will be 108,800 fewer tons of coal burned in the area each year and lower particulate emissions. Reducing particulate emissions by moving away from coal at the Charter Street Heating Plant is a key step in working to improve air quality in Dane County and moving the County back into attainment.

A media release from Better Environmental Solutions highlighted the importance of biomass production to southwestern Wisconsin:

“Planting switchgrass is a great crop for our highly erodible fields,” said Jim Schaefer, a Platteville area farmer. “We want create more markets for grass and other biomass crops for energy and fuels.”

Southwest Badger RC&D has been working with farmers and researchers on six switchgrass test plots and ways to collect woody biomass to restore native prairie and switchgrass and woodlands.

“The state’s demand for biomass will help farmers promote more conservation practices and give us cleaner water and reduced flooding,” said Steve Bertjens, NRCS Southwest Badger RC&D coordinator.

RENEW Wisconsin's newsletter goes on-line

The Wisconsin Renewable Quarterly, RENEW Wisconsin's newsletter, features these articles:

+ Rest in Peace: Cassville Generation Plant
+ Mississippi River Bird and Bat Study
+ Osceola School Heats Pools with Solar
+ Bob Ramlow: Solar Pioneer
+ Focus on Energy Issues Biogas Profiles
+ Focus on Energy Earns National Honor
+ State Plugs into Renewable Energy

LaCrosse utility adds more cow power

From a media release issued by Dairyland Power Cooperative:

LA CROSSE, WI— Dairyland Power Cooperative has signed an agreement with the
Norm-E-Lane Dairy Farm to purchase the energy and capacity from their anaerobic digester “cow power” facility located in Clark County (Chili, Wis.). Norm-E-Lane is owned by the Meissner family, members of Clark Electric Cooperative.

The facility at the 2,000-cow Norm-E-Lane Dairy Farm is expected to generate about
500 kilowatts of renewable energy, capable of powering 336 homes throughout Dairyland’s four-state service area.

Cow manure is collected and heated in the digester tank, a process that creates methane gas. This biogas fuels a large engine to produce renewable electricity. The process also has additional environmental side benefits, reducing animal waste problems associated with manure disposal on farms. Odor is nearly eliminated, and weed seeds and pathogens are killed during the digestion process, thus reducing the need for herbicides and pesticides on the farm. Also, a useful byproduct is bedding that can be used in the dairy.

Norm-E-Lane is the fourth dairy farm providing “cow power” to members in the Dairyland system. “We continue to seek opportunities to expand our renewable resources and appreciate working with the Meissner family and Clark Electric to bring this environmentally-friendly energy resource to our members,” said Bill Berg, Dairyland President and CEO.

State panel rejects proposed coal-fired power plant

From a story by Anita Weier in The Capital Times:

The state Public Service Commission on Tuesday unanimously rejected a proposed 300-megawatt mostly coal-fired power plant proposed by Wisconsin Power & Light at Cassville.

In justifying their decision, commissioners cited the cost, inefficiency and carbon dioxide emissions of the plant.

"Based on the evidence, I find this particular project is not in the public interest," said PSC Chairman Eric Callisto.

"Public comment was really significant," said Commissioner Mark Meyer, praising the extent of public participation after he stated that he could not support the application because it did not meet fundamental requirements.

Commissioner Lauren Azar said the proposal would lock the state into a coal technology that may soon be obsolete.

Alliant files "closing arguments" on Cassville plant

From a media release issued by Alliant:

MADISON, WI – October 17, 2008 – A decision on the future of the Nelson Dewey Generating Station is just weeks away. The final phase of the regulatory process kicked off today, as Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Corporation (NYSE: LNT), filed its . . . brief in the case.

The brief highlights that no generating facility in Wisconsin history has ever provided the varied benefits that Nelson Dewey 3 will bring. These benefits include helping to jump start the biofuels economy in Wisconsin and establishing an estimated $50 million dollars annually in economic development from that market, creating much-needed jobs for southwest Wisconsin during the construction and operation of the plant, and increasing the transmission import capability into the state by as much as 600 megawatts.

Also addressed in the brief is the importance of strong ratemaking principles to the project. Ratemaking principles define how construction costs will be recovered in utility rates throughout the life of the generating facility. “These are clearly challenging economic times for all of us,” said William D. Harvey, Chairman, President, and CEO – Alliant Energy. “We are thankful that, in Wisconsin, our regulators have the ability to fix the financial parameters for the lifetime of the project. That certainty can help provide our customers and our company with stability, which, now more than ever, is critical.”

The proposed 300 megawatt plant will have the ability to burn not only coal, but also switchgrass (native prairie grass), corn stalks and waste wood from area fields and forests. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) is considering WPL’s proposal, with final briefs in the docket due at the end of this month. The PSCW is expected to issue an oral decision about the future of the project in mid-November, with a written order due in mid-December.