Montana Green Power E-news — December 2005

The Montana Green Power E-newsletter is a monthly feature of the
Montana Green Power website: http://www.montanagreenpower.com.

"Let every individual and institution now think and act as a
responsible trustee of Earth, seeking choices in ecology,
economics and ethics that will provide a sustainable future,
eliminate pollution, poverty and violence, awaken the wonder
of life and foster peaceful progress in the human adventure."
– John McConnell, founder of International Earth Day

NEWS & NOTES

Butte May Lose Plant Expansion Due to High Energy Costs

Darby School Receives Biomass Fuel from Forest Service

Billings Renovation Project Highlights Energy Efficiency, Solar

Oregon University Builds Solar Power Facility

John Deere Looks to Wind Power

Nonprofit Org Seeks to Build Wind Project on Sioux Lands in SD

Boise State University Receives $500,000 Wind Energy Grant

Report Details Potential for Biofuels and Wind

Wyoming Carpenter Utilizes Wind, Solar for Off-Grid Home

Wind Power Available For Colorado College Students

Renewable Energy Goal Guides Basin Electric Power Cooperative

Opinion Piece: Utah Needs A Renewable Energy Policy

Idaho and Utah Announce Plans for Geothermal Plants

Wyoming Biodiesel Plant in the Works

N. Plains Resource Council Showcases Renewable Energy Options

Find Out How States Are Promoting Energy Efficiency

Butte May Lose Plant Expansion Due to High Energy Costs
Renewable Energy Corporation AS (REC), a Norwegian solar
energy company, earlier this year bought majority stock in
Advanced Silicon Materials LLC, which currently runs a plant
in Butte. REC officials recently announced their intention
to begin a major expansion of one of two plants, either the
Butte facility or another located in Moses Lake, Washington.
State and city officials are worried that Butte may lose
out on the facility expansion because of the relatively
higher costs for electricity in Montana.
http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/11/18/build/state/35-energy-prices.inc

Darby School Receives Biomass Fuel from Forest Service
Thanks to its biomass boiler and discounted fuel provided
by the Forest Service, the Darby School District can
expect to pay much less in heating costs this year.
The District replaced its fuel oil furnace with a
biomass boiler two years ago with funds from the Forest
Service’s Fuels for Schools Program. The school district
will receive 500 tons of slash that resulted from Forest
Service’s fuel-reduction efforts in the Bitterroot
National Forest. The total cost for the fuel is $5000,
significantly lower than the estimated $125,000 it
would cost to heat the school over the winter months
if it still used fuel oil.
http://www.ravallirepublic.com/articles/2005/12/01/news/news01.txt

Billings Renovation Project Highlights Energy Efficiency, Solar
Two Billings-based non-profit organizations-the Northern Plains
Resource Council and Western Organization of Resource
Councils-intend to showcase the possibilities for utilizing
energy efficiency and renewable energy resources in building
construction, according to the Billings Gazette. The two
groups plan to renovate an older building to serve as their
new headquarters; the renovation will incorporate the latest
in energy efficiency practices, including the use of natural
lighting, radiant floor heating, evaporative cooling and
low-water toilets. Solar panels will offset a portion of
the building’s electricity costs, as well as providing energy
for water heating. The emphasis on energy efficiency should
reduce energy costs by half, according to the project architect.
http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/11/03/build/business/30-renovation.inc

Oregon University Builds Solar Power Facility
Portland State University recently announced the impending
construction of a new solar power facility on campus,
writes the Daily Vanguard . The federally funded project
will be the first university-based solar test project
with combined demonstration, educational and research uses.
The test facility will consist of a15-kilowatt solar
array made up of 12 solar panels. The energy produced
will offset some energy costs on campus, and college
officials intend to use the project as an educational
tool for learning about solar energy technology.
http://www.dailyvanguard.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/11/15/43799a220c879

John Deere Looks to Wind Power
John Deere Credit is interested in investing in wind energy
projects in the Midwest, according to one official at the
John Deere corporate office. The company is interested in
medium-sized wind energy projects-those that would produce
at least 1.25 megawatts of electricity-that can
"meet the needs of local energy companies."
They have ruled out small projects, such as those that
would provide energy to individual ranches, large projects,
and projects that are primarily intended to provide power
to urban areas.
http://www.midweeknews.com/local/articles/113005-john_deere.html

Nonprofit Org Seeks to Build Wind Project on Sioux Lands in SD
Carbonfund.org, a nonprofit organization that supports
renewable energy as a means to avert climate change, recently
announced its support for a wind energy project on the
Rosebud Sioux reservation lands in South Dakota.
The Rosebud Sioux tribe will also collaborate with the
Basin Electric Power Cooperative on the wind energy project.
http://www.csrwire.com/article.cgi/4730.html

Boise State University Receives $500,000 Wind Energy Grant
Faculty and students at Boise State University’s engineering
school will receive $500,000 in grant funding from the U.S.
Department of Energy to research new wind energy technologies,
reports the Idaho Statesman. The university researchers
intend to use the funding to begin designing wind energy
turbines that can operate with low-speed winds.
The research team hopes that the funding can help
transform BSU into a regional technology powerhouse for
wind energy.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051203/NEWS02/512030344/1029

Report Details Potential for Biofuels and Wind
A new report says that biofuels wind power together
have strong potential to replace gasoline and
revitalize rural communities. The New Harvest:
Biofuels and Wind Power for Rural Revitalization
and National Energy Security was co-authored by
Climate Solutions’ Research Director Patrick Mazza
and Energy Foundation President Eric Heitz.
The report contains findings that show advanced biofuels
made from plant matter including grasses and crop
residues can replace gasoline in the U.S. light
duty vehicle fleet by mid-century, and that
one-quarter of the nation sustains wind speeds
capable of generating competitively priced
electricity. The report offers public policy agendas
to support the growth of wind power and advanced biofuels.
The entire report is available online in PDF.
http://www.climatesolutions.org/pubs/pdfs/TheNewHarvest.pdf

Wyoming Carpenter Utilizes Wind, Solar for Off-Grid Home
When Bob McGovern contemplated having to spend $25,000 to
build 12 miles of power lines so that his home could
have electricity, he discovered another possibility:
renewable energy. For $16,000, he was able to purchase
enough solar panels, a wind turbine and solar hot water
collector and industrial-strength batteries to meet
all his energy needs for his home and carpentry shop.
McGovern credits governmental subsidy programs for
renewable energy as essential for making the investment.
His home was also built with energy efficiency in mind,
requiring far less energy than traditional homes.
http://www.jacksonholestartrib.com/articles/2005/11/27/news/wyoming/8e48e7505fbf7dc7872570c500806844.txt

Wind Power Available For Colorado College Students
Last month, Colorado State University (CSU) signed contracts
with two wind energy companies to provide electricity to
20 university buildings, reports the Rocky Mountain Collegian.
The new agreements allow CSU to save $1,500 a year on energy
costs. It is not CSU’s first foray into renewable energy use,
however: last year, CSU students began taking advantage of
an option to power their dorm rooms with wind power for an
extra $17 annually. Around 200 students have opted into the
plan, and with rising costs of natural gas, the wind energy
plan may prove out to be more economically feasible than
continuing to use traditional energy sources.
http://www.collegian.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/11/15/43798541e13eb

Renewable Energy Goal Guides Basin Electric Power Cooperative
Basic Electric Power Cooperative, which supplies energy to
several western states including Montana, recently announced
plans to obtain ten percent of its energy portfolio from
renewable energy resources. Since Basin Electric already
receives 87 megawatts of wind-produced energy, the
cooperative needs to add an additional 205 megawatts of
renewable energy to meet the goal of ten percent by 2010.
The co-op’s members approved the renewable energy mandate
at a recent annual meeting.
http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/news/13077447.htm

Opinion Piece: Utah Needs A Renewable Energy Policy
The state of Utah currently relies on coal-fired plants
for 95 percent of its electricity, compared to 52 percent
nationwide. This editorial by Jackie Biskupski, a Salt
Lake City legislator, recommends that Utah ‘s political
leadership consider adding renewable energy to the
state’s energy portfolio. One means for promoting
renewable energy, according to Biskupski, would be
enacting a renewable portfolio standard (RPS), by which
a portion of the state’s energy would be required to
come from renewable energy sources. Passing a RPS wou
study this year by the Union of Concerned Scientists
estimates that a 10 percent RPS could, by 2020,
provide the state $888 million in new capital
investment, $63 million in new property tax revenues
for local communities, and $16 million in income
to ranchers and rural landowners resulting from
bioenergy development and wind power land leases.
http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_3298190

Idaho and Utah Announce Plans for Geothermal Plants
Two new contracts will likely result in a new
10-megawatt geothermal plant located in south-central
Idaho and a new 42-megawatt plant in southwest Utah.
In Idaho, U.S. Geothermal has entered into a contract
with Ormat Nevada, Inc. for the engineering, procurement,
and construction of its first 10-megawatt geothermal
power plant at Raft River. U.S. Geothermal has signed
power purchase contracts with the Idaho Power Company
for three 10-megawatt geothermal power plants.
http://www.usgeothermal.com/news/nr120605.pdf

In Utah, PacifiCorp signed a 20-year power purchase
agreement for all the power produced by a 42-megawatt
geothermal power plant that will be located near
Cove Fort, Utah. Owner Amp Resources LLC expects
the project to be online in 2007. The project was
selected as part of a PacifiCorp request for proposals,
issued in February 2004 with the aim of acquiring
up to 1,100 megawatts of cost-effective renewable
resources.
http://www.pacificorp.com/Press_Release/Press_Release58879.html

Wyoming Biodiesel Plant in the Works
Wyoming Biodiesel Co., a subsidiary of Sheridan-based
Energy Fuel Dynamics LLC, has announced plans to
construct a new biodiesel plant in Campbell County,
Wyoming, capable of producing 30 million gallons of
biodiesel annually. The plant would be Wyoming’s
first biodiesel plant, as well as one of the largest
nationwide. Biodiesel is derived from vegetable oil,
and a major production facility would be a boon to
Wyoming farmers who grow oil seed crops such as
canola and camelina. Biodiesel processing also produces
a high-protein cattle feed, helping to feed Wyoming
livestock.
http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2005/12/01/news/cd070e79a8fcf2df872570ca0000c5c4.txt

N. Plains Resource Council Showcases Renewable Energy Options
The Billings Outpost recently ran a story on the 34th Northern
Plains Resource Council annual meeting, highlighting the
renewable energy options available for Montanans. The
article quotes keynote speaker Michael Nobel, who works
for Minnesotans for an Efficient Energy Economy (ME-3).
Nobel advocated immediate solutions to energy consumption,
such as dramatically increasing the number of hybrid
cars used for urban commutes and continuing to expand
on biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. The article
also highlights the incorporation of biofuel vehicles
by Yellowstone park managers.
http://www.billingsnews.com/story?storyid=18504&issue=294

Arizona Consumers Take Advantage of Alternative Energy Credits
Arizona residents have lots of incentives to develop
alternative energy technologies. The upcoming $2,000
federal tax credit for residential solar power
installations can be combined with the Arizona
$1,000 solar tax credit. Additionally, some Arizona
utility companies have added incentives: Tucson
Electric Power, for example, will offer a $2,400 rebate
per kilowatt on solar panel installations. When these
tax credits and rebate are taken in context of the
rising costs of natural gas and oil, it appears that
solar energy is not such an expensive option.
Other alternative energies are also becoming popular,
most notably the rising interest in biofuel production.
This Arizona Daily Star article highlights success
stories for several Arizona entrepreneurs who work
in the field of biodiesel production.
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/101865.php

Find Out How States Are Promoting Energy Efficiency
The Alliance to Save Energy has launched the new
online State Energy Efficiency Index, which allows
users to search for energy-efficiency laws by
state or by policy topic. Users can access a
state-by-state listing for specific policy options
or click on an interactive U.S. map to view a list
of energy efficiency policies, funds, and tax
incentives for each state.
http://www.ase.org/content/article/detail/2356