Two articles below:
North American Energy Summit Spotlights Renewable Energy in the West
On April 14-15, the Western Governor’s Association (WGA), led by its chairman, our own Governor Bill Richardson, hosted the North American Energy Summit in Albuquerque. The Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy (of which NMSEA is a member), ran extensive radio ads about the Summit featuring very pro-renewable energy remarks by the Governor (thanks to the McCune and Energy Foundations for funding this effort!). NMSEA president Ben Luce was the tour guide for the Summit’s Solar Tour, which featured the grid-tied PV system by Sacred Power Inc. at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, and the Solar Thermal Test Facility at Sandia Labs.
During his keynote address, Richardson strongly challenged Western States to adopt year 2020 targets of 20% increases in both renewable energy and energy efficiency. Richardson also mentioned the seriousness of climate change and its possible role in the droughts plaguing the Southwest – one of the first public officials of his rank to do so.
At an earlier press conference during the Summit, Richardson officially designated New Mexico as the “Clean Energy State”, and announced the members of his Solar Energy Task Force, which include NMSEA president Ben Luce and NMSEA member and PV system manufacturer David Melton of Sacred Power Inc.. He also announced plans for a new PV manufacturing plant in Taos: This plant will be a joint project between the PV company Spire (who built a similar facility in Chicago recently), Kit Carson Electric Co-op, SolarPort (a new Taos solar company - see http://www.solarport.org/), and New Energy Capital (a venture capital company led by Dan Reicher, former DOE Assistant Secretary for Renewable Energy).
Towards the end of this rather historic Press Conference, Governor Richardson picked NMSEA president Ben Luce out of the crowd and asked him to speak on these developments. Ben spoke for several minutes on the economic and environmental benefits of renewable energy, and urged the press core to visit the solar exhibits outside, which included a full exhibit by the NMSEA. Later, Richardson stopped by our exhibit, and clowned around with NMSEA instructor Lisa Silva and our solar water fountain.
In June, the WGA will reconvene in June in Santa Fe to finalize some energy related resolutions, based on the input generated at the Summit. Hopefully these resolutions will embrace Richardson’s strong renewable energy and energy efficiency goals.
NMSEA Volunteers Jeanne Arya and Aaron Miller at our booth in Civic Plaza for the North American Energy Summit.
David Melton and Odes Armijo-Castor of Sacred Power Inc. give tourees the low down on grid-tied PV during the Energy Summit’s Solar Tour.
Western Governors Hear of Energy Train Wreck Ahead
© 2004 by Charles Bensinger
Governors from the Western U.S. and Mexico joined premiers from Western Canada to participate in the North American Energy Summit in Albuquerque, New Mexico, April 14th to 16th. The 700 attendees included representatives from state, tribal and provincial governments, energy industry experts and environmental advocates. The intention of the forum was to discuss the present and future state of energy supply and demand in the region. The prognosis, though, was not good. The bottom line: demand will continue to outstrip supply unless massive energy efficiency improvements are made and new sources of energy are brought online quickly.
But is such possible? Energy financing gurus met the day before the conference to ponder how an energy sea change might be funded. They agreed that the decrepit state of U.S. energy infrastructure required a serious makeover. This would require massive new investment in power lines, energy production technologies, and most importantly, "a new kind of thinking". Nancy Floyd, CEO of Nth Power, decried the paltry sums of money invested in the U.S. power grid during the past few decades and called for a "revolution in the energy industry". This revolution would put in place a multitude of small, clean power generators, new energy efficiency technologies, smart metering systems, and would foster a "willingness to embrace change".
Just how dire is the situation? Amidst reports of flat or declining domestic oil and gas production, the governors were told that overall demand for power will increase by 20% over the next decade in the U.S. Mexico will experience a demand increase of 5.6% per year. The energy experts gloomily noted that unless changes were made in U.S. oil consumption patterns, the country would find itself importing 70% of its petroleum from increasingly unstable foreign governments.
Natural gas, now the fuel source of choice for power producers, was the subject of much gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands. The U.S. Energy Information Agency predicts the demand for natural gas will soar by 30% to 50% by 2025. Senator Jeff Bingaman, ranking democrat on the Senate Energy Committee, expressed his fear that natural gas prices will continue to rise. The Senator noted that U.S. has now exhausted its excess capacity margins, and national economic growth will further increase demand for the clean fuel. Senator Pete Domenici, chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, railed against high gas prices and bemoaned the loss to other countries of U.S. fertilizer producers seeking more moderate natural gas costs. Nor was the importation of liquefied of natural gas (LNG) seen as a panacea, as this would render the U.S. dependent on foreign sources for a second critical fuel. Been there-done-that already with oil.
How to Cope with the Coming Crisis
Breakout groups grappled with potential solutions and examined fixes to present energy infrastructure. The governors and premiers touted their individual plans and strategies. Governors Richardson and Schwarzenegger of New Mexico and California respectively, announced their objectives of "developing at least 30,000 Megawatts of clean energy in the West by 2015 and an increase in the efficiency of energy use by 20% by 2020".
Bill Richardson, Western Governors Association (WGA) Chairman, also announced that New Mexico would become the "solar energy capital of America" and a "clean energy state," encouraging renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass. "No more talk-talk-talk," he said. "The time has come to turn our region's energy policy around". Toward this end, the governor promoted various tax credits and business incentives that New Mexico would offer to lure renewable energy manufacturers and producers to the state.
Governor Janet Napolitano of Arizona boasted that "Arizona could be the next Persian Gulf of solar energy," while Governor Bill Owens of Colorado touted his state's ability to provide a "region rich in resources that can meet our energy needs in an environmentally responsible manner". Governor Mike Rounds of South Dakota proudly noted that "next year our state will produce more than 400 million gallons of ethanol, and we are beginning to take advantage of the state's incredible wind power".
Enrique Martinez y Martinez, the governor of the Mexican state of Coahuila spoke of newly signed agreements for Mexican gas development and that Mexico would soon need $52 billion in new energy investment.
Canadian Premier Joe Handley of the Northwest Territories announced his support for the proposed Alaska to U.S. natural gas pipeline and discussed the challenges of minimizing the environmental impact of this giant, new project. The Honorable Gary Doer, Premier of Manitoba, spoke of the huge contribution that Canada has made to the U.S. energy supply, providing 16% of the U.S. demand for natural gas. Premier Ralph Klein of energy-rich Alberta highlighted his province's ability to deliver 10% of the U.S. oil supply. He also noted Canada's proactive role in the development of the Athabascan oil sands that contain 15% of the world's oil reserves, a petroleum cache second only to Saudi Arabia.
In closing, the governors and premiers called for "a North American collaboration on energy resources". They also agreed that a diversity of energy sources would be critical. Renewable energy would play a major role in meeting the future energy needs of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, but fossil sources would continue to be seen as the backbone of our energy supply for the near future. Other WGA strategies call for implementing a renewables marketing and trading system among western states by 2005, and the development of a North American regional energy plan.
Charles Bensinger is a renewable energy consultant, clean fuels developer and author of "Designing the New World: A Map for Change". He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Contact Info: Charles Bensinger, 41 Azul Loop, Santa Fe, NM 87508. 505-466-4259. Email address: newworld@timewindow.com.