USDA Announces Funding for Coop Projects in Seven States
Posted on Sep 13, 2013 in Energy Savings Programs, Financing, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on USDA Announces Funding for Coop Projects in Seven States
In a news release, the Secretary of Agriculture has announced funding for a variety of projects through the Rural Utilities Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The projects include, among other things, funding for smart grid technology and improvements on Native American lands across seven states: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming. Read...
Operation Cool Shade Promotes Trees to Save Energy
Posted on Sep 10, 2013 in Climate Change, Energy Savings Programs, Environmental | Comments Off on Operation Cool Shade Promotes Trees to Save Energy
Once again Mohave Electric Cooperative is rolling out Operation Cool Shade, which promotes the use of shade trees to manage energy use in the hot summer months. Coop members will be able to buy trees for $8 and, as a bonus, will receive a free compact fluorescent bulb for each tree purchased. Operation Cool Shade trees will be sold from September 11-24 or until the trees sell out. ...
New Jersey Communities Consider New Electric Coops
Posted on Sep 10, 2013 in Energy Savings Programs, Innovation/Efficiency, Project Development | Comments Off on New Jersey Communities Consider New Electric Coops
Two New Jersey townships have shown interest in forming their own electric coops after Plumsted Township successfully started a township-wide energy aggregation program that allows it to purchase energy in bulk for its residents, thus saving members about 14 percent on energy bills. The two townships, Lambertville and West Amwell, are seeking to submit a request for proposal and are...
Washington Company Earns Large Energy Savings Rebate
Posted on Sep 4, 2013 in Energy Savings Programs, Environmental, Innovation/Efficiency | Comments Off on Washington Company Earns Large Energy Savings Rebate
Plum Creek Timber Company (Plum Creek), based in Seattle, Washington, received a $386,635 energy savings incentive check from Flathead Electric Cooperative (FEC) of Montana and the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), a federal non-profit agency based in the Pacific Northwest. Plum Creek became eligible for this rebate under the FEC/BPA Energy Smart Industrial Program for an energy...
Vermont Coop Limits Future Solar Installations
Posted on Aug 15, 2013 in Energy Savings Programs, Environmental, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Rates, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Vermont Coop Limits Future Solar Installations
Washington Electric Co-op (WEC) has announced that, as of October, it will limit the use of net metering for future solar installations on its system to the size of 5 kilowatts. In Vermont, the practice of net metering allows a utility’s members to make solar installations on a utility’s system and sell such power to the utility. WEC’s decision to limit the size of future...
NRECA Backs Potential Senate Deal on Federal Building Efficiency
Posted on Jun 13, 2013 in Climate Change, Energy Savings Programs, Environmental, Innovation/Efficiency, Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on NRECA Backs Potential Senate Deal on Federal Building Efficiency
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) is supporting bipartisan legislation to repeal a law ending fossil energy use in new and renovated federal buildings by 2030 and replace it with legislation to expand existing efficiency goals. A June 3 letter sent by NRECA and eight trade organizations to members of the U.S. Senate stated: “These provisions would give...
Coops Advocate Water Heater Rule Change
Posted on May 15, 2013 in Energy Savings Programs, Environmental, Innovation/Efficiency, Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy, Reliability | Comments Off on Coops Advocate Water Heater Rule Change
Electric cooperatives are advocating that the Department of Energy (DOE) make changes to a new rule that would phase out large-capacity electric storage water heaters from demand management programs. These water heaters save time and energy for cooperatives and provide significant reductions in wholesale power costs. Currently, the DOE has offered one-year waivers for the water...
FERC Issues License for Hydroelectric Project in Alaska
Posted on Mar 13, 2013 in Energy Savings Programs, Project Development, Rates, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on FERC Issues License for Hydroelectric Project in Alaska
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has issued a license for Inside Passage Electric Cooperative’s Gartina Falls project near Hoonah, Alaska. The project, which is fully funded at less than $8 million, will replace 30 percent of the diesel use in Hoonah. Local businesses, which are not eligible for the state’s power-cost equalization program, stand to benefit from the...
Government Announces New Funding for Rural Coops
Posted on Feb 18, 2013 in Energy Savings Programs, Environmental, Financing, Grid & Infrastructure, Technology | Comments Off on Government Announces New Funding for Rural Coops
In a recent announcement, John Padalino, USDA Rural Utilities Acting Administrator, stated that rural electric cooperatives and utilities in 12 states will receive loan guarantees to improve generation and transmission facilities and implement smart grid technologies. The statement was made during the annual meeting of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association on behalf of...
Proposed Texas Bill Would Give Customers Grounds to Sue
Posted on Feb 14, 2013 in Energy Savings Programs, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Legislative & Politics, Litigation, Regulation & Policy, Technology | Comments Off on Proposed Texas Bill Would Give Customers Grounds to Sue
In addition to creating a cause of action against utilities for theft and improper use of data, a proposed Texas bill, H.B. 1171, also provides customers with the right to opt out of smart meter programs and the right to have previously installed meters removed. This bill differs from a prior Senate bill in that H.B. 1171 provides customers with this cause of action but does not...
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