Energy
Market News
August 2008
National
Energy Market News…………
1.
Adoption of 2008 National Electrical Code
Gains Momentum - Public
officials in several states have embraced new safety standards, voting to adopt
the 2008 National Electrical Code (NEC) with minimal or no amendments, and
America’s heartland has taken the lead on acceptance. The Code is scheduled to
take effect in Arkansas, Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming by August 2008.
Enforcement began in North Dakota and in several Illinois jurisdictions in
April 2008. New Mexico accepted the Code
for July enforcement, and it already has been implemented in Idaho, Massachusetts,
Oregon and parts of Alabama. Additionally, Code enforcement is scheduled to
commence by the beginning of 2009 in Texas, Iowa and Utah. 07/’08 Electrical Contractor
2. DOE Unveils Initiative to Promote Energy Efficiency in Hospitals
- DOE launched
the EnergySmart Hospitals initiative on July 23, with the aim to increase the
use of energy efficient technologies in hospitals across the United States. The
EnergySmart Hospital initiative will provide hospitals with design strategies,
advanced energy design guides, technology assessments, case studies, training
sessions, and an interactive Web site to help hospitals increase their energy
efficiency. The nation's 8,000 hospitals are among the most energy intensive
commercial buildings in the United States, with more than 2.5 times the energy
intensity and carbon dioxide emissions of commercial office buildings. Last
year, hospitals spent more than $5 billion on energy. Unlike many other
commercial buildings, hospitals must remain fully operational 24 hours a day,
seven days a week and provide services during power outages, natural disasters,
and other events that would force other facilities to close. 07/30 EERE
3.
DOE Pursues Zero-Net Energy Commercial
Buildings - DOE launched the Zero-Net Energy
Commercial Building Initiative (CBI) on Tuesday, with the goals of developing
new commercial buildings that produce as much energy as they use and making
these buildings marketable by 2025. Such zero-net energy commercial buildings
will minimize their energy use through cutting-edge energy efficiency
technologies and will meet their remaining energy needs through on-site
renewable energy generation. http://www.energy.gov/news/6454.htm
4.
GE
Pumps $4 Billion Into Renewables - Putting
$100 million into three New York wind farms pushed renewable energy investments
past the $4 billion mark this week for GE Energy Financial Services.
5.
Pickens
Says Oil Won't Go Below $100 - Texas oil billionaire T. Boone Pickens said on Thursday crude prices
may soon fall as low as $110 a barrel amid falling gasoline demand, but should
not sink below $100 because the United States depends heavily on oil imports.
08/15 Reuters
6.
DOE Guarantees
$10 Billion in Loans for Green Energy Projects - The U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) is offering $10 billion in loan guarantees for projects involving energy
efficiency, renewable energy, and advanced transmission and distribution. The
agency is seeking projects relating to biomass, geothermal, solar, and wind
energy, as well as projects involving hydropower, alternative fuel vehicles,
and energy efficiency. In addition to
general energy-efficiency projects, the solicitation specifically requests
projects relating to energy-efficient building technologies and efficient
electricity transmission, distribution, and storage. DOE intends to issue loan
guarantees for standalone projects, as well as projects relating to
manufacturing technologies and the large-scale integration of renewable energy,
energy efficiency, and energy-storage technologies into the electrical grid. Applications
are due on Dec. 31. Go to the Loan Guarantee Program website www.lgprogram.energy.gov/index.html
for more information.
7.
ASE Picked to
Operate National Energy Lab - The
U.S. Department of Energy says it has selected the Alliance for Sustainable
Energy to manage and operate the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The
cost-plus award-fee contract is valued at approximately $1.1 billion, subject
to annual appropriations, during the five-year contract period. The contract
includes a five-year extension option. Officials said the Golden,
Colo., laboratory is the nation's premier renewable energy and energy
efficiency research, development, demonstration and deployment institution. It
employs 1,200 science and support personnel. http://www.ase.org/ 07/30 UPI
8.
ACEEE Introduces a New State
Energy Efficiency Policy Resource - The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) unveiled a
new Web resource for state policymakers and energy efficiency advocates. This
site is the initial phase of ACEEE's new State Energy Efficiency Policy Web
site, an ongoing project under the umbrella of ACEEE's State Energy Efficiency
Policy Activities. The site serves as an easy-to-use online database of energy
efficiency policies in the states, searchable by state or by policy. http://aceee.org/energy/state/index.htm
9.
International Investment Flows
into Surging U.S. Renewable Energy Market - The U.S. renewable energy market is large—and growing—and
many international investors are starting to view it as the next hot global
opportunity for investments and business expansion. Cumulative installed
renewable energy capacity represents only about 2.4 percent of U.S. generation
capacity, excluding large hydro, but U.S. markets will continue to experience
significant growth, spurred by state government support, concerns about climate
change, increasing conventional power costs, and improvements to renewable
energy performance and economics. With key global markets like Germany and
Japan slowing over the past few years in terms of renewable energy market
growth, the U.S. is positioned for significant investment. 07/’08 Electric Light & Power
10.
LED Lighting Standards Arrive - Scientists at the National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST), in cooperation with national standards organizations,
have taken the lead in developing the first two standards for solid-state
lighting in the U.S. Standards are important to
ensure that products will have high quality and their performance will be
specified uniformly for commerce and trade. These standards—the most recent of
which published last month—detail the color specifications of LED lamps and LED
light fixtures, and the test methods that manufacturers should use when testing
these solid-state lighting products for total light output, energy consumption
and chromaticity, or color quality. Source:Craig DiLouie, Editor LightNOW News www.Lightsearch.com
11.
EEI
Updates Energy Saving Tools for Homes and Businesses -
America's
electric companies are leaders in developing programs and services to help
their customers use electricity more efficiently. View
the latest survey of electric utility energy efficiency programs from
around the country. http://www.getenergyactive.org/wisely/progs.pdf
12. 
Fans of
L.E.D.’s Say This Bulb’s Time Has Come
- The nation’s Big Three of lighting — General
Electric, Osram Sylvania and Royal Philips Electronics — are embracing a new
era of more efficient technologies, like halogen, compact fluorescent and
solid-state devices. Encouraged by legislation and the rising cost of energy,
as well as concerns about greenhouse gases, consumers are swapping out
incandescent bulbs. Philips is working
to decrease the penetration of compact fluorescent bulbs. “We are not spending
one dollar on research and development for compact fluorescents,” said Kaj den
Daas, chairman and chief executive of Philips Lighting. Instead, the bulk of
its R&D budget, which is 5.2 percent of the company’s global lighting
revenue, is for L.E.D. research. Philips is betting the store on the L.E.D.
bulbs, which it expects to represent 20 percent of its professional lighting
revenue in two years. 07/28 NY Times
13. Housing
Act Aims to Encourage Energy Efficient Mortgages - President Bush signed the Housing and
Economic Recovery Act of 2008 into law on July 30, and while the act is focused
primarily on addressing the mortgage crisis in the United States, it also
includes measures to encourage the greater use of energy efficient mortgages
(EEMs). Such mortgages allow people to purchase or refinance their principal
residence and incorporate the cost of energy efficiency improvements into the
mortgage. But while the idea is laudable, the implementation of it is
difficult, as the borrower must first receive a home energy rating report,
usually from an energy consultant, and the report must demonstrate that the
energy efficiency improvements are cost effective. http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/eem/eem_prog.cfm
14. NAED Launching New Certification Program - The National Association of Electrical
Distributors (NAED), St. Louis, is developing a new certification program for
distributors, manufacturers and others in the channel: the Certified Electrical
Professional (CEP). The first tests for both inside and outside sales will be
offered in June 2009. Applicant bulletins will be sent in March 2009 and actual
applications will be available in April 2009, the association says. The NAED
Education and Research Foundation Board of Directors unanimously approved the
Education and Development Council's (EDC) recommendation to develop an industry
certification program that would validate the training, baseline knowledge and
skills required for key positions in the industry. Initial certification
offerings will be for inside sales and outside sales, and NAED plans to offer
certification for additional positions in the future. The Certified Electrical
Professional credential is available to both distributor and manufacturing
professionals. www.naed.org
15. Lighting
Awards Program - The
29th annual High-Benefit Lighting Awards Program is underway. Sponsored by the
National Lighting Bureau, the program is open to virtually anyone associated
with an indoor or outdoor lighting installation: owners, designers, facility or
property managers, contractors, manufacturer's representatives, utility
employees and end users, among others. For more
information about the NLB awards program, visit www.nlb.org
16.
ALA Annual Conference - The 2008 American Lighting
Association (ALA) will take place from Sept. 14-16 at the Gaylord National
Resort and Conference Center near Washington, D.C. Topics for seminars to be
presented at this year's event include certification, tax legislation, sales management,
and energy efficiency. http://www.americanlightingassoc.com/members/conference_main.php
17.
October 28-29, 2008 -
http://www.naesco.org/events/conference/annual/default.htm
State Energy
Market News…………
1.
New York City Revises Building Codes - The 2008 New York City Codes went
into effect across all five boroughs on July 1, the first major modernization
of the city’s building codes in nearly 40 years. The 2008 New York City Codes are based on the
2003 International Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas and Fire Codes. The
new codes reference modern standards that incorporate updated scientific data.
07/’08 FacilitiesNet
2. Statehouse,
Other State Buildings Get Energy Check - Wal-Mart is teaming up with the state of New Hampshire to recommend how
to make the Statehouse and two other state buildings more energy efficient. In a program involving the retail
giant and the National Governors Association, New Hampshire is getting a grant
to allow energy audits of the Statehouse, the Transportation Department and the
Safety Department. Wal-Mart provides a team that spends two days in each
facility and will suggest energy improvements based on technology the company
has used in thousands of its buildings around the world. The team will look at everything from lighting, heating and
air conditioning to thermostats, insulation and windows. 07/29 AP
3. Maine Businesses Face Higher Electric Rates - Starting in September, some Maine businesses
will be facing double-digit increases in their standard offer electric rates. The
Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday approved new energy prices, which apply
to customers that have not made their own electricity supply arrangements. Large
business customers of Central Maine Power will see their standard offer prices
rise 32 percent, while those for medium-size customers will go up 23 percent.
For Bangor Hydro customers, the figures are just under 20 percent for large
businesses and 21 percent for medium businesses. PUC Chairman Sharon
Reishus said the higher rates reflect increases in wholesale electricity costs,
largely due to hikes in fuel costs for power plants fired by natural gas. 08/30 AP
4.
New
Rebates on Tap in Pennsylvania - Small
businesses in Pennsylvania can apply for rebates to pay for 20 percent of the
cost of a lighting upgrade from the Sustainable Energy Fund (SEF), Allentown,
Pa. The SEF is a non-profit organization dedicated to the use of renewable
energy, clean energy technologies, energy conservation and education that was
founded in 1999 by the Pennsylvania Utilities Commission (PUC). The rebate is
available to businesses with less than 100 employees. The lighting upgrades
must cost at least $5,000. The maximum rebate is $2,000. For more information
about the program: http://www.thesef.org/kb/?View=entry&EntryID=68
5. PA Approves Utility Plan for
Electric Rate Spike - State
regulators gave the green light Thursday to a power company's plan to help
customers brace for a coming increase in electric rates.
The Public Utility Commission unanimously approved a "rate
stabilization plan" by PPL Electric Utilities that involves residential
and small-business customers paying slightly higher bills in the coming year
and a half in order to minimize a drastic increase expected when the company's
rate cap expires in 2010. An average
customer who signs up for the plan would see 5 percent to 8 percent annual
increases until 2012, rather than a projected jump of about 34 percent in
2010. http://www.pplelectric.com/ 
08/07 AP
6.
Get Ready to Pay $20 More for
Electricity: TVA Plans 20% Rate Increase - TVA power rates could increase by up to 20
percent Oct. 1, TVA Chief Executive Tom Kilgore said Wednesday. He said he expected the fuel cost adjustment to increase the total
power bill for residential customers between 10 and 20 percent, but warned a
higher increase is possible. TVA
-- the nation's largest public utility -- provides wholesale electricity to 159
distributors serving 8.8 million consumers in Tennessee and parts of Alabama,
Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia. 08/07 The Decatur
Daily
7.
New Program Urges Hoosiers to
Conserve Energy - A new
statewide program urges Indiana residents to help the environment by taking a
pledge to save energy and reduce waste. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management's
Hoosiers Care program offers tips on conserving energy, such as switching to
compact fluorescent light bulbs. The pledge is available online at http://www.hoosierscare.in.gov
8.
Consumer Advocate Says Save-A-Watt is Bad
Deal - An advocate for consumers warned state
regulators this morning that Duke Energy's energy efficiency proposal, called
Save-a-Watt, is a bad deal for Duke's customers. In a hearing before the N.C.
Utilities Commission in Raleigh, energy consultant Richard Spellman denounced
Save-a-Watt as an overpriced proposal that would deliver minimal efficiency to
customers. Spellman has said that under Save-a-Watt, a compact fluorescent
light bulb that costs $1.65 at Wal-Mart would end up costing Duke's customers
$18.23. Under Save-a-Watt, customers would be paid financial incentives to
invest in technologies and upgrades to make their homes and businesses more
efficient. All ratepayers would pay for the incentives, technologies, program
administration and other costs through their monthly bills. 07/31 The News
& Observer
9.
Xcel Energy Proposes Energy
Efficiency Program - Xcel
Energy has proposed a $138 million program to cut Colorado's energy demand by
providing rebates and incentives to customers for energy efficient appliances
and practices. The plan, announced Monday, would be financed by a surcharge on
customers' monthly bills next year and in 2010. If state regulators approve the
plan, Xcel said an average residential electric bill would increase by $1.16
per month. Monthly bills for the average small-business customer would rise by
$2.03. Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy is
Colorado's largest electric and natural-gas utility with 1.6 million customers.
08/12 AP
10. 
Oncor Encourages Consumers to "Make Their Mark" on
Energy Use with CFL Light Bulbs -Oncor and seven other Texas electric utilities announced today that
they are sponsoring the Texas Statewide ENERGY STAR® Residential Lighting Program, which is
designed to encourage consumers to use ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs from
retailers. Oncor, along with local manufacturers, is providing retailers
financial assistance so that they can offer discounts on CFLs. This action will
make them more comparable in cost to incandescent bulbs. These discounts will
be clearly marked at the retail locations and will range from 30 percent to
more than 70 percent less than the original retail price. Discounted CFLs will
be available at participating retail locations in Oncor's service territory through
December 2009. http://www.oncor.com/ 07/28 BUSINESS WIRE
11. Energy Efficiency Experts Help Texas Utilities Launch Statewide
Lighting Program - Eight
Texas utilities are joining to launch a statewide ENERGY STAR® residential
lighting program. Their efforts from this year alone will help save $97.5
million in energy costs over the next seven to 10 years, according to numbers
from the EPA. Ecos, an energy efficiency
and environmental solutions firm was hired by the utilities to design and
implement the program, which encourages the use of energy-efficient CFLs. The program which invites Texans to “Make
their Mark” on energy savings, kicked off July 15 and expects to have over 1.5
million CFLs in homes around the state by the end of the year. www.MakeYourMarkTX.com
12. Rocky Mountain Power Pursuing Rate Increase - Wyoming's largest electrical utility, Rocky
Mountain Power, is asking state regulators for permission to increase rates by
7.1 percent, although residential rates would go up only by 2.75 percent. Officials
with the Utah-based company say the increase is needed to cover the cost of
Wyoming's growing demand for electricity. They say the increase would raise
$33.5 million a year, money that would be used to build new power generation
capacity and power lines. 07/30 AP
13. New Energy Standards Approved in California - The California Energy Commission recently approved dozens of energy-efficiency building standards for new construction. Title 24, 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, regulates construction of residential and non-residential buildings. The new standards have been updated to include new code regulations for lighting; windows; roofing; skylights; swimming pool and spa equipment; and heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment and controls. http://www.energy.ca.gov/title24/2008standards/
14. Anchorage Joins LED City Initiative to Improve Light Quality and
Reduce Energy Costs - Cree, Inc. and the Municipality of Anchorage
today announced Anchorage's participation in the LED City(® program, an international program that promotes
the deployment of energy-efficient LED lighting. Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich
announced his city's participation in conjunction with an energy-related
initiative calling for the retrofit of all 16,000 municipal roadway lights with
high-efficiency LED fixtures. The LED fixtures from BetaLED are expected to use
50-percent less energy than current streetlights, which could save the city
$360,000 annually at today's energy prices. 07/29
PrimeNewswire
Monthly Highlight… http://www.actonenergy.net/business.asp
Ameren Illinois Utilities Announce Energy
Efficiency Initiatives to Benefit Business Customers -
Business customers throughout the Ameren
Illinois Utilities service territory now have a new, reliable source of
up-to-date information that can help them realize significant financial
benefits. "We have created ActOnEnergy.net, a dynamic new Web site to provide
the most current information about our electric energy efficiency programs and
how they can save our business customers money on energy efficiency projects as
well as on their future electric bills," said Keith Martin, manager of
Customer Service and Energy Efficiency for the Ameren Illinois Utilities.
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Your participation may result in multiple benefits to you and your employees: ·
Energy-efficiency
modifications to your buildings or systems can reduce energy consumption and
decrease your energy costs. ·
These
projects typically provide added benefits like improved worker comfort and
productivity. ·
The
energy you save will have an environmental impact by reducing your carbon
footprint, which helps decrease the need for additional power plants in the
future. The Ameren Illinois Utilities' programs for business customers offer: ·
Cash
back and incentives—starting June 23, 2008—for energy-efficient lighting,
heating and cooling systems, and projects of all types and sizes. These
incentives will help your business offset the cost of these projects and
stretch your energy dollar. ·
Energy
efficiency assessments ·
Training
You'll want to visit ActOnEnergy.net often to learn the benefits and eligibility requirements as programs continue to roll out. Currently, two types of programs are offered: |
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