[Pvgreens-discussion] Fw: Community Renewable Energy

[sandylemberg at juno.com]

THis is an email from Eric describing his presentation, and the info
sheet I brought last night is attached.

Sandy

--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Eric Sutherland <sutherix at yahoo.com>
To: sandylemberg at juno.com
Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:07:33 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Community Renewable Energy
Message-ID: <885186.89917.qm at web51902.mail.re2.yahoo.com>

Sandy,

Thanks for forwarding the message.

My primary objective at this meeting is to find a handful of people who
can continue what I have been doing.  I will be the first to admit that
I have been very polarizing on this issue, but the number of options
available for defrocking pretenders is limited.  If a few more people
lend their voices to the cause, we can get our money spent within our
local economy, greatly increase total GHG emissions, put off the day
that Rawhide II is built, etc.

I expect my presentation to last thirty minutes.  At the meeting I
intend to:
1)explain what is happening with the money that Fort Collins ratepayers
are putting towards renewable energy and give a short history of this
program.  
2) present the basics of what the experts in the field have to say
about about bottom feeding in the renewable energy credit marketplace.
3) share a few real world examples of community renewable energy
success stories.
4) lay out concise options for individuals and groups to influence the
outcome of this situation.

This is not a complicated issue.  The REC market has some peculiarties
that can make the heads of the uninitiated spin for awhile, but in the
end it is not to difficult to understand.  The hard part to grasp is
how in the world Fort Collins could have been so miserably represented
by the people that are tasked with overseeing this program and how they
can be so resistant to change in the presence of the facts.

The "technical" part of the presentation will loosely follow the
conclusions presented in the following papers:
 
>>>Michael Gillenwater writes:
Eric,
The following two articles have been accepted by Energy Policy (pending
a few revisions):

Redefining RECs (Part 1): Untangling attributes and offsets
http://www.princeton.edu/~mgillenw/REC-OffsetPaper-PartI_v2.pdf 

Redefining RECs (Part 2): Untangling certificates and emission markets
http://www.princeton.edu/~mgillenw/REC-OffsetPaper-PartII_v2.pdf 

If you re interested, other related articles can be found on my
research website at:
http://www.princeton.edu/~mgillenw   <<<<

A number of events over the past several weeks also merit your groups
consideration.
- An official with the Center for Resource Solutions (GreenE), the
agency that certifies the REC's that PRPA is buying confirmed my
suggestion that PRPA is not pursueing the best course for its customers
with REC purchases.
- I have spoken with David Roy and he seems to share my perspective on
the money that is being spent on REC's
- Last Tuesday night, while addressing a meeting of the Northern
Colorado Renewable Energy Society, a Fort Collins Utilities Energy
Services Engineer told the audience that 6% of Fort Collins electrical
power is supplied from renewable sources.  When I asked how much of
this energy was purchased for delivery to Fort Collins customers in
accordance with the financial, regulatory and logistical paradigm that
controls and accounts for electrical energy generation and distribution
in our country, his response was to ask me if I meant the electrons. 
This response represents the most unimormed defense of REC's one can
encounter - the concept that the grid operates like a giant pool that
some people put electricity into and some people take power out of. 
This is a fabulously erroneous analogy, but it seems to be a favorite
of our municipally owned utility.  

In reality 0% of the electrical power we Fort Collins purchases comes
from renewable energy sources.  A notable caveat to this situation is
the Medicine Bow wind farm that sells power to WAPA.  PRPA also buys a
large amount of power from WAPA in Colorado.  These wind turbines would
not be there except for Fort Collins' financial support.  The remaining
83% of the "renewable energy" comes from REC's with no additionality.

Through the course of these events, it has become clear to me that
greater citizen participation will be required if Fort Collins is ever
to achieve a quality community renewable energy program.  Community
renewable energy programs are an important building block in our energy
future.  Any one can go out and bottom feed in the REC market if that
is what they feel is effective.  Capturing the benefits of a community
program requires that ratepayers have the option of investing their
contributions in local generation.  I find that the language of the
current City Council adopted Electrical Energy Supply Policy is
unambiguous in directing Fort Collins Utilities to provide this option.
 Having pursued every option I can think of to advance this perspective
amongst decision makers, I have arrived at an understanding that the
individuals responsible for providing Fort Collins ratepayers with
access to renewable energy choices have not done so.  It is now up to
the grass roots to put the pressure on.

I hope to see you at the commuity meeting on the 6th.  If you have any
questions please call.

Eric Sutherland
(970) 224 4509

--- sandylemberg at juno.com wrote:

> Eric
> 
> I passed on the information on your March 6 event at our meeting last
> night and several people said they plan to go. If you can send me
> some
> more detailed information on the event, I will pass it on.
> 
> Also, the group decided to invite you to the next meeting to present
> your
> ideas. That meeting is set for Thursday, March 13 at Nancy York’s
> house
> (NE corner of Whitcomb and Oak). Please let me know whether you can
> make
> it.
> 
> Thanks, Sandy
> 
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