APPALACHIAN POWER SEEKS RENEWABLE ENERGY PRICING FOR VIRGINIA
Appalachian Power (APCO), a subsidiary of American Electric Power, on July 1 asked the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) for permission to offer its Virginia customers voluntary pricing options to use and support renewable energy. Under the program, customers may choose to support the use of renewable energy through the purchase of fixed blocks of 100 kilowatt hours (KWH) each month or to source their entire monthly usage through the purchase of an amount equivalent to their monthly energy (KWH) consumption.
Customers selecting a specific number of blocks will pay an additional $1.50 over their usual power costs for each 100KWH block of renewable energy they choose to support. For customers purchasing an amount equivalent to their monthly consumption, the additional cost is 1.5 cents per KWH. The company will include this cost as a separate line item on each participating customer’s monthly bill. For example, a residential customer using 1000 KWH of energy in a month and selecting the first option and four 100 KWH blocks will pay an additional $6.00. Under the second option, the same customer selecting a full equivalent usage amount would pay an additional $15.00 per month.
The program will initially use energy and renewable energy credits (REC) associated with the Summersville (W.VA) Hydro Plant, a certified Low Impact facility from which the company currently purchases power. This plan is part of APCO’s efforts to meet the goals of Virginia’s Renewable Portfolio Standard.
HAWAII ENERGY BILL REQUIRES SOLAR HOT WATER
Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle has approved an energy bill that requires most new single-family homes to include solar water heaters. Senate Bill 644, approved on June 26, prohibits the issuing of building permits for new homes without solar water heaters as of 2010. The bill excludes homes located in areas with poor solar energy resources, homes using other renewable energy sources, and homes employing on-demand gas-fired water heaters.
EIA INDICATES GAS AND OIL PRICES WILL REMAIN HIGH
According to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Information Administration (EIA) “Short Term Outlook”, the average price of regular gasoline is expected to remain greater then $4 per gallon until the fourth quarter of 2009. Diesel fuel prices will also stay elevated, averaging $4.35 per gallon in 2008 and $4.48 per gallon in 2009. This winter the focus will change to electricity and heating fuels. Prices for natural gas are expected to increase by as much as 65% over 2007 prices and electricity prices are expected to increase 5.2% in 2008 and 9.8% in 2009.
TOYOTA TO MAKE PRIUS IN THE U.S.
Toyota Motor of Japan said last week that it would build its gas-electric hybrid sedan, the Prius, in the United States for the first time as it tries to meet surging demand and struggles with falling sales of big trucks. Starting in 2010, Toyota plans to make the Prius at a new factory in Blue Springs, Mississippi that was originally intended to build Sport Utility Vehicles.
AECP GLOBAL WARMING SEMINAR BIG SUCCESS
The AECP Global warming seminar was held on May 31, 2008 at the Jacksonville Center in Floyd, VA. Over 40 people attended the six- hour event. They were treated to eight presentations on a wide variety of topics related to global warming. Speakers included John Richardson from the Gereau Center, Dr. David Roper, a retired VA Tech Physics professor, Dr. Rene Godard, a Biology professor from Hollins University, Dr. Sean McGinnis, Chair of the VA Tech Green Engineering Dept., Ken Cronin, Director of General Services with the City of Roanoke, Mark McClain, Chair of the Roanoke Sierra Club, Dr. Diana Christopoulos, Chair of the Roanoke Valley Cool Cities Coalition, and Billy Weitzenfeld, Executive Director of AECP.
AECP DIRECTOR SPEAKS IN OHIO
AECP Executive Director, Billy Weitzenfeld was invited to speak at the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies Summer Conference in Canton, Ohio on June 26, 2008. The topic of his presentation was “Integrating Green Techniques into the Weatherization Program”. Billy emphasized that Weatherization is already a “green” program but that there was room for improvement. Particularly in the areas of better utilization of more environmentally products and recycling construction and job waste.
ENERGY TIP
With the high price of gasoline think about giving your car the day off. If possible use mass transit, carpooling, bicycling, and telecommuting. When you do drive keep the car tuned up and the tires properly inflated to save on fuel costs.