"I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use our natural resources,
but I do not recognize the right to waste them, or to rob by wasteful use, the generations that come after us."
— Theodore Roosevelt
Updated: October 1, 2008
Searching for efficient renewable fuels, New York State is investing $1.6 million in the evaluation and improvement of wood-fired heating equipment such as residential and commercial wood boilers, pellet stoves, wood stoves, and emerging grass-pellet technologies. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority today announced the funding of nine projects that will compare energy and emissions performance for equipment that burns wood, the oldest renewable fuel.
The program will clear a path for New York-grown fuels, create new manufacturing jobs, and improve environmental performance of biomass technologies, he said. The studies will be conducted in cooperation with New York manufacturing companies, research organizations, universities, and government agencies. NYSERDA is investing $1.6 million in this effort, and research partners will contribute an additional $900,000.
NYSERDA is funding three studies that will compare conventional commercial biomass systems and high-efficiency European-style gasification biomass boilers to oil-fired systems. The studies will evaluate energy efficiency and emissions for woody biomass in several forms - wood chips with bark, wood chips without bark, and wood pellets.
These studies of small-scale wood boilers will be conducted by Clarkson University, the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management, and Advanced Climate Technologies. The demonstration at Clarkson will be the first project for an innovative Energy Park being developed to study alternative energy sources on the campus. There also is recent increased interest in pelletized grass for heating.
NYSERDA is working with Cornell University and the State University of New York at Canton in manufacturing grass pellets, identifying the operational requirements for grass pellet stoves and boilers, determining stove and boiler compatibility with grass pellets, and evaluating the emissions from these systems.
Finally, NYSERDA is supporting a study to evaluate the effects of emissions from wood combustion on local air quality. Wood combustion may be more common in rural areas where there are fewer homes, but due to the high particle emissions rate of conventional wood burning technologies, wood smoke concentrations in local air can become elevated, depending on weather conditions and local topography.
-From ENS Newswire story for Oct. 1, 2008
After poverty, climate change is the most serious problem Europe faces according to a Eurobarometer survey presented in the European Parliament on September 11. The poll found that 61 percent of respondents have taken some personal action to cut emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. A quarter of those said they had changed their buying habits and used the car less to help the environment.
At the same time, the poll found that a majority believe that the people, governments, industry or the European Union are not doing enough about the warming climate. The survey of over 30,000 people in 30 European countries found that 31 percent had not taken any action to change their behavior on account of the climate. Of those, almost half said they believe that government and industry should take action, while just over a third did not know what they should do.
The survey was conducted in all 27 EU member states as well as in the three candidate countries - Turkey, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Those who have taken action said they believe it would make a difference, that they had a duty to protect the environment or were concerned about what they would leave for future generations. Across Europe, 28 percent of respondents said they use greener transport and 27 percent buy seasonal and local products that reduce CO2 emissions.
-From ENS Newswire story for Sept. 16, 2008
Old-growth forests in the state of New York are protected for the first time under a bill signed into law Friday by Governor David Paterson. The law applies only to state forests, not to forests on private lands or national forests in the state of New York. The law recognizes the role of forests to cool the climate, stating that part of its purpose is "to maintain the ability of old-growth forests to sequester carbon, thereby helping to avoid an increase in the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere."
It is also intended to "maintain the ability of old-growth forests to transpire water and to provide shade and large woody debris to streams, rivers, and creeks; to provide habitat for endangered and threatened species that are dependent on or associated with old-growth forests; and to encourage, as appropriate, the retention of old, large, dead, dying or deteriorating trees that provide necessary habitat for wildlife and nutrients essential for forest health, and retain moisture that enhances water quality and quantity."
New York does not have many large old-growth forests left, but there are a lot of small ones, spread all across the state. Scientists estimate that close to 350,000 acres of old-growth forests remain in the state of New York. To qualify for protection as an old-growth forest under the law, the parcel must be, among other criteria, at least 10 acres and include "an abundance of late successional tree species, at least 180 to 200 years of age in a contiguous forested landscape that has evolved and reproduced itself naturally, with the capacity for self perpetuation." It must show limited signs of human disturbance since European settlement.
-From ENS Newswire story for Sept. 8, 2008
Contrary to the idea that environmentalism is a youth movement, consumers over 55 years old are the most prolific users of green products in the United States, according to survey results released Saturday by ICOM Information & Communications, a Toronto-based marketing communications company. The poll shows that despite higher costs, more than six in 10 U.S. homes now use environmentally friendly household products. Both male and female groups 55 years and older reported above average usage of environmentally-friendly home goods.
Leading the way are 55-59 year old females, who are more than twice as likely as the average consumer to use green products, the survey shows. Males 65-69 years old are second, more than 1.7 times as likely to use green products than the average American. Showing the penetration of green products into American homes, 61.9 percent of survey respondents said that they do use some type of environmentally friendly product.
-From ENS Newswire story for Sept. 8, 2008
Governor David A. Paterson this week signed legislation to expand the state's net metering laws to facilitate more net metering of electricity generated by solar, wind and farm waste electric generating systems.
The development of these technologies provides numerous environmental, economic and societal benefits by reducing New York's use of fossil fuels, increasing our domestic energy sources, creating vital economic development opportunities for new high-tech companies to locate in many regions of the state, and creating new green collar jobs.
Two other bills signed by Governor Paterson deal with the tax abatement for renewable energy, specifically A.11226, which provides a tax abatement for construction of "green" roofs in New York City, and A.11202, which relates to tax abatement for solar electric generating systems in cities with populations of one million residents or more.
-From Media-newswire report for Aug. 12, 2008
The United States has become the world's leading wind power producer and is expected to see rapid growth in places like Texas, the Great Plains and California, according to figures released on Saturday. The U.S. wind industry now tops Germany in terms of how much energy is being produced from wind, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said.
Germany still has more installed capacity -- 22,000 megawatts vs. 17,000 in the United States at the end of 2007. But the average wind speed is stronger in the United States, which means more energy is being generated, the group said. This year, Germany will add only about 1,600 megawatts of wind energy, while the United States will add more than 6,000 megawatts, said Randy Swisher, executive director of the association.
His group says 4,000 wind-related manufacturing jobs have been added in the United States since 2007. Currently, wind provides about one percent of U.S. electricity.
The cost of wind power is almost comparable to fossil fuels such as coal, at between 4.5 and 7.5 cents per kilowatt hour, according to FPL Energy, builder of the country's largest wind farm in Horse Hollow, Texas. But building a wind farm costs more than a fossil-fuel plant -- from 1.5 million to 2 million dollars per megawatt of capacity vs. 800,000 dollars for a natural-gas plant. Once constructed, though, wind plants have no fuel costs, compared with coal and natural gas plants.
The industry says that 250 to 300 average U.S. homes are served by 1 megawatt of wind energy.
-From Mathaba.net for Aug. 4, 2008
"In a time when we are faced with an increase of challenges, both from the impact of global warming and ever increasing gas prices, we have to look at all reasonable alternatives that will strengthen our residents' quality of life," said Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown today, annoucing the installation of bicycle racks in commercial districts throughout Buffalo.
Under Phase One of this program, 35 new bike racks will be available for placement throughout the city in the following weeks. The city has developed an installation request form that is available through the city's Department of Public Works and it will also be available through the city's website.
Funding for the program, which is estimated at approximately $25,000, will come from the City of Buffalo and the city will be reimbursed up to 80 percent from federal grant funds through the federal Clean Mitigation Air Quality program. Once this phase of the city's bike rack program is completed, the city could be eligible for up to $100,000 in additional federal funds from the program. The new bike racks will complement the Buffalo Blue Bicycle community bike lending program which operates out of a growing number of hubs across the city.
As a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which has been working collectively on climate issues, Mayor Brown signed on to the U.S. Mayors' Climate Project. Mayors involved in the project have adopted a resolution to integrate bicycling into their cities' transportation, climate, energy and health policy initiatives.
The signatory mayors believe that the benefits of becoming a bike-friendly city start with cleaner air and improved public health and quality of life for all residents. They say this can lead directly to a stronger urban environment, potentially leading to stronger property values and business growth.
- from an ENS Newswire story for July 21, 2008
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore says, "There are times in the history of our nation when our very way of life depends upon dispelling illusions and awakening to the challenge of a present danger." The rest of his speech calling for a reworking of the US electrical grid to completely renewable sources is availble here.
- from an ENS Newswire story for July 18, 2008
The University of California-San Diego calls itself "one of the nation's greenest college campuses," and to enhance that status, the university has begun to install the components of a multi-faceted sustainable energy program. The university will soon be generating 7.4 megawatts of green energy, providing 10 to 15 percent of its own annual electrical usage. The far-reaching program, which includes solar panels, biogas fuel cells and wind energy, began with the first installation of solar photovoltaic panels atop a campus utility plant. Soon, buildings and parking garages across the 1,200-acre campus next to the Pacific Ocean will feature solar panels. UC San Diego's green energy capacity will eventually produce 29 million kilowatt hours a year, which is enough to provide electricity for more than 4,500 homes a year.
- from an ENS Newswire story for July 17, 2008
Already the nation's leading wind power state, Texas is about to grow its wind power capacity even more. Texas officials Thursday approved the construction of nearly five billion dollars worth of electricity transmission lines to carry power generated by new wind farms in West Texas and the Panhandle to metropolitan areas of the state such as Austin, Dallas and Houston.
The three-member Texas Public Utility Commission selected a transmission scenario that will eventually transmit a total of 18,456 megawatts of wind power to customers. The commission estimates that residential customers will see an increase of approximately $4.00 per month on their utility bills once construction is complete and costs are reflected in rates. The commission expects that the new transmission lines will be in service within four to five years.
ERCOT is currently tracking 246 active generation interconnection requests, including almost 54,000 megawatts of wind generation, the staff reported to the council's Board of Directors on Wednesday. The utility planners are also keeping the activities of Texas energy executive T. Boone Pickens in mind. In May, Pickens announced that his company, Mesa Power, has ordered the first 667 wind turbines for the Pampa Wind Project in the Texas Panhandle.
The U.S. wind industry grew by 45 percent in 2007, and over half of that growth was contributed by Texas, according to the State Energy Conservation Office. With 5,300 installed megawatts, Texas is the leading wind state in the United States, accounting for close to one-third of the nation's total installed wind capacity, which is the equivalent of the electricity needed to power more than one million Texas homes. A single megawatt of wind energy can produce as much energy used by about 230 typical Texas homes in a year.
- from an ENS Newswire story for July 18, 2008
Two railways will construct a new $40 million intermodal and automotive rail logistics center at a former rail yard in the towns of Halfmoon, Mechanicville, and Stillwater. Work is expected to begin in the first quarter 2009 and be complete by April 2010. The new rail terminal in Saratoga County will anchor the western end of Pan Am Southern's Patriot Corridor, a new high-speed freight rail route between the Capitol Region surrounding Albany and the Boston area that will be activated once track and signal improvements are complete.
In May, Pan Am Railways and Norfolk Southern announced plans to create a joint venture, called Pan Am Southern. The key component of Pan Am Southern is the Patriot Corridor, the 155 mile main line track that runs between Mechanicville and Ayer, Massachusetts. Pan Am Southern also includes 281 miles of secondary and branch lines, including trackage rights, in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. The new Saratoga County rail logistics center will serve as the primary distribution hub for the Patriot Corridor.
- from an ENS Newswire story for July 9, 2008
Texas billionaire oilman T. Boone Pickens is throwing his influence and money behind a campaign to wean America from its dependency on petroleum and shift to renewable energy sources, particularly wind. "I've been an oil man all my life, but this is one emergency we can't drill our way out of," Pickens says on his website. "But if we create a new renewable energy network, we can break our addiction to foreign oil."
"The Pickens Plan" could reduce America's demand for foreign oil by one-third within 10 years. The plan calls on private industry to build wind farms across the Midwest. Calling it the nation's "wind corridor," Pickens said the region has the potential to meet at least 20 percent of the country's electricity needs with energy generated by wind turbines. The United States currently meets less than 10 percent of the country's electricity demand using all renewable energy sources - solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, biomass and wind - combined.
- from an ENS Newswire story for July 8, 2008
New York Governor David Paterson announced an agreement with the Legislature on energy legislation that will authorize increased development of renewable energy with a process called net metering. Net metering allows electricity customers with qualified renewable energy systems to sell excess electricity back to their local utility.
The bill will expand the state's net metering law and lead to greater investment by homeowners, farms and businesses in facilities that generate energy from renewable sources. By increasing market demand for renewable technologies, the bill also will attract renewable energy manufacturers and installers to New York state, Paterson said. The Renewable Energy Task Force had identified New York's net metering law limitations as a barrier to broader use of distributed renewable energy generation.
The legislation agreed today will expand net metering in three areas of renewable energy - solar, wind and farm waste. The bill will expand the state's solar net metering program to apply to businesses, and increase the size of eligible solar photovoltaic systems to 25 kilowatts for residential customers and up to two megawatts or the customer's peak load for non-residential customers.
The law also will increase the maximum amount of electricity that the utility would be required to buy back through net metering. The Long Island Power Authority will be authorized to implement non-residential solar electric net metering.
The bill will also authorize net metering for wind technology for all utility customer classes, including non-residential classes. Previously, the law authorized such systems for residential and farm operations only.
The law will allow non-residential wind electric generators to net meter up to the lesser of their peak load or two megawatts, and increase the maximum size of wind facilities for farm operations from 125 kilowatts to 500 kilowatts. Caps on net-metering enrollment in utility service territories will be increased.
The size of a farm waste electric generation system that can be net metered will increase from 400 kilowatts to 500 kilowatts.
- from an ENS Newswire story for June 19, 2008
Environment New York will work to protect the landscapes that make our state great, and push for alternatives to fossil fuels, like using wind and solar power instead. We'll also work to ensure clean air and clean water for all New Yorkers. We'll employ the same advocacy and organizing that Environment America uses to push our compelling federal agenda â?" independent research, outreach to local officials and key constituency groups, work with the media, lots of grassroots action and working directly with decision-makers.
Environment New York will also advance the work of Environment America, our national federation, as we convince Congress to put us on track to a clean energy future, cut global warming pollution, and keep our air and water clean and our precious open space protected.
With the launch of Environment New York, our federation of environment groups has expanded to 26 states -- from California to Maine -- working on issues ranging from increasing the use of solar energy, to setting state-level standards for stopping global warming, to protecting state parks and forests from budget cuts and destructive activities.
Being in more states means more opportunities to advance precedent-setting and innovative policies across the country, all of which push the envelope and set the stage at the federal level for much-needed progress protecting our air, water and open space.
Check out our new Environment New York website, where you can sign up for e-mail updates and stay up-to-date on our campaign work.
- from a Environment America e-Alert on June 13, 2008
- from a Environment America e-mail on May 24, 2008.