Breaking News

Members of American Public Power Association’s (APPA) Demonstration of Energy Efficient Developments (DEED) program who are eager to show their leadership in energy efficiency may be eligible for co-funding to finance hyper-energy-efficiency demonstration projects.

APPA is collaborating with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to increase the number of EPRI demonstration projects for five innovative technologies:

1. Variable-refrigerant-flow air conditioning
2. Efficient data centers
3. Heat-pump water heaters
4. Ductless, residential heat-pumps and air-conditioners
5. Hyper-efficient residential appliances

EPRI is currently monitoring active projects involving these technologies, but would like to install the hyper-efficient systems in different locations to get more comprehensive data. Earlier this year, the DEED board expressed willingness to provide co-funding to DEED members to help finance their participation in these EPRI projects.

New demonstrations must begin operating by the close of first quarter 2011 so that EPRI can obtain a full year of data. Although the application deadline is flexible, the sooner proposals are submitted to DEED, the better.

Interested parties will have to move fast to meet the timeframe for installation; however, there are resources to help them develop their proposals. APPA is offering to arrange one-on-one conference calls with EPRI, so potential participants can get answers to their specific questions. Also, EPRI has established manufacturer contacts for the equipment, and is able to give participants “the heads-up” about operational issues identified through its current projects.

Participation in any of these demonstrations will showcase your utility as an energy-efficiency innovator at the national level. Your customers and city leaders will be proud of their electric utility’s national recognition as a leader in energy efficiency and utility R&D. Contact Michele Suddleson at 202-467-2960 if you are interested in learning more.

Find out what informative and thought-provoking ideas will be discussed at the fourth annual Colorado Utility Efficiency Exchange, Oct. 13-15, in Aspen, Colo. The 2010 agenda has just been updated with speakers, session titles and poster topics.

Western’s Energy Services is sponsoring the event, and Breaking News will be covering the sessions live from Aspen. Let us know which session most interest you so we can highlight them here.

Don’t see the subject you most want to talk about? Just because the agenda looks full, it doesn’t mean it’s too late to suggest another topic. Share your ideas in “Comments,” or e-mail them to Energy Services or the Utility Exchange. See you in Aspen!

APPA is launching the APPA Academy, public power’s complete resource for professional education and certification. Through a variety of delivery methods—live, in-depth education courses, in-house training programs, conferences, webinars, list servers, online courses and work force development partnerships—the APPA Academy will help electric utility employees stay abreast of rapidly moving industry technologies and regulatory requirements while providing an opportunity for them to meet their yearly training goals and certification requirements in formats and price ranges that suit their needs.

In addition to providing utility employees with the knowledge they need to perform their jobs at the highest level, various education courses, in-house training, conferences, certificate programs and webinars in the APPA Academy meet the criteria for providing:

• CEcD Hours – needed by Certified Economic Developers to maintain certification;
• Continuing Education Units (CEUs) – required by many professions to maintain certification;
• Continuing Legal Education credits (CLEs) – needed by lawyers to practice law within a particular jurisdiction;
• Continuing Professional Education credits (CPEs) – required by CPAs to maintain licensure;
• HCRI Hours – required by Human Resources professionals to maintain certification; and
• Professional Development Hours (PDHs) – needed by engineers to maintain licensure.

Additionally, when employees participate in APPA Academy offerings, utilities earn points toward their Reliable Public Power Provider (RP₃) designation.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced the Technical Assistance Program (TAP) will be hosting a series of webinars to support projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act under the State Energy Program (SEP) and Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG). The webinar series will address key issues and challenges that state, local and tribal energy practitioners may face when implementing their projects.

The webinar schedule begins Sept. 14 with Low-to-No Cost Strategy for Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings, followed by Stretch/Reach Building Codes Isaac Elnecave, Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance on Sept. 15. Both take place 2:00 – 3:00 EDT. Read the DOE press release for the complete schedule.

As part of its 2010 webinar series, U.S. DOE’s Wind Powering America program is presenting Community Wind Across America Sept. 15, 10 a.m. to noon, MDT.

The webinar will explore how consumer-owned utilities and the communities they serve can benefit from partnering with other utilities to gain economies of scale for wind projects.  Community wind projects bring together state and local economic development and policy makers with utilities and members of the agriculture and wind energy industries to advance opportunities for locally-owned clean energy production. Consumers benefit from increased diversity and grid reliability, while utilities reduce the need for new transmission lines. 

Some of the topics the agenda will cover include:

• Local, regional and national policies                          
• Business models
• Financing                                                                             
• Incentives
• Equipment procurement                                                   
• Construction
• Power purchase agreements                                          
•  Operation and maintenance

Presentations and case studies will cover practical information on how to partner in putting together a community wind project.  The information focuses on such issues as how to choose a turbine, installation and rebates and grants. The webinar will also serve as a preview for the regional Community and Small Wind Energy Conference series Windustry is sponsoring this fall. Those live events will take place in Denver, Colo., Oct. 26 to 27, St. Paul, Minn., Nov. 15 to 16, and College Station, Penn., Nov. 30 to Dec. 1.  

The main audience for the webinar is utility staff involved in developing and implementing renewable energy resource portfolios.  Other stakeholders and interested parties who can benefit from the information include farmers, ranchers, rural landowners, economic development professionals, elected officials, business leaders, tribal representatives, investors, bankers, town planners and community leaders.

Although the webinar is free, you must register to participate.  To register, e-mail your name, affiliation, address, phone and e-mail address to Guy Nelson. You will recevie the webinar’s internet and phone access numbers by noon Sept. 13.  By registering, you agree to allow your contact information to be shared with the supporters of the webinar. 

Community Wind Across America is supported by Western, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Windustry, and Wind Powering America.