Energy Exchange

“Enter To Learn. Depart To Serve”

By EDF Blogs / Published: August 25, 2011

By Michelle Williams, 2011 EDF Climate Corps Public Sector Fellow at Winston-Salem State University, MBA, Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, NC

My fellowship brought me to the illustrious institution of Winston-Salem State University (WSSU). A two time graduate of WSSU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance, and a Master of Business Administration degree, I found it an honor to be assigned to my alma mater. The University’s motto, “Enter to Learn. Depart to Serve,” is very wise and has a great meaning. Serve (v.), means to be in service of, pay homage, work actively, provide, and help. In other words, to serve could be understood to be a selfless act, thinking not only of yourself but also the betterment/well-being of others. My assignment for the summer was just that.

Efforts to become environmentally aware and practice energy conservation, preservation, and sustainability measures require selfless behavioral acts that positively affect the environment. Individuals consider how they can inspire others to be aware so that generations to come have a healthy environment in which to live. This made me realize that the most important contributor to the success of WSSU’s environmental consciousness would be behavioral change. Of the several projects we recommend, the one most important to me was increasing institutional engagement and educating the faculty/staff and students in hopes to jeer a successful energy conservation movement.

I sought to get the institution excited about energy conservation. Often people fail to participate due to lack of knowledge. Simply informing people about the amount of energy wasted from one light left on and the impact it can cause could result in changes in one’s behavior. Inform, intrigue, engage became the concept behind getting the University involved. Steps to WSSU’s sustainable future:

A constitution to start “Rams Go Green,” an environmental club which is the key aspect to student engagement.
- Mission: To create awareness of environmental issues such as conservation, pollution, and preservation. The organization plans to advance the understanding of responsible environmental behaviors by informing the student body, faculty/staff, and the community on ways to improve our environment.
An outline for “Rams Do it in the Dark,” WSSU’s first environmental dorm war campaign.
Influencing participation in Student Organizational Day to gain awareness of the environmental club.
Catchy flyers that would grab students, faculty, and staff attention and would teach them important ways to be a part of the movement.
“Rams Go Green” Flyer for new students and faculty that includes tips on ways to conserve, preserve, and sustain.
“Set it and Forget it” thermostat policy. The proper thermostat settings can greatly reduce energy consumed.

I entered this journey with minimal knowledge, learning all that I now know along the way. I will depart with optimal energy conservation tactics and hopes that I served my institution proudly.

EDF Climate Corps Public Sector (CCPS) trains graduate students to identify energy efficiency savings in colleges, universities, local governments and houses of worship. The program focuses on partnerships with minority serving institutions and diverse communities. Apply as a CCPS fellow, read our blog posts and follow us on Twitter to get regular updates about this program.

Does Rick Perry’s Texas Have Room For Solar Power?

By / Published: August 22, 2011

Running on Energy

Source: Texas Tribune

One of the fundamental propositions of Rick Perry’s presidential run is that energy policy in Texas has been successful in de-carbonizing our grid. The claim is a pretty big stretch, considering that we still generate more carbon dioxide than any other state and, as far as it relates to our successful renewable energy mandates, he may have something to brag about. Perry has been eager to take credit for their success in boosting wind energy, although he’s not always the first to point to the mandates that lead to such unprecedented wind growth. It’s been easy for Perry to support wind power, after all, success has a thousand fathers, and the most meaningful legislation was assembled without much involvement from him or his office.

Perry’s support for solar, however, has always been a trickier issue even though it’s incredibly popular with voters across the political spectrum. Even though voters want to see Texas go solar, it’s anathema to some of his biggest fundraisers and allies such as homebuilder Bob Perry, who worked to weaken homeowner’s rights to install solar on their own roofs, and the Koch brothers, who have opposed clean energy in other states. So far, Perry has managed to walk a tightrope with his typical political savvy – pointing to legislation he signed or supported while working behind the scenes to undercut the movement towards a real solar industry in Texas.

Walking the Political Tightrope

Perry signed legislation in 2005 establishing a 500 MW non-wind renewable energy mandate and in 2007 strengthening that same mandate. His appointees at the public utilities commission (PUC) and Perry himself have been slow on doing anything meaningful with the legislation, leading to uncertainty for businesses wishing to grow in Texas. Most people in the industry saw this legislation as a way to push solar development in largely the same way the original mandate pushed in wind development. Now, in an article in the Texas Tribune, it sounds like Perry’s spokesman, Mark Miner, wants to pretend his boss never signed those laws. In fact, it sounds like he doesn’t think Texas has any real potential as a state for solar development [emphasis mine]:

“If you mandate a specific technology, you run the risk of getting stuck with high costs, and such mandates have failed to pass the Legislature in the past. The state making a decision based on its own conditions is different than forcing a one-size-fits-all approach on the whole nation. For example, South Dakota, Texas, and other states in the Plains have great potential for wind because of the climate and geography; other states have good potential for solar, but that is not the same for every state.”

As Miner notes, the original mandate for wind that Perry signed into law was less than ten percent of peak demand, making it so small as to have no significant impact to consumers and, therefore, a reasonable goal for the state of Texas. By comparison, the 500 MW goal Perry did sign into law – though his appointees at the PUC failed to act on it – would be less than one percent of total peak demand, having an even smaller impact than the original wind mandate. It is now quite apparent with his recent appointment of Commissioner and outspoken renewable energy opponent, Donna Nelson, as Chair of the PUC that Perry wants to ensure that Texas never reaches the goal he signed into law though.. This results in the likely killing of any renewable energy progress at the PUC, including future legislation, should it pass.

Maybe the Sun Doesn’t Shine on Texas

It’s as if Perry and spokesman Miner think Texas doesn’t have any real solar potential, which makes me wonder if they’ve read their own reports on renewable energy, showing solar power could supply Texas’ energy needs many times over. His claim that Texas chooses not to provide incentives based on technology is laughable in the face of Texas’ $1.2 billion/year “high cost” natural gas tax exemption.

Maybe Perry needs to make a trip to San Antonio where they recently increased their solar goal to 400 MW after seeing how cheap solar proposals are today. This is in addition to about 44 MW they’ve already installed or contracted, in other words almost the entirety of the 500 MW non-wind mandate that Perry signed into law but refuses support. Some of Perry’s funders and allies argue that solar is too expensive, but the largest municipal utility in the state (and country) with some of the lowest electric rates in the state, just decided to invest in solar in a big way for two reasons that fit right in with Perry’s ideal energy policy: San Antonio wants to keep electric rates low and solar will help them do that; it also wants to grow jobs, a key outcome to their clean energy strategy. Perry has been touting himself as the “jobs governor” since he started running as a nominee for President, so you’d think the smart jobs policies of cities like San Antonio, Houston, and Austin centered around clean energy would be the perfect message.

Unfortunately Perry seems uninterested, either because the corporations and people who have funded him are opposed or because he just doesn’t think Texas has the potential to be a real solar state. Either way it’s disappointing, and I’m sure that the solar industry would agree. For the first time this fall, the solar industry is bringing its largest business conference to Texas. Thanks in part to Perry’s solar equivocation, industry (valued at over $38.5 billion globally) may not be sure if Texas is ready for the big time, despite the fact that voters want to see solar in Texas. For a jobs governor being on the wrong side of businesses that want to bring jobs to Texas and voters who want to see solar power here, it sure seems like a bad place to be, especially when unemployment in Texas is the worst it’s been in 24 years.

Posted in Renewable Energy, Texas / Read 5 Responses

The Big Green Apple

By EDF Blogs / Published: August 22, 2011

By Amy Kochanowsky, 2011 EDF Climate Corps Sector Fellow at New York City Housing Authority, MPP candidate at Duke University, Durham, NC

Things are always changing in New York City – whether it’s the former rail line turned urban greenspace, the construction of a new World Trade Center, or the recently added calorie counts on menus. New York has always been a city ahead of the curve, and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is no exception. NYCHA has already done highly innovative work when it comes to energy efficiency, and I’m very fortunate to work with an organization that embraces environmental sustainability objectives.

As one of NYCHA’s Energy Department interns this summer, I’ve seen examples of this innovative work first hand in my visits to housing developments. As I stood in the stifling heat of a NYCHA boiler room, the staff explained the ins and outs of the boiler system – how the boiler creates the steam that delivers heat to residents in winter. They pointed out the new instantaneous hot water heaters, which are devices that reduce energy usage by heating water only as needed instead of wasting energy by storing hot water. It’s great to see all of this equipment up close, and talk to the people who really understand how to operate these systems. Being on the ground gave me an appreciation for the complexity of these heating systems.

At first, seeing this new equipment made it seem as though NYCHA had already done everything possible to reduce its energy use. Working with the other intern, we were given a very intuitive task – our charge for the summer was to identify additional opportunities for energy efficiency and conservation. We started this task with the basics – analyzing current energy consumption and costs. From there we got a sense of how NYCHA uses its energy and where we had the opportunity to make an impact. Reflecting on the information we learned during EDF’s week-long fellowship training, we realized that replacing existing exit signs with more energy efficient LED exit signs would be a good place to start. Simply by replacing exit signs, we enabled NYCHA to save more than $15,000 per year in electricity costs.

Sometimes it’s hard to grasp the enormity of NYCHA. As the nation’s second largest landlord (after the Army), NYCHA provides affordable housing for nearly half a million New Yorkers. The size of NYCHA means that my fellow intern and I have the ability and responsibility to make a huge impact. NYCHA pays the utility bills for residents at its developments, thus reducing energy use is good not only for the climate, but for their budget as well.

I hope our efforts and recommendations help NYCHA to achieve its energy and climate goals. I also hope NYCHA can serve as an example for other public housing authorities across the country on how to reduce energy use and create a more sustainable community.

Posted in EDF Climate Corps / Tagged New York City Housing Authority - 2011 | Comments are closed

Energy Saving: The “ACTION” On Sustainability At Howard University

By EDF Blogs / Published: August 19, 2011

By: Ehizogie Idugboe, 2011 EDF Climate Corps Sector Fellow at Howard University, MBA candidate at Howard University School of Business, Washington DC

As a student at Howard University, I was excited about spending my summer at my Alma Mater in a non-student capacity. I will be working hand-in-hand with the University in implementing green principles and policies that supports its mission to “provide an educational experience of exceptional quality to students, while reducing the institution’s carbon footprint on the environment.” My job helps to identify and analyze energy efficiency/investments opportunities that can reduce the university’s energy use and CO2 emission, while increasing cost savings.

“Sustainability” initiatives at Howard University have improved drastically over the last two years. The College Sustainability Report Card grade has improved from an “F” in 2009 to a “C-” in 2011. While this is a significant change, it is definitely not good enough. Howard has been working relentlessly to reduce its energy use/carbon footprint by utilizing “green building” techniques to improve lighting and HVAC system in several buildings. A few examples of these energy efficient technology improvements include:

Installing heat recovery systems,
Installing lighting sensors in some offices and classrooms,
Switching the old vending machines to energy star approved machines, and
Using renewable energy by installing solar panels for heating domestic water in the gymnasium, including the swimming pool.

As part of its Green building initiative, the institution is currently renovating six buildings under a program named “Extreme Make-Over.” Designs and construction will meet or exceed LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building standards, which is an internationally recognized green building certification system. Material that will be used in these buildings will not only be energy efficient, but will be sustainable as well. Upgrades will include improvements to mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems in the buildings. Building envelop improvements include: the installation of energy efficient doors and windows along with the installation of a green roof, which will absorb rainwater, provide insulation, create a habitat for wide life, as well as to help lower urban air temperatures and combat the heat island effect.

I am happy to see that my Alma Mater has moved beyond the “talking sustainability stage” to a more active stage in trying to make the campus “greener.” The institution has been taking significant action to ensure that it achieves its sustainability goals by involving students, faculty, and staff in its recycling program and overall participation in the national completion called “Recycle-Mania.” Earth Day is another campus-wide activity intended to create awareness and appreciation for Earth’s natural environment, both on campus and throughout the entire community. This year’s celebration included establishing an organic garden on campus run by students.

I am extremely proud to have contributed to the cause this year. I am looking forward to seeing some of my recommendations included in the Extreme Make-Over project this year. I hope to see Howard University move their Green Report Card grade to an “A” and be included in the top sustainable institutions of higher education in the country, if not the world.

Posted in EDF Climate Corps / Tagged Howard University - 2011 | Read 1 Response

California Smart Grid Plans Expect Significant Benefits

By Tim O'Connor / Published: August 16, 2011

But Missing Metrics and Milestones to Achieve Them

Over the course of the next 10 years, California’s electric grid is getting a 21^st century facelift. Last month, the three biggest utilities, PG&E, SDG&E and SCE (with more than 11 million customer accounts) released smart grid deployment plans outlining roughly between $2.4 and $3.6 billion of new investments to make the smart grid a reality.

These plans were required by a 2009 law passed by the State legislature (SB 17), and the investments they outline are critical to helping California meet new infrastructure, efficiency and environmental policies. The state policies of note include reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, increasing renewable electricity use from 20 percent to 33 percent by 2020 and installing 1,940 megawatts (MW) of solar energy by 2017.

Last January, EDF began developing a framework for evaluation. The framework determines how close a plan is to achieving the full range of smart grid benefits. In particular, it looks at whether plans have clear visions, effective deployment strategies, meaningful metrics, accurate baselines, and demonstrable roadmaps for success.

After nearly 1,000 pages of smart grid plans were released by the utilities in June and July, EDF energy experts used the framework to evaluate them and filed comments to the California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”).

What we found was dramatic. Most importantly, according to the plans, if California deploys the smart grid in an effective way, utilities are going to significantly reduce air pollution, eliminate massive inefficiencies in the system, dramatically increase California’s reliance on renewable energy (including “distributed” energy generated in communities’ own backyard), accommodate hundreds of thousands of zero-emission electric vehicles, and empower consumers to manage their energy use, footprint and bills.

These benefits, if realized, will be significant. PG&E, for example, estimated that it will cut costs by up to $2 billion and reduce up to 2.1 million metric tons (MMT) of carbon dioxide (CO₂)emissions. SCE estimated it will be able to charge 1 million electric vehicles by 2020 and avoid up to 1,900 (MW) of peak demand by 2014 (peak demand is typically the most costly to deliver and often the most polluting). SDG&E estimated that it will cut 6.8 MMT of different types of global warming pollution and cut fuel costs by $615 million.

Smart Grid Plan Evaluations and Scores

EDF evaluated plans on the individual pieces—their vision, strategy, metrics, baseline, and roadmaps—and also as a whole. What we found was that while utilities are visionary and openly strategic about how the smart grid will be deployed, they are missing some key ingredients to overall success – such as quantifiable goals and numerous metrics which progress can be tracked. No utility plan scored above a B- because data was lacking.

EDF gave SDG&E and SCE the highest cumulative grades of a ‘B-‘; though SDG&E edged ahead of SCE with a higher overall points score (32.3 out of 40 for SDG&E compared to 31.8 out of 40 for SCE). PG&E’s plan earned a ‘C’ (with 28.9 points out of 40). SDG&E earned the most overall points by working with numerous stakeholders and digging into ways to provide the full range of expected benefits.

From the beginning of this process, we advised utilities that these plans should be viewed as roadmaps that will guide a multi-year journey toward a modernized grid. The public, however, and the state’s elected and appointed officials need more information to gauge whether the state’s on the right track.

EDF views the scores as mid-term grades, with room for improvement. Luckily, the smart grid planning process is still underway at the California Public Utilities Commission so utilities can improve their plans and raise their overall scores before they become final.

Posted in California, Grid Modernization / Read 1 Response

Strength In Numbers: Unifying For Environmental Protection

By EDF Blogs / Published: August 15, 2011

By: Jennifer Morales-Muñoz, 2011 Climate Corps Public Sector Fellow at the University of Texas at Brownsville; MPPM candidate at the University of Texas at Brownsville

As a resident of the Rio Grande Valley in the deep south of Texas, I understand that unification is vital for addressing environmental issues in the region. At every green conference I attend, the message is the same: what happens in Brownsville, Texas, affects the neighboring towns: McAllen, San Benito, and Harlingen. Every environmental win or loss has a domino effect in Texas, for good or bad. Moreover, what happens around the Valley affects my EDF Climate Corps Public Sector site, The University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB), and vice versa.

During my time at UTB this summer, I learned that the university is great at developing and fueling community movements. This can be attributed to its supportive staff and enthusiastic students, who are on board with my energy efficiency recommendations, which include:

Occupancy sensors in hallways, lobbies, and restrooms
Window and skylight replacements
De-lamping vending machines

My ultimate goal was for the community at the university to realize that efforts to improve environmental conditions in the Valley must be shared since we are interconnected. Just as pollution crosses municipal, state, and national boundaries, positive actions and movements to reduce greenhouse gas pollution also flows through these invisible lines.

With unification on my mind, I helped the university’s Sustainability Council develop an outreach event to promote sustainable stakeholders’ practices from around the Valley. The council invited staff from neighboring universities who practice and teach sustainable behaviors. In the past, the council held awareness events promoting energy efficiency, community gardens, recycling, farmer’s markets, and ecotourism. They have also created a Sustainability Trail with signs identifying local wildlife and plants around campus to promote awareness and ecotourism. Also in the works are exciting projects including:

Bringing renewable energy to Brownsville’s campus by installing wind turbines
Developing a campus community garden

UTB’s Sustainability Council has been able to do a lot in a short period of time because of the support and cooperation of the administration and key staff. I believe UTB is proving to the Valley that unification is essential in developing strategic plans to address environmental issues of concern—just as discussed at our regional environmental conferences.

Posted in EDF Climate Corps / Read 2 Responses