Safety concerns are going to start being an issue with alternative energy installations. With any new technology come unanticipated concerns, as that system leaves the ideal world of the drawing board (or the computer simulation) and enters the real world.  We are already well acquainted with the concerns about wind turbines and birds (for the most part, the issue of bird strikes is not that great compared to other man-made hazards for birds, and is more than offset by the benefits to birds (and all other living creatures) from using a renewable power generation. But there will also be life-safety issues around any electricity generating system, particularly as they become more distributed and widespread.

What kinds of safety issues will be faced as part of other alternative energy systems?

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The utilities involved have more than 20 million customers and cover 22 states: Con Edison (ED), Edison International (EIX), Great Plains Energy (GXP), Duke Energy (DUK), Pepco Holdings (POM), PNM Resources (PNM), Sierra Pacific Resources (SRP), and Xcel Energy (XEL). Up until now, the only utilities that want to grow profits through energy efficiency investments have been in California.

The move by these utilities comes at a time when demand is growing, concerns and lawsuits about emissions abound, and global warming is a hot political and business issue.

Energy efficiency is the cheapest and fastest way to cut global warming emissions, and the utilities agree: ” …we share a common belief that energy efficiency is the greatest untapped resource in addressing global climate change in the near-term.” Here are the major elements of their plan:

• Boost investments in energy efficiency projects to $1.5 billion per year in the next 10 years.

• Create a national institute for electric efficiency. The Energy Efficiency Institute will work on regulatory policy models, notably how utilities can make money when customers use less energy rather than more. It will be formed within the Edison Electric Institute, which represents the nation’s investor-owned utilities.

Innovation and multi-party collaboration will be needed to craft policies that allow companies to profit from investing in efficiency. Utilities could profit from replacing inefficient air conditioners and light bulbs, for instance. Great Plains hopes to get legislation passed in Kansas and Missouri that would allow them to earn a higher return on efficiency investments than what would be made investing in traditional power plants. The utility could install smart electricity meters that tell customers when electricity prices are highest and even allows the utility to adjust the operations of appliances in customer homes. Michael Chesser, Chairman and CEO of Great Plains, said that energy efficiency, “with the right incentives,” could take care of all the growth in electricity demand between 2010 and 2017.

The business community was also interested by the announcement. The Dow Jones Wire commented:

It’s a sign of how quickly energy efficiency has taken center stage in the utility industry’s growth plans. Even in states where rates are low, power companies increasingly see efficiency investments as an inexpensive way to satisfy growing electricity demand and boost revenue without provoking the public opposition that usually dogs proposals for new power plants and transmission lines.

The utilities are working in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative, backed by former President Bill Clinton’s foundation.

Cross posted on Maria Energia

Kansas City Star
Dow Jones Wire
Yahoo Finance

How it works. When you sign up to a green power program, you are supporting your utility company in purchasing power generated from renewable sources, such as wind, solar or low-impact hydropower sources. Other renewable sources include methane or captured landfill gas, geothermal, and biomass.

Due to existing transmission infrastructure, the electricity coming over the lines directly into your home is not guaranteed to be power generated from these renewable sources. However, the more people that sign up for green power options, the more green power the utility company will have to purchase.

What you get. The details of each program are different. Many offer renewable power options at one to two cents more per kilowatt hour, and all offer incentives that make it beneficial or attractive for the consumer. GO’s Maria Surma Manka wrote about Xcel Energy’s Windsource program in Minnesota, and GO’s Philip Proefrock discussed his green power options southeast Michigan. In New York, I’ve signed up for Consolidated Edison’s Solutions program, which includes an annual rebate, no sales tax, and the option of a fixed monthly rate (so I pay the same amount every month for my bill, no matter what my actual usage is). Of course you’ll also get the satisfaction knowing that your green power purchase is helping to further the availability of renewable energy sources.

Check with your electricity provider or the U.S. Department of Energy website to find out if your local utility offers a green power program. Before you sign up, learn more about the details of the program, and find out where the renewable energy sources come from.

More from Green Options:

The Best Green Power Programs
Buy Renewable Energy for Yourself
Real Renewable Energy vs. Renewable Energy Credits
The Who’s Who of Green Power Purchasers