Joined: Sep 25, 2004 Posts: 4526 Location: Boston, MA
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 12:20 pm Post subject: Mass. Governor Signs Landmark Energy Bill
Quote:
Governor Deval Patrick signed a landmark energy bill today that is being hailed as one of the nation's most innovative ways to curtail reliance on fossil fuels and boost efficiency with the use of wind, solar, and other renewable power sources.
The legislation requires utilities to make significant investments in energy efficiency, allows consumers with solar panels to sell electricity back to the grid at competitive rates, and starts a program that will place solar panels on the roofs of hundreds if not thousands of homes and businesses.
"Today, Massachusetts has taken a giant step forward toward a clean energy future," Patrick said in a statement released after a ceremony at the Museum of Science. "This legislation will reduce electric bills, promote the development of renewable energy, and stimulate the clean energy industry that is taking root here in the Commonwealth."
Officials vowed that the legislation would hold down electric bills, promote the development of renewable energy, and stimulate the clean energy industry.
...
In addition to these provisions, the new energy law doubles the rate of increase in the Renewable Portfolio Standard from 0.5 percent per year to 1 percent per year, with no cap. As a result, utilities and other electricity suppliers will be required to obtain renewable power equal to 4 percent of sales in 2009 – rising to 15 percent in 2020 and 25 percent in 2030, and more thereafter.
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 12:53 pm Post subject: Re: Mass. Governor Signs Landmark Energy Bill
Quote:
In addition to these provisions, the new energy law doubles the rate of increase in the Renewable Portfolio Standard from 0.5 percent per year to 1 percent per year, with no cap. As a result, utilities and other electricity suppliers will be required to obtain renewable power equal to 4 percent of sales in 2009 – rising to 15 percent in 2020 and 25 percent in 2030, and more thereafter.
Hope that's well written. Colorado voted for a somewhat similar provision by ballot initiative. Unfortunately, it was written as "25% of new power generation must be renewable". You can guess what happens then. They are seeking 1.4 GW of new coal power to be built in (drought-stricken) extreme western Kansas, with over 85% of the power guaranteed by contract to go to Colorado. And the Kansas Republicans are furious as hell because the Kansas governor won't sign off on it.
My bet is that someone like Hydro-Quebec sells them renewable (hydro) power at a premium, then generates more coal or nuclear power for internal use. _________________ At 1% annual growth, human bodies will incorporate every gram in the observable universe in approximately 10,170 years.
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 1:02 pm Post subject: Re: Mass. Governor Signs Landmark Energy Bill
Not to go completely off topic, but I wonder if the need to develop new energy sources is what is actually behind the Great Lakes Water Compact.
snip:
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Late Friday, Gov. Ted Strickland signed the Great Lakes Water Compact, legislation that both the Ohio House and Senate had passed 10 days ago.
The multistate agreement preventing Great Lakes water from being diverted to states in need of water.
The compact, officially titled "The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact," would be an agreement among Indiana, Illinois, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania, as well as the Ontario and Quebec provinces in Canada, to protect the water in the Great Lakes.
Full Story Here _________________ Live simply, love generously, care deeply, and speak kindly.
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass;
It's about learning how to dance in the rain.
Joined: Aug 03, 2007 Posts: 3627 Location: Boston Suburbs
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 1:16 pm Post subject: Re: Mass. Governor Signs Landmark Energy Bill
Very cool. Perfect timing for my move back to MA. _________________ Peak oil is sort of like a mental Everlasting Gobstopper, except it tastes like ass and you can't get it out of your mouth.
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 1:47 pm Post subject: Re: Mass. Governor Signs Landmark Energy Bill
Like most things that originate in Taxachussets, a complete and utter joke.
Not recognizing the difference between using less and using more from "renewable" sources is death.
Remember, solar is only "renewable" to the extent you can make the solar panels without any FF inputs.
That will happen . . .
Never.
So Solar is no more renewable than an oil lamp.
Good luck Mass - I'm sure you'll be early in the "which states declare bankruptcy first and get a federal bailout" sweepstakes. _________________ Massive Human Dieoff must occur as a result of Peak Oil. Many more than half will die. It will occur everywhere, including where you live. If you fail to recognize this, then your odds of living move toward the "going to die" group.
Joined: Sep 25, 2004 Posts: 4526 Location: Boston, MA
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 2:50 pm Post subject: Re: Mass. Governor Signs Landmark Energy Bill
The Taxachusetts label is largely outdated.
Sure, in the 80s we were #2 in the country in terms of taxes/person but a decade of Republican governors and a property tax freeze pushed that ranking down to somewhere in the middle 20s.
This bill will force the construction of more solar and wind power installations and will make our electrical grid less fossil fuel dependent.
We don't need to be 100% sustainable tomorrow, we just need to start moving in the right direction and I think this bill will help. _________________ "www.peakoil.com is the Myspace of the Apocalypse."
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:53 pm Post subject: Re: Mass. Governor Signs Landmark Energy Bill
yesplease wrote:
Cashmere wrote:
Remember, solar is only "renewable" to the extent you can make the solar panels without any FF inputs.
I think you mean sustainable. Renewable AFAIK know refers to the energy stream the device taps into.
I have no idea what you're trying to say here.
As for the Mod who lives in Taxachusetts, don't kid yourself.
Mass - 3rd highest income tax in nation. 4th highest in Corporate tax. 7th highest for cigarette tax. 6th in median property tax amount. I'm sure if I wanted to spend the time, I could find a bunch of nit picking taxes in Massachusetts that sour the total picture even more. I'd guess that Mass is top 5, probably top 3 when you count every tax and fee that they throw in.
The label fits fine. Put in a democrat, and they'll take back #1 soon enough. _________________ Massive Human Dieoff must occur as a result of Peak Oil. Many more than half will die. It will occur everywhere, including where you live. If you fail to recognize this, then your odds of living move toward the "going to die" group.
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:04 pm Post subject: Re: Mass. Governor Signs Landmark Energy Bill
Cashmere wrote:
yesplease wrote:
Cashmere wrote:
Remember, solar is only "renewable" to the extent you can make the solar panels without any FF inputs.
I think you mean sustainable. Renewable AFAIK know refers to the energy stream the device taps into.
I have no idea what you're trying to say here.
That you're using renewable in the incorrect context.
Quote:
re·new·a·ble
2. Relating to or being a commodity or resource, such as solar energy or firewood, that is inexhaustible or replaceable by new growth.
The commodity/resource in this case is energy from the sun, which is going to be replaceable by more energy from the sun for a long time. Sustainable otoh...
Quote:
sus·tain
5. to keep up or keep going, as an action or process
Would be the correct term since in order to keep building solar panels after they fail w/ renewable energy inputs we would need to use renewable energy to make them sustainably. _________________
Joined: Apr 09, 2007 Posts: 5848 Location: Alaska (its much bigger than Texas).
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:58 pm Post subject: Re: Mass. Governor Signs Landmark Energy Bill
Tyler_JC wrote:
This bill will force the construction of more solar and wind power installations and will make our electrical grid less fossil fuel dependent.
Is there any hope of getting offshore windfarms started now, or are the wealthy liberals like the Kennedys still blocking alternative energy by saying Not In My Backyard when it comes to alternative energy?
About 40% of Massachusetts homes use oil heat. More than 963,000 households in the state use home heating oil which is delivered by more than 800 distributors, many of them small businesses. In Maine, one of the nation's coldest states, four out of five households heat with oil.
Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe, the panel's ranking Republican member, said high oil prices are a matter of life and death. She said parts of Maine could literally "become uninhabitable" for many this winter.
"When people can't afford the cost of home heating oil, they simply freeze," Snowe said. "Consumers and small businesses are being stretched to the limit and beyond, but nowhere is the ensuing calamity looming larger than in New England where just getting through this winter is fast-becoming our No. 1 priority."
Quote:
To ease the oil heating price crunch, Kerry and Snowe are pushing legislation to give businesses hurt by high heating oil costs access to credit through Small Business Administration disaster loan programs. They also want to help more families by expanding government home heating aid through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Millions of poor and elderly people on fixed incomes rely on heating assistance to help pay their bills.
Snowe has a bill, co-sponsored by Kerry, to mandate that heating oil from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve should be released if home heating oil tops $4 per gallon this winter.
Quote:
Massachusetts' State/Local Tax Burden Below Average in 2007
Between 1970 and 1998, Massachusetts' state and local tax burden was generally well above the national average. Since then, it has fallen considerably. Estimated at 10.6% of income, Massachusetts' state/local tax burden percentage ranks 28th nationally, below the national average of 11.0%. Massachusetts taxpayers pay $5,419 per capita in state and local taxes, and per capita state income is $51,297.
Near as I can tell the bill doesn't cover insulation, which would make the most sense but leaves GE out in the cold, pun intended.
Quote:
Utility companies will offer rebates and other incentives for customers to upgrade lighting, air conditioning, and industrial equipment to more efficient models, whenever those incentives cost less than generating the electricity it would take to power their older, less-efficient equipment.
Unless R30 is a form of AC. Going to be a lot of people freezing to death this winter. _________________ Cogito, ergo non satis bibivi
I will not abide another toe.
Joined: Sep 25, 2004 Posts: 4526 Location: Boston, MA
Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 8:20 am Post subject: Re: Mass. Governor Signs Landmark Energy Bill
Plantagenet wrote:
Tyler_JC wrote:
This bill will force the construction of more solar and wind power installations and will make our electrical grid less fossil fuel dependent.
Is there any hope of getting offshore windfarms started now, or are the wealthy liberals like the Kennedys still blocking alternative energy by saying Not In My Backyard when it comes to alternative energy?
The Cape Wind Project has the support of the governor and most of the population. With Ted Kennedy dying and energy prices on the upswing, it seems like the project will be built (even if we have to wait another year or two for BS delays).
Don't get me wrong, Governor Patrick is an idiot and a fraud but at least he's right about this one. _________________ "www.peakoil.com is the Myspace of the Apocalypse."
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