Plans for increased use of waste wood from forests may require new forms of cooperation and coordination between forest products companies and biomass power generators to ensure access to the resource. See http://www.ferc.gov/market-oversight/mkt-electric/overview/2009/03-2009-elec-ovr-archive.pdf#xml=http://search.atomz.com/search/pdfhelper.tk?sp_o=4,100000,0. Renewable energy in Southeast Asia: Policies and recommendations Thus far, two bills have been introduced in the 111th Congress that would amend PURPA. A nationwide renewable electricity standard is a major goal for Democratic leaders and environmentalists. Wood wastes from saw mills is a primary source of energy used by the biopower industry in its power plants, but if sufficient numbers of these mills go out of business, then the economics of biopower operations could change.52 There is little doubt that logging operations leave behind considerable waste wood in the forests, but going into the forest specifically to collect wood wastes may not be cost effective for biopower companies.53. Southern Company is considering converting three additional small coal plants to biomass, similar to Plant Mitchell. Invest Trillions Today to Keep Climate Change at Bay: IEA, Impacts of Global Biofuel Boom Remain Murky, The Other Peak Oil: Demand from Developed World Falling. This blog post examines the land use implications of various energy technologies -- particularly solar. Joint Press Release - USDA, Sustainble Southeast Partnership, Spruce Root, Southeast Conference, and Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Discover world-changing science. When burned, fossil fuels emit pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides which are subject to environmental controls to limit their release to the air. Traditionally regulated electricity markets dominate most of the Southeast, Northwest and much of the West (excluding California). A decision in the Georgia Power rate case last week failed to provide age-appropriate policy and will ensure Georgia remains a bottom-10 state for rooftop solar. National Museum of American History, The Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act - Government Involvement to Remedy Energy Crisis: PURPA, http://americanhistory.si.edu/powering/past/history4.htm. In Alabama, for example, people of color are exposed to roughly twice as much PM 2.5 pollution as white people. These enormous savings come from cheaper wind, solar, and storage displacing more expensive-to-run coal, along with an RTO-led regional transmission planning scheme where all seven states share power resources and expand transmission to most efficiently meet regional electricity demand. They are finishing up installing a solar panel array at the Aurora Apartments to help offset electrical demand in certain buildings. Renewable and nonrenewable resources are energy sources that human society uses to function on a daily basis. While new jobs more than replace those lost in coal and gas, some communities will be disproportionately impacted by the transition. The Southeast has enough renewable resources to meet the 25 percent renewable-power mandate proposed by draft House energy and climate legislation, according to a new assessment [pdf] by environmental groups. Methane is the primary component of natural gas which is used in cooking, heating, chemicals production, and electric power generation. Today, biomass [electric power] generation is mainly associated with the use of mill and agricultural wastes. This exciting new partnership will allow us to bring even more conservation benefits to southeast communities that address food security and local agricultural production.. This open-ended engagement ensures that investments were paired with a forward-looking approach to plan for longer-term action that are home-grown and responsive to local priorities, complement ongoing partnerships, and are inclusive of the values and peoples in the region. The difference between these two types of resources is that renewable resources can naturally replenish themselves while nonrenewable resources cannot. Biomass Resources Available per Square Kilometer in the United States, Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Interact with the entire Southeast renewable energy community and hear from key players Effective Networking Connect with speakers and attendees in the Networking Lounge or via secured, private messages Schedule 1-on-1 meetings or group calls using built-in video chat features on our virtual platform FEATURED SPEAKERS Kathryn Arbeit The report, which is based on a review of existing literature regarding renewable resources in the Southeast, includes the following renewable energy resources: wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, biomass, and tidal. The Southeast Renewable Energy Summit is the ONLY conference covering this burgeoning market that gets key state policymakers, critical decision makers, and leading utility executives and renewable energy players from the most dynamic states in the region including North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Waste-to-energy facilities in operation today are typically able to meet clean air standards and requirements.38. \+e|We8yx8!x=LO\50f%*H(\(I$ xB8 dg@JH5@fzI:zX&?}`s:9w&Z[FmP}NrLbaYX1s(]l]dhol LtE{ 6&$vu_ZcU5a*rvPmM5clTRI~Q1 2023 Scientific American, a Division of Springer Nature America, Inc. Measuring the Economics of Biofuel Availability. 45, According to SACE's analysis, biomass is potentially seen as meeting 60% of a near-term RES goal of 15% of all generation in the Southeast (by the year 2015). Dana Kenney, Chief of Party for USAID Clean Power Asia, said, USAID Clean Power Asia collaborated with local and international partners to share lessons learned and best practices to overcome policy and technical barriers that have limited the deployment of clean energy technologies to support increasing demands for electricity, which are set to double by 2040. North Carolina and South Carolina policymakers have the right idea by requiring regulators to investigate the benefits of establishing organized markets in these states. Conversely, this situation could potentially benefit landowners in the region who have seen prices for wood fall with the economic decline of the forest products industry. Three regional utilities Tennessee Valley Authority (a federal entity), Southern Company For example, all-source procurement, which requires monopoly utilities to conduct a competitive procurement process with robust bid evaluation, can add clean electricity and reduce customer costs. Listening to the importance of the sustainability strategy to local communities, learning about southeast Alaska culture, and meeting Tribal members and partners is an honor for me, said Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Dr. Homer Wilkes. Policymakers can unleash the power of competition. has suggested that increasing the penetration of renewable . Energies. Renewables were used to meet 5 percent of Southeast power sales in 2006, according to the paper, which defines the region as Alabama, the Carolinas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Virginia. 26 USC 48. The locations selected were bounded by a 280-mile radius to allow for a four-hour maximum one-way haul, and trucks offloading biomass every 15 minutes. It conducted targeted engagement with key partners and provided opportunities for citizens and organizations to participate in shaping the economic investment component of the strategy. Competitive wholesale electricity markets, or Regional Transmission Operators (RTOs) and Independent System Operators (ISOs), are public-benefit corporations serving 70% of U.S. electricity customers that arose from electricity restructuring during the late 1990s-early 2000s to cut costs and encourage innovation. The Southeast Asia renewable energy market installed 71.75 GW in 2020, and it is anticipated to reach by 117.17 GW by 2027, at a CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period of 2022-2027. . Lignin is the "glue-like" substance which holds woody plant fibers together. More recently, a study released in 2006 assessed the economic feasibility of bringing in biomass resources for bioenergy projects. Nepal has achieved 78 per cent of energy access, while Bangladesh achieved 95 per cent of energy access. Thus, owing to the above points, Vietnam is expected to dominate the renewable energy market in the region during the forecast period. Nonrenewable Resources - National Geographic Society | National 26 USC 45. 27 Thus, wood waste may be burned in biomass boilers specifically for "hog fuel" (basically wood waste other than lignin) to produce steam for process uses and electricity generation.28. (Photo by Logan Cyrus for The Washington Post via Getty Images), 1.4-gigawatt coal-fired power plant located in Roane County, just outside Kingston, Tennessee. Personal communications with Southern Company. If you wish to support the Southeast Asia inquiry or know more about it, get in touch with Cynthia Morel at C.Morel@forumforthefuture.org. 35, Landfill gas from decomposing organic matter in landfills can be collected and used to generate electricity, if it is present in suitable quantities and is of a high enough quality in its energy content.36 As such, landfill gas is usually a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide, and may contain other contaminants requiring treatment or removal before the gas can be used as fuel to produce steam for power generation.37, As an alternative to burying the volumes of trash collected by cities and towns, waste-to-energy facilities can use municipal solid waste directly as a fuel source to generate electricity. Explore our digital archive back to 1845, including articles by more than 150 Nobel Prize winners. Denver , CO , United States. Let's dive in to see what this Coal Cost Crossover analysis can tell us about coal plants in the Southeast. However, biomass would have to be utilized from a variety of sources, with forestry residues and stumps within a 45-minute haul range, and urban wood residues within a 135-minute haul.64, In comparison, Georgia Power's biomass conversion at the former Mitchell coal plant is expected to draw upon waste wood from a 100-mile radius around the facility. Review of the impact of renewable energy development on - SpringerLink Unless the utility can put its finger on the scale, this analysis indicates the portfolios where these coal plants are phased out should be less expensive than ones where these coal plants continue to operate. Arguments in favor of an RES usually involve impacts on the environment, and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The Responsible Energy Initiative is seeking funding partners to deliver the outcomes across the Southeast Asia region. The OneUSDA team employed a four-step assessment process to inform its recommendation for the initial investment of $25 million. Southwest States Make Large Strides on Renewable Energy Targets For Tlingit & Haida, the agreements are an example of USDAs renewed commitment to its Federal Trust responsibilities and what can be done when partners work together on common goals of sustainable, community-led economic development in Southeast Alaska. The agricultural resources of the Midwest and the forest-based resources of the Southeast feature prominently. connected to the .gov website. North Carolina has enacted a 12.5% requirement by 2021 for electric utilities and a 10% requirement for municipal and cooperative utilities. USDA applauds the success of the economic investment portion of the Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy and credits the many partners who have come together in the spirit of community, culture, conservation, and commerce. http://bioenergy.ornl.gov/pdfs/ornltm-2002199.pdf. Monopoly utilities plan their electric grids independently from their neighbors and impose fees called wheeling charges to ship power across successive utility transmission systems. 890 (111th Congress) 101, the Federal Renewable Electricity Standard. Georgia Power Company, Georgia Power Seeks Approval for Coal Plant Conversion to Biomass, August 22, 2008, http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-22-2008/0004871944&EDATE=. More than 20 projects, totaling $12.4 million, range from fisheries improvements to food security initiatives and are geared toward expanding the strategys goals and reach. The terms RPS and RES (renewable electricity standard) are often used interchangeably, as no material difference exists in program goals. To this effect, IRENA and the ASEAN Centre for Energy find that $290 billion of . Manufacturing, industry and services expanded across the region in recent decades. Today, biomass is the largest source of renewable energy in the United States. The initial $25 million investment will be divided into four broad categories: USDAs initial commitment of $25 million to support investment efforts is a positive, near-term commitment in the regions long-term potential to support a diverse economy, conserve natural resources, and improve community resiliency. Gasification technology holds promise for increased efficiency and usefulness of biomass combustion and waste-to-energy technologies. The definition of biomass would be critical to determining which technologies and processes would be available to meet possible RES requirements. Demand for woody biomass could also be affected by requirements for biofuels production under the Renewable Fuel Standard60 specified by Congress in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, especially as cellulosic methods for ethanol production are improved. Another option may be to upgrade power production at some existing forest products industry mills solely for the purpose of power sales. The development of renewable energy projects in the region is an expensive bill for most Southeast Asian countries to foot. Approximately 53% of all renewable energy comes from biomass sources, represented by biofuels, landfill gas, municipal solid waste, wood and wood-derived fuels, and other biomass feedstocks. 890, would establish a renewable electricity standard (RES).10 In the Senate, a renewable electricity standard was introduced in S. 433.11 Senator Bingaman had previously released a draft bill to discuss a federal renewable portfolio standard on February 11, 2009.12. Renewable energy sources, such as biomass, geothermal resources, sunlight, water, and wind, are natural resources that can be converted into these types of clean, usable energy: Bioenergy Geothermal Energy Hydrogen Hydropower Marine Energy Solar Energy Wind Energy Benefits of Renewable Energy Recent technological developments are improving yields from cellulosic production and bringing down production costs61 which, when coupled with incentives for ethanol production, may further increase demand and possibly prices for biomass. In the southeast region especially, biomass may be the most readily available opportunity for meeting RES goals, but compliance may still be a challenge. Southeast Asia (SEA) region has huge solar potential as it is located near the equator. (Photo by Paul Harris/Getty Images), WECs Angela Wilkinson: A Voice Of Reason In The Energy And Climate Discussion. P Environmental and Energy Study Institute, Biomass Cofiring: A Transition to a Low-Carbon Future, March 2009, http://www.eesi.org/030409_cofiring. Sustainable management of forest resources is a basic consideration. "Malaysia is endowed with vast renewable energy resources such as biomass and solar. Aggressive customer cost savings, significant employment gains, and cleaner air for the first time, research demonstrates how much a competitive regional electricity market would benefit the Southeast U.S. To deliver these benefits for the people they serve, policymakers and regulators should immediately ramp up efforts to bring competition to a region that has for too long been beholden to monopolies at the exclusion of low-cost clean energy. 29 Inorganic chemicals are used to dissolve the lignin holding together wood fibers, thus making the cellulosic fibers available for the manufacture of paper products. The latest on SEEM, FERC, and the impact on renewable energy The coalition of Southern utilities petitioning to form a new market exchange has responded to a second deficiency letter from FERC. Research and development initiatives may well increase the efficiency of biomass power generation, making it possible to increase power output from less biomass feedstock. In regions where the quality or availability of renewable resources may be in question, as for example, in the Southeast,19 some states are concerned that the current RES proposals would subject them to federal penalties. First announced in July 2021, the Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy aims to support a diverse economy, enhance community resilience, and conserve natural resources in Southeast Alaska. By 2025, the desired regional target is securing 23 percent of primary energy from renewable sources. http://www.cepi.org/content/default.asp?pageid=10. Renewable Portfolio Standards. These investments speak to the opportunities for partnershipthis isnt the first time USDA has invested in southeast Alaska, and it wont be the last, Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small said. Southeast Asia Used Construction Equipment Market Report 2023: A $1.47 This important step towards more battery deployments will increase the penetration of renewable energy, reduce pollution from fossil fuels, and help develop an electric vehicle infrastructure, supporting Thailands transition towards a carbon-neutral country. 26 These definitions have varied over time with changes in the law and regulations, reflecting policy goals and technological change. http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=1975. Recently, Duke and Southern confirmed they are considering a centralized, region-wide, intra-hour energy exchange called the Southeast Energy Exchange Market (SEEM). LockA locked padlock Lets dive in to see what this Coal Cost Crossover analysis can tell us about coal plants in the Southeast. All renewable energy sources combined account for about 10% of the U.S. total energy production. Because every Southeastern coal-fired power plant is unable to compete in an open market scenario, PM 2.5 pollution - one of the most damaging pollutants for human health - drops to near zero by 2040 along with other harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides. Taking on transition: Impact report 2022 - Climateworks Centre PO Box 21628 Southeast Agriculture & Forestry Energy Alliance, Southern Bioenergy Roadmap, 2009, p. 5, http://www.saferalliance.net/projects/bioenergy_roadmap.pdf. This qualitative assessment included review of the following elements: The depth of interest, and diversity of communities and partners that submitted investment ideas, indicates that USDA is well-positioned to support economic, cultural, and ecological resiliency in Southeast Alaska for the long-term. Kung Ven has been hired as WSP USA's energy business line leader for the Southeast region, according to a company press release. Responsible Energy Initiative | Forum for the Future Renewable Natural Gas Market 2023 | Global Industry Report Forecast 2029 Analysts from energy think tank Energy Innovation recently published a report showing that it is now more expensive to continue to run most coal plants than to replace them with renewable energy. 709 W. 9th Street No, of course not. Renewable energy currently accounts for about 10% of U.S. total energy production according to the U.S. Department of Energy.1 Biomass is the largest source of renewable energy2 in the United States. It also includes a proposal to restore the 2001 Roadless Rule protections on the Tongass and to engage in meaningful consultations with Tribal Nations and Alaska Native corporations.