Bioenergy makes BIG news?

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From CNN's homepage Link to main page

"Clinton to request funding increase for 'bioenergy' product research" January 14, 2000 Web posted at: 2:17 PM EST (1917 GMT)

"WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Clinton wants a $243 million increase in funding next year for developing technologies that turn trees, plants and animal waste into energy and environmentally friendly products."

"The president's proposed 2001 budget will ask Congress for a total $439 million to fund research and grants to aid the production of "bioenergy" and other products, such as plastics and chemicals, from agricultural waste."

"The plan, outlined in a White House document obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, follows up on an August executive order creating an interagency council to promote bio-technologies and, hopefully, reduce U.S. oil demand and protect the environment."

"It would go beyond the $196 million program Congress approved this year for developing new biomass-based fuels by also focusing attention on other new bioproducts such as feedstocks and consumer goods."

"Roger Ballantine, an adviser to the president on environmental issues, pointed to an announcement by Cargill Inc. and Dow Chemical Co. that they would begin producing plastics made from corn rather than petroleum as a harbinger of things to come."

"It's going to revolutionize both the farming industry, in that you're talking about another huge source of demand for farm products -- but even more specifically the impact it can have environmentally," Ballantine said."

"A spokesman for GOP Sen. Dick Lugar of Indiana, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said new congressional authority may be needed for some of what Clinton wants to do. Still, he welcomed the president's commitment to the promotion of bioenergy."

"There have been major breakthroughs in the technology," said Andy Fisher, Lugar's spokesman. "So this is sort of the right time to strike. The full eco-balance of the equation is far better than anything we've seen before."

"Lugar has his own legislation promoting "biomass" development that would authorize $300 million over six years for research. Approved in the Senate, it has received a cooler reception in the House."

"Clinton's plan includes a request for $49 million for the Energy Department's research into cellulase systems to break down woody and grassy crops into feedstocks and to underwrite development of new technologies to develop new consumer products."

"It also includes $194 million for Agriculture Department initiatives. A large chunk, about $150 million, would be for incentive payments through the department's Commodity Credit Corporation to bioenergy producers that buy more farm commodities to expand their production."

Now if they'd do the same for solar...

-- Deb M. (vmcclell@columbus.rr.com), January 15, 2000

Answers

The above story needs a little dissecting, which I'm not going to do at this moment. But it's a good find, Deb, thanks. It looks like political pork to me, but honestly that's what it's going to take to get all renewables to the next level.

One of the things that has absolutely mystified me about renewables in general is the total lack of government support and/or tax credits for investing in renewable energy sources. There was a time, back in the heydays of the 1970's oil crises (multiple) when these credits were being offered. But in years recently past, there's very little support at either a state or federal level to move renewables into the mainstream. I won't editorialize on the why's...

The watchword of the 1990's was "demand side management" (DSM). DSM was indeed one way to get people to cut back on energy consumption through improvements in efficiency. It was only part of the picture, though.

The next level is to take the efficiencies gained through DSM, and integrate renewables into our personal energy portfolios and home power strategies. I'm writing a column about my personal experiences and struggles with moving my own home in this direction, and will let you know when it's online.

-- Rick Cowles (rick@csamerica.com), January 16, 2000.


You're right, Rick; all those credits have shrunk to a near non existence. I used to build my houses to "Super Good Cents" standards, and receive a big fat check from PP&L, our local power co. About three years ago, this company, which had been citing how wonderful the program was (and it DID succeed in preventing the necessity for many power companies to build expensive new power plants, and it kept the rates down for years) started saying that the program wasn't necessary after all. Coincidentally, we got a 12% increase in our rates right along in that same time period.

I am investigating a potential small hydroelectric installation. I talked to an engineer who I will be using if I am able to purchase a necessary piece of land. He advised me to plan on using the power myself, to heat my house, to maybe heat a commercial greenhouse-- SOMETHING--because the federal government has stacked the deck so heavily against small hydro. The last two attempts he is aware of were given up on after the applicants had spent almost a half a million bucks, and were denied.

Also, around here at least, he says there are many environmental organizations which are fighting a small hydro project with the same ferocity they used to save for projects of the "Bonneville Dam" magnitude.

He did tell me to check in with my state rep, because he THINKS there is a small loophole opened up by this years legislative session which allows a person to "sell" power back to the power company by turning the meter backwards. I believe he said it is necessary to produce D.C power and put it through an inverter first. Perhaps this is their way of making sure our generated voltage matches that of the power company.

I visited an installation this engineer designed maybe fifteen years ago. The dum dum power company regulators required that the voltage from this small hydro be very steady, staying between say, 239-241 volts. They also had to have an interconnection box which would "cut out" the generator whenever the power being generated was not within a degree or so of the power company's voltage. The generator was constantly kicking off, then restarting, all day long, because the power company's voltage fluctuated so much. Like WAY more than ten volts! Another way to discourage "comptetion", I guess.

-- jumpoff joe (jumpoff@echoweb.net), January 17, 2000.


Good Bio Power website...

-- Rick Cowles (rick@csamerica.com), January 19, 2000.

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