High winds for the past several days have pushed California's turbines,
including those in Solano County, to record levels of power generation,
according to the California Independent System Operator Corp.
The ISO is the main operator for the state's high voltage network, serving about 80 percent of the state.
ISO
officials reported that a new record was set when turbines spinning
within the state power grid combined to produce 4,169 megawatts on
Sunday evening. That broke the previous record, which had been set
Friday, when wind levels passed the 4,000-megawatt milestone and hit
4,095 megawatts. The previous record peak for output for wind energy was
3,944 megawatts on March 3.
"With these impressive wind
production levels, California is well positioned to meet the 33 percent
by 2020 green power goal," said ISO President and CEO Steve Berberich in
a press release. "Our control center operators are tracking a steady
increase in renewable energy and we are leveraging the latest
forecasting technology as well as complementary flexible resources to
capture and optimize this carbon-free power supply."
California is the second largest producer of wind power in the U.S. behind Texas.
While
all that wind power is good news for energy generators, it was less
welcome by California residents after pounding winds left streets
littered with trees, knocked out power to thousands and whipped up waves
and wildfires.
Calmer weather is expected to move into the
state, accompanied by cooler night temperatures and higher humidity,
which will help firefighters at a wind-whipped wildfire in Fillmore,
about 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
Enough progress had been
made at the blaze, which destroyed two homes on Monday and threatened
about 160 others, that officials lifted all evacuation orders by early
Tuesday, said Ventura County fire Capt. Mike Lindbery.
The rest
of the state contended with widespread outages as gusts downed power
lines and trees. Wind sent a tree smashing into a Sacramento home where
four friends were playing cards, but they didn't stop the game,
according to KCRA-TV.
"It could've been worse," said Dodie
Backus, who lives in the house. "It's not going to stop our bridge
game," said her game partner, Marilyn Baker.
Northern California
was first to feel the lashing gusts, which spread to the Sacramento and
San Joaquin valleys. At least a dozen trees came down in San Francisco,
police officer John Tozzini told KGO-TV, and a wide swath of outages
occurred from the Bay Area through Sacramento.
The blustery
system was fueled by a cold front, which Carol Smith, a meteorologist
with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, said was "just a cold,
really strong upper low" pressure system.
2013年4月10日星期三
A night of TV documentaries
As is customary on the big occasion, the mainstream broadcasters
reverted to type. The BBC produced something formal, conventional;
Channel 4 produced something slightly offbeat, filled with amusing and
colourful anecdote; and ITV stuck with its ratings-friendly detective
serial, only slipping its tribute documentary on once most of its
viewers were safely in bed.
On a night of documentaries about the late Baroness Thatcher, Channel 4 went first, at 8.00pm, with Maggie and Me, presented by Jon Snow, a man described by Denis Thatcher as “that pinko”. As it turned out, the pinko did her proud, giving little personal insights that most of the more straightforward rehashings of her story will miss.
A photographer recalled how she’d addressed him as “You little socialist”. He asked what made her think he was socialist. “You’re Scottish,” she replied, “you must be.” But she was, in her inimitable way, only teasing, and served him whisky.
“I could sense that underneath she was just as scared as anyone else,” said Matthew Parris, a young Tory MP in the early Eighties, later a parliamentary sketch writer and political columnist. But he acknowledged that if she was scared, she was pretty good at hiding it. He recalled the day when, campaigning in London, she’d forcibly seized control of a street-cleaning machine from its startled operator, and manoeuvred it with the same manic efficiency as if she were vacuuming the hall carpet, barking, “Women can get into corners that men can never reach!”
By the time you were told of the time she’d tussled with the Queen at Balmoral over which of them was going to do the washing-up, you were ready to believe anything about her.
As a reporter during her premiership – or rather, let’s face it, reign – Snow had always tried to ask her awkward questions (hence “pinko”). But he was gracious about his record of success. “After 20 interviews,” he confessed, “20-nil to Margaret Thatcher.”
Broadcasters record this sort of obituary well in advance, a fact immediately obvious in the case of Margaret Thatcher: Prime Minister at 8.30pm on BBC One. First, it was narrated by Andrew Marr, who suffered a stroke in January and is currently off work. The talking heads included Ken Clarke and Lord Patten, both looking unmistakably younger than they do now. Clarke looked so much younger you wondered for a moment if his interview had been recorded while she was still Prime Minister.
Unlike Channel 4’s bran tub of anecdotes, this was a biography, sober and chronological. Nothing wrong with that, although if you’d been watching the rolling news channels all afternoon, you felt as though you knew it all by heart and could if pushed mime along with the narration. Still, there was a nice vignette from Lord Powell, her foreign policy adviser. Ronald Reagan loved her, said Lord Powell, but if the President “thought she was going on a bit” his eye was seen to “stray to the clock on the wall in the hope that lunch wasn’t too far away…”
By the time ITV’s contribution, Margaret Thatcher: The Woman Who Changed Britain, came on at 10.35pm, you wondered what would be left for them to say. Perhaps it was just biography fatigue setting in, but I felt as if I was watching reheated leftovers. Ken Livingstone, Shirley Williams, Michael Portillo, Ken Clarke, Neil Kinnock: I’d now heard these same faces’ recollections so many times over the past 10 hours that my mind was starting to stew.
On a night of documentaries about the late Baroness Thatcher, Channel 4 went first, at 8.00pm, with Maggie and Me, presented by Jon Snow, a man described by Denis Thatcher as “that pinko”. As it turned out, the pinko did her proud, giving little personal insights that most of the more straightforward rehashings of her story will miss.
A photographer recalled how she’d addressed him as “You little socialist”. He asked what made her think he was socialist. “You’re Scottish,” she replied, “you must be.” But she was, in her inimitable way, only teasing, and served him whisky.
“I could sense that underneath she was just as scared as anyone else,” said Matthew Parris, a young Tory MP in the early Eighties, later a parliamentary sketch writer and political columnist. But he acknowledged that if she was scared, she was pretty good at hiding it. He recalled the day when, campaigning in London, she’d forcibly seized control of a street-cleaning machine from its startled operator, and manoeuvred it with the same manic efficiency as if she were vacuuming the hall carpet, barking, “Women can get into corners that men can never reach!”
By the time you were told of the time she’d tussled with the Queen at Balmoral over which of them was going to do the washing-up, you were ready to believe anything about her.
As a reporter during her premiership – or rather, let’s face it, reign – Snow had always tried to ask her awkward questions (hence “pinko”). But he was gracious about his record of success. “After 20 interviews,” he confessed, “20-nil to Margaret Thatcher.”
Broadcasters record this sort of obituary well in advance, a fact immediately obvious in the case of Margaret Thatcher: Prime Minister at 8.30pm on BBC One. First, it was narrated by Andrew Marr, who suffered a stroke in January and is currently off work. The talking heads included Ken Clarke and Lord Patten, both looking unmistakably younger than they do now. Clarke looked so much younger you wondered for a moment if his interview had been recorded while she was still Prime Minister.
Unlike Channel 4’s bran tub of anecdotes, this was a biography, sober and chronological. Nothing wrong with that, although if you’d been watching the rolling news channels all afternoon, you felt as though you knew it all by heart and could if pushed mime along with the narration. Still, there was a nice vignette from Lord Powell, her foreign policy adviser. Ronald Reagan loved her, said Lord Powell, but if the President “thought she was going on a bit” his eye was seen to “stray to the clock on the wall in the hope that lunch wasn’t too far away…”
By the time ITV’s contribution, Margaret Thatcher: The Woman Who Changed Britain, came on at 10.35pm, you wondered what would be left for them to say. Perhaps it was just biography fatigue setting in, but I felt as if I was watching reheated leftovers. Ken Livingstone, Shirley Williams, Michael Portillo, Ken Clarke, Neil Kinnock: I’d now heard these same faces’ recollections so many times over the past 10 hours that my mind was starting to stew.
2013年4月8日星期一
Controversial Pilrow wind farm scheme near Burnham
Energy firm Broadview wanted to construct four 130-metre tall wind turbines - each as tall as Brent Knoll - on land at Pilrow Farm, south of Rooksbridge.
Sedgemoor Planning Officer Rebecca Miller said Broadview's scheme at Pilrow would "represent an unacceptable visual intrusion into the flat landscape of the Somerset Levels, particularly in respect of the harm to the views to and from Brent Knoll."
Her report continues: "A defining characteristic of this part of the Somerset Levels is their flat and level nature; the verticality of the proposed turbines will be at odds with this character and will significantly undermine it."
"The character of the landscape will be significantly undermined and harmed in a location which constitutes a key gateway to Somerset. This adverse landscape impact cannot be mitigated against with additional landscaping or other measures."
"The local planning authority is of the opinion that the visual harm that would occur to the landscape would not be outweighed by the benefits that the development would bring in terms of tackling climate change and cutting greenhouse gas emissions."
MP Tessa Munt, who has backed those campaigning against the proposals, said: "A large number of people who live close to the proposed Pilrow site have contacted me about this proposal. They are unanimous in their opposition to the plans. They are not opposed to wind turbines in general, but they do not believe this is the correct location."
"I am, and remain, in favour of renewable energy, but proposals must be appropriate for the surrounding area. There are alternatives which could be explored like off-shore wind, tidal power and solar power, none of which would have the impact of this proposal."
Vestas' Colorado factories in Windsor, Brighton and Pueblo will produce wind turbines for the largest wind farm to be built in western Canada.
The Danish company announced Monday that it has received an order to make 166 wind generators for the Blackspring Ridge Wind Project near Lethbridge, Alberta. It will also provide service and maintenance under a 20-year contract.
Vestas recently cut its Colorado workforce by 10 percent, which it blamed on Congress' slowness in extending a tax credit for wind generators. The company does not intend to increase staffing, however. "We intend to remain at our current staffing levels of more than 1,000 people at our Colorado factories," Andrew Longeteig, head of external communications, North America, wrote in an email to the Coloradoan. "We are optimistic we will secure more orders for wind turbines in the United States and Canada in 2013."
Vestas has a tower factory in Pueblo, a plant for turbine covers in Brighton and blade factories in Brighton and Windsor.
Vestas said the turbines are scheduled to be delivered in the second half of the year. Commissioning is expected to occur by mid-2014. Also on Monday, major shareholder Marathon Asset Management increased its holding in Vestas shares to 10.6 million shares.
Sedgemoor Planning Officer Rebecca Miller said Broadview's scheme at Pilrow would "represent an unacceptable visual intrusion into the flat landscape of the Somerset Levels, particularly in respect of the harm to the views to and from Brent Knoll."
Her report continues: "A defining characteristic of this part of the Somerset Levels is their flat and level nature; the verticality of the proposed turbines will be at odds with this character and will significantly undermine it."
"The character of the landscape will be significantly undermined and harmed in a location which constitutes a key gateway to Somerset. This adverse landscape impact cannot be mitigated against with additional landscaping or other measures."
"The local planning authority is of the opinion that the visual harm that would occur to the landscape would not be outweighed by the benefits that the development would bring in terms of tackling climate change and cutting greenhouse gas emissions."
MP Tessa Munt, who has backed those campaigning against the proposals, said: "A large number of people who live close to the proposed Pilrow site have contacted me about this proposal. They are unanimous in their opposition to the plans. They are not opposed to wind turbines in general, but they do not believe this is the correct location."
"I am, and remain, in favour of renewable energy, but proposals must be appropriate for the surrounding area. There are alternatives which could be explored like off-shore wind, tidal power and solar power, none of which would have the impact of this proposal."
Vestas' Colorado factories in Windsor, Brighton and Pueblo will produce wind turbines for the largest wind farm to be built in western Canada.
The Danish company announced Monday that it has received an order to make 166 wind generators for the Blackspring Ridge Wind Project near Lethbridge, Alberta. It will also provide service and maintenance under a 20-year contract.
Vestas recently cut its Colorado workforce by 10 percent, which it blamed on Congress' slowness in extending a tax credit for wind generators. The company does not intend to increase staffing, however. "We intend to remain at our current staffing levels of more than 1,000 people at our Colorado factories," Andrew Longeteig, head of external communications, North America, wrote in an email to the Coloradoan. "We are optimistic we will secure more orders for wind turbines in the United States and Canada in 2013."
Vestas has a tower factory in Pueblo, a plant for turbine covers in Brighton and blade factories in Brighton and Windsor.
Vestas said the turbines are scheduled to be delivered in the second half of the year. Commissioning is expected to occur by mid-2014. Also on Monday, major shareholder Marathon Asset Management increased its holding in Vestas shares to 10.6 million shares.
2013年4月7日星期日
Community comes together to offer services to Edmonton’s homeless
Shelley McKenzie smiled broadly as she had her hair cut Sunday morning inside the Shaw Conference Centre.
The 52-year-old has been living on the street or in an emergency women’s shelter since her marriage fell apart last summer.
“I haven’t had a haircut in a long time, so this is wonderful,” McKenzie said, as Johanna Goossens, a student at MC College, worked above her with a pink comb and scissors.
McKenzie was one of hundreds of people who attended the spring Homeless Connect event to access a variety of free services, from tax advice to laundry, dentistry and counselling.
Susan McGee, CEO of Homeward Trust Edmonton, expected 1,200 people to attend the tenth Homeless Connect event.
“It’s about the entire community getting together and participating in an effort to end homelessness,” McGee said.
McGee said the event is now “a well-oiled machine,” with more than 400 volunteers, 65 service providers and many sponsors helping it to run smoothly.
Homeward Trust, the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, Shaw Conference Centre and the United Way of the Alberta Capital Region partner to manage the organization of the event, which is held twice a year for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
At the haircutting area, Jolan Magnan expected more than 400 people to see a stylist.
“It’s a busy day, a tiring day, but a good day,” said Magnan, an instructor at MC College who oversaw students cutting hair.
After her haircut, McKenzie stopped by a booth offering legal advice and picked up pamphlets from Alberta Works.
“I’m overwhelmed. This is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” McKenzie said.
McKenzie hopes to find work as a licensed practical nurse. She was working in New Brunswick, then followed her husband to Alberta to try to save their marriage.
“I never dreamt in my life I would be homeless, never in a million years. But you get into a situation and you struggle to get out of it,” she said.
Bulldogs Gus and Gurdy joined volunteers Lori and Kevin Goodwin, of the Pet Therapy Society of Northern Alberta. The dogs have greeted people at many Homeless Connect events and visitors were happy to see them back again.
“We’re here to bring smiles and break up the long lines,” Lori Goodwin said.
Jerome Cambridge attended Sunday’s event hoping to find clothing and a meal.
“It’s a pretty good thing they’ve got going on here,” Cambridge said, looking through a rack of jackets.
Cambridge has struggled to find a job and housing since he moved to Edmonton seven months ago from Nova Scotia.
Behind blue curtains, dentist Ben Eastwood worked over the extraction chair. Eastwood, volunteering alongside five other dentists and multiple hygienists, expected the clinic to provide services to 120 people during the five-hour event.
“It’s stressful because it’s a lot of work, but it’s really gratifying to help these folks,” said Eastwood, who has volunteered at multiple Homeless Connect events.
Setting up such a mobile dental suite requires borrowed equipment, donated disposable items, and many volunteers.
Medina Mawani, 13, and Adam Mawani, 11, washed and sterilized various dental instruments, as their mom, a dentist, worked on a patient in a chair nearby.
“It’s a good feeling to be here, helping others,” Adam said. “It’s quite fun. It feels really nice, to be part of something big like this,” Medina said.
The 52-year-old has been living on the street or in an emergency women’s shelter since her marriage fell apart last summer.
“I haven’t had a haircut in a long time, so this is wonderful,” McKenzie said, as Johanna Goossens, a student at MC College, worked above her with a pink comb and scissors.
McKenzie was one of hundreds of people who attended the spring Homeless Connect event to access a variety of free services, from tax advice to laundry, dentistry and counselling.
Susan McGee, CEO of Homeward Trust Edmonton, expected 1,200 people to attend the tenth Homeless Connect event.
“It’s about the entire community getting together and participating in an effort to end homelessness,” McGee said.
McGee said the event is now “a well-oiled machine,” with more than 400 volunteers, 65 service providers and many sponsors helping it to run smoothly.
Homeward Trust, the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, Shaw Conference Centre and the United Way of the Alberta Capital Region partner to manage the organization of the event, which is held twice a year for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
At the haircutting area, Jolan Magnan expected more than 400 people to see a stylist.
“It’s a busy day, a tiring day, but a good day,” said Magnan, an instructor at MC College who oversaw students cutting hair.
After her haircut, McKenzie stopped by a booth offering legal advice and picked up pamphlets from Alberta Works.
“I’m overwhelmed. This is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” McKenzie said.
McKenzie hopes to find work as a licensed practical nurse. She was working in New Brunswick, then followed her husband to Alberta to try to save their marriage.
“I never dreamt in my life I would be homeless, never in a million years. But you get into a situation and you struggle to get out of it,” she said.
Bulldogs Gus and Gurdy joined volunteers Lori and Kevin Goodwin, of the Pet Therapy Society of Northern Alberta. The dogs have greeted people at many Homeless Connect events and visitors were happy to see them back again.
“We’re here to bring smiles and break up the long lines,” Lori Goodwin said.
Jerome Cambridge attended Sunday’s event hoping to find clothing and a meal.
“It’s a pretty good thing they’ve got going on here,” Cambridge said, looking through a rack of jackets.
Cambridge has struggled to find a job and housing since he moved to Edmonton seven months ago from Nova Scotia.
Behind blue curtains, dentist Ben Eastwood worked over the extraction chair. Eastwood, volunteering alongside five other dentists and multiple hygienists, expected the clinic to provide services to 120 people during the five-hour event.
“It’s stressful because it’s a lot of work, but it’s really gratifying to help these folks,” said Eastwood, who has volunteered at multiple Homeless Connect events.
Setting up such a mobile dental suite requires borrowed equipment, donated disposable items, and many volunteers.
Medina Mawani, 13, and Adam Mawani, 11, washed and sterilized various dental instruments, as their mom, a dentist, worked on a patient in a chair nearby.
“It’s a good feeling to be here, helping others,” Adam said. “It’s quite fun. It feels really nice, to be part of something big like this,” Medina said.
2013年4月6日星期六
Lawmakers Aren’t Warming to Crucial Work on Energy
There’s good news and bad news on the global warming front. The bad news is that the planet is heating up faster than was previously projected, making clear that if we don’t find a way to stop burning fossil fuels, we could well make the planet uninhabitable. Fossil fuel, which we used to call black gold, has now become black death for human life on our planet.
The good news is that we can end its use. There’s increasing evidence that we already possess the technology and know-how to make the necessary changes.
To make that transition, however, we must not only stop projects such as the Keystone pipeline that threaten to provide access to large amounts of dirty energy, but also eliminate obstacles that hinder the implementation of renewable energy technologies we have at our disposal. Our biggest obstacle might be our failure to recognize the magnitude of the climate change crisis and the overriding need to take action.
Act 250 was not designed for large energy projects that serve statewide needs. A proper review of those projects must strike the right balance between narrow and broader environmental concerns, which requires looking not just at the local impact, but also taking into consideration the state’s overall energy system and the need to fight global warming by reducing carbon emissions.
The bill that emerged from the Senate and was sent over to the House was stripped of its most damaging provisions, but that’s hardly cause for celebration. Our legislators should be spending their time figuring out how to expedite renewable energy development, not fending off attempts to stop it.
This is particularly important as we make the transition to electric vehicles and a carbon-free energy system. We’re going to need a substantial amount of energy from all renewable energy sectors.
Consider that Vermont used about 6.1 million megawatt hours of electric energy in 2009. My very rough calculations indicate that we’ll need about 15.4 million MWh by 2050 if we are to supply the transportation, agriculture and other sectors of the Vermont economy with carbon-free energy. That’s about two and a half times our current electrical needs. And if we produce that energy using today’s technology, that will require hundreds of wind turbines on our ridgelines, where the wind is most reliable, and considerable amounts of open land devoted to solar arrays. We’ll also need to make considerable improvements in efficiency and energy storage capacity. But the point is that we have considerable work ahead.
The other important point is that this is not a token effort. While converting to a carbon-free energy system may be one of the most difficult challenges Vermont has faced, it is achievable. The technologies we have developed in the last century position us well. General Electric has said that wind turbine efficiency has increased 60 to 80 percent just from 2002 to the present. And an independent study mapping out an alternative energy future for the state of New York was released just last month. Undertaken by Cornell University scientist Robert Howarth with Stanford University researchers, the study found that it is technically and economically feasible to convert New York’s all-purpose energy infrastructure to one powered entirely by wind, water and sunlight. The same must hold true for Vermont.
That large of a temperature increase would make Vermont’s climate similar to Georgia’s, with devastating impacts to our state. Although Vermont produces a relatively small amount of greenhouse gas compared with U.S. totals, it is not a valid reason to deny responsibility for what we do produce. In Vermont, a carbon-free energy system would provide efficient, cost-effective energy for all its energy needs, while providing an energy independence that would reward us financially and environmentally.
The good news is that we can end its use. There’s increasing evidence that we already possess the technology and know-how to make the necessary changes.
To make that transition, however, we must not only stop projects such as the Keystone pipeline that threaten to provide access to large amounts of dirty energy, but also eliminate obstacles that hinder the implementation of renewable energy technologies we have at our disposal. Our biggest obstacle might be our failure to recognize the magnitude of the climate change crisis and the overriding need to take action.
Act 250 was not designed for large energy projects that serve statewide needs. A proper review of those projects must strike the right balance between narrow and broader environmental concerns, which requires looking not just at the local impact, but also taking into consideration the state’s overall energy system and the need to fight global warming by reducing carbon emissions.
The bill that emerged from the Senate and was sent over to the House was stripped of its most damaging provisions, but that’s hardly cause for celebration. Our legislators should be spending their time figuring out how to expedite renewable energy development, not fending off attempts to stop it.
This is particularly important as we make the transition to electric vehicles and a carbon-free energy system. We’re going to need a substantial amount of energy from all renewable energy sectors.
Consider that Vermont used about 6.1 million megawatt hours of electric energy in 2009. My very rough calculations indicate that we’ll need about 15.4 million MWh by 2050 if we are to supply the transportation, agriculture and other sectors of the Vermont economy with carbon-free energy. That’s about two and a half times our current electrical needs. And if we produce that energy using today’s technology, that will require hundreds of wind turbines on our ridgelines, where the wind is most reliable, and considerable amounts of open land devoted to solar arrays. We’ll also need to make considerable improvements in efficiency and energy storage capacity. But the point is that we have considerable work ahead.
The other important point is that this is not a token effort. While converting to a carbon-free energy system may be one of the most difficult challenges Vermont has faced, it is achievable. The technologies we have developed in the last century position us well. General Electric has said that wind turbine efficiency has increased 60 to 80 percent just from 2002 to the present. And an independent study mapping out an alternative energy future for the state of New York was released just last month. Undertaken by Cornell University scientist Robert Howarth with Stanford University researchers, the study found that it is technically and economically feasible to convert New York’s all-purpose energy infrastructure to one powered entirely by wind, water and sunlight. The same must hold true for Vermont.
That large of a temperature increase would make Vermont’s climate similar to Georgia’s, with devastating impacts to our state. Although Vermont produces a relatively small amount of greenhouse gas compared with U.S. totals, it is not a valid reason to deny responsibility for what we do produce. In Vermont, a carbon-free energy system would provide efficient, cost-effective energy for all its energy needs, while providing an energy independence that would reward us financially and environmentally.
2013年4月2日星期二
Wind energy and utility resistance
The general manager of resource planning at SCANA, the parent company of SCE&G, has agreed to be on a panel next week to talk about solar and wind energy, even though the utility's stance on solar power is less than consumer-friendly.
Also on the panel are Nikolaos Rigas, senior scientist and director of Clemson's Wind Turbine Testing Facility; Hamilton Davis, the energy and climate director for the Coastal Conservation League; and Thomas French, the executive director of the SC Clean Energy Business Alliance.
The discussion, sponsored by the Charleston Area League of Women Voters, at 6 p.m. April 10 in North Charleston City Hall will focus on four key questions about wind and solar power.
Christe McCoy-Lawrence, the league's director of natural resources, emphasized that this won't be a debate. Each panelist will have 10-12 minutes to speak, and then the audience will be able to ask questions.
If the overflow crowds from last fall's SCE&G rate increase hearings show up, it could be a very lively question-and-answer session. Here's one question not on the agenda: Why is SCE&G so against its customers being able to save money?
The economic barriers to solar power are such that it's mostly companies like Boeing, or smaller environmentally minded ones like Half Moon Outfitters, that can afford the upfront installation costs, or are willing to absorb them.
"Every state develops its own system, and we have developed a very centralized utility-centered system — it's a matter of trying to make the transition," said McCoy-Lawrence.
That's a very polite way of saying that the utilities generally call the shots. After all, when was the last time your electric rates went down?
Heck, try to take steps to reduce your energy use, and SCE&G's weather normalization adjustment might make that backfire on you. So don't expect them to be thrilled about customers wanting to cut back on energy consumption.
Under current regulations, only the most dedicated customers with the financial means will be able to install solar panels at home. A bill in the Legislature would change that, allowing customers to lease panels instead of buying them. As McCoy-Lawrence points out, nonprofits, hospitals and schools could all benefit from that change.
There's really no reason for SCE&G to have such unfriendly terms for consumers interested in doing the right thing by using a renewable resource. After all, whatever small profit they might lose, they can make it up with their next rate increase.
One thing won't change: people want reliable, on-demand access to power, so it's unlikely any utility would shed large numbers of customers if the leasing option becomes available.
But right now, the perception is that SCE&G puts profits ahead of renewable resources, with the state's blessing.
If that changes as a result of this panel discussion or the law being passed, it could be good news for both SCE&G and its customers.
Also on the panel are Nikolaos Rigas, senior scientist and director of Clemson's Wind Turbine Testing Facility; Hamilton Davis, the energy and climate director for the Coastal Conservation League; and Thomas French, the executive director of the SC Clean Energy Business Alliance.
The discussion, sponsored by the Charleston Area League of Women Voters, at 6 p.m. April 10 in North Charleston City Hall will focus on four key questions about wind and solar power.
Christe McCoy-Lawrence, the league's director of natural resources, emphasized that this won't be a debate. Each panelist will have 10-12 minutes to speak, and then the audience will be able to ask questions.
If the overflow crowds from last fall's SCE&G rate increase hearings show up, it could be a very lively question-and-answer session. Here's one question not on the agenda: Why is SCE&G so against its customers being able to save money?
The economic barriers to solar power are such that it's mostly companies like Boeing, or smaller environmentally minded ones like Half Moon Outfitters, that can afford the upfront installation costs, or are willing to absorb them.
"Every state develops its own system, and we have developed a very centralized utility-centered system — it's a matter of trying to make the transition," said McCoy-Lawrence.
That's a very polite way of saying that the utilities generally call the shots. After all, when was the last time your electric rates went down?
Heck, try to take steps to reduce your energy use, and SCE&G's weather normalization adjustment might make that backfire on you. So don't expect them to be thrilled about customers wanting to cut back on energy consumption.
Under current regulations, only the most dedicated customers with the financial means will be able to install solar panels at home. A bill in the Legislature would change that, allowing customers to lease panels instead of buying them. As McCoy-Lawrence points out, nonprofits, hospitals and schools could all benefit from that change.
There's really no reason for SCE&G to have such unfriendly terms for consumers interested in doing the right thing by using a renewable resource. After all, whatever small profit they might lose, they can make it up with their next rate increase.
One thing won't change: people want reliable, on-demand access to power, so it's unlikely any utility would shed large numbers of customers if the leasing option becomes available.
But right now, the perception is that SCE&G puts profits ahead of renewable resources, with the state's blessing.
If that changes as a result of this panel discussion or the law being passed, it could be good news for both SCE&G and its customers.
2013年4月1日星期一
Local company aims to meet all home service needs
As newlyweds Ahwatukee Foothills residents Casey and Nora Jones learned quickly how expensive and time consuming it can be to try and take care of their home, pool and personal lives.
Casey was constantly traveling between Tucson and Phoenix and Nora was a practicing attorney trying to manage two homes. They’d spend each week working hard and each weekend working even harder to catch up on all the chores they didn’t have time for during the week. Hiring a housekeeper, pool keeper and all other service providers to take care of the work for them was out of reach.
“It was just too much,” Casey said. “We started looking around for other unmet needs in the economy. We realized from taking care of our two houses and getting people to help because it was something we didn’t have time to do, it was an industry that it seemed didn’t have a lot of professionalism. It had a lot of opportunity for efficiencies.”
The two came up with a model to combine many of these services into one person. That one person could be hired to clean the house, the pool and fulfill other concierge-type services, and because it was only one person it would be easier for a homeowner to manage and afford. That person might even be considered as useful as a spouse — so that’s what they decided to call the company: House Spouse.
House Spouse provides each homeowner with one point of contact. That person is trained in the best and most efficient ways to clean a house and a pool. They can also help run errands like picking up dry cleaning or taking care of pets for a flat fee. It’s a lot of training for the employees, but Casey and Nora say training is where their company excels.
“My former career was the operations manager of a high-tech equipment manufacturer,” Casey said. “It was very detailed work. The way you’re successful in that industry is you have standard operating procedures. You have a specific way that you do every single thing. We’ve translated that from other industries into the cleaning business. We have a very specific way that we do every single thing.”
The couple researched for months the best products, tools and technology to use to properly clean a house. Their products are all environmentally friendly and their tools are all top of the line.
For now, House Spouse only has a few employees but they’re growing quickly. Because training takes time Casey estimates they may hire a new employee every few weeks to a month depending on growth. So far, they’ve seen more interest in their company than they originally expected. The duo say the key to their success is their professionalism. Their prices are clearly listed online, a person answers the phone and all employees show up to their job in a clean and pressed uniform.
Casey was constantly traveling between Tucson and Phoenix and Nora was a practicing attorney trying to manage two homes. They’d spend each week working hard and each weekend working even harder to catch up on all the chores they didn’t have time for during the week. Hiring a housekeeper, pool keeper and all other service providers to take care of the work for them was out of reach.
“It was just too much,” Casey said. “We started looking around for other unmet needs in the economy. We realized from taking care of our two houses and getting people to help because it was something we didn’t have time to do, it was an industry that it seemed didn’t have a lot of professionalism. It had a lot of opportunity for efficiencies.”
The two came up with a model to combine many of these services into one person. That one person could be hired to clean the house, the pool and fulfill other concierge-type services, and because it was only one person it would be easier for a homeowner to manage and afford. That person might even be considered as useful as a spouse — so that’s what they decided to call the company: House Spouse.
House Spouse provides each homeowner with one point of contact. That person is trained in the best and most efficient ways to clean a house and a pool. They can also help run errands like picking up dry cleaning or taking care of pets for a flat fee. It’s a lot of training for the employees, but Casey and Nora say training is where their company excels.
“My former career was the operations manager of a high-tech equipment manufacturer,” Casey said. “It was very detailed work. The way you’re successful in that industry is you have standard operating procedures. You have a specific way that you do every single thing. We’ve translated that from other industries into the cleaning business. We have a very specific way that we do every single thing.”
The couple researched for months the best products, tools and technology to use to properly clean a house. Their products are all environmentally friendly and their tools are all top of the line.
For now, House Spouse only has a few employees but they’re growing quickly. Because training takes time Casey estimates they may hire a new employee every few weeks to a month depending on growth. So far, they’ve seen more interest in their company than they originally expected. The duo say the key to their success is their professionalism. Their prices are clearly listed online, a person answers the phone and all employees show up to their job in a clean and pressed uniform.
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