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Also Noted: Spotlight: Dragonfly campaign compromised Western energy facilities and much more... Early Retrofit Chicago results "envy of every town in America"
Preliminary results of the Retrofit Chicago Commercial Buildings program -- Chicago's unique partnership to showcase energy efficiency efforts in the city's biggest buildings, where dozens of the city's most recognizable buildings have pledged to reduce their energy consumption by 20 percent over five years -- are in. Article
Rewriting national energy policy
New Mexico Congressman Ben Ray Luján and Vermont Congressman Peter Welch have introduced legislation that will promote energy savings through increased efficiency standards and higher investments in renewable energy -- such as wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, and biomass. Article
Hybrid renewable energy system overcomes urban challenges
A hybrid renewable energy project recently commissioned on the rooftop of law firm Myers, Fletcher & Gordon (MFG) in Kingston, Jamaica will harness both wind and solar resources. Windstream, the system's provider, call it the largest in the world. Article
NRG acquires Spanish Town Estate Solar
NRG Energy, Inc. has acquired the 4 MW Spanish Town Estate Solar project on the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). The project is expected to help the USVI achieve their renewable energy goals to reduce its fossil fuel based energy consumption by 60 percent over the next 10 years. Article
News From Across the Energy Industry:
1. DOE forges ahead with research to power 100M homes
2. U.K. pilot pits power plants against energy efficiency
3. U.S. falls at the bottom of international energy efficiency rankings
More headlines...
Today's Top News 1. NV Water Authority turning to solar for energy, water savings
The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) has locked in a significant portion of its energy costs at a fixed rate, with a 20-year power purchase agreement with solar company SunEdison. The power purchase agreement provides SNWA with an effective hedge against future increases. As part of the agreement, SunEdison will develop, construct, own and operate a 14 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant, located in Clark County. "This partnership with SunEdison expands our renewable energy portfolio to about 18 percent of our total power mix, and it provides additional stability to power costs, which ultimately benefits Southern Nevada's municipal water users," said John Entsminger, Southern Nevada Water Authority general manager. "When compared with traditional power production from fossil fuels, this solar facility will also save more than 100 million gallons of water." Water is used in a number of ways in fossil fuel based electricity production -- including generating steam to turn turbines, helping to keep power plants cool, and flushing away the fuel residue after fossil fuels are burned. By contrast, solar PV power plants do not use water in the production of electricity. The ground-mounted facility's construction, built around a transmission and pipeline infrastructure, will be quite complex. Construction of the facility is expected to begin in early 2015 with commercial operation later that year. For more:
- see SNWA's Water Resource Plan Related Article:
CA water agencies campaign for conservation Read more about: Solar power
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2. PA DEP says its oil and gas program is new and improved
The Auditor General's Office has released the Special Audit of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Performance in Monitoring Potential Impact to Water Quality from Shale Gas Development for 2009 through 2012. Auditors found no instances where DEP failed to protect public health, safety or the environment with respect to unconventional gas drilling activities. However, they did find that DEP "did not routinely and consistently issue orders requiring oil and gas operators to restore or replace adversely impacted water supplies as required by law." Further, the auditor general found that "DEP utilizes an ineffective complaint tracking system that does not provide management with timely and accurate complaint information related to oil and gas activities." The auditor general also concluded that it could not reliably assure that all active shale gas wells were inspected in a timely manner. "Because the report focused on the time period up until the end of 2012, most of this audit reflects how our oil and gas program formerly operated, not how the program currently functions. Throughout the audit period until the present, DEP's Oil and Gas Program has made great strides improving the effectiveness of its regulatory efforts and its transparency to the public," DEP Secretary E. Christopher Abruzzo said. "It's important to recognize that Act 13 of 2012 -- the first significant amendment to Pennsylvania's oil and gas laws in over 30 years -- was enacted during the audit period, introducing sweeping changes to DEP's regulatory authority over the unconventional natural gas industry." A more recent audit in March 2013 by the State Review of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Regulations, Inc. (STRONGER) found the program to be ready to address the increase of oil and gas operations in Pennsylvania, specifically praising the department's hydraulic fracturing and well construction regulations that are designed to protect fresh groundwater. For more:
- see the full finding Related Article:
Oil and gas permit fees to reap $4.7M a year for PA Read more about: Oil And Gas
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3. Oil and gas pros setting the rules on hiring
The recruitment environment is becoming increasingly complex for oil and gas companies. As more managers plan to hire, time to hire has increased and more offers are being rejected by candidates.  | | Credit: Rigzone | In a semi-annual hiring survey conducted by Rigzone, half of hiring managers in the energy industry reported planning to hire more oil and gas professionals in the next six months as compared to the first half of the year -- down slightly from the beginning of 2014 when 53 percent said they planned to increase hiring. Nearly four in 10 hiring managers (39 percent) said the time to hire has lengthened, primarily due to the inability to find qualified professionals to fill open positions -- up from 32 percent who noted longer fill times at the beginning of 2014. An improving economic and market environment is leading to candidates who want to take advantage of the upturn. More than six in 10 hiring managers said candidates are asking for more money than six months ago and nearly half (48 percent) of companies said jobs are going unfilled due to an inability to match compensation requirements with candidates' expectations. "Oil and gas professionals today recognize the energy job market is theirs for the taking," said Paul Caplan, president of Rigzone. "It's up to companies to offer the right position for the right compensation package or risk losing candidates to firms and industries competing for the same in-demand talent." After a position is budgeted, one-third of hiring managers report that it takes less than a month to extend an offer to an oil and gas professional. Unfortunately, 27 percent of companies said an increasing number of candidates are rejecting offers, as compared to just six months ago. On the upside, just 11 percent of companies said layoffs are likely in the next six months. Almost 50 percent of hiring managers anticipate more full-time hiring this year compared to 2013. Just more than a third expect a rise in contract hiring, and a quarter foresee hiring more oil and gas professionals who work on a rotational schedule. For more:
- see the January 2014 results Related Articles:
Short on skilled workers? Look to the military
Oil and gas salaries down Read more about: energy workforce
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4. PSEG expands solar footprint to Vermont
PSEG Solar Source is acquiring the ERWR Whitcomb Farm Solar project in Vermont. The facility will now be known as the PSEG Essex Solar Energy Center. This marks PSEG Solar Source's ninth solar project in eight states -- including Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio and Texas -- and the company is currently working with a number of developers to add even more. The PSEG Essex Solar Energy Center is located approximately four miles northeast of Burlington and has a nameplate capacity of 3.6 MW. The acquisition will increase PSEG's Solar Source portfolio to 110 MW. Construction is expected to begin this month and be completed later this year. When completed, the facility will span 13.5 acres, and feature approximately 12,000 solar photovoltaic panels on a fixed-tilt racking system. The system will connect with the existing Green Mountain Power distribution system but will need a 350 foot extension of service to reach the project site. "Given its location within the Whitcomb family property, which has continued to be a productive farming operation since its inception in 1867, this project exemplifies the opportunity to complement agricultural land use with renewable energy generation," Michael Martin, president of JSI and the project contractor, said. The project has a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Vermont Electric Power Producers (VEEP), Inc., as part of the Vermont Sustainably Priced Energy Enterprise Development (SPEED) program. The electricity generated will be sold to the state's SPEED facilitator and allocated across all Vermont utilities in order for the state to meet its electric generation needs with a low carbon source of renewable in-state power. For more:
- see this article Related Article:
SRP, PSEG celebrate Queen Creek solar farm Read more about: Solar power
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5. Ontario expanding Industrial Electricity Incentive
A wider range of Ontario sectors are now eligible to apply for incentives under an expansion of the Industrial Electricity Incentive (IEI) program recently launched by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA). The IEI program is intended to support a dynamic and innovative business climate in which companies can thrive, grow and create jobs while at the same time make use of Ontario's electricity supply. Expanding the IEI program to more industries offers an opportunity for more Ontario industries to reduce their electricity costs, increase competitiveness, and assist in improving electricity load and demand management. In return for building new or expanding production at existing facilities, IEI Stream 3 participants receive a reduction in the associated costs of electricity over a specified term up to the lesser of either 10 years or an end date of December 31, 2024. Stream 3 of the program expands eligibility to other energy intensive sectors, such as greenhouses, refrigerated warehousing and data processing. Mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction, and manufacturing companies are also eligible. "Ontario is taking advantage of its strong electricity supply to create jobs and build our economy," said Minister of Energy Bob Chiarelli. "Expanding these industrial incentives will reduce electricity system costs by better using our available power and help support a dynamic and innovative climate for business to thrive, grow and create jobs -- strengthening local economies across the province." For more:
- see the directive Read more about: Ontario Power Authority
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Also Noted The Dragonfly cyberespionage campaign has compromised Western energy facilities, warns security firm Symantec. The attackers have been able to spy on the facilities and could have even conducted sabotage if they had used their capabilities to undertake such operations. The group has a range of malware tools that have been able to compromise industrial control systems in these facilities, relates Symantec. Read more News From Across the Energy Industry:
> DOE, USDA funding bioenergy Post
> U.K. oil and gas firms await impact of new regulator Post
> NRG acquires Spanish Town Estate Solar Post
> BLM blames budget for agency shortfalls Post
> Hybrid renewable energy system overcomes urban challenges Post
> Hydrogen breakthrough could make fuel greener Post
> GHG regulations: A cautionary tale Post
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