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DOE Issues Preliminary Analysis of Commercial Equipment Requirements
The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, directs the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to establish energy conservation standards for certain commercial and industrial equipment, including commercial heating, air-conditioning, and water-heating products. The statute also requires that each time the corresponding consensus standard—ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1—is amended, DOE must assess whether there is a need to update the uniform national energy conservation standards for the same equipment covered under EPCA. DOE’s notice of data availability (NODA) discusses the results of DOE’s analysis of the energy savings potential of amended energy conservation standards for certain types of commercial equipment covered by Standard 90.1. DOE published the NODA to: (1) Announce the results and preliminary conclusions of DOE’s analysis of potential energy savings associated with amended standards for this equipment, and (2) request public comment on this analysis, as well as the submission of data and other relevant information.
After review of the public comments on this NODA, if DOE decides that the amended efficiency levels in Standard 90.1–2007 have the potential for additional energy savings for types of equipment currently covered by uniform national standards, DOE will commence rulemaking to consider amended standards, based upon either the efficiency levels in Standard 90.1–2007 or more stringent efficiency levels which would be expected to result in significant additional conservation of energy and are technologically feasible and economically justified.
For a copy of the NODA (73 FR 40770) and a table of the preliminary analysis, see http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr.
Hawaii Energy Bills Include Solar Hot Water Requirement
Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle has approved a number of energy-related bills including one that requires most new single-family homes to include solar water heaters. Senate Bill 644, approved on June 26, prohibits the issuing of building permits for new homes without solar water heaters as of 2010. The bill excludes homes located in areas with poor solar energy resources, homes using other renewable energy sources, and homes employing on-demand gas-fired water heaters. The bill also eliminates solar thermal energy tax credits for those homes. See SB 644 (http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2008/bills/SB644_cd1_.htm) and the governor's press release (http://hawaii.gov/gov/news/releases/2008/governor-lingle-signs-bill-to-increase-solar).
On June 6, the governor approved SB 988, which allows the Hawaii Public Utility Commission to establish a rebate for solar photovoltaic electric systems, and HB 2550, which encourages net metering for residential and small commercial customers. The governor also approved three energy bills, including HB 2863, which provides streamlined permitting for new renewable energy facilities of at least 200 megawatts in capacity. HB 2505 creates a full-time renewable energy facilitator to help the state expedite those permits, while a third bill, HB 2261, will provide loans of up to $1.5 million and up to 85% of the cost of renewable energy projects at farms and aquaculture facilities. See the governor's press release on the final three bills (http://hawaii.gov/gov/news/releases/2008/governor-lingle-signs-key-legislation-to-boost).
Massachusetts Doubles Renewable Energy Requirements for Utilities
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has signed new comprehensive energy legislation that doubles the requirement for the state's utilities to draw on renewable energy for their electricity, while also encouraging the utilities to use energy efficiency and helping municipalities that wish to follow suit. The Green Communities Act doubles the rate of increase in the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard from 0.5% per year to 1% per year, with no cap. As a result, utilities and other electricity suppliers will need to draw on renewable power sources for 4% of their electricity sales in 2009, rising to 15% by 2020, 25% by 2030, and so on. To help utilities meet those requirements, they'll be able to enter into 10- to 15-year contracts with renewable energy developers, and they'll also be allowed to own solar energy systems installed on their customers' roofs. The act also encourages larger customer-located systems by allowing customers with solar and wind power systems as large as 2 megawatts in capacity to earn credit on their power bill under net metering agreements.
To encourage utilities to also pursue energy efficiency, the new law will make energy efficiency compete in the market with traditional energy supplies, and utilities will be required to purchase all available energy efficiency improvements that cost less than new power generating sources. The utilities will also offer rebates and incentives to encourage their customers to take advantage of energy efficient technologies for lighting, air conditioning, and industrial equipment. For municipalities that wish to pursue energy efficiency and renewable energy, a new $10 million state program will provide technical and financial assistance. Called the Green Communities Division, it will be part of the state's Department of Energy Resources, an expanded and elevated revision of the state's current Division of Energy Resources.
The Green Communities Act also requires the State Board of Building Regulations and Standards to adopt, as its minimum standard, the latest edition of the International Energy Conservation Code as part of the State Building Code. It also requires new buildings owned or operated by the state to minimize their life-cycle costs by using energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation. The act also gives final legislative approval to the state's participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. See the governor's press release (http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=gov3pressrelease&L=1&L0=Home&sid=Agov3&b=pressrelease&f=080702_bill_energy_clean&csid=Agov3) and the full text of the legislation, Senate Bill 2768 (http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/185/st02/st02768.htm).
New York Aims for 7.5% Cut in Electricity Use by 2015
The New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) approved an energy efficiency initiative in mid-June that aims to reduce electricity sales in the state by 7.5% by 2015, relative to projected sales for this year. Without the initiative, the state's electricity sales are expected to increase by 9%, so the initiative actually represents a 15% decrease from projected sales. Called the Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard, the new program will be funded by an average 90% increase in the systems benefit charge paid by electric utility customers, starting in October 2008. That increase will yield $172 million annually to be applied to energy efficiency programs, which are expected to save customers more than $4 billion by 2015. It will initially fund a number of fast-track programs, including efforts to increase marketing and promotions for compact fluorescent light bulbs, promote the use of energy efficient central air conditioners, expand weatherization services for the homes of low-income families, increase the use of the whole building design approach for energy efficient commercial buildings, provide energy efficiency retrofits for small businesses, enhance a program to encourage industrial energy efficiency, and expand a technical assistance program for energy efficiency.
In addition, added charges for natural gas will generate $13 million annually through 2011. Those funds will go directly toward a program to promote efficient furnaces, boilers, and water heaters, as well as solar hot water heaters and insulating wraps for existing hot water tanks. The program will also encourage conservation measures for hot water, including water-efficient clothes washers, low-flow showerheads, and faucet aerators. Those and other efforts should yield $160 million in benefits to the state's economy. See the press release (http://www3.dps.state.ny.us/pscweb/WebFileRoom.nsf/Web/599B3E42019C39298525746C00710FB1/$File/pr08072.pdf) and the order (http://www3.dps.state.ny.us/pscweb/WebFileRoom.nsf/Web/544F8DE178C8A15285257471005D41F6/$File/201_07m0548_final.pdf) on the New York PSC Web site.
G8 Leaders Commit to 50% Cut in Greenhouse Gases by 2050
The world's eight leading industrialized nations—Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—agreed to pursue an international agreement that would achieve at least a 50% cut in global emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050. During the annual summit for the Group of Eight (G8) in Japan, which is also attended by the president of the European Union, the leaders agreed to pursue the proposed emissions cut during negotiations for a new climate agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The G8 leaders and the UNFCCC intend to have a new climate agreement in place by the end of 2009, allowing for a full ratification and implementation of the agreement in time for the expiration of the Kyoto Protocol in 2012.
The G8 nations have also pledged $6 billion toward two Climate Investment Funds: the Clean Technology Fund, which aims to deploy clean energy technologies in developing countries, and the Strategic Climate Fund, which will help vulnerable countries develop climate-resilient economies while preventing deforestation. Both funds are administered by the World Bank. See the "G8 Declaration on Environment and Climate Change" (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/07/20080708-3.html).
While the G8 is now onboard with a 50% cut in emissions by 2050, it may be harder to achieve an agreement with other leading economies. In a subsequent meeting of the leaders of the world's major economies—including the G8, Australia, Brazil, India, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, and South Africa—no such goal was agreed to. The leaders of the major economies declared that climate change is one of the great global challenges of our time and agreed to pursue an international climate change agreement under the UNFCCC by December 2009, but did not list specific goals. See the declaration (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/07/20080709-5.html) on the White House Web site.
EPA Releases Draft Report on ODS Destruction
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making available information concerning the destruction of controlled ozone depleting substances (ODSs) in the United States in the report Destruction of Ozone-Depleting Substances in the United States. The report analyzes ODS destruction practices in the United States and includes data on the types and quantities of ODSs destroyed in the United States in previous years, estimates of future destruction trends, and a review of technologies currently being employed to destroy ODSs.
Because EPA plans to use the technical information when developing regulations, EPA wants to provide an opportunity to review the information and submit comments. Specifically, EPA requests comments on the report’s characterization of current destruction practices and its estimates of types and quantities of controlled substances available in the future for destruction in the United States.
The report Destruction of Ozone-Depleting Substances in the United States is available at http://www.epa.gov/ozone/strathome.html. For a copy of the Federal Register notice (73 FR 41076) requesting comments on the report, see http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr.
