DOCSLIB.ORG

Midamerican May 10 Stevens Test.Pdf

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Midamerican May 10 Stevens Test.Pdf STATE OF IOWA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BEFORE THE IOWA STATE UTILITIES BOARD __________________________________________________________________ IN RE: : : APPLICATION OF MIDAMERICAN : DOCKET NO. RPU-2013- ENERGY COMPANY FOR A : DETERMINATION OF : RATEMAKING PRINCIPLES : ____________________________________:______________________________ DIRECT TESTIMONY OF O. DALE STEVENS, II 1 Q. Please state your name and business address for the record. 2 A. O. Dale Stevens, II, 4299 Northwest Urbandale Drive, Urbandale, Iowa 50322. 3 Q. By who are you employed and in what position? 4 A. I am employed by MidAmerican Energy Company as Manager, Market 5 Assessment. 6 Q. Please describe your responsibilities as Manager, Market Assessment. 7 A. I am responsible for overseeing the electric market price forecasts, fuel market 8 projections, resource planning and evaluation, electric transmission analyses and 9 environmental modeling. 10 Q. Please describe your education and business experience. 11 A. I graduated from the University of Missouri at Rolla with a Bachelor of Science 12 degree in Electrical Engineering in 1972. Since that time, I have been employed 13 by MidAmerican Energy Company (“MidAmerican” or “Company”), its 14 predecessors, or its affiliates, in a variety of planning and managerial positions. I 15 joined Iowa Power and Light Company, a predecessor of the Company, in 1972 16 as a Scheduler. During my career, I have worked in System Planning (1974- 1 1980), Operational Planning (1980-1986), Rates (1986-1995) and Market 2 Assessment (1995-present). In 1991, I was promoted to manager of the Electric 3 Rate Department for Midwest Power Systems Inc., a predecessor of the Company. 4 In 1995, I assumed the role of manager of Market Assessment for MidAmerican, 5 the position I hold today. PURPOSE OF TESTIMONY 6 Q. What is the purpose of your prepared direct testimony? 7 A. The purpose of my testimony is to address various aspects of MidAmerican’s 8 application for a determination of ratemaking principles (“Ratemaking Principles 9 Application”) concerning the Company’s proposal to develop up to 1,050 MW of 10 new wind power generation—the Wind VIII Iowa Project (“Wind VIII”). In the 11 course of my testimony, below, I address the topics covered by the following 12 Board “subrules”: 13 ¾ Projected typical annual hours of operation, output and capacity factors for 14 Wind VIII in response to subrule 41.3(1)“c”; 15 ¾ Impact on Electric Supply Reliability in response to subrule 41.3(4); 16 ¾ Impact on Fuel Diversity and Use of Non-traditional Supply Sources, in 17 Iowa, in response to subrule 41.3(4); and 18 ¾ MidAmerican’s consideration of Other Long-Term Supply Options in 19 response to subrule 41.3(6). 20 I will also describe the analysis performed, under my direction, of MidAmerican’s 21 power production costs that MidAmerican witness Mark Yocum uses to conduct 22 his customer impact analysis. (Please note: The above references to “subrules” 23 actually refer to the Iowa Utilities Board’s proposed Chapter 41 rules that the 2 1 Iowa Utilities Board did not adopt, but that remain available for utilities to 2 consider in formulating ratemaking principles filings.) PROJECTED HOURS OF OPERATION FOR WIND VIII 3 Q. Please describe the projected hours of operation for Wind VIII. 4 A. Exhibit __ (ODS-1), Schedule 1 contains a projection of Wind VIII’s annual 5 hours of operation, energy output and capacity factor, based on a projected 1,050 6 MW of new wind generation. This Schedule is in response to paragraph “c” of 7 the proposed Iowa Utilities Board (“Board”) subrule 41.3(1). The actual hours of 8 operation, output and capacity factor will depend on factors such as the final 9 location of Wind VIII turbines. Based on the above projection, and our 10 experience at MidAmerican’s existing wind power projects, I expect all of the 11 Wind VIII sites will operate over 7,000 hours annually at an expected overall 12 average capacity factor of about 36.0% when fully developed.1 13 Wind-powered generation is largely dependent on the wind as a fuel source, 14 and hence, is not dispatchable in the traditional sense of conventional generation.2 15 (Historically “dispatchable” referred to a utility’s ability to increase or decrease 16 energy production without tripping the unit offline as demand for energy varied.) 17 Therefore, the operating characteristics for each Wind VIII site must be estimated 1 The operation of a wind turbine will vary from one year to another based on the wind resource, scheduled maintenance, forced outages, possible transmission system operating guides and economics. 2 To address concerns with the intermittency of the wind resource, the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator (“MISO”) developed a Dispatchable Intermittent Resource (“DIR”) methodology that allows intermittent resources such as wind to be managed in a manner that regional system requirements can be optimized. Wind generators are allowed to submit a bid offer stating that the unit(s) would be dispatched economically as the intermittent resource permits. 3 1 from meteorological data applied to the wind turbine power curve,3 and then 2 adjusted for the wind power projected losses.4 3 The process of modeling the above-mentioned projections for Wind VIII 4 differs from similar projections for non-intermittent, dispatchable electric 5 generating units (e.g., coal or gas-fired). While the Midwest Independent 6 Transmission System Operator (“MISO”) allows intermittent resources (e.g., 7 wind generation) to be economically dispatched, wind generation is dependent on 8 the level of wind resource available above a base threshold, whereas, the operator 9 of traditional generation has control of the full resource. Therefore, the process of 10 modeling wind is based on dispatching an expected wind-based output profile 11 against a price curve with the dispatch prices as the only limitation to operation. WIND VIII - MEETS CUSTOMER NEEDS 12 Q. Why do you believe construction of Wind VIII is a reasonable step for 13 MidAmerican to undertake? 14 MidAmerican is a state rate-regulated utility with a service obligation to provide 15 for its customers electric needs. That obligation includes prudently planning to 16 provide reasonable and adequate electric service and facilities to its customers, as 17 measured by a variety of customer needs, at just and reasonable rates. 18 MidAmerican engages in a number of prudent measures to ensure that it meets 3 The wind turbine power curve is the relationship of the generator output to the wind speed. This relationship is uniquely defined for each individual type of wind turbine based on its design. 4 Operating characteristics for a wind power project include wake and array losses (i.e., the impact one wind turbine has on another as a result of the direction of the wind and the relative positions of the turbines), icing and blade degradation, electrical losses (collector system, generator step-up transformer and interconnection line), parasitic losses (FAA lighting, project lights, cold weather heaters, etc.), power curve losses, availability (scheduled and forced outages), high speed hysterisis, high speed shutdown, cold weather impacts, control losses, collector substation maintenance, and other events. 4 1 customer needs both in the short and long term. These needs of customers 2 include, without limitation, the following: 3 • Environmental compliance needs: increasing the supply of zero-emissions 4 electricity to meet expected future legislative and regulatory requirements 5 limiting carbon and other emissions; 6 • Customer pricing needs: Providing revenue streams that are likely to 7 offset the costs of generation and/or provide a reasonably priced energy 8 source necessary to displace energy from carbon-based generation 9 resources; 10 • Fuel diversity needs: Reducing customer exposure to volatile cost sources 11 of energy; 12 • Economic development needs: Promoting economic development in 13 Iowa; 14 • Iowa energy policy needs: Supporting Iowa’s role as a renewable energy 15 leader; 16 • Energy needs: increasing the supply of low cost energy; and 17 • Capacity needs: Deferring projected capacity deficits. 18 The proposed Wind VIII project is expected to meet all of these customer needs. 19 Environmental Compliance. Wind VIII offers potential environmental 20 benefits including: 1) supports full compliance with current and projected 21 environmental regulation requirements, 2) mitigates federal regulations that 22 implement greenhouse gasses (“GHG”) permit limits based on post-control 23 installation criteria, 3) assistance with potential regional haze restriction 24 requirements, 4) assistance with potential New Source Performance Standards 5 1 (“NSPS”) limits of 1,000 lbs/MWh for all new coal and natural gas-fueled electric 2 generating plants, and 5) assistance with potential limits on GHG emissions from 3 existing fossil-fueled electric generating plants. Witness Jennifer McIvor will 4 address the environmental benefits more fully in her testimony. 5 Customer Pricing. Wind VIII can be developed at a reasonable cost 6 when compared to other feasible alternative sources of supply. As MidAmerican 7 witness Yocum testifies, MidAmerican projects that it will be able to provide 8 customers with Wind VIII at no net cost. 9 Fuel Diversity. Wind VIII also enhances MidAmerican’s fuel diversity 10 while reducing dependence on fossil fuel resources and fuel transportation. Wind 11 VIII increases MidAmerican’s renewable energy mix in its generation portfolio. 12 Economic Development. In addition, wind generation promotes 13 economic development and provides value to rural areas. Witnesses Dean Crist 14 and Adam Wright will address these benefits further in their testimony. 15 Supports Energy Policy. Moreover, Wind VIII is in line with Iowa’s 16 stated public policy to encourage renewable energy resource development in 17 Iowa, as indicated by MidAmerican witness Dean Crist. 18 The state of Iowa, with 5,137 MW, is currently third behind only Texas 19 (12,212 MW) and California (5,549 MW) in the amount of nameplate wind 20 capacity installed as of the fourth quarter of 2012.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Health and Safety Impacts of Solar Photovoltaics
    Filed with the Iowa Utilities Board on September 16, 2019, GCU-2019-0004 Health and Safety Impacts of Solar Photovoltaics The increasing presence of utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems (sometimes referred to as solar farms) is a rather new development in North Carolina’s landscape. Due to the new and unknown nature of this technology, it is natural for communities near such developments to be concerned about health and safety impacts. Unfortunately, the quick emergence of utility-scale solar has cultivated fertile grounds for myths and half-truths about the health impacts of this technology, which can lead to unnecessary fear and conflict. Photovoltaic (PV) technologies and solar inverters are not known to pose any significant health dangers to their neighbors. The most important dangers posed are increased highway traffic during the relative short construction period and dangers posed to trespassers of contact with high voltage equipment. This latter risk is mitigated by signage and the security measures that industry uses to deter trespassing. As will be discussed in more detail below, risks of site contamination are much less than for most other industrial uses because PV technologies employ few toxic chemicals and those used are used in very small quantities. Due to the reduction in the pollution from fossil-fuel-fired electric generators, the overall impact of solar development on human health is overwhelmingly positive. This pollution reduction results from a partial replacement of fossil-fuel fired generation by emission-free PV-generated electricity, which reduces harmful sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
    [Show full text]
  • Draft Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration Leo Solar Project
    DRAFT Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration LEO Solar Project November 2019 Lead Agency: Kings County 1400 West Lacey Boulevard, Building. #6 Hanford, California 93230 Prepared for: Apex Energy Solutions, LLC 604 Sutter Street, Suite 250 Folsom, California 95630 (916) 985-9461 Prepared by: 2525 Warren Drive Rocklin, California 95677 Draft Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration Leo Solar Project DRAFT MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION LEO SOLAR PROJECT Lead Agency: Kings County Community Development Agency, Kings County Government Center, 1400 West Lacey Boulevard, Hanford, California 93230 Project Proponent: Apex Energy Solutions, LLC, 604 Sutter Street Suite 250, Folsom, California 95630 Project Location: The proposed Leo Solar Project (Project) occupies ±30 acres of a 40-acre parcel located near 25th Avenue 15 miles south of unincorporated Kettleman City, California (Assessor’s Parcel Number [APN] 048-350-016- 000). The project site is situated in the unincorporated area of Kings County, California, along the Kings County/Kern County border, between California State Route (SR) 33 and Interstate 5 (I-5), approximately 0.5 mile east of 25th Avenue. The site corresponds to a portion of Section 36, Township 24 South, and Range 19 East of the Mount Diablo Base and Meridian (MDBM) of the “Avenal Gap” topographic quadrangles 7.5- minute quadrangle (U.S. Geological Survey [USGS] 2015). Project Description: The Project includes the development of up to a 5-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) energy generating facility and battery storage system (BESS) facility on ±30 acres of 40 undeveloped acres. The facility would consist of solar PV modules mounted on stationary fixed-tilt, ground- mounted racking or single-axis trackers and would include up to 5-MW alternating current (AC) maximum capacity, four-hour battery energy storage system.
    [Show full text]
  • Environmental and Economic Benefits of Building Solar in California Quality Careers — Cleaner Lives
    Environmental and Economic Benefits of Building Solar in California Quality Careers — Cleaner Lives DONALD VIAL CENTER ON EMPLOYMENT IN THE GREEN ECONOMY Institute for Research on Labor and Employment University of California, Berkeley November 10, 2014 By Peter Philips, Ph.D. Professor of Economics, University of Utah Visiting Scholar, University of California, Berkeley, Institute for Research on Labor and Employment Peter Philips | Donald Vial Center on Employment in the Green Economy | November 2014 1 2 Environmental and Economic Benefits of Building Solar in California: Quality Careers—Cleaner Lives Environmental and Economic Benefits of Building Solar in California Quality Careers — Cleaner Lives DONALD VIAL CENTER ON EMPLOYMENT IN THE GREEN ECONOMY Institute for Research on Labor and Employment University of California, Berkeley November 10, 2014 By Peter Philips, Ph.D. Professor of Economics, University of Utah Visiting Scholar, University of California, Berkeley, Institute for Research on Labor and Employment Peter Philips | Donald Vial Center on Employment in the Green Economy | November 2014 3 About the Author Peter Philips (B.A. Pomona College, M.A., Ph.D. Stanford University) is a Professor of Economics and former Chair of the Economics Department at the University of Utah. Philips is a leading economic expert on the U.S. construction labor market. He has published widely on the topic and has testified as an expert in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, served as an expert for the U.S. Justice Department in litigation concerning the Davis-Bacon Act (the federal prevailing wage law), and presented testimony to state legislative committees in Ohio, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah, Kentucky, Connecticut, and California regarding the regulations of construction labor markets.
    [Show full text]
  • US Solar Industry Year in Review 2009
    US Solar Industry Year in Review 2009 Thursday, April 15, 2010 575 7th Street NW Suite 400 Washington DC 20004 | www.seia.org Executive Summary U.S. Cumulative Solar Capacity Growth Despite the Great Recession of 2009, the U.S. solar energy 2,500 25,000 23,835 industry grew— both in new installations and 2,000 20,000 employment. Total U.S. solar electric capacity from 15,870 2,108 photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) 1,500 15,000 technologies climbed past 2,000 MW, enough to serve -th MW more than 350,000 homes. Total U.S. solar thermal 1,000 10,000 MW 1 capacity approached 24,000 MWth. Solar industry 494 revenues also surged despite the economy, climbing 500 5,000 36 percent in 2009. - - A doubling in size of the residential PV market and three new CSP plants helped lift the U.S. solar electric market 37 percent in annual installations over 2008 from 351 MW in 2008 to 481 MW in 2009. Solar water heating (SWH) Electricity Capacity (MW) Thermal Capacity (MW-Th) installations managed 10 percent year-over-year growth, while the solar pool heating (SPH) market suffered along Annual U.S. Solar Energy Capacity Growth with the broader construction industry, dropping 10 1,200 1,099 percent. 1,036 1,000 918 894 928 Another sign of continued optimism in solar energy: 865 -th 725 758 742 venture capitalists invested more in solar technologies than 800 542 any other clean technology in 2009. In total, $1.4 billion in 600 481 2 351 venture capital flowed to solar companies in 2009.
    [Show full text]
  • Background Report Prepared by Arizona State University NINETY-NINTH ARIZONA TOWN HALL
    Arizona’s Energy Future 99th Arizona Town Hall November 6 - 9, 2011 Background Report Prepared by Arizona State University NINETY-NINTH ARIZONA TOWN HALL PREMIER PARTNER CONTRIBUTING PARTNER COLLABORATING PARTNERS SUPPORTING PARTNERS CIVIC PARTNERS CORE Construction Kennedy Partners Ryley, Carlock & Applewhite Sundt Construction One East Camelback, Suite 530, Phoenix, Arizona 85012 Phone: 602.252.9600 Fax: 602.252.6189 Website: www.aztownhall.org Email: [email protected] ARIZONA’S ENERGY FUTURE September 2011 We thank you for making the commitment to participate in the 99th Arizona Town Hall to be held at the Grand Canyon on November 6-9, 2011. You will be discussing and developing consensus with fellow Arizonans on the future of energy in Arizona. An essential element to the success of these consensus-driven discussions is this background report that is provided to all participants before the Town Hall convenes. As they have so often done for past Arizona Town Halls, Arizona State University has prepared a detailed and informative report that will provide a unique and unparalleled resource for your Town Hall panel sessions. Special thanks go to editors Clark Miller and Sharlissa Moore of the Consortium for Science, Policy, and Outcomes at ASU for spearheading this effort and marshaling many talented professionals to write individual chapters. For sharing their wealth of knowledge and professional talents, our thanks go to the many authors who contributed to the report. Our deepest gratitude also goes to University Vice President and Dean of the College of Public Programs for ASU, Debra Friedman, and Director of the School of Public Affairs for ASU, Jonathan Koppell, who made great efforts to ensure that ASU could provide this type of resource to Arizona.
    [Show full text]
  • Standards and Requirements for Solar Equipment, Installation, and Licensing and Certification a Guide for States and Municipalities
    SUSTAINABLE SOLAR EDUCATION PROJECT Beren Argetsinger, Keyes&FoxLLP•BenjaminInskeep,EQResearchLLC Beren Argetsinger, A GuideforStatesandMunicipalities and LicensingCertification for SolarEquipment,Installation, Standards andRequirements FEBRU A RY 2017 RY © B igstock/ilfede SUSTAINABLE SOLAR EDUCATION PROJECT ABOUT THIS GUIDE AND THE SUSTAINABLE SOLAR EDUCATION PROJECT Standards and Requirements for Solar Equipment, Installation, and Licensing and Certification: A Guide for States and Municipalities is one of six program guides being produced by the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) as part of its Sustainable Solar Ed- ucation Project. The project aims to provide information and educational resources to help states and municipalities ensure that distributed solar electricity remains consumer friendly and its benefits are accessible to low- and moderate-income households. In ad- dition to publishing guides, the Sustainable Solar Education Project will produce webinars, an online course, a monthly newsletter, and in-person training on topics related to strengthening solar accessibility and affordability, improving consumer information, and implementing consumer protection measures regarding solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. More information about the project, including a link to sign up to receive notices about the project’s activities, can be found at www.cesa.org/projects/sustainable-solar. ABOUT THE U.S. DEpaRTMENT OF ENERGY SUNSHOT INITIATIVE The U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative is a collaborative national effort that aggressively drives innovation to make solar energy fully cost-competitive with traditional energy sources before the end of the decade. Through SunShot, the Energy Department supports efforts by private companies, universities, and national laboratories to drive down the cost of solar electricity to $0.06 per kilowatt-hour.
    [Show full text]
  • Shining Light on Solar Energy Prospects in Iowa: Decorah & the Path to Iowa’S Energy Future
    SHINING LIGHT ON SOLAR ENERGY PROSPECTS IN IOWA: DECORAH & THE PATH TO IOWA’S ENERGY FUTURE John Keane Sadia Khan Jamie Krieg Daniel Noonan Jordan Oster Allen Zagoren DO, MPA (Professor) Drake University Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program Capstone Table of Contents ABSTRACT …………………………………………...…………………………………………2 BACKGROUND…………………………………………………………………………………3 NET METERING………………………………………………………………………………10 EXECUTIVE-LEVEL POLICY……………………………………………… ....................... 13 LEGISLATION………………………………………………………………………………...15 EAGLE POINT DECISION…………………………………………………………………...17 CASE STUDY: DECORAH…………………………………………………………………...18 PILOT PROGRAM…………………………………………………………………………….32 RECOMMENDATIONS……………………………………………………………………….33 CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………………………35 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………………………………37 WORK CITED………………………………………………………………………………….38 1 | P a g e Abstract The sun is our most impressive source of energy. More than one million times the earth’s size, every year the sun provides ten times more energy than is stored in all the world’s reserves of coal and oil. The amount and intensity of sunlight varies by location, climate conditions, as well as daily and seasonal trends. Although southern states such as Arizona, California, and New Mexico receive the most sunlight during the year, Iowa ranks among the top third in the United States in the technical potential for solar energy production. Iowa’s 16th-place ranking puts it ahead of many states to the south including Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Iowa’s rooftop solar energy potential alone could meet close to 20% of Iowa’s annual electric needs under optimal conditions. The decentralized approach to electricity generation through the creation of small-scale and distributed energy facilities has done wonders for solar proliferation in the state of Iowa as well as had a positive impact on the state’s economic development. Solar energy in Iowa now powers farms, businesses, universities, utilities, communities, and industries, as well as vehicles, and homes in the state.
    [Show full text]
  • COMPLIANCE7-03-00, Mojave Solar Project 2019 Annual Compliance Report (09-AFC-5C) Part 1
    DOCKETED Docket Number: 09-AFC-05C Project Title: Abengoa Mojave Compliance TN #: 232295 COMPLIANCE7-03-00, Mojave Solar Project 2019 Annual Document Title: Compliance Report (09-AFC-5C) part 1 COMPLIANCE7-03-00, Mojave Solar Project 2019 Annual Description: Compliance Report (09-AFC-5C) part 1 Filer: Jose Manuel Bravo Romero Organization: Mojave Solar Project Submitter Role: Applicant Submission Date: 3/4/2020 7:46:58 AM Docketed Date: 3/4/2020 Mojave Solar LLC 42134 Harper Lake Road Phone: 760 308 0400 Hinkley, California 92347 SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY Subject: 09-AFC-5C Condition Number: Compliance 7 Description: Mojave Solar Project 2019 Annual Compliance Report Submittal Number: COMPLIANCE7-03-00 Distribution: Keith Winstead, CEC; Kara Harris, US DOE; Dr. Sharma Shankar CDFW; Ray Bransfield, USFWS; Thomas Dietsch, USFWS February 2, 2020 Keith Winstead Compliance Project Manager California Energy Commission 1516 Ninth Street, MS-2000 Sacramento, CA 95814 [email protected] Dear Mr. Winstead, The attached Mojave Solar Project 2019 Annual Compliance Report (09-AFC-5C) is submitted for your review as part of the ongoing reporting required by the California Energy Commission’s Conditions of Certification for the Mojave Solar Project. Sincerely, Jose Manuel Bravo Romero Manager Compliance, Permitting, Quality and Environment Department ASI Operations LLC Mojave Solar Project 42134 Harper Lake Rd Hinkley, CA 92347 (303) 378-7302 MPDQXHOEUDYR#DWODQWLFD\LHOGFRP Attachment: 09-AFC-5C Mojave Solar Project 2019 Annual Compliance Report. 09-AFC-5C Mojave Solar Project Annual Compliance Report 2019 reporting period Prepared by: AS Industrial Operations LLC . for Mojave Solar LLC 42134 Harper Lake Road Hinkley, California 92347 Mojave Solar LLC 42134 Harper Lake Road Phone: 760 308 0400 Hinkley, California 92347 Subject: 09-AFC-5C Condition Number: COMPLIANCE-7 Description: Annual Compliance Report – 2019.
    [Show full text]
  • Altamont Solar Energy Center Project
    Initial Study/ Mitigated Negative Declaration: Altamont Solar Energy Center Project Prepared for: Alameda County Planning Department 224 West Winton Avenue, Suite 111 Hayward, CA 94544 Contact: J. Weldon 510/670-5400 Prepared by: ICF International 75 East Santa Clara Street, Suite 300 San Jose, CA 95113 Contact: C. Fukasawa 408/216-2811 August 2011 ICF International. August 2011. Altamont Solar Energy Center Project Mitigated Negative Declaration/Initial Study. Prepared for Alameda County, CA (Project #: 0090.10). Contents List of Tables ......................................................................................................................................... iii List of Figures ....................................................................................................................................... iii List of Acronyms and Abbreviations .................................................................................................... iv Page A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................. 1 B. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS POTENTIALLY AFFECTED.............................. 13 C. LEAD AGENCY DETERMINATION ......................................................................... 13 D. EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ................................................. 14 1. AESTHETICS .................................................................................................................. 17 2. AGRICULTURE AND FOREST RESOURCES ............................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Office of Consumer Advocate
    PUBLIC OFFICE OF CONSUMER ADVOCATE DIRECT WORKPAPER OF DR. XIAOCHUAN (LARRY) SHI IN RE: MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY DOCKET NO. ARC-2015-0156 January 29, 2016 OCA Shi Workpaper Page 2 of 173 ARC-2015-0156 OFFICE OF CONSUMER ADVOCATE DATA REQUEST DATE : November 11, 2015 DOCKET NO. : ARC-2015-0156 COMPANY : MidAmerican Energy Company SUBJECT : 199 IAC 20.13(1)“j” REFERENCE : Additional Information ordered by the Board Generation which may need to be added to address projected capacity shortfall Responder Name: Neil Hammer Phone: 515-252-6407 Job Title: Director, Market Assessment 3. MidAmerican plans to purchase Zonal Resource Credits (“paper” capacity) to meet its short-term resource adequacy needs for Iowa and South Dakota through the five-year period ending with the 2020-2021 Planning Year. Please provide the following information as regards to MidAmerican’s long-term resource adequacy plans beyond the 2020-2021 Planning Year. A. The latest copy of MidAmerican’s long-term Integrated Resource Plan (IRP); B. Explain the major assumptions used to develop the plan, including but not limited to, demand (MW) forecasting, energy assumption (GWh) forecasting, fuel costs, fixed and variable O&M costs, environmental costs, and costs for constructing new units; C. Describe the software MidAmerican used to develop its long-term generation expansion IRP; and D. Provide a copy of the software package referenced in response to C above and the database used to generate the IRP plan referenced in A above. Response: A. “Integrated Resource Plan” is a term not used in Chapter 476 of the Iowa Code. However, Iowa Code § 476.53 does provide that in order to receive advance ratemaking principles for qualified new generation, a utility must have a Board-approved energy efficiency plan in place and demonstrate that the proposed new generating facility is reasonable when compared to other feasible alternatives.
    [Show full text]
  • Market Trends 2 013
    U.S. Solar MARKET TRENDS 2 013 JULY 2014 Larry Sherwood U.S. Solar MARKET TRENDS 2 013 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Solar energy markets are booming in the United Important CURRENT TRENDS States due to falling photovoltaic (PV) prices, strong consumer demand, available financing, Photovoltaic JULY 2014 Larry Sherwood renewable portfolio standards (RPSs), and • California was the most important market financial incentives from the federal government, in 2013. Fifty-seven percent of U.S. capacity states and utilities. Thirty-four percent more PV installed in 2013 occurred in the Golden State, capacity was installed in 2013 than the year and the capacity installed during 2013 was 161 before. Developers completed three large percent greater than what was installed concentrating solar power (CSP) plants with a in 2012. combined capacity of nearly 0.8 GWAC at the • Residential capacity installed in 2013 grew by end of 2013. Solar installations accounted for 68 percent in the U.S., fueled by the increasing 31 percent of all electric power installations use of leases and third-party ownership of these completed in 2013. systems. Over 145,000 residential PV systems were installed during the year. The federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) of 30 percent of the installed cost is an important • Utility sector capacity installed grew by 47 foundational incentive for most installations. percent. Ten PV installations, each larger than 100 MW , were completed in 2013. Installed prices for distributed PV installations fell DC by at least 11 percent in 2013 and have fallen by • Hawaii had the highest per capita installed 44 percent since 2009.
    [Show full text]
  • Sunshot Vision Study: February 2012
    SunShot Vision Study February 2012 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The U.S. Department of Energy would like to acknowledge the project coordination and in-depth analysis conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the contributions by the Solar Energy Industries Association, Solar Electric Power Association, and the many organizations that participated in the development of this report. The preparation and production of this report was coordinated by New West Technologies, LLC, Energetics Incorporated, and NREL. All contributors to the report are listed in Appendix D. Cover photo renderings by Joshua Bauer, NREL MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE SUNSHOT INITIATIVE The SunShot Initiative was launched in February 2011 with the goal of making solar energy cost- competitive with conventional electricity generating technologies within the decade. Achieving this goal will require dramatic decreases in the cost structure of solar technologies—on the order of a 75% reduction—across all markets including residential, commercial, and utility-scale deployments of solar. To do this most effectively, the SunShot Initiative spans the full spectrum from basic science to applied research and development. It also spans across multiple U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) offices, including Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Advanced Research Projects Agency- Energy (ARPA-E) and the Office of Science (SC). The SunShot Vision Study explores the implications of achieving the SunShot Initiative’s targets both in terms of potential benefits as well as potential challenges. The potential benefits include solar contributing an increasingly significant share of electricity generation over the next 20 to 40 years, creating thousands of new jobs, and saving consumers money by placing downward pressure on electricity prices.
    [Show full text]