Solar Photovoltaics (Pv)

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Solar Photovoltaics (Pv) WE CAN REACH ‘DRAWDOWN’ BY MID-2040’S ISSUE 60 • March - May 2020 ☀ Happy Golden Anniversary Earth Day! .... pp. 20-21 ☀ FREE! SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR VT, NH, MA, NY, ME and Beyond R S! EA Y 12 Energy Independence, Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Living and MORE! www.greenenergytimes.org | 802.439.6675 Is COVID-19 We Can Reach ‘Drawdown’ a Precursor to A new report. The Drawdown Review provides the most in-depth assessment Climate Change? of climate solutions and their potential by Mid-2040s Jessie Haas to reduce greenhouse gasses and build a climate-safe future. San Francisco (March 3, 2020) – A new report from the world’s leading resource on climate solutions demonstrates that ‘Drawdown’ – the point at which green- house gas levels in the atmosphere peak and begin declining, stopping climate change – is feasible with existing, estab- lished technologies and practices. Project Drawdown’s new publica- tion, The Drawdown Review, builds on the The new coronavirus molecule. Image: Wikipedia organization’s inaugural analysis, pub- As Earth Day approaches it’s clearer lished in the 2017 New York Times Best- than ever: We’re all in this together. Seller Drawdown, and takes into account That’s always been true on the only the rapidly evolving landscape of climate living planet we know for sure exists, solutions available today. but COVID-19 has taught us to see it In order to reach Drawdown, the new and say it. Who is important now? Ev- analysis finds that we must not only eryone, but the heroes are healthcare quickly reduce emissions toward zero, but workers, grocery store clerks, delivery also support nature’s carbon sinks to help drivers, people who help us commu- sequester greenhouse gases that have nicate while physically isolated from already been emitted. This means climate All images: Project Drawdown each other, the plants that pull-down solutions fall under the broad catego- CO2 and give out oxygen, and the rich, ries of: emissions sources that must be Project Drawdown’s findings show Drawdown Review shows that meeting regenerative shield of biodiversity that reduced; natural and engineered carbon that we could cease global warming by these goals is physically and economically has built health on earth forever. sinks that can be expanded; and more the mid-2040s to the mid-2060s, thereby feasible but will require much more ag- As the economy slams on the fundamental societal solutions – espe- meeting the goals of keeping the world gressive and immediate action world- brakes, many are pointing to benefits cially improving access to education and below 1.5 or 2˚C warming – important wide. for our only planet. Emissions are health care for all – that accelerate the climate benchmarks set forward by the To reach Drawdown, and thereby bring down 25% in China. The canal water path to a climate-safe future. Paris Agreement on climate change. The us to a climate-safe world, the research in Venice is clearer because of the Cont’d on p.32 decrease in boat activity. Fine particu- lates are down 40% in San Francisco under shelter-in-place, 28% in New York, 32% around Seattle. That’s saving Time to Go Fishin’ IN THIS ISSUE: lives. Air pollution causes asthma and George Harvey E-Transport on 2 Wheels pp.4-5 lung inflammation. Studies of SARS, We have over ninety species of fish Electric Mustang p.6 closely related to COVID-19, show in the Northeast, and many of them are increased risk of infection and a dou- abundant, fun to catch, and tasty. With Community Solar pp. 9-13 bling of death rate among those who climate change and pollution, we have Sustainable Investing p.19 breathed polluted air. some cautionary notes, but the opportuni- So, as life slows down and the ties abound for sport fishing all through Earth Day Feature pp. 20-21 skies clear, it’s tempting to focus on the year. In fact, fresh water fishing may be Choosing Insulation p.24 silver linings. But Samantha Gross of one of the outdoor activities that has been the Brookings Institute says in Inside so far least changed by warming weather. Attic DIY Upgrades p.29 Climate News, “I actually worry about True, the ice fishing season may suffer environmentalists getting too happy with warmer winters. But the biggest Energy from Manure p.32 and worked up about the fact that threats to fish species are still in the future, Fishing in a stream in Vermont. Tim McCabe, USDA Serious about E-Mowers p.39 emissions are going down.” The effect rather than the present. Invasive species Natural Resources Conservation Service. is similar to losing weight when you’re that threaten aquatic environments exist, sick; usually there’s a rebound, and but their impacts are not as difficult as It is true that fishing is under pres- Please recycle or you gain the weight back. That’s not those felt by moose, for example, which sures that all anglers should be aware of. share this publication the same as signing up for Noom or are suffering declining populations due to While climate change has not yet altered Weight Watchers and really changing invasive ticks. fresh water fishing terribly, when finished Cont’d on p.37 Cont’d on p.21 A SOLAR This edition of Green Energy Times is brought to you, in part, from the generosity of these sponsors: G.E.T. IT! POWERED COMPANY Bringing G.E.T. to NY State EEN ENERGY T MES www.nyses.org GR... be energy independent! ™ GREEN ENERGY TIMES (G.E.T.) TABLE OF CONTENTS 1749 Wright’s Mountain Road • Bradford, VT 05033 Tips to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint Every Day t/f: 802.439.6675 • [email protected] G.E.T.’s COMMUNICATIONS TEAM: G.E.T. Staff NEWS AND HAPPENINGS ...................3 The Green Energy Times team wants to share some ideas with VT TO ACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE ................... 3 Publisher/Editor/Production ...................Nancy Rae Mallery you on what you can do now to help the planet and reduce your General Factotum ............................................ George Harvey carbon footprint. We hope you learn some new ideas that you can RESOLUTION ON CLIMATE POLLUTION .......... 3 Coordinating Director ..................................Michelle Harrison adapt to your everyday lives. Look for more ideas in the next issue. TRANSPORTATION ................................4-6 Copy Editor ..................................Ray Brewster, Susanna Lewis 1. If you drink coffee or tea every day at work, consider bringing in a PROGRESS IN E-TRANSIT ............................. 4 Recreational Editor ............................................... Roger Lohr ceramic mug from home rather than relying on disposable paper A huge special thank you to all of our contributing writers! cups and plastic lids. They may not seem like much, but those paper E-TRANSPORTATION ON TWO WHEELS ......... 4 Lori Barg, Dr. Alan K. Betts, David Blittersdorf, John Bos, Randy cups and plastic lids add up month after month. Besides, everything E-CARGO BIKE PROGRESS ............................ 5 Bryan, Michael Canavan, Anna Chaffe, David Cohen, Chris tastes better in a mug. Cusack, EarthTalk® (Doug Moss and Roddy Scheer), Pablo Fleis- ELECTRIC MUSTANG .................................... 6 chmann, David Fried, John Gage, Worth Gretter, Nate Gusa- 2. Avoid eating meat one day a week (Meatless Mondays or kov, Jessie Haas, George Harvey, Cassandra Hemenway, Henry whenever works for you!) Image: electricsaver1200.com NH EV-RELATED POLICIES ............................ 7 Herndon, David Keefe, Evan Lawrence, Roger Lohr, Johanna 3. Purchase second hand when possible. For example, buy used books or use the library SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAICS (PV) ............ 7-13 Miller, Catherine Paplin, Larry Plesent, David Roberts, Evelyn when possible. Swett, Barb and Greg Whitchurch VT SOLAR CARPORT .................................... 8 4. Grow food on the nearest patch of land you have access to. You need sun and a way to Ad Design/Layout .........................Nancy Rae Mallery, PJ Fischer water plants. Good soil can be built from the ground up. Use low-till or no-till organic ST. JOHNSBURY SOLAR STORY ..................... 9 Printing ....... Valley News W. Lebanon, NH using 100% recycled methods. Growing your own food can reduce the carbon impact of dinner by 68% VEC COMMUNITY SOLAR ........................... 10 paper & eco-friendly EPA approved environmentally-safe inks (cabaus.org/gardening-carbon-footprint). Advertising Team: 5. Change over incandescent lightbulbs to LEDs. They use 90% less energy, while NH COMMUNITY POWER .......................... 11 .................... Nancy Rae Mallery, Bradford, VT 802.439.6675 producing much less heat in your house (important in the summer). Since they also last COMMERCIAL SOLAR IN THE MONADNOCK 12 [email protected] much longer, there can be a good return on investment (www.tcpi.com/lighting-calcula- COMMUNITY SOLAR NY ............................. 13 ...................Michelle Harrison, Londonderry, NH 603.437.0167 tor). [email protected] INCENTIVES ................................ 14-15 ..................... Don Smallwood, So. Hero, VT 802.373.3309 6. Get involved. Help plant trees or milkweed, pick up plastic trash, carpool to a protest [email protected] or a meeting, or start a hyper-local environmental group, to learn, take strength and RENEWABLE ENERGY ................... 16-17 Distribution: Sally Bellew, Larry Chase, Johnny Hinrichs, comfort from the company of others and take action. THE WOODLANDS GOES SOLAR.................. 16 Hippo Distribution, Manchester, NH, Daniel Hoviss, George Law- 7. Drive smart. Slow down; go the speed limit or less. Brake and accelerate gently. Good ton, Rosalyn Moore, our New York Team: Joanne Coons, Steve ENERGY TARGET FIXATION ......................... 16 Ellsworth, Wyldon Fishman, Bob Freeston, Peter Hudiburg, driving can make a 33% difference in efficiency. DON’T IDLE. Your car gets zero mpg David Kupras, Joan Rech; Russ Lanoie, Alan Phenix, Marty Phil- while idling (https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.jsp). NY LARGE RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS 17 brick, Larry Plesant, George Plumb, Alisha Scudder, Don Small- 8. Schedule a weekly sabbath for your car.
Recommended publications
  • 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]
  • Low-Income Solar Ownership in Vermont: Overcoming Barriers to Equitable Access
    LOW-INCOME SOLAR OWNERSHIP IN VERMONT: OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO EQUITABLE ACCESS A report for the Vermont Low Income Trust for Electricity, Inc. I. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Energy Clinic at Vermont Law School authored this report. The Energy Clinic is a program of Vermont Law School’s Institute for Energy and the Environment (vermontlaw. edu/energy). The Energy Clinic works to advance community ownership of renewable energy and has a focus on assisting underserved communities to gain access to clean, local, renewable energy. The Energy Clinic prepared this report for the Vermont Low-Income Trust for Electricity (VLITE) to explore the barriers to low-income solar ownership for Vermonters and to offer policy recommendations that will help to overcome these barriers. Our research has included speaking with people from a range of sectors involved with energy policy including financial institutions, housing authorities, nonprofit organizations and low-income residents. The list of organizations interviewed in developing this report is included in Section IX. Additionally, we have investigated existing approaches used across the United States as well as ideas for innovative applications that are most appropriate for Vermont. The purpose of this report is to inform policymakers, industry and interested citizens and to prompt action towards addressing the low carbon energy needs of the low-income population in Vermont and throughout the country. We would like to express our appreciation to the Vermont Low Income Trust for Electricity, which provided the financial support for this report. Our work on these policy issues has also benefited by related work funded by Jane’s Trust Foundation, the John Merck Fund, and the USDA Rural Development program.
    [Show full text]
  • Small and Steady
    IIIEE Theses 2017:34 Small and steady: The role of the town energy committees in the energy transition in Vermont Carmen Valache Supervisors: Tareq Emtairah Ralph Meima Thesis for the fulfilment of the Master of Science in Environmental Management and Policy Lund, Sweden, September 2017 © You may use the contents of the IIIEE publications for informational purposes only. You may not copy, lend, hire, transmit or redistribute these materials for commercial purposes or for compensation of any kind without written permission from IIIEE. When using IIIEE material you must include the following copyright notice: ‘Copyright © Carmen Valache, IIIEE, Lund University. All rights reserved’ in any copy that you make in a clearly visible position. You may not modify the materials without the permission of the author. Published in 2017 by IIIEE, Lund University, P.O. Box 196, S-221 00 LUND, Sweden, Tel: +46 – 46 222 02 00, Fax: +46 – 46 222 02 10, e-mail: [email protected]. ISSN 1401-9191 IIIEE Theses 2017:34 Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to thank all the wonderful people in Vermont who generously granted me their time and answered my numerous questions about their home state. To the volunteers on the energy committees, in particular, a big thank you. You are a source of inspiration and I humbly admit that this thesis is a very imperfect approximation of the complex reality you work with, and fails to encapsulate the energy, drive and passion that you clearly put into your work. Ralph Meima, I am forever grateful for enabling me to have this eye-opening experience.
    [Show full text]
  • Exhibit I Implementing Solar Technologies at Airports
    Exhibit I Implementing Solar Technologies at Airports Implementing Solar Technologies at Airports A. Kandt and R. Romero NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC This report is available at no cost from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) at www.nrel.gov/publications. Technical Report NREL/TP-7A40-62349 July 2014 Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308 Implementing Solar Technologies at Airports A. Kandt and R. Romero Prepared under Task No. WFG4.1010 NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC This report is available at no cost from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) at www.nrel.gov/publications. National Renewable Energy Laboratory Technical Report 15013 Denver West Parkway NREL/TP-7A40-62349 Golden, CO 80401 July 2014 303-275-3000 • www.nrel.gov Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308 NOTICE This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States government. Neither the United States government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States government or any agency thereof.
    [Show full text]
  • Gmpsolar JUL 15 2015 Williston App2.Pdf
    STATE OF VERMONT PUBLIC SERVICE BOARD Petition of GMPSolar - Williston, LLC for a Certificate ) of Public Good, pursuant to 30 V.S.A. §§ 219a, 229 ) and 248, authorizing the installation and operation of a ) 4.69 MW net-metered solar electric generation facility ) Docket No. _______ near Mountain View Road in Williston, Vermont to be ) known as the “GMPSolar Williston Project” ) PREFILED DIRECT TESTIMONY OF DOUGLAS SMITH July 15, 2015 Summary: Mr. Smith’s testimony addresses the Williston Solar Project’s compliance with certain Section 248 criteria, including criterion b(2) (need), criterion b(4)(economic benefit), criterion b(6) (consistency with least cost integration plan), and criterion b(7) (compliance with Vermont Electric Energy Plan). Docket No. ___ GMPSolar Williston Project Prefiled Direct Testimony of Douglas Smith July 15, 2015 Page 2 of 27 1 Q. Please state your name, occupation, and business address. 2 Response: My name is Douglas C. Smith. I am Director of Power Supply for Green 3 Mountain Power Corporation (“Green Mountain”, “GMP”, or “Company”). Our business 4 address is GMP, 163 Acorn Street, Colchester, VT 05446. 5 6 Q. What is your role in the Project, and what is the purpose of your testimony? 7 Response: I have reviewed the proposed Project from the perspectives of consistency with 8 GMP’s power supply strategy and Vermont policy goals, and for consistency with several 9 statutory criteria. The purpose of my testimony is to address (i) how the GMPSolar 10 Williston Project (“Project”) is needed to meet GMP’s energy demand requirements (30 11 V.S.A.
    [Show full text]
  • CEEC 100% Renewable Energy White Paper
    CONCORD CITY COUNCIL CONCORD ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE ADVISORY REPORT IN SUPPORT OF THE GOAL OF 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR CONCORD January 31, 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... iii PART 1 - INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 1 PART 2 – CONCORD’S ENERGY PRESENT ................................................................................................... 2 A. Current Community-Wide Energy Consumption ............................................................................... 2 B. Current Municipal Government Energy Consumption ..................................................................... 2 C. Existing Non-Fossil Fueled Energy Generation in Concord ........................................................... 2 D. Concord's Recent Energy-Related Initiatives ....................................................................................... 3 PART 3 -- THE THREAT OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE RENEWABLE ENERGY SOLUTION ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 A. Global and National Impacts ..................................................................................................................... 4 B. State and Local Impacts .............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Wind Power 1
    LOCAL POWER: Energy & Economic Development in Rural Vermont The Vermont Council on Rural Development Roundtable Conference Exploring Opportunities for In-State Fuel Development and Power Generation Lyndon State College - August 22, 2006 Final Report Table of Contents Executive Summary…………………………………………………3 Priority Recommendations …………………………………………6 Panel Discussion……………………………………………………..9 Working Group Reports Utility Scale Biomass ………………………………………...14 Co-Gen and Distributed Generation………………………..18 Community Energy Planning ……………………………… 22 Efficiency and Conservation ………………………………...26 Creating the Green Brand …………………………………..29 Hydro Opportunities ………………………………………...32 Farm Based Methane ………………………………………..36 Vermont Solar ……………………………………………….39 Transportation and Biofuels ………………………………..42 Waste to Power ………………………………………………45 Community/Household/Business Wind …………………….48 Conclusions ………………………………………………………….53 Acknowledgements …………………………………………………55 Appendix …………………………………………………………….56 Summit Attendees …………………………………………………..57 2 I. Executive Summary Each year, the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) produces a Rural Summit to bring Vermonters together with state and federal officials, and business and non-profit leaders to consider strategies that can advance rural community and economic development. Charged by the federal farm bill to help coordinate state and federal rural policies in Vermont, VCRD serves as the neutral convener and facilitator of public dialogues at the state, regional, and local level to help diverse parties and interests
    [Show full text]
  • STATE of VERMONT PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION Case No
    STATE OF VERMONT PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION Case No. 20-0097-INV In re: biennial update of the net-metering program Order entered: 11/12/2020 BIENNIAL UPDATE OF THE NET-METERING PROGRAM Table of Contents I. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 II. Procedural History .............................................................................................................. 3 III. Background and Legal Framework ..................................................................................... 4 IV. Summary of Comments .................................................................................................... 12 V. REC Adjustor Factors ....................................................................................................... 18 VI. Siting Adjustor Factors ..................................................................................................... 37 VII. Determination of the Statewide Blended Residential Rate ............................................... 40 VIII. Timing of the Changes Announced in this Order ............................................................. 42 IX. Order ................................................................................................................................. 42 I. INTRODUCTION Every two years, the Vermont Public Utility Commission (“Commission”) is required to assess the incentives offered to new net-metering systems and whether they should be adjusted
    [Show full text]
  • Concentrating Solar Power Clean Power on Demand 24/7 Concentrating Solar Power: Clean Power on Demand 24/7
    CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER CLEAN POWER ON DEMAND 24/7 CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER: CLEAN POWER ON DEMAND 24/7 © 2020 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW | Washington DC 20433 | USA 202-473-1000 | www.worldbank.org This work is a product of the staff of the World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of the World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries Rights and Permissions The material in this work is subject to copyright. Because the World Bank encourages dissemination of its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for non-commercial purposes as long as full attribution to this work is given. Any queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to World Bank Publications, World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; fax: 202-522-2625; [email protected]. All images remain the sole property of their source and may not be used for any purpose without written permission from the source. Attribution—Please cite the work as follows: World Bank. 2021. Concentrating Solar Power: Clean Power on Demand 24/7.
    [Show full text]
  • Utility-Scale Solar: Empirical Trends in Project Technology, Cost
    Empirical Trends in Project Technology, Cost, Performance, and PPA Pricing in the United States – 2018 Edition Authors: Mark Bolinger, Joachim Seel Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory September 2018 Table of Contents List of Acronyms ................................................................................................................................. i Executive Summary........................................................................................................................... ii 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Utility-Scale Photovoltaics (PV) ................................................................................................. 5 2.1 Installation and Technology Trends Among the PV Project Population (590 projects, 20.5 GWAC) 6 The Southeast became the new national leader in solar growth 6 Tracking c-Si projects continued to dominate 2017 additions 8 More projects at lower insolation sites, fixed-tilt mounts crowded out of sunny areas 10 Developers continued to favor larger module arrays relative to inverter capacity 12 2.2 Installed Project Prices (506 projects, 18.7 GWAC) 14 Median prices fell to $2.0/WAC ($1.6/WDC) in 2017 15 The price premium for tracking over fixed-tilt installations seemingly disappeared 16 Faint evidence of economies of scale among our 2017 sample 17 System prices varied by region 18 2.3 Operation and Maintenance Costs (39 projects, 0.8 GWAC) 21 2.4 Capacity Factors (392 projects, 16.1 GWAC) 23 Wide range in capacity factors reflects differences in insolation, tracking, and ILR 23 More recent project vintages exhibited higher capacity factors 26 Performance degradation is evident, but is difficult to assess and attribute at the project level 27 2.5 Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) Prices (232 contracts, 14.5 GWAC) 30 PPA prices have fallen dramatically, in all regions of the country 32 Solar’s largely non-escalating and stable pricing can hedge against fuel price risk 39 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Major Solar Projects.Xlsx
    Utility‐Scale Solar Projects in the United States Operating, Under Construction, or Under Development Updated January 17, 2012 Overview This list is for informational purposes only, reflecting projects and completed milestones in the public domain. The information in this list was gathered from public announcements of solar projects in the form of company press releases, news releases, and, in some cases, conversations with individual developers. It is not a comprehensive list of all utility‐scale solar projects under development. This list may be missing smaller projects that are not publicly announced. Particularly, many smaller projects located outside of California that are built on a short time‐scale may be underrepresented on this list. Also, SEIA does not guarantee that every identified project will be built. Like any other industry, market conditions may impact project economics and timelines. SEIA will remove a project if it is publicly announced that it has been cancelled. SEIA actively promotes public policy that minimizes regulatory uncertainty and encourages the accelerated deployment of utility‐scale solar power. This list includes ground‐mounted utility‐scale solar power plants larger than 1 MW that directly feed into the transmission grid. This list does not include large "behind the meter" projects that only serve on‐site load. One exception to this is large projects on military bases that only serve the base (see, for example, Nellis Air Force Base). While utility‐scale solar is a large and growing segment of the U.S. solar industry, cumulative installations for residential and non‐residential (commercial, non‐profit and government) solar total 841 MW and 1,634 MW, respectively.
    [Show full text]
  • Appendix A. Matching Mpgs to Vehicles Based on Vehicle Identification Number
    Road Usage Fee Revenue Potential and Equity Implications – Phase 1 Report Appendix A. Matching MPGs to Vehicles based on Vehicle Identification Number Cambridge Systematics, Inc. A-1 MEMORANDUM TO: Chris Porter Cambridge Systematics FROM: John Koupal, Cindy Palacios Eastern Research Group (ERG) DATE: October 7, 2019 SUBJECT: Results of Task 1 for NH DOT Road Usage Fee Deployment Project – Matching of New Hampshire Registration Data to EPA MPG Data Introduction This memo serves as a deliverable for Task 1 of the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) Road Usage Fee Deployment Project (Phase 1). Under this task, ERG was charged performing initial matching of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy data with a 2018 calendar year New Hampshire vehicle registration data compiled by the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and provided by NHDOT. ERG evaluated different match approaches and produced a dataset with fuel economy estimates for nearly 90 percent of valid registration records, though with some approximation and caveats as noted in the discussion. We also assessed the sensitivity of fuel economy results to different match approaches, specifically whether engine displacement is included in the match parameters or not; and identified complexities in matching hybrids that will need to be addressed in future work. Initial evaluation of the NH registration dataset found wide variation in how a given vehicle model name was stored, as they are presumably entered manually by DMV staff. An initial evaluation of model name frequencies in 2007 registration data using SS found ~2000 pages of unique vehicle model abbreviations, and ~50,000 pages of unique model names – meaning a single vehicle model typically had multiple abbreviations and model names in the database.
    [Show full text]