Browsing Tag Energy Security

Boeing, National Renewable Energy Lab to Collaborate on DOD Energy Security
ST. LOUIS | The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) today announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding…

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It’s certainly no secret: the cost of renewable energy production and its implementation can be extremely high. This is the very reason why tax credits are often used to enable renewable energy sources to compete with fossil fuels.

With rising oil and natural gas prices, the war in Iraq and environmental problems centering on global warming and air pollution, our nation is concerned about their energy security and environmental issues. The United States is recognizing the need and power of renewable energy and is supporting its development through federal income tax credits and incentives.

President George Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 into law on August 8, 2005. It took over four years for Congress to pass after reviewing several different versions. It extended tax credits for wind and biomass energies for two more years and included additional tax credits for solar, geothermal and ocean energy.

Solar tax credits apply to residential and business users. This tax credit would pertain to eligible equipment installed between 1/1/06 and 12/31/08. The equipment installed would include those solar systems that generate electricity, heat and cool or provide hot water to structures. It must also be operational in the first year the credit is taken and the taxpayer must be the original user. The credit is 30% with a $2,000 cap for each unit for residential taxpayers and it is 30% with a no business cap specified for corporate users. After 12/31/08 the corporate tax credit will return to 10%.

The geothermal corporate credit remains at 10% with no maximum stated. This credit does not apply to geothermal heat pumps and is limited to geothermal energy equipment that produces, uses or distributes energy derived from geothermal deposits. A personal tax credit of 10% with a $300 maximum can be taken for geothermal heat pumps.

The federal government also included production tax credits for renewable energies. These credits allow companies to invest in renewable technologies and write the investment off against other investments. This was a major push of support for renewable energy technologies. The credit was extended until December 31, 2008. The credits are 1.9 cents per kWh for wind, geothermal, closed-loop biomass and 1.0 cent per kWh for hydroelectric power, landfill gas, municipal solid waste and open-loop biomass. These pertain to the first ten years of operation

Similar to production tax credits, there were also provisions for renewable energy production incentives (REPI) for state and local governments, as well as, nonprofit electrical cooperatives. The enacted law included new qualifying energy generation facilities for solar, wind, biomass (excluding municipal solid waste combustion) landfill gas and certain types of dry steam geothermal energy. It was extended through fiscal year 2016 and also included ocean and wave energy.

These credits will be applied to any amount that remains after any other state or utility incentives have been taken. There are numerous states that do offer incentives also. Some new state incentives include a California state rebate program for photovoltaics, an Illinois state grant program for wind energy, a New Jersey state rebate program for geothermal heat pumps and a Pennsylvania property tax assessment for wind energy. These are just a few of the many state incentives that exist.

The United States government and the individual states are promoting renewable energy sources as an energy source to be encouraged. With all the incentives available, this may be one of the best times to make your air cleaner with a commitment toward this energy. With everyone’s support we can recharge renewable energy’s development.

Ken Daniel, of Security Advisors Worldwide, or SAW, a renewable energy security advisory company contracted by Jetstream Wind, Inc. recently returned from the island of Haiti.    

I understand that you and Security Advisors Worldwide had a very successful trip to Haiti.  There doesn’t seem to be a great deal of media coming from this nation as to the daily lives of Haitians, the environmental issues they face, or the energy issues they’re looking at.

So that we can have a better picture, can you begin by talking about what it’s like for average citizens in Haiti on any given day?

Mr. Ken Daniel: 

On an average morning in Haiti, people there don’t wake up to the possibility of electricity like we do here. They pretty much use coal to warm themselves in the morning. There also aren’t the refrigeration capabilities like here in the states, so they walk to the market everyday to get whatever food they can prepare and eat that given day.

As far as the issue of water goes, in the capitol of Port-au-Prince there was some running water, and I would see people on the exteriors of buildings filling up their water containers. But out in the rural areas, it’s more difficult and being pumped out of wells.

Along the roadways are fifty-five gallon plastic drums filled with water. Haitian citizens basically walk some distances to these to get their daily water since there aren’t many vehicles owned by private citizens.

There’s obviously not a large availability of electricity in Haiti, which seems odd in this day and age. Where does this issue stem from?

Ken: 

There’s a hydro-plant that rests in-between Port-au-Prince and Hesh. It was actually built by Americans in the early part of the last century and has been around for a very long time. Put simply, it’s just old and doesn’t kick out enough power.

All of the power lines that we take for granted here in the US, actually have cobwebs growing on them in Haiti. And then, with the bad weather, hurricanes and such, there were numerous poles leaning at 45 degree angles with wires coming out of them.

The only real power was in the capitol of Port-au-Prince and it goes off regularly. Mostly though, what I saw were people with candles and bags of coal to cook their food. Really, unless you are a person with a little bit of money and can afford to be affluent, you can’t rely on the comfort of being able to depend on electricity.

With the hurricane situation, the lack of food and good shelter, renewable energy quite possibly could be the key to bringing in some the needed electricity to help with the situation.

This would be the first renewable energy technology being developed on an island, which is monumental. Would it be more difficult creating wind, solar, or hydrogen power on an island in the middle of the ocean as opposed to it being developed on a mainland?

Ken: 

In this particular place, almost everything that is needed can literally be brought to the land. With hydrogen technology for example, an area of land is cleared where it won’t require much manipulation as this technology is easily able to be placed. An added benefit to that is there won’t be any deforestation.

With solar technology, another small piece of land within a vast spread of land is cleared and the technology placed upon it. Lines won’t have to be ran over long expanses of land for fuels, diesel, or natural gas. There won’t ever be an oil spill or pipes in the ground that corrode.

So it doesn’t seem to be too difficult. Exporting equipment out of the United States and importing to an island would be the main issue to be dealt with. Jetstream Wind would have to look at building an airstrip so that they can cargo fly equipment in. Most building materials would have to be imported from the U.S., which is 300 miles off the coast of Miami, and would either come in by cargo plane or shipped in by sea.

It would be a benefit to take the time and see if there was anything available on the island that can readily be used, salvaged and recycled.

The terrain in Haiti (being an island) is more than acceptable. There are mountains, which means the wind is constantly blowing across them. There’s plenty of sunshine shining on the hills that are vast, rounded and able to be navigated. Even the new hydrogen technology can easily be implemented there.

If Haiti were to bring renewable energy in, it could be put anywhere. It wouldn’t have to be placed in a major metropolitan area, and the power from the renewable energy plant(s) could run to the pre-existing grid. The hope would be, however that Haiti itself would help to re-build the infrastructure so that all of this power could get to the homes, schools, hospitals, businesses and other places where electricity is vitally needed.

The truth is that they would have to wait far longer to get any other type of an energy program in, such as coal for example. There are also some pretty severe issues with deforestation happening at present, and so I would think that renewable energy is really the only way to go for Haiti right now.

Looking at the environmental impact of renewable energy on Haiti, would you say that there would be any, at all, created from this technology?

Ken: 

As compared to a coal-fired plant here in the United States, no, other than having to clear small pieces of land to put things on.

There are many countries that simply have to have energy right now, and this is by far the cleanest way to get it. Nuclear is not the answer. It leaves a long-standing residue as a result of that power. Natural gas and coal also lead to numerous environmental concerns.

The fact is that we can’t rely on oil for our needs any longer and I don’t want to see any more damaging changes in the land. This won’t. And the residue from this technology won’t be a bigger burden for the Earth. What’s cleaner than water?

But it really doesn’t matter what country it’s in as far as getting the renewables to work for people. It’s the technology that Jetstream Wind has that hits the central point of this whole thing. In other words, if the technology can get there and the transmission lines can get ran, then this can work almost anywhere.

Working through the issues of basic infrastructure, transmission, politics, and environment, a company like Jetstream Wind is the right answer for those people.

Did the Haitian government welcome you and the possibility of a Jetstream Wind collaboration?

Ken: 

Yes. I was treated very well. I was able to meet with the US Ambassador to Haiti, the advisor to the President of Haiti, several Prime Ministers, and the necessary others that would become involved should we all come together and build a renewable plant there.

Other than simple barriers with the French-Creole language, it was a very successful meeting and everyone was excited. It went from one meeting to five or six, with them wanting me to speak with as many leaders as possible in my short time there.

This is a major project of which Jetstream Wind would probably want to share some sort of responsibility. How deeply would the country of Haiti be involved and responsible in re-powering their nation?

Ken: 

The United States created a bailout for the auto industry. The country of Haiti will possibly need to create a financial bailout for their energy problem. They’re probably going to have to put some money into the system to start readying themselves for this type of project.

Having the years of experience in large military operations, I’ve learned to back-plan for anything. In other words, I can see the end result, but before I can get there I have to first go all the way back to where it begins. It begins by asking questions…a lot of them.

In order for renewable energy to be a reality in Haiti, the Haitian government has to ask themselves some questions so that Jetstream Wind and Security Advisors Worldwide can do our jobs.

How will they find the necessary people needed for this large of a project? How will they train these people? Where are the people located and where is the transportation going to come from to move these people? How will they communicate?

There is a lot of work to be done from taking out old transmission lines and putting in new ones, to breaking ground on the energy plant itself. Power poles will be placed on every block. New construction companies will be built, taking into account everything that goes with that including the huge amount of labor needed.

We can also take into account the education necessary to work with a project of this type, creating a national boost in knowledge. Anything from taking down a power line to managing a company with the large workforce will have to be covered.

It’s not only about the end result of the plant supplying renewable energy to the people. It also includes the entire scope of the process beginning with Haiti’s choice and ability to prepare for it.

In seeing the potential, meeting the representatives, and observing the culture, what is the one thing that you come back with?

Ken: 

I come back with the insight that the country of Haiti is only a two and half hour flight from Miami. It’s not so far away that we can’t touch it with our assistance.

Little kids are walking distances, carrying the water they needed for the day. You have to remember we as a human race have also been to the moon. We’re building a space station. How is it possible that an island, so close to the United States is in the situation it is?

This has the capacity of creating and developing a whole new job infrastructure and economy. It is a prime example of renewable energy quickly effecting the situation for the better.

The capability is there to get it done. The land is there, the people are motivated, and the technology is ready to go. With the help of the Haitians in getting the infrastructure ready, a whole new way of life can arise from this for the people of Haiti, and also the same possibility for other people and nations all over the world.

What strikes me the most from our conversation about renewable energy is its ability to cross borders, boundaries, cultures, political policies, and even world religions without leaving heavy footprints of various unwanted agendas.  

Thank you once again, Ken, for sharing this information showing how people and technology can come together to create a clean, economically stable world for our future and our children’s futures. 

Click here if you would like more information about Security Advisors Worldwide (SAW).

Ornesha  De Paoli

Green Ascension ~ Evolving People on an Evolving Planet

Renewable energy tax credits are financial benefits that are available to people who make use of such energy forms. The different forms of tax credits and the benefits that can be derived from them are considered here.

Renewable energy production facilities can cost a lot to install and operate. Though certain companies have made substantial steps in reducing the costs of installation and operation, tax credits are essential on order to place them on a level playing field with fossil fuels.

Rising prices in terms of the costs of oil and gas prices as well as the war in Iraq and other environmental problems have led to different problems. The United States is also concerned about the energy security of all our power sources. The United States recognizes the need and power of renewable energy as an alternative fuel solution and has consistently supported its development through the use of federal income tax credits as well as incentives.

In the year 2005 President George Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 into law. The Congress took about four years to pass after reviewing several versions of the policy. It extended tax credits for winds and biomass energies for an additional period of two more years. It also included additional tax credits for solar, geothermal and ocean energy as well.

Solar tax credits apply to both residential and business users. However, these tax credits only apply to equipment installed between 1/1/06 and 12/31/08. Equipment that is installed includes solar systems which generate electricity and heat, cool and provide hot water to structures. This equipment should also be operational in the first year that credit is taken and the taxpayer should be the original user. The credit is about 30% with a $2,000 cap for each particular unit used by a residential user. The credit is 30% with no business cap specified for corporate users. At the end of the grace period the corporate tax credit will return to its previous level of 10%.

Geothermal corporate credit remains an 10% and has no stated maximum. This credit doesn’t apply to geothermal heat pumps and it is only limited to geothermal energy equipment which produces, uses and distributes energy that comes from geothermal deposits. A personal tax credit of 10% with a $300 maximum can also be taken for geothermal heat pumps.
The federal government also includes production tax credits for renewable energies. These renewable energies tend to have credits that permit companies to write off the investment against other investments. This was due to a major push of support for certain renewable energy technologies. The credit available was then extended up till December 31 2008. Credits available are 1.9 cents per kwH of geothermal, wind, closed looped biomass and 1 cent per Kwh for hydroelectric power, landfill gas, municipal soled waste and open loop biomass for the first ten years of operation.

Somewhat similar to the production tax credits were the provisions for renewable energy production incentives known as REPI for state as well as local governments along with nonprofit electrical cooperatives. The subsequently enacted law also include