Source: http://blog.atselectricinc.com/2012/08/freezers-dedicated-circuits-7/
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Freezers & Dedicated Circuits
I have heard many a horror story of someone who went off for vacation and came home to a freezer full of some very spoiled meat in their freezer in the garage. Nearly everyone I know has a secondary freezer or refrigerator in their garage. The code requires that receptacles in garages have GFCI protection. [...]
How a Mattress Cover Can Make your Day!
An investment in a good mattress can be quite high. To help protect your investment, it would be wise to add a mattress cover to your mattress. Depending on what one might need from a mattress, the mattress cover could help make your day. There are many reasons you should consider using this type of protection. These include protection and comfort
With a mattress cover you can protect your mattress from liquids. Spills can happen at any time. A mattress cover can help to protect your mattress from spills and allow you to keep your investment in the best shape possible for as long as possible. You can also protect your investment in a good night’s sleep from becoming a place where bacteria and other mites will grow and collect. Mould spores, allergens, and dust mites can be kept from making a home in your mattress with the application of a mattress cover. The best mattress cover will completely enclose your mattress to help prevent allergens from collecting. Dirt is another problem that many people have to deal with when they do not use a mattress cover. Even a brand new mattress will have some dirt and other contaminants on it before you apply the first sheet.
A mattress cover can also add to the amount of comfort a mattress can provide you. Some covers can be heated to help deal with the colder months of the year. You could think of this type of cover as the same as applying an electric blanket to your sleeping area. The heated mattress cover has the heating coils built into it and you can turn it on when you are getting ready to get some sleep. Imagine how much fun it will be to be able to be warm when you go to sleep during those cold nights. Many mattress covers also can be chosen that provide memory foam tops that can enhance your current memory foam mattress. With the addition of a foam pillow top, the cosiness will be greatly increased. If you choose this type of mattress cover, it often will lie on top of the mattress and allow you to increase your comfort easily and quickly.
A mattress cover can provide comfort, cosiness, and protection from many different elements that could reduce the lasting power of your mattress. With the right mattress cover, it should be possible to accomplish the goal of protecting your investment in your sleeping future for many days and peaceful nights to come.
-
About the Author:
Check out how you can protect your investment in a great night’s sleep with the perfect mattress cover from MattressCovers.co.uk. With a huge selection to choose from, everyone can find just the right mattress cover to help them protect their mattress.
Article Source
Source: http://reschelectrical.com/how-a-mattress-cover-can-make-your-day/
electrician tools electrician commercial commercial electrician electrician companies industrial electrician
Apps from Cerro Wire
As posted to ElectricalNews.com:
. . . new electrical calculations app for the iPhone and iPad, which gives electrical contractors instant access to an easy-to-use, all-in-one tool for computing field measurements. At the touch of a finger, electrical contractors can calculate conduit fill, voltage drop, and amperage all within a simple mobile app.
Electrician Pasadena – How to Know When You Need an Electrician
Though there are a variety of different electrical tasks that a handy homeowner can tackle on their own, taking on a job that is too complex or difficult for you can be deadly. If you do not know exactly what you are doing, or if you have to work with the electrical wiring in your home, we highly recommend that you have a professional electrician in Pasadena do the job. If you familiarize yourself with some of the most common signs and symptoms of wiring problems and other electrical problems, you will know when it is time to give us a call.
The following are some of the most common signs of more serious electrical problems:
- Breakers Trip Frequently – If your breakers trip or fuses blow often, it could be a signal to you that something is not working properly. You are either dealing with an overloaded circuit, or even more serious wiring issues. Either way, you should have your electrical system looked at as soon as possible to ensure its safety.
- Hot Electrical Outlets – If you have an outlet that feels hot to the touch, unplug anything that is connected to it and do not use it anymore. This is a clear sign of overheating, which can be caused from wiring problems or an overloaded circuit. Call The Electric Connection immediately.
- Exposed Wiring – Although you may think that this is common sense, it is typical to procrastinate even when it comes to exposed wiring. This should be treated very seriously, as it could result in electrical shocks, electrical fire or even death.
You should never procrastinate in having your electrical system inspected by a professional electrician Pasadena. This is because even small problems can result in huge dangers. Keep your home and family safe by knowing, recognizing and responding to these signs of wiring issues.
Source: http://www.theelectricconnection.com/electrician-pasadena-electrician/
master electrician electrical business electrical technician master electricians electrical construction
Superstorm Sandy (Part I: Spinning Climate, Weather for Political Points)
In the wake of “Superstorm” Sandy, the political spin and distractions reached hurricane proportions. “It’s global warming, stupid,” declared Bloomberg BusinessWeek after monster winds and waves pounded New York and New Jersey. This storm should “compel all elected leaders to take immediate action” on climate change, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg claimed.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo added:
Anyone who says there’s no change in weather patterns is denying reality. The storms we’ve experienced in the last year or so are much more severe than before.
Former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman echoed:
We’ve had two 100-year storms in 14 months in this state, with a couple of nor’easters thrown in between for good measure. The climate is changing, whether people want to talk about it or not.”
And just when you think politicians could not get any worse, there is Chuck Schumer (D-NY). In 2006, he complained:
Allstate is the poster child for terrible corporate citizenship. They won’t write new policies for fear of hurricanes, when the odds of a severe hurricane hitting New York City is one in every 500 years.”
As Sandy wreaked its havoc, Schumer went into spin mode. “We want NOAA to keep it classified as a tropical storm, to save homeowners in New York and Long Island thousands of dollars,” he said, given that “Hurricane” Sandy would trigger higher deductibles.
Another line of political posturing was the we-had-no-idea pretense to go along with blaming the hurricane’s landfall on something new, something manmade.
“The construction of this city did not anticipate these kinds of situations. We are only a few feet above sea level,” Governor Cuomo opined as Sandy’s waters receded. “As soon as you breach the sides of Manhattan, you have a whole infrastructure under the city that fills [with water]: the subway system, the foundation for buildings.” Also think traffic tunnels and electricity conduits, which is hardly news to anyone.
And most recently, President Obama spoke to the need for government policy to address climate change in the context of avoiding “the devastating impact of raging fires and crippling drought and more powerful storms.”
History: Worth Learning From
Climate change? Unprecedented? A hurricane every 500 years? Insurance companies? Weather on steroids? No way to anticipate the destructive power of major storms? Please.
It’s perfectly understandable that politicians want to cover their backsides. But now it’s time to end the spin doctoring, blame-casting and accountability dodging, examine history and reality, and prepare better for the next time – as there certainly will be a next time.
Manhattan was pounded in 1667 and by the Great Storm of 1693. More behemoths followed in 1788, 1821, 1893, 1938, 1944, 1954, 1960, 1985 and 1992. Other “confluences of severe weather events” brought killer storms like the four-day Great Blizzard of 1888, which convinced New York City to build its subway. The 1893 storm all but eradicated Hog Island, and the 1938 “Long Island Express” hit LI as a category 3 hurricane, brought 18-foot storm surges and wind gusts up to 180 mph, and killed 60 New Yorkers.
Such winds today would rip windows from skyscrapers, launching a deadly blizzard of flying glass, masonry, chairs, desks and other debris, say experts. In fact, a blizzard of glass and debris struck Manhattan in 1912, when a sudden storm delivered an entire afternoon of 60 mph winds and five minutes of 96-110 mph fury! If such winds are accompanied by an event like Sandy, anyone seeking safety underground would drown as subway tunnels flood due to combined storm and tidal surges 20 to 30 feet above normal, the city’s 1995 hurricane transportation study warned.
Even Canada’s east coast has frequently been battered by hurricanes and other major storms. A 1775 hurricane killed 4,000 people in Newfoundland; an 1873 monster left 600 dead in Nova Scotia; others pummeled Canada’s Maritime Provinces in 1866, 1886, 1893, 1939, 1959, 1963 and 2003.
Public officials from Bloomberg to Christie and Cuomo claim that we are suddenly facing 100-year storms every few years, that this is unprecedented, and that it is due to climate change. This is nonsense. It’s unprecedented only if you ignore history: the storms just mentioned, the devastating nor’easters of 1912-1914, numerous other events that have hammered the region over the centuries.
Indeed, six of the seven major New England hurricanes over the 150-year period of detailed record-keeping made landfall between 1938 and 1962. Moreover, the methodology, data and computer models used to make these 100-year storm projections are highly flawed and misleading, noted a 2009 National Research Council report investigating the inaccuracy and unreliability of FEMA flood maps.
Science Fundamentals
As to global warming and rising seas being the cause, average global temperatures have not changed in 16 years, even as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels rose to 391 ppm (0.0391%) today, and sea levels are rising no faster than in 1900. Even with Hurricane Sandy, November 2012 marked the quietest long-term hurricane period since the Civil War, with only one major hurricane strike on the US mainland in seven years.
The frequency and occasional intensity of these “super storms” is only part of the problem.
“Coastal storms that would present moderate hazards in other regions of the country could result in heavy loss of life and disastrous disruptions in communications and travel in the Metro New York area,” advised a 1998 tri-state government panel, reviewing a 1995 Corps of Engineers hurricane study. An extra-tropical storm can cause damage equivalent to a Category 1 to Category 3 hurricane in the New York City area, other disaster experts have cautioned.
Due to NYC’s unique topographical features and shallow coastal waters that promote higher surges, another Category 3 would likely be catastrophic. But rather than learning from Sandy (a “mere” Category 1 hurricane), to prepare for a future Category 3, elected officials are already trying to downplay the risk.
New York City packs far more people into a much smaller area than any other place in North America. Most of the area is barely above sea level, and thus likely to be inundated by seas, waves and surges during monster storms. Its dense population complicates evacuation ahead of any Category 3 or 4 storm. NYC is not only challenged by the bottlenecks created by its limited number of bridges and tunnels leading out of the City – but also by the fact that they must be shut down well in advance of such a storm.
Long Island has conceded that it must evacuate “in-place,” acknowledging that it cannot get its population off the island. Some estimates say NYC would need at least 40 hours to evacuate its 2.5 million at-risk citizens. However, current storm models and forecasting do not produce the information needed for a 40-hour evacuation; they are especially poor at predicting the time of landfall and tide surges. We need an honest discussion about how evacuation decisions will or will not be made in the face of uncertainty.
The response to Sandy offers scant evidence that a full-scale evacuation could be accomplished. Demonstrating that it is indeed possible should be a top priority on state and local government agendas.
To top it off, centuries of landfill, construction, buildings and concrete have filled in streams and marshes, dramatically narrowed other waterways – and covered low-lying areas and barrier islands with homes, businesses, skyscrapers, roads and parking lots. As a result, major storm surges roar up constricted passageways, higher, faster and with more power than in decades or centuries past.
Common Sense for Next Time
None of this is rocket science. Storm history, past impacts and potential impacts have been studied, modeled, reported and discussed many times – and then mostly ignored by politicians, city planners, developers and residents alike. Agendas continue to be advanced, blame deflected for development decisions, and future risks obfuscated and magnified regarding building and development projects that politicians and planners have designed, promoted and permitted.
“Slosh models” used to predict storm surge should be run with up-to-date reconstructions of the natural harbor, so that emergency preparedness teams can more properly compare past and present storms, understand the impacts of development, and develop informed mitigation planning.
_____________
Paul Driessen is senior policy advisor for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (www.CFACT.org) and author of Eco-Imperialism: Green power – Black Death. Patrick Moffitt is president of Moffitt Consulting LLC, an environmental services company.
Source: http://www.masterresource.org/2013/01/superstorm-sandy-i-climate-weather-spin/
electrician contractor contractor electrician electrician electrical contractor
MAP Leadership Award
Management Action Programs, Inc. (MAP) would like to acknowledge your company’s commitment to excellence in everything you do. Your focus on outstanding customer service, quality and results has enabled ATS Electric to develop an impeccable reputation in the marketplace. A large part of your success is due to your commitment to your employee success. You [...]
Source: http://blog.atselectricinc.com/2012/04/map-leadership-award-10/
commercial electric electric contractor contractor electric electrician job electricians jobs
Using Wall Lights To Highlight Your Home’s Decor
If you have filled your San Gabriel Valley home with treasures and artifacts that you would love to display to guests and visitors, perhaps the installation of some well-placed wall lights could be the solution to all your problems. With a number of unusual and attractive designs available, lights that are installed on the walls of your home could be very beneficial in accentuating a picture, fireplace, nook, plant or other architectural element.
But why are wall lights so useful in highlighting the decorative features of our home? For one, they are known for being highly suited to the provision ambient lighting, which looks nice but isn’t overly useful for completing tasks by. For two, the way in which light is cast out from these fixtures is perfect for illuminating decorative elements that are placed on or around the walls of your home.
In the bathroom, it is essential that you have proper lighting installed by your San Gabriel Valley Lighting electrician, so that you can complete the daily tasks of shaving and applying makeup. Wall sconces, when fitted with the proper globes, are highly effective at casting a more natural appearing illumination across the space. They also avoid the creation of dark shadows, which can make a person appear tired or unwell.
In the dining room, wall lights are used to provide that finishing touch by adding an understated illumination to the walls (which are often left in shadow by ceiling fixtures). They are quite useful in making a space feel bright and cozy rather than dark and dingy, which makes for a much more pleasant dining experience.
In the living room, the correct sort of illumination is essential for setting the mood of your ‘relaxation space’. Wall sconces are widely used in these areas for drawing attention to particular elements of the room, such as a fireplace or a picture, and they are also suitable for lighting around the television without casting an annoying glare across the screen.
In the hallway, it is important that you get the amount of light right, as these rooms are renowned for being the darkest areas of the home. Well-spaced wall lights will effortlessly provide adequate illumination that really opens the space up and banishes those dark corners.
Source: http://www.accurateelectricalservices.com/CA-Electrician/lighting/wall-lights-highlight-homes-decor
Lamp replacement guide, Energy Efficiency for 2013
Lamp replacement guide 2013
Way back in 2007, Congress enacted legislation called the EISA (Energy Independence Security Act), stating that “all light bulbs be 25 to 30 percent more efficient by 2012″. This is our lamp replacement guide to help you figure out how to make the change to more energy efficient light bulbs (and linear and circline fluorescent tubes).
As of 2012, all phased out light bulbs and other lamp types are required to be replaced by energy efficient light bulbs, at the U.S. manufacturing and distribution level. This doesn’t mean you necessarily need run out right now and buy new replacement bulbs, it just means that when an old bulb or fluorescent tube burns out, you might be hard-pressed to find an old incandescent type light bulb or older T12 type fluorescent tube.
There are many simple ways to determine what type of replacement light bulbs or tubes you convert to, for your existing lamp holder/ fixture. The most common, ‘Edison’ or E61 screw base light bulbs will be replaceable by a simple trip to the hardware store and buying new replacement bulbs — whether these are moderately more efficient and expensive halogen type, triple-efficient compact fluorescent (CFL), or quadruple-efficient LED’s that also last 10x longer, or more.
Fluorescent lamp upgrades can be a little trickier, since they may require a coordinating ballasts upgrade. Depending on how many fixtures you will be re-lamping in the next year or two years, you’ll want to strategize your transition rather than spend money on intermediate technologies that become obsolete as fast as they’re installed. Expect to cut your lighting energy consumption by more than 20%, whatever change you make, and consider making a single change all at once, rather than pay a premium on labor for multiple service calls for as-it-fails type reactive maintenance.
Most recently, beginning January 2013, old style incandescent PAR lamps (specially-shaped bulbs with ‘paralax’ optical reflectors behind the filament, as one often sees in recessed lights) no longer may be manufactured for new distribution in the United States.
Commercial Replacement
Larger lighting areas like commercial (office) and industrial work spaces may best tackle the transition period by looking forward to energy/cost savings as payment for the benefit of an upgrade to compatibility with widely-available modern lamp types. We recommend never replacing an out-dated T12 (1-1/4″ or 12/8″ diameter; phased out mid-2012) linear fluorescent lamp. Upgrading the ballast and switching to modern T8 tubes will pay for itself in a year or two. For some buildings or large lighting areas, total fixture replacement with T8 or T5 linear fluorescent type, or very-long-lasting LED-capable fixtures may be a smart investment in savings on longterm lighting costs, as well as reduced cooling costs from the more-efficient lamps/fixtures.
At the minimum, upgrading from T12 linear fluorescents requires a fixture retrofit (usually replacement of the transformer-starter, or ballast, that ignites the gas inside fluorescent tubes) to accommodate T8 (1″ or 8/8″ diameter) lamps. Since T12 fixture ballasts will be old and likely near the end of their life today, and the newer ballasts start rapidly and operate with lower flicker, it often makes sense to replace T12 ballasts preemptively, rather than seek out phased-out T12 lamps and wind up with a mix of T12 and T8 fixtures, as the T12 ballasts fail sequentially across a lighting area over a period of months.
Lamp Replacement Resources
There are plenty of online resources to help you make the switch from the old to the new, some are listed below along with a FAQ to help you trouble-shoot your own particular situation:
Natural Resources Defense Council Replacement Guide and Charts
FAQ
Q: Will I be fined or punished for not replacing my bulbs?
A: No, there are no repercussions keeping old incandescent bulbs aside from the fact that manufacturers may not distribute the older lamp types in the U.S., and they may become increasingly expensive.
Q: Don’t the newer bulbs or fluorescent tubes cost more?
A: Often, they do. Yet when you factor in longevity and efficiency, the bulbs and tubes pay for themselves through reduced energy and re-lamping labor costs. See the NRDC article and chart listed in this posts Resources section.
Q: What if I don’t like the look of florescent light bulbs?
A: There are plenty of options such as halogen bulbs and LED lights that give off more of a natural light than a CFl light would.
Licensed Electrician Robert Monk Lamp replacement guide, Energy Efficiency for 2013 Copyright Robert Monk, 2012
Source: http://www.phillylicensedelectrician.com/lamp-replacement-guide-for-2013/
industrial electrical electrician training master electrician electrical business electrical technician
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Electrician in Glendale – Why Fuse and Circuit Breaker Size is Important
The frequency of accidents caused by the incorrect usage of electricity has increased as our dependency on electronic devices has increased over the last several years. Every year, accidental electrical fires cause millions of dollars in property damages. Because of this, you should always practice as much electrical safety as possible whenever you use your electrical appliances and devices. To make sure that your home is as safe as it can be from electrical accidents, you should also consider talking to an electrician in Glendale about performing an electrical safety assessment, updating service panels and ensuring that your home is properly grounded.
Can you use any size fuse or circuit breaker in your electrical panel?
Many older homes still utilize an outdated fuse box inside the service panel, instead of a safer and more modern breaker panel. If you still have a fuse box, then it is very likely that your electrical system is not prepared to take the amount of electricity that you use every day. This results in fuses blowing very frequently for many homeowners. Rather than replacing blown fuses with the appropriately sized replacements, some homeowners choose to oversize the fuse in order to reduce the frequency of blown fuses. This can be very dangerous, though not nearly as dangerous as replacing the fuse with something that cannot blow, such as a coin. Doing either of these should be avoided. Fuses are protective devices that are designed to stop electricity from flowing into a circuit whenever it reaches a level that is dangerous. Whenever you oversize or bypass a fuse, your circuit can overload. This can lead to overheating, fire and electrical shock.
One of the best ways to deal with an older fuse box is to have your electrical service upgraded by one of the technicians at The Electric Connection. We can send someone out to upgrade your service, and install the appropriately sized circuit breakers in your new electrical service panel. If you are experiencing any issues with your electrical panel, please don’t hesitate to give us a call today.
Source: http://www.theelectricconnection.com/electrician-glendale-fuse-circuit-breaker-size-important/
Fish Tape Anatomy
A fish tape is a thin piece of steel wire in a flat style that is coiled in predetermined lengths and is referred to as tape. Some fish tapes come in 50' and 100' lengths. The wire is coiled in a plastic housing with the assistance of a handle mounted on the housing. There are also fiber fish tapes that are non-conductive, much safer to use when pushing into an electrical panel that has energized parts.
Before you can learn all that a fishtape can do for you and the ease it is to pull electrical wires with it, you'll need to learn a little bit more about what a fish tape is. Learn how a fish tape can help you pull electrical wires into conduit and make electrical wire installation a breeze!
...Source: http://electrical.about.com/b/2013/01/27/fish-tape-anatomy.htm
licensed electrician electrical supply company electrical service contractor electrical estimating licensed electricians
20kW generator brings relief from power outages in Philadelphia suburbs
Upgrade to automatic backup power for whole house
For one customer in Villanova, the news from superstorm Sandy was the last straw after decades of weathering day and multi-day Lower Merion power outages. The customer quickly settled on a 20kW Guardian model from Generac, which turned out to be well-suited for the power consumption later calculated for the home. Although not quite sufficient to meet the highest reasonable peak load baking with an electric oven on a hot day with central AC running, the Generac system includes a load shedding module that turns off loads, such as HVAC, that can be easily controlled using existing 24V thermostatic control circuits.
Automatic backup generator sited in a little-used side yard.
Installation included rigid gas line plumbing to the generator, and coordination with PECO natural gas service, to upgrade the gas meter capacity needed to fuel the generator under peak loads.
The 48″ x 26″ unit sited unobtrusively outside the side of the house farthest from the entry drive, between two widely-spaced windows.
We consolidated and simplified the electrical distribution equipment, by inserting the automatic transfer switch ahead of the main breaker panel, and combining branch circuits from two existing, over-filled panels into a single panel having adequate circuit breaker slots for all existing and some future loads.
Generac’s most cost-effective kits for whole-house generator backup come with a 200A transfer switch, so we had to upgrade the existing 150A service equipment to match the included disconnect/breaker switch. Thanks to our policy of holding the line with quotes unless the customer initiates a change, the upgrade in capacity and replacement of aged equipment was a free bonus to the customer. The upgraded 200A service consolidated an abandoned off-peak tariff meter location no longer of use in PECO territory, with the equipment footprint on the wall reduced. Stucco repair will cover the filler where the old equipment had mounted. See before/after photos, below:
Free bonus upgrade to 200A underground service to match generator transfer switch
Before: Rusting pre-existing 150A service w abandoned off peak meter
See also:
- 2012 Electrical costs guide — backup generators
- Options for residential emergency power
- 7kW residential critical loads backup generator
- 7-20kW automatic backup generators for homes
Licensed Electrician Robert Monk 20kW generator brings relief from power outages in Philadelphia suburbs Copyright Robert Monk, 2012
EV Charging Stations
We believe the future of clean transportation lies with electric vehicles. Here’s an example of a charging station we recently installed.
Source: http://www.enlighten-electric.com/2012/03/ev-charging-stations/
emergency electrician licensed electrician electrical supply company electrical service contractor electrical estimating
Where Does My Money Go? Or, Slaying the Energy Hog
Once in college I received a power bill for $667. The baffling thing is that only four people lived in the house. I stood at a mighty financial precipice, facing the risk of downgrading my grocery budget to a basket of Ramen Noodles. Thus, I had the meter checked (and rechecked). It turns out that the house we were renting had poor insulation and one of our roommates (without our knowledge) had rolled the thermostat back to 66 degrees for the past month. That was my first encounter with the energy hog.
We’ve all been there: the mysteriously large energy bill shows up in the mail, breaking budgets and stressing wallets. You call the power company and ask them to recheck your meter — to no avail. The real culprit is often the elusive energy hog. As the name suggests, an energy hog is a device or component of your home that’s draining your electricity, and your wallet. Identifying and replacing energy hogs is a quick and easy approach to lowering your electricity bill and saving money.
Source: Typical House memo, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Finding the Energy Hog
The chart above is a breakdown of the average American home’s energy consumption. If you live in Florida, you can probably rename the heating slice to “cooling” as well. Below are the top contributors to your energy bill and what you can do to stop them in their tracks.
The Hog: Heating and Cooling (HVAC) – 46% (about $85 per month)
Heating and cooling your home accounts for almost half of your home’s electric bill. Since the average American family spends $2200 on electricity per year, this amounts to almost $85 per month.
Spearing the HVAC Hog
There are numerous things you can do to increase your home’s heating and cooling efficiency.
- Upgrading your Central AC System is your best approach. Modern central air units consume far less electricity. Keep in mind that numerous tax credits exist, bringing down the cost of upgrading your home’s central HVAC system.
- Install a programmable thermostat. If nobody’s home all day, why keep the AC blasting? There are even models that you can control with your Smart Phone — or that use your phone’s GPS to automatically start your home’s AC when you’re on the way home from work.
- Adding layers of insulation in your attic is a quick way to save on cooling and heating your home.
- Upgrading doors and windows to more energy-efficient, better sealed models saves you money on your electric bill while adding value to your home.
The Hog: Water Heating – 14% (about $26 per month)
Hot water is an obvious necessity of life for showering, washing dishes, and getting dirt and grime out of your clothes.
Spearing the Water Heating Hog
- Solar water heaters harness the power of the sun (we all know it’s pretty hot, especially here in Florida) to heat water for your home.
- Tankless water heaters heat water when you need it, rather than keeping a large tank of water hot around the clock. Bonus: no more waiting for the shower to get hot.
The Best Part
Numerous federal tax credits exist (some expire at the end of this year) that drastically bring down the cost of making energy improvements to your home or business.
Tell us your energy goals and we’ll give you a free quote on making them a reality. There’s no obligation and we won’t hassle or “up-sell” you. That’s no way to run a business.
How Can We Help You?
[contact-form-7]Source: http://powergenerationinc.com/where-does-my-money-go-or-slaying-the-energy-hog/
PURPA: Another Subsidy for Intermittent Energies
“PURPA has been the most effective single measure in promoting renewable energy.”
What if Congress passed a law that forced you to buy intermittent energy for the same price as reliable energy? What if, in an attempt to promote “alternative” energy sources such as wind power, Congress passed a law that enabled wind to crowd out reliable resources? Congress actually passed that law in 1978, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA). Its role has changed and its scope has narrowed, but “PURPA is still alive and kicking.”
Background
President Jimmy Carter, working from the viewpoint that the federal government had to intervene in markets to reduce demand and increase supply, formulated PURPA as part of a five-part National Energy Plan.
Oil and gas were seen as wasting resources relative to plentiful coal, so public policy needed to transfer demand from the former to the latter. (This was before the global warming issue took hold.) Advised by peak-oil (and peak-gas) proponent James Schlesinger, the first secretary of the Department of Energy, Carter introduced a new energy plan for America. In a cozy fireside chat on national TV, Carter emphasized sacrifice, energy efficiency, and 55-degree thermostats as demand-side strategies to construct a new energy balance.
Other parts of the National Energy Plan included the Energy Tax Act (which introduced the gas-guzzler levy for vehicles), the National Energy Conservation Policy Act, the Power Plant and Industrial Fuel Use Act (repealed in 1987), and the Natural Gas Policy Act. These laws were aimed at reducing consumption of both natural gas and Arab oil.
The repealed Fuel Use Act essentially mandated that coal plants be built in place of natural gas-fired power plants (for nine years it was against the law to build a natural gas-fired power plant, although exemptions were granted). Given the recent surge in production of natural gas from shale formations in the U.S. and elsewhere, the idea of conserving natural gas seems absurd. It also runs contrary to PURPA’s secondary goal to promote fuel diversity.
PURPA can be seen as yet another element of conservation by decree, or conservationism, based on the view that resources are fixed in both the physical sense and the economic sense. It was an integral part of Carter’s and Congress’ technocratic solution to the “fixity” problem as they saw it.
PURPA was also designed to give independent power producers a foot in the door, a step towards the open-access transmission ideal. Even the critics seem to grant that PURPA’s role in opening up competitive power markets was a resounding success. But in the current context of non-discriminatory open access and abundant, reliable fossil fuels, it is interesting to note that utilities and independent power producers are still waging PURPA wars. As a side note to the legally inclined reader, I should highlight that in 1982 a challenge to PURPA’s constitutionality made it to the Supreme Court, where PURPA was upheld.
PURPA Section 210
The element of PURPA that most directly encourages renewable and alternative energy sources is section 210. Under section 210, utilities are obligated to interconnect with and buy the output of “Qualifying Facilities” or QFs, which fall into two main categories: 1) “small power production” facilities, which generally must have an output of less than 80MW and generate electricity using solar, wind, waste, or geothermal energy as its source, and 2) “cogeneration” facilities, which produce both electricity and “steam or forms of useful energy (such as heat) which are used for industrial, commercial, heating, or cooling purposes.” Definitions are available here, and the original text of PURPA is here.
Congress intended for utilities to pay their “avoided cost” for QF output, which was supposed to keep electric rates just and reasonable. Avoided cost methodology is a contentious issue, however, as outlined from different points of view by utility experts and the Edison Electric Institute. Essentially, FERC established the guidelines for each state utility commission to implement its own avoided cost calculations. States then established different schemes.
EPAct 2005 Amendments
As the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) set out to restructure the electricity industry according to the “open access” model, most experts seemed to think PURPA was on its way out. (See the section “A Restructured PURPA: Closing the Renewable Window?” in Rob Bradley’s 1997 landmark policy analysis Renewable Energy: Not Cheap, Not “Green.”) Then, after the restructuring took hold and several Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) were well established, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) further removed PURPA’s teeth. Specifically, EPAct 2005 changed section 210 to relieve utilities’ obligation to purchase QF output under “certain market conditions.” As FERC stated in 2006:
Section 210(m)(1) thus relieves an electric utility of its obligation to enter into a new contract or obligation to purchase QF power upon a Commission finding that certain market conditions exist.
FERC laid out the criteria for those “certain market conditions,” which essentially refer to features of RTOs. FERC also explicitly said that the Midwest ISO, PJM Interconnection, ISO New England, and the New York ISO satisfy the section 210(m)(1) criteria. But as this map shows, much of the US electric grid is not organized under the RTO model (particularly the Northwest and Southeast), so PURPA-enabled QF purchases still proliferate in those non-RTO areas. A recent case highlights PURPA’s continued relevance.
Case Study: Idaho Power vs. Idaho Wind
In September 2012, FERC sided with Idaho Wind against Idaho Power in a case that may represent a “teachable moment” in the constantly-evolving battle between utilities and PURPA-enabled power producers (wind farms in this case). Idaho Wind asked FERC to rule against Idaho Power’s proposed curtailment practices, which would allow Idaho Power to “curtail” or refuse to buy Idaho Wind’s output under circumstances where such a purchase would “require [Idaho Power] to dispatch higher cost, less efficient resources to serve system load or to make Base Load Resources unavailable for serving the next anticipated load.”
In justifying its proposal, Idaho Power argued that its system is inundated with wind power that it is required to purchase under PURPA contracts. The contracts in question are 20-year power purchase agreements whose rates were determined and fixed at the time they were entered into.
FERC granted Idaho Wind’s petition and found that Idaho Power would violate section 210 of PURPA if it refused to buy the wind power. Perhaps sensing that its legal challenge was weak, Idaho Power set up a new website to outline “the problem with PURPA” and present its arguments to the layperson. Idaho Power’s main website also states:
The huge influx of industrial wind projects that has been forced onto our system is raising customer rates and threatening the reliability of our electrical grid. Federal law requires us to buy energy from these projects, but we don’t think Idahoans should be required to pay inflated rates for electricity that is often not needed at all. (emphasis added)
The teachable part of this story is that, given FERC’s ruling, utilities should be careful entering into long-term contracts with QFs at fixed avoided cost rates. Because it signed long-term contracts, Idaho Power is forced to deal with the high costs associated with integrating wind. Provisions in FERC Order No. 69 that could have guarded Idaho Power against these difficulties don’t apply in the context of a fixed-rate contract (discussed further in paragraphs 36-40 here).
Idaho Power’s problem of being inundated with wind during periods of low demand may persist for the life of its contracts with Idaho Wind (until 2030). As Idaho Power outlines:
PURPA energy – and especially wind – often peaks when energy demand is at its lowest. During these times, Idaho Power must sell the surplus energy into depressed markets. In effect, our customers are being forced to “buy high” and “sell low.”
Idaho Power adds that “to meet this onrush of wind energy, other resources must be scaled back.” Similar to the again-extended wind production tax credit, PURPA contracts allow unreliable, uneconomic power to reach the grid at all times, whether it’s needed or not. Also, to the extent that Idaho Power passes along to customers the higher costs associated with uneconomic power, the real loser here is the electricity consumer.
Conclusion
PURPA is an old tool, perhaps rusty but still doing damage in non-RTO regions. As the Idaho Power case shows, this relic of 1970s conservationism can still be used by intermittent and expensive producers to crowd out the reliable and cheap. It’s a familiar story now–wind producers win at the expense of the consumer–although with different details each time.
Source: http://www.masterresource.org/2013/01/purpa-renewable-energy-subsidies/
residential electrician electrician company electrician tools electrician commercial commercial electrician
20kW generator brings relief from power outages in Philadelphia suburbs
Upgrade to automatic backup power for whole house
For one customer in Villanova, the news from superstorm Sandy was the last straw after decades of weathering day and multi-day Lower Merion power outages. The customer quickly settled on a 20kW Guardian model from Generac, which turned out to be well-suited for the power consumption later calculated for the home. Although not quite sufficient to meet the highest reasonable peak load baking with an electric oven on a hot day with central AC running, the Generac system includes a load shedding module that turns off loads, such as HVAC, that can be easily controlled using existing 24V thermostatic control circuits.
Automatic backup generator sited in a little-used side yard.
Installation included rigid gas line plumbing to the generator, and coordination with PECO natural gas service, to upgrade the gas meter capacity needed to fuel the generator under peak loads. The 48″ x 26″ unit sited unobtrusively outside the side of the house farthest from the entry drive, between two widely-spaced windows.
We consolidated and simplified the electrical distribution equipment, by inserting the automatic transfer switch ahead of the main breaker panel, and combining branch circuits from two existing, over-filled panels into a single panel having adequate circuit breaker slots for all existing and some future loads.
Generac’s most cost-effective kits for whole-house generator backup come with a 200A transfer switch, so we had to upgrade the existing 150A service equipment to match the included disconnect/breaker switch. Thanks to our policy of holding the line with quotes unless the customer initiates a change, the upgrade in capacity and replacement of aged equipment was a free bonus to the customer. The upgraded 200A service consolidated an abandoned off-peak tariff meter location no longer of use in PECO territory, with the equipment footprint on the wall reduced. Stucco repair will cover the filler where the old equipment had mounted. See before/after photos, below:
Free bonus upgrade to 200A underground service to match generator transfer switch
Before: Rusting pre-existing 150A service w abandoned off peak meter
See also:
- 2012 Electrical costs guide — backup generators
- Options for residential emergency power
- 7kW residential critical loads backup generator
- 7-20kW automatic backup generators for homes
Licensed Electrician Robert Monk 20kW generator brings relief from power outages in Philadelphia suburbs Copyright Robert Monk, 2012
electrical inspection electrical maintenance electrician certification
How Does Your Electricity Flow?
When you think of the term conductor, you think of anything that conducts electricity through something, often wires. When electricity flows from one point to another through something like an electrical wire, we call this conductivity.
...Source: http://electrical.about.com/b/2013/01/21/how-does-your-electricity-flow.htm
electrical tools electric work electrical services electrical parts home contractors
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Choosing the Best Electricians in Fort Lauderdale
Electrician in Fort Lauderdale
For every establishment, lighting is one of the most important features. Southern Coast Electrical Services provides you only the best electricians in Fort lauderdale that would secure your building improvements for permits and inspections.
Electrical wiring, rewiring, and design aren’t simple things that any ordinary person could do; it takes a professional with proper training to get it done right. However, hiring just any person who knows a little would be risky. Therefore, calling an experienced Fort Lauderdale electrical contractor would be the best move to make, saving you both time and money.
A Fort Lauderdale electrician could install all sorts of electrical items, especially lighting and other decorations for improvements. If you’re a company whose products are Christmas lights, light bulbs, and others, you are expected to consume a lot of electricity. And if you’re trying to lessen your consumption of electricity, an electrician in Fort Lauderdale would know just what to do.
Establishing a beautiful work place is part of establishing your company’s profile; well designed lighting makes a good impression to the public. Clients are satisfied enough with what they see. So if you want to maintain your customers’ interests tight, make your surroundings safe and bright, go with the pros at Southern Coast Electricians.
To know more about the importance of having secured electrical wires at your home or business, you can read more here: www.sflaelectrician.com/replace-circuit-breakers-with-licensed-electricians-in-miami-ft-lauderdale-or-west-palm-beach.
How to Cut Your Electric Bill in NJ
Electric Bill
One of the major concerns in the world today is depletion of energy. As concerned citizens all of us must make a concerted effort to be conscious citizens and save on our electric bill in NJ. Electricity has become integral to life but imagine having to live without power.
Conservation of electricity benefits you personally as you will cut your electric bill. Consider:
1. Doing an energy audit. This will tell you how and when you use energy and where the wastage lies. You will be able to make an “energy savings plan” by pinpointing exactly how you can cut back on energy consumption. Some ideas may be as simple as don’t leave the coffee machine on at all times.
2. Think about resetting the thermostat ten degrees lower during the night. If you can do this for say approximately eight hours a day you will save 10% on electricity without sacrificing comfort. Insulate the home in winter by drawing shut the drapes.
3. Check all insulation in the house. If you increase attic insulation to around 12 inches the electricity consumption will reduce by 20 percent.
4. Plant more trees around the house these will cool the house in summer and insulate the house in winter. Studies show that a green cover benefits in many ways.
5. Have all electricity wires and outlets checked for leakage. Check all fuses and appliances.
6. Fluorescent light bulbs are energy efficient. They use 75% less energy than ordinary light bulbs, this will definitely help cut your electric bill. These have a longer life and contribute to great savings.
7. Use energy efficient appliances. These use less energy and believe it or not a high efficiency refrigerator uses less electricity than a light bulb.
8. When you are away even for a few hours or days you should turn off and unplug all electrical appliances and turn settings on the thermostat, water heater, and refrigerator to the lowest setting.
9. Ensure that you use a water-saving shower head. Water heating costs for a family can be lowered by at least US$ 250 a year.
10. Weatherize your home. This helps reduce heating bills by 20% and cooling by at least 10 percent. Even when building a home or decorating it use weather friendly materials—those that are not good conductors of heat and cold. Install windows and glass panes in the roof in such away that you use sunlight to light up the rooms during day light hours. Make an effort to switch off lights and fans when leaving a room. Ensure that the filters in air conditioners and heaters are always cleaned and free of clog and dust.
If you live an energy efficient lifestyle you will see the numbers on the energy bill actually reducing. The power to cut energy costs is well within your control. It is as simple as only washing full loads and that to in cold water. Use the hot wash option only for very dirty clothes. Cook food only just before you are ready to eat that way you can save reheating costs as well as refrigerating costs of storing the food. Turn the thermostat of the refrigerator to minimum in cold or cool weather. Switch off freezers if they are not in use. Small contributions can all add up to significant amounts of power saved. And, power saved means money in the bank.
Electric Bill
Source: http://reschelectrical.com/how-to-cut-your-electric-bill-in-nj/
electrical contractors company certified electrician construction electrician able electric auto electrical repair
Gas Furnace Rule: Beware of “Scorched Gas” Policy
“Hurrah” to the American Public Gas Association (APGA), a small trade group that was willing to step-up to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and other special-interest organizations that want energy efficiency at any cost to the American consumer. The APGA/DOE Furnace Rule Settlement prevented the unintended consequences of regulatory overreach by allowing consumers choices between regulated and unregulated (and less regulated) products.
This post, following APGA’s piece at MasterResource last week, provides historical background on the subject of energy efficiency regulations in order to better understand the significance of this settlement.
From EPCA (1975) to EISA (2007)
In 1975, the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) was enacted largely as a Federal response to the Arab oil embargoes. EPCA was amended by the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987 and the Energy Policy Act of 1992 etc., etc.
The 1975 EPCA establishes nationwide energy efficiency minimum standards for certain consumer and commercial products including heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment; appliances such as washers and dryers, ranges, and refrigerators; and plumbing fixtures such as faucets and showerheads. Ever since, such minimum standards have been based upon metered energy (e.g., 3,412 Btu/kWh); a factor that gives a major head start for electric appliances.
With every revision, more and more appliances were added to the list and more and more authority was given to the Department of Energy (DOE) for carrying out its ever expanding mission. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) was especially expansive of such authority.
According to a DOE press release on February 26, 2007, DOE proposed language in EISA calling for “regional standards” (Sec. 306) and “expedited rulemaking” by “interested persons” (Sec. 308) to fast-track the development of mandatory “energy efficiency” minimums for appliances through “consensus” (i.e., Direct Final Rulemaking). This language was incorporated and included the following statement:
The Secretary shall withdraw the direct final rule if the Secretary receives 1 or more adverse public comments relating to the direct final rule.
DOE’s proposal was endorsed by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) per a press release on May 15,2007.
On December 19, 2007, EISA was enacted into public law. On October 13, 2009, “interested persons” recommended consensus/regional standards. On January 15, 2010, these “interested persons” submitted their proposal to DOE.
According to statements made by DOE’s Kathleen Hogan to the Senate on March 10, 2010:
Section 308 of EISA [Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007] permits DOE to issue direct final rules in cases where a fairly representative group of stakeholders (including manufacturers, States, and efficiency advocates) jointly submit a recommended standard and no adverse public comments are received. (emphasis added)
On June 27, 2011, two Federal Register documents were published with the same title and Docket Number: EERE-2011-BT-STD-0011. This opened the proposed rule to public comments.
Many adverse comments were filed. All of these are available for review at regulations.gov by searching for Docket Number EERE–2011–BT–STD–0011 or RIN 1904–AC06.
The basic problems cited included the following:
1. Gas utilities were excluded from this “consensus” of “interested parties.”
2. Scientific integrity and due diligence were sacrificed for the sake of expediency.
3. The proposed “energy efficiency improvements” and underlying analyses were highly biased against the direct use of natural gas and failed to pass transparency/repeatability requirements.
However, the DOE dismissed all such adverse comments and concluded that there was sufficient consensus to finalize their findings and move forward with implementation.
A War on Gas?
The APGA challenged this in court on the basis of the above listed problems. Now, certain “interested persons” who petitioned the DOE for this “expedited rulemaking” for “regional standards” have indicated plans to retaliate via a 95% minimum efficiency rule.
According to at least some of these select “interested persons,” there is no role for the direct use of natural gas and only a short-term/limited role for natural gas to displace coal in centralized power generation as a back-up for renewables. Evidence supporting this assertion includes the following Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) documents:
· The Role of Natural Gas in America’s Energy Mix (June 2012)
· A Responsible Energy Plan for America (April 2005) at chapter 3, p. 17
Apparently, such policies don’t go far enough to combat global warming. According to a statement in the Direct Final Rule (DFR) attributable to ACEEE (at Federal Register /Vol. 76, No. 123 /Monday, June 27, 2011 /Rules and Regulations 37445):
DOE would have to set standards that force consumers to retrofit their homes to accommodate more-efficient products.
If allowed by Congress, who knows what form of enforcement “interested persons” could come up with; perhaps mandatory home energy audit/inspections. Policies like this are already underway via EISA Sec. 433.
As long as DOE (and their clientele) are allowed to propose their own self-serving legislation, more of the same should be expected.
——————
An engineer by training, Mark Krebs has been involved with energy efficiency design and program evaluation for more than twenty years. He has served as an expert witness in dozens of energy-efficiency filings, which he summarized in a Public Utilities Fortnightly article, “It’s a War Out There: A Gas Man Questions Electric ‘Efficiency’” (December 1996).
Source: http://www.masterresource.org/2013/01/gas-furnace-rule-ii/
EV Charging’s Future Called Into Question
According to Bumpy Road Ahead for EV Charging Market, from Renew-Grid.com:
Many public and private entities are reluctant to invest heavily in EV charging, seeing it as both risky and unnecessary. With much of the charging infrastructure in place today having been funded in part or whole by government funds, IMS Research says concern should be mounting for the future health of the EV charging industry, particularly when the government money is switched off.
. . . Large fleet operators are, arguably, first amongst early adopters of EVs. The U.S. Department of Defense recently announced plans to spend $20 million on 500 EVs. This follows announcements from DHL, Pacific Gas & Electric and TNT about plans to extend the electrification of their respective fleets . . . Parking garages also represent a prime opportunity for the EV charging industry. Indeed, much of the first wave of charging stations has been deployed in parking garages or at “on street” parking sites.
Source: http://electricalcontractor.com/?p=8017
electrician commercial commercial electrician electrician companies industrial electrician electric contracting
PURPA: Another Subsidy for Intermittent Energies
“PURPA has been the most effective single measure in promoting renewable energy.”
What if Congress passed a law that forced you to buy intermittent energy for the same price as reliable energy? What if, in an attempt to promote “alternative” energy sources such as wind power, Congress passed a law that enabled wind to crowd out reliable resources? Congress actually passed that law in 1978, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA). Its role has changed and its scope has narrowed, but “PURPA is still alive and kicking.”
Background
President Jimmy Carter, working from the viewpoint that the federal government had to intervene in markets to reduce demand and increase supply, formulated PURPA as part of a five-part National Energy Plan.
Oil and gas were seen as wasting resources relative to plentiful coal, so public policy needed to transfer demand from the former to the latter. (This was before the global warming issue took hold.) Advised by peak-oil (and peak-gas) proponent James Schlesinger, the first secretary of the Department of Energy, Carter introduced a new energy plan for America. In a cozy fireside chat on national TV, Carter emphasized sacrifice, energy efficiency, and 55-degree thermostats as demand-side strategies to construct a new energy balance.
Other parts of the National Energy Plan included the Energy Tax Act (which introduced the gas-guzzler levy for vehicles), the National Energy Conservation Policy Act, the Power Plant and Industrial Fuel Use Act (repealed in 1987), and the Natural Gas Policy Act. These laws were aimed at reducing consumption of both natural gas and Arab oil.
The repealed Fuel Use Act essentially mandated that coal plants be built in place of natural gas-fired power plants (for nine years it was against the law to build a natural gas-fired power plant, although exemptions were granted). Given the recent surge in production of natural gas from shale formations in the U.S. and elsewhere, the idea of conserving natural gas seems absurd. It also runs contrary to PURPA’s secondary goal to promote fuel diversity.
PURPA can be seen as yet another element of conservation by decree, or conservationism, based on the view that resources are fixed in both the physical sense and the economic sense. It was an integral part of Carter’s and Congress’ technocratic solution to the “fixity” problem as they saw it.
PURPA was also designed to give independent power producers a foot in the door, a step towards the open-access transmission ideal. Even the critics seem to grant that PURPA’s role in opening up competitive power markets was a resounding success. But in the current context of non-discriminatory open access and abundant, reliable fossil fuels, it is interesting to note that utilities and independent power producers are still waging PURPA wars. As a side note to the legally inclined reader, I should highlight that in 1982 a challenge to PURPA’s constitutionality made it to the Supreme Court, where PURPA was upheld.
PURPA Section 210
The element of PURPA that most directly encourages renewable and alternative energy sources is section 210. Under section 210, utilities are obligated to interconnect with and buy the output of “Qualifying Facilities” or QFs, which fall into two main categories: 1) “small power production” facilities, which generally must have an output of less than 80MW and generate electricity using solar, wind, waste, or geothermal energy as its source, and 2) “cogeneration” facilities, which produce both electricity and “steam or forms of useful energy (such as heat) which are used for industrial, commercial, heating, or cooling purposes.” Definitions are available here, and the original text of PURPA is here.
Congress intended for utilities to pay their “avoided cost” for QF output, which was supposed to keep electric rates just and reasonable. Avoided cost methodology is a contentious issue, however, as outlined from different points of view by utility experts and the Edison Electric Institute. Essentially, FERC established the guidelines for each state utility commission to implement its own avoided cost calculations. States then established different schemes.
EPAct 2005 Amendments
As the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) set out to restructure the electricity industry according to the “open access” model, most experts seemed to think PURPA was on its way out. (See the section “A Restructured PURPA: Closing the Renewable Window?” in Rob Bradley’s 1997 landmark policy analysis Renewable Energy: Not Cheap, Not “Green.”) Then, after the restructuring took hold and several Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) were well established, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) further removed PURPA’s teeth. Specifically, EPAct 2005 changed section 210 to relieve utilities’ obligation to purchase QF output under “certain market conditions.” As FERC stated in 2006:
Section 210(m)(1) thus relieves an electric utility of its obligation to enter into a new contract or obligation to purchase QF power upon a Commission finding that certain market conditions exist.
FERC laid out the criteria for those “certain market conditions,” which essentially refer to features of RTOs. FERC also explicitly said that the Midwest ISO, PJM Interconnection, ISO New England, and the New York ISO satisfy the section 210(m)(1) criteria. But as this map shows, much of the US electric grid is not organized under the RTO model (particularly the Northwest and Southeast), so PURPA-enabled QF purchases still proliferate in those non-RTO areas. A recent case highlights PURPA’s continued relevance.
Case Study: Idaho Power vs. Idaho Wind
In September 2012, FERC sided with Idaho Wind against Idaho Power in a case that may represent a “teachable moment” in the constantly-evolving battle between utilities and PURPA-enabled power producers (wind farms in this case). Idaho Wind asked FERC to rule against Idaho Power’s proposed curtailment practices, which would allow Idaho Power to “curtail” or refuse to buy Idaho Wind’s output under circumstances where such a purchase would “require [Idaho Power] to dispatch higher cost, less efficient resources to serve system load or to make Base Load Resources unavailable for serving the next anticipated load.”
In justifying its proposal, Idaho Power argued that its system is inundated with wind power that it is required to purchase under PURPA contracts. The contracts in question are 20-year power purchase agreements whose rates were determined and fixed at the time they were entered into.
FERC granted Idaho Wind’s petition and found that Idaho Power would violate section 210 of PURPA if it refused to buy the wind power. Perhaps sensing that its legal challenge was weak, Idaho Power set up a new website to outline “the problem with PURPA” and present its arguments to the layperson. Idaho Power’s main website also states:
The huge influx of industrial wind projects that has been forced onto our system is raising customer rates and threatening the reliability of our electrical grid. Federal law requires us to buy energy from these projects, but we don’t think Idahoans should be required to pay inflated rates for electricity that is often not needed at all. (emphasis added)
The teachable part of this story is that, given FERC’s ruling, utilities should be careful entering into long-term contracts with QFs at fixed avoided cost rates. Because it signed long-term contracts, Idaho Power is forced to deal with the high costs associated with integrating wind. Provisions in FERC Order No. 69 that could have guarded Idaho Power against these difficulties don’t apply in the context of a fixed-rate contract (discussed further in paragraphs 36-40 here).
Idaho Power’s problem of being inundated with wind during periods of low demand may persist for the life of its contracts with Idaho Wind (until 2030). As Idaho Power outlines:
PURPA energy – and especially wind – often peaks when energy demand is at its lowest. During these times, Idaho Power must sell the surplus energy into depressed markets. In effect, our customers are being forced to “buy high” and “sell low.”
Idaho Power adds that “to meet this onrush of wind energy, other resources must be scaled back.” Similar to the again-extended wind production tax credit, PURPA contracts allow unreliable, uneconomic power to reach the grid at all times, whether it’s needed or not. Also, to the extent that Idaho Power passes along to customers the higher costs associated with uneconomic power, the real loser here is the electricity consumer.
Conclusion
PURPA is an old tool, perhaps rusty but still doing damage in non-RTO regions. As the Idaho Power case shows, this relic of 1970s conservationism can still be used by intermittent and expensive producers to crowd out the reliable and cheap. It’s a familiar story now–wind producers win at the expense of the consumer–although with different details each time.
Source: http://www.masterresource.org/2013/01/purpa-renewable-energy-subsidies/
commercial electrician electrician companies industrial electrician
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)