Original article: http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20101108/LIFESTYLE/11080325
THE STAR PRESS • November 8, 2010
MUNCIE -- The Hoosier Environmental Council (HEC) recognized Ball State University as its "Technology Innovator of the Year" during the Third Annual Green Policy Forum Nov. 6 in Indianapolis.
In 2009, Ball State broke ground on a new ground-source geothermal district heating and cooling system that, once completed, will be the largest district system in the country.
The system will replace four coal-fired boilers and save the university about $2 million every year in operating costs, not to mention reduce its carbon footprint by about half.
"Ball State is truly leading by example," said HEC Executive Director Jesse Kharbanda. "When it came time to make a decision about future energy needs, the university made a choice that not only benefits its bottom line but the environment as well."
In a press release, Gora cited not only the geothermal project but also the all-electric vehicle used to distribute campus mail as ways to lessen Ball State's environmental impact and encourage others to do the same.
More information about Ball State's district geothermal project can be found at www.bsu.edu/geothermal .
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Powers Energy Hires Three Lake County Construction Firms for Garbage-to-Ethanol Plant in Schneider, IN
November 10, 2010
BY DIANE KRIEGER SPIVAK, (219) 648-3076 Powers Energy on Tuesday named the three Lake County construction firms that will hire 400 union workers to build a $254 million garbage-to-ethanol plant in Schneider.
Superior Construction Co., Inc., of Gary; Morrison Construction Co., of Hammond; and Continental Electric Co., Inc., also of Gary have formed a joint venture, SMC LLC, for the project, according to a news release Powers issued late Tuesday afternoon.
Powers Energy has also contracted with Robinson Engineering Ltd., Merrillville, to provide civil engineering support during design and permitting.
Powers has a 20-year-renewable contract with the Lake County Solid Waste Management District to process 8,000 tons of municipal waste into ethanol per day.
Funding for the project should be completed some time next month, according to company president Earl Powers, who promised no taxpayer dollars would be involved.
"One hundred percent of the project funding is from debt financing," Powers said, adding that financial backers, none of whom are from Indiana, would be identified after funding documentation is finalized.
"Lake County residents and public entities will have no financial liability for any portion of the project before or during construction and operation, or after facility closure," Powers said.
The plant is projected to operate for 30 years.
Powers hopes to break ground on the two-year project next summer, Powers engineer Ken Bosar said. The company must first apply for various permits from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, which should take place early next year, Bosar said.
"We're pleased the project is moving forward and happy that Powers Energy is keeping its promise," Solid Waste attorney Cliff Duggan said Tuesday.
Northwestern Indiana Building & Construction Trades Council Business Manager Randy Palmateer said all three companies are contractors with the council.
"They employ local building trades men and women," Palmateer said.
"We've looked at manpower projections with Mr. Powers," Palmateer said. "It's going to be a great project for our trade council. We're not at full employment, so this will be a nice jump-start."
Palmateer said a building trades presence will attend the Nov. 18 Solid Waste Board meeting in support of the project.
Powers Energy is scheduled to attend the meeting to answer questions submitted regarding the project.
"We're 100 percent behind this," Palmateer said, adding that 20 percent of the 50,000 union trades workers are currently unemployed.
"Hopefully, individual municipalities will sign into these local agreements to send their trash there," he said. "We're in a green era now."
This article brought to you by the Indiana Renewable Energy Association.
BY DIANE KRIEGER SPIVAK, (219) 648-3076 Powers Energy on Tuesday named the three Lake County construction firms that will hire 400 union workers to build a $254 million garbage-to-ethanol plant in Schneider.
Superior Construction Co., Inc., of Gary; Morrison Construction Co., of Hammond; and Continental Electric Co., Inc., also of Gary have formed a joint venture, SMC LLC, for the project, according to a news release Powers issued late Tuesday afternoon.
Powers Energy has also contracted with Robinson Engineering Ltd., Merrillville, to provide civil engineering support during design and permitting.
Powers has a 20-year-renewable contract with the Lake County Solid Waste Management District to process 8,000 tons of municipal waste into ethanol per day.
Funding for the project should be completed some time next month, according to company president Earl Powers, who promised no taxpayer dollars would be involved.
"One hundred percent of the project funding is from debt financing," Powers said, adding that financial backers, none of whom are from Indiana, would be identified after funding documentation is finalized.
"Lake County residents and public entities will have no financial liability for any portion of the project before or during construction and operation, or after facility closure," Powers said.
The plant is projected to operate for 30 years.
Powers hopes to break ground on the two-year project next summer, Powers engineer Ken Bosar said. The company must first apply for various permits from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, which should take place early next year, Bosar said.
"We're pleased the project is moving forward and happy that Powers Energy is keeping its promise," Solid Waste attorney Cliff Duggan said Tuesday.
Northwestern Indiana Building & Construction Trades Council Business Manager Randy Palmateer said all three companies are contractors with the council.
"They employ local building trades men and women," Palmateer said.
"We've looked at manpower projections with Mr. Powers," Palmateer said. "It's going to be a great project for our trade council. We're not at full employment, so this will be a nice jump-start."
Palmateer said a building trades presence will attend the Nov. 18 Solid Waste Board meeting in support of the project.
Powers Energy is scheduled to attend the meeting to answer questions submitted regarding the project.
"We're 100 percent behind this," Palmateer said, adding that 20 percent of the 50,000 union trades workers are currently unemployed.
"Hopefully, individual municipalities will sign into these local agreements to send their trash there," he said. "We're in a green era now."
This article brought to you by the Indiana Renewable Energy Association.
Richmond Power & Light (RP&L) might buy excess power
Original Article: http://www.pal-item.com/article/20101108/NEWS01/11080320
Utility considers allowing customers with wind, solar power or generators to sell power back
By Pam Tharp • Correspondent • November 8, 2010
Richmond Power & Light customers who also generate their own power might soon be able to sell extra kilowatts to RP&L.
Customers with wind or solar power systems or generators could sell their excess power back to the electrical grid if RP&L adopts a net metering ordinance, RP&L general manager Steve Saum said. The RP&L board will review a proposed ordinance for net metering at its Nov. 15 meeting.
The amount of electricity a customer could sell to the grid is limited to 10 kilowatts at any one time. Customers with higher generation capacity would need an agreement with the Indiana Municipal Power Agency, Saum said.
RP&L charges its customers 7.5 to 8 cents per kilowatt hour. Customers with extra power to sell would be paid at half of that rate, about 4.5 cents, because the higher rate includes the utility's fixed costs for line maintenance and overhead, Saum said.
Saum's unsure how many customers are generating power using solar panels or wind turbines but said he's had some inquiries about selling power back to the grid.
"Green" energy systems that power the sustainable living house at Centerville's Cope Environmental Center have transferred 540 kilowatts to Whitewater Valley REMC since April 2009, said Cope executive director Stephanie Hays-Mussoni. A 1-kilowatt wind turbine and a 900-watt solar panel power the sustainable living house.
Cope staff gets numerous inquiries about wind and solar power for home use, Hays-Mussoni said. Few follow through because of the substantial capital investment required -- about $20,000 to $25,000 for the systems and extra insulation, she said.
"We aren't currently selling the power back, but it does go back to the grid," Hays-Mussoni said. "It's not a whole lot of power. The turbine and solar panel provide 60 percent of the energy used by the residents of the sustainable house throughout the year. The systems don't provide energy all the time because sometimes the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow."
A disconnect switch is required for any system that would send power back to RP&L or other utilities. The switch automatically disconnects the private system line from the utility during a power failure, Saum said. Without the switch, a lineman working on a power failure issue could be injured by electricity flowing back into the line from a home generation system. The disconnect switch also must be inspected by the city building inspector before power sales can begin, Saum said.
RP&L board member Larry Parker was concerned earlier this week about the safety of RP&L linemen if a power outage occurred.
"How will we know if the disconnect switch has been installed?" Parker asked. "I don't want one of our linemen being killed because of this."
Those who enroll in the net metering program would be required to sign a form verifying the disconnect switch was installed, Saum said. Linemen also are trained to be cautious during outages, he said.
"If the line is out and we see lights, they know there's a generator or something producing power in the home," Saum said.
Board member Jack Elstro questioned the wisdom of the program.
"Why do we want to do this? To me, it's foolish," Elstro said.
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission is encouraging utilities to allow customers who generate excess electrical power to sell it to the power grid, Saum said.
"The IURC is trying to push it pretty hard. They've had complaints from customers whose utility didn't have a net metering ordinance," Saum said. "It's not mandatory yet for utilities to do this. We're trying to be proactive and be ready to handle it."
For more information
A customer interested in selling electricity to Richmond Power & Light should contact the utility for additional information, RP&L manager Steve Saum said. The net metering agreement is a legal document that includes acceptance of liability, and the required disconnect switch must be inspected and approved by the city of Richmond's building inspector, Saum said.
Comment on this story at palitem@pal-item.com.
This article brought to you by the Indiana Renewable Energy Association.
Utility considers allowing customers with wind, solar power or generators to sell power back
By Pam Tharp • Correspondent • November 8, 2010
Richmond Power & Light customers who also generate their own power might soon be able to sell extra kilowatts to RP&L.
Customers with wind or solar power systems or generators could sell their excess power back to the electrical grid if RP&L adopts a net metering ordinance, RP&L general manager Steve Saum said. The RP&L board will review a proposed ordinance for net metering at its Nov. 15 meeting.
The amount of electricity a customer could sell to the grid is limited to 10 kilowatts at any one time. Customers with higher generation capacity would need an agreement with the Indiana Municipal Power Agency, Saum said.
RP&L charges its customers 7.5 to 8 cents per kilowatt hour. Customers with extra power to sell would be paid at half of that rate, about 4.5 cents, because the higher rate includes the utility's fixed costs for line maintenance and overhead, Saum said.
Saum's unsure how many customers are generating power using solar panels or wind turbines but said he's had some inquiries about selling power back to the grid.
"Green" energy systems that power the sustainable living house at Centerville's Cope Environmental Center have transferred 540 kilowatts to Whitewater Valley REMC since April 2009, said Cope executive director Stephanie Hays-Mussoni. A 1-kilowatt wind turbine and a 900-watt solar panel power the sustainable living house.
Cope staff gets numerous inquiries about wind and solar power for home use, Hays-Mussoni said. Few follow through because of the substantial capital investment required -- about $20,000 to $25,000 for the systems and extra insulation, she said.
"We aren't currently selling the power back, but it does go back to the grid," Hays-Mussoni said. "It's not a whole lot of power. The turbine and solar panel provide 60 percent of the energy used by the residents of the sustainable house throughout the year. The systems don't provide energy all the time because sometimes the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow."
A disconnect switch is required for any system that would send power back to RP&L or other utilities. The switch automatically disconnects the private system line from the utility during a power failure, Saum said. Without the switch, a lineman working on a power failure issue could be injured by electricity flowing back into the line from a home generation system. The disconnect switch also must be inspected by the city building inspector before power sales can begin, Saum said.
RP&L board member Larry Parker was concerned earlier this week about the safety of RP&L linemen if a power outage occurred.
"How will we know if the disconnect switch has been installed?" Parker asked. "I don't want one of our linemen being killed because of this."
Those who enroll in the net metering program would be required to sign a form verifying the disconnect switch was installed, Saum said. Linemen also are trained to be cautious during outages, he said.
"If the line is out and we see lights, they know there's a generator or something producing power in the home," Saum said.
Board member Jack Elstro questioned the wisdom of the program.
"Why do we want to do this? To me, it's foolish," Elstro said.
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission is encouraging utilities to allow customers who generate excess electrical power to sell it to the power grid, Saum said.
"The IURC is trying to push it pretty hard. They've had complaints from customers whose utility didn't have a net metering ordinance," Saum said. "It's not mandatory yet for utilities to do this. We're trying to be proactive and be ready to handle it."
For more information
A customer interested in selling electricity to Richmond Power & Light should contact the utility for additional information, RP&L manager Steve Saum said. The net metering agreement is a legal document that includes acceptance of liability, and the required disconnect switch must be inspected and approved by the city of Richmond's building inspector, Saum said.
Comment on this story at palitem@pal-item.com.
This article brought to you by the Indiana Renewable Energy Association.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Imperial e-Biofuels Subsidiary Nearing Twenty Five Million Gallon Annual Sales Pace
EVANSVILLE, Ind.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Imperial Petroleum, Inc. (OTCBB:IPMN.ob – News) announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, e-biofuels, LLC, a Middletown, Indiana biodiesel producer, sold 1.98 million gallons of biodiesel in October 2010 resulting in revenues of approximately $6.3 million for the month. First quarter revenues from biodiesel sales represent approximately $16.7 million on 5.2 million gallons sold.
“It’s been very exciting to see the daily increases in activity at the e-biofuels plant translate into increased sales and revenues for the Company,” said Jeffrey T. Wilson, President of Imperial. “Sales in calendar 2009 averaged 7 million gallons and we are now on pace to maintain biodiesel sales at around an annual pace of 24 million gallons with revenues approaching $70 million per year. We’ve been able to use the increased cash flow to mitigate some of the past financial issues faced by e-biofuels and strengthen our financial position in the industry.”
Mr. Wilson went on to say, “Our proto-type tests are going very well on process enhancements and we hope to finish our financing initiatives in the short term to position the Company for even more explosive growth going forward.”
Imperial is an energy company headquartered in Evansville, Indiana.
This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described herein. Although the Company believes that the expectations in such statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.
Contact:
Imperial Petroleum, Inc.
Jeffrey T. Wilson, CEO
Phone 812-867-1433 Fax 812-867-1678
email: jtwilsonx1@aol.com
“It’s been very exciting to see the daily increases in activity at the e-biofuels plant translate into increased sales and revenues for the Company,” said Jeffrey T. Wilson, President of Imperial. “Sales in calendar 2009 averaged 7 million gallons and we are now on pace to maintain biodiesel sales at around an annual pace of 24 million gallons with revenues approaching $70 million per year. We’ve been able to use the increased cash flow to mitigate some of the past financial issues faced by e-biofuels and strengthen our financial position in the industry.”
Mr. Wilson went on to say, “Our proto-type tests are going very well on process enhancements and we hope to finish our financing initiatives in the short term to position the Company for even more explosive growth going forward.”
Imperial is an energy company headquartered in Evansville, Indiana.
This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described herein. Although the Company believes that the expectations in such statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.
Contact:
Imperial Petroleum, Inc.
Jeffrey T. Wilson, CEO
Phone 812-867-1433 Fax 812-867-1678
email: jtwilsonx1@aol.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
