Utilities in the Pacific Northwest are preparing for the impacts of legalized recreational marijuana as three states - Washington, Oregon, and Alaska - implement voter-approved laws. Some utilities see opportunities to boost revenue from powering marijuana growing operations, while others are concerned about increased electricity demand raising costs. Utilities are developing special rates for marijuana growers to ensure other customers are not negatively impacted by additional power needs. They are also educating growers on safely connecting to the electric grid and encouraging energy efficiency to manage demand.
1) Legislation was proposed that would dramatically reduce compensation for existing customers with solar energy systems and jeopardize billions of dollars in public and private investments in solar.
2) The legislation was amended to change the way Net Energy Metering projects are compensated after 2017, reducing payments to existing customers for the electricity they generate.
3) Critics say the amendment amounts to a "bait and switch" that will discourage further investments in solar energy.
The Challenges of Deregulation in ArizonaShop My Power
Although there is still the possibility of energy deregulation in Arizona, in light of a recent decision by the Arizona Corporation Commission, it is unlikely that it will happen anytime soon.
The document discusses community choice aggregation of electricity in several northwest Chicago suburbs. It provides information about public meetings on the topic, the history and purpose of aggregation, participating municipalities, sample questions and answers, benefits of aggregation including potential lower supply costs, and the competitive bid and approval process. Aggregation allows municipalities to negotiate electricity supply rates on behalf of residential and small business customers.
Melinda Petit, Director of Claims Operations at Chesapeake Employer's Insurance Company (formerly IWIF) presented - “Workers Compensation — Medicare Secondary Payer Issues” at the October 2013 67th Annual F. Addison Fowler Seminar held by The Insurance Roundtable of Baltimore in Hunt Valley, MD
Renewable energy certificates (RECs) represent 1,000 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy generated. RECs can be sold separately from the underlying energy. RECs are purchased by energy suppliers and firms to comply with Renewable Portfolio Standards, which require a portion of energy come from renewable sources. RECs are traded in compliance and voluntary markets, with prices in compliance markets influenced by RPS policies. RECs help develop renewable energy by providing revenue guarantees for generators, connecting demand and supply, and increasing investments in renewable facilities. However, RECs depend heavily on RPS and price volatility poses challenges.
HatchOregon: Oregon's Community Public Offering ExplainedKristin Wolff
This document discusses Oregon's new Community Public Offering (CPO) law, which allows small businesses in Oregon to raise capital directly from Oregon residents through securities crowdfunding. The law enables unaccredited investors to invest in small businesses and helps provide more funding for startups and small companies in Oregon. Since the law took effect in January 2015, nine businesses have raised nearly $210,000 through the CPO platform HatchOregon.com, with nearly 200 Oregonians investing. The document argues that if Oregonians invested just 1% of their savings through CPOs, over $900 million could be made available to fund local Oregon businesses.
Legislative Staff Briefing: Update on the Electric Market in Texasaectnet
This document provides an update on the competitive electric market in Texas. It discusses how the market is structured, key factors influencing prices like natural gas volatility, and how prices have trended over time. It also reviews generation investment, renewable energy development, advanced metering activities, benefits for low-income customers, and other regulatory updates. The overall summary is that competition has generally helped to place downward pressure on prices while still ensuring reliable electricity supply.
1) Legislation was proposed that would dramatically reduce compensation for existing customers with solar energy systems and jeopardize billions of dollars in public and private investments in solar.
2) The legislation was amended to change the way Net Energy Metering projects are compensated after 2017, reducing payments to existing customers for the electricity they generate.
3) Critics say the amendment amounts to a "bait and switch" that will discourage further investments in solar energy.
The Challenges of Deregulation in ArizonaShop My Power
Although there is still the possibility of energy deregulation in Arizona, in light of a recent decision by the Arizona Corporation Commission, it is unlikely that it will happen anytime soon.
The document discusses community choice aggregation of electricity in several northwest Chicago suburbs. It provides information about public meetings on the topic, the history and purpose of aggregation, participating municipalities, sample questions and answers, benefits of aggregation including potential lower supply costs, and the competitive bid and approval process. Aggregation allows municipalities to negotiate electricity supply rates on behalf of residential and small business customers.
Melinda Petit, Director of Claims Operations at Chesapeake Employer's Insurance Company (formerly IWIF) presented - “Workers Compensation — Medicare Secondary Payer Issues” at the October 2013 67th Annual F. Addison Fowler Seminar held by The Insurance Roundtable of Baltimore in Hunt Valley, MD
Renewable energy certificates (RECs) represent 1,000 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy generated. RECs can be sold separately from the underlying energy. RECs are purchased by energy suppliers and firms to comply with Renewable Portfolio Standards, which require a portion of energy come from renewable sources. RECs are traded in compliance and voluntary markets, with prices in compliance markets influenced by RPS policies. RECs help develop renewable energy by providing revenue guarantees for generators, connecting demand and supply, and increasing investments in renewable facilities. However, RECs depend heavily on RPS and price volatility poses challenges.
HatchOregon: Oregon's Community Public Offering ExplainedKristin Wolff
This document discusses Oregon's new Community Public Offering (CPO) law, which allows small businesses in Oregon to raise capital directly from Oregon residents through securities crowdfunding. The law enables unaccredited investors to invest in small businesses and helps provide more funding for startups and small companies in Oregon. Since the law took effect in January 2015, nine businesses have raised nearly $210,000 through the CPO platform HatchOregon.com, with nearly 200 Oregonians investing. The document argues that if Oregonians invested just 1% of their savings through CPOs, over $900 million could be made available to fund local Oregon businesses.
Legislative Staff Briefing: Update on the Electric Market in Texasaectnet
This document provides an update on the competitive electric market in Texas. It discusses how the market is structured, key factors influencing prices like natural gas volatility, and how prices have trended over time. It also reviews generation investment, renewable energy development, advanced metering activities, benefits for low-income customers, and other regulatory updates. The overall summary is that competition has generally helped to place downward pressure on prices while still ensuring reliable electricity supply.
HATCH! PROGRAM is a start-up incubator and social enterprise in Vietnam that consists of two pillars - Community Building and HATCH! Incubation. Community Building focuses on connecting resources and building a startup community through events. HATCH! Incubation provides business assistance like mentorship and exposure to networks for executed startups. They are recruiting for positions on the Community Building and Startup Incubation teams, including managers, cameramen, copywriters, and account managers. These jobs provide opportunities to interact with entrepreneurs, learn from mentors, organize events, and develop skills and networks.
Marilyn Monroe achieved early success by marrying and changing her hair color to pursue modeling. She converted to Judaism to marry playwright Arthur Miller. However, she faced personal challenges with three divorces and overcoming childhood rape.
This document outlines the key topics in human resource management. It defines organization, management, and human resource management. The nature and scope as well as objectives of human resource management are then described. The main functions of human resource management are identified as job analysis, human resource planning, recruitment and selection, training and development, performance appraisal, transfers, motivation and incentives. Strategic human resource management and employees' rights are also mentioned.
Dokumen tersebut merupakan kata pengantar dari sebuah laporan PKLI (Praktek Kerja Lapangan Industri) yang menjelaskan ucapan syukur penulis atas bimbingan dan dukungan yang diterima selama menyelesaikan laporan tersebut. Penulis juga meminta masukan untuk perbaikan laporan demi kesempurnaannya.
The document outlines 30 dining rules in Hinduism. Some key rules include: food should be served on a plantain leaf with the tapering end intact and facing either east or north; no conversation during meals; items should be served from the top right corner of the leaf in a specific order; leftovers must be left on the leaf for animals; and the diner should bless the host after washing hands. The rules aim to accord the highest respect to food and prescribe an orderly process for dining according to Hindu traditions.
The Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) provides water and electricity to approximately 200,000 people in the greater Eugene area. In 2015, EWEB took steps to improve the reliability of Eugene's water supply by acquiring property along the Willamette River for a new water intake facility. EWEB also prepared for a major earthquake by distributing emergency water containers and upgrading critical infrastructure. The utility paid off debt early to reduce costs and helped local businesses expand through a new loan program. EWEB continues to provide highly reliable electric service and award-winning customer programs.
This document does not contain any text to summarize. It only contains formatting characters that do not convey any information. In 3 sentences or less, a summary cannot be generated since there is no information present in the given document.
This document outlines generic business level strategies and the value chain activities that are common for pursuing a cost leadership or differentiation strategy. It discusses four generic business level strategies - cost leadership, differentiation, focused low cost, and focused differentiation - defined by their source of competitive advantage and target market scope. For a cost leadership strategy, the key is achieving the lowest costs in the industry. Common value chain activities include efficient scale, process technology investments, and minimizing overhead. For a differentiation strategy, the focus is on creating unique product attributes that allow premium pricing. Common activities include new product R&D, quality control, and customer service. The document notes effective strategies can remain profitable even in unattractive industry environments.
HATCH! PROGRAM is a start-up incubator and social enterprise focused on creating innovative Vietnamese start-ups and building the startup ecosystem in Vietnam. It consists of Community Building and HATCH! Incubation teams. The Community Building team connects resources and builds community through events like weekly meetups and an annual conference. HATCH! Incubation provides business assistance like mentorship, networking, and funding exposure to support startups. They are hiring for several positions on both teams, including an assistant manager, cameraman, copywriter, and account manager.
This document provides an overview of the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick in the Catholic Church. It begins with biblical foundations from the Gospel of Mark and Letter of James. It then discusses the ritual elements including prayer, laying on of hands, anointing with blessed oil, and the formula used. It notes that a priest is the ordinary minister and covers the qualifications of the recipient and effects of receiving the sacrament, including forgiveness of sins and restoration of health if conducive to salvation. It concludes with a brief history of healing rituals from Old Testament times to the 12th century when Anointing of the Sick took on its focus as a last rites sacrament.
Dr. Ryke Geerd Hamer was a German physician and psychologist who studied medicine and theology, receiving his medical license in 1967. After his son was killed and his wife died of cancer, Hamer postulated that their cancers were related to the emotional trauma of losing his son. He developed the five laws of cancer based on this idea. However, Hamer lost his medical license at age 51 for refusing to renounce his findings about the emotional origins of cancer, which contradicted mainstream medical views. He was later imprisoned for continuing to practice medicine without a license.
The document discusses a proposed bill in Kansas that would allow grocery stores and convenience stores to sell liquor and stronger beers. There is debate around the potential economic impacts. Supporters argue it would increase competition and consumer choice, while opponents argue it would hurt small liquor store businesses. The owner of a convenience store chain says the bill is about helping consumers and the state economy by reducing cross-border shopping in Missouri where prices are lower. However, a liquor store coalition argues it will drive locally-owned stores out of business. Lawmakers are considering the bill but have not taken a position yet.
Governor Inslee PSE Colstrip Bill SigningEric J. Alves
Governor Inslee of Washington signed legislation to provide funding for Puget Sound Energy to decommission and clean up the Colstrip coal-fired power plant units 1 and 2 in Montana when they retire. The bill establishes a fund to manage the cleanup costs in a way that protects customers and minimizes risks. While the legislation does not mandate retirement, it gives Puget Sound Energy an important tool to facilitate timely retirement of the old and polluting coal units. Environmental groups praised the bill for helping transition Washington to cleaner energy and reducing carbon pollution.
This document discusses challenges facing the Texas electricity market as the state's population grows rapidly. It analyzes the current "energy only" market structure and arguments for shifting to a "capacity market" where producers are paid for available rather than sold electricity. While a capacity market may attract more investment in new power plants, the document argues Texas' changing energy portfolio with renewable energy and policy shifts toward flexibility mean the current market will adapt to growing demand without major disruption.
hot topic I ENERGY OUTLOOK14EXPECT THEUNEXPECTEDI .docxadampcarr67227
hot topic I ENERGY OUTLOOK
14
EXPECT THE
UNEXPECTED
I N THE FUTURE OF ENERGY..
Q
CL
<
The crystal ball is murky when it comes to
predictions about energy consumption, markets
and future trends.
Consider hydraulic fracturing, for example.
Ten years ago, the U.S. Geological Survey
estimated resource potential in the Marcellus
Shale region was off by 70 times, according to
current federal surveys.
"I think it's essentially impossible to antici-
pate what energy markets are going to look like
in 20 or 30 years, because the rate of change in
technology and potential for climate change are
so great and so disruptive that the world is go-
ing to be fundamentally different than it is now,"
said John Petersen, the founder of the Arlington
Institute, a nonprofit research organization that
focuses on future global trends.
Howard Gruenspecht, administrator of
the U.S. Energy Information Administration,
echoed similar thoughts about the future.
"Predicting a particular game-changing
technology is difficult, if not impossible, to do,"
he said.
Despite this limitation, Gruenspecht said
his analysts spend a significant amount of time
thinking about how technological change might
occur in North American energy markets, where
crude oil prices have exceeded natural gas
prices by a 4-to-l ratio on an energy-equivalent
basis—converting the current price of crude oil
to its natural gas equivalent rate.
"Tlie implication is that there currently exists
a four-fold price advantage for substituting
natural gas for oil-based products," he said. This
price disparity could potentially last for some
time, triggering the deployment of natural gas
vehicle infrastructure because of favorable
market signals to investors.
Futurists like Petersen believe the electric
grid and energy markets are especially suscep-
tible to wild card events like drastic changes
in consumption, geopolitics, solar flares and
changing societal values.
"There is a new generation of young people
who see their relationship to the environment,
to the Earth and their social relationships with
one another in a really different way than all of
us old guys," he said.
Their strong reaction to a wild card event
could galvatiize them to say "never again" in the
same way that Three Mile Island impacted the
nuclear power industry.
"Industries and policymakers need to be
sensitive to this," Peterson said.
Expect the Unexpected
State policymakers can prepare to deal
with this unpredictable future in several ways,
Petersen said.
"Resilience is extraordinarily important,
not only for physical shocks to the system,
but there also needs to be resilience in terms
of technology," he said. Decision-makers also
need a "mechanism for anticipation, as well as
a commitment to use foresight in planning."
That's true, also, for utilities.
"I know this sounds antithetical to many
utilities, but they need more agility, even in
such a capital-intensive industry," Petersen
said.
Capital-intensive industries w.
Michigan's electricity market is dominated by two large utilities, DTE and Consumers Energy, with few options for consumers. The authors argue that Michigan should expand its electric choice program to allow more end users like businesses, universities, and schools to purchase low-cost renewable power directly from independent power producers. Currently, the electric choice program is capped at 10% of the market. Expanding choice could help all political interests by increasing competition and access to cleaner, more affordable electricity while supporting new renewable energy and transmission infrastructure.
Oregon successfully attracted two solar manufacturers, SolarWorld and Solaicx, by highlighting available infrastructure like a mothballed semiconductor plant, a skilled workforce from its history in the semiconductor industry, and state incentives like tax credits. Other states like Massachusetts, Washington, and others are also actively recruiting solar manufacturers by offering tax incentives and policies to grow local solar markets and support in-state solar component manufacturing. Solar companies consider factors like available workforce, infrastructure for transportation and supplies, and market access when choosing production locations.
The Hybrid Application Of Hegelian And Kantian...Dana Boo
The hybrid application of Hegelian and Kantian philosophical paradigms may help illuminate changes in Colorado's renewable energy standards. Prior to 2004, Colorado relied primarily on coal and natural gas for electricity, with about 2% from renewables. In 2004, voters passed Amendment 37 requiring utilities to generate more power from renewables over time. This has led Colorado to become a leader in renewable energy development.
The 18th and Rhode Island Garden in San Franciscos Potrero Hi.docxmehek4
The 18th and Rhode Island Garden in San Francisco's Potrero Hill neighborhood and other urban farms could benefit from the new law.
Urban Farming Law Breaks New Ground
S
MALL-SCALE URBAN FARMING could soon experience a growth spurt in
California. The Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones Act, which takes effect in
January, allows cities and counties with populations of at least 250,000 to des-
ignate areas where landowners can lower their tax assessments by promising
to use their land for five years of crop production.
Small city parcels (of up to three acres) would be assessed on the agricul-
tural value of the land, rather than at market rate. For owners, that means
potentially significantly lower tax bills, at least for a period of time. For
farmers, the law could open up more available land for growing food—both commercially
and as a noncommercial enterprise such as a community garden.
"This law is targeted to do two things: incentivize the use of private land for urban
agriculture and provide urban agriculture projects more security," says Eli Zigas, food
systems and urban agriculture program manager for SPUR, a San Francisco nonprofit that
promotes good planning and good government. He points out that unpredictable land
tenure makes investments in things like irrigation systems or fruit trees, which take years
to establish, risky for urban agriculture projects.
Still, he notes that the incentives zones program aims to encourage temporary urban
farm uses. "The law is not trying to be an agricultural land preservation tool," he says.
It's hard to say what the impacts of the law will be, and no cities have yet adopted it.
Its effects in San Francisco could be quite
different than elsewhere, but Zigas notes
that it's in places like the Bay Area—where
land is at a premium—that it shows the
most promise.
As an example, he points to the lot
that is home to the 18th and Rhode Island
Garden. At 0.11 acres, its value is about
$570,000, and its current property tax
assessment is about $6,700 per year (at a
1.188 percent tax rate). If the property were
put under contract, then the land would be
assessed as irrigated farmland with a per-
acre value of $12,000. (To streamline the
law's administration in places that adopt it,
the land value is already fixed, based on the
most recent U.S. Department of Agricul-
ture average value of irrigated cropland
statewide.)
10 Planning December 2013
So, the 0.11 acre parcel would have a
value of $1,320. Applying the same tax rate,
the new assessment would be about $16
per year, plus administrative fees.
The law could get tested first in San
Francisco, which updated its zoning in
2011 so that small-scale farming no longer
requires a conditional use permit, and
other places, like San Jose (its urban ag
regulations are pending) and Los Angeles,
which just launched an urban agriculture
policy initiative. But some cities, like
Oakland, might have some real barriers
to implementation, says Heather Wooten,
se ...
OU Seeks to Cut Energy Costs for Schools and Shulsouadvocacy
OU Advocacy has launched initiatives in New York and nationwide to help schools and synagogues reduce rising energy costs. In New York, the Energy Parity Act would give private schools access to the same energy efficiency programs and discounts that public schools receive from the New York Power Authority. Nationwide, the Nonprofit Energy Efficiency Act would establish a grant program through the Department of Energy to help nonprofit organizations make their buildings more energy efficient through upgrades. The bills could significantly reduce utility bills for many Jewish institutions.
HATCH! PROGRAM is a start-up incubator and social enterprise in Vietnam that consists of two pillars - Community Building and HATCH! Incubation. Community Building focuses on connecting resources and building a startup community through events. HATCH! Incubation provides business assistance like mentorship and exposure to networks for executed startups. They are recruiting for positions on the Community Building and Startup Incubation teams, including managers, cameramen, copywriters, and account managers. These jobs provide opportunities to interact with entrepreneurs, learn from mentors, organize events, and develop skills and networks.
Marilyn Monroe achieved early success by marrying and changing her hair color to pursue modeling. She converted to Judaism to marry playwright Arthur Miller. However, she faced personal challenges with three divorces and overcoming childhood rape.
This document outlines the key topics in human resource management. It defines organization, management, and human resource management. The nature and scope as well as objectives of human resource management are then described. The main functions of human resource management are identified as job analysis, human resource planning, recruitment and selection, training and development, performance appraisal, transfers, motivation and incentives. Strategic human resource management and employees' rights are also mentioned.
Dokumen tersebut merupakan kata pengantar dari sebuah laporan PKLI (Praktek Kerja Lapangan Industri) yang menjelaskan ucapan syukur penulis atas bimbingan dan dukungan yang diterima selama menyelesaikan laporan tersebut. Penulis juga meminta masukan untuk perbaikan laporan demi kesempurnaannya.
The document outlines 30 dining rules in Hinduism. Some key rules include: food should be served on a plantain leaf with the tapering end intact and facing either east or north; no conversation during meals; items should be served from the top right corner of the leaf in a specific order; leftovers must be left on the leaf for animals; and the diner should bless the host after washing hands. The rules aim to accord the highest respect to food and prescribe an orderly process for dining according to Hindu traditions.
The Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) provides water and electricity to approximately 200,000 people in the greater Eugene area. In 2015, EWEB took steps to improve the reliability of Eugene's water supply by acquiring property along the Willamette River for a new water intake facility. EWEB also prepared for a major earthquake by distributing emergency water containers and upgrading critical infrastructure. The utility paid off debt early to reduce costs and helped local businesses expand through a new loan program. EWEB continues to provide highly reliable electric service and award-winning customer programs.
This document does not contain any text to summarize. It only contains formatting characters that do not convey any information. In 3 sentences or less, a summary cannot be generated since there is no information present in the given document.
This document outlines generic business level strategies and the value chain activities that are common for pursuing a cost leadership or differentiation strategy. It discusses four generic business level strategies - cost leadership, differentiation, focused low cost, and focused differentiation - defined by their source of competitive advantage and target market scope. For a cost leadership strategy, the key is achieving the lowest costs in the industry. Common value chain activities include efficient scale, process technology investments, and minimizing overhead. For a differentiation strategy, the focus is on creating unique product attributes that allow premium pricing. Common activities include new product R&D, quality control, and customer service. The document notes effective strategies can remain profitable even in unattractive industry environments.
HATCH! PROGRAM is a start-up incubator and social enterprise focused on creating innovative Vietnamese start-ups and building the startup ecosystem in Vietnam. It consists of Community Building and HATCH! Incubation teams. The Community Building team connects resources and builds community through events like weekly meetups and an annual conference. HATCH! Incubation provides business assistance like mentorship, networking, and funding exposure to support startups. They are hiring for several positions on both teams, including an assistant manager, cameraman, copywriter, and account manager.
This document provides an overview of the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick in the Catholic Church. It begins with biblical foundations from the Gospel of Mark and Letter of James. It then discusses the ritual elements including prayer, laying on of hands, anointing with blessed oil, and the formula used. It notes that a priest is the ordinary minister and covers the qualifications of the recipient and effects of receiving the sacrament, including forgiveness of sins and restoration of health if conducive to salvation. It concludes with a brief history of healing rituals from Old Testament times to the 12th century when Anointing of the Sick took on its focus as a last rites sacrament.
Dr. Ryke Geerd Hamer was a German physician and psychologist who studied medicine and theology, receiving his medical license in 1967. After his son was killed and his wife died of cancer, Hamer postulated that their cancers were related to the emotional trauma of losing his son. He developed the five laws of cancer based on this idea. However, Hamer lost his medical license at age 51 for refusing to renounce his findings about the emotional origins of cancer, which contradicted mainstream medical views. He was later imprisoned for continuing to practice medicine without a license.
The document discusses a proposed bill in Kansas that would allow grocery stores and convenience stores to sell liquor and stronger beers. There is debate around the potential economic impacts. Supporters argue it would increase competition and consumer choice, while opponents argue it would hurt small liquor store businesses. The owner of a convenience store chain says the bill is about helping consumers and the state economy by reducing cross-border shopping in Missouri where prices are lower. However, a liquor store coalition argues it will drive locally-owned stores out of business. Lawmakers are considering the bill but have not taken a position yet.
Governor Inslee PSE Colstrip Bill SigningEric J. Alves
Governor Inslee of Washington signed legislation to provide funding for Puget Sound Energy to decommission and clean up the Colstrip coal-fired power plant units 1 and 2 in Montana when they retire. The bill establishes a fund to manage the cleanup costs in a way that protects customers and minimizes risks. While the legislation does not mandate retirement, it gives Puget Sound Energy an important tool to facilitate timely retirement of the old and polluting coal units. Environmental groups praised the bill for helping transition Washington to cleaner energy and reducing carbon pollution.
This document discusses challenges facing the Texas electricity market as the state's population grows rapidly. It analyzes the current "energy only" market structure and arguments for shifting to a "capacity market" where producers are paid for available rather than sold electricity. While a capacity market may attract more investment in new power plants, the document argues Texas' changing energy portfolio with renewable energy and policy shifts toward flexibility mean the current market will adapt to growing demand without major disruption.
hot topic I ENERGY OUTLOOK14EXPECT THEUNEXPECTEDI .docxadampcarr67227
hot topic I ENERGY OUTLOOK
14
EXPECT THE
UNEXPECTED
I N THE FUTURE OF ENERGY..
Q
CL
<
The crystal ball is murky when it comes to
predictions about energy consumption, markets
and future trends.
Consider hydraulic fracturing, for example.
Ten years ago, the U.S. Geological Survey
estimated resource potential in the Marcellus
Shale region was off by 70 times, according to
current federal surveys.
"I think it's essentially impossible to antici-
pate what energy markets are going to look like
in 20 or 30 years, because the rate of change in
technology and potential for climate change are
so great and so disruptive that the world is go-
ing to be fundamentally different than it is now,"
said John Petersen, the founder of the Arlington
Institute, a nonprofit research organization that
focuses on future global trends.
Howard Gruenspecht, administrator of
the U.S. Energy Information Administration,
echoed similar thoughts about the future.
"Predicting a particular game-changing
technology is difficult, if not impossible, to do,"
he said.
Despite this limitation, Gruenspecht said
his analysts spend a significant amount of time
thinking about how technological change might
occur in North American energy markets, where
crude oil prices have exceeded natural gas
prices by a 4-to-l ratio on an energy-equivalent
basis—converting the current price of crude oil
to its natural gas equivalent rate.
"Tlie implication is that there currently exists
a four-fold price advantage for substituting
natural gas for oil-based products," he said. This
price disparity could potentially last for some
time, triggering the deployment of natural gas
vehicle infrastructure because of favorable
market signals to investors.
Futurists like Petersen believe the electric
grid and energy markets are especially suscep-
tible to wild card events like drastic changes
in consumption, geopolitics, solar flares and
changing societal values.
"There is a new generation of young people
who see their relationship to the environment,
to the Earth and their social relationships with
one another in a really different way than all of
us old guys," he said.
Their strong reaction to a wild card event
could galvatiize them to say "never again" in the
same way that Three Mile Island impacted the
nuclear power industry.
"Industries and policymakers need to be
sensitive to this," Peterson said.
Expect the Unexpected
State policymakers can prepare to deal
with this unpredictable future in several ways,
Petersen said.
"Resilience is extraordinarily important,
not only for physical shocks to the system,
but there also needs to be resilience in terms
of technology," he said. Decision-makers also
need a "mechanism for anticipation, as well as
a commitment to use foresight in planning."
That's true, also, for utilities.
"I know this sounds antithetical to many
utilities, but they need more agility, even in
such a capital-intensive industry," Petersen
said.
Capital-intensive industries w.
Michigan's electricity market is dominated by two large utilities, DTE and Consumers Energy, with few options for consumers. The authors argue that Michigan should expand its electric choice program to allow more end users like businesses, universities, and schools to purchase low-cost renewable power directly from independent power producers. Currently, the electric choice program is capped at 10% of the market. Expanding choice could help all political interests by increasing competition and access to cleaner, more affordable electricity while supporting new renewable energy and transmission infrastructure.
Oregon successfully attracted two solar manufacturers, SolarWorld and Solaicx, by highlighting available infrastructure like a mothballed semiconductor plant, a skilled workforce from its history in the semiconductor industry, and state incentives like tax credits. Other states like Massachusetts, Washington, and others are also actively recruiting solar manufacturers by offering tax incentives and policies to grow local solar markets and support in-state solar component manufacturing. Solar companies consider factors like available workforce, infrastructure for transportation and supplies, and market access when choosing production locations.
The Hybrid Application Of Hegelian And Kantian...Dana Boo
The hybrid application of Hegelian and Kantian philosophical paradigms may help illuminate changes in Colorado's renewable energy standards. Prior to 2004, Colorado relied primarily on coal and natural gas for electricity, with about 2% from renewables. In 2004, voters passed Amendment 37 requiring utilities to generate more power from renewables over time. This has led Colorado to become a leader in renewable energy development.
The 18th and Rhode Island Garden in San Franciscos Potrero Hi.docxmehek4
The 18th and Rhode Island Garden in San Francisco's Potrero Hill neighborhood and other urban farms could benefit from the new law.
Urban Farming Law Breaks New Ground
S
MALL-SCALE URBAN FARMING could soon experience a growth spurt in
California. The Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones Act, which takes effect in
January, allows cities and counties with populations of at least 250,000 to des-
ignate areas where landowners can lower their tax assessments by promising
to use their land for five years of crop production.
Small city parcels (of up to three acres) would be assessed on the agricul-
tural value of the land, rather than at market rate. For owners, that means
potentially significantly lower tax bills, at least for a period of time. For
farmers, the law could open up more available land for growing food—both commercially
and as a noncommercial enterprise such as a community garden.
"This law is targeted to do two things: incentivize the use of private land for urban
agriculture and provide urban agriculture projects more security," says Eli Zigas, food
systems and urban agriculture program manager for SPUR, a San Francisco nonprofit that
promotes good planning and good government. He points out that unpredictable land
tenure makes investments in things like irrigation systems or fruit trees, which take years
to establish, risky for urban agriculture projects.
Still, he notes that the incentives zones program aims to encourage temporary urban
farm uses. "The law is not trying to be an agricultural land preservation tool," he says.
It's hard to say what the impacts of the law will be, and no cities have yet adopted it.
Its effects in San Francisco could be quite
different than elsewhere, but Zigas notes
that it's in places like the Bay Area—where
land is at a premium—that it shows the
most promise.
As an example, he points to the lot
that is home to the 18th and Rhode Island
Garden. At 0.11 acres, its value is about
$570,000, and its current property tax
assessment is about $6,700 per year (at a
1.188 percent tax rate). If the property were
put under contract, then the land would be
assessed as irrigated farmland with a per-
acre value of $12,000. (To streamline the
law's administration in places that adopt it,
the land value is already fixed, based on the
most recent U.S. Department of Agricul-
ture average value of irrigated cropland
statewide.)
10 Planning December 2013
So, the 0.11 acre parcel would have a
value of $1,320. Applying the same tax rate,
the new assessment would be about $16
per year, plus administrative fees.
The law could get tested first in San
Francisco, which updated its zoning in
2011 so that small-scale farming no longer
requires a conditional use permit, and
other places, like San Jose (its urban ag
regulations are pending) and Los Angeles,
which just launched an urban agriculture
policy initiative. But some cities, like
Oakland, might have some real barriers
to implementation, says Heather Wooten,
se ...
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There is an infinite difference between a little wrong and just right, between fairly good and the best, between mediocrity and superiority . . .
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Success has always been easy to measure. It is the distance between one's origins and one's final achievement . . .
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Similar to NWPPABulletin_PoweringPot_2015_July_LowRez (20)
Hawaii Public Utilities Commission - Ratepayer Protection - Moon Shot - Spinn...
NWPPABulletin_PoweringPot_2015_July_LowRez
1.
2. DWNNGVKP1Lwn{"423726 yyy0pyrrc0qti
om Williams knew this was serious business when he
and a fellow key account manager at the Eugene Water
& Electric Board were invited to tour a Southern
Oregon medical marijuana grow operation earlier this year.
As Williams and Steve Mangan looked at the rows and
rows of cannabis growing under high-intensity lights, the
indoor pot-farm owner talked to them about his plans to
move the operation to Eugene and expand it when Oregon’s
new recreational marijuana legalization law goes into effect.
“This is an emerging industry that has high potential
for increasing jobs in our community, as well as generating
additional revenue for the utility,” Williams says. “These
are serious businesses. We are taking them seriously, and we
hope they see us as taking them seriously.”
From Anchorage to Ashland, similar stories are playing
out as three Northwest states — Washington, Oregon, and
Alaska — begin to implement the voters’ will to legalize
recreational use of marijuana. With the legalization comes
the need to power all that pot growing, processing, and sell-
ing, which has drawn the attention of the region’s public
utilities.
Utilities are looking at a number of issues, concerns,
and opportunities, from the amount of electricity the
cannabis industry uses to ensuring that the added power
demand won’t reduce the reliability or safety of localized
electric distribution systems. Many public utilities also are
concerned that increased demand for electricity will force
them to raise electric rates for all customers, while a hand-
ful of utilities see the emerging commercial cannabis indus-
try as an opportunity to boost revenues lost due to the lin-
gering effects of the Great Recession in the Pacific
Northwest.
“When we looked at the electricity consumption of a
single marijuana grow operation, that really got our atten-
tion,” said Joel Myer, public information and government
relations manager for Mason County PUD No. 3 in Shelton,
Wash. “We realized very quickly that this is a business that
will have an impact on our operations and our finances.”
Over the past three years, Washington, Oregon, and
Alaska joined Colorado as the only four states (plus the
District of Columbia) to legalize the recreational use of
cannabis. Washington voters approved a ballot measure in
2012, followed by Oregon and Alaska in 2014. Each state
is going through a process to create rules and regulations
for implementation of these laws.
Washington is about one year ahead of Oregon —
recreational sales of marijuana began in the Evergreen State
in July 2014. Washington also has put in place rules and
regulations for businesses that want to grow, process, dis-
tribute, and commercially sell cannabis. Alaska’s law went
into effect in January 2015, and Oregon’s law went into
effect just this month. However, state governments in both
Alaska and Oregon are still wrestling with creating the reg-
ulations and licensing procedures for commercial opera-
tions. Those should be in effect by January 1, 2016.
Some consumer-owned Alaska utilities are taking a
“wait and see” position until the legislature “hammers out
the details and the regulatory framework” by the end of
2015, said Joe Gallagher, director of member relations for
Homer Electric Cooperative. “It’s pretty unclear at this
point what the impact will be because nobody knows the
rules.”
Alaska utilities also have testified before legislative
committee’s writing regulations that utilities should be
allowed to inspect grow operations to ensure that all elec-
tricity usage is being paid for and to ensure the safety of the
electric grid.
COVER STORY
by Lance Robertson
Green doesn’t mean what it used
to in today’s utility industry
How utilities are dealing with legalized marijuana
T
“When we looked at the electricity
consumption of a single marijuana grow
operation, that really got our attention.
We realized very quickly that this is a
business that will have an impact on
our operations and our finances.”
Joel Myer, public information and government
relations manager for Mason County PUD No. 3
3. DWNNGVKP1Lwn{"4237 yyy0pyrrc0qti 27
In Washington and Oregon, passage of the ballot mea-
sures has set off a kind of gold rush in some areas of both
states as commercial growers jockey to create markets for
themselves. Utilities are especially interested because grow
operations often use hefty amounts of electricity. Oregon’s
law also allows for individuals to grow their own, which
may add to a utility’s overall electricity demand.
According to some initial calculations by the Northwest
Power and Conservation Council, growing four marijuana
plants indoors to maturity uses as much electricity as 29
refrigerators. The Council estimates that commercial grow
operations will increase overall electricity demand in
Oregon and Washington by a combined 34 average mega-
watts by 2020 — and nearly double current consumption
by 2035.
The typical indoor commercial cannabis grow opera-
tion consumes about 200 watts of power per square foot, or
about eight times the energy per square foot as a typical
commercial building and 18 times as much energy as the
average U.S. home, according to a presentation for
Northwest utilities conducted by Portland General Electric
in late February. In many cases, commercial growers use
large, high-intensity lights similar to what are used in foot-
ball stadiums, theaters, or other similar venues.
Mason County PUD No. 3 counts itself as a public util-
ity that is embracing the opportunities of legalized cannabis
while trying to ensure that existing customers are protected
from any negative impacts due to additional power demand.
“We see it as a benefit to our county’s economy,” said
Justin Holzgrove, Mason No. 3’s energy resources manager.
“We have cheap power and a rural setting, so they have
room to set up shop.”
Holzgrove estimates that the 41 state-licensed cannabis
growers already operating in Mason No. 3’s service territory
have added more than 1 average megawatt to the utility’s
overall demand. Additional growers awaiting state approval
could double that in the next year or so, he added. That is
additional revenue that will help the utility’s finances —
without impacting other customers.
Like many other public utilities, Mason No. 3 is below
the cap on low-cost Bonneville Power Administration elec-
tricity, but might fall into BPA’s higher-cost Tier 2 power in
the near future if the utility has to purchase additional
power to meet growing demand.
However, Mason No. 3 became the first utility in
Washington to develop a special “I-502” rate (named after
the Washington ballot measure). This rate structure is
designed to insulate the utility’s other retail customers from
the added costs of buying higher-priced power to meet the
needs of growers. Currently, the special cannabis-grower
rate is competitive compared to other commercial rates,
Holzgrove says.
“We ensured that we were providing a rate based on
cost recovery,” he said. “It comes in competitively with
other commercial rates” without negatively impacting other
retail customers.
Many other public utilities in Oregon and Washington
are wary. Ashland is a municipal utility in Oregon near the
California border. While it hasn’t seen much interest yet
from growers wanting to relocate to Ashland from
California, it remains concerned about the potential impact
on its customers-owners.
“It’s a concern because while we are not yet paying Tier
2 rates, we are getting close to it,” said Ashland City
Administrator Dave Kanner.
Ashland is considering a special rate to insulate other
customers if demand pushes the utility into Tier 2, but
Kanner said the utility doesn’t “want to target one industry.
We’d want to target all large consumers of electricity.”
Continued on page 28
EWEB Key Account Manager Tom Williams talks with
“Farmer John” at a medical marijuana conference in
Eugene in March. EWEB set up a booth to connect with
growers interested in expanding operations or relocating
to Eugene once Oregon’s recreational marijuana law takes
effect. Sitting at the table is EWEB Senior Engineer
Richard Jeffryes.
4. 28 yyy0pyrrc0qti DWNNGVKP1Lwn{"4237
Right now, Ashland is taking a “wait and see”
approach with the Oregon Legislature, which continues to
wrestle with how to implement the new law. One area of
concern is ensuring that cannabis growers be required,
encouraged, or incentivized to be more energy efficient,
which might keep demand from bumping into the Tier 2
BPA rate.
“Our interest is not in keeping business out of Ashland,
it is in incentivizing them to be more energy efficient,”
Kanner added. “They’ve got these 100,000 square foot
warehouses that are filled with 1,000-watt halide light
bulbs. They’re just a massive consumer of electricity.”
There are some barriers to conservation, however. For
one, many growers are not convinced that energy-efficient
LED lighting provides that same light spectrum for opti-
mum growing conditions.
Ashland’s Kanner also understands that not all public
utilities have the same concerns because they might be in a
surplus power situation.
“There are some munis way below their Tier 2,” he
said. “For them, it’s an opportunity for generating more
revenue. For us, it’s more problematic. But someone who
isn’t close to Tier 2 and who lost a couple of timber mills
during the recession might say, ‘Hey, here’s an opportunity
to recover some of that lost revenue.’”
That situation describes the Eugene Water & Electric
Board, which has seen its retail demand for electricity fall
dramatically, starting even before the recession began in
2008 with the closure of its second-largest customer, the
Hynix semiconductor factory. Its largest customer, a paper
mill, cut back on production, and a few other smaller indus-
trial and commercial customers fell to the wayside during
the recession. The utility sells surplus electricity from its
own hydroelectric generation, and also invested heavily in
wind power, starting as early as 1999. However, wholesale
market prices also have fallen considerably, reducing oppor-
tunities to sell its surplus energy.
“We are somewhat unique among other public utilities
in the Northwest, in that we are long on power,” said Mark
Freeman, manager of EWEB’s Customer Service and Energy
Management Services. “We have power to sell. Anything
that replaces low-priced wholesale power with revenues
from retail power is good business and good for our cus-
tomers.”
Two years ago, EWEB began developing a “business
growth and retention” strategy that provides loans and
other incentives for new or expanding businesses, as long as
they meet certain job-growth and other criteria. Marijuana
growing operations may fit within that strategy, Freeman
said.
“Grow operations use a steady, stable supply of power
and employ a lot of people,” he said. “Both of those are key
elements of our strategy — to encourage existing or new
businesses to expand in our community that need power
and increase our employment base.”
When Oregon voters passed the ballot measure last
year, there “were lots of giggles” among utility people,
Freeman said. “But the giggles have faded away. It’s serious
business now.”
EWEB also has engaged likely commercial marijuana
growers to let them know the utility would welcome them
as customers. The utility has engaged and targeted specific
COVER STORY
The “let us know” messaging
campaign grew out of at least
one incident in EWEB’s service
territory earlier this year in
which a medical marijuana
operation failed to consult with
the utility before increasing
power usage — and then
promptly blew out three
transformers in a commercial
area of west Eugene.
5. DWNNGVKP1Lwn{"4237 yyy0pyrrc0qti 29
audiences. For example, key account managers Williams and
Mangan set up a booth at the Oregon Medical Marijuana
Business Conference in Eugene in March, making contacts
and providing them with a “Let us know before you grow”
flyer that was primarily focused on ensuring growers
worked with EWEB to upgrade services and ensure reliabil-
ity and safety.
The “let us know” messaging campaign grew out of at
least one incident in EWEB’s service territory earlier this
year in which a medical marijuana operation failed to con-
sult with the utility before increasing power usage — and
then promptly blew out three transformers in a commercial
area of west Eugene.
Williams said EWEB is trying to be welcoming without
being overly promotional. “So many communities are
putting up barriers,” he said. “And by being welcoming, we
mean not preventing them from coming here or expanding.”
Mason County PUD No. 3 also is taking a similar
proactive approach.
“We’re trying to find the balance of walking the fine
line between a flashing green light of ‘come here’ and being
responsive to make sure our customers aren’t paying for it,”
Holzgrove said. “What we are hearing from
our customers is we need to be
business friendly but protect the
rest of the customers.”
“This is the law of the
land in four states, with
perhaps more to come,”
Freeman added. “We need to
recognize that this is an emerg-
ing industry and work to meet
their needs for power and
water. We have an obligation to
serve legitimate grow operations, just
as we have an obligation to serve a data cen-
ter or any other expanding or new industry to
our community.” NWPPA
Lance Robertson is the public affairs manager at Eugene Water
& Electric Board and is an instructor at the University of
Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication. He can be
contacted at either (541) 685-7371 or Lance.Robertson
@eweb.org.