RPS vs. CPS
Many ABG readers may know that the Senate is debating energy issues this week and next. I have snuck into the Senate chambers several times (via C-SPAN) to check on their progress.
As you know, electric vehicles keep appearing on ABG. Some have electricity generated on board only, but the trend is on plug-in hybrids or pure EVs. That means electric power has to be generated. How? Will it be clean or dirty? Will it be renewable like sun or wind or consumable, like coal or gas or nuclear? Will it be cheap or expensive?
The Senate created the Renewable Portfolio Standard in the 1990s to encourage utilities to use at least some renewables in their mix of energy sources. This has proven successful. The electric utilities have dipped their toes in the renewable marketplace and the states have encouraged this practice as well. Many (actually 23) have set goals for their regulated industries such as "20 by 20" – 20 percent generation using renewables by 2020.
Renewables are not, however, identically equal to clean energy, and not all states have sufficient wind or sun to make economic sense. Renewables can be dirty such as improper burning of wood. And clean fuel need not be renewable such as clean coal (burning coal with sequestration of CO2) or nuclear power (clean when being used but not clean when the fuel is expended.) Hence, some Senators have proposed a new standard focusing on clean, not renewable. Hence the new term "Clean Portfolio Standard" or CPS.
Related:
- Collected videos about this week's Senate CAFE debate
- Levin CAFE loophole for automakers appears dead
- Majority Leader Harry Reid: The debate on raising CAFE standards is over. It will happen.
[Source: US Congress]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mikeinBuilding7 5:14PM (6/15/2007)
I'm not so sure solar and wind don't beat all other source of electric power generation. The Coal, Nuclear and Oil industry are very successful at "cost shifting" the odious parts of the business off to the U.S. Taxpayer.
- Nuclear waste.
- Coal - strip mining, mining accidents, and mecury pollution.
- Oil, two Fleets off the coast of Iran, the Whole of the U.S. Army deployed in Iraq, U.S. funding Sunni groups.
Solar and Wind look down right Cheap if you consider all costs.
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mikeinBuilding7 5:17PM (6/15/2007)
Oops.
In the last paragraph you make that point.
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TG 5:24PM (6/15/2007)
A very interesting report with much more to follow on *Clean Portfolio Standards* er, that could also be *Clean Power Standards*.
For Canadians who persue this Blogsite, our Conservative Canadian government had some interesting things to say along similar lines. [U.S. contractors too.]
Against a powerful job protection lobby, here is some indication of progress by Harper and Minister of Transport, L. Cannon.
=====================
Thank you for your correspondence to the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, regarding the idling of trucks at rest stops. The Minister has asked me to reply on his behalf.
Minister Cannon appreciates being made aware of your concerns and has noted your comments.
The federal government is committed to building and maintaining a safe and secure, efficient and environmentally responsible transportation system in Canada, with the support of the other levels of government and all Canadians.
The ecoTRANSPORT Strategy is part of the Government of Canada's agenda to protect our environment and the health of Canadians and to increase Canada's economic prosperity.
Initiatives announced to date include the ecoFREIGHT Program, which features steps to reduce the environmental and health effects of freight transportation through technology. These steps include the following:
* addressing regulatory barriers to reducing fuel use and emissions by trucks;
* establishing a Freight Technology Demonstration Fund;
* providing cost-shared funding for the purchase and installation of proven technologies;
* building industry partnerships; and
* supporting up to four pilot projects to demonstrate the installation and use of shore-based power for marine vessels in Canadian ports.
For more information on ecoFREIGHT initiatives, or for details about plug-ins and electrification, I would invite you to visit the following Transport Canada website:
www.tc.gc.ca/programs/environment/ecotransport/menu.htm.
Natural Resources Canada is responsible for the ecoENERGY for Fleets Program, which was announced in February 2007. I have therefore taken the liberty of forwarding a copy of your e-mail and report to the office of the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, for consideration.
I trust that the foregoing has addressed your concerns. Again, thank you for writing.
Yours truly,
Richard Stryde
Senior Special Assistant
c.c. Office of the Honourable Gary Lunn, P.C., M.P.
=================
A bit platitudenous, but looks as though progress is being made. Both the reply and the link are appreciated. = TG
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TG 5:34PM (6/15/2007)
Oh-oh, If you still get a *Page Not Found*, just go to Transport Canada instead.
http://www.tc.gc.ca/en/menu.htm
Change is a given in government. = TG
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jcwinnie 5:54PM (6/15/2007)
Art, could you point your readers to the federal legislation that established a Renewable Portfolio Standard in the 1990s?
My understanding is that 1) such an effort was voted down more recently and 2) no federal standard exists, which is why a number of states have enacted their own RPS.
Now California is signaling that they will implement their own CAFE standards if there is no increase by the federal government, which is why there is an effort to prevent any State from doing this.
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