Renewable Mandates | Green Energy News

November 21, 2004 – Vol.9 No.35

RENEWABLE MANDATES.

At first glance Pennsylvania’s recently signed Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act (AEPSA) doesn’t sit well along side other state’s Renewable Portfolio Standards, such as that approved by voters on November 2 in Colorado. AEPSA includes non-renewable fossil fuels.

However AEPSA is exactly what its title implies - alternative energy. (The term “alternative” can include renewables, but not exclusively or necessarily.)

Alternatives listed as Tier 2 energy resources in the legislation include power generation from existing trash incinerators, the burning of waste coal and natural gas from coal mines, the burning of gas from digestion of factory farm waste, the burning of unfiltered, toxic landfill gases, and the burning of crops, animal wastes, trees and paper mill wastes as well as energy efficiency measures.

The legislation divides the above Tier 2 resources from Tier 1, which includes wind and solar. In 15 years 8 percent of power must be from Tier 1 resources and by then 10 percent must come from Tier 2 resources.

Despite complaints about the measure, 8 percent of power from Tier 1 resources in 15 years is respectable.

Colorado's measure demands three percent renewables by 2007, 10 percent by 2010 with 4 percent of that solar.

The group Citizen Power gave the AEPSA the thumbs down, Citizen’s For Pennsylvania's’ Future (PennFuture) the thumbs up. An independent study from Platt's (see World Wind Watch, below) expects good things for wind energy in Pennsylvania.

Visit Citizen Power at http://www.citizenpowerinc.org/ and PennFuture at http://www.pennfuture.org/ .