A financial windshift for Delaware energy?

Eager to become the first northeast state to supplant a chunk of its fossil-fuel-derived energy with wind power, Delaware’s Public Service Commission has been all but flogging the state’s largest electricity producer, Delmarva Power, into a long-term contract with upstart wind farm developer, Bluewater Wind.

Bluewater is proposing to erect 150 wind turbines far enough off the state’s coast to be barely visible. The $1.6 billion project would provide 450-megawatts of power–an amount the company says is used by as many as 100,000 households in the state.

Negotiations between Bluewater and Delmarva have been progressing, but the utility continues to hedge. One concern raised by project critics has been Bluewater’s experience (it hasn’t built a major wind park in the U.S.) and its financial depth.

Both objections likely were dispensed with yesterday with the announcement that Bluewater is being acquired by international investment firm Babcock & Brown (ASX: BNB). ,

That’s a shot in the arm for the Delaware project and also could have implications for languishing off-shore wind proposals in New Jersey and New York. Bluewater had expressed an interest in both. Now, with Babcock & Brown’s financial backing, more serious attention will have to be paid to the young developer.

More to read:
Babcock & Brown’s press release on the acquisition
About Bluewater Wind
About its Delaware project
The News Journal story on the acquisition

A financial windshift for Delaware energy? Read More »

PA governor opens $15M biodiesel plant

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell has been trying for months to convince state legislators to adopt his plan for a $500 million fund to help develop an alternative energy industry in the Commonwealth. (See: Energy: A hot topic in NJ, PA and NY )

Lawmakers are debating Rendell’s plan and other energy proposals at a special session this week and on Wednesday, the governor was presented with a timely “photo op” to drive home the message.

Rendell called out “start your pumps” to launch operations at the new, $15 million Pennsylvania Bio Diesel plant in Potter, Beaver County.

“This is as important a plant opening as I’ve ever been to, probably as important as any of you’ve been to,” Rendell told a crowd of more than 100 guests, vendors, potential clients and politicians. “Folks, you’re looking at the future.”

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that:

“Biodiesel, a renewable fuel produced primarily from soybeans, is growing rapidly in popularity. In 1999, about 500,000 gallons of biodiesel were produced nationwide. Last year, about 325 million gallons were produced. Primary users are trucking companies and farmers.

The governor’s PennSecurity Fuels Initiative calls for companies to produce about 1 billion gallons of alternative fuel by 2017. It provides loan and grant incentives for biodiesel and ethanol producers, including a 5-cent per gallon reimbursement for the first 12.5 million gallons produced. “
Plant owner Patrick Copple will use a by-product of the biodiesel-making process–glycerin–to make grinding aids and additives for the concrete industry at Crete Technologies, Inc., a nearby plant that he also owns. He said he doesn’t yet have a buyer for the biodiesel he’ll be producing in a few weeks but he isn’t worried. He thinks he’ll be able to sell his cleaner-burning fuel for about the same cost as standard diesel and that should stimulate a sale.
A number of utilities, school districts and municipalities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey have been using a mixture of biodiesel and regular diesel in their vehicles and have reported few problems with the zero-sulphur fuel.
New Jersey Natural Gas Co. is using a mix of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent diesel fuel to power 32 trucks and pieces of construction equipment, including backhoes and towed compressors. Public Service Electric & Gas began using biodiesel to power vehicles in its diesel fleet in 2003.

Has your business experimented with biofuels or ethanol? We’d enjoy hearing from you. Just click on the “comment” line below and share your story with our readers.

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Energy: A hot topic in NJ, PA and NY

The great energy debate is just around the corner in New Jersey and New York and is already under way in Pennsylvania.

In Pennsylvania, the state legislature this week is holding a special session to deal with Governor Ed Rendell’s proposed $850 million Energy Independence Fund.

Rendell’s proposal would use $500 million of the proposed bond money to invest in clean-energy projects such as biofuel plants, solar and advanced coal technologies. $100 million would be made available to help Pennsylvania firms interested in expanding clean-energy production to attract private-sector investors.

Other money from the fund would reimburse homeowners and small businesses for up to half the cost of installing solar panels, pay for $100 rebates on residential purchases of energy-efficient air conditioners and refrigerators, and allow homeowners to install ‘smart meters’ -high-tech devices that help consumers target electricity use to times when the cost is lowest.

The governor failed to get his plan through the legislature in February and Republicans continue to raise questions about the size of the bond fund, just who will receive the incentive grants, and how the bond fund would be repaid. Rendell proposes to pay back the money over 30 years with a surcharge on consumer electric bills.

In the opening day of the special session on Monday, 15 new bills were introduced addressing various aspects of alternative energy investment and conservation. Yesterday’s issue of EnviroPolitics carried a description of the bills and links to full copies of the legislation. (For a 30-day free trial subscription, click here)

In New Jersey, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) are working on plans to help the state reach its ambitious goal of reducing greenhouse gases by 20% below 2006 levels (by 2020) and 80% below 2006 levels (by 2050). This would be accomplished by substituting clean energy (primarily wind and solar) for energy produced through the burning of fossil fuels.

In advance of the delivery of the governor’s plan to the Legislature sometime this Fall, the BPU in April adopted new regulations requiring 20 percent of New Jersey’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020. The new regulations also include a 2% solar set aside which is forecast to require 1500 MW. The governor’s office calls this “the nation’s largest solar commitment relative to population and electricity consumption.”

In New York, where Gov. Eliot Spitzer has called for reducing the state’s electricity consumption 15 percent below forecast levels by 2015, a report issued by the state’s Renewable Energy Task Force says New York is falling behind other states in developing renewable energy technologies.

One major obstacle, according to the report, comes from the complex and numerous local governments that have varying laws and restrictions that apply to installing new energy systems. New York also faces a competitive disadvantage, the report found, because other states provide substantially more funding for incentives to attract clean industries. For more on the report, check out this Business Week story.

Energy: A hot topic in NJ, PA and NY Read More »

New Jersey college courses going green

Two New Jersey universities are shaping special curricula to appeal to students with a serious interest in the environment.

Future engineers at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken will soon be able to take an environmental minor which is being designed to help them learn how electrical, chemical or mechanical engineers do their work to improve the environment as they develop or manufacture products or build electrical systems.

Monmouth University offers a bachelor of science degree in marine and environmental biology and policy. Students in this area of study focus on how the urban environment interacts with a coastal area and the public policies that develop or that are needed from that interaction. In conjunction with the new undergraduate degree, the university has established the Urban Coast Institute to conduct research and study the interaction of the coastal environment and tidal waters in an urban setting.

You can read more about these alternative educational offerings and others–including computer gaming and training for the casino industry–in Schools offer non-traditional majors which appeared in today’s Bergen Record.

New Jersey college courses going green Read More »

Smart New Jersey kids: Go to law school

The New Jersey Law Journal reports that first year associates at northern Jersey law firm McCarter & English will earn $135,000 starting in January.

And that just gets the firm in the running for the best new talent in the coming year, as other New Jersey firms are paying even more.

Topping the list is the Newark firm, Latham & Watkins, which hired six new associates this year and paid them an average $160,000!

For a list of what other Jersey firms are paying their new recruits, check out this Law Journal chart.

Smart New Jersey kids: Go to law school Read More »

Enviro-Events Calendar – September, 2007

Reprinted from:

EnviroPolitics
A daily compendium of environmental and political news and information
www.enviropolitics.com
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September 20
Global Warming, Telling the Local Story 8:30 to noon, Trenton Marriott. Shrinking your town’s carbon footprint depends to a large degree on successfully working with the press to inform, engage, educate and persuade the public about how to address the issues. To help you do that, ANJEC and the New Jersey Press Association will bring together New Jersey journalists, environmental commissions and municipal officials for a special half-day workshop featuring an all-star panel of experts and a keynote presentation by Governor Jon Corzine (invited). Fee for ANJEC members $35, non members $40 Half price special: 50% off your registration if you attend with a credentialed journalist. To register, call ANJEC at 973-539-7547 or email: info@anjec.org

September 20
Drafting Real Estate Purchase Contracts 9 to 10:30 a.m., Builders League of South Jersey offices, 114 Haddontowne Court in Cherry Hill, NJ. Allen P. Fineberg, a real estate shareholder at Flaster/Greenberg in the firm’s Cherry Hill, office, will present the seminar sponsored by the Builders League of South Jersey. The presentation will address land purchase agreement issues and will offer tips on how to minimize risks. Topics will include title and survey issues, environmental problems, development approvals, financing, defaults,escrows, option payments and due diligence investigations. There is a $25 fee to attend the seminar and a continental breakfast will be offered preceding the presentation at 8:30am. For more information, directions or to register, contact Marlene Spencer, director of marketing and operations at the Builders League of South Jersey at 856-616-8467; e-mail marlene@blsj.com

September 20
Real-Time Measurement of Radionuclides in Soil ITRC Internet-based training 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. For registration and information: Open http://www.itrcweb.org/ or http://cluin.org/studio/seminar.cfm. Then click on “Internet-based Training. CEU certificate can be obtained for a fee by contacting the registrar.

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September 21
Business Recycling Guidelines for Compliance 7:30 to 11 a.m., Somerset County OEM, 402 Roycefield Road, Hillsborough. Sponsored by the Somerset County Division of Solid Waste Management. Registration at 7:30. Welcoming remarks at 8 by Jeff Horn, President and CEO Somerset County Business Partnership; Guy Watson, Bureau Chief, NJDEP Recycling & Planning, and Dominick D’Altilio, President ANJR (Association of New Jersey Recyclers). At 8:30, “What a Business Needs to Know: Why You need a Waste Audit & How to Contract for Recycling Services” with Wayne DeFeo of DeFeoAssociates. At 10, Dawn Prandi, Environmental Health Coordinator, will discuss “Penalties and New Mandatory Items for Businesses: Used Consumer Electronics, Mercury-containing devices, Fluorescent tubes.” At 10:30, Ed Clerico of Carriage Farms-C & D Recycling will discuss Best Practices. At 11, Visit displays and dialog with exhibitors. The fee is $10 for SCBP members & Other Local Chambers of Commerce and $20 for non-members. No fee for State and Local Government Employees.

September 21
LEED for Schools Workshop 8:30 to 5, Trane Conference Center, 4 Wood HollowRoad, Parsippany, NJ Hosted by the US Green Building Council’s NJ Chapter. School districts are demanding green facilities that save money while protecting the environment, improving health and performance of students, and creating a better learning environment. Gain the knowledge needed to maximize green building practices for improving school design and performance. For complete details and registration information, click here

September 21
NJ Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards – Deadline for Submission -The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is pleased to announce the application process for the 2007 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards. The program was established to recognize outstanding environmental performance, program sand projects in the state. The awards recognize individuals, businesses, institutions and communities who have made significant contributions to environmental protection in New Jersey. Winners of the 2007 Governors Environmental Excellence Awards will be invited to a presentation ceremony and press event hosted by the Governor in the fall.Tentative plans call for a ceremony and reception to be held in Princeton at Drumthwacket, the official residence of the Governor. To download an awards application or to learn more about the awards program including past winners and project descriptions, visit the awards website at http://www.nj.gov/dep/eeawards/ The awards program is co-sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the New Jersey Corporation for Advanced Technology (NJCAT) and the New Jersey State League of Municipalities.

September 22-23
Pennsylvania Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Festival, Kempton, PA General Information Hourly Schedule Exhibitors Lectures and Workshops September 24 The New Jersey Paper Recycling Association will hold its next meeting at La Riviera Restaurant in Clifton, NJ. Guest speaker will be Melanie Harman, director of sales, recycling, for Weyerhaeuser Co. She will discuss the future of recovered paper. Anyone interested in attending is asked to contact George Chen, the NJPRA president, at (973) 340-8003, or by email at gttic@aol.com.

September 24-26
Air Quality VI: International Conference on Mercury, Trace Elements, SO3, Particulate Matter, and Greenhouse Gases Arlington, Virginia. Organized by: Energy & Environmental Research Center. Conference participants will gain up-to-date information and benefit from discussions on potential health risks, available and developing control technologies, control strategies and research needs, and current and pending regulatory policies. This year’s event will focus on: air quality impacts on policy; health and ecosystems; emission prevention and control; measurement methods and atmospheric reactions and modeling; and greenhouse gas issues. Web Site: www.undeerc.org/AQVI/ Contact: LaRae Foerster, lfoerster@undeerc.org Phone: 701-777-5246 Fax: 701-777-5181

September 25-27
Energy from Biomass and Waste is the subject of an international exhibition and conference to be held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Exhibit Hall B, in Pittsburgh, PA. Manufacturers of environmental technology will join with stakeholders from waste management, municipalities, energy-intensive industries, and the farm economy to discuss the value of waste. Waste-to-energy facilities and landfill-gas-recovery sites are what first comes to mind, but there are more options for waste as a resource: biofuels from plastics waste; so-called refuse-derived fuels made from residential waste and used to substitute coal in power plants; bioenergy from wastewater; and biogas from cow manure and chicken litter for heat and power generation. The “Waste to Value” session of the EBW Conference will focus on available technologies, best-practice reports, financing, market trends, and legislative issues. To view the program and to register go to: http://www.ebw-expo.com/

September 25-28
New Jersey Clean Energy Conference, Hyatt Regency, New Brunswick, NJ. Now, more than ever, it’s critical that businesses and municipalities develop strategies for improving their energy performance. Join us at the 3rd annual New Jersey Clean Energy Conference & Leadership Awards and learn about climate change solutions, how businesses and communities can reduce their carbon footprint, and how to improve your bottom line through clean energy and energy efficiency initiatives. USGBC-NJ is a proud sponsor of this event. For conference message, click here. For conference details and on-line registration, click here. (Early bird rates until September 1, 2007)

September 26
Environmental Business Council Roundtable Breakfast Meeting 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the PSEG Training and Development Center, 234 Pierson Avenue, Edison, NJ. The Environmental Business Council (EBC) of the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey (CIANJ) meets the last Wednesday of every other month to discuss emerging environmental issues, regulatory changes and new developments that impact the New Jersey business community. Lanny Kurzweil, of McCarter & English, LLP will serve as Moderator of the Roundtable and Tracy Straka, Creamer Environmental, serves as EBC Chairperson. Refreshments at the September 26th Roundtable will be provided courtesy of The EnTech Group, Inc. EBC Members and roundtable attendees include many of the most influential business people in the New Jersey environmental community including environmental consultants, contractors, private industry and the legal and insurance communities. The meetings are free of charge to CIANJ/EBC members and $30 for non-members. Registration is required and can be handled online at www.cianj.org/events

September 26
Strategies to Minimize Greenhouse Gas Emissions 7 to 9 p.m., Freedom Hall – Upper Merion Township Building, 175 West Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, PA. Moderated by Southeast (PA) Regional Roundtable Steering Committee member Doug Blazey, the meeting will focus on technologies and techniques that would sequester carbon, reduce energy demand, or substitute cleaner energy rather than “debate” how real is occurrence of global warming. Confirmed speakers include: Keith Williams, Buzzi UniCement USA; Allison Berkowitz, ERG and Thomas J. Tuffey, PennFuture. Individuals in need of an accommodation as provided for in the Americans With Disabilities Act who would like to attend this meeting, should contact DEP Community Relations Coordinator Lynda Rebarchak at 484-250-5820 to discuss how DEP can meet their needs. In case of inclement weather, meeting cancellation information will be available by calling 484-250-5820 after 4 p.m. the date of the meeting.

September 26-28
Sustainable Brands Conference ’07 Join us in New Orleans as Sustainable Life Media, Inc. brings together 500 business leaders from across the country and all industries to strategize ways to create competitive advantage through eco-innovation, set against a backdrop where the devastating effects of environmental change can be seen on every street corner. Event Website

September 29
Moonlight Walk A three- to five-mile walk around Historic Whitesbog Village and its surrounding bogs. Learn about the ecology and folklore that makes this slice of the Pinelands special. September’s moon is the Harvest Moon – a visual treat forboth nature lovers and casual visitors alike. Meet at the Whitesbog Village General Store at 7:30 PM. Fee is $5 per person. Guests are advised to bring water and insect repellent. Light refreshments available. Registration in advance recommended; mail http://us.f802.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=WhitesbogPreservationTrust@comcast.net or call 609-893-4646

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