NYTimes Green Inc has a post on Gov Schwarzenegger’s position on renewable energy.

September 16, 2009, 1:58 PM

Debating Protectionism on Renewable Energy

By KATE GALBRAITH

Getty ImagesGov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California has blasted renewable energy “protectionism.”

One of the most notable elements of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s executive order on Tuesday increasing California’s renewable energy requirements was his blunt stand against protectionism. Clean energy imported from other states was welcome, the governor said, to keep down electricity prices.

“I am totally against protectionist policies because it never works,” Mr. Schwarzenegger said, later adding:

You have to understand that we get our water from outside California. We get it from the Colorado River, for instance. Why can we get the water from the Colorado River but we can’t get renewable energy from outside the state? We get most of our cars from outside the state; why can’t we get renewable energy?

This is probably a smart move as the California environmental groups fight renewable energy projects.

Disputed solar project in Calif. desert dropped

By Elisabeth Rosenthal
The New York Times

• 9 comments

A proposed solar-energy project in the California desert that caused intense friction between environmentalists and the developers of renewable energy has been shelved.

BrightSource Energy had planned a 5,130-acre solar power farm in a remote part of the Mojave Desert, on land previously intended for conservation. The company, based in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday said it was instead seeking an alternative site for the project.

Seattletimes.com writes that California’s renewable energy targets will drive up energy prices in Washington state.

California's appetite for green power could boost rates here

California may come hunting soon for large amounts of wind power from the Pacific Northwest, and that has many Washington utilities worried about increased competition and higher electric bills for consumers.

By Andrew Garber

Seattle Times staff reporter

Related

• Schwarzenegger signs order boosting clean power
• Calif. lawmakers weigh rules on renewable energy

California may come hunting soon for large amounts of wind power from the Pacific Northwest, and that has many Washington utilities worried about increased competition and higher electric bills for consumers.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an executive order last week requiring California to get 33 percent of its energy from green sources such as wind, solar and geothermal by 2020. That's up from an earlier 20 percent mandate.

Given California's population of about 38 million people, the move is expected to create a major shift in the world of renewable energy.

"This is really going to be felt from the tip of northern British Columbia down to Mexico and all across the West," said Steve Ernst, editor of the Northwest energy-policy newsletter Clearing Up.

One government estimate says California would need an additional 5,700 average megawatts of renewable energy — enough to power more than 3.7 million homes. Washington utilities, by comparison, are projected to need an additional 1,000 average megawatts of renewable energy by 2020 to meet their own requirements mandated by Initiative 937. An average megawatt is 1 megawatt of electricity delivered continuously for one year.

Does this mean the electricity gets imported?  Not necessarily, the “unbundled renewable energy credits could be purchased.”

Some Northwest utilities are particularly concerned about something the industry calls "unbundled renewable energy credits."

Basically, California power companies could purchase green-energy credits from Northwest wind farms, but not pay to transmit the electricity to California. In other words, they'd leave the electricity here but still get credit for the green energy.

It is not going to be easy to calculate your carbon footprint in a California based data center.  Do you assume in 2020 33% of your energy is carbon free?

DataCenterKnowledge has a post on the DSIRE web site.

Database of Renewable Energy Incentives

July 23rd, 2009 : Rich Miller

 

Renewable energy is playing a larger role in data center site location, as companies seek to address energy efficiency goals and the prospect of federal carbon regulation. Sorting out the many incentive programs can be a lot of work, but is critical to assessing the economics of one state versus another.  

Where does this information come from?

The information on the DSIRE web site is based on the DSIRE staff’s analysis of statutes, enacted legislation, administrative rules, public utilities commission orders, executive orders, program guidelines, program web sites, and scores of newsletters and news digests. In addition, the DSIRE staff receives information from contacts at state energy offices, public utilities commissions and other government agencies; utilities; non-profit organizations; businesses; and the general public. The DSIRE staff proactively communicate with program administrators to verify or update incentives and policies currently included in DSIRE, and to obtain details and clarification of new incentives and policies.

Who is behind DSIRE?  Here is the about page.

Established in 1995, the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) is an ongoing project of the North Carolina Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). It is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), primarily through the Office of Planning, Budget and Analysis (PBA). The site is administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), which is operated for DOE by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

The N.C. Solar Center serves as a clearinghouse for solar and other renewable energy programs, information, research, technical assistance, and training for the citizens of North Carolina and beyond. Through its programs and services, the N.C. Solar Center seeks to stabilize energy costs for consumers, stimulate local economies, reduce dependence on foreign fuels, and mitigate the environmental impacts associated with fossil fuels. Established in 1988, the N.C. Solar Center is operated by N.C. State University’s College of Engineering at North Carolina State University.

IREC’s mission is to accelerate the use of renewable energy sources and technologies in and through state and local government and community activities. Formed in 1980, IREC supports market-oriented services targeted at education, coordination, procurement, the adoption and implementation of uniform guidelines and standards, and consumer protection. IREC’s members include state and local government agencies, national laboratories, solar and renewable organizations and companies, and individuals.

EERE’s mission is to strengthen America’s energy security, environmental quality and economic vitality in public-private partnerships that enhance energy efficiency and productivity; bring clean, reliable and affordable energy technologies to the marketplace; and make a difference in the everyday lives of Americans by enhancing their energy choices and their quality of life.

NREL is DOE’s primary national laboratory for developing renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and practices, advancing related science and engineering, and transferring knowledge and innovations to address the nation's energy and environmental goals.

The Search page allows you to look for specific areas.

At Data Center Dynamics SF, I had a chance to meet Carl Zichella, Director of Western Renewable Program , CA, NV, HI.  Carl has been going to DCD for years, and here are a few of his comments in a video from past conferences.

Given Carl’s expertise I asked what resources he would point to research renewable energy. NREL was his first suggestion.

NREL has GIS data their team has published.

This site also provides access to our FTP site where you can download data and Geospatial Toolkits.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Geographic Information System (GIS) team analyzes wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and other energy resources and inputs the data into the GIS—Geographic Information System. Read more about NREL's GIS team and the map server that creates the dynamically generated maps.

There is a ppt to see what the data looks like.

For a quick snapshot of U.S. resource maps for various renewable energy technologies, access the Renewable Energy Technology Resource Maps for the United States (PowerPoint 6.7 MB) presentation on this Web site.

For Californians, you can check out California Energy Commission’s Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative (RETI).

Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative (RETI)

California has adopted energy policies that require substantial increases in the generation of electricity from renewable resources. Extensive improvements, however, are needed to California's electric transmission infrastructure to get the electricity generated by new renewable power facilities to consumers.

The Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative (RETI) is a statewide initiative to help identify the transmission projects needed to accommodate these renewable energy goals, support future energy policy, and facilitate transmission corridor designation and transmission and generation siting and permitting. RETI will be an open and transparent collaborative process in which all interested parties are encouraged to participate.

RETI will assess all competitive renewable energy zones in California and possibly also in neighboring states that can provide significant electricity to California consumers by the year 2020. RETI also will identify those zones that can be developed in the most cost effective and environmentally benign manner and will prepare detailed transmission plans for those zones identified for development.

One specific question I asked Carl at the end is "Why do you attend DCD SF regularly?” Carl went on to explain that data centers and the associated high technology companies are the most innovative group he has encountered pushing for renewable energy.

We exchanged many other ideas, and I’ll have more to write about Carl Zichella and the Sierra Club’s efforts as renewable energy is an essential part of a green data center strategy.