Together, this significant duplication and overbuild of infrastructure costs customers billions. Sustainable management of southeastern woody biomass supplies could help to meet any RES target. North Carolina and South Carolina policymakers have the right idea by requiring regulators to investigate the benefits of establishing organized markets in these states. See http://www.epa.gov/oms/renewablefuels/420f07062.htm. has suggested that increasing the penetration of renewable . Energy Information Administration (EIA). Analysts from energy think tank Energy Innovation recently published a report showing that it is now more expensive to continue to run most coal plants than to replace them with renewable energy. Biocrops are fast-growing (sometimes hybridized) species dedicated to producing energy (electricity or liquid fuels) from all or part of the resulting plant.30 These are mostly perennials such as switchgrass or mixed prairie perennials, or trees like willow or poplar, but any other plant material could be used for biocrops. See http://www.ferc.gov/market-oversight/mkt-electric/overview/2009/03-2009-elec-ovr-archive.pdf#xml=http://search.atomz.com/search/pdfhelper.tk?sp_o=4,100000,0. The results for the Southeast make it abundantly clear that solar and storage is a cost-effective and resilient replacement for retiring coal plants across the region. The Southeast is one of the country's fastest growing economic sectors and one of the only regions without a competitive wholesale electricity market. A companion policy report to the Southeast modeling highlights successful state policies smoothing the clean energy transition for coal-dependent communities in Colorado and New Mexico, which could be a valuable model for the Southeast. In addition to the Economic Investment component, the Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy also involves ending large-scale, old-growth timber harvest and focusing resources to support forest restoration, recreation, climate resilience, and sustainable young-growth management. 29 Inorganic chemicals are used to dissolve the lignin holding together wood fibers, thus making the cellulosic fibers available for the manufacture of paper products. It gives an overview of the ORE status of the region in terms of its potential and existing policies that support the utilization of ORE as an alternative source of energy. Wood wastes from saw mills is a primary source of energy used by the biopower industry in its power plants, but if sufficient numbers of these mills go out of business, then the economics of biopower operations could change.52 There is little doubt that logging operations leave behind considerable waste wood in the forests, but going into the forest specifically to collect wood wastes may not be cost effective for biopower companies.53. However, numerous studies have found that renewable energy development has a negative impact on the . The latest on SEEM, FERC, and the impact on renewable energy The coalition of Southern utilities petitioning to form a new market exchange has responded to a second deficiency letter from FERC. However, the regions major user of woody biomass and producer of wood wastes is the forest products industry. These proposals reflect the broad and deep need for economic stimulus in Southeast Alaska. Through February 2009, RPS requirements or goals have been established in 29 states plus the District of Columbia.9, A major argument that has been advanced for a national renewable energy (or electricity) standard is that it would encourage increased use of renewable energy. Key findings - Southeast Asia Energy Outlook 2022 - Analysis - IEA 796 (17)(E)]. While the rate of underperformance was least severe in the Southeast (reported at 17% below the U.S. average), that region is the most prone to anomalies driven by physical damage (such as cracking, delamination, or . SE Asia Cost of Energy - RE Explorer Burning approximately one million tons of biomass annually, Plant Mitchell would be one of the largest biomass power plants in the United States.51, Collection of waste wood for biomass power plants may require a coordinated effort with forestry companies. The USDA intra-agency team continues to engage with Tribal Nations, Alaska Native corporations, municipal governments, local partners and communities, and the public to support economic development planning and implementation efforts. Approximately 53% of all renewable energy comes from biomass sources, represented by biofuels, landfill gas, municipal solid waste, wood and wood-derived fuels, and other biomass feedstocks. The region is home to 44% of the nation's total energy from woody biomass and a significant portion of other biomass types.25 Not all biomass is recognized as "eligible" to meet federal RES requirements due to differences in federal legislation and tax provisions defining biomass. Manufacturing, industry and services expanded across the region in recent decades. From mobilizing over $7 billion in renewable energy investments to facilitating nearly 10,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity (enough to power roughly 8 million homes), the United States Governments Clean Power Asia program is making Southeast Asia cleaner and greener. http://www.eia.doe.gov/glossary/glossary_c.htm. Energy demand in Southeast Asia has increased on average by around 3% a year over the past two decades, and this trend continues to 2030 under today's policy settings in the STEPS. AF&PA contends that additional income from trading in RECs by biopower companies could lead to increased demand and higher prices for biomass, thus forcing forest products companies nationwide to pay more for its raw materials. What are renewable resources in the Southeast? Renewable energy in Southeast Asia: Policies and recommendations Renewable Energy: Southeast Asia - Jahani and Associates The projects announced today have been allocated in the categories below: Tribal and Indigenous Interests total commitment of $12.5 million, which includes about $2.3 million for the six projects announced today. From mobilizing over $7 billion in renewable energy investments to facilitating nearly 10,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity (enough to power roughly 8 million homes), the United States Government's Clean Power Asia program is making Southeast Asia cleaner and greener. Generation sources within seven states in the Southeast RTO model. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, Biomass Cofiring: A Transition to a Low-Carbon Future, March 2009, http://www.eesi.org/030409_cofiring. The provisions of such a lawincluding definition of eligible biomass resources, price incentives for renewable electricity, and tax treatmentwould all affect the economic viability of possible projects and could affect demand for biomass resources. Making up some of this gap from market sources using procurement bids and new commercial solar or wind installations may be possible. Each idea or proposal was read by multiple reviewers. Besides, hydro and wind power can be considered as potential renewable energy resources. Yes We Can: Southern Solutions for a National Renewable Energy Standard. Methane is a more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, being 21 times more potent at trapping heat in the atmosphere over a 100 year period. Many consider carbon dioxide emissions from biomass sources as practically neutral, because biomass sources take in carbon dioxide during their growing cycle and release it when burned.17 Renewable energy is seen as a way to reduce fossil fuel use, and with growing awareness of the potential impacts of climate change, the role of renewable energy in reducing carbon emissions has garnered increasing public support. Major benefits for public health and the climate. The definition of what constitutes biomass has varied over time with changes in law and regulations, reflecting policy goals and evolution of potential uses. The definition of biomass would be critical to determining which technologies and processes would be available to meet possible RES requirements. Sign up to receive clean energy updates in your inbox. They are finishing up installing a solar panel array at the Aurora Apartments to help offset electrical demand in certain buildings. Thestrategy to be undertaken on the Tongass National Forest and in Southeast Alaska includes four primary components: As a part of the strategy, the Secretary of Agriculture made an initial commitment of $25 million to the region. Alaska Regional Office Peter Fairley, Garbage In, Megawatts Out, July 2, 2008, http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/21029/?a=f. Out of the seven states included in the model, only North Carolina has a meaningful renewable portfolio standard. See Plasma Gasification at http://www.recoveredenergy.com/d_plasma.html. The strategy prioritizes USDA resources and capacity to better serve the broader economy of Southeast Alaska. 65. The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) states: Biomass represents about two-thirds of the Southeast's near-term potential for expanding renewable energy. Virginia has a statewide program to convert coal plants to biomass, with several plants that converted during 2013. decision-makers and leading utility executives and renewable energy players from the most dynamic states in the region providing definitive updates on the issues you'll need to understand to seize the very best opportunities across this dynamic region. The Montreal-based international . After the municipal solid waste is sorted and separated, much of the remaining material is biogenic and can be prepared for burning in a steam boiler. The initial $25 million investment will be divided into four broad categories: USDAs initial commitment of $25 million to support investment efforts is a positive, near-term commitment in the regions long-term potential to support a diverse economy, conserve natural resources, and improve community resiliency. The intra-agency team reached out to schedule tribal consultations and sessions to engage and inform participants about the strategy and engage in discussions about opportunities for economic investments. But customers across the Southeast are still beholden to vertically-integrated utilities that own every aspect of electricity generation, transmission, and delivery. Figure 1. We are grateful for USDAs investment, and we also know more must be done. The majority of that capacity is expected to come from new energy crops.46, Opponents of an RES say goals for new renewable energy generation are unfair and cannot be easily met in the timeframes under discussion. Over the past decade, the most rapid growth came from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia and Viet Nam. To this effect, IRENA and the ASEAN Centre for Energy find that $290 billion of . CHARLOTTE NC - June 2, 2017: CREDIT: Mike Catanzaro, panel installer at Accelerate Solar, finishes [+] installed electrical wiring at a solar array he recently installed at a job site in East Charlotte. Southeast Asia's Renewable Energy Potential - BRINK The Southeast has also mostly retained a vertically integrated utility model, and most utilities in the region have not joined a Regional Transmission Organization or Independent System Operator (collectively known as, RTO). The intra-agency team collected diverse public input to inform opportunities for priority investments and in reducing administrative barriers that support a diverse economy, enhance community resilience, and conserve natural resources. Combustion of fossil fuels also produces the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Continue reading with a Scientific American subscription. Without additional details, SEEM fails to address many of the efficiencies of full RTO integration modeled in this study like reserve sharing, transmission optimization, regional economic dispatch, independent system operation and market monitoring, and market access for independent power producers. Introducing a Southeast regional competitive market that optimizes regional transmission and shares resources (key features of other RTOs) would save $384 billion dollars with approximately. Also called "combined heat and power." Not only are there immediate investments that will benefit the region, but there is also an eye toward the future with support for capacity building and technical assistance that will make these projects sustainable.. Myanmar reported its access to energy as 50 per cent in 2019. This incentivizes monopolies to over-build power plants, thereby increasing profits for their shareholders. Biomass power plants are tied to a "geo-economic zone" in which it is cost-effective to collect and deliver the biomass feedstock to the boiler. Energy consumption in Southeast Asia nearly doubled between 1995 and 2015, growing at an average pace of 3.4% annually. Different types of biomass have different procurement and collection costs, and transportation cost varies as a function of haul time and distance. US Department of Energy, Biomass Cofiring in Coal-Fired Boilers, http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/pdfs/fta_biomass_cofiring.pdf. Today, coal is the most widely used fuel for electric power generation in the United States. Engaging in meaningful consultation with Tribal Nations. Southeast Asia Renewable Energy Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Aided by a well-established, supportive portfolio of policies in nearly every Northeastern state, the region ranks second in the nation for both solar power . Juneau, AK 99802-1628 Harnessing these resources appears to be a promising solution for improving the life quality of rural villagers. The OneUSDA team is continuing to work with Tribal Nations, Alaska Native corporations, and other partners to distribute all funds in 2022. Listening to the importance of the sustainability strategy to local communities, learning about southeast Alaska culture, and meeting Tribal members and partners is an honor for me, said Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Dr. Homer Wilkes. Southeast Asia Used Construction Equipment Market Report 2023: A $1.47 This paper presents preliminary research on ocean renewable energy (ORE) in Southeast Asia (SEA). Plasma-arc gasification is an incineration technology which uses an oxygen-starved environment to reduce the organic components in municipal solid waste (or other biomass) into its constituent elements. Below are lists of the states and territories in the Land Trust Alliance's Southeastern Region, which includes the Atlantic Islands and the Gulf Coast. They have also been critical to integrating variable renewable energy wind and solar and capitalizing on resource diversity over larger geographical areas. Renewable Energy | Department of Energy Relatively low electricity prices have thus resulted in the region.22 New, renewable energy technologies have not been adopted to the extent seen in other regions of the United States thus far, largely because of cost and operational variability.23 When considered from a regional perspective, the southeastern United States does not have the high quality wind and solar resources which exist in other regions of the country.24 Although offshore wind in the region may have promise for southeastern coastal states, there are no commercially operating offshore wind farms anywhere in the United States. Actual job growth may actually be even higher when factoring in better regional competitiveness. For additional information, see the discussion of the investment tax credit and the production tax credit in the federal incentives section of the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy website at http://www.dsireusa.org/. The production tax credit is an incentive to business developers of renewable energy projects producing electricity whereby a developer can apply for a credit against taxes for each kilowatt-hour of renewable energy produced. This buildout of wind, solar, and storage generates 285,000 new jobs in the Southeast through 2040 compared to business-as-usual good jobs in one of the countrys fastest growing economic sectors, offering higher than average wages. connected to the .gov website. on official, secure websites. Increased battery storage and system flexibility also reduces the need for seldom-used gas peaking resources, which are mostly eliminated in the RTO by 2040. Solar project performance is worsening, analysis shows Prior to the devastating impacts of COVID-19, Southeast Asia was becoming an economic powerhouse. AMERICAN COUNCIL ON RENEWABLE ENERGY With high electricity prices, a reliance on imported energy, and ongoing retirements of fossil fuel power plants, the Northeast has a strong incentive to develop local, renewable sources of energy. Acceleration in Southeast Asia renewables development %PDF-1.6 % Knowledge awaits. This open-ended engagement ensures that investments were paired with a forward-looking approach to plan for longer-term action that are home-grown and responsive to local priorities, complement ongoing partnerships, and are inclusive of the values and peoples in the region. As a part of the strategy, the Secretary of Agriculture made. Virginia has a 12% RPS requirement by 2022. Southeast Asian Tycoons Step Up Investments In Renewable Energy Grants, guaranteed loans and tax incentives from the federal government may be viewed by such parties as the best ways for the federal government to encourage renewable energy growth. AC Energy is optimistic on renewable energy potential in Southeast Asia: CEO SINGAPORE Southeast Asia is going through an energy transition and there's opportunity to scale up. Southeast Asia offers opportunities to scale up renewable energy - CNBC Responsible Energy Initiative | Forum for the Future http://bioenergy.ornl.gov/faqs/index.html#overview4. corporations in a process that reflects the immediate and long-term needs and opportunities in the region. It is concerned that competition for biomass resources from new power generation facilities and from transportation fuel uses could drive up prices to the economic detriment of forest product companies. The Southeastern United States, one of the countrys only regions without a competitive wholesale electricity market, is dominated by monopoly utilities, which have favored expensive and polluting fossil fuel generation over cheap clean energy. Still new to solar, the markets in Southeast Asia are almost the inverse of Australia, Director of Solar Distribution Junrhey Castro tells pv magazine Australia. Does this mean we can just turn off all of these coal plants tomorrow? Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) called the RES a "moving target." Of these plants included in the analysis, both local and regional solar resources are less expensive than all of the coal plants analyzed. Notably, in the Southeast where wind resources are often dismissed, local wind was found to be less expensive than 30% of all Southeast coal plants and regional wind was found to be less expensive than 84% of all Southeast coal plants. Together were making a lasting impact across the Southeast. The definition of which types of biomass are eligible under an RES would determine which resources, technologies and processes will be available to meet a possible federal RES mandate. Alabama. Overview of the Quality and Completeness of Resource Assessment Data for the APEC Region. One portfolio would be to continue to operate these coal plants, and another would be to phase them out while replacement generation and capacity from solar, wind, and storage come online. 890, would establish a renewable electricity standard (RES).10 In the Senate, a renewable electricity standard was introduced in S. 433.11 Senator Bingaman had previously released a draft bill to discuss a federal renewable portfolio standard on February 11, 2009.12. First, with heavy reliance on fossil resources, Southeast Asian governments are promoting renewable energy as the region is endowed with a rich variety of natural resources [15][16][17]. Identifying short- and long-term opportunities for investments that reflect the diverse opportunities and needs in the region. A dozen or so moderate and conservative committee Democrats want to lower the target. But this modest proposal appears to extend rather than limit utilities power to retain expensive coal generation, ignoring billions in annual savings. Renewable energy development is constrained by strong economic growth. Spruce Roots mission is to drive a regenerative economy across Southeast Alaska so communities can forge futures grounded in this uniquely Indigenous place, said Alana Peterson, Executive Director for Spruce Root. Even amidst the COVID-19 global pandemic, we have achieved our goals through our four activity areas of improving power sector planning, fostering supportive policy frameworks, mobilizing finance and investment, and promoting enhanced regional collaboration.. The costs of delivered biomass fell into an estimated range of $1.66 to $2.01 per thousand BTUs, which was seen as competitive with coal energy costs for power generation. Georgia Power estimates it will require 160 to 180 truckload deliveries per day to supply the 1 million tons of biomass needed for the 96 MW facility. Renewable Portfolio Standards. Report Finds Renewable Energy Resources in Southeastern Region Diversity in biomass supplies will also be key if the resource is to meet competing demands.