EcoEKY: Green News from Eastern Kentucky

from The Earth Times:

AEP Utility Appalachian Power Issues RFP for Renewable Energy Resources

Posted : Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:47:30 GMT
Author : American Electric Power
Category : Press Release

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 1, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Electric Power subsidiary Appalachian Power issued a request for proposals today seeking long-term purchases of up to approximately 100 megawatts of new renewable energy resources to be operational by the end of 2010.

According to the RFP, proposals must rely on commercially proven technologies for renewable energy, including wind; solar photovoltaic; biomass firing or co-firing of agricultural crops and all energy crops; hydro (as certified by the Low Impact Hydropower Institute); coal mine methane; landfill gas; biogas digesters; or biomass firing or co-firing of crop residues, animal waste and woody waste.

Expression of interest forms are due by April 30, with proposals to be submitted by May 30. The company expects the successful bidder to be selected and contracts in place by September. RFP information can be found at http://www.appalachianpower.com/go/rfp.

The RFP is part of AEP's voluntary plan -- announced in 2007 -- to add 1,000 megawatts of new wind or renewable energy by 2011 as a component of the company's comprehensive strategy to address its greenhouse gas emissions. The addition of renewable energy to AEP's energy portfolio avoids an increase in greenhouse gas emissions that would otherwise occur if AEP used traditional fossil generation to meet growing customer demand.

"We are committed to increasing the wind and other renewable energy in our generation mix as part of our comprehensive climate strategy," said Michael G. Morris, AEP's chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Even with the growth, renewables -- in the near term -- will remain a small percentage of our total available capacity used to meet the day-to-day power needs of our customers, but they are of crucial importance to address the increasing concerns about the planet's changing climate."

AEP has made three purchases of long-term renewable energy -- two by Appalachian Power -- since the company made its 1,000-megawatt commitment in 2007. The previous two Appalachian Power purchases, both of wind energy, added 175 megawatts of renewable capacity for the utility that serves about 1 million customers in West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee. Another AEP utility, Indiana Michigan Power, has added 100 megawatts of long-term wind energy, bringing AEP to within 725 megawatts of its commitment.

"Seeking additional renewable energy resources for Appalachian Power's customers is part of a broader portfolio of energy solutions we are implementing as part of our climate efforts," said Dana Waldo, president and chief operating officer of Appalachian Power. "Regulators in West Virginia recently approved our plans to build a fully commercial Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) clean-coal power plant, a project that will push that important technology into the commercial mainstream. We will begin construction once we get the necessary approval in Virginia.

"The first large-scale validation of carbon-capture and storage technology will take place on one of our plants in West Virginia," Waldo said. "The nation's first utility-scale energy storage system is on an Appalachian Power facility near Charleston. And, through AEP, we continue to push for improvements in energy efficiency, including the development of systems to enable customers to make wise energy decisions."

AEP's wind portfolio -- prior to this most-recent RFP -- is 1,050 megawatts, which includes 310-megawatts of wind generation owned by AEP in Texas, long-term wind purchase agreements reached before the company's 2007 commitment and agreements reached after the 2007 commitment.

American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation's largest electricity transmission system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765 kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP's transmission system directly or indirectly serves about 10 percent of the electricity demand in the Eastern Interconnection, the interconnected transmission system that covers 38 eastern and central U.S. states and eastern Canada, and approximately 11 percent of the electricity demand in ERCOT, the transmission system that covers much of Texas. AEP's utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east Texas). AEP's headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio.

This report made by American Electric Power and its Registrant Subsidiaries contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Although the registrants believe that their expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, any such statements may be influenced by factors that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different from those projected. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are: electric load and customer growth; weather conditions, including storms; available sources and costs of, and transportation for, fuels and the creditworthiness and performance of fuel suppliers and transporters; availability of generating capacity and the performance of AEP's generating plants; AEP's ability to recover regulatory assets and stranded costs in connection with deregulation; AEP's ability to recover increases in fuel and other energy costs through regulated or competitive electric rates; AEP's ability to build or acquire generating capacity (including the company's ability to obtain any necessary regulatory approvals and permits) when needed at acceptable prices and terms and to recover those costs through applicable rate cases or competitive rates; new legislation, litigation and government regulation including requirements for reduced emissions of sulfur, nitrogen, mercury, carbon, soot or particulate matter and other substances; timing and resolution of pending and future rate cases, negotiations and other regulatory decisions (including rate or other recovery of new investments in generation, distribution and transmission service and environmental compliance); resolution of litigation (including disputes arising from the bankruptcy of Enron Corp. and related matters); AEP's ability to constrain operation and maintenance costs; the economic climate and growth in AEP's service territory and changes in market demand and demographic patterns; inflationary and interest rate trends; volatility in the financial markets, particularly developments affecting the availability of capital on reasonable terms and developments impairing AEP's ability to refinance existing debt at attractive rates; AEP's ability to develop and execute a strategy based on a view regarding prices of electricity, natural gas and other energy-related commodities; changes in the creditworthiness of the counterparties with whom AEP has contractual arrangements, including participants in the energy trading market; actions of rating agencies, including changes in the ratings of debt; volatility and changes in markets for electricity, natural gas, coal, nuclear fuel and other energy-related commodities; changes in utility regulation, including the potential for new legislation in Ohio and the allocation of costs within regional transmission organizations; accounting pronouncements periodically issued by accounting standard-setting bodies; the impact of volatility in the capital markets on the value of the investments held by AEP's pension, other postretirement benefit plans and nuclear decommissioning trust; prices for power that AEP generates and sells at wholesale; changes in technology, particularly with respect to new, developing or alternative sources of generation; other risks and unforeseen events, including wars, the effects of terrorism (including increased security costs), embargoes and other catastrophic events.

American Electric Power

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from the Harlan Daily Enterprise:

Cameras suggested at dump sites
By JOEY WILLIAMS
Staff Writer

Published: Friday, April 11, 2008 2:56 AM CDT

The severe problem of littering in Harlan County was the focus of Wednesday’s meeting of the Harlan County Chamber of Commerce.

Lakis Mavinidis, Harlan County’s solid waste director, was the guest speaker and noted that not only is littering a problem for Harlan County but one the entire country needs to address.

“We in America currently produce 350 million tons of trash each year. That is an incredible number. We could line semi-trucks up bumper to bumper from here to New York, and we could pack each of them with garbage, and it still wouldn’t be 350 tons,” Mavinidis said. “So, it’s not only just a problem for this county, it is a problem nationwide. However, we have to do our part as a community to help solve the problem.”

The county received $46,000 last year to clean up litter, but Mavinidis said the amount ultimately used to clean up the county was $53,000. He estimated that it will take close to $1 million to clean up all the remaining illegal dump sites.

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Board members suggested security cameras be purchased and placed at illegal dumping sites. Mavinidis says that is something he plans to pursue.

“We would need to purchase at least 10 cameras. That would probably run us about $1,000, but I do think that it would be money well-spent. I think this could go a long way in actually catching the people who litter,” he said.

Also announced at the meeting were plans for a new morning talk show host for WFSR. Barry Leonard, who is currently the pastor at the Harlan United Methodist Church, will take over the morning show Monday through Friday.

“I wasn’t even thinking about this kind of thing happening right now. So, it was definitely a total surprise. I guess God just has things in store for you sometimes that are his plans,” Leonard said. “I have a lot of plans for the show. I plan on getting the community a lot more involved. That’s my main goal.”

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from the London Sentinel-Echo:

City may take over recycling

By Tara Kaprowy
Staff Writer

Published: April 03, 2008 10:05 pm

Laurel County’s recycling center is facing major changes, ones that would greatly expand the program and put it in the hands of the city.

The city and county are jointly applying for a grant in the amount of more than $300,000. That money would be used to buy recycling equipment — a compacter, can densifier, glass pulverizer, shredder — that would make the program far less labor intensive.

London Public Works Director Steve Edge would be at the helm of the program. He is passionate about recycling and improving the system.

“This is something that’s good to do and in the future it’s something we’re going to need to do,” he said.

Edge has big goals for the program.

“We’re shooting for a 20 to 25 percent reduction of what people bring to the landfill in the first year,” he said.

Edge’s ultimate goal is to cut the amount of trash that goes to the landfill by 75 percent.

“My long-term goal is to recycle anything that can be recycled,” he said. “It can happen. It’s already being done in other cities.”

Edge also sees curbside recycling — meaning it would be picked up at people’s homes — in London’s future.

“Within three to five years, you’ll see curbside recycling in London,” he said.

If the grant is awarded, the recycling center will be moved from its McWhorter Street location to the transfer station on KY 192 near TLC Lane. In terms of expanding the program, Edge would eventually like to be able to recycle electronics, such as computers and TVs, as well as batteries and paint.

Edge also plans to get Laurel County schools recycling, and have trailers parked on-site.

Under the terms of the agreement, the city would “do the recycling and offer recycling countywide,” Edge explained. The grant application had to be submitted to the Kentucky Division of Solid Waste April 1. Edge estimated he would hear if it had been awarded to Laurel County in 30 to 45 days.

Edge feels London and Laurel County have a good chance of getting the grant. He said the city and county applied for the grant separately last year and were both denied.

“We were denied because it wasn’t a joint venture,” he said.

Now the city and county are both on board, and Rockcastle County has agreed to bring their recyclables to Laurel County to have them processed.

Getting more counties on board is Edge’s goal.

“We’d like to make this a regional center,” he said. “We’ve talked to Clay and Jackson counties as well. We’re looking to help the region instead of just this immediate area.”



Staff writer Tara Kaprowy can be reached by e-mail at tkaprowy@sentinel-echo.com.

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from the Ashland Daily Independent:

Approval for Boyd recycling program could come in July

By CARRIE KIRSCHNER - The Independent

Published: April 03, 2008 11:33 pm

ASHLAND — The launching of a countywide recycling program is in waiting mode while state environmental officials review a grant needed to launch the program.

Marion Russell, Ashland’s acting director of public services, said a joint committee of Ashland and Boyd County officials submitted the application earlier this month. Approval could come as early as July.

Russell said the grant seeks more than a half million dollars to be used to purchase equipment to run the proposed recycling program. Funds are also being requested for an extensive public education campaign, he added.

Ashland began recycling last September using prior grant funds from Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet to purchased 20 single-stream containers to collect recyclable items. The containers, paid in part with city funds, are now in place at four different locations throughout Ashland. As of the end of February, more than 88 tons of recyclable material had been collected in the containers, Russell said.

Ashland contracts with Rumpke Consolidated Companies to empty the bins on a weekly basis. The company handles the material at its facility in Hanging Rock, Ohio.

All that will change if the grant proposal is successful. The joint recycling committee envisions a self-supporting recycling program that could eventually turn a profit — the city now pays Rumpke a fee to empty the bins.

Materials would initially still be collected in containers at drop off sites throughout Boyd County and neighboring areas, but the materials would be sorted and baled at a jointly-owned facility proposed at the old county garage and then sold.

The committee plans to use inmates from the Boyd County Detention Center to perform the labor, although at least one full-time supervisor will need to be hired, according to the committee.

If successful, committee members say they would eventually like to see the program expanded to include curbside pick-up.

Ashland Commissioner and committee member Cheryl Spriggs said the plan has been well received both by residents and potential buyers. She said vendors interested in purchasing the material have already begun calling.

The committee has been working on the proposal since last fall, touring facilities in other Kentucky counties including those in Lexington and Maysville. A future trip is planned to visit a newly opened facility in Pikeville.

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from the Barbourville Advocate, April 4, 2008:

Haulin' it in by truckloads



Scrap metal price on upswing

By Eddie Arnold, City Editor

Judging from the increasing volume of scrap metal being recycled, the old saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” is apparently true. With scrap metal prices reaching near-record highs, a growing number of people from Knox and surrounding counties are taking to the creeks, hillsides and dumpsites of the area in search of metal they can sell to make money.

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from www.green-mart.org:

Green-Mart is now accepting old dry cell, and rechargeable batteries, inkjet cartridges, and old cell phones for recycling free of charge. If you want info on how you can set up your business, church, or other group for collection visit our links page.

Visit www.green-mart.org for more information.

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Middlesboro Middle Schoolers inform Board of Education members about global warming with a podcast.

From the Middlesboro Daily News:

Board members get lesson on podcasts

By Brandy Calvert/Senior Staff Writer

Published: Thursday, March 20, 2008 11:24 AM CDT

MIDDLESBORO — The Middlesboro Board of Education held their regular March meeting at the newly remodeled Middlesboro Middle School on Monday, March 17. Two of Mrs. Givens’ computer students presented their latest creation to board members- their podcast, “Helping prevent global warming”. By utilizing new technologies in their school, eighth graders Cassie Kirkland and Shayna Thomas showcased their technological talents and even taught board members something new.

Middle School Principal Steve Spangler spoke with board members about a recent review that the school received. Spangler told the board that the school system, school leaders and teachers were highly commended for creating a climate conducive of learning....

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