Colls's Friends

View All

colls's Groups

Solar Power

View All

colls's Page

Latest Activity

Profile Information

Are you interested in becoming an organizer in your area?

Maybe--But Not Sure What to Organize

Tell us about your experience with alternative energy:

I have seen beautiful solar panels on the homes of the more fortunate and am striving to get my own, I also love the Wind Farm in Atlantic City and would love to try to get one similar here in Cape May County.

What excites you about this campaign?

where I live we have a constant breeze and at times hard winds I have been researching alternative energy for quite a while and am hoping to put solar panals on my house in the near future. I am excited abt this plan because now I feel this may give my children a chance at a good future.

What do you want to do to help?

I am willing to do almost anything for alternative energy choices,so that they can be made affordable to anyone who is interested in lowering our (addiction)to foriegn sources of energy. I want a cleaner,healthier planet for my children, for everyones children!

Comment Wall (4 comments)

You need to be a member of PickensPlan to add comments!

Join this Ning Network

At 3:18pm on December 31, 2008, Jim Graul said…: Hi Colls,
I am Jim Graul the District Leader for NJ-03. What town do you live in? I am trying to organize my district and trying to see if you are in it.
Have a happy New Year.
Jim

At 12:04pm on July 19, 2008, colls said…: Thank you Matt for ALL of the information, it is time for me to do more research. You have pointed me in some great directions! Thanks again, Colls

At 11:40am on July 19, 2008, Matt H said…: New Jersey BPU is currently mid-stream with a 3 year environmental impact study concerning offshore wind farms. Our wind onshore in NJ is too weak to justify much investment (perhaps small scale, behind the meter). Offshore wind is stronger and more steady around the clock (the trade winds) versus onshore winds which vary based on the daily heating cycle caused by the sun, gusts are in the morning hours when the sun is coming up and the evening when sun is going down.

Here's a good link from the American Wind Energy Association that addresses NJ-specific wind programs and issues.

http://www.awea.org/smallwind/newjersey.html

Believe it or not, DelMarVa Power recently awarded a long-term power purchase agreement to Blue Water Wind for an offshore wind farm. They have yet to apply for offshore leases, permits, etc. The contract allows them one year to receive all regulatory approvals.

A twist for Delaware: the US Supreme Court recently decided in favor of Delaware's case against New Jersey concerning an LNG import terminal on the NJ side of the Delaware River. Delaware's case: their state coastal zone protection act prohibits industrial use of their coastal areas...which territory comes all the way to the high water mark on the NJ side of the river. So it would not surprise me if someone sues to stop the offshore wind park. And it may likely be an environmental ocean protectorate group that brings the appeal or lawsuit.

Appeals or litigation would mean years before Blue Water gets their necessary approvals (upheld).

Here is a link to the report of the independent consultant that reviewed the contract on behalf of the Delaware Public Service Commission. It provides a superb overview of the contract structure, economics, ratepayer impacts, regulatory issues. If you have some time, this is a very educational read for anyone interested in offshore wind or wondering why it's so difficult to pull off.

http://depsc.delaware.gov/electric/NEO%20Report%207-3-08%20FINAL.pdf

At 11:10am on July 19, 2008, Matt H said…: Oh, and the Guaranteed Initial Delivery Date for the Blue Water WInd project is December 1, 2014. Assuming they get final, non-appealable permits in one year. They are entitled to a day-for-day float of the schedule if permits get bogged down in appeals.

I hate to be cynical but the appeals tactic is employed with tremendous effect by well-funded opposition groups that can drag projects out for several years, frustrating the developer to the point he'll give up and go elsewhere, or causing a project to run up so much interest on debt for front-end expenditures (turbine purchases, for example, must be ordered ~2 years ahead of construction). The tactic is to delay so long that accumulated debt rise to breaking point before the developer can complete the project so as to come online and earn revenue to pay that debt.

It's what killed the nuclear industry and it's happening to coal right now owing to ambiguity in emerging state-by-state greenhouse gas and renewable energy laws.