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DESMOND FARRELLY (D)
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34TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT, United States - Share
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- Are you interested in becoming an organizer in your area?
- Yes
- Tell us about your experience with alternative energy:
- I currently am a board member of a privately held Bio-Diesel company.
In addition I am also involved in photovoltaic energy , and Wind Turbine technology.
- What excites you about this campaign?
- This is the year where I believe we are going to see significant growth in the alternative energy sector, while other companies are entering a downturn along with the economy, even traditional energy companies will be negatively impacted in a fiscal sense. However, green technology, specifically Wind Turbine,Photovoltaics, as well as BioDiesel should see significant gains in the upcoming quarters.
- What do you want to do to help?
- I want to help spread the word, not only as a business professional, but in my political campaign, that we have the available technology ready and willing today, all we have to do is develop the willingness to take that step forward and open up investment and wide latitude government price support for the creation and installation of alternative energy facilities
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Utilities push back big against Prop. 7
A November ballot measure to expand renewable energy produced in California faces a long, expensive fight, as two of the state's biggest utility companies have poured $22.5 million this week into beating the initiative.
"This is a declaration of war," said Jim Gonzalez, a former San Francisco supervisor and sponsor of the measure.
The recent donations -- $12.25 million from PG&E and $10.25 million from Southern California Edison -- come on top of the $1.2 million energy-providers have already contributed.
Gonzalez said he fully expects this is only the beginning of the utilities' donations: "This is the opening gambit."
The target of the funds is Proposition 7, which would require all California utilities to generate at least half of their power from alternative sources, such a solar or wind, by 2025. Utilities are currently required to provide 20 percent of energy from renewable by 2010.
In a statement, Southern California Edison said the measure "would upend the existing regulatory process, disrupt existing renewables development, significantly raise rates and threaten reliability."
Proposition 7 was placed on the ballot largely on the strength of donations from Peter Sperling, the son of John Sperling, an Arizona billionaire and founder of the University of Phoenix.
Sperling donated $3 million to gather signatures to qualify for the ballot. Gonzalez's firm has contributed another $100,000.
The fall ballot fight -- with deep-pocketed utilities on one side and a billionaire on the other -- could wind up as the most expensive of the season.
Gonzales would not reveal if Sperling had committed to future donations, saying the campaign intended to rely on an online network of contributors, though he added, "We will spend whatever it takes to win."
The measure has united a broad and curious coalition in opposition: Democrats with Republicans (both state parties), environmentalists (the Natural Resources Defense Council) with utility companies, big labor (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) with big business (California Chamber of Commerce), and so on.
"It's kind of like I'm uniting every warring group in the state," Gonzalez told the San Francisco Chronicle earlier this month.
So far, all the money has come from the utility companies, whose largesse, Gonzales suggested, played a role in securing the endorsements of the state parties.
"The utility companies can run but they can't hide," he said. "They can't hide behind environmental groups and they can't hide behind political parties whose conventions they sponsor."
John White, an environmental lobbyist who directs the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies, said environmental groups and renewable energy advocates oppose the measure because it was poorly drafted.
Environmentalists, White said, are "afraid that the measure, while well intentioned, is so poorly drafted that it could undermine the goals."
Even with such a broad coalition, the opponents of Proposition 7 face an uphill fight against public opinion. The Field Poll reported this week that, when read a brief description, 63 percent of the voters surveyed said they would support Proposition 7.
"We don't feel we have to spend the tens of millions they have to do to stick with the status quo," said Gonzalez.
Posted by Shane Goldmacher on July 23, 2008 10:02 AM
I am the moderator of EnergyTalk Radio at AlternativeEnergy.com
I am also engaged in the BioLiberty/Biodiesel project at BioLiberty.net
We are all working Green Mechanical Council to expand training in Green Collar workforce: GreenMech.org
July 10, 2008
Author: Desmond Farrelly,MBA/ MTM
There are a number of options that one has to consider, when weighing the many ways in which we can save on our utility bills. The average home owner can take steps to conserve their energy usage using the usual well known changes to the household. Things like setting the thermostat to a nominal 72Degrees F, changing out all incandescents with energy saving florescent light bulbs, or CFLs as they are known, to insulating the home with something as simple as new weather stripping around doors and windows. According to the California Public Utility Commission and other notable energy analysts, the cost of Electricity and Natural Gas is expected to rise, perhaps even double in cost to the consumer within the next two years. The projected rise in electrical rates can be directly attributed to the use of Fossil Fuels, such as Burning Coal, and Natural Gas to generate electricity. In large part, California relies heavily on the use of Hydroelectric power generation for the needs of the statewide power grid. This year is going to be a challenge for many utility companies to maintain the level of electrical output to homeowners and businesses because of the current drought conditions that have impacted the state.
So, when you have a reduction in the available water supplies being used to provide the mechanical energy to produce electricity from hydroelectric dams, there are few options other than burning Coal or Natural gas to supplement the deficit that the drought has created. One technology that has been gaining in popularity at an exponential rate, is wind turbine power generation. Wind Turbines have caught up to the modern digital world, in terms of power output variables as well as overall design.
Many of the newer companies are offering a new take on the old concept of Wind Turbine technology, light weight and high strength carbon fiber reinforced spans, as well as ultra high efficiency generators that are capable of producing electricity at even what could be considered nominal wind conditions. In short this new breed of wind turbine, is not your father's era of Wind power generators. The new designs entering the marketplace by a number of cutting edge companies , employ both high technology design to optimize strength, durability and overall lifespan, as well as the latest generation of power generators, that can produce reliable electrical production even with the slightest bit of breeze.
Today, you do not have to have a windy overpass, or gust prone location to install a wind turbine generator, you can produce a reliable source of off-the-grid, or if you prefer, a supplemental grid tie in system, in order to lower your overall monthly power bills. The advantage of today's wind turbine systems is that they are highly efficient at squeezing the available amount of electricity from even the mildest wind. The blades of the newer turbines are made with carbon fiber, computer balanced to spin accurately, and in harmony with directional air flow, however slight. In addition, the turbines have intuitive directional technology, they gimble as well as pivot to face the direction of the flow of air, they do not have to be fixed in any one direction or in one location. This is tremendous technological progress for wind turbine generators, in comparison to the last few decades. The scale of the turbines, as well as their application is also one that can be said is a buyers market. The availability of turbines to suit almost any application is surprising, as well as very affordable to the average homeowner. You can supplement your energy needs with a tie it to the grid installation, as well as go off the grid if you so desire. The cost of wind turbine technology has dropped dramatically over the last decade, to where it is not only an affordable alternative to paying the increased costs of utility bills, but in many cases these systems can literally pay for themselves over a short period of time, through cost saving to the consumer as well as energy buy back programs offered by many utility companies.
I encourage you to explore your options, there are many companies out there offering wind turbine products. But out of these, only a handful offer the newer digital era wind turbine technology, and ultra high efficiency electricity production capability like those manufactured by a company based right here in California.
EES Greentech is based in Fremont California, and offers the latest technological innovations in wind turbine generators. It is not only a California Corporation, but it is a company founded by Americans, and employs an American workforce. That is something very important in this day and age of corporate outsourcing of our jobs here in California. It is comforting to know that we have not lost our competitive edge, and we are once again riding the cutting edge of technology in our State. Check out their product line, and find a solution that is right for you and fits your budget, they are very affordable.
Remember, in order to invest in the future, you have to invest today for a better tomorrow.
References:
CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION
PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON
EES GREENTECH INC.
US DEPT. OR ENERGY
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
THE STATE OF MONTANA