tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43155831626937855132011-07-28T22:47:03.286-07:00A Journey of one Gen-Yer in understanding electricity & environmental markets on the development of renewable energy.Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.comBlogger331100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-18269504092789201412010-10-25T20:07:00.000-07:002010-10-25T20:08:03.630-07:00

It has been ages since I’ve had an opportunity to update Life in Energy. Where do I start? Hmmm…. The year has been tremendous: Lots of ups and a few downs, but with lots of life’s lessons in between. I had an opportunity to learn a lot- and learn I did. I also met some incredible people along the way that have inspired and encouraged me to seek greater heights and to continue on with my passion

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-3210620569028004422010-01-06T17:27:00.000-08:002010-01-06T20:30:57.195-08:00

I had the most amazing opportunity to meet Governor John Baldacci of Maine today after a press conference that I was invited to attend. About Press Conference: Maine Companies Awarded Energy Efficiency Grants Words cannot even begin to express my excitement as I write this entry. This should suffice for now: WOOOOHOOOO!!!!! YEAHAHAHHHHH!!!! It was a grand experience and one that I shall

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-55797250258032480862009-10-17T12:05:00.000-07:002009-10-22T08:55:48.473-07:00

Before leaving for Indiana, I was introduced to and spent some time going through a study known as the Regional Generation Outlet Study (RGOS) currently underway at Midwest ISO. In a brief sense, RGOS examines solutions for integration between MISO’s long-term and short-term planning processes by looking at several different scenarios for generation and transmission planning and comparing and

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-30187362546137585302009-10-07T20:18:00.000-07:002009-10-27T10:52:52.572-07:00

On Sunday I flew out of Maine to Indianapolis for a Monday meeting with an amazing organization located within the Indianapolis metropolitan area. After spending some time engaging with their best and brightest, I had to leave to catch my flight back to Maine. On the flight back I managed to get a window seat. Flying internationally is one thing; you get nifty TVs loaded with on-demand video

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-83689172994381653092009-09-20T09:30:00.000-07:002009-09-30T07:47:54.975-07:00

In 1973, OAPEC (Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries), Egypt and Syria participated in an oil embargo against the United States. The embargo was placed in response to the United States' decision to re-supply the Israeli military during the Yom Kippur War. The embargo eventually ended in 1974. In 1977 Jimmy Carter became President of the United States based largely on rhetoric about

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-79775259511287924172009-09-12T12:58:00.001-07:002009-09-27T09:42:52.258-07:00

Popped into the library today and picked up Energy Law In a Nutshell (1981) by Joseph P. Tomain so as to get a broad understanding about the subject. As I sit here looking at it, I know nothing about law (let alone energy law). What is it? What am I going to learn? I haven't a clue. With all the other books, I knew what I was getting myself into. With this book, I'm not even sure what it's title

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-59535677070581924032009-08-29T09:16:00.000-07:002009-09-08T11:05:04.130-07:00

It took me an embarrassingly long time to finish reading Alternating Currents: Electricity Markets and Public Policy by Timothy Brennan, Karen Palmer and Salvador Martinez. I suppose the real reason why it took me so long to finish it is because I found it, in all honesty, quite irritating and, at times, boring. (Odd since I can't wait to start reading anything on energy). However, this isn't to

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-88118709694272047562009-08-14T09:46:00.000-07:002009-09-14T19:25:52.227-07:00

If I told you that I wanted to introduce you to Professor Brent Haddad, what would be your reaction? Would you be perplexed by the name? Would you wonder who he was?If you're in the energy, utility business or an environmentalist- you should know of him. Professor Brent Haddad, together with Nancy Rader, helped to develop RECs or Renewable Energy Credits/Certificates. Yes, you read that correctly

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-73579634725540556342009-08-06T11:08:00.000-07:002009-08-21T10:17:33.505-07:00

Another trip to the library has resulted in me bringing home Alternating Currents: Electricity Markets And Public Policy by Timothy J. Brennan, Karen L. Palmer and Salvador A. Martinez.Book review coming soon...

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-32921754693311871452009-08-05T17:36:00.000-07:002009-08-11T20:50:52.308-07:00

I finished reading Renewable and Alternative Energy Resources by Zachary Smith and Katrina Taylor quite some time ago, but hadn't an opportunity to write an entry on it until now. Unlike the previous book I read, Power Play: The Fight to Control The World's Electricity, this one is far less exciting to get through. Within the text, the authors identify and present renewable and alternative

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-88743504771769956922009-07-31T09:13:00.000-07:002009-08-09T08:14:16.597-07:00

How do you integrate intermittent wind generating resources in a market with set protocols and rules that are perfectly suited for conventional generating resources?Faced with this self posed question, I turned to Texas for answers. Yeeehaw! Texas has one of the most vibrant generation markets in the U.S. It also is a state with high installed wind capacity. Much of this rush to install wind

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-52057585488608410592009-07-16T10:19:00.000-07:002009-07-16T07:58:40.294-07:00

What renewable/alternative energy solutions are available? To what extent can they meet world demand for energy? What sort of public policy and political issues surround their greater adoption and promotion?To help answer such questions, I picked up another book from the library earlier this week:Renewable And Alternative Energy Resources: A Reference Handbook by Zachary A. Smith and Katrina D.

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-44744471644354672582009-07-16T08:00:00.000-07:002009-07-16T08:08:58.463-07:00

To be honest, I picked up Power Play because I liked its title. After reading it, I must admit, I think its brilliant. If you're interested in power, influence, history, and, above all, electricity markets then you have to read this book. Beder's research, easy-to-read writing style and simple explanations to complex issues will keep you hooked until the last page. I thought her chapter on

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-67181567706608545272009-06-29T09:10:00.000-07:002009-07-16T08:15:11.431-07:00

I managed to get to the library over the weekend and picked up a book. This was my first time visiting the Maine State Public Library and thought it was excellent. The staff was pretty helpful, and it didn't take me long to find Power Play: The Fight to Control The World's Electricity by Sharon Beder. From the few pages I managed to read, it sounds excellent!Related (Internal Links)1. Finished

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-61608123714522495682009-06-28T10:37:00.000-07:002009-08-09T08:14:40.821-07:00

ERCOT, or Texas' independent system operator, released its annual “Existing and Potential Electric System Constraints and Needs” report for 2008. The report provides an excellent overview of the system operator’s continuing efforts to plan a reliable and efficient transmission system, and a brief summary of the Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) report it put together for the PUC.LoadPeak

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-86865335382730952852009-06-19T09:27:00.000-07:002009-06-19T17:26:10.240-07:00

Conditional firm is a type of transmission service that functions as a combination of firm and non-firm transmission services. A transmission customer using this service could enter into a long-term contract for capacity that might be available on a path. The customer would have firm service except for time periods designated in the contract, and would have priority over non-firm service for the

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-91067131839194213812009-06-14T16:02:00.001-07:002009-06-16T17:18:22.734-07:00

Not too long ago, I read EIA's “2009 Annual Energy Outlook” so you can imagine my surprise when they revised everything to reflect the effects of ARRA- American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). In the original projection, without the stimulus money, the picture looked great for renewables, but this revised version (with ARRA), further shifts things into high-gear for renewables. It also

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-74034853256429241052009-06-11T10:48:00.000-07:002009-06-13T07:34:17.613-07:00

Recently, I came across an article titled “Wind energy confronts shortage of transmission lines," published by USA Today. I'm not sure why I mention it other than it did helped me to focus my attention on wanting to learn more about transmission constraints.What are transmission constraints and what causes them?The answer turned out to be slightly more complicated than anticipated....Even though

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-69463313486864242382009-05-07T09:47:00.000-07:002009-06-03T12:11:28.874-07:00

It was purely by accident that I arrived at the website of Maine PowerOptions when researching about a similar topic for the Blog. However, the more I read about the organization, the more interested I grew with it until I simply had to get in touch with its Program Officer, Mr. Jonathan Youde. Our discussion covered a whole range of topics; from the organization's relationship with its sponsors

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-49617152425962262022009-04-23T18:22:00.001-07:002009-06-26T06:30:15.049-07:00

I became interested in what exactly our transmission grid looked like. Typing “Transmission+grid” into Google gave me tiny, overly-complex, and- more often that not- pictures of transmission towers. Then, mostly by luck, I found NPR's Power Hungry: Reinventing The US Electric Grid with a link to an interactive map. Wow! It was precisely what I was looking for. Thank you NPR and all the good

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-5306188175892196672009-04-20T13:55:00.000-07:002009-06-03T12:13:53.735-07:00

Fairly recently, I had an opportunity to interact with Mr. Michael LeVert; Maine's State Economist and Ms. Sue Inches; Deputy Director of Maine's State Planning Office. To me, Maine has always been an interesting state because of its foresightedness in making renewable energy part of its future. It was one of the first few states that started diversifying its energy portfolio to encompass

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-79013815863878766442009-02-21T15:21:00.000-08:002009-05-30T14:41:48.454-07:00

Have you ever questioned where you electricity came from, or for that matter what technologies were being used to generate it? What about the environmental harm you were causing by keeping that television on for longer than necessary? No? Don't feel bad. Sadly, a lot of us never bother to ask these questions to ourselves. Since starting this Blog, questions like these have been swimming in my

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-78726997552404607862009-02-04T12:50:00.000-08:002009-08-09T08:16:09.340-07:00

The Maine Power Connection (MPC) project is a feasibility study submitted jointly by Central Maine Power (CMP) and Maine Public Service Company (MPS) as a proposal to address a concern raised by Maine's regulators with regards to a lack of compeitition in the generation market in the North.The proposal specifies that the project be implemented in a phased manner:Phase 1:Connection of MPS service

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-25871178145593606762009-02-03T18:59:00.000-08:002009-08-09T08:15:50.671-07:00

The Maine Power Reliability Program (MPRP) proposal submitted by Central Maine Power will see the investment of approximately $1.4 billion to keep the bulk power transmission grid in the state of Maine reliable. Already conditionally accepted by FERC and pending ISO-New England's decision, if accepted the program would see the building of 313 miles of new transmission line, upgrade 183 miles of

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-47936768364843069852009-02-02T19:24:00.000-08:002009-08-09T08:16:25.097-07:00

I recently came across an interesting report titled "Report Card for Maine's Infrastructure" published by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The report discusses the health of the generation and transmission system in Maine. Based on its findings, it gave Maine a C+ and cited that both generation and transmission were “good,” but that reliability and security were a concern due to the

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-3047550601488209202009-02-01T11:06:00.000-08:002009-08-09T08:16:42.013-07:00

Maine tends to be one of those states that flies under the radar or gets misplaced in the grand scheme of things. Recently the state has sought to make a name for itself by questioning if it should continue its relationship with ISO New England. I believe this decision requires added consideration as working with the ISO has the potential to greatly benefit Maine in the long run.In 2008, Maine

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-1126843404973069632009-01-21T11:51:00.000-08:002009-06-05T16:00:54.010-07:00

Banking and borrowing are two flexible compliance mechanisms that may be used if a RSP allows for credit trading (or the unbundling of RECs from the underlying commodity). In many ways, the former is used to protect RE generators from REC price volatility whilst the latter is used to protect the applicable sector if production difficulties get in the way of meeting RPS targets. To guard against

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-25223413623503700772009-01-20T10:22:00.000-08:002009-06-26T13:49:17.610-07:00

Enforcement options are used to keep the applicable sector in compliance with RPS, but, if triggered, they indicate a problem with the policy. Two enforcement options may be used so as to ensure that the applicable sector is forced to comply with RPS. The first, is something known as an “Alternative Compliance Payment” or ACP. The second, is a straightforward penalty that may be referred to as a

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-2368208335258914492009-01-19T09:45:00.000-08:002009-06-26T13:39:16.379-07:00

A RPS can be broken down or structured in a number of ways. The Database of State Incentives For Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) has outlined 8 basic structural elements that may be used to compare RPS policies from state to state.A typical RPS would contain the following structural elements:1. Name2. Incentive Type3. Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies4. Applicable Sectors5. Standard6.

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-72276143986342150262009-01-06T13:29:00.000-08:002009-06-26T13:19:10.875-07:00

There are a variety of definitions for what a renewable portfolio standard is. Here are some:The EPA has a short and sweet definition. They define it as a requirement that an electric power provider generate or purchase a specified percentage of the power it supplies/sells from renewable energy resources, and thereby guaranteeing a market for

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-42822107846695831652009-01-04T09:36:00.000-08:002009-06-26T13:16:15.568-07:00

In the voluntary market, RECs are certified and verified by a third party to prevent double counting and fraud. There is no national registry for renewable energy certificates (RECs) and the instrument itself is not regulated. Because of this, these certificates may be subject to such things as fraudulent production and double counting. One way to prevent this from occurring is to certify and

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-1151217287838911942009-01-03T10:26:00.000-08:002009-06-25T20:38:56.178-07:00

At present there are two distinct markets for Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs): voluntary and compliance. Voluntary MarketThe voluntary market for RECs is driven by an underlying desire--or a conscious decision-- by consumers to support renewable energy sources. This is different from the compliance market for RECs where a mandate acts as a law requiring that a certain percentage of energy

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315583162693785513.post-50956211845940624802009-01-02T17:09:00.000-08:002009-06-25T20:21:04.859-07:00

A renewable energy certificate (REC) is defined as a tradable financial certificate that represents the premium for a unit of renewable energy over a unit of electricity generated by a non-renewable fuel facility. Alternatively, it could be defined as a tradable instrument that captures, or accounts for, the associated 'green' attributes of renewable based generation independantly of the

Nik Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17425108519506866315noreply@blogger.com0