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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) on Friday introduced H.R. 2286, the Renewable Energy Parity Act of 2011, bipartisan legislation that would ensure all renewable energy sources are able to compete in the growing market for renewable and alternative energy fuels.
Under current tax law, some renewable energy technologies are only eligible for part of an existing federal tax credit for the development of alternative energy sources.
Thompson's bill would level the playing field by extending the full tax credit amount to qualifying renewable energy technologies.
“Not all alternative energy technologies are treated equally under current tax law, and it’s hurting American consumers,” said Thompson. “If our country is going to be a leader in the emerging green economy, alternative energy technologies need to receive comparable tax credits for the energy they produce. That way, energy producers will have the necessary incentives to bring the best renewable energy technologies to the marketplace.”
Currently, companies that engage in the production and sale of electricity through the use of renewable energy technologies may qualify for a federal production tax credit under Section 45 of the U.S. tax code.
However, only energy from wind, geothermal, and closed-loop biomass facilities qualify for the full tax credit amount of 2.2 cents per kilowatt hour.
Other renewable energy technologies such as land-fill gas recovery and wave and tidal energy receive only half of that amount – 1.1 cents per kilowatt hour.
By extending the full tax credit amount to eligible alternative energy sources, Rep. Thompson’s legislation will give producers additional incentives to invest in cutting-edge energy technologies and bring more choices to the energy marketplace.
In California’s First Congressional District, beneficiaries of the bill would include open-loop biomass power plants in Eureka, Scotia, Woodland and Blue Lake.
Open-loop systems, which burn waste wood to generate electrical power, are one of the renewable energy technologies that receive only a partial tax credit under current law.
“Congressman Thompson's leadership in supporting investment in biomass facilities, and advancements in technology, increase the opportunity to tap into potential domestic energy resources that are currently under utilized, or treated as waste,” said Stephen Sorrentino, vice president of DTE Energy Services, which operates a biomass power plant in Woodland. “And in addition to its environmental benefits, biomass power is good for the economy. America’s biopower industry provides some 14,000 quality jobs and generates about $1 billion a year for the nation’s economy. Each biomass power plant contributes about $8 to $14 million annually to the local communities where they operate in payroll, purchases, and property tax revenue.”
Biomass power is an important source of green energy and jobs in California. Biomass facilities provide approximately 1.5 percent of California’s overall power and over 17 percent of the state’s renewable power. The biomass industry employs about 750 direct jobs at the state’s 33 biomass facilities and 1,200 to 1,500 dedicated indirect jobs in the fuel supply infrastructure. Most of these jobs are in rural areas of the state, including parts of Northern California.
“At the Fairhaven facility in Humboldt County, our 22 permanent employees and more than 40 indirect supplier positions provide substantial economic benefits to the local economy, all while the facility produces more renewable energy than a wind or solar facility of perhaps three to four times its size,” said John Wood, Executive Vice President EWP Renewable Corporation. “Keeping these plants productive through Congressman Thompson’s proposal is critical to sustaining these renewable energy benefits and jobs in Humboldt County.”
Hugh Smith, president of Greenleaf Power, a California-based company that operates a biomass power plant in Scotia, added, “We applaud Congressman Mike Thompson for being supportive of the biomass industry. The Congressman understands that thousands of Americans rely on the biomass industry for their livelihood. While other forms of renewable energy receive greater publicity, biomass is a safe, reliable and renewable form of sustainable energy that promotes environmental stewardship.”
Thompson represents California’s First Congressional District, which includes Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and portions of Sonoma and Yolo counties. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and Co-Chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.
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Businesses located along Main Street in both Kelseyville and Lower Lake are encouraged to take advantage of this program.
The impacts of these improvement projects will enhance the overall appearance of the community and create a clean, safe and attractive image conducive to commerce.
A program similar to this one has been very successful in the Northshore area.
Façade improvements may include: façade cleaning, masonry restoration, painting, signage, storefront windows, and lighting.
Program participants may qualify for up to $10,000 in grant funding which they must in turn contribute a 50 percent match towards the improvements.
The deadline for applications is July 15, 2011.
Program guidelines stipulate the following:
The business must be a micro enterprise (five or fewer employees).
The household income of the business owner must meet certain income requirements.
Business owners who don’t own their building must obtain authorization from the building owner.
All façade improvement work must be performed by a licensed contractor.
For more information about the façade improvement program, contact the Lake County Administrative Office at (707)263-2580.
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Nearly 56 billion aluminum cans were recycled in 2010, leading to a used beverage container (UBC) recycling rate of 58.1 percent – the highest in 11 years.
Because it takes 95 percent less energy to produce a can from recycled material, the high recycling rate also resulted in significant energy savings.
The amount of energy saved just from recycling cans in 2010 is equal to the energy equivalent of 17 million barrels of crude oil, or nearly two days of all U.S. oil imports.
“We are pleased the recycling rate has increased from last year – this is a boost for our industry and further evidence that the aluminum beverage can is the best environmental and sustainability packaging option,” said Steve Larkin, president, The Aluminum Association. “Of course we must do more at the federal, state and local levels to enact recycling policies and awareness, and this is a task we continue to pursue aggressively. We continue to look for partners who are also sincere about making a real change in how we approach recycling in the U.S. today.”
Aluminum beverage cans are unique in that they can be infinitely recycled back into new cans, keeping waste out of landfills and providing a significant amount of the material to make new cans.
Aluminum cans not only have the highest recycling rate of all beverage packages, they also have the greatest amount of recycled content – by far – at 68 percent.
“There’s a huge difference between what’s recyclable and what’s actually recycled,” said CMI President Robert Budway. “Not only are cans infinitely recyclable back into new cans, they actually are being recycled at a rate nearly twice that of every other beverage package. This, coupled with the fact that aluminum cans have the highest recycled content and provide the longest shelf life of any beverage package, underscores why the can truly is the sustainable solution for twenty-first century packaging.”
“As the first link in the manufacturing supply chain, the scrap recycling industry provides vital feedstock material sought after by industrial customers around the world, including more than 4.6 million metric tons of aluminum scrap processed in the United States and shipped throughout the United States and more than 50 countries in 2010,” said Robin Wiener, president of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries.
“Aluminum cans represent a valuable portion of these recyclable commodities,” Wiener added. “Recycling is much, much bigger than the bin at the curb. Our industry provided a $77 billion boost to the U.S. economy in 2010, protected our environment and helped save energy and natural resources.”
The aluminum beverage can is the most valuable package in the recycling stream and is the only packaging material that covers the cost of its own collection and reprocessing.
In 2008, the Aluminum Association adopted a goal of recycling 75 percent of aluminum cans by 2015. The recycling rate at that time was 54.2 percent, and it has been gradually climbing upward since then; the 2009 UBC recycling rate was 57.4 percent.
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According to AAA, which tracks gas prices as a service to consumers, every Northern California metro area tracked by the organization saw a double digit decrease at the pump over the past month.
The Golden State’s average for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is $3.94, down 32 cents since last month’s AAA report on May 10. For perspective, that’s 86 cents higher than California’s average price on this date last year.
Among all 50 states, California now has the fourth highest state average price for regular, unleaded gasoline. Alaska is first and Hawaii, Connecticut, and Illinois are tied for the second highest average price, while New York is third.
Northern California gas prices are now averaging $3.92, down 33 cents from last month. In the San Francisco Bay Area, motorists can expect to pay an average price of $4.02, which is a 30-cent drop. The national average price of $3.70 is down by 25 cents, which is $1.00 more than the national price on this date last year, when it was $2.70.
“Consumers continue to experience welcome relief at the pump as gasoline markets in the U.S. are returning to relatively lower prices,” explained AAA Northern California spokesperson Matt Skryja. “Gasoline demand is down over the last week after it steadily rose for the four weeks prior. Speculation about where oil demand might go for the second half of 2011 continues to cause controversy worldwide.”
At its meeting last week in Vienna, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was unable to come to a consensus about whether its members should increase oil production to meet the rising global demand forecast for the remainder of 2011.
The meeting ended in confusion and without consensus on production levels which is unusual for a group that relies on unification to influence the market.
The Saudi Oil Minister has now said that his country will meet the needs of the market regardless of the disagreement.
This action is expected to apply downward pressure on crude prices. OPEC member countries collectively hold 79 percent of global crude oil reserves and account for 44 percent of global production.
The United States imports almost six million barrels per day of crude oil from OPEC countries, accounting for nearly a third of U.S. consumption.
The least expensive average price in Northern California can be found in Marysville, where regular is $3.78.
Of all the metro areas in Northern California where gas prices are tracked by AAA, Eureka’s average price of $4.17 is the highest.
The highest price reported by AAA in the lower 48 states is in Chicago, Illinois, where the average is $4.18.
The least expensive gasoline in the country is found in the metro area of Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson, South Carolina, where the average price of gas is $3.37.
Wailuku, Hawaii, holds the dubious crown for the highest average price in the nation, at $4.40 per gallon.
AAA now offers text alerts via mobile phone for low gas prices in your area. Sign up today at www.aaa.com/gas.