35, Landfill gas from decomposing organic matter in landfills can be collected and used to generate electricity, if it is present in suitable quantities and is of a high enough quality in its energy content.36 As such, landfill gas is usually a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide, and may contain other contaminants requiring treatment or removal before the gas can be used as fuel to produce steam for power generation.37, As an alternative to burying the volumes of trash collected by cities and towns, waste-to-energy facilities can use municipal solid waste directly as a fuel source to generate electricity. While the rate of underperformance was least severe in the Southeast (reported at 17% below the U.S. average), that region is the most prone to anomalies driven by physical damage (such as cracking, delamination, or . Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, Direct: 907.463.7368 | Email: communications@ccthita-nsn.gov. The news was shared during a collaborative virtual, partner-led event hosted by the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida), Southeast Conference, Spruce Root, and USDA leaders. May 2008. http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/alternate/page/renew_energy_consump/table1.html. Podcasts Factor This! 796 (17)(E)]. 27 Thus, wood waste may be burned in biomass boilers specifically for "hog fuel" (basically wood waste other than lignin) to produce steam for process uses and electricity generation.28. Nearly all Southeast coal plants cost more to run than replacing them with new wind and solar, so continuing to run these uneconomic resources forces customers to foot the bill and inhale dirty air. A federal RES mandate and consistent, long-term financial incentives are also seen by supporters as necessary to increase renewable electricity generation to attain the goals of cleaner energy and greater energy security. See http://www.epa.gov/oms/renewablefuels/420f07062.htm. http://www.harvestcleanenergy.org/enews/enews_0505/enews_0505_Cellulosic_Ethanol.htm. http://www.eia.doe.gov/glossary/glossary_b.htm. The definition of what constitutes biomass has varied over time with changes in law and regulations, reflecting policy goals and evolution of potential uses. Prior to the devastating impacts of COVID-19, Southeast Asia was becoming an economic powerhouse. Increases in cost reductions from competitive scenario compared to business-as-usual from 2020-2040. 2023 Scientific American, a Division of Springer Nature America, Inc. The latest on SEEM, FERC, and the impact on renewable energy The coalition of Southern utilities petitioning to form a new market exchange has responded to a second deficiency letter from FERC. The Southeastern United States, one of the countrys only regions without a competitive wholesale electricity market, is dominated by monopoly utilities, which have favored expensive and polluting fossil fuel generation over cheap clean energy. Southeast Asia (SEA) region has huge solar potential as it is located near the equator. RPS requirements oblige electric utilities to provide electricity from renewable energy sources in increasing amounts over a specified period of years. Also called "combined heat and power." CHARLOTTE NC - June 2, 2017: CREDIT: Mike Catanzaro, panel installer at Accelerate Solar, finishes [+] installed electrical wiring at a solar array he recently installed at a job site in East Charlotte. See http://www.nrel.gov/gis/images/map_biomass_sqkm.jpg, Biomass is possibly mankind's oldest source of energy. The region is committed to renewable energy and integrating sustainable practices into legacy industries. Incremental progress may be on the horizon. Lets dive in to see what this Coal Cost Crossover analysis can tell us about coal plants in the Southeast. Dana Kenney, Chief of Party for USAID Clean Power Asia, said, USAID Clean Power Asia collaborated with local and international partners to share lessons learned and best practices to overcome policy and technical barriers that have limited the deployment of clean energy technologies to support increasing demands for electricity, which are set to double by 2040. The level playing field that markets provide is critical to customers being able to access the clean and renewable power they need to meet their goals.. This team is locally based and will continue to consult with Tribal Nations and Alaska Native corporations and to engage with partners and municipal governments to continue to identify priorities and practical opportunities for investments of financial and technical assistance. Many consider carbon dioxide emissions from biomass sources as practically neutral, because biomass sources take in carbon dioxide during their growing cycle and release it when burned.17 Renewable energy is seen as a way to reduce fossil fuel use, and with growing awareness of the potential impacts of climate change, the role of renewable energy in reducing carbon emissions has garnered increasing public support. Comparing a competitive regional Southeast market through 2040 to a business-as-usual scenario based on existing monopoly utility Integrated Resource Plans reveals remarkable findings. Goals for biofuels production to meet a Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) may also mean that increased amounts of biomass would be dedicated to that use. Introducing a Southeast regional competitive market that optimizes regional transmission and shares resources (key features of other RTOs) would save $384 billion dollars with approximately. Broken down by region, underperformance affected projects in the Pacific Northwest the most at 17% above the national average. However, biomass would have to be utilized from a variety of sources, with forestry residues and stumps within a 45-minute haul range, and urban wood residues within a 135-minute haul.64, In comparison, Georgia Power's biomass conversion at the former Mitchell coal plant is expected to draw upon waste wood from a 100-mile radius around the facility. But customers across the Southeast are still beholden to vertically-integrated utilities that own every aspect of electricity generation, transmission, and delivery. For more information on Tradable Credits, see CRS Report RL34116, Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS): Background and Debate Over a National Requirement, by [author name scrubbed]. This analysis compares a simple metric, the cost per megawatt-hour (MWh) of generation, from existing coal plants and new wind and solar plants. "Hog fuel" is a mixture of wood and bark, usually reduced to 50-75 millimeter-size chips and produced by a "wood hog" (i.e., grinder), from which it derives its name. Concerns over the potential impacts of a federal RES seem to revolve largely around the issue of whether, nationwide, sufficient renewable energy resources exist and are economically viable. Produced by biological processes of living organisms. has suggested that increasing the penetration of renewable . Renewable energy development is growing rapidly due to vast population growth and the limited availability of fossil fuels in Southeast Asia. See http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090226/testimony_gruenspecht.pdf. Energies. Even amidst the COVID-19 global pandemic, we have achieved our goals through our four activity areas of improving power sector planning, fostering supportive policy frameworks, mobilizing finance and investment, and promoting enhanced regional collaboration.. 890 (111th Congress) 101, the Federal Renewable Electricity Standard. An online data explorer allows users to compare scenarios and understand state-level impacts: By contrast, current utility plans add virtually no wind or storage, only 21 GW of additional solar by 2040, maintain existing coal, and drastically expand gas generation. Notably, in the Southeast where wind resources are often dismissed, local wind was found to be less expensive than 30% of all Southeast coal plants and regional wind was found to be less expensive than 84% of all Southeast coal plants. In addition, methane34 can be captured from the livestock wastes and burned to produce steam for electricity. Personal communications with Southern Company. See http://www.pprc.info/html/millclosures.htm. Renewable and nonrenewable resources are energy sources that human society uses to function on a daily basis. The American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) released the Southeastern Region Report, the final portion of ACORE's 6th annual Renewable Energy in the 50 States report. decision-makers and leading utility executives and renewable energy players from the most dynamic states in the region providing definitive updates on the issues you'll need to understand to seize the very best opportunities across this dynamic region. (Photo by Paul Harris/Getty Images), WECs Angela Wilkinson: A Voice Of Reason In The Energy And Climate Discussion. installed electrical wiring at a solar array he recently installed at a job site in East Charlotte. Grants, guaranteed loans and tax incentives from the federal government may be viewed by such parties as the best ways for the federal government to encourage renewable energy growth. Climateworks saw, first-hand, leaders at the G20 and COP27 reaffirm the 1.5-degree Celsius Paris Agreement goal and . Interact with the entire Southeast renewable energy community and hear from key players Effective Networking Connect with speakers and attendees in the Networking Lounge or via secured, private messages Schedule 1-on-1 meetings or group calls using built-in video chat features on our virtual platform FEATURED SPEAKERS Kathryn Arbeit North Carolina and South Carolina policymakers have the right idea by requiring regulators to investigate the benefits of establishing organized markets in these states. Approximately 53% of all renewable energy comes from biomass sources, represented by biofuels, landfill gas, municipal solid waste, wood and wood-derived fuels, and other biomass feedstocks. These markets are far from perfect in practice, but have directly connected customers to least-cost renewable energy. Today, biomass is the largest source of renewable energy in the United States. Engaging in meaningful consultation with Tribal Nations. To this effect, IRENA and the ASEAN Centre for Energy find that $290 billion of . From 2016 to 2021, USAIDs $16.3 million Clean Power Asia program also: For the past five years, USAID Clean Power Asia has been working with Lower Mekong countries and other Southeast Asian nations to encourage power sector investments in environmentally friendly, clean energy sources, focusing on incorporating renewable energy into planning, promoting smart incentives, building an enabling environment for renewable energy policies, and mobilizing finance.