I'm always a little skeptical when big, overwhelming cultural icons set out to save the world. I thought Al Gore's heart was in the right place, even if he was sort of fuzzy on details. His movie was enjoyable, and I groove on his obvious desire to help. The T. Boone Pickens one-two punch of natural gas conversion and wind farms (the Pickens Plan) I found odd and suspicious, especially after research dug up that Pickens owned natural gas conversion companies and wind farms. Just confirmed to me that his heart wasn't in the right place, but his wallet was.
Now, Ted Turner---man-about-CNN, man-about-bison, man-about-town---is teaming with Southern Company on a new renewables project. Unlike my feelings about Gore, I'm not sure Ted's heart is in the right place. (Yes, I remember that Turner gave a billion to the UN, but I'm leaning more towards my Pickens-inspired suspicious nature again.)
The details: Southern Company CEO David Ratcliffe and Turner today announced a strategic alliance to pursue development of renewable energy projects in the United States.
"This alliance unites our common goal to explore and develop new renewable energy projects," said CEO David Ratcliffe. "We have said for some time that renewable energy should play an increasing role in this country's energy mix and that Southern Company would seek opportunities to expand our renewable portfolio where it makes sense. This is evidence of that commitment."
"I've always been passionate about developing renewable energy, and I'm excited to join forces with Southern Company to explore our renewable energy potential," said Ted Turner, owner of Turner Renewable Energy. "Southern Company's experience in power project development, construction and operations, and customer relations help make this a strong alliance, and I look forward to working together."
Initially, Southern Company and Turner will focus on developing and investing in large scale solar photovoltaic projects in the U.S. Southwest. Southern Company and Turner "also may consider developing other renewable technologies."
See, it could be the vague language of the announcement that makes me rather suspicious: We're gonna do something solar, somewhere in the great, wide West, probably on Ted's land, and, if we stumble on new and neat-o technology, we'll maybe sell that, too.
Now, Turner is the largest individual landowner in North America (according to him, to Wikipedia and to Southern Company). So, they could spend years just playing on Ted's land alone.
Perhaps I shouldn't suspicious. It isn't like Ted's new to these causes. He did create that awful cartoon series "Captain Planet and the Planeteers," which was aimed to teach kids environmentalism, even if it did just mostly teach them to talk in flat and annoying platitudes about recycling---inevitably repeating those platitudes to parents whose combined net recycling effort probably wouldn't offset a fraction of Ted's impact on the environment (given his land, properties, development of electricity-sucking TV stations, etc.).
But, my suspicions aren't just limited to the motivation behind this announcement. Honestly, when I read Turner's quote (the one noted above), I thought, "No way he said that." That seems mighty tame after telling Charlie Rose a few years ago that, if we don't act on global warming science, most of us will keel over and the rest of us will be cannibals. Now, that is classic Ted Turner.
So, basically, this whole announcement with Southern seems too tame and vague to be of the true Turner vein. Come on, Ted. Olly olly oxen free. Come out and give us the juicy details of what is really going on.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
The Utility in Service
"In service" is one of those phrases of simplicity with a lot of deeper meanings. Usually, if you're thinking of it in partnership with an electric utility, you're thinking, "Hooray, my power's on, and everything's working. Whew." But, the concept of service goes much deeper than keeping lights on and fridges chilling.
Today, we celebrate a man who lived his life in service---to a cause, to a community, to a philosophy, to change. Dr. Martin Luther King even gave his life in service. And, with that in mind, I've been thinking a lot today about how utilities provide service to communities---beyond the basics of selling power.
Now, providing electricity is a powerful bit of community service, no doubt. I'm sure every man and woman working at an electric utility anywhere in this world would like to be able to bundle up that service, or grab the world's longest power line, and personally run it down to Haiti to help with the earthquake efforts. But, alas, such superhero feats aren't humanly possible.
But, that doesn't keep some utilities from moving beyond power production to community service. These aren't superhero efforts, it's true. But, they all add up to make a difference.
Georgia Power and Southern Company urged their employees to honor Dr. King's legacy by volunteering today. This year, in addition to the company's traditional annual activities, they are teaming up with the city of Atlanta and the King Center to focus on energy-efficiency projects.
One project involves replacing the shower heads and faucet aerators at all city of Atlanta natatoriums with new, efficient ones that save water and energy. Additionally, an energy-audit assessment and improvements will be made to the MLK natatorium.
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed commented, "This effort to improve energy efficiency in city facilities and in the Atlanta community is not only symbolic of King's vision, but represents a real contribution to people's livelihoods."
Georgia Power employees also will be giving away 6,000 compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and staffing interactive displays at the King Center on Monday to educate attendees on energy efficiency. In addition to the displays and give-a ways, the company has coordinated with volunteers from the King Center and Ebenezer Baptist Church to distribute or change out inefficient light bulbs in a low-income housing development and to residents in Atlanta's Fourth Ward.
And, Georgia Power isn't the only utility in service its community today.
Constellation Energy today announced that it is taking applications for its first EcoStar Grant program, which will provide qualifying nonprofit organizations with funds to implement projects on environmental stewardship. Grant awards will be up to $5,000, with funds provided by the Constellation Energy Foundation.
The EcoStar Grant program will target community-based projects that fit into one or more of five stewardship categories: pollution prevention, education and outreach, energy efficiency, conservation and community activism.
Constellation Energy also recently announced that it intends to join the ranks of companies that give 1 percent or more of their annual operating income to support charitable organizations and causes. In keeping with that goal, the EcoStar Grant program joins a range of initiatives, donations and grants targeting the company’s key areas of focus---energy, education, economic growth and the environment.
Georgia Power and Constellation are just two in a number of new programs and goals for American power companies. From volunteerism to the environment, utilities are taking a bold step forward in giving back to the communities they live and work in, providing service in every meaning of the word---keeping the lights on both literally and figuratively.
As Dr. King once said, "Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness."
It's nice to see utilities choosing to bask in the light.
Today, we celebrate a man who lived his life in service---to a cause, to a community, to a philosophy, to change. Dr. Martin Luther King even gave his life in service. And, with that in mind, I've been thinking a lot today about how utilities provide service to communities---beyond the basics of selling power.
Now, providing electricity is a powerful bit of community service, no doubt. I'm sure every man and woman working at an electric utility anywhere in this world would like to be able to bundle up that service, or grab the world's longest power line, and personally run it down to Haiti to help with the earthquake efforts. But, alas, such superhero feats aren't humanly possible.
But, that doesn't keep some utilities from moving beyond power production to community service. These aren't superhero efforts, it's true. But, they all add up to make a difference.
Georgia Power and Southern Company urged their employees to honor Dr. King's legacy by volunteering today. This year, in addition to the company's traditional annual activities, they are teaming up with the city of Atlanta and the King Center to focus on energy-efficiency projects.
One project involves replacing the shower heads and faucet aerators at all city of Atlanta natatoriums with new, efficient ones that save water and energy. Additionally, an energy-audit assessment and improvements will be made to the MLK natatorium.
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed commented, "This effort to improve energy efficiency in city facilities and in the Atlanta community is not only symbolic of King's vision, but represents a real contribution to people's livelihoods."
Georgia Power employees also will be giving away 6,000 compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and staffing interactive displays at the King Center on Monday to educate attendees on energy efficiency. In addition to the displays and give-a ways, the company has coordinated with volunteers from the King Center and Ebenezer Baptist Church to distribute or change out inefficient light bulbs in a low-income housing development and to residents in Atlanta's Fourth Ward.
And, Georgia Power isn't the only utility in service its community today.
Constellation Energy today announced that it is taking applications for its first EcoStar Grant program, which will provide qualifying nonprofit organizations with funds to implement projects on environmental stewardship. Grant awards will be up to $5,000, with funds provided by the Constellation Energy Foundation.
The EcoStar Grant program will target community-based projects that fit into one or more of five stewardship categories: pollution prevention, education and outreach, energy efficiency, conservation and community activism.
Constellation Energy also recently announced that it intends to join the ranks of companies that give 1 percent or more of their annual operating income to support charitable organizations and causes. In keeping with that goal, the EcoStar Grant program joins a range of initiatives, donations and grants targeting the company’s key areas of focus---energy, education, economic growth and the environment.
Georgia Power and Constellation are just two in a number of new programs and goals for American power companies. From volunteerism to the environment, utilities are taking a bold step forward in giving back to the communities they live and work in, providing service in every meaning of the word---keeping the lights on both literally and figuratively.
As Dr. King once said, "Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness."
It's nice to see utilities choosing to bask in the light.
Friday, January 8, 2010
The Rise of the Smart City
The concept of a smart grid powers up imaginations around the world—and not just inside the transmission and distribution industry. The cultural phenomenon of smart grid touches everyone from presidents to preschoolers. There are articles and documentaries on the subject. There are entire magazines and conferences on the topic. But, why stop there? Why stop with just the confined concept of a smart grid?
A smart grid is just the beginning; it's the infrastructure on which modern urban centers can build brighter futures. Renewables can be more easily integrated—both small and large, distributed and structural. Consumers can manage energy systems via the Internet, as can businesses. Data can flow two ways, rather than just one, allowing for use, interpretation and change at every point on the system. A smart city doesn't just have a better power grid with smart grid technology; it has a better municipal backbone, one that can reach into and benefit aspects beyond electricity, such as transportation and water distribution.
Amsterdam leads the way in developing a smart city. Rather than leaving the power company to find the half-dozen ways the utility can utilize a smarter grid, Amsterdam saw more potential for this game-changing technology. The city brought together businesses, officials and citizens to dream up the perfect power system from every angle, with benefits that flow past the power utility and into every home. Amsterdam's Climate Street project alone has reorganized industry thinking about how to approach the smart grid. Climate Street dramatically changes a few blocks in the city as a test bed of what can be possible with the integration of energy management systems, solar panels, water management and trash disposal. All of these items work together harmoniously, guided by smart grid technology, which juggles pulling solar energy with distributing data to the correct sources to run items on time and the most efficiently.
Other cities around Europe have stopped thinking of the smart grid as a technology push and started thinking of that technology in relation to urban living. Amsterdam is certainly not the only smart city on the horizon: Stockholm and Lyon are frontrunners as well. Additionally, in the U.S., there's a similar push in Boulder, Colorado. In China, the City of Yangzhou is moving in the smart city direction. And, in the Middle East, there's brilliant city planning using grid technology within the Masdar project.
POWERGRID Europe's session on smart cities this summer will feature speakers from Amsterdam, Stockholm and Masdar to enlighten attendees on this latest step forward in intelligent power infrastructure. No longer is smart grid the future. The smart grid is now; it's moving into our infrastructure daily. The future lies in building on that infrastructure. The future is smart cities: Using intelligent grid technology holistically in connection with city planning to create a greener, more efficient municipality.
A smart grid is just the beginning; it's the infrastructure on which modern urban centers can build brighter futures. Renewables can be more easily integrated—both small and large, distributed and structural. Consumers can manage energy systems via the Internet, as can businesses. Data can flow two ways, rather than just one, allowing for use, interpretation and change at every point on the system. A smart city doesn't just have a better power grid with smart grid technology; it has a better municipal backbone, one that can reach into and benefit aspects beyond electricity, such as transportation and water distribution.
Amsterdam leads the way in developing a smart city. Rather than leaving the power company to find the half-dozen ways the utility can utilize a smarter grid, Amsterdam saw more potential for this game-changing technology. The city brought together businesses, officials and citizens to dream up the perfect power system from every angle, with benefits that flow past the power utility and into every home. Amsterdam's Climate Street project alone has reorganized industry thinking about how to approach the smart grid. Climate Street dramatically changes a few blocks in the city as a test bed of what can be possible with the integration of energy management systems, solar panels, water management and trash disposal. All of these items work together harmoniously, guided by smart grid technology, which juggles pulling solar energy with distributing data to the correct sources to run items on time and the most efficiently.
Other cities around Europe have stopped thinking of the smart grid as a technology push and started thinking of that technology in relation to urban living. Amsterdam is certainly not the only smart city on the horizon: Stockholm and Lyon are frontrunners as well. Additionally, in the U.S., there's a similar push in Boulder, Colorado. In China, the City of Yangzhou is moving in the smart city direction. And, in the Middle East, there's brilliant city planning using grid technology within the Masdar project.
POWERGRID Europe's session on smart cities this summer will feature speakers from Amsterdam, Stockholm and Masdar to enlighten attendees on this latest step forward in intelligent power infrastructure. No longer is smart grid the future. The smart grid is now; it's moving into our infrastructure daily. The future lies in building on that infrastructure. The future is smart cities: Using intelligent grid technology holistically in connection with city planning to create a greener, more efficient municipality.
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