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November 30 - December 2, 2022. . USDA applauds the success of the economic investment portion of the Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy and credits the many partners who have come together in the spirit of community, culture, conservation, and commerce. Creating hundreds of thousands of high-wage jobs in clean energy. 45, According to SACE's analysis, biomass is potentially seen as meeting 60% of a near-term RES goal of 15% of all generation in the Southeast (by the year 2015). Relatively low electricity prices have thus resulted in the region.22 New, renewable energy technologies have not been adopted to the extent seen in other regions of the United States thus far, largely because of cost and operational variability.23 When considered from a regional perspective, the southeastern United States does not have the high quality wind and solar resources which exist in other regions of the country.24 Although offshore wind in the region may have promise for southeastern coastal states, there are no commercially operating offshore wind farms anywhere in the United States. But despite the global decline in renewable energy prices, Southeast Asian countries have largely embraced fossil . Energy Information Administration (EIA). http://bioenergy.ornl.gov/pdfs/ornltm-2002199.pdf. The region is home to 44% of the nation's total energy from woody biomass and a significant portion of other biomass types.25 Not all biomass is recognized as "eligible" to meet federal RES requirements due to differences in federal legislation and tax provisions defining biomass. USDA is focused on maximizing its collective resources to provide the highest level of support and service to Southeast Alaska. Pulp & Paper Workers Resource Council. Proposing to restore the 2001 Roadless Rule protections. The Team first used coarse filters to assess investment readiness, and then used an expanded review team to conduct a qualitative assessment. We are a nonpartisan climate policy think tank helping policymakers make informed energy policy choices and accelerate clean energy by supporting the policies that most effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Yes We Can: Southern Solutions for a National Renewable Energy Standard. New resources (such as dedicated biocrops) or other biomass sources (such as municipal solid waste) may need to be used if biomass from forest residues and forest product industry wastes do not prove sufficient to meet RES goals. Analysts from energy think tank Energy Innovation recently published a report showing that it is now more expensive to continue to run most coal plants than to replace them with renewable energy. http://www.harvestcleanenergy.org/enews/enews_0505/enews_0505_Cellulosic_Ethanol.htm. Introduced by Senators Udall and Udall on February 12, 2009. Under RES proposals, most producers of renewable electricity will receive renewable energy credits or certificates to prove that a certain amount of renewable electricity was produced (usually 1 Megawatt-hour). Join us for three days to advance your understanding of new policy and opportunities that will equip your business with the necessary skills to compete in the ever-developing industry. Approximately 16 mills have closed in the Southeast between 2004 and 2007. 80% of contracts to add new renewables to the system by large energy buyers have been in organized competitive wholesale markets, said Bryn Baker, Director of Policy Innovation at the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance. Generation sources within seven states in the Southeast RTO model. CRS Report R40529, Biomass: Comparison of Definitions in Legislation, by Kelsi S. Bracmort and [author name scrubbed]. However, the region's major user of woody biomass and producer of wood wastes is the forest products industry. Danielle Jackson, EPA Report Applauds Waste-to-Energy Plants, Waste Age magazine, June 25, 2002, http://wasteage.com/news/waste_epa_report_applauds/. Leaders from USDAs Natural Resources and Environment, Rural Development, and Natural Resources Conservation Service are visiting southeast Alaska this week and meeting with Tribal Nations, Alaska Native corporations, regional and local partners, including recipients of the initial funding.   U.S. Energy Project in Southeast Asia Increased Renewable Energy Investments by $7 Billion, USAID and FHI 360 join PMAC to enhance data integration in decision-making at the climate-health nexus, United States Launches SERVIR-Southeast Asia, a USAID-NASA Initiative to Fight Climate Change, USAID Smart Infrastructure for the Mekong Program Restores Fish Passage Across the Mekong, USAID, DNP, and WildAid Launch Media Campaign to End Demand for Ivory Products. Incremental progress may be on the horizon. Doesn't it make more sense to be producing cleaner power, closer to home?," said Stephen Smith, head of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, one of the groups that released the study with WRI. JUNEAU, Alaska, March 31, 2022 The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced 25 projects totaling nearly $9 million of investments that are to be funded through the Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy (SASS). From mobilizing over $7 billion in renewable energy investments to facilitating nearly 10,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity (enough to power roughly 8 million homes), the United States Governments Clean Power Asia program is making Southeast Asia cleaner and greener. USDA will leverage its resources to support these efforts including programs to strengthen small businesses, broadband, renewable energy production, local foods and agriculture production, water and sewer infrastructure, healthcare, housing, outdoor tourism, silviculture support and others as appropriate. USAID Clean Power Asia collaborated with diverse stakeholders, partners, and regional organizations to share lessons learned and best practices across Southeast Asia to accelerate the regional transition to a high performing, low carbon power sector. The successful deployment of renewable energy in Europe is often credited to FIT provisions.16. 26 USC 45. Meanwhile, the coastal areas in the region have considerable potential to harness wind energy. Waxman had offered a lower renewable target of 17.5 percent, according to Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas), a member of the committee. Renewable energy project developer, operations manager and energy trading business BayWa re has been steadily establishing itself in the region. Energy demand in Southeast Asia has increased on average by around 3% a year over the past two decades, and this trend continues to 2030 under today's policy settings in the STEPS. Feed-in Tariffs are incentive structures for generating renewable electricity usually at above-market rates for a set number of years, reducing the payback period and adding certainty to the return on the investment. Under the regional agreements, the entities are collaborating with USDA to promote economic diversification and workforce development projects for themselves and other smaller organizations in Southeast Alaska. Website by, SACE | Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Analysis finds Renewables cheaper than all Southeast coal plants. The costs of delivered biomass fell into an estimated range of $1.66 to $2.01 per thousand BTUs, which was seen as competitive with coal energy costs for power generation. These investments speak to the opportunities for partnershipthis isnt the first time USDA has invested in southeast Alaska, and it wont be the last, Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small said. (Photo by Paul Harris/Getty Images). Actual job growth may actually be even higher when factoring in better regional competitiveness. Not only are there immediate investments that will benefit the region, but there is also an eye toward the future with support for capacity building and technical assistance that will make these projects sustainable.. Anaerobic bacteria thrive in the oxygen-free environment, resulting in the decomposition of the organic materials and the production of primarily carbon dioxide and methane. These markets are far from perfect in practice, but have directly connected customers to least-cost renewable energy. Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, Direct: 907.463.7368 | Email: [email protected]. Renewable Portfolio Standards. First announced in July 2021, the Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy aims to support a diverse economy, enhance community resilience, and conserve natural resources in Southeast Alaska. Pictured left to right: Earl Stewart - Forest Supervisor Tongass National Forest, Chad VanOrmer - Deputy Regional Forester,Anthony Mallott - Sealaska CEO, Dr. Homer Wilkes -Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment,Richard Chalyee esh Peterson -Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska President, Dave Schmid - Regional Forester,Joe Kaaxxgu Nelson - Sealaska Board Chair, Jaeleen Kookesh - Sealaska Vice President, Policy & Legal Affairs, and Raymond Paddock - Environmental Manager for Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. See http://www.ferc.gov/market-oversight/mkt-electric/overview/2009/03-2009-elec-ovr-archive.pdf#xml=http://search.atomz.com/search/pdfhelper.tk?sp_o=4,100000,0. Much of the debate over an RES revolves around whether there is a need for a federal requirement for renewable energy use by electric providers and whether the momentum in the states is truly moving the use of renewable energy forward. See http://www.pnl.gov/aisu/pubs/14660.pdf. The needs of other, possibly competing, uses for biomass are considerations if biomass resources are to be sustained while meeting projected uses. When burned, fossil fuels emit pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides which are subject to environmental controls to limit their release to the air. Meanwhile, broad public engagement, in the form of a 30-day public outreach period, was held in mid-September through mid-October with several of platforms offered for additional engagement. A lock () or https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. Invest Trillions Today to Keep Climate Change at Bay: IEA, Impacts of Global Biofuel Boom Remain Murky, The Other Peak Oil: Demand from Developed World Falling. 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. It also includes a proposal to restore the 2001 Roadless Rule protections on the Tongass and to engage in meaningful consultations with Tribal Nations and Alaska Native corporations. Download CCC Permissions Policymakers can unleash the power of competition. Because China's solar and wind energy resources are rich in northwest region, and the electricity load center is concentrated in the southeast region, the imbalance between the resource and demand intensifies the contradiction of renewable energy generation and grid operation. Southeast State Resources. Personal communications with Southern Company. 890, would return amounts collected from penalties for noncompliance or alternative compliance payments to retail electricity suppliers that have submitted renewable energy credits20 (REC) for compliance. On July 15, 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the newSoutheast Alaska Sustainability Strategy to support a diverse economy, enhancecommunity resilience, and conserve natural resources in Southeast Alaska. Coal-fired power plants are major sources of toxic air pollution, so phasing out uneconomic coal dramatically improves air quality. This qualitative assessment included review of the following elements: The depth of interest, and diversity of communities and partners that submitted investment ideas, indicates that USDA is well-positioned to support economic, cultural, and ecological resiliency in Southeast Alaska for the long-term. Increases in cost reductions from competitive scenario compared to business-as-usual from 2020-2040. An official website of the Different types of biomass have different procurement and collection costs, and transportation cost varies as a function of haul time and distance. Each idea or proposal was read by multiple reviewers. The OneUSDA team recommends distributing the initial $25 million investment into four broad categories: In alignment with SASS, the Forest Service is refocusing resources on the Tongass National Forest to implement an integrated forest management program that includes watershed and wildlife habitat restoration, sustainable young-growth harvest, and old-growth harvest for small timber sales and cultural uses. Although some renewable energy technologies have an impact on the environment, renewables are considered environmentally preferable to conventional sources and, when replacing fossil fuels, have significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By converting biomass, waste materials, or other carbon-containing materials into a synthesized gas (synthesis gas or syngas) comprised mostly of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide, the syngas can be burned directly to generate electricity.39 Further processing via Fischer-Tropsch methods40 or other forms of catalysis can convert the syngas into higher value chemicals or transportation biofuels such as ethanol, methanol, or a form of biodiesel called di-methyl ether. Southeast Renewable Energy Summit. Arguments in favor of an RES usually involve impacts on the environment, and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Georgia Power estimates it will require 160 to 180 truckload deliveries per day to supply the 1 million tons of biomass needed for the 96 MW facility. (Photo by Rolf [+] Schulten/ullstein bild via Getty Images). National Museum of American History, The Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act - Government Involvement to Remedy Energy Crisis: PURPA, http://americanhistory.si.edu/powering/past/history4.htm. The next section discusses current and future possible sources of biomass and technologies for renewable energy. Cellulosic ethanol can be produced from the same types of biomass feedstock as could be used for biomass electric power generation. (Photo by Paul Harris/Getty Images), WECs Angela Wilkinson: A Voice Of Reason In The Energy And Climate Discussion. Since 2016, the USAID Clean Power Asia program has worked with governments and the private sector across Southeast Asia to encourage power sector investments in environmentally friendly, grid-connected renewable energy sources. See http://www.esri.com/library/fliers/pdfs/measuringbiofuel.pdf. In 2015, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Viet Nam . These states have ample forest resources, generally poor wind resources, and relatively unfavorable solar resources (compared to the Southwest), making biomass among the more readily available renewable energy resources in the region. IRENA said, in the long term, average annual investment of $210 billion was needed on renewable energy, energy efficiency and to support technologies and infrastructure in the period to 2050 to . Manufacturing, industry and services expanded across the region in recent decades. Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), one of the panel's more liberal members, said there should be "flexibility" to address regional issues but warned against watering down either the bill's emissions or renewable energy targets. Our long-term strategy will include establishing an interagency lead for the Sustainability Strategy, establishing a team charter for the Alaska-based OneUSDA team, and empowering shared leadership within the region by aligning programs with locally developed strategies such as the Blueprint for Southeast Alaska, the Visitor Products Cluster Working Group, the 2025 Economic Development Plan, and the All Landowners Working Group, among others. The platform was created as a result of the signed memorandum for cooperation and promotion of the corporate supply of renewable energy in Bulgaria, and in a broader aspect in Southeast Europe, between the Association for Production, Storage and Trade in Electricity (), the . SCCO Climate change mitigation goals may have additional impacts on the value of renewable energy credits, and eventual impacts on biomass demand nationwide. Diversity of biomass resources seems likely to be key to the economic production of biomass-fired power generation. In fact, 82% of the total coal capacity in the region could be replaced with solar and storage for the cost of continued operation of those coal plants, and with a significant decrease in risks associated with fuel costs, outages from extreme weather, and potential future environmental regulations. In addition to the Economic Investment component, the Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy also involves ending large-scale, old-growth timber harvest and focusing resources to support forest restoration, recreation, climate resilience, and sustainable young-growth management. Produced by biological processes of living organisms. Transitioning away from dirty fossil fuels is not just a question of fair competition for clean energy power providers, it's a matter of justice for communities disproportionately burdened by pollution. The Production Tax Credit13 and the Investment Tax Credit14 have been used by the federal government to support renewable energy.15 Recent consideration has also been given to implementing a federal "Feed-in Tariff" (FIT) law. have proposed the voluntary Southeast Energy Exchange Market (SEEM). "The Economic Availability of Biomass in the Southeastern United States," by T. Young, D. Ostermeier, J. Thomas, R. Brooks. installed electrical wiring at a solar array he recently installed at a job site in East Charlotte. A principal argument made by supporters of an RES is that it would provide benefits to the environmental goals. In these states, most renewable energy projects are utility-owned. Today, biomass is the largest source of renewable energy in the United States. connected to the .gov website. 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. Closing the dirtiest sources of power and adding cheaper renewables would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions nearly 40% in the competitive RTO scenario compared to business-as-usual important for a region that faces up to $60 billion each year in 2050 and up to $99 billion in 2090 in costs from climate-change induced sea level rise and storm surge. This open-ended engagement ensures that investments were paired with a forward-looking approach to plan for longer-term action that are home-grown and responsive to local priorities, complement ongoing partnerships, and are inclusive of the values and peoples in the region. They contend there is a lack of wind or solar resources that can be delivered economically. Energies. See http://www.nrel.gov/gis/images/map_biomass_sqkm.jpg, Biomass is possibly mankind's oldest source of energy. This blog post examines the land use implications of various energy technologies -- particularly solar. http://www.eia.doe.gov/glossary/glossary_r.htm. For more information, please visit www.usaidcleanpowerasia.org. Denver , CO , United States. Click on a state or scroll down to access relevant conservation resources and state-specific climate change information. Official websites use .gov A .gov Today, biomass is the largest source of renewable energy in the United States. http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=1975. The alkaline spent liquor from the digesters in the production of sulfate or soda pulp during the manufacture of paper. Renewable energy in Southeast Asia is a growing sector with a market size of $205 billion and capital investments totaling $11 billion between 2020 and 2022. Renewables were used to meet 5 percent of Southeast power sales in 2006, according to the paper, which defines the region as Alabama, the Carolinas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and. The electricity industry in the region is still largely subject to traditional rate regulation, and power generation projects historically have been approved by state regulatory commissions which have endeavored to maintain a favorable, low cost business climate. To learn more, visit the Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategys webpage. It is not only an investment in communities, but also recognizes the critical role of tribes in the co-stewardship of our lands and waters and sustainability of our communities. The pulp and paper industry has another wood waste fuel source in "black liquor," a by-product of the pulping process. Vietnam has a high potential for renewable energy, including hydro, solar, wind, biomass, and waste. "Our research suggests we certainly have sufficient resources." Aided by a well-established, supportive portfolio of policies in nearly every Northeastern state, the region ranks second in the nation for both solar power . Wind turbines have been called ugly and noisy, and the cooling needs of solar thermal facilities in desert locations may require the use of scarce water resources. The investments in the three regional strengthening agreements are a critical component of the full $25 million commitment, now fulfilled, which is part of USDAs promise to serve the broader economy of Southeast Alaska and continue to be part of an inclusive, responsive partnership that complements existing efforts toward practical, common-sense solutions.