Renewables
Western's Renewable Resources program encourages the voluntary use of renewable resources by Western's wholesale customers. Western offers Federal customers two renewable resource products and facilitates customer access to renewable energy developers. The goal of the program is to identify customers that desire renewable resources in their generation mix and provide the technical and marketing assistance required for them to fully evaluate the option.
News at a Glance
Nominations open for 2013 Wind Public Power Award
Wind Powering America and the American Public Power Association 
(APPA) will present the 2013 Wind Public Power Award to one public power utility at the APPA National Conference in Nashville, Tenn., June 14-19. The award recognizes public power members that demonstrate outstanding leadership in advancing wind power in the United States. The criteria used to judge the nominees includes high performing executive leadership, creative marketing approaches, project innovation and benefits to customers.
All APPA member utilities are eligible to apply. Anyone can nominate a utility, and self-nomination is allowed. There is no cost to participate.
Please submit nominations by close of business on March 25, 2013 to Randy Manion, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 281213, Lakewood, CO 80228-8213.
Webinar clarifies FERC regulations
Developing distributed generation or utility-scale generation projects on Federal land involves a host of often confusing issues. On Feb. 6, Wind Powering America presented Regulatory Considerations for Developing Generation Projects on Federal Land, a webinar to educate Federal agencies on regulatory issues such as:
- What types of transactions fall under FERC jurisdictional?
- What are the pertinent Federal laws and how do they apply?
- Does any party qualify as a "public utility" or "transmitting utility" under Federal law before or after the transaction?
- How are the considerations different for Federally owned renewable projects versus those where a Federal agency hosts a third-party developer's renewable energy project and purchases energy from it?
To learn more, download the PowerPoint (1.2 MB .ppt) or the audio file (58 MB .wmv) from our Webinar Library. The audio file requires the G2M4 codec .
Next tribal renewables webinar explores energy development opportunities on Indian lands
Renewable Energy Potential on Tribal Lands
Feb. 27, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. MST
American Indian land contains an estimated 5 percent of all renewable energy resources. The next webinar in Turning Knowledge into Energy Projects, the 2013 webinar series on tribal renewable energy development, discusses the recently released studies from National Renewable Energy Laboratory and ICF on tribal renewable energy resources. Speakers will cover location, siting and transmission issues and opportunities for feasible renewable energy development on tribal lands.
Western and DOE's Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs and Tribal Energy Program have teamed up to present this free series. Don't miss these events if you are looking for ways to promote tribal energy sufficiency and foster economic development and employment on tribal lands through renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. You will learn about marketing, transmission, financing, partnerships and much more.
All webinars are scheduled for 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mountain Time. Participation is free but you must register.
Upcoming topics include:
Watch this site for more news about the Tribal Webinar Series and about renewable energy development opportunities.
Jan. 30 Tribal Renewables webinar presentation now online
If you missed Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) and Online Education Program Update, the first webinar in the Tribal Renewable Energy series, you can download it from the Webinar Library.
Presentations from last year's series are also available.
Second edition of in-house wind O&M guidebook now available
To support power providers who are exploring alternative way to add wind generation to their portfolios, DOE's Wind Program has updated Establishing an In-House Wind Maintenance Program (2 MB pdf).
Since the guidebook was first published in 2008, more utilities have taken the path of setting up in-house O&M programs. The latest edition reflects their experiences, as well as advances in technology and other changes in the wind industry.
Cosponsors of the publication include Western Area Power Administration, Utility Wind Integration Group, American Wind Energy Association, American Public Power Association, National Rural Electric Association and Wind Powering America.
State program guides focus on policy, finance
Clean Energy States Alliance has created two new state program guides—one focused on policy and the other on finance—for distributed and community wind projects. The guides were created as part of CESA’s States Advancing Wind Project.
- Supporting On‑Site Distributed Wind Generation Projects, by Charles Kubert and Mark Sinclair, Clean Energy States Alliance – This wind energy program guide is for state clean energy fund managers and policymakers who support the installation of on‑site, behind‑the‑meter wind turbines at private businesses and municipal and other public facilities. It lays out the many policy actions states can take to encourage the development of these projects. Among these are: project feasibility assessment support, grant and other incentive programs, interconnection and net metering policies and model zoning ordinances. The guide also provides case studies of the leading state clean energy funds providing support to this market. May 2010.
- State‑Based Financing Tools to Support Distributed and Community Wind Projects, by Charles Kubert and Mark Sinclair, Clean Energy States Alliance – This wind energy program guide was created to help state clean energy fund managers and policymakers examine the various ways states can provide financial support for distributed wind projects. The options available to states range from rebates and loans to bridge financing and renewable portfolio standards. Each should be evaluated in light of the availability of tax and other incentives available at the Federal level. The report also looks at third‑party financing, which is increasingly being used by private and public entities to develop projects in tight financial times. May 2010.
The guides and presentations from the associated webinars on each topic are available online.