Just finished up with the keynote speech by FERC Commissioner Phillip Moeller.
Going to try live blogging from here on out. Keynote summary will be put up later. Click through (read more button) for stream.
11.32
First panel done. 10 minute break. Be back with panel on consulting.
11.30
Don’t necessarily need externality costs in price if there are a bunch of other ways to move the economy toward green energy. This is the “intersection of business and policy” conference.
11.28
No real industrial policy in the US as opposed to Germany/Vietnam. So pushing for policy change is part of the long term solution.
11.26
Question: How do you incorporate externalities in the price of energy production? (Let’s see if there’s an answer to this. It’s a huge question.)
11.23
Biodiesel tax credit expired last year. Now industry only at 16% utilization.
11.22
– side note– apparently Amory Lovins is credited with coming up with the term “negawatt” – apparently originally a typo of “megawatt”. http://www.ccnr.org/amory.html
11.19
11.19
A: price signal as finance mechanism. Either on carbon, as tax, on sugar, with dynamic pricing on electricity with smart grid and consumers….that’s the ticket
11.17
11.17
A: For utility, they get ROI for producing electricity but of course, no ROI for generating “negawatts” or energy efficiency. Need smarter regulation to allow energy efficiency to be viable for power producers
11.15
A: On business front – clean energy deployment. Low cost loans or access to cheap money.
11.13
Audience Question: Financing mechanisms that the panel recommends?
11.13
Clean energy still “kids fighting at the card table” in terms of power and influence in Congress and in general,.
11.11
Please excuse typos/grammatical flubs
11.11
expanding markets and make barriers to entry lower for solar are Solar Energy Industries Association’s main goals. As with many other industries, trying to get the financing right after the financial crisis is also a huge issues this year.
11.09
This is something China doesn’t have to worry about and one reason why they’ve taken off recently in clean energy/solar/etc.
11.08
National versus sub-national issues. Patchwork of US regulation, agencies, interests is a minefield. Enforcement (of regulations) is also a challenge.
11.07
ACORE= American Council on Renewable Energy
11.03
ACORE (Heidi Vangendern)- broad range of membership trying to convene a common vision for renewables and integrating them into a regional system.
11.01
Competing for capital- for VC money or (DC money in terms of stimulus), then startups get going and eventually want to to raise capital as public company.
10.59
Competition as a powerful driving force. People underestimate that. (Michael McAdams).
10.58
Public money (stimulus) on the table is one step but is still far away from actual implementation.
10.56
Again, focusing on how policy drives the decision (eventually business decisions) toward renewables. Bringing up the usual example of feed in tariffs in Germany.
10.54
Tariff structure severely limiting imports. “World is arbitraging the margins” around regulations.
10.53
Talk moving toward ethanol imports.
10.52
Public policy has incredible impact on how we implement and move on with technology.
10.51
Technological edge is moving overseas.
10.51
Notes from the panelists will not be italicized.
10.50
*Author’s notes will be written in italics. First time live blogging- hard to keep up!
10.46
Photo taken this morning before the event. Now on to next panel topic.
10.46
2nd Green logo
10.42
Jeffrey King – Clean Economy Development Center
10.37
Michael McAdams- Advanced Biofuels Association
10.35
Alliance to Save Energy http://ase.org/
10.34
Brian Castelli from Alliance to Save Energy: mission is to promote efficient energy use worldwide. Make sure that efficiency is part of energy related bills. Ukraine, Mexico, South Africa, as well as California, NYC, and in associate office in Atlanta. Working across the country and world.
10.31
Bill McKibben brought back original solar panels that President Carter installed on White House. – Katherine Gensler is at Solar Energy Industries Association.
10.28
Moderator:
- • Heidi VanGenderen - Director, National and Regional Outreach - American Council on Renewable Energy
Panelists:
- • Michael McAdams - President - Advanced Biofuels Association
- • Brian Castelli - Executive Vice President, Programs and Development - Alliance to Save Energy
- • Katherine Gensler - Manager, Regulatory & Legislative Affairs - Solar Energy Industries Association
- • Jeffrey King - Deputy Director - Clean Economy Development Center
10.27
The quote below is from the conference website.
10.24
“Trade Associations play an integral role in connecting their member companies with the policy development process and the formation of corporate strategy. This panel brings together some of the leading renewable energy trade associations to discuss the role they play in developing our nation’s energy policy, and the ways in which they help to steer their member companies corporate strategies.”
10.23
Panel #1: Perspectives of National Industry Associations
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