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Renewable Energy Initiatives
The Pace Energy and Climate Center seeks to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy technologies. The Center is deeply engaged with renewable energy technology stakeholders, public interest partners, and state and federal agencies. The Center's role is to solve regulatory problems that directly affect the pace, scope, and scale of renewable energy development. These range in scope from breaking down market and regulatory obstacles, to advancing strategies to invigorate consumer demand.
Biofuels
The Pace Energy and Climate Center prepared an extensive study of the environmental impacts of biofuels for the New York State Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The study included a comprehensive literature review and meta analysis of liquid biofuels – ethanol, biodiesel, and biobutanol – for transportation and heating. The purpose of this important work was to analyze the range of current understanding and to highlight sources of uncertainty and areas needing further research – to inform New York State policy.
In order to assess the sustainability and relative advantages of various biofuel pathways, numerous life cycle analyses (LCAs) were conducted. The Center examined biofuels’ potential to reduce environmental impacts to air, soil and water, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the energy balance of these fuels. Critical aspects of land use impacts were also studied, in particular how land use changes affect greenhouse gas emissions.
The product of this effort will support the development of the New York State Biofuels Roadmap, sponsored by the Governor’s office, NYSERDA, the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. For more information, please contact Zywia Wojnar at zwojnar@law.pace.edu.
Renewable Portfolio Standard
The Pace Energy and Climate Center was instrumental in establishing the policy framework for one of the Nation’s most aggressive Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS): New York’s requirement that 25 percent of all energy in the state be secured from renewable energy sources by 2013. Project work is now focused on successful implementation of the RPS, translating broad program parameters into a compatible system of procurement and deployment. The Center is actively engaged on such diverse and important issues as technology eligibility, renewable energy bid design, interstate trading of renewable energy credits and the incorporation of significant new intermittent renewable resources in a way that preserves the reliability of the system. Additionally, the Center was selected as one of NYSERDA’s technical consultants to assist NYSERDA in administering the RPS Program. For more information, please contact Jackson Morris at jmorris@law.pace.edu
New York Wind Education Collaborative
The New York Wind Education Collaborative (NYWEC) is a joint effort of the Pace Energy and Climate Center, Citizens’ Campaign for the Environment (CCE), and Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY) to increase the public’s understanding of wind power issues, including its environmental benefits, in the belief that a better informed public can participate more meaningfully in the environmental review process and other public discussions surrounding proposed wind facilities.
- NYWEC has developed a series of informative educational materials about wind power and its relationship to conventional forms of electric power production.
- NYWEC sponsors community forums in locations across New York State where there is active consideration of siting future wind facilities. In addition, NYWEC’s constituent organizations are available to make educational presentations at local events.
- Each month, the New York Wind Education Collaborative distributes an e-mail bulletin on wind energy issues and events around the state.
The materials developed by NYWEC, and powerpoints presented during NYWEC-sponsored public workshops, are available on the NYWEC website.
Power Scorecard™ Consumer Education Tool
In September 2000, the Pace Energy and Climate Center and five other national environmental organization sponsors launched the Power Scorecard™, a Web-based consumer education program designed to help electricity customers tap the power of choice to match their environmental values with the retail electricity choices available in competitive markets. Power Scorecard™ now serves consumers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Texas with environmental ratings of their electricity service choices and will soon be available in Connecticut. A version of Power Scorecard™ was also developed for the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. More than 250,000 people have visited the Power Scorecard™ Web site to access this information. For more information, please contact Sam Swanson at sswanson@law.pace.edu or visit www.powerscorecard.org.
Hydrogen Education Program
To respond to the needs of the public officials, private stakeholders, and the general public for reliable information on emerging hydrogen based technologies, the Pace Energy and Climate Center has assisted in the efforts of Hydrogen Safety LLC to develop a unique subscription-based program that provides users with easy access to a comprehensive Hydrogen Safety information resource. This Hydrogen Your WayTM Reference Service Program, whose development was funded by NYSERDA, consists of the following services:
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Unlimited access to the Information Modules that are framed around key hydrogen safety subjects.
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The ability to “Ask an Expert” any question via email. One of Hydrogen Safety LLC’s experts will respond within 24 hours to your question;
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A bi-monthly Newsletter that features the latest developments in the industry, in addition to frequently asked questions from Hydrogen Safety LLC’s on-line training programs.
To obtain additional information about or to register to obtain access to the Hydrogen Your WayTMWayTM Reference Service, go to www.hydrogensafety.com/h2YourWay.html.