Every year utilities across the country celebrate Public Power Month in October. According to the American Public Power Association, public power communities can be found in 49 states and all U.S. territories. Nebraska’s publicly-owned utilities are listed here. Many of them have websites, including our three largest electric utilities.
This month is an excellent opportunity to explore the many information resources posted on their websites and, perhaps, to create a checklist of ways you can save energy and money at home and your workplace throughout October and beyond–and to learn more about the new and innovative programs they have initiated or plan to launch in the near future. Click here to check out just some of the available resources.
Individuals from across the country attend the Nebraska Wind & Solar Conference to network, learn, and be inspired by quality speakers and timely presentations. The conference programming covers a wide-range of topics relevant to the wind and solar industry and the future of development in Nebraska.
Hosted by the Cooperative Leadership Network (CLN) in partnership with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) and the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI).
AGENDA
- Welcome & Introduction: Lyda Creus Molanphy, Cooperative Leadership Network, Moderator
- REC CS Case Study & Lessons Learned: Ric Evans, Great Lake Energy
- Overview of Distribution-Co-op Solar and Distributed Generation Options: Kevin Brehm, Rocky Mountain Institute
- NRECA Resources & SUNDA Project Lessons Learned: Jan Ahlen, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
- Q&A
Cooperative Leadership Network
The Cooperative Leadership Network (CLN) helps electric cooperative board directors to advance consumer-centric utility innovations and best governance practices to better serve the energy and community needs of their members. We are electric co-op directors working locally for our members’ interests, and networked nationally to help each other meet the challenges of our changing technological, market and regulatory environments. CLN incorporated in 2015 to provide networking opportunities for cooperative directors to learn from each other by asking and answering questions, understanding industry trends and sharing ideas. We normally only see and talk to each other at industry events and it is difficult to maintain those relationships with so much time and distance between meetings.
Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett seeks applications for loan guarantees and grants for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvement projects.
The deadlines to apply for grants are October 31, 2018, and April 1, 2019. Applications for loan guarantees are accepted year-round.
REAP helps agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs and consumption by purchasing and installing renewable energy systems and making energy efficiency improvements in their operations. Read the entire release here.
Who may apply?
Small businesses in eligible rural areas and agricultural producers, both rural and non-rural, who have at least 50% of their gross income coming from agricultural operations, may apply.
REAP grants provide up to 25% of the total project costs, and a grant and loan combination up to 75%. Eligible projects include renewable energy systems and the purchase, installation and construction of energy efficiency improvements.
See REAP Fact Sheet for a complete list of eligible projects.
Nebraska REAP Program
Contact: Jeff Carpenter, Nebraska Rural Development Energy Coordinator
Telephone: 402-437-5554
Email: Jeff.Carpenter@ne.usda.gov
INCENTIVES
Federal Investment Tax Credit for solar systems and small wind turbines: 30% through 2018 and 2019. Small wind: 100 kilowatts or less. Source: Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE)
Lincoln Electric System’s Solar Incentive
LES offers customers a one-time capacity payment of up to $1,000 per kilowatt of peak demand reduced. The total amount customers can receive is determined by the primary direction the system is facing, for example:
- Southern facing fixed-photovoltaic solar – the unit’s nameplate DC capacity (kW) x $375.
- Western facing or single or dual axis tracking fixed-photovoltaic solar – the unit’s nameplate DC capacity (kW) x $475.
Source: Customer-owned Renewable Generation
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Business Equipment Depreciation Resources
- Modified Accelerated Cost-Recovery System (MACRS), Department of Energy
- New rules and limitations for depreciation and expensing under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, IRS
- Publication 946: How to Depreciate Property, IRS
SMALL & COMMUNITY WIND INFORMATION
American Wind Energy Association / Distributed Wind Energy Association
What is Distributed Wind Energy?
Distributed wind energy systems offer reliable electricity generation in a wide variety of global settings, including households, schools, farms and ranches, businesses, towns, communities and remote locations. Projects range for example from a 1-kilowatt (kW) or smaller off-grid wind turbine at a remote cabin or cell phone tower – to a 10-kW wind turbine at a home, small business, or small agricultural load – to several multi-megawatt (MW) wind turbines at a university campus, manufacturing facility or any large energy user.
What is Small Wind Energy?
Small wind is defined as wind turbines with a capacity rating of less than or equal to 100 kW. Turbines in this category range in size from smaller than 1 kW for off-grid applications to 100-kW turbines that can provide village power. Fifty-four small turbine models are offered commercially in the United States for applications including homes, schools, commercial and industrial facilities, telecommunications, farms and ranches, and communities.
DWEA (Distributed Wind Energy Association
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RESOURCES
- Small Wind Guidebook, WINDExchange, Department of Energy
- Distributed Wind Case Studies
The Distributed Wind Installers’ Collaborative, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, has produced a series of case studies showcasing the many facets and opportunities within the distributed wind industry. The first published case studies feature projects located on a dairy farm, at a net zero home, a recycling facility and a rural cooperative.
Click flyer for more information and to purchase tickets.
The U.S. Department of Energy sponsors this annual event to highlight the most high-performance, efficient, affordable, innovative buildings while leveraging opportunities to showcase student innovation and STEM education and to foster workforce development opportunities. The Solar Decathlon is a collegiate competition that challenges student teams to design and build high-performance, energy-efficient buildings. The winners of the competition are the teams that best blend design excellence and smart energy use with innovation, market potential, and building efficiency.
This year’s Solar Decathlon will offer two tracks that build on the strengths of previous DOE student competitions: (1) an annual “Design Challenge” – former Race to Zero Student Design Competition, and (2) a “Build Challenge” – an expansion on the original Solar Decathlon.
Whether interested in the Design Challenge or the Build Challenge, each team must submit an application and required fee by November 6, 2018. Please note that any teams interested in competing in the Build Challenge must also submit a Build Challenge Proposal and supporting materials. All requirements are outlined in the Solar Decathlon Competition Guide on the website.
DOE is hosting the following webinar to discuss Solar Decathlon competition requirements, share resources, and answer questions:
Solar Decathlon: What is Good Design?
October 24, 2018 – 2 to 3:30 p.m. Central Time
Additional details are posted on the Solar Decathlon website.
Photo: 2017 Solar Decathlon in Denver, Colorado
Clean Peak Standards (CPS) are being implemented or considered by several states, as a way to focus renewable generation at peak demand hours. Energy storage is expected to play a major role in these efforts. In this webinar, Lon Huber, who has consulted with numerous state governors and energy officials on CPS, will discuss the role of storage and how some states are approaching storage in the CPS.
Speaker: Lon Huber, Navigant
Moderator: Todd Olinsky-Paul, Clean Energy States Alliance
This webinar is presented by the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) for the RPS Collaborative and for CESA’s Energy Storage Working Group. Learn more at www.cesa.org
New this year: Solar Power Midwest is co-located
with Greenbuild International.
Over 18,000 architects, developers, engineers, and solar and storage installers are going to meet at the McCormick Place in Chicago.
Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett seeks applications for loan guarantees and grants for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvement projects.
The spring deadline to apply for grants is April 1, 2019. Applications for loan guarantees are accepted year-round.
REAP helps agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs and consumption by purchasing and installing renewable energy systems and making energy efficiency improvements in their operations. Read the entire release here.
Who may apply?
Small businesses in eligible rural areas and agricultural producers, both rural and non-rural, who have at least 50% of their gross income coming from agricultural operations, may apply.
REAP grants provide up to 25% of the total project costs, and a grant and loan combination up to 75%. Eligible projects include renewable energy systems and the purchase, installation and construction of energy efficiency improvements.
See REAP Fact Sheet for a complete list of eligible projects.
Nebraska REAP Program
Contact: Jeff Carpenter, Nebraska Rural Development Energy Coordinator
Telephone: 402-437-5554
Email: Jeff.Carpenter@ne.usda.gov
INCENTIVES
Federal Investment Tax Credit for solar systems and small wind turbines: 30% through 2018 and 2019. Small wind: 100 kilowatts or less. Source: Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE)
Lincoln Electric System’s Solar Incentive
NOTE: Qualified REAP applicants include urban as well as rural food producers.
LES offers customers a one-time capacity payment of up to $1,000 per kilowatt of peak demand reduced. The total amount customers can receive is determined by the primary direction the system is facing, for example:
- Southern facing fixed-photovoltaic solar – the unit’s nameplate DC capacity (kW) x $375.
- Western facing or single or dual axis tracking fixed-photovoltaic solar – the unit’s nameplate DC capacity (kW) x $475.
Source: Customer-owned Renewable Generation
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Business Equipment Depreciation Resources
- Modified Accelerated Cost-Recovery System (MACRS), Department of Energy
- New rules and limitations for depreciation and expensing under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, IRS
- Publication 946: How to Depreciate Property, IRS
SMALL & COMMUNITY WIND INFORMATION
American Wind Energy Association
Distributed Wind Energy Association
What is Distributed Wind Energy?
Distributed wind energy systems offer reliable electricity generation in a wide variety of global settings, including households, schools, farms and ranches, businesses, towns, communities and remote locations. Projects range for example from a 1-kilowatt (kW) or smaller off-grid wind turbine at a remote cabin or cell phone tower – to a 10-kW wind turbine at a home, small business, or small agricultural load – to several multi-megawatt (MW) wind turbines at a university campus, manufacturing facility or any large energy user.
What is Small Wind Energy?
Small wind is defined as wind turbines with a capacity rating of less than or equal to 100 kW. Turbines in this category range in size from smaller than 1 kW for off-grid applications to 100-kW turbines that can provide village power. Fifty-four small turbine models are offered commercially in the United States for applications including homes, schools, commercial and industrial facilities, telecommunications, farms and ranches, and communities.
DWEA (Distributed Wind Energy Association
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RESOURCES
- Small Wind Guidebook, WINDExchange, Department of Energy
- Distributed Wind Case Studies
The Distributed Wind Installers’ Collaborative, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, has produced a series of case studies showcasing the many facets and opportunities within the distributed wind industry. The first published case studies feature projects located on a dairy farm, at a net zero home, a recycling facility and a rural cooperative.