renewable resources in the southeast region renewable resources in the southeast region

Renewable energy development is growing rapidly due to vast population growth and the limited availability of fossil fuels in Southeast Asia. Competition in these markets has reduced wholesale energy costs while creating an entry point for low-cost renewable energy to provide power to the grid. This important step towards more battery deployments will increase the penetration of renewable energy, reduce pollution from fossil fuels, and help develop an electric vehicle infrastructure, supporting Thailands transition towards a carbon-neutral country. Developed and published financial models for utility-scale and rooftop solar, wind, and biomass power, which were downloaded over 3,000 times and used to help renewable energy project developers identify critical factors that impacted project profitability and bankability. Prior to the devastating impacts of COVID-19, Southeast Asia was becoming an economic powerhouse. If biomass from forest residues and forest product industry wastes do not prove sufficient to meet RES goals, new resources such as dedicated bioenergy crops or other biomass resources, such as municipal solid waste, may need to be used. 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. 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. Nearly all Southeast coal plants cost more to run than replacing them with new wind and solar, so continuing to run these uneconomic resources forces customers to foot the bill and inhale dirty air. Burning approximately one million tons of biomass annually, Plant Mitchell would be one of the largest biomass power plants in the United States.51, Collection of waste wood for biomass power plants may require a coordinated effort with forestry companies. on official, secure websites. Out of the seven states included in the model, only North Carolina has a meaningful renewable portfolio standard. This buildout of wind, solar, and storage generates 285,000 new jobs in the Southeast through 2040 compared to business-as-usual good jobs in one of the countrys fastest growing economic sectors, offering higher than average wages. Incremental progress may be on the horizon. Still new to solar, the markets in Southeast Asia are almost the inverse of Australia, Director of Solar Distribution Junrhey Castro tells pv magazine Australia. With the increasing growth of renewable energy, reliable and efficient technologies, such as blockchain, are expected to have higher adoption in the Southeast Asian region during the forecast period. Sustainable management of forest resources is likely to be both a basic consideration and a possible constraint. Further, biomass combustion typically does not produce nitrogen oxides.32, The intensive raising of livestock for food often results in significant amounts of manure and other wastes from the animals.33 Some livestock wastes may be bound up with sawdust or wood shavings used in animal stalls and thus (when prepared) can be used as fuel in a biomass power boiler. Infrastructure total commitment of $3.125 million, which includes about $1.5 million for five projects announced today. 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. EIA, Monthly Energy Review, September 2008. In 1991, a study62of the availability of biomass in the Southeast identified 27 counties with high potential to generate power from woody biomass. Southeast Agriculture & Forestry Energy Alliance, Southern Bioenergy Roadmap, 2009, p. 5, http://www.saferalliance.net/projects/bioenergy_roadmap.pdf. \+e|We8yx8!x=LO\50f%*H(\(I$ xB8 dg@JH5@fzI:zX&?}`s:9w&Z[FmP}NrLbaYX1s(]l]dhol LtE{ 6&$vu_ZcU5a*rvPmM5clTRI~Q1 In the southeast region especially, biomass may be the most readily available opportunity for meeting RES goals, but compliance may still be a challenge. 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. The Southeast already has a strong base of companies that can make and assemble the key components of wind turbines and other renewable energy equipment. AC Energy is optimistic on renewable energy potential in Southeast Asia: CEO SINGAPORE Southeast Asia is going through an energy transition and there's opportunity to scale up. The draft bill would require utilities above a certain size to supply 25 percent of their power from renewable sources like wind, solar and biomass energy by 2025, although efficiency measures could be used to meet a fifth of the target. Alaska Regional Office Competition alone, however, will not achieve the rapid electricity sector decarbonization needed to avoid climate changes worst impacts. Justine Hunter, Forestry decline threatens B.C. The Southeast Renewable Energy Summit is the ONLY conference covering this burgeoning market that gets key state policymakers, critical decision makers, and leading utility executives and renewable energy players from the most dynamic states in the region including North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Because every Southeastern coal-fired power plant is unable to compete in an open market scenario, PM 2.5 pollution - one of the most damaging pollutants for human health - drops to near zero by 2040 along with other harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides. The definition of biomass would be critical to determining which technologies and processes would be available to meet possible RES requirements. http://www.dsireusa.org/glossary/glossary.cfm?CurrentPageID=8&EE=1&RE=1#con. 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 . Addresses critical community capacity needs and/or increases capacity. Ibid. 26 These definitions have varied over time with changes in the law and regulations, reflecting policy goals and technological change. Our initial Economic Investment effort will commit up to $25 million in federal funding based on local priorities for short-term, project-based investments. These proposals reflect the broad and deep need for economic stimulus in Southeast Alaska. 2023 Scientific American, a Division of Springer Nature America, Inc. Approximately 53% of all renewable energy comes from biomass sources, represented by biofuels, landfill gas, municipal solid waste, wood and wood-derived fuels, and other biomass feedstocks. Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, Direct: 907.463.7368 | Email: communications@ccthita-nsn.gov. Introducing a Southeast regional competitive market that optimizes regional transmission and shares resources (key features of other RTOs) would save $384 billion dollars with approximately $17.4 billion average yearly savings through 2040 - 23% lower electricity costs compared to today. endstream endobj 211 0 obj <>stream When examined from a regional perspective, a number of questions have been raised as to the potential impacts on the supply and demand of biomass resources under a renewable energy standard. Biomass Power Association (BPA). AF&PA points to a study of the effects of a 20% RPS by their counterparts in Europe, which concluded that simple power generation from biomass (i.e., wood and recovered paper) should only be considered when recycling is no longer feasible to maximize economic and environmental benefits.56, In contrast, the Biomass Power Association says that its members cannot profitably compete with the pulp and paper industry for supplies of woody biomass at existing prices of $60 per bone dry ton (BDT), and must seek alternative supplies in the $40 per BDT range, or lower.57 Thus, other sources of biomass are targeted. http://bioenergy.ornl.gov/faqs/index.html#overview4. The Responsible Energy Initiative is seeking funding partners to deliver the outcomes across the Southeast Asia region. 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. It gives an overview of the ORE status of the region in terms of its potential and existing policies that support the utilization of ORE as an alternative source of energy. 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. The agricultural resources of the Midwest and the forest-based resources of the Southeast feature prominently. http://www.fao.org/docrep/w7407e/W7407e05.htm. http://www.ferc.gov/market-oversight/mkt-electric/overview/elec-ovr-rps.pdf. 890 (111th Congress) 101, the Federal Renewable Electricity Standard. 890, S. 433). Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. But nowadays, possibilities for use include collection of a portion of this material for burning in a biomass boiler, producing steam for electricity, or processing into biofuels (see below) such as cellulosic ethanol, as technologies and new processes are developed. They are finishing up installing a solar panel array at the Aurora Apartments to help offset electrical demand in certain buildings. Tribal and Indigenous Interests - $12.5 million, Community Capacity - $3.125 million (12.5%), Resilient Peoples & Place: When a time for peace is facilitated through partnership, Creating a Tribal Restoration Workforce - Fish Alaska Magazine, Forest Service to start improvements on Wrangell blueberry lands next spring - Wrangell Sentinel, Biden-Harris Administration Invests More Than $37 Million to Improve Recreational Sites and Cabins on National Forests and Grasslands | USDA, The SalmonState: Bringing the sockeye home | Juneau Empire, Local priorities and USDA funding strategies meet up in Southeast Alaska High Country News Know the West (hcn.org), Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategys webpage, Guiding Recommendations & Potential Long-Term Investments, Initial Investment and Recommendations Summary, Traditional Technical Knowledge and Cultural Use of Forest Products. % 2;|Q2C2hH;_2 The Golden Age For Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). February 23, 2009. Reprinted from Greenwire with permission from Environment & Energy Publishing, LLC. Thus, owing to the above points, Vietnam is expected to dominate the renewable energy market in the region during the forecast period. Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Energy Innovation included 37 coal plants from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee for a total of just over 53 GW of coal capacity. Cogeneration is the production of electrical energy and another form of useful energy (such as heat or steam) through the sequential use of energy. Renewable energy sources, such as biomass, geothermal resources, sunlight, water, and wind, are natural resources that can be converted into these types of clean, usable energy: Bioenergy Geothermal Energy Hydrogen Hydropower Marine Energy Solar Energy Wind Energy Benefits of Renewable Energy On April 2, ChargdAffairesat the U.S. Embassy Michael Heath gave remarks at theRenewable Energy Symposium and Electric Vehicle Challenge, the capstone of Clean Power Asia, a USAID funded regional program. 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. Since the USDAs initial announcement about the strategy, more than 289 investment proposals have been brought forward totaling more than $276 million, which indicates both a need and excitement for home-grown, local priorities that reflect the values and peoples of the region., Southeast Conference is excited to be a part of this game-changing shift in the One USDA approach to partnering in economic development throughout our Tongass communities, said Robert Venables, Executive Director for Southeast Conference. Transportation costs associated with biomass will bear strongly on the decision to site a biomass power facility. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from biomass sources are considered practically neutral, as biomass sources take in CO2 during their growing cycle and release it when burned. Download CCC Permissions Thanks for reading Scientific American. Official websites use .gov A .gov Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. The report, which is based on a review of existing literature regarding renewable resources in the Southeast, includes the following renewable energy resources: wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, biomass, and tidal. 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. 210 0 obj <>stream 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. So basically using the savings from switching from coal to local solar to add storage to make the grid more resilient. Our USAID [United States Agency for International Development] Clean Power Asia program made huge investments in clean power and is projected to help the region avoid 30 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the next 15 years, he continued. These recovery and biomass boilers are responsible for most of the energy generated by the forest products (biomass) sector, either as steam heat for process uses, or electricity generated for on-site use. 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 . For more information on Tradable Credits, see CRS Report RL34116, Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS): Background and Debate Over a National Requirement, by [author name scrubbed]. Methane released from manure management systems can be captured and used as clean energy to produce electricity. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has agreed on a 23% target for sustainable, modern renewables by 2025. The harvest of food and other crops often leaves behind a mass of stover (i.e., stalks, leaves and other plant remnants). Myanmar reported its access to energy as 50 per cent in 2019. Today, biomass [electric power] generation is mainly associated with the use of mill and agricultural wastes. Map of pulp and paper mill closures. Biomass has been characterized by advocates for an RES in the Southeast (i.e., Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia) as the region's main renewable resource which could be used to meet a standard. These enormous savings come from cheaper wind, solar, and storage displacing more expensive-to-run coal, along with an RTO-led regional transmission planning scheme where all seven states share power resources and expand transmission to most efficiently meet regional electricity demand. Produced by biological processes of living organisms. This has fuelled economic growth and permitted higher living standards. PO Box 1842Knoxville, TN 37901865.637.6055, Maggie Shober works to speed the clean energy transformation in the Southeast through analysis and advocacy. ( This paper presents preliminary research on ocean renewable energy (ORE) in Southeast Asia (SEA). It is concerned that competition for biomass resources from new power generation facilities and from transportation fuel uses could drive up prices to the economic detriment of forest product companies. By 2025, the desired regional target is securing 23 percent of primary energy from renewable sources. Other technologies, such as "open-loop" biomass, incremental hydropower, small irrigation systems, landfill gas, and municipal solid waste (MSW), receive a lesser value tax credit. The definition of what constitutes biomass has varied over time with changes in law and regulations, reflecting policy goals and evolution of potential uses. Waxman had offered a lower renewable target of 17.5 percent, according to Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas), a member of the committee. 709 W. 9th Street hXKk0+?F3SCwCL6{-+$B The OneUSDA team is continuing to work with Tribal Nations, Alaska Native corporations, and other partners to distribute all funds in 2022. Marshall Steam Station, a coal-fired power plant owned by utility Duke Energy. Renewable energy resources include biomass, hydro, geothermal, solar, wind, ocean thermal, wave action, and tidal action. New research from Energy Innovation and Vibrant Clean Energy shows establishing a competitive wholesale electricity market across seven Southeastern states could save $384 billion and create more than 400,000 clean energy jobs, jump-starting an economy slowed by COVID-19 and dramatically reducing harmful air pollution. The alkaline spent liquor from the digesters in the production of sulfate or soda pulp during the manufacture of paper. Representation of a priority economic sector. Presentation on behalf of CleanEnergy.org. November 30 - December 2, 2022. . Personal communications with Southern Company. State governments have generally led the way in deploying other renewable energy technologies. The American Clean Energy & Security Act of 2009 "discussion draft" introduced by Representatives Waxman and Markey draws upon H.R. A market was created for firms outside of the electric utility industry with a preference or opportunity for producing energy from alternative fuels, especially for qualifying small power facilities that could use biomass, waste, or other renewable resources (including wind, solar energy, and water).6 Investments and advances in combustion turbine technology preceded the growth of cogeneration.7 Nowadays, combined heat and power turbine-generator sets are a mainstay of several industries and industrial applications. Increased battery storage and system flexibility also reduces the need for seldom-used gas peaking resources, which are mostly eliminated in the RTO by 2040. 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. RPS requirements oblige electric utilities to provide electricity from renewable energy sources in increasing amounts over a specified period of years. The American Renewable Energy Act, H.R. Overall outcomes anticipated include stronger relationships with Tribal Nations, Alaska Native corporations, and municipal governments; inclusive, diverse engagements that represent the people, communities, and cultures of Southeast Alaska; an understanding of administrative barriers that continue to impact funding distribution and may include changes to policies, laws, and regulations; and be able to use input gained from engagements to determine short- and long-term investments for the region. USDA is focused on maximizing its collective resources to provide the highest level of support and service to Southeast Alaska. 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 Virginia. corporations in a process that reflects the immediate and long-term needs and opportunities in the region. 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. USDA Forest Service photo. To this effect, IRENA and the ASEAN Centre for Energy find that $290 billion of . Vietnam has a high potential for renewable energy, including hydro, solar, wind, biomass, and waste. (Photo by Rolf [+] Schulten/ullstein bild via Getty Images). Continue reading with a Scientific American subscription. This included virtual Open Houses, an online feedback tool, an information-filled website, and a dedicated email address for submitting input, letters, and/or existing plans or specific investment proposals. Although biomass-fueled power plants are not immune to such challenges, they are capable of offering base-load capacity, and a viable clean energy alternative for utilities in the Southeast should climate change considerations officially become part of the rationale for a Renewable Electricity Standard. For Tlingit & Haida, the agreements are an example of USDAs renewed commitment to its Federal Trust responsibilities and what can be done when partners work together on common goals of sustainable, community-led economic development in Southeast Alaska. The utility segment is by far the . The latest on SEEM, FERC, and the impact on renewable energy The coalition of Southern utilities petitioning to form a new market exchange has responded to a second deficiency letter from FERC. 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. Southeast Asia countries significantly rely on fossil resources. The intra-agency team reached out to schedule tribal consultations and sessions to engage and inform participants about the strategy and engage in discussions about opportunities for economic investments. 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.