Comments for Western's Connections blog http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress Sat, 01 Jun 2013 18:39:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 Comment on Employees volunteer, cheer for students, science by bomit http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=1275&cpage=1#comment-324623 bomit Sat, 01 Jun 2013 18:39:39 +0000 http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=1275#comment-324623 I love the activities of the students. Programs like this should be more popular. I love the activities of the students. Programs like this should be more popular.

]]> Comment on Western sponsors future science and math leaders by NFAN http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=325&cpage=1#comment-318249 NFAN Fri, 17 May 2013 22:50:15 +0000 http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=325#comment-318249 I really love the Idea of math and music co-existing, it really makes kids want to learn. I really love the Idea of math and music co-existing, it really makes kids want to learn.

]]> Comment on Video game systems: Energy vampires? by strategy review http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=181&cpage=1#comment-318042 strategy review Fri, 17 May 2013 18:13:46 +0000 http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=181#comment-318042 Yeah, this gave me a wake up call. If I want to save money from my electric bill, I will stop playing Guild Wars 2 and SWTOR. Yeah, this gave me a wake up call. If I want to save money from my electric bill, I will stop playing Guild Wars 2 and SWTOR.

]]> Comment on Mira Loma High School takes top honors at NSB by Dwane Cates Law http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=1358&cpage=1#comment-313887 Dwane Cates Law Fri, 10 May 2013 16:16:38 +0000 http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=1358#comment-313887 Congrats to the students of Mira Loma High School, what an achievement! Im sure a bright future awaits all of them Congrats to the students of Mira Loma High School, what an achievement! Im sure a bright future awaits all of them

]]> Comment on Regional utilities gather in Colorado to talk energy efficiency by Kevon Storie http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=1127&cpage=1#comment-290257 Kevon Storie Wed, 27 Mar 2013 19:55:43 +0000 http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=1127#comment-290257 John, utilities have a number of reasons to encourage customers to become more efficient. Many utilities today are capacity constrained, and looking for the lowest-cost, clean resource to meet their demand. The integrated resource planning process usually identifies the megawatt you don't use—the negawatt—to be the cheapest, cleanest megawatt. So demand-side management programs that include efficiency and conservation compare favorably to the alternatives. Building new fossil-fueled plants or buying peak power on the open market both drive up the cost of electricity to the utility and the consumer. Further, new plant construction takes time and saddles the utility with long-term financial commitments. Factor in regulatory issues and growing concern about climate change, and energy efficiency looks more and more like the resource of first choice, and not a "photo opp" at all. Public power utilities in particular have an obligation to the communities that they serve, and Western customers have seen their <a href="http://esnews.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=1645" rel="nofollow">DSM programs</a> have a positive effect on local economies. Programs that promote energy-efficiency upgrades to EPAct 2005 and more current standards can also stimulate job creation and workforce development within the community. Finally, consider that energy is a product and no business succeeds by throwing away its product. It is simply good business sense for utilities to make sure every kilowatt is used wisely. Perhaps you can join us at the next RMUEE to learn more about how energy efficiency benefits electricity producers and consumers. John, utilities have a number of reasons to encourage customers to become more efficient. Many utilities today are capacity constrained, and looking for the lowest-cost, clean resource to meet their demand. The integrated resource planning process usually identifies the megawatt you don’t use—the negawatt—to be the cheapest, cleanest megawatt. So demand-side management programs that include efficiency and conservation compare favorably to the alternatives.

Building new fossil-fueled plants or buying peak power on the open market both drive up the cost of electricity to the utility and the consumer. Further, new plant construction takes time and saddles the utility with long-term financial commitments. Factor in regulatory issues and growing concern about climate change, and energy efficiency looks more and more like the resource of first choice, and not a “photo opp” at all.

Public power utilities in particular have an obligation to the communities that they serve, and Western customers have seen their DSM programs have a positive effect on local economies. Programs that promote energy-efficiency upgrades to EPAct 2005 and more current standards can also stimulate job creation and workforce development within the community.

Finally, consider that energy is a product and no business succeeds by throwing away its product. It is simply good business sense for utilities to make sure every kilowatt is used wisely. Perhaps you can join us at the next RMUEE to learn more about how energy efficiency benefits electricity producers and consumers.

]]> Comment on Regional utilities gather in Colorado to talk energy efficiency by John Schultz http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=1127&cpage=1#comment-287359 John Schultz Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:52:27 +0000 http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=1127#comment-287359 Energy efficiency may well be better incented by things like the energy tax credits and deductions provided by EPACT 2005. Its great that utility companies are talking about energy efficiency, but what is their incentive for us to use less energy? Seems like a photo opp, more than a real purpose driven event. Energy efficiency may well be better incented by things like the energy tax credits and deductions provided by EPACT 2005. Its great that utility companies are talking about energy efficiency, but what is their incentive for us to use less energy? Seems like a photo opp, more than a real purpose driven event.

]]> Comment on Purchasing credits to support renewable energy goals by John Schultz http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=426&cpage=1#comment-285837 John Schultz Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:11:12 +0000 http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=426#comment-285837 My only concern with the effort is methodology, none of the current renewable energy sources are sufficiently cost effective to meet the 80% renewable objective in the prescribed time frame. We need to make improvements in efficiency of these resources. Meanwhile we continue to enhance our position through these efforts, and the more mundane energy tax credits for green projects, but I anticipate great difficulty in reaching the stated objectives. My only concern with the effort is methodology, none of the current renewable energy sources are sufficiently cost effective to meet the 80% renewable objective in the prescribed time frame. We need to make improvements in efficiency of these resources. Meanwhile we continue to enhance our position through these efforts, and the more mundane energy tax credits for green projects, but I anticipate great difficulty in reaching the stated objectives.

]]> Comment on Western hosts wind, solar interconnection workshop by Randy Manion http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=787&cpage=2#comment-246922 Randy Manion Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:51:49 +0000 http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=787#comment-246922 The registration site is now live for the Distributed Solar and Wind Interconnection workshop. For more information see: http://www.uwig.org/interconnectionworkshop2013.html . The registration site is now live for the Distributed Solar and Wind Interconnection workshop. For more information see: http://www.uwig.org/interconnectionworkshop2013.html .

]]> Comment on Southline environmental analysis moves forward by Valerie http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=1237&cpage=1#comment-229896 Valerie Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:38:07 +0000 http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=1237#comment-229896 Input from the agencies will be included in the final alternatives development report and keeps the environmental analysis moving forward on schedule. Input from the agencies will be included in the final alternatives development report and keeps the environmental analysis moving forward on schedule.

]]> Comment on Rim Rock wind project to interconnect through MATL by Western's Connections blog » Rim Rock Wind Farm achieves commercial operation http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=684&cpage=1#comment-223960 Western's Connections blog » Rim Rock Wind Farm achieves commercial operation Fri, 11 Jan 2013 20:07:28 +0000 http://blog.wapa.gov/wordpress/?p=684#comment-223960 [...] transmission line (a project supported through Western’s Transmission Infrastructure Program) in a post last Jan. 10, 2012. Even though Western’s involvement with MATL was completed last fall, the wind farm announced [...] [...] transmission line (a project supported through Western’s Transmission Infrastructure Program) in a post last Jan. 10, 2012. Even though Western’s involvement with MATL was completed last fall, the wind farm announced [...]

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