Alternative Energy and U.S. States
As part of our ongoing quest to locate and compile information, WD Pellet started preparing a list of states we feel are most acutely affected by the high cost of heating fuel and in peril for the 2008/2009 heating season. In the process of collecting information, we noted distinct differences between individual states - and have been able to see firsthand which states take this "crisis" and the need for alternative solutions seriously. Of the 33 states we reviewed for this preliminary list, most of them included alternative energy, and more specifically renewable energy, information. So this brings us to the question - what's up with that??
While the current energy crisis is admittedly viewed as "acute" in the minds of the average citizen, our so-called energy departments and divisions have been around for a while. The US Department of Energy can be dated back to 1942 when the United States was in the race to develop the atomic bomb. From that beginning to the 1970s, many changes in politics and policies affected what became known as the Atomic Energy Commission. With the energy crisis of the 70s came what is now known as the Department of Energy.
As stated on the DOE's website, "The Department provided the framework for a comprehensive and balanced national energy plan by coordinating and administering the energy functions of the federal government. The Department undertook responsibility for long-term, high-risk research and development of energy technology, federal power marketing, energy conservation, the nuclear weapons program, energy regulatory programs, and a central energy data collection and analysis program." [Source: http://www.doe.gov/about/origins.htm]
So, here we are in 2008 revisiting some of the same issues undertaken "way back then" and trying to make sense of the hesitation, apathy and just plain ignorance that is apparent in the face of limited alternative energy advancement. And, you just have to ask yourself - why? Is it just John and Jane Doe not paying attention? Is it the Doe's community that's the culprit? Or is it a broader base incorporating every facet of life and governance?
As consumers, we're all a member of the Doe family - for better or worse. To some extent, we have all assumed the problem would take care of itself and abused the abundance of resources. When back in the 70's the political tensions eased and fuel flowed more freely, we put the underlying problem in the back of our mind. For some of us, we buried it in our closets knowing that the rainy day would come again, but banking on it being someone else's problem. We kept our woodstoves, and some of us kept our thermostats down, but the majority returned to life as it was before the crisis. No longer were thermostats set at 68F in the winter and 78F in the summer. No longer was fuel efficiency the key component in a new car purchase.
Our communities didn't go off on an energy tangent, but neither did they consistently support the R&D, and implementation of alternative energies. Yes, there was more of an effort to see that homes and buildings were more energy conservative, but not to the point of energy alternative. Our woodstoves, and oil and gas burners gained efficiency, but we still didn't adequately promote ongoing, increased efficiency or pollutant controls. Ironically, we've seen a tremendous increase in portable generators used in homes in natural disaster areas (think Louisiana, Florida and Mississippi), but these, too, were fossil fuel based and not with any alternative in mind.
The time has come to let the initiative genie out of the box and think broader than we have in a long time. Rather than wait for the doomsayers to proclaim that it will take ten years to make any appreciable changes, we need to stand up and state very clearly that we've procrastinated long enough and the time to make the change is now.
So, with that in mind, we present our preliminary list that includes information for 33 of the 50 states that are primarily located in areas requiring substantial home heating resources in the winter months. Now, we must state that there is no requirement for any state to engage in any sort of public (Internet) information forum on any topic. But that said, the disparity noted was, in some cases, stunning.
Government Resources, Initiatives and Reports
The following is a list of some federal and state renewable energy resources available on the Internet. We invite you to check out your state to see where they are in moving renewable energy forward.
US Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; State Assessment for Biomass Resources
Colorado: Governor's Energy Office, Renewable Energy
Connecticut: Office of Policy and Management, Energy Links
Delaware: Energy Office, Sustainable Energy Utility Task Force
Idaho: Office of Energy Resources, Renewable Energy
Illinois: Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Renewable Fuels
Indiana: Office of Energy and Defense Development
Iowa: Office of Energy Independence
Kansas: Department of Agriculture, Renewable Energy
Kentucky: Department for Energy Development and Independence
Maine: Public Utilities Commission; Consumer Information, Renewable Energy/Green Power
Maryland: Energy Administration
Massachusetts: Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation
Michigan: Department of Labor and Economic Growth, Biomass Energy Program
Minnesota: Department of Commerce, Energy Utilities
Missouri: Department of Natural Resources, Renewable Energy
Montana: Department of Environmental Quality, Renewable Energy
Nebraska: Energy Office, Biomass/Biopower Resources
Nevada: State Office of Energy, Renewable Energy
New Hampshire: Office of Energy and Planning, Renewable Energy Incentives
New Jersey: Public Utilities Energy Division, Clean Energy; Renewable Energy
New York: Public Service Commission
North Dakota: Department of Commerce, Energy Efficient and Renewable Energy
Ohio: Department of Development, Renewable Energy
Oregon: Department of Energy, Renewable Energy
Pennsylvania: Department of Environmental Protection, Energy and Technology Department
Rhode Island: Office of Energy Resources, Renewable Energy Programs
South Dakota: Public Utilities Commission
Utah: Governor's Energy Policy, Renewable Energy
Vermont: Department of Public Service; Renewable Energy
Virginia: Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, Division of Energy
Washington: Community, Trade and Economic Development, Energy Policy
West Virginia: Division of Energy, Renewable Energy
Wisconsin: Office of Energy Independence, Renewable Energy
[Note: We will be updating and expanding the list to include all 50 states, and welcome additional information from each of the States and their Consumers.]