There have also been program approvals for other smaller utility companies in the State of Michigan as well, but this one effects the most people in the metro-Detroit area.
May 26, 2009 – MPSC Press Release
The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) today approved a modified version of Consumers Energy Company’s proposed renewable energy plan (REP) and its energy optimization (EO) plan and surcharges, as required by Public Act 295 of 2008.
Under the approved, modified REP, the utility is authorized to implement its REP surcharge beginning Sept. 1. Residential customers will see a monthly $2.50 REP surcharge.
The utility is authorized to implement the EO surcharge for bills beginning June 1 and thereafter. The average residential electric customer using 500 kilowatt-hours will see a monthly EO surcharge of 71 cents. The average residential natural gas customer using 100 hundred cubic feet (ccf) will see a monthly EO surcharge of $1.72.
Today’s order also directs the director of the MPSC’s Electric Reliability Division to establish an energy optimization collaborative to provide EO program evaluation support and to make recommendations for improving EO plans for all providers. All electric and natural gas providers subject to the MPSC’s jurisdiction under Public Act 295 are directed to take part in the collaborative. In addition, energy efficiency experts, equipment installers, and other interested stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the collaborative.
The Commission also directed the MPSC staff to provide oversight and consultation during the request for proposal (RFP) design process to ensure that the RFP is competitive and fair to all.
In addition, the director of the MPSC’s Regulatory Affairs Division is directed to draft proposed rules to ensure verification of implementation and energy savings for self-directed customers, and the MPSC staff is directed to assure that the third-party contractor for the renewable energy and EO credit program verifies the implementation and energy savings of self-directed projects before issuing EO credits for these projects.
The MPSC is an agency within the Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth.
You may have seen or heard the term “phantom power” when reading articles or watching a news piece on cutting your energy consumption. “Phantom power” refers to the power still being used by devices in your home or business that are not currently being operated, they may even be turned off, but are still plugged in and using a small amount of power. Normally the devices that are doing this have a backlight or some kind or a clock that is on all the time. Some examples include coffee makers, cordless phones, cable boxes, video game consoles and many others. Depending on how many of these devices you have in your home or at your business, “phantom power” can increase your monthly electric bill by as much as 10 – 20%. For more information on how much “phantom power” could be costing you and some ideas on what to do about it, check out the article here http://earth911.com/tips/unplug-or-pay-up/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Email+marketing+software&utm_content=580345920&utm_campaign=Earth911.com+Weekly+-+05%2f27+_+hhlkij&utm_term=Unplug+or+Pay+Up
You can see the current going’s on at our project site in Oil Nut Bay and the newsletter here http://newsletters.turtlelakeliving.com/view_online.asp?ds=969597D2FC7A449FB4DD1F7F18D62D02
DSIRE, the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy, has released a new incentives website devoted to solar energy. This new website can be found at www.dsireusa.org/solar and includes:
- Interactive Solar Map: Allows quick access to solar incentives and policies in effect in each U.S. state and territory.
- Solar Policy Comparison Tables: Detail individual elements of solar rebates and tax credits to facilitate comparison among state programs. These tables may be downloaded as spreadsheets.
- Solar Policy Guide: Describes and provides examples of different types of solar policies adopted by state and local governments. This guide also addresses current policy trends.
- Solar Policy Summary Maps: Provide a geographical overview of the availability of certain types of solar incentives and policies. These maps may be downloaded as .ppt or .jpg files.
- Search Tool: Allows users to search the DSIRE Solar database by several different criteria (e.g., technology, policy type, eligible sector) to create customized lists of solar incentives and policies.
May 26, 2009 – MPSC Press Release Below
The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) today formally adopted the rules governing interconnection and net metering standards. It also approved modified uniform forms to be used on an interim basis for Category 1 (20 kilowatts and under) interconnection and net metering standards.
“With net metering rules now formally in place, electric customers across the state can now add small, renewable energy electric generation projects onsite and get credited for the energy they produce in excess of their needs – at the full retail rate,” said MPSC Chairman Orjiakor Isiogu.
The MPSC on March 18 approved rules governing interconnection and net metering and submitted the rules to the Legislative Service Bureau and the State Office of Administrative Hearings and Rules (SOAHR) for their formal approvals, which were both granted on April 7. That same day, the rules were filed with the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, which had 15 session days to object to the rules. JCAR did not take any action to prevent the rules from being transmitted to the Secretary of State.
In Case No. U-15919, the Commission approved a modified version of four uniform forms for Category 1 (20 kilowatts and under) interconnection and net metering projects for the electric utilities covered by this order. The four uniform forms are: the application for net metering; the application for interconnection; the interconnection and parallel operating agreement; and the alternative single combined application covering both net metering and interconnection.
Electric utilities covered by today’s order follow: Alpena Power Company, Edison Sault Electric Company, Indiana Michigan Power Company, Upper Peninsula Power Company, We Energies, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation and Northern States Power Company, a Wisconsin corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Xcel Energy, Inc., The Detroit Edison Company, Consumers Energy Company and the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association, on behalf of its member electric cooperatives serving retail electric customers Alger-Delta Cooperative, Cherryland Electric Cooperative, Cloverland Electric Cooperative, Great Lakes Energy Cooperative, HomeWorks Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Midwest Energy Cooperative, Ontonagon County Rural Electrification Association, Presque Isle Electric & Gas Coop and Thumb Electric Cooperative.
The net metering and interconnection rules are available on the SOAHR site:
http://www.state.mi.us/orr/emi/rules.asp?type=dept&id=LG&subId=2007%2D010+LG&subCat=Revision+Text (http://www.state.mi.us/orr/emi/rules.asp?type=dept&id=LG&subId=2007%2D010+LG&subCat=Revision+Text)
The MPSC is an agency within the Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth
Case Nos. U-15787 and U-15919
if ways are not found to require mandatory emission reductions, a U.S. government report said Wednesday. Read the entire article here http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30961637/
We’ve been asked many times how to calculate the energy use of various appliances and electronics. Just follow the formula below. This formula is also very helpful if you’re trying to decide whether to upgrade and invest in a more energy-efficient appliance or other piece of equipment.
Formula for Estimating Energy Consumption
You can use this formula to estimate an appliance’s energy use:
(Wattage × Hours Used Per Day ÷ 1000 = Daily Kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption
(1 kilowatt (kW) = 1,000 Watts)
Multiply this by the number of days you use the appliance during the year for the annual consumption. You can then calculate the annual cost to run an appliance by multiplying the kWh per year by your local utility’s rate per kWh consumed.
Note: To estimate the number of hours that a refrigerator actually operates at its maximum wattage, divide the total time the refrigerator is plugged in by three. Refrigerators, although turned “on” all the time, actually cycle on and off as needed to maintain interior temperatures.
Examples:
Window fan:
(200 Watts × 4 hours/day × 120 days/year) ÷ 1000
= 96 kWh × 8.5 cents/kWh
= $8.16/year
Personal Computer and Monitor:
(120 + 150 Watts × 4 hours/day × 365 days/year) ÷ 1000
= 394 kWh × 8.5 cents/kWh
= $33.51/year
Wattage
You can usually find the wattage of most appliances stamped on the bottom or back of the appliance, or on its nameplate. The wattage listed is the maximum power drawn by the appliance. Since many appliances have a range of settings (for example, the volume on a radio), the actual amount of power consumed depends on the setting used at any one time.
If the wattage is not listed on the appliance, you can still estimate it by finding the current draw (in amperes) and multiplying that by the voltage used by the appliance. Most appliances in the United States use 120 volts. Larger appliances, such as clothes dryers and electric cooktops, use 240 volts. The amperes might be stamped on the unit in place of the wattage. If not, find a clamp-on ammeter—an electrician’s tool that clamps around one of the two wires on the appliance—to measure the current flowing through it. You can obtain this type of ammeter in stores that sell electrical and electronic equipment. Take a reading while the device is running; this is the actual amount of current being used at that instant.
When measuring the current drawn by a motor, note that the meter will show about three times more current in the first second that the motor starts than when it is running smoothly.
Many appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched “off.” These “phantom loads” occur in most appliances that use electricity, such as VCRs, televisions, stereos, computers, and kitchen appliances. Most phantom loads will increase the appliance’s energy consumption a few watt-hours. These loads can be avoided by unplugging the appliance or using a power strip and using the switch on the power strip to cut all power to the appliance.
Typical Wattages of Various Appliances
Here are some examples of the range of nameplate wattages for various household appliances:
- Aquarium = 50–1210 Watts
- Clock radio = 10
- Coffee maker = 900–1200
- Clothes washer = 350–500
- Clothes dryer = 1800–5000
- Dishwasher = 1200–2400 (using the drying feature greatly increases energy consumption)
- Dehumidifier = 785
- Electric blanket- Single/Double = 60 / 100
- Fans
- Ceiling = 65–175
- Window = 55–250
- Furnace = 750
- Whole house = 240–750
- Hair dryer = 1200–1875
- Heater (portable) = 750–1500
- Clothes iron = 1000–1800
- Microwave oven = 750–1100
- Personal computer
- CPU – awake / asleep = 120 / 30 or less
- Monitor – awake / asleep = 150 / 30 or less
- Laptop = 50
- Radio (stereo) = 70–400
- Refrigerator (frost-free, 16 cubic feet) = 725
- Televisions (color)
- 19″ = 65–110
- 27″ = 113
- 36″ = 133
- 53″-61″ Projection = 170
- Flat screen = 120
- Toaster = 800–1400
- Toaster oven = 1225
- VCR/DVD = 17–21 / 20–25
- Vacuum cleaner = 1000–1440
- Water heater (40 gallon) = 4500–5500
- Water pump (deep well) = 250–1100
- Water bed (with heater, no cover) = 120–380
The link below will take you to Energy Star’s page of their approved/qualified products. There are about 60 categories now, and growing. Make sure to consider Energy Star products when upgrading or replacing items in your home and/or business.
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.
There is a new summary out of current tax incentives. It is a great one pager. A copy of the summary is included in the link below.
tax_incentives20091
We will be exhibiting at “Greening of the Heartland” beginning this Sunday, May 31 and running through Tuesday, June 2. Our booth number is 502, come by and chat with us. More details of this great expo can be found at the link below. Hope to see you there!!!
http://www.greeningtheheartland.org/
