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California
Energy Commission – Hetch Hetchy Water and Power PIER Program
Management
In 2002, Hetch Hetchy Water and Power, in conjunction with municipal utilities
across California, embarked on a $7 million program funded by the Public
Interest in Energy Research (PIER) program of the California Energy Commission.
CRS worked with the utility team to develop the overall program plan and
define specific technical projects that would serve the collective interests
of
the
CEC and the utility team.
As a result, ten distinct Research & Development projects involving
California public utilities are being carried out over a four year period.
The projects
provide a basis for new renewable energy development in California and across
the West.
CRS acts as program administrator and supports program management on behalf
of the CEC and Hetch Hetchy. The team is assisted by independent advisors from
a variety of governmental, academic and other public organizations.
The program is addressing important issues in renewable energy development
within four main issue areas:
- Assessing and Targeting Renewable Energy Development
- Increasing Affordability of Existing Renewable Energy Facilities
- Expanding Affordability and Diversity Using Renewable Distributed Generation
- Developing Renewable Energy Technologies for Tomorrow's Electricity System.
More information on the PIER
program
Public Renewables Partnership
The Public Renewables Partnership (PRP) is an initiative dedicated to enabling
municipal utilities and cooperatives, local governments and Tribal utility
authorities to effectively integrate renewable energy into their power portfolios
and business strategies. PRP's primary objective is to better inform utility
and community decision makers about renewable energy technology options and
potentials.
PRP members include municipal utilities and public power agencies, and other
organizations wishing to establish renewable energy programs. PRP's value to
its members lies mostly in upstream activities, including evaluation of renewable
energy resource potential, market and portfolio analysis, strategic planning
and resource planning.
The Center for Resource Solutions acts (along with Western Area Power
Administration, American Public Power Association, U.S. DOE Wind Powering
America Program and
U.S. DOE GeoPowering the West Program) to co-manage this effort. For more
information on the PRP Partnership, its members, and how to join, go to:
More
information on the PRP
PRP Service Areas
PRP assists its members in preparing for future activities, such as construction,
operation & maintenance, or power purchasing, without becoming directly
involved in them. Although PRP does not buy or sell power, or develop new generation,
it provides value to its members by providing knowledge, quality information,
and a network of people and resources appropriate to their needs.
PRP's offerings are organized into five main service areas:
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Evaluation of renewable energy resources and projects: evaluates potential
availability of renewables and end-customer needs;
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Economic Services: for retail green pricing programs, evaluating risks, portfolio
analysis and overall program design;
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Acquisition: buying or building renewables, including R&D, resource planning,
leveraging government resources, purchase assistance, and improving access
to new technologies;
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Constituent Relations: provides communications and educational assistance
to end-customers and other stakeholders.
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Energy Development and procurement support: within each service area, PRP
can identify and recruit third-party service providers to facilitate acquisition
of power projects or energy procurements
CRS manages PRP projects, and contributes
its own in-house technical expertise.
We develop and distributes information and knowledge gained from project
activities for the benefit of PRP members.
Global Guardianship Initiative
Around the world communities in and surrounding wilderness areas, parks
and nature reserves can benefit from technologies such as renewable electricity
systems
for lighting
and
water
pumping, solar cookers and high efficiency stoves that reduce the need for
burning wood or imported fossil
fuels. With cleaner and more efficient power production and utilization comes
better lighting and health. These improvements to daily life can help to
empower women and children who are the key to
breaking
the
cycle of
poverty
and population growth throughout the developing world.
Renewable energy and increased efficiency improve the quality of life for
people who are dependent upon natural resources from their local environment.
This
fosters
good relationships
between residents, local and national government, conservation
organizations and NGO's, thereby
improving
the ability
to manage
and protect wilderness areas and biological reserves. Our goal, in addition
to supporting the conservation objectives mentioned above, is to show how
renewable
energy
can be used as
a tool for
rural micro
enterprise development in a manner that is both environmentally and economically
sustainable.
More information on the GGI |
