Thompson hears about local energy projects

Eureka Times Standard

Renewable energy advocates briefed Rep. Mike Thompson on a slate of efforts being hammered out locally at a meeting with the Redwood Coast Energy Authority on Saturday.

The St. Helena Democratic congressmen heard about projects in the works that could cut demand for energy, but also increase supply locally. In nearly all presentations, a strong theme was preparing Humboldt County to be an innovator and leader in a renewable energy economy.

In order for the nation to move toward making renewable energy the majority of what's provided through the electricity grid, said Schatz Energy Research Lab Co-director Arne Jacobson, it will take examples from places where it's already been done.

"I think we're in a very good position to play that role," Jacobson said.

To that end, the lab is proposing a study to assess local renewable energy sources that are available and analyze how they might interact with the grid, said Schatz Director Peter Lehman. The lab is sending a $250,000 grant application to the California Energy Commission to pay for half of that study, and Lehman asked for Thompson's assistance in finding funding for the rest.

Thompson said it's important to keep as much money local as possible, and using solar, methane or other power-generating means, can save money, which is in itself stimulating to the economy.

He went over some of the tax portions of the recently passed federal stimulus bill, including part that offers tax credits to manufacturers of renewable energy equipment.

"We're moving from an oil economy and an oil society to a renewable energy economy and a renewable energy society," Thompson said.

The energy authority was formed as a joint powers association made up of local governments in 2003. Since its formation, said Executive Director David Boyd, the authority has helped reduce demand locally by the equivalent of about 500 homes. Much of that has been by providing free energy analyses to small businesses interested in cutting demand.

Boyd estimated in a recent study that the county paid about $300 million a year for energy -- most of which left the area.

Another intriguing project getting under way is the Humboldt Waste Management Authority's food waste digester. The idea is to turn food waste from Arcata and Eureka into energy by digesting it and tapping the methane-like gas for energy production.

Waste Authority Program Analyst Juliette Bohn said that the project would significantly cut the waste that's shipped out of the area while producing power. Communities were mandated to divert 50 percent of their waste from landfills by 2000, but some have yet to meet that mark.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. spokesman Ian Caliendo said that the company's efforts to analyze offshore sites where wave energy might be tapped are moving along. PG&E intends to install a "power strip" where manufacturers of various wave energy devices might plug in and test their equipment. Wave energy is promising but not yet tested for industrial use, he said.

"It's kind of where wind energy was 25 years ago," Caliendo said.