Has Your Co-op Considered
Renewable Resource Energy Options Yet?

For many reasons, developing and implementing renewable resource energy opportunities is a hot topic within the energy industry.  If energy companies are not performing and promoting their renewable resource activities, difficulties may occur with the review and approval of other more traditional utility initiatives now or in the future.

The basic benefits and appealing arguments for using renewable resource energy alternatives include the need to reduce US dependency on foreign oil, protection of the environment for future generations, the availability of these technologies to contribute today, the opportunities to create new jobs, and, with increasing frequency, renewable energy options may be as cost-competitive as traditional alternatives.   

Renewable Resource Energy Options
There are basically three opportunity areas where renewable energy resources are gaining attention – the transportation sector, renewable electricity and other applications.

In the transportation sector, renewable fuels are expanding rapidly.  Biofuels, like corn-based ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel and others, are receiving increased attention and funding primarily to make progress helping to reduce U.S. dependency on foreign oil.  Challenges and opportunities still exist to increase the production and supply of renewable fuels, build the necessary infrastructure, and increase the number of vehicles that run on renewable fuels; however, many initiatives continue to move ahead to address these issues on a project-by-project, state-by-state basis.

Significant advances have also been made with renewable electricity generation technologies, including biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar and wind resources, where they are available.  Pressures are increasing to develop renewable electricity generation, expand transmission and distribution infrastructure to support effective renewable energy projects, and create renewable electricity markets.

Other applications of renewable energy gaining interest, especially with biomass and biogas, include uses with industrial boilers, cogeneration and unique industrial applications where renewable energy resources can be used to offset fossil fuel consumption. 

Finding Realistic Local Applications
Increasing interests and funding for renewable resource alternatives continue to grow with elected officials, the public, universities, government agencies, and commercial/industrial customers.  Initiatives are now occurring at national, state and local levels.

The key issue for electric co-ops is to know/find the available and realistic renewable energy resources opportunities in your local area.  Have you evaluated the potentially meaningful renewable resource energy options that could help with transportation, electricity and other applications?  Are you working with others in your communities – renewable resource developers, other co-ops, universities, state/local government agencies – to explore how to use these options on a realistic basis?

If electric co-ops are not actively looking at and analyzing their local/regional potential opportunities, others may soon be doing it.  Now may be the right time to join in and focus on these opportunity areas that could be realistic, cost-effective and serve your members and your community.  The positive support of your community leaders “to do the right thing” with renewable energy resources may be worth the effort on its own merit. 

Summary
As utilities, electric co-ops’ mission is to keep the lights on at reasonable costs and not sacrifice the reliability of electric service to members.  At the same time, if there are effective renewable resource energy options available, co-ops should be aware of them and work to integrate these effective renewable energy sources reliably into the electric utility system.

If you would like assistance with evaluating and implementing renewable resource energy opportunities for your co-op members and your communities, EnerVision can help.  Please contact Nelson Hawk at 1-888-999-8840 or e-mail him at nelson.hawk@enervision-inc.com.