What if NIMBY isn't NIMBY at all?

"Not in my backyard!" or NIMBY has become a pejorative label for opposition to any project.  It is often characterized as an impediment to the public good because neighbors of a proposed housing development, power, sewage plant or factory oppose the location of the project near them, though they acknowledge the need for the project itself.

At the level of individual sustainable living opposition to unusual building designs, high density housing, artificial wetlands, composting, rainwater catchment tanks, front-yard gardening, humanure composting, solar panels, roof top water heaters and home wind turbines among others could be characterized as NIMBY.

Maggie Koerth-Baker suggest in her article Rethinking NIMBY: Why Wind Power Could Lead To New Ways of Defining (and Dealing With) Public Naysaying on Boing-Boing.net that opposition labeled as NIMBY is often "... national activism drawn to a specific place.."


She points to incidents specifically related to large wind turbines in which accepting that opposition may be more honest and nationally applicable than simply local opposition has led to more productive ways of dealing with shortcomings of the technology.  Otherwise, "If you write off the NIMBYists, you have to shout them down."

Koerth-Baker points to UC-SB professor Eric Smith's research that indicates that opposition is often based upon knowledge that is gained by people who will be living near a particular project. This insight into opponents may lead to changes in design that properly address concerns.

In my experience typical opposition to wind power projects have led to improvements in turbine design and location.   Turbines have been redesigned to reduce irritating noise. They have been made more attractive. They have been located away from major bird migration routes. 

To live sustainably we need to learn to live with all our neighbors if NIMBY isn't simply NIMBY perhaps we can more easily manage to do that.

What could San Antonio and CPS do with 5.2 billion dollars (instead of putting it toward the cost of more nuclear plants)

Disclaimer: As  a group San Antonio Sustainable Living doesn't take policy positions.  Within our membership we have people who are in favor of nuclear expansion for various reasons and folks who oppose it for various reasons. 

Below is information from Energia Mia, a local coalition that opposes nuclear expansion.  A more complete version of this information is available here.

What Could You do with $5.2 billion?
About 2,500 MW of Total Capacity and 1,100 MW of Baseload Power for a lot less

San Antonio does not actually need 1080 MW – 40 percent of the two nuclear plants of nuclear power in 2020. In fact, CPS Energy is now talking about selling half of that power to other utilities. Still, if they did need 1080 MW of power by 2020, they could get it for less than $5.2 billion, In fact, an analysis found that utilizing cost estimates provided by the consultant hired by Austin Energy, CPS Energy could build the equivalent of over 2,500 MW of total energy capacity, and 1,100 MW of guaranteed electricity for less than $5.2 billion.
 
Among the measures that could more cheaply replace the need for any new nuclear power by 2020 include:

·   A more aggressive efficiency program than the 771 MW of energy efficiency they are estimating;
·   Incorporating the gains in energy efficiency they will obtain from the City’s advanced building codes;
·   Fulfilling the Mission Verde goals of a robust on-site solar program to lower energy demand and produce power locally;
·   Greater investments in wind energy, including wind with storage;
·   A significant investment in large-scale concentrated solar plants with energy storage;
·   Taking advantage of geothermal renewable energy in South Texas;
·   Investing in an additional efficient combined cycle natural gas plant;
·   Investing in industrial and institutional combined heat and power facilities;
·   Investing in a medium-scale biomass facility;
·   A more aggressive low-interest loan program for homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient and add solar water heaters and panels;
·   Improving energy efficiency services to those San Antonians least able to afford increased rates to make sure bill impacts stay low;
·   Utilizing the millions of dollars available in stimulus funds to promote energy efficiency and renewable power in San Antonio

What can you get for $5.2 Billion? Why not put our energy eggs into less risky baskets?

Extra 200 MW of Energy Efficiency                              Cost: $100 million
Install 500 MW of wind                                         Cost: $1 billion
Develop a 500 MW Solar on Rooftops Program           Cost: $210 million
Develop 500 MW of Utility-Scale Solar                    Cost: $1 billion
Install 200 MW of Wind Turbines plus Storage          Cost: $550 million
Install 100 MW of geothermal                                        Cost: $400 million
Build a 100 MW Biomass Plant                               Cost: $285 million

The Boy who Harnessed the Wind

What do you want a windmill for? This man changed lives with the ones he built.

Wind Turbines a popular item at 2009 Renewable Energy Roundup

In addition to the Honeywell home wind turbine a number of other innovative and improved wind turbines were on display at the 2009 Renewable Energy Roundup.


Joe Kaminski of Wilson Energy demonstrated Aquilo Power's vertical windmill.


Abundant Renewable Energy of Newberg, Oregon displayed their super strong power generating windmills.


The Energy Ball windmill from Home Energy Americas LLC, (a division of Sweden's Home Energy) and installed by Round Rock's Casa Bella Verde operates at very low wind speeds. Tests indicate that it's sound is not detectable above background noise. San Antonio company Southwest Clean Energy also sells and installs the Energy Ball.

Honeywell branded Windtronics home wind turbine displayed at Renewable Energy Roundup 2009 (Updated Dec 2010)

2009 Windtronics windmill

Some of us got our first look up close at the Windtronics home wind turbine that is being sold under the Honeywell name. Windbucks a Fredericksburg company that intends to become a certified installer had the turbine on display.


It looks like a giant bicycle wheel with small pieces of plastic to catch the wind and make it spin. There are some magnets mounted at the top of the white fender-like frame. As the wheel spins past the magnets electricity is produced.
A notice on the booth said that the installed cost for the turbine would be $5,200 after tax rebates.


Residential Wind Turbines can qualify for a tax credit of 30% (including labor and materials with no maximum.) Of course talk to a trusted tax adviser before you make any purchase based on an expected tax credit.

June 26 post on Honeywell turbine.
 

December 2010 update
This post continues to get lots of hits.  I've been meaning to do another one based on my conversations with the folks at Windbucks at the 2010 Renewable Roundup but since folks are still coming to this post I think I just zip out a few paragraphs here.

According to the guys at Windbucks, the white model was not ever made available for sale.  It didn't pass muster somehow.  

The 2010 Windtronics Windmill 

The new model (the black one) has passed muster though and Windbucks folks will do a turn key installation on it.


As best I can  tell it is a bit larger than the previous model.

I believe the specs on it are a bit different as are the suggested uses.  It is still able to generate power with a light breeze and it has the same basic design principles as the 2009 model but it seems stronger and more substantial in 2010. 

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act needs a catchier name. How about "Cash for Clunkers: Home Edition"?

Cash for Clunkers was a big success. But the program that gives even more money to homeowners who improve their energy efficiency hasn't caused a rush at the dealers.

Perhaps its because the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act just isn't a catchy name, so based on a comment by Stephen Colley, long time SASL coordinator, we're going to call it "CASH FOR CLUNKERS: Home Edition".

The home edition of Cash for Clunkers is quite a bit more complicated than the automobile version. Tax credits are earned for installation of energy efficient devices. The IRS is still working on the final guidelines on what products qualify and on what documentation is necessary but until they do, they say to rely on manufacturer ratings and keep all your receipts and communications with sellers and installers, so there's no need to delay. IRS:Energy Incentives for Individuals in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act .

Of course, our standard SASL disclaimer applies. (See the sidebar.) Do not rely on this site for tax advice.

Hanely Wood, the trade magazine publisher, has a great site that explains the act with regard to home improvements, www.thestimulussource.com and a regularly revised chart showing the home improvement Stimulus at a Glance.

Some improvements qualify for an unlimited 30% tax credit for all costs including parts and labor. These include: Geothermal HVAC Heat Pumps and Solar Water Heaters, Photovoltaics and Residential Wind Turbines. Fuel Cells and Microturbines earn a credit of 30% including parts and labor but limited to $500 per .5 kW capacity. This is the big credit, and you can receive credits for each of these you purchase. This is the heart of CASH FOR CLUNKERS: Home Edition.

The smaller credit is a maximum of $1500 when you spend $5000 (equipment only, no labor included) on a long list of qualifying improvements. The Congress set the standards high for these improvements. They include energy efficient windows, doors, roofing, insulation, biomass stoves, conventional central air conditioning, heat pumps HVAC (both split and the usual), furnaces and hot water boilers and theoretically water heaters, though as of today there are no qualifying models.

Although there are lots of categories for the smaller credit, you can only receive a total of $1500 in tax credits. Your credit is 30% so to get the maximum of $1,500 you must spend $5000. Any amount above $5000 will not earn additional credits in this category.

To me the really exciting thing about "CASH FOR CLUNKERS: Home Edition" is the unlimited credit for renewal energy items. Of these items, Solar Water Heaters and my favorite, Geothermal HVAC are great deals.

Southwest Mechanical Services estimates that in South Texas a geothermal system (which includes free hot water heating during A/C season) costs 35% more than the most efficient conventional system, including labor and the drilling of holes for a closed loop. With a 30% credit you get upgraded practically for free.

Even without a tax credit the energy efficiency of the geothermal will eventually make up for the price difference. Hard numbers are hard to come by because there aren't any double blind controlled HVAC studies but Southwest estimates that a geo system is 2 1/2 times as efficient as a 13 SEER HVAC heat pump.

Aside from the cost, geothermal is the one HVAC system that is just as effective when it is 105 degrees outside as when it is 88 degrees. Even if it didn't pay for itself, which it does, it pays for itself in comfort. My family's geo system cost $26,000. Under this program we would have received a $7,800 tax credit.

There are also CPS and state financial incentives to explore.

So what are you waiting for? Go out and trade your home clunker in and get some cash!

Photo courtesy of Almagill on Flickr with a Creative Commons license.

Possible game changer for home wind energy production? $4,500 Honeywell Earthtronics gearless generator with inverter sold through hardware stores

The new 6 foot diameter gearless wind turbine from Earthtronics and branded by Honeywell operates in winds as low as 2 mph. At 95 pounds it is light enough to be mounted on pole, roof, tripod or even the side of building.

The turbines will be sold with a smart controller inverter which can manage power from 2 turbines. Each turbine can produce in excess of 1500 kw per year. Once utilities standardize net metering, the company says they will accommodate it, but initially it will be a closed loop system.

The company says that its design eliminates the major source of noise, cavitation, from other turbines. That combined with its size will make it more welcome in residential settings than large tower mounted turbines.

Without gears it is intended to be easier to maintain. A five year limited warranty is standard though it is designed for a twenty year life span.

Initially the units will be sold through Ace Hardware stores in the autumn of 2009 but in 2010 it will be offered through other retailers, catalogs and contractors. The unit is to be sold including a package of 30 compact fluorescent bulbs. Without the reduction from the bulbs the system alone is said to produce 18% of an average homes electrical usage.

The company is in the process of training certified installers. Completion of a one day $325 course will gain you full certification benefits. Purchasers will find certified installers through a Honeywell website.

For more information here are links to pdf's : Energy Generation Information Energy Data, Frequently Asked Questions, Honeywell Wind Turbine Brochure, Honeywell Wind Turbine Certified Training, US Incentive List, Mounting System and Connection Snap Shot .

Thanks to Gary Krysztopik from Zwheelz for passing this along through the San Antonio Environment Meetup board.