According to Senator Beverly Gard who filed to amend Clean Energy Bill SB 251 yesterday morning, such resources as wind energy, solar power, biomass and hydro power might not be considered to be clean energy producers in Indiana.  Indiana seems to be redefining what they think as clean energy to cater only to clean coal, natural gas and nuclear power.  Later yesterday, this bill cleared the Indiana Senate by voice vote and moves to the Indiana House. Read the amended statement below (note what what has been stricken): MADAM PRESIDENT:     I move that Senate Bill 251 be amended to read as follows: <!- WP Comment SOURCE: Page 2, line 6; (11)MO025106.2. ->     Page 2, line 6, delete "safety." and insert "safety, including integrity, additions, enhancements, and replacement projects related to safe and reliable operation.".    Page 4, line 9, after "from" insert "or increase the efficiency of".    Page 5, line 33, after "energy" insert "production or".    Page 5, line 33, strike "or coal gasification".    Page 7, delete lines 1 through 33, begin a new paragraph and insert:<!- WP Comment SOURCE: IC 8-1-8.8-10; (11)MO025106.11. ->     "SECTION 11. IC 8-1-8.8-10, AS AMENDED BY P.L.95-2010, SECTION 1, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2011]: Sec. 10. (a) As used in this chapter "renewable energy resources" meansalternativesourcesofrenewableenergy,includingthefollowing:        (1)Energyfromwind.        (2)Solarenergy.        (3)Photovoltaiccellsandpanels.        (4)Dedicatedcropsgrownforenergyproduction.        (5)Organicwastebiomass,includinganyofthefollowingorganicmatterthatisavailableonarenewablebasis:            (A)Agriculturalcrops.            (B)Agriculturalwastesandresidues.            (C)Woodandwoodwastes,includingthefollowing:                (i)Woodresidues.                (ii)Forestthinnings.                (iii)Millresiduewood.            (D)Animalwastes.            (E)Animalbyproducts.            (F)Aquaticplants.            (G)Algae.        (6)Hydropowerfromexistingdams.        (7)Fuelcells.        (8)Energyfromwastetoenergyfacilities.        (9)Energystoragesystems.a clean energy resource listed in IC 8-1-37-4(1) through (13).    (b) Except for energydescribedinsubsection(a)(8),from waste to energy facilities,the term does not include energy from the incinerations, burning, or heating of any of the following:        (1) Tires.        (2) General household, institutional, commercial, industrial lunchroom, office, or landscape waste.    (c) The term excludes treated or painted lumber.".<!-- WP Comment SOURCE: Page 8, line 36; (11)MO025106.8. -->     Page 8, line 36, delete "financial incentives".    Page 11, line 11, after "37." insert "Voluntary".    Page 11, delete lines 18 through 25, begin a new line single block indented and insert:        "(1) represents one (1) megawatt hour of clean energy that satisfies the applicable conditions set forth in section 12(c)(2) of this chapter;".    Page 11, line 28, after "4." insert "(a)".    Page 12, delete lines 13 through 35, begin a new line block indented and insert:        "(12) Coal bed methane.        (13) A source, technology, or program approved by the commission and designated as a clean energy resource by a rule adopted by the commission under IC 4-22-2.        (14) Demand side management or energy efficiency initiatives that:            (A) reduce electricity consumption; or            (B) implement load management, demand response, or energy efficiency measures designed to shift customers' electric loads from periods of higher demand to periods of lower demand;        as a result of equipment installed, or customers enrolled, after January 1, 2010.        (15) A clean energy project described in IC 8-1-8.8-2(1).        (16) Nuclear energy.        (17) Electricity that is:            (A) generated by a customer owned distributed generation facility that is interconnected to the electricity supplier's distribution system in accordance with the commission's interconnection standards set forth in 170 IAC 4-4.3; and            (B) supplied back to the electricity supplier for use in meeting the electricity supplier's electricity demand requirements in accordance with the commission's net metering rules set forth in 170 IAC 4-4.2.        (18) Combined heat and power systems.        (19) Electricity that is generated from natural gas at a facilityconstructed in Indiana after July 1, 2011, which displaces electricity generation from an existing coal fired generation facility.during the base year.        (2) CPS Goal Period II: For the six (6) calendar years beginning January 1, 2019, and ending December 31, 2024, an average of at least seven percent (7%) of the total electricity obtained by the participating electricity supplier to meet the energy requirements of its Indiana retail electric customers during the base year.        (3) CPS Goal Period III: In the calendar year ending December 31, 2025, at least ten percent (10%) of the total electricity obtained by the participating electricity supplier to meet the energy requirements of its Indiana retail electric customers during the base year.    Page 16, line 31, delete "(f)" and insert "(g)".    Page 16, line 32, delete "4(18)" and insert "4(15) through 4(20)".    Page 16, line 35, delete "shall" and insert "may".    Page 16, line 35, delete "the following".    Page 16, delete line 36.    Page 16, line 37, delete "(1) A" and insert "a".    Page 16, run in lines 35 through 37.    Page 17, delete lines 1 through 9, begin a new line blocked left and insert:"authorized by the commission under this subsection may:        (1) be different for each of the CPS goal periods identified in section 12(a) of this chapter, as the commission determines is appropriate; and        (2) in the case of a particular participating electricity supplier, be based on the extent to which the participating electricity supplier met a particular CPS goal using clean energy resources listed in section 4(1) through 4(13) of this chapter.".    Page 17, line 10, beginning with "The" begin a new line blocked left.    Page 17, line 11, delete "subdivision" and insert "subsection".    Page 17, line 12, delete "cumulative." and insert "cumulative and may not be authorized for a clean energy resource for which the commission has authorized an incentive under IC 8-1-8.8-11(a)(2).".    Page 17, delete lines 20 through 42, begin a new paragraph and insert:    "(b) If the commission approves an electricity supplier's application under section 11(c) of this chapter, the commission shall permit the recovery, by means of a periodic rate adjustment mechanism, of incentives based on the following:        (1) The sharing of achieved savings or as a percentage of costs.        (2) Avoided costs resulting from achieving demand side management or energy efficiency targets.".    Page 18, delete lines 1 through 3.    Page 18, line 4, delete "(4)" and insert "(3)".    Page 18, line 7, delete "(5)" and insert "(4)".    Page 18, between lines 13 and 14, begin a new paragraph and insert:    "(c) If the commission approved an electricity supplier's application under section 11(c) of this chapter, the commission shall permit the recovery, by means of a periodic rate adjustment mechanism of all reasonable and necessary program costs incurred by a participating electricity supplier in:        (1) constructing, operating, or maintaining facilities that generate clean energy that:            (A) is used by the participating electricity supplier in itsefforts to meet a CPS goal set forth in section 12(a) of this chapter; and            (B) meets the requirements set forth in section 12(c) of this chapter; or        (2) otherwise generating or purchasing clean energy that is used by the participating electricity supplier in its efforts to meet a CPS goal set forth in section 12(a) of this chapter.For purposes of this subsection and subsection (h)(1), "program costs" includes administrative costs, ancillary costs, capacity costs, costs associated with CECs, capital costs, depreciation costs, tax costs, and financing costs incurred in connection with an activity described in subdivision (1) or (2).________________________________________Senator GARD".    Page 18, line 14, delete "(b)" and insert "(d)".    Page 18, line 15, after "(a)" insert "or periodic rate adjustment mechanisms established by the commission under subsection (b) or (c)".    Page 18, line 21, after "incentives" insert "or periodic rate adjustment mechanisms".    Page 18, line 22, delete "(c)" and insert "(e)".    Page 18, line 26, delete "(d)" and insert "(f)".    Page 18, line 28, after "incentives" insert "or periodic rate adjustment mechanisms".    Page 18, line 33, delete "(e)" and insert "(g)".    Page 18, line 37, delete "(a)(1)" and insert "(a)".    Page 19, line 2, delete "(f)" and insert "(h)".    Page 19, line 6, delete "(a)(2)" and insert "(c)".    Page 19, line 13, delete "Subject to subsection (c), beginning" and insert "Beginning".    Page 20, line 22, delete "12(e)" and insert "12(f)".    Page 20, line 37, delete "Subject to subsection (c), beginning" and insert "Beginning".    Page 21, delete lines 5 through 10.    (Reference is to SB 251 as printed February 14, 2011.)".    Page 12, line 36, delete "(19)" and insert "(20)".    Page 12, between lines 37 and 38, begin a new paragraph and insert:    "(b) Except for energy described in subsection (a)(9), the term does not include energy from the incineration, burning, or heating of any of the following:        (1) Tires.        (2) General household, institutional, commercial, industrial, lunchroom, office, or landscape waste.    (c) The term excludes treated or painted lumber.".    Page 13, line 15, after "Indiana " insert "voluntary".    Page 13, line 25, after "Indiana" insert "voluntary".    Page 13, line 38, after "incentives" insert "and periodic rate adjustment mechanisms".    Page 14, line 24, delete "The commission shall approve an application submitted".    Page 14, line 25, delete "under subsection (a) if" and insert "If".    Page 14, delete line 26, begin a new line single block indented and insert:        "(1) an application submitted under subsection (a) is complete and reasonably complies with the purpose of this chapter; and".    Page 14, line 29, delete "supplying" and insert "obtaining".    Page 14, line 29, after "to" insert "meet the energy requirements of".    Page 14, line 34, delete "chapter." and insert "chapter;the commission shall approve the application. If, however, the commission determines that the application does not meet the requirements set forth in this subsection, the commission shall reject the application. The electricity supplier that submitted the application under subsection (a) bears the burden of proving to the commission that the application meets the requirements set forth in this subsection.".    Page 14, line 35, delete "(b)," and insert "(c),".    Page 14, line 37, delete "supply" and insert "obtain".    Page 14, line 37, after "to" insert "meet the energy requirements of".    Page 14, delete lines 40 through 42, begin a new line single block indented and insert:        "(1) CPS Goal Period I: For the six (6) calendar years beginning January 1, 2013, and ending December 31, 2018, an average of at least four percent (4%) of the total electricity obtained by the participating electricity supplier to meet the energy requirements of its Indiana retail electric customers".    Page 15, delete lines 1 through 19.    Page 15, line 20, before "For" begin a new paragraph and insert "(b)".    Page 15, line 20, delete "this subsection," and insert "subsection (a),".    Page 15, line 23, after "energy" insert "as follows:        (1) Subject to subdivision (2), for clean energy".    Page 15, between lines 25 and 26, begin a new line single block indented and insert:        "(2) For clean energy that is generated by a facility located in Indiana from a clean energy resource listed in section 4(1) through 4(13) of this chapter by a factor of one and five tenths (1.5).".    Page 15, line 26, delete "(b)" and insert "(c)".    Page 15, line 29, delete "(e)," and insert "(f),".    Page 15, line 29, delete "supplied" and insert "obtained".    Page 15, line 30, after "to" insert "meet the energy requirements of".    Page 15, delete lines 33 through 42, begin a new line single block indented and insert:        "(2) is generated by a facility located in a control area that is part of a regional transmission organization of which an electricity supplier is a member.".    Page 16, delete lines 1 through 18, begin a new paragraph and insert:    "(d) An electricity supplier is not required to obtain clean energy to meet a particular CPS goal if the commission determines that the cost of clean energy resources available to the electricity supplier would result in an increase in the rates and charges of the electricity supplier that would not be just and reasonable.".    Page 16, line 19, delete "(d)" and insert "(e)".    Page 16, line 22, delete "one (1) of".    Page 16, line 22, delete "(b)(2)." and insert "(c)(2).".    Page 16, line 23, delete "(e)" and insert "(f)". ...read more

Don't wait until the next severe weather system arrives, be prepared with a 7000 watt home generator system. TheVSP-450AH GENERATORis a power system that can supply up to 7000 watts of household electricity and is an excellent alternative to a gas or diesel generator. It's quiet and has no fumes, fuel or moving parts, making it safe for indoor use. This mobile workhorse can also be used outdoors, and operates a wide variety of electronics including communication devices, power tools, full-size appliances and more.   TheVSP-450AHpower system consists of a battery pack that stores electricity, advanced electronics that convert 12 volts of DC power from the battery pack to household power, an AC power panel that contains two standard outlets, and a DC power panel that is used to operate 12 volt products. Combined in a rugged cart, the VSP-450AH generator can be easily wheeled from room-to-room or outdoors over rough terrain.   Product Features * 7000 watts of power * Noise and pollution free * Maintenance free * Clean, safe, reliable, silent power * Environment safe * Safe for all medical devices and sensitive electronics * Renewable energy source * Fully portable power source * Boost cycle - lets you boost start a vehicle with the cables supplied * Link circuit - lets you connect 2-20 more generators together to multiply the power. Example - one generator has 450 amps of power, connect another one with the supplied cable by simply plugging one end to the link plug in on the first generator and the other end into the 2nd generator and now you have 900 amps of power and all your runtimes will be doubled * 2000 watt inverter * Built in transfer switch * Autowalk system * 50 amp AC battery charger  * Renewable energy source plug in for the optional whirlybird wind generator orthe solar charge kit * 12 VDC plug in for charging the generator from any vehicle or rv with the supplied cigarette lighter cord. * Operates 120 VAC or 12 VDC products anywhere 220 VAC optional * Two 12 volt 225 amp deep cycle sealed lead acid batteries * High surge protection and automatic over-temperature and overload shutdown * Low voltage alarm and shutdown prevents deep battery discharge * Digital display confirms charge level, power consumption, if transfer switch is active, AC charge, and AC voltage output. * High power 12 V DC connector * Four three-prong AC outlets Applications Emergency Power: Operates essential appliances such as furnace fans, well pumps, refrigerators, home security, cell phones, sump pumps, microwaves and more. Work Productivity: Operates power tools such as drills, power sanders, circular saws, communication devices such as laptop and desktop computers, monitors, printers and fax machines. Indoor&Outdoor Recreation: Operates a TV, blender, portable cooler, coffee makers, lights and radios Emergency Power Watts & Runtime Application                   Watts              Runtime   Clock radio                      8                  290 hr   13"  TV                          45                    56 hr 20" LCD TV                    75                  36 hr 18 cu ft fridge                120                   20 hr 8.8 cu ft Freezer             80                    30 hr Sump pump 1/2 hp        300                   10 hr Home alarm system          5                 490 hr Microwave                    1000                 3.6 hr 7 1/4 circular saw           800                    4 hr 3/8 corded drill               250                 11 hr Jigsaw                           150                 16 hr Furnace fan                    300                  10 hr Window air conditioner   800                   4 hr  * Runtime as measured on tested load Thisbattery backup systeminformation is brought to you by Illiana Power Corporation. For detailed information on generators, please contactsales@illianapower.comor phone us at 888-815-8023. ...read more

With the cost of energy climbing and global warming and peak oil serious concerns for many people, more homeowners are considering solar power as the alternative energy of choice in the quest for an energy-efficient home.  The first step in moving to residential solar power is estimating your home's average energy usage. Then you can intelligently partner with your solar power installer to design your residential solar power system. Gather your electric utility bills from the past 12 months. Add together the actual kilowatt-hours (kWh) used for each of the 12 months and divide by 12 to find the average kWh used per month. Divide the average kWh used per month by 30 to find the average kWh used per day. Divide the result by 5, which is the average number of peak sun hours in the United States. Multiply the result from Step 3 by 1.43 to account for system losses. The result is the size of the solar power system in kilowatts that will meet your average energy needs. You can request duplicate copies of your electric utility bills from your utility company at little or no cost by calling the company's customer service department. If your utility company provides online access to customer accounts, you can usually find energy usage data for the trailing 12-month period there.Depending on your geographic location, your site may get more or less than 5 hours of peak sunlight per day. This will affect the overall size of the solar power system will need to meet your home's energy demand.Replacing your existing appliances and fixtures with energy efficient models may help reduce the overall size and cost of your solar power system.There are many federal, state and local incentives, including tax credits and rebates available to homeowners to encourage alternative energy use. This information is brought to you by Illiana Power Corporation.  Find out more at www.illianapower.com. ...read more