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Fall 2006 Newsletter

In this issue:

Rutherford EMC becomes newest NC GreenPower participating utility
by Monica Rashkin

The REMC mission is to explore, use and improve the best of all technologies, both old and new, to provide member-owners with superior electric service. In keeping with this philosophy they are supporting cutting-edge renewable energy technology.

REMC is governed by an 11-member board of directors which is elected annually. The board is responsible for formulating policy and hiring a general manager to oversee day-to-day business operations. REMC serves over 64,000 members in parts of Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln, McDowell, Polk and Rutherford.

North Carolina’s first Zero Energy Home (ZEH) recently opened its doors to its first residential occupant. The home, constructed by Catawba Valley Habitat for Humanity with the help of the Appalachian State University (ASU) Energy Center and the N.C. State Energy Office, welcomed its first homeowner during a housewarming event on October 6 in Hickory.

Completed in Fall 2005, the home has served as both a research facility and as the local office for Habitat for Humanity. Appalachian students regularly conduct research on the home to monitor its energy usage, and systems performance.

The Zero Energy Home was constructed in Hickory, N.C. by the Catawba Valley Habitat for Humanity

The home combines state-of-the-art, energy-efficient construction and appliances with commercially available, renewable energy systems. With its reduced energy needs and solar energy systems, a ZEH can return as much energy as it takes from the utility grid on an annual basis.  

Like many homeowners, Thompson will immediately see the difference a ZEH can make to her power bills. She currently pays around $300 a month for electricity. 

“The ZEH in Hickory could run for over half a year on that amount,” said Jeff Tiller, coordinator of Building Sciences at ASU's Department of Technology and technical director of the Energy Center. Tiller has been monitoring the energy usage and production of the ZEH as part of the university’s ongoing research into high performance homes.   The home is currently selling power produced by its solar panels back to NC GreenPower.

The home boasts some impressive features, including a photovoltaic array that produces electricity directly from the sun’s energy, a solar water heating system, and a fresh air ventilation system.  This home includes energy efficient construction practices such as advanced framing and spray foam insulation in the walls.  The ZEH utilizes a passive solar design to take advantage of the sun’s warmth in the winter as well as shade from the sun in the summer.

Another feature of the home is a geothermal heat pump which exchanges the variable outside air temperature with constant underground temperature in order to heat and cool the home. In addition to state-of-the-art features, the home also has recycled tile, high performance windows and the most energy efficient appliances available.  All of these energy efficiency measures and renewable energy technologies add up to a house that can produce more energy than it uses. 

The NC State Energy Office funded the project through the ASU Energy Center. This special project shows the potential for a variety of technologies in the affordable housing industry in North Carolina.

For more information, contact the Appalachian State University Energy Center at (828) 262-7289 or visit www.energy.appstate.edu.

NC GreenPower issues Request for Proposals for eligible resources

NC GreenPower has announced the need for additional resources to supply the program with renewable energy within North Carolina.  As a result, program leaders have issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking applications from all eligible resource producers. All applications will be reviewed by the NC GreenPower Resource Committee and the resources selected may be eligible to receive financial incentives for up to 10,000,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of generation per year.  The deadline for submission is November 3rd, 2006. 

NC GreenPower periodically issues RFPs as the demand for additional renewable energy generation arises. The amount of demand is determined by the volume of electricity subscribed by NC GreenPower participants. As subscriber participation in the program increases, more renewable energy generation can be acquired across the state.

The RFP process is designed to allow all interested and eligible producers the opportunity to bid into the program. Selections are based, among other criteria, on the feasibility of the proposal, time frame of installation, and the cost per kilowatt-hour premium requested. In most cases, new resources for the program are required to participate in this competitive RFP process.

Not all resources, however, are required to wait for NC GreenPower to solicit their participation in a proposal process. Small solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind of 10 kilowatts (kW) and under may join the NC GreenPower program at any time, provided the system is interconnected to the power grid and eligible for the program. Producers meeting these requirements are permitted to join NC GreenPower through a simplified application process. The premiums paid for the purchase of these resources are fixed and are thus not subject to the competitive bid process.

For more information on the current request for proposals or for additional information on becoming an NC GreenPower producer, visit the Resources pages of the NC GreenPower website, call 866-533-NCGP or email Ewan Pritchard, NC GreenPower resource manager.