Today we rallied at the Long Island Power Authority Trustee meeting to tell them “Plug Me In To Off Shore Wind!”
All Our Energy were part of over 100 activists and demonstrators at this week’s LIPA Board meeting.
LIPA Chairman Suozzi asked, and not a single person in the room was against developing off shore wind. I spoke in favor of moving forward with off shore wind right now for the power they need to generate for the South Fork of LI. For the same price we can have clean energy with battery storage from an off shore wind farm 30 miles from Montauk, or build new fossil fuel power plants and gas pipelines to feed them across the island, including sensitive nature areas. Why would we not move into the renewable energy future??
Long Island is at a crossroads. We need more power to run our homes, especially on the South Fork.
A developer is ready to supply this energy, from an off shore wind farm, promised at the same or lower cost than a new fossil fuel power plant, with battery storage to cover the estimated few dozen hours annually the wind isn’t blowing, and they take all the risk, supplying electricity at a fixed rate for a certain period of time.
In opposition to that, another developer wants to put one or two fossil fuel powered plants into the area. this will probably require new gas pipelines and other dangerous infrastructure through Long Island neighborhoods to feed it.
The choice couldn’t be clearer. why would we go back to the past when we can move on to a clean energy future and start the renewable energy revolution right here on Long Island- a revolution that comes with up to 40,000 jobs?
Join our meeting tonight to educate and support YOU to speak at LIPA’s March 21 board meeting for off shore wind! This will likely be the last chance before they announce their decision. Let’s be heard and help them make the right choice!
Right now, millions in New York can not make their own clean energy because the sun doesn’t shine on their roof the right way, or maybe they don’t even have a roof! Why should that be our limit?
What if we found a way for them to still generate their own solar power that they could use anyway?
At our 2/17/16 meeting, we discussed these issues and what we can all do about it.
Two ways to do this are community owned solar projects and off site / virtual net metering. Your clean energy is created somewhere besides your house or business, and you still get to use it. These are new strategies that would help unleash a renewables revolution in New York. We have the power right now, in New York and especially on Long Island, to beneficially replace outdated fossil fuel infrastructure that has outlived its expected life span. It must be replaced soon.
With your help, we will make sure Long Island moves into renewable energy.
If we buy in to all new fossil fuels, we will have them for 30-50 years more without the opportunity to switch to large scale renewables, like off shore wind which are safer and cleaner than fossil fuels, and are ready to go today at the same price as new fossil fuel plants.
So why aren’t we changing?
Inertia, powerful interests, utility profit models that increase based on burning more fuels instead of supplying energy, exclusion of others to supply energy even if safe, practical and economical (not a free market). These modes are outdated and these entities need to move into the 21st century profit model that simultaneously cleans up most of their dirty emissions, or make way for those that will.
Join our meeting to discuss putting the “power” in your hands to tell officials and other decision-makers to do the right thing and adopt economical renewables on a grand scale in New York, make community-owned projects easier, and help open new paths for renewables to fill our electricity needs.
An exciting time and I’m glad you’re taking this journey with us!
Board Of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) map of the proposed NYPA (LIPA and Con ED) plan for a Long Island-New York City offshore wind farm approximately 12 Miles offshore.
Recently, LIPA and Con Edison are issuing calls for public input on trying to bring back the plan for a wind farm 12 miles off the shores of Long Island.
Coincidentally, Sierra Club has really picked up the ball that they started rolling earlier last year. At that time,the LIPA board failed to do anything like ‘leading” -they just passed the natural gas buck to the next generation, guaranteeing another 30 or more years of further fossil fuel dependence, fracking pollution and price gouging (and that one didnt take long-only 5 months to come home to roost).
It may not be too late. Sierra have been trying to convince LIPA to rethink their do-nothing stance and invest in wind energy, even as a hedge against these types of spikes. They have almost reached their goal of sending 5000 signatures to LIPA telling them to get on board with wind energy.
This is the moment, here is the movement, get on board with them!
Once again when you start talking costs going up like this, wind energy which is already close in price, fast becomes cheaper(another post). That does not include the effect that having wind energy would have: creating savings across all forms of electricity generated by having more supply to cover demand. Less natural gas demand = lower market price for natural gas.
What is it going to take to JUST. DO. IT. ALREADY?
Please let me know as soon as you’ve signed on to the Sierra Club link above so we can move on to getting it done!
Tim Daniels of Deepwater Wind showed the current New York Offshore Energy Planning Map
On Tuesday Night, community leaders, environmental and Renewable Energy organizations and members of the general public met to discuss Renewable Energy Solutions for Long Island At the LI Clean Energy Forum: Navigating NY’s Energy Crossroads
Ms. Dix said “it’s time for the Long Island Power Authority to move away from plans to lock Long Islanders into dirty fossil fuel energy contracts, instead of investing in clean, safe renewable energy from wind and solar. We need both Gov. Cuomo and LIPA to act now to protect our clean energy programs and fast-track our transition to a clean energy future for New York”.
The importance of this meeting was to bring to the public what their role is in helping transition Long Island and the world at large into more renewable energy.
“We are stuck doing the same things because we have a fossil fuel based economy”. Of LIPA board’s recent decision not (necessarily) to buy into offshore wind she said
“change just got a 15 year jail sentence”.
Explaining our problem, she said “The job of LIPA is to provide affordable, reliable power- not renewable energy… the decision-making structure is wrong. These institutions are not elected but they’re making our decisions and may not have any energy or utility experience. We don’t have leadership that the people can rely upon.
She went on to add, “we need a new movement to move Long Island energy into the new millennium. “Silence is not golden – we need everyone’s voices to be heard”
She spoke of the dangers, destruction and pollution of Fracking and natural gas drilling. She said livestock is ingesting these FrackIng wastes and our food chain is threatened right now. She explained pipelines are proving difficult to stop because they are not approved on the local level, but on the federal level by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Thus, pipelines like the one being completed under the devastated Rockaways are happening against residents wishes, and continuing to be installed PRIOR to court proceedings to stop them.
Fracking Water use statistics from Grassroots Environmental Education
She says the best way to keep Fracking out is make sure we have plenty of renewable energy powering our state that we don’t need it.
Peter Olmstead of the Vote Solar Initiative spoke. He explained the US could easily reach 80% renewable energy by the year 2050.
“we need to attract investment and provide access to renewable energy”.
Another major item of interest he spoke of that “if your house isn’t good for solar maybe you could have a few panels on a community system elsewhere”. You know we here at All Our Energy love the Virtual Metering scenario! Why should you have to own a roof to have solar- 8 million New York City residents (and any other urban dwellers) would at least have access to solar empowerment!
He said getting competition into solar to create lower costs would be a key ingredient to more widespread solar usage, and is already happening.
Tim Daniels from Deepwater Wind, the company proposing the offshore Wind farm LIPA ignored, spoke next.
He said
“Wind could have been providing Long Island 10% of its energy had LIPA gone with their plan.”
In his view, New York had taken some steps towards renewable energy 10 years ago but since has stagnated and failed to follow through.
He said locally offshore wind could easily support 3000 MW of power for our area.
We met Ed Laborde of Power Up Communities, a new green energy campaign to help owners make their homes energy-efficient and more comfortable while generating good paying jobs and community benefits.
Ed Laborde of Power Up Communities.
Definitely check out their website!
Gordian Raacke of Renewable Energy Long Island presented about their 100% Long Island Clean Electricity Vision (CEV) study.
Their study shows that by 2020 it is technically feasible to meet 100% of Long Island’s residential electricity needs with Renewable Energy. It further shows by 2030 we could have 100 percent renewable and zero carbon electricity supply for all of Long Island. He said the only thing missing to make the transition is the political will. Read about it here:
Mr. Raacke has a great outlook on the situation when he says “it’s an exciting time to be alive when we can make the change to renewable energy”
I understand what he says: We have the power – you, I, we- can do it and we must do it together. He reminds us that the price of sunshine is still zero…
Gordian Raacke of Renewable Energy LI:”it’s an exciting time to be alive when we can make the change to renewable energy”
A great Q and A session followed questions included
whether Superstorm Sandy would have had any effect on offshore Wind Farm. Tim Daniels’ answer was no – offshore turbines are designed for North Sea storms which are category three winds. The Siemens turbines available to Deepwater wind withstand 120 MPH sustained winds and 150 Mph gusts.
Another question was about the environmental impacts of an offshore wind Farm. Adrienne Esposito replied “when thinking about environmental impacts you must think not about Wind Farm versus nothing, but Wind Farm versus dirty energy plant. No matter what, there’s going to be impacts. The clean energy impacts are so much less plus they dramatically reduce the pollution and climate change affecting the environment.
Another question was about the impending change in LIPA leadership. She said we should be poised to demand the right people are put in charge. We should also make sure they know we think they should not cut their renewable energy programs, and that they need to have more renewables in the mix. We need to let the LIPA Board of Trustees know we need to change.
There was some quiet speculation that LIPA may have left the door barely cracked open to revisit the issue and we should not give up yet.
A European immigrant living here said they’re shocked there is no policy against wasting energy.
Editors Note-
(This is an excellent point, as people in the US are under the assumption that “if they can pay for the electricity, it’s their business and that the ‘free market’ of prices will decide how much they use”. Unfortunately, they ARE NOT paying the actual costs of their usage when it comes to pollution, land destruction, and climate change- the “hidden costs” of dirty energy, which they are actually passing off to everyone else.)
They explained that in their home country, when you sell a house you must show the energy usage and efficiency that that house has, as just part of the process. hmmm…
Another attendee named John just made a statement that we must realize we are all addicted to fossil fuels and we need to change our own actions and attitudes.
After the proceedings, I was able to ask the representative from Deepwater Wind:
“If LIPA said “go” today, when would we have renewable energy?”
Answer: 2017- the same time as the new gas power plants would be coming online.
Gordian Raacke summed it up best: “if you think investing in renewable energy is important, then let your elected officials and LIPA know. Become involved! Let’s grab this chance to make it happen!”
Come to The Long Island Clean Energy Forum: Navigating NY’s Energy Crossroads. Tuesday December 4th 7:00 to 9:00 PM. This is what Long Island’s energy future should look like.
Come ready to learn your role in the push for clean energy…
So, what’s everybody doing next Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at 7PM?
“At this forum, you will hear from a panel of well-respected individuals in the clean energy field, including Adrienne Esposito of Citizen’s Campaign for the Environment, Peter Olmsted of the Vote Solar Initiative, Gordian Raacke of Renewable Energy Long Island, as well as a representative from the offshore wind company Deepwater Wind.” –
Please join the Sierra Club and the Green Sanctuary of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock on the evening of Tuesday, December 4th, 7 to 9 pm for a discussion on Long Island’s clean energy future. The forum will be held in the Social Hall of the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock at 48 Shelter Rock Rd, Manhasset, NY 11030. You can find directions here: http://www.uucsr.org/find.asp
The Clean Energy Forum will provide a great opportunity to learn more about the current turning point in our energy policy and which path we need to take to achieve the future we want to see. This will be an action oriented discussion so
come ready to learn your role in the push for clean energy.
Find all the information and attendee registration here:
Looking down the road: A new poll shows the overwhelming majority of Long Islanders want Renewable Energy for their electricity needs.
In light of LIPA’s looming (and hopefully not “dooming”) decisions on what they are going to do about generating our electricity in the future, some important answers emerge about what Long Islanders – LIPA’s customers – think and want.
The questions show an overwhelming majority of Long Islanders, in the 77-90% range depending on the question, are on board with changing over to renewable energy.
The Poll By the Numbers:
87%- believe New York State should honor it’s commitment to using 30% renewable Energy by 2015 (we’re way behind!)
85% support offshore wind power 12 to 15 miles off the coast of Long Island
78% prefer that New York utilities build new renewable energy infrastructure instead of additional fossil fuel plants
78% think the Cuomo Administration should prioritize clean, renewable energy resources ahead of fossil fuels
79% the majority want it, even if it costs more-only 16% wouldnt pay more!
89% – say we should meet our renewable energy goals using clean energy from projects built in New York State – (as opposed to “outsourcing” our renewable energy opportunities to another state to develop, deliver and profit from.)
You can find the poll and results for yourself here:
Tuesday September 25, 2012: Point Lookout, NY. – Today Sierra Club partnered with Community Voices for Clean Energy at the Point Lookout Clean Energy Park to tell LIPA we need Renewable Energy, and not to lock us into fossil fuels for the next 30 years, as LIPA decide Long Island’s energy future.
Under watch of the 156 foot tall wind turbine, the speakers laid out why we all need to tell LIPA to invest, and heavily, in renewable energy as they decide what they are going to build and use for Long Island’s needed electricty generation-for the next 30-40 years!!!
At their upcoming October 2, 2012 board meeting, LIPA will be deciding how they are going to generate electricity, in many cases going out 20-30 years or more. The Sierra Club said:
“This show of support for clean energy comes at a critical juncture, as LIPA debates various sources of new power for Long Island homes.
All of the community members at this rally came out to express their concern about the current sources of energy generation and share their hope for Long Island’s energy future. Currently, both the State of New York and LIPA are failing to meet their renewable energy goals of 30% renewable sources by 2015 set by the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, which LIPA voluntarily committed to. The current debate over new sources of energy generation presents the best opportunity for LIPA to keep their promise to Long Islanders.”
Speakers presented their thoughts:
Dan Sabia, president of Built Well Solar, explains, “LIPA has a big decision to make soon, to continue to support clean energy here on Long Island. [LIPA] has the opportunity to help solidify Long Island’s position as a leader in renewable energy by moving forward with … clean energy.”
Andre Robinson, engineering student at Farmingdale State said: “The Long Island I would like to see is leading the country in clean energy innovation because LIPA made the right decision to invest in clean energy now for our future. Because of this the Long Island I see has good job opportunities… jobs that pay well and promote healthy communities at the same time.”
“Speaking as a mother,” Bahar Zoghi said, “with [global warming, carbon dioxide emissions, pollution]… if we keep depending on fossil fuels, conditions will just get worse. I think it’s time we really think more clearly about that, not just for us but for our kids. We owe that to them and the next generation.”
Peter Gollon, Energy Chair of the Long Island Sierra Club, challenged LIPA to have the “courage” to make this necessary change. He said, “We are here to tell them to find the courage to actually lead us into the future of renewable energy, where we all know we have to go…Our children and grandchildren can’t wait”
We dont think we can wait either.
We are at a crossroads.
The way is pretty clear.
So what the HECK are we waiting for?
If the wrong decision is made, we will be stuck with dirty energy for a looooong time, and the future on Long Island will be delayed a generation.
TAKE ACTION: Click on this link> Tell LIPA- We need clean energy. follow the instructions to let LIPA know you want clean energy.
Today-Several dozen concerned citizens, hosted by The Sierra Club, were literally “calling” on LIPA to invest in clean, renewable energy.
Those calls were to let LIPA know that instead of sticking all of us into long range contracts that will keep Long Island fossil fuel-dependent for many decades to come, they must pursue clean energy.
LIPA is deciding over this week how they are going to replace their old power plants and how they are going to provide the additional power Long Island’s growth is demanding.
Today, The Sierra Club and Community Voices for Clean Energy are calling on all of us to let LIPA know that the only way is ahead to renewables, and not to go back to dirty fossil fuels!
You can make a difference, LIPA is listening!! heres how:
instructions for calling LIPA. Let them know you want renewable energy!
Another Chance to Bring Offshore Wind to Long Island
Board Of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) map of the proposed NYPA (LIPA and Con ED) plan for a Long Island-New York City offshore wind farm approximately 12 Miles offshore.
Find that info by clicking here: Long Island-New York City Offshore Wind Project
This is great news.
Sierra Club: Support Offshore Wind and Clean Energy Jobs for NY
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