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Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Presentation to American Council of Engineering Companies of New Hampshire January 15, 2008 New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Commissioner Thomas S. Burack. Climate Change Impacts on New Hampshire.

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Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

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  1. Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Presentation to American Council of Engineering Companies of New Hampshire January 15, 2008 New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Commissioner Thomas S. Burack

  2. Climate ChangeImpacts on New Hampshire • Trends indicate NH is experiencing impacts now • Extreme storm events • More rain in winter • Less snow cover

  3. Flooding in NH October 2005 May 2006 April 2007 • Peak flows in many rivers greater than 100 year flood • Millions of dollars in state and individual losses

  4. By late in the century (without reducing GHG emissions) Winter snow season cut in half Sea-level rise up to nearly three feet More than 60 days with temperatures over 90°F in most cities 4 to 28 days with temperatures over 100°F (compared with one or two days per year historically). FutureEconomic Impacts to New HampshireNortheast Climate Impacts Assessment (2007)

  5. What if we don’t act now to reduce green- house gases?

  6. Extreme weather alone – 0.5-1% world GDP annually Total cost of taking no action equivalent to reduction in consumption per head of 5-20% annually Less costly to take actions now than to delay Risk to world economy on the order of multi-national world conflict Insurance market already reacting Global Cost of No Action(Stern Review UK Treasury 2006)

  7. NH CO2 (equivalent) Emissions by Sector 2004 Transportation Agriculture, Residential Forestry and Waste Transportation Industrial 2% 34% Electric Utilities 34% Commercial Electric Utilities Agriculture, Forestry Commercial and Waste Residential Industrial 8% 15% 7%

  8. Regional cap on emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants >25 megawatts Cap (10 state region) 188 million allowances 1 allowance = 1 ton NH Budget 8.6 million allowances Majority of allowances will be sold in regional auction RGGI Cap & Trade Program

  9. 2-Phase CO2 Caps (gradual, keeps cost low) stabilization 2009 – 2014 (no absolute reductions, but reductions from business-as-usual) Phase I Regional Cap = 188,076,976 tons Phase I NH Budget = 8,620,460 tons 10% reduction 2015 - 2018 (2.5% per year for 4 years) Built-in Review of Program in 2012 RGGI Cap Levels

  10. Power plants must have enough allowances to equal their emissions by the end of the three year period Can buy allowances (regional auction) or offset allowances Unlimited banking of allowances Compliance

  11. RGGI Offset Projects • 1st set – methane capture, SF6 (electric insulator), afforestation, end-use efficiency • Initially limited to 3.3% of each source’s emissions • Offsets may come from RGGI region or from another US state at 1:1 • Safety valves built in to increase use of offsets for economic relief if necessary

  12. 9 other states going forward with RGGI Regional energy prices will be affected by RGGI whether NH participates or not Only way to mitigate costs is to participate and use auction revenues RGGI impact on NH

  13. Driving federal action Western Climate Initiative includes Arizona, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, British Columbia, and Manitoba and 10 observers including 3 Canadian provinces and Sonora, Mexico Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord includes Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Manitoba (Indiana, Ohio, and S. Dakota also signed as observers) Investment in more efficient energy market is positive for NH regardless of climate change Regional Leadership

  14. Is RGGI Significant? • RGGI would represent the seventh highest emitting developed country • The RGGI cap (188,076,976 tons) is similar to the emissions of Australia, France, or Italy • There is no “silver bullet” but RGGI is part of the “silver buckshot”

  15. Benefits of HB 1434 • Helps to mitigate long-term energy costs via greater investment in energy efficiency • Creates a market signal that encourages development of cleaner and, in many cases, more local energy sources • Increases our energy independence with more local energy sources: keeping more dollars local • Starts to mitigate our GHG emissions to avoid the most deleterious projections of climate change impacts

  16. Downside of not joining RGGI • Roughly half of NH’s supply is purchased from the regional market • As a consequence, NH electric prices will be affected by RGGI • No benefit of sale of NH allowances • No seat at table – no influence on program

  17. 2006 average monthly bill (UNH estimate from FERC Form 1) Small $308 (81,000 accounts) Large $38,000 (350 accounts) Not joining RGGI Increase to average monthly bill Estimated Impact to Business Electricity Costs

  18. Potential Mitigation of Monthly Business Electricity Costs Net change from investment in energy efficiency compared to not joining RGGI

  19. Record peak demand in summer >28,000 MW Peak demand increase twice as fast as average load growth Costly new capacity may be needed to meet demand reached for only a few hours or days our of the year Reducing electricity use by 5% during peak times will save consumers $580 million a year (ISO – NE June 2006) Energy Efficiency – Regional Priority

  20. RGGI bill proposing a “fuel-neutral” fund Technology continuing to improve Recognize opportunities vary Increased energy efficiency overall – can avoid costly new capacity – reducing everyone’s energy costs Major Potential for Energy Efficiency Improvements

  21. Light Bulb Evolution

  22. Fluorescent Light Evolution 34–40 Watts 32 Watts 28 Watts 1950’s – 1980’s late 1980’s – 1990’s Last 5 yrs

  23. NH participation is lower cost overall to NH than not joining Lowest long-term net utility cost is to auction allowances and put revenues into energy efficiency Positive impact on employment and the overall NH economy UNH Economic Analysis 2007

  24. NH tradition of innovation and leadership NH needs to foster R&D development of new technologies and related ancillary services Current examples – Power Span GT Solar Opportunity for Economic Development

  25. ENERGY DEMAND for Electricity, Heating/Cooling and Transportation Every megawatt-hour of electricity used produces 1,100 lbs. of CO2 Every gallon of gasoline burned produces 20 lbs. of CO2 What’s the Ultimate Source of Greenhouse Gases?

  26. Solutions • Make your buildings ENERGY STARS (or Leed certified). • Light up your life (with Energy Star qualified lighting products). • Establish “turn off” and “unplug” policies for electronic equipment and lights. • Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle (use double-sided printing and copying) • Green your fleet and driving habits! Biodiesel

  27. Buildings Lighting Appliances (dishwashers, furnaces, stoves, washer machines) Office Equipment www.energystar.gov

  28. Reduce fuel consumption in motor vehicles Establish fuel economy standards for new purchases Establish anti-idling policies Promote carpooling and teleconferencing Less Greenhouse Gases – Less Dependence on Foreign Oil

  29. Consider the Hybrid Option

  30. Think Globally Act Locally

  31. Tom Burack thomas.burack@des.nh.gov 271- 2958 Bob Scott robert.scott@des.nh.gov 271-1088 Joanne Morin joanne.morin@des.nh.gov 271-5552 Contacts

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