Author Archives Laura Arnold

Utility regulators hold emergency meeting on Downtown Indy explosions from IPL

Posted by Laura Arnold / March 24, 2015 / Posted in Uncategorized / 1 Comments

Downtown explosions: What's happening

Madeline Buckley, madeline.buckley@indystar.com,, 4:15 p.m. EDT March 19, 2015

Power outages, traffic gridlock and emergency meetings by utility regulators, but no injuries

Underground explosions rocked DowntownIndianapolis again Thursday morning. Here's a quick look at the situation:

What happened?

An underground fire near the intersection of North Capitol Avenue and West North Street caused several manhole covers to blast into the air around 6:40 a.m. Thursday.

Indiana Power and Light Co. closed the intersection and shut down power in a four- to six-block radius, which caused traffic gridlocks for Downtown commuters.

When will power be restored?

IPL slowly began restoring power around 10:30 a.m. and stated that most customers should be up and running by 4:30 p.m. However, 150 customers in the four-block area of Walnut Street to Michigan Street, and Senate Avenue to Illinois Street are expected to be without power into the weekend because of damaged equipment.

Will traffic be snarled throughout the day?

Crews will be working at the intersection most of the day. Several Downtown traffic lights were still out as of 4 p.m., and will remain off during rush hour.

Is the government getting involved?

The dangerous blasts drew concern from the city and the Indiana Utilities Regulatory Commission, especially as crowds will flock to Indianapolis in April for the Final Four games.

The commission is holding an emergency conference on Friday. The city is teaming up with IPL to conduct safety checks of manhole covers around the city.

Why does this keep happening?

Manhole cover explosions have plagued the city for years. A 2011 report from the IURC said IPL needed to revamp its maintenance and infrastructure to stop the problem. Officials said then that they were taking steps to maintain and "enhance" the electrical network.

What will be done to rectify the problem?

IPL announced Thursday it would install more locks on manhole covers in the city to secure them from flying into the air.

Indianapolis Fire Department and Indianapolis Power

Utility regulators to hold emergency meeting on Downtown explosions

Madeline Buckley, madeline.buckley@indystar.com, 11:52 a.m. EDT March 19, 2015

14 underground fires or explosions Downtown since 2010

Jill Disis, jill.disis@indystar.com, 1:04 p.m. EDT March 19, 2015

At least 14 underground explosions or fires have been reported in Downtown Indianapolis since 2010. Here's a look at those incidents.

March 19, 2015: A series of explosions Thursday morning sent several manhole covers hurling into the air near Capitol Avenue and North Street. Power was shut off to up to six square blocks, including the heavily trafficked Meridian Street Downtown. IPL officials said the explosions were caused by a short circuit and not because of aging infrastructure. Utility regulators called an emergency meeting to address the explosions.

March 16, 2015: Police closed down a portion of Massachusetts Avenue near East New York Street after reports of an explosion in front of Starbucks Coffee. IPL said the The problem apparently occurred in a box in front of the transformer called the primary termination chamber. That's where cables from under the street enter the transformer and begin the process of reducing power from 13,000 volts to 120 volts.

Aug. 13, 2014: A series of underground explosions rocked Downtown Indianapolis on South Meridian Street between Washington and Maryland streets. IPL officials said the source of the problem was identified as the failure of an underground network protector. While no one was injured, power had to be shut off to many nearby buildings so repairs could be made.

March 13, 2014: A manhole explosion was reported near Delaware and Market streets downtown, causing traffic to be blocked off.

July 15, 2012: An underground cable in a manhole shorted out on East 16th Street Downtown. When firefighters arrived, they found smoke coming from the manhole.

July 5, 2012: Pressure from an underground cable caused a manhole lid to slide in the 300 block of Massachusetts Avenue Downtown.

July 4, 2012: Flames erupted from an underground electrical vault near the Westin Hotel Downtown, causing flames to shoot up from a sidewalk grate on South Capitol Avenue.

Jan. 16, 2012: An explosion and fire broke out at IPL's Center Substation near West and Morris streets. The fire was caused when a breaker failed, and caused nearly 10,000 IPL customers to lose power.

Nov 19, 2011: A series of underground blasts near Bankers Life Fieldhouse, then named Conseco Fieldhouse, caused flames and pillars of smoke to shoot up from manholes. The fire heavily damaged a vehicle parked near a manhole, and a cast-iron manhole cover was blown several feet into the air. IPL officials said they spliced underground cables to repair the damage, which did not result in any customers losing power. The blasts sparked concerns over whether Downtown would be safe enough for visitors to Indianapolis during the 2012 Super Bowl game. IPL officials said they purchased 100 manhole covers to lock in place so they would not dislodge. Fifty of those new covers were placed along Georgia Street, the home of the Super Bowl Village.

May 31, 2011: An explosion outside Gov. Mitch Daniels' office rattles windows at the Statehouse. IPL blames a faulty underground cable to a transformer at 46 N. Capitol Ave., which ignited a small reserve of oil in a connector box. No injuries are reported.

April 27, 2011: An underground electrical explosion blows a manhole cover into the air Downtown on Court Street. IPL says a 900-foot stretch of electrical cable apparently short-circuited and burned. Smoke is reported in the basements of at least two nearby buildings. No injuries are reported.

Jan. 30, 2011: Multiple underground explosions rock the 400 block of East Michigan Street near the Athenaeum, blowing at least five manhole covers off their bases. IPL says electrical cables caught fire but does not know whether they were the cause or merely a casualty of the explosions. No injuries are reported.

Aug. 18, 2010: An underground explosion in the 500 block of Massachusetts Avenue sends flames flying 25 feet into the air. IPL says a transformer exploded, caused by oil burn-off. No injuries are reported.

Feb. 17, 2010: An underground fire shoots flames high into the air Downtown near the entrance of Charlie & Barney's restaurant at Delaware and Ohio streets. Witnesses say they heard a loud boom. The fire forces the evacuation of about 1,000 workers from the nearby Gold Building — some of them walking down 20 flights of stairs. Fire officials say an electrical transformer near the restaurant entrance short-circuited and caught fire. The privately owned transformer is not linked to the IPL grid. No injuries are reported. Damage is estimated at $75,000.

Star researcher Cathy Knapp contributed to this report.

Ft. Wayne Journal-Gazette: Re-energized, Efficiency bill doesn’t serve consumers; Fix SB 412!

March 23, 2015 1:01 AM

Re-energized

Efficiency bill doesn't serve consumers

When he allowed the measure to kill Energizing Indiana to become law last year, Gov. Mike Pence said he hoped a better energy-efficiency plan would emerge for this year’s legislative session.

But the plan that has passed the Senate and now awaits House floor action is a poor substitute for Energizing Indiana, a program that had proved very effective in helping Hoosiers cut their electricity use.

The cost of electricity in Indiana has traditionally been low, but our usage is much higher than in most states. Cutting our profligate power habits is both economically and environmentally urgent. But if the interests of Hoosier consumers are even a part of the equation, it would be better for the House to kill Senate Bill 412 than to pass it in its current form.

Unlike Energizing Indiana, an independent entity that used funds from Indiana’s utilities to help homeowners, small businesses and not-for-profit organizations find ways to cut their energy use, SB 412 would leave those efforts to the utilities themselves. It would allow Indiana Michigan Power and other utilities to set their own goals for energy conservation and ensure that the utilities are generously compensated for the electricity sales they “lose.”

The basic concept behind SB 412 seems to be that when there’s a problem in the henhouse, there’s no one better than the fox to set things right.

Last Wednesday afternoon, a line of speakers stood before the House Utilities and Energy Committee and pleaded with its members to reconsider the bill, or at least to put some parameters on how long the utilities can continue to up their charges to recover that “lost revenue.”

One particularly arresting moment came when Pastor Mike Bowling of Englewood Christian Church asked the Republican-dominated committee to live up to its own political ideals. Bowling declared himself and his congregation to be great fans of Pence. But he lamented the demise of Energizing Indiana, which he said had helped his church save money that was then directed to good causes. And, he said, “SB 412 is not what Governor Pence promised to us and to Indiana families.

“A central virtue for good conservatives everywhere is conservation,” Bowling said. “SB 412 sends the opposite message.”

After a hearing last month on an anti-solar power bill that, thankfully, was later euthanized by House Speaker Brian Bosma, the Utilities and Energy Committee was criticized for treating some of its witnesses rudely and for refusing to allow most of them to speak.

This time, courtesy was the day’s watchword. All of the opposition witnesses got to speak, and none of them was set upon by a particularly arrogant committee member.

Instead, the committee simply ignored the speakers’ suggestions on how SB 412 might be made more sensible by setting some reasonable limits on the reimbursements utilities can receive for conservation savings. Right now, as Jodi Perras of the Indiana Sierra Club argued, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission has the option of allowing utilities and their shareholders to be repaid for lost revenue. But the bill the committee approved last week makes those reimbursements mandatory and sets no limit on the timeframe for revenue collection from lost revenue.

The Indiana Citizens Action Coalition recommends that timeframe be set at three years, as it is in several other states and as is recommended in an authoritative report by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

The House still has the opportunity to fix SB 412.

Ft. Wayne Journal-Gazette: Doctor sees solar power’s future

Posted by Laura Arnold / March 22, 2015 / Posted in 2015 Indiana General Assembly, Indiana Michigan Power Company (I&M), solar / No Comments

Dr. Andrew Katz and his wife Janet are building a house that will have solar panels. Dr. Katz says he likes the idea of not burning fossil fuels.

March 22, 2015 1:03 AM

Doctor sees solar power's future

Home will have panels despite as-of-now dead bill

by Rosa Salter Rodriguez, The Journal Gazette

IndianaDG Editor's Note: Misspelling of names corrected.

A few years ago, Fort Wayne gastroenterologist Dr. Andrew Katz and his wife, Janet, decided they wanted to build a house. But not just any house.

The couple, “children of the ’60s,” Dr. Katz says with a laugh, wanted one that would embody their thoughts about environmental and energy conservation. So, the Katzes decided to power the home with a solar array on the roof.

“We knew it was somewhat unusual in this part of the country, but we thought we could grow some of the products and practices in this area to make it easier for other people to do the same thing,” he says.

But now, some say, the ability for individuals to install their own solar power is under attack, even as installations come down in price and the fledgling industry starts to come of age.

Legislation has been introduced in several states, including a recent bill in Indiana, to make solar generation more costly for homeowners and other small users.

“The main thing it would have done is it would’ve killed rooftop solar for residential (installations),” Jeff Peterson, president of 360 Sun Solutions, says of H.B. 1320.

Introduced this year by Rep. Eric Allan Koch, R-Bedford, the proposal generated heated debate and protests, including a demonstration Feb. 28 in Fort Wayne at Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren, which recently won a grant to install solar power.

Laura Arnold, a longtime solar activist and former Fort Wayne resident who lobbies on behalf of small-scale solar for the Indiana Distributed Energy Alliance, says objections stemmed from two main provisions.

She says they would have charged people who opted for a solar installation monthly fees and lowered the amount that would be paid to those who generate enough electricity to sell some back to the utility.

Introduced in committee at the last minute and passed the next day, after much of the language was stripped and replaced, the bill was scheduled to come up for a vote on the House floor, Arnold says. But House Speaker Brian C. Bosma, R-Indianapolis, pulled the measure before its second reading, so there was no vote.

That makes the bill moot for now. “Right now, indications seem to be that there is not an appetite to find a home for this concept this session,” Arnold says.

But some say the issue is unlikely to go away because electric utilities want to change small-scale solar policy as they pursue plans to expand their own solar generation.

“Some of them are (worried) because the cost of solar has dropped dramatically,” affording utilities more competition from self-generation, Peterson says. The price of a rooftop system for an average home, he adds, has dropped about 35 percent over the last five years because of lower costs for solar panels.

“So far, it (solar generation) has been slow to catch on because we’ve enjoyed such low electricity costs in Indiana,” Peterson says, adding many of his company’s jobs have been in Michigan and Ohio as a result. “We really live in a state that has not been incentivized for solar.”

Koch did not return a call seeking comment on the bill’s future. Indiana Michigan Power, which supported the bill, cast the issue last week as one of fairness and efficiency in an email statement from Brian Bergsma, director of communications and state government affairs.

The current arrangement for solar users, negotiated when solar installations were more costly than they are today, means “a customer who generates their own power does not pay their fair share of the utility infrastructure needed to serve them,” Bergsma’s statement says.

That shifts the cost to other users and amounts to a “subsidy” for small solar users, the statement says. Peterson and Arnold dispute the subsidy argument, saying both solar and conventional users already pay to be connected to the grid inasmuch as few home installations are totally self-sufficient.

The I&M statement adds that Indiana Michigan Power plans to add substantially to its ability to generate electricity by means of solar power as it pursues clean-energy generation capacity.

The utility recently got the go-ahead to build five large solar-generating plants in Indiana, Michigan and an undetermined site at a cost of $38 million. Together, the plants would generate about 16 megawatts of electricity, or enough to power 2,000 homes.

“These utility-scale solar facilities will be more efficient than rooftop solar and will enable I&M to gain valuable knowledge in operating solar generation and delivering solar energy to the electric grid, positioning the company to add more solar generation in the future,” Bergsma’s statement says.

The utility also plans to add an opportunity for electricity users to “show support” for utility-scale solar through Solar Energy Certificates, with details to be announced later this year, the statement says.

Peterson, who agrees that some aspects of small-solar policy may need tweaking, says he finds it ironic that the utility wants to generate more solar power but apparently opposes others’ attempts to do so.

Better economics, he says, have led to increased demand and what he calls “an explosion” in solar contractors in Indiana in recent years, saying they went from three or four to about 15 today.

A system for a 1,500-square-foot house now costs about $10,000 to $15,000, and that cost is offset by a 30 percent federal tax credit, Peterson says, adding he wants to see legislative support of continued consumer choice.

Meanwhile, Katz, who in the last few weeks has had contractors at his under-construction home installing energy-conserving low-voltage LED lighting to help make solar power economically feasible, says H.B. 1320 and uncertainty about solar’s future have not deterred his plans.

“Maybe I’ve romanticized it, but I like the idea that you generate what you use, and … I like the idea that I’m doing it without burning fossil fuels,” the 55-year-old says. “We’re still going to do solar.”

rsalter@jg.net

USDOE: Solar Water Heaters; Is this a cost-effective option for you?

Posted by Laura Arnold / March 21, 2015 / Posted in solar / No Comments

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, INVESTMENT, SOLAR

Solar Water Heaters

By U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY on March 20, 2015 at 5:00 PM

Solar Energy Remains Popular For Private Homeowners

Solar water heaters — also called solar domestic hot water systems — can be a cost-effective way to generate hot water for your home. They can be used in any climate, and the fuel they use — sunshine — is free.

HOW THEY WORK

Solar water heating systems include storage tanks and solar collectors. There are two types of solar water heating systems: active, which have circulating pumps and controls, and passive, which don’t.

ACTIVE SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEMS

There are two types of active solar water heating systems:

Direct circulation systems
Pumps circulate household water through the collectors and into the home. They work well in climates where it rarely freezes.
Indirect circulation systems
Pumps circulate a non-freezing, heat-transfer fluid through the collectors and a heat exchanger. This heats the water that then flows into the home. They are popular in climates prone to freezing temperatures.

PASSIVE SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEMS

Passive solar water heating systems are typically less expensive than active systems, but they’re usually not as efficient. However, passive systems can be more reliable and may last longer. There are two basic types of passive systems:

Integral collector-storage passive systems
These work best in areas where temperatures rarely fall below freezing. They also work well in households with significant daytime and evening hot-water needs.
Thermosyphon systems
Water flows through the system when warm water rises as cooler water sinks. The collector must be installed below the storage tank so that warm water will rise into the tank. These systems are reliable, but contractors must pay careful attention to the roof design because of the heavy storage tank. They are usually more expensive than integral collector-storage passive systems.

STORAGE TANKS AND SOLAR COLLECTORS

Most solar water heaters require a well-insulated storage tank. Solar storage tanks have an additional outlet and inlet connected to and from the collector. In two-tank systems, the solar water heater preheats water before it enters the conventional water heater. In one-tank systems, the back-up heater is combined with the solar storage in one tank.

Three types of solar collectors are used for residential applications:

Flat-plate collector
Glazed flat-plate collectors are insulated, weatherproofed boxes that contain a dark absorber plate under one or more glass or plastic (polymer) covers. Unglazed flat-plate collectors — typically used for solar pool heating — have a dark absorber plate, made of metal or polymer, without a cover or enclosure.
Integral collector-storage systems
Also known as ICS or batch systems, they feature one or more black tanks or tubes in an insulated, glazed box. Cold water first passes through the solar collector, which preheats the water. The water then continues on to the conventional backup water heater, providing a reliable source of hot water. They should be installed only in mild-freeze climates because the outdoor pipes could freeze in severe, cold weather.
Evacuated-tube solar collectors
They feature parallel rows of transparent glass tubes. Each tube contains a glass outer tube and metal absorber tube attached to a fin. The fin’s coating absorbs solar energy but inhibits radiative heat loss. These collectors are used more frequently for U.S. commercial applications.

Solar water heating systems almost always require a backup system for cloudy days and times of increased demand. Conventional storage water heaters usually provide backup and may already be part of the solar system package. A backup system may also be part of the solar collector, such as rooftop tanks with thermosyphon systems. Since an integral-collector storage system already stores hot water in addition to collecting solar heat, it may be packaged with a tankless or demand-type water heater for backup.

SELECTING A SOLAR WATER HEATER

Before you purchase and install a solar water heating system, you want to do the following:

Also understand the various components needed for solar water heating systems, including the following:

INSTALLING AND MAINTAINING THE SYSTEM

The proper installation of solar water heaters depends on many factors. These factors include solar resource, climate, local building code requirements, and safety issues; therefore, it’s best to have a qualified solar thermal systems contractor install your system.

After installation, properly maintaining your system will keep it running smoothly. Passive systems don’t require much maintenance. For active systems, discuss the maintenance requirements with your system provider, and consult the system’s owner’s manual. Plumbing and other conventional water heating components require the same maintenance as conventional systems. Glazing may need to be cleaned in dry climates where rainwater doesn’t provide a natural rinse.

Regular maintenance on simple systems can be as infrequent as every 3–5 years, preferably by a solar contractor. Systems with electrical components usually require a replacement part or two after 10 years. Learn more about solar water heating system maintenance and repair.

When screening potential contractors for installation and/or maintenance, ask the following questions:

Does your company have experience installing and maintaining solar water heating systems?
Choose a company that has experience installing the type of system you want and servicing the applications you select.
How many years of experience does your company have with solar heating installation and maintenance?
The more experience the better. Request a list of past customers who can provide references.
Is your company licensed or certified?
Having a valid plumber’s and/or solar contractor’s license is required in some states. Contact your city and county for more information. Confirm licensing with your state’s contractor licensing board. The licensing board can also tell you about any complaints against state-licensed contractors.

IMPROVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY

After your water heater is properly installed and maintained, try some additional energy-saving strategies to help lower your water heating bills, especially if you require a back-up system. Some energy-saving devices and systems are more cost-effective to install with the water heater.

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Are you interested in a solar water system for your home or business?

IndianaDG has member companies who sell and install solar water or solar thermal systems. Contact us and we can provide contact information for these companies.

Ind. Municipal Power Assoc. triples size of Peru (IN) solar park project

Posted by Laura Arnold / March 19, 2015 / Posted in solar / No Comments

11,850 panels will generate 3-megawatts, net $640,000 in tax revenue

Posted: Wednesday, March 18, 2015 12:00 pm

Carson Gerber

Posted on Mar 18, 2015

by Carson Gerber

PERU – After doubling the size of a new solar park to be constructed in Peru, the Indiana Municipal Power Association said it now plans to triple the size of its project.

The company, which provides 59 cities and towns in Indiana with wholesale electricity, last year approved a $2.1 million park that would contain 3,900 solar panels and produce 1 megawatt of energy.

In February, the utility announced it would double the size of the project, which would increase the investment to $3.6 million.

Power company expanding Peru solar park

PERU – The Indiana Municipal Power Association said it will double the size a new solar park to be constructed this year just outside Peru.

The IMPA said this month it will now invest $5.36 million to install 11,850 solar panels that will generate 3 megawatts of energy.

Jack Alvey, IMPA’s senior vice president of generation, said the utility is installing solar parks throughout the state this year in order to meet its goal of generating 10 megawatts of solar energy in 2015.

The company decided to triple the size of the project after hitting roadblocks in acquiring land for solar parks in other Indiana towns, he said.

The Peru park will be built on 30 acres of land the IMPA is leasing from Peru Utilities on East Wabash Road, just outside the city limits.

Brooke Robertson, director of business retention and expansion for the Miami County Economic Development Authority. said another factor in the company expanding the project is the support from county and city officials.

Carson Gerber can be reached at 765-854-6739, carson.gerber@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter @carsongerber1

Due to formatting problems, please find a copy of the story below.

Power association triples size of Peru solar park project - Kokomo Tribune_ News