District Energy Now

Volume 11 Number 9 April 1996

Welcome New Members!

We hope you will join us in welcoming the following new members of IDEA!

Bob Cash

Accounts Manager

Drew Indutrial Division of Ashland Chemical

3801 Bent Tree Drive

Edmond, OK 73034

(405) 340-4732

(405) 340-4612 fax

Kelly Tueller

Asset Manager

General Services Administration

7th & D Streets, SW

Room 7645

Washington, DC 20407

(202) 708-7392

(202) 708-7671 fax

Blake B. Morrison

Project Manager

Florida Power & Light Company

PO Box 021900

Miami, FL 33102-9100

(305) 552-3465

(305) 552-4430 fax

Kenneth A. Mingo

Utilities Manager

University of Minnesota

Facilities Management

319 - 15th Avenue, SE

Room 400 Donhowe Building

Minneapolis, MN 55455

(612) 626-7865

(612) 626-8950 fax

referred by Harvey Claussen, Claussen Engineering

Donald ACorky@ Koopmans

National Sales Manager

Ken Andersen

National Marketing/Sales

Uponor N.A.

PO Box 343

Caledonia, MI 49316

(616) 891-9776

(616) 891-0103 fax

Torsten Astrom

Vice President, Power Systems

Per Stahle

Business Manager, Power Systems

Wartsila Diesel

201 Defense Highway, Suite 100

Annapolis, MD 21401

(410) 573-2100

(410) 573-2200 fax


Calendar of Events

AGFW Conference >96 - District Heating and Cogeneration - Energy for People with Vision@ and the 12th District Heating Trade Fair

May 7-10, 1996

Leipzig, Germany

Contact: VWEW Fair Service, 49-69-6304-355 or 49-69-6304-359 fax

Chilled Water Plants for Central and District Cooling Systems

May 13-17, 1996

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Contact: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Engineering Professional Development, (800) 462-0876, (608) 263-3160 fax or e-mail: custserv@epd.engr.wisc.edu

87th Annual IDEA Conference and Tradeshow

June 8-12, 1996

The Sheraton Washington Hotel, Washington, D.C.

Contact: IDEA, (202) 429-5111

ASHRAE Conference

June 22-26, 1996

San Antonio, TX

Contact: ASHRAE, (404) 636-8400

IDEA European Study Tour

August 31-September 7, 1996

Sweden, Denmark

Contact: IDEA, (202) 429-5111

Geothermal Resources Council 1996 Annual Meeting - Geothermal Development in the Pacific Rim

September 29-October 2, 1996

Portland Marriott Hotel, Portland, OR

Contact: Geothermal Resources Council, PO Box 1350, 2001 Second Street, Suite 5, Davis, CA 95617-1350

(916) 758-2360

11th Annual Cooling Conference

October 2-4, 1996

The Midland Hotel, Chicago, IL

Contact: IDEA, (202) 429-5111

Nordic District Heating Symposium

October 28-29, 1996

Copenhagen, Denmark

Contact: Danish District Heating Association, 45 75 52 88 11 or 45 75 52 89 62 fax

International District Heating Conference

October 30-31, 1996

Copenhagen, Denmark

Contact: Danish District Heating Association, 45 75 52 88 11 or 45 75 52 89 62 fax

National Congress of the Danish District Heating Association

October 31-November 1, 1996

Copenhagen, Denmark

Contact: Danish District Heating Association, 45 75 52 88 11 or 45 75 52 89 62 fax




Washington, DC Meeting Watch

The final plans are wrapping up for the 87th Annual Conference and Tradeshow in Washington, D.C., June 8-12, 1996. Here is the Preliminary Program as it stands.

Partnering:

Growth Opportunities for District Energy

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM

Saturday, June 8

10:00 am-3:00 pm Decorator Set-up

10:00 am-6:00 pm Registration

11:00 am-5:30 pm Optional Tour - AAnnapolis - A Day by the Bay@ (additional fee required)

12:00 pm-3:00 pm Executive Committee Meeting

3:00 pm-5:00 pm Board of Directors Meeting

3:00 pm-5:00 pm Exhibit Move-In

Sunday, June 9

5:30 am-12:00 pm Golf

8:00 am-5:30 pm Registration

8:00 am-11:00 am Exhibit Move-In

11:30 am-12:30 pm Ribbon-Cutting Pre-Luncheon Reception in Exhibit Hall with soft drinks and iced tea

12:30 pm-4:00 pm Spouse/Guest Tour - AMore Than Just a City Tour of Washington

12:30 pm-2:15 pm Lunch - Keynote Address by Robert A. Peck, Commissioner for Public Buildings, U.S. General Services Administration (invited)

2:15 pm-2:45 pm Dessert Break in Exhibit Hall

2:45 am-5:00 pm Technical Tours Scheduled of the General Services Administration Central Heating and Refrigeration Plant, and the National Institutes of Health steam and chilled water plant

6:00 pm-10:00 pm A Capital Evening

Monday, June 10

7:00 am-8:00 am Continental Breakfast

7:00 am-5:00 pm Registration

8:00 am-10:15 pm Session 1A - Partnering

Session 1B - Cooling

Session 1C - International

8:30 am-2:00 pm Spouse/Guest Tour - AWashington During WWII and the Holocaust Memorial Museum@

10:15 am-10:45 am Break in Exhibit Hall

10:45 am-11:30 am Exhibit Photographs

10:45 am-12:15 pm Session 2A - Partnering

Session 2B - Cooling

Session 2C - Energy, Environmental Policy and Regulation

12:30 pm-2:00 pm Lunch - Box Lunch in Exhibit Hall

2:00 pm-3:30 pm Session 3A - Deregulation Panel

3:30 pm-4:30 pm Forum Meetings - PM Forum, Marketing, College/University, Administration & Finance, Distribution, International

5:00 pm-7:00 pm Olympic Theme Reception in Exhibit Hall

Sponsored by York International

Tuesday, June 11

7:00 am-8:00 am Continental Breakfast

7:00 am -5:00 pm Registration

7:30 am-12:30 pm Spouse/Guest Tour - ATour of the White House and the National Cathedral@

8:00 am-10:15 pm Session 4A - Heating

Session 4B - District Heating and Cooling

Session 4C - Cogeneration

10:15 am-10:45 am Break in Exhibit Hall

10:45 am-12:15 pm Session 5A - Heating

Session 5B - Cooling

Session 5C - System Management & Operations

12:30 pm-2:00 pm Lunch - IDEA Business Meeting

2:00 pm-2:30 pm Dessert Break in Exhibit Hall

2:30 pm-4:00 pm Technical Session 6A - Heating

Technical Session 6B - Marketing/Customer Service

Technical Session 6C - International

3:00 pm-6:00 pm Exhibitor Move-Out

4:00 pm-5:00 pm Forum Meetings - Cooling, Fuels, Measurements & Controls, Research & Development, Safety, Environment & Operations

6:00 pm-10:00 pm President's Banquet

$ Reception

$ Dinner

$ Awards Ceremony

$ Dancing

Sponsored by Comfort Link and RMF, Inc.?????

Wednesday, June 12

7:00 am-7:30 am Continental Breakfast

7:30 am-8:30 am AWhat Works and What Doesn=t Work When it Comes to Meeting With Elected Officials,@ Michael E. Dunn

8:30 am Buses depart for Capitol Hill

9:00 am-1:00 pm Congressional Visits

1:30 pm-4:30 pm Board of Directors Meeting


Sponsorships: The following sponsorships are available for the 87th Annual Conference and Tradeshow, June 8-12, 1996 at the Sheraton Washington Hotel in Washington, DC:

Theme Party, Sunday, June 9 $5,000

Opening Luncheon and General Session, Sunday, June 9 $3,500

Lunch, Monday or Tuesday, June 10 or 11 $3,000

Breakfast, Monday ,Tuesday or Wednesday, June 10,11 or 12 $2,500

Refreshment Breaks $2,500

Wine for President's Dinner $2,500

Badges $1,500

Conference Proceedings $1,250

Conference Program $1,000

Notepads $1,000

For more information about sponsorships please contact Kevin Brown, Trigen-Philadelphia Energy Corporation at (215) 875-6900 or Tanya Vetter, IDEA at (202) 429-5111.


Getting Prepared to Meet with Legislators

If you are attending the 87th IDEA Annual Conference and Tradeshow, you should plan to take part in Legislative Day, Wednesday, June 12, 1996.

Since this year=s IDEA conference is being held in Washington, DC, for the first time ever, we hope that all members will take advantage of being in the nation=s capital and participate in Legislative Day. A Legislative Day will be organized to allow attendees to meet with their Senators and Representatives. Appointments will be set up for Wednesday morning between 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. depending on the legislators= schedules.

To register attendees must fill out the special registration form, which is in the registration packet, and return it to IDEA by May 13. Once the form is submitted to IDEA, staff will organize the appointments and let you know when and with whom you will meet.

If you are interested in participating, there are a few things that you should do to prepare for these meetings:

1) Get together information about your organization to use to explain your impact in your district: How many square feet does your system serve? Do you heat and/or cool? How many customers (buildings and people) does your system serve? How many employees in your company? How much does your company pay in taxes (Local, State and Federal)? Does your company do any grass roots lobbying? Brochures about your company.

2) Make contact with your Representative=s local office to introduce yourself and your company.

3) Think about what message you want to convey in the approximately 20 minutes or less that you will have with the legislator. Remember, all House and Senate buildings, including the Capitol, are heated and cooled by district energy and most of the employees on the Hill do not realize it.

IDEA will provide each participant in Legislative Day with a packet of information. The packet will include: a brief overview of the association and its mission, a magazine that highlights the district energy systems in Washington, D.C., including the Capitol Power Plant, a list of the utility and college/university members, and a white paper.

The general message that the association hopes to convey is that district energy is efficient, especially with cogeneration, and is therefore beneficial to the environment.

4) Plan on following up after your meeting with a thank you letter restating the points from your meeting and answering any other legislator=s questions that may have arised during the meeting.

We hope that everyone attending the annual conference will take advantage of this rare opportunity to meet with legislators while you are in the nation=s capital. Don=t forget to mail or fax your Legislative Day Registration Form by May 13.


ASHRAE Solicits District Energy Papers

ASHRAE Technical Committees 6.2 on District Heating and Cooling and 9.5 on Cogeneration Systems are inviting papers on DHC and Cogeneration Systems Maintenance, Repairs, Renovation, Replacement and Longevity. These papers would be presented at a seminar in Philadelphia in January 1997 and subsequent symposia in Boston in June 1997 and in San Francisco in January 1998.

Abstracts are due June 1, 1996. They should include the topic and scope of the paper, and emphasize the practical aspects and resulting benefits. Deadline for the papers for the symposia is November 15, 1996, for technical review.

Send abstracts to: Eino O. Kainlauri, 3604 Ross Road, Ames, IA 50014-3964 or fax to (515) 294-1440.

SUN DAY to be Celebrated on April 21

SUN DAY 1996 will be the fifth annual national celebration of renewable energy (i.e., solar, wind, geothermal, biofules, hydroelectric) as well as energy conservation and energy-efficient lighting, heating and cooling, building, industrial, energy generating, agricultural, and transportation technologies.

SUN DAY 1996 will be celebrated on Sunday, April 21. Its four primary objectives are:

1) Educate the general public, the media and decision makers about the status, and potential benefits of energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies.

2) Showcase the programs and technologies being sponsored by members.

3) Encourage new public and private initiatives to expand the use of energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies.

4) Demonstrate the breadth of public support for sustainable energy technologies and challenge policies that would undermine their development.

For more information, contact SUN DAY at (301) 270-2258.


Trigen Energy Closes Financing on 150 MW Grays Ferry Cogeneration Project

 

Trigen Energy Corporation, an IDEA member, announced on March 11, 1996 that the company and its partners have closed the construction and term financing for the 150 MW, $167 million cogeneration project to be constructed at Trigen's Schuylkill Station in Philadelphia.

Steam will be sold under a 25 year agreement to Trigen­Philadelphia Energy Corporation, owner of the district energy system in Philadelphia. Electricity will be sold under a 20 year contract to PECO Energy Company. The base load project will be capable of producing 150 MW of electricity and over 1.2 million pounds per hour of steam. The Grays Ferry Cogeneration Facility will be dual­fueled, using natural gas with #2 oil as back up. Construction has begun with service expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 1997. Trigen will operate the facility and will be managing general partner when the facility becomes operational.

Thomas R. Casten, Trigen's president and CEO stated, "This project is a major step toward our mission of producing heating and cooling with one half the fuel and one half or less the pollution of conventional generation. The overall efficiency of generation will be 2.5 times the present efficiency of the average electrical generation reported by the U.S. Department of Energy... We believe this will be one of the world's most efficient energy production facilities."

The Grays Ferry Cogeneration Project is an equal partnership of subsidiaries of Trigen Energy Corporation, PECO Energy Company, and O'Brien Environmental Energy, Inc. Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A. served as the lead lender and arranger of the project financing. Westinghouse will provide a 501­D5A Gas Turbine Generator for the project and act as the general contractor for the construction phase. Gas will be supplied by Aquila Corporation in Omaha, Neb., a wholly­owned subsidiary of Utilicorp. Interstate transportation will be provided by Texas Eastern Transmission Company.


IPALCO's Mid­America Energy Resources Acquires Power Management Firm

Mid­America Energy Resources, Inc. (MAER), an IPALCO Enterprises company and an IDEA member, announced on March 25, 1996, that it acquired American Energy Service Corp., a firm designed to assist consumers in power purchases, sales and transaction restructuring. American Energy has offices in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Kansas City, Kansas, and will actively participate with MAER on a national basis.

 

"We are pleased to team our expertise in fuel procurement, energy management

and brokering, utility negotiations, project development and regulatory

affairs with the many services provided by the growing Mid­America Energy

Resources family," said Gregory E. Elam, American Energy's President.

American Energy complements another MAER program, Vital Resource Management (VRM), which was launched last August. VRM offers customers energy solutions from a wide variety of products and services, including conservation and performance contracting, energy audits, high voltage power maintenance and on­site facility operation and maintenance. VRM has national marketing activities underway in 12 states.

 

MAER operates the second largest district cooling system in North America, which is located in downtown Indianapolis, and through other subsidiaries has operated the district heating and cooling system in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, since 1993.

 

MAER is a non­regulated subsidiary of IPALCO, a multi­state energy company providing a variety of energy products and services.

People in the News

Cleveland Energy Resources, an IDEA member, announced on March 27, 1996 the promotion of Faithe Arden to executive director of administration and Rodney Eubank to executive director of operations. Arden has been with CER since 1990 and Eubank began working with CER in 1992. Cleveland Energy Resources owns and operates the district steam and chilled water utility serving downtown Cleveland.

District Energy St. Paul, an IDEA member, announced on March 13, 1996 the appointment of Joyce C. Anderson as vice president. Anderson has been with the company since 1989. District Energy also appointed Matthew J. Schuerger to executive vice president. District Energy has operated a hot water district heating system in downtown St. Paul since 1983. District Cooling St. Paul began operating a chilled water district cooling system in April 1993.

Northwind Boston has announced Robert P. Thornton as the General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the new system in Boston, Massachusetts. Thornton has been in the district energy industry for nine years and worked previously with Cleveland Energy Resources and Energy Networks, Inc.

Facilities Design & Management Features Article on DE

AWith District Energy, Buildings Stay in the Loop,@ was published in the March 1996 issue of Facilities Design & Management. The article compared district energy=s come back in popularity to how music and fashions enjoy revival years later.

The article explains how district energy can be more cost effective for building owners and the environmental benefits that go along with district energy. IDEA Historian, Morris Pierce, University of Rochester, is quoted in the article along with IDEA Executive Director, John L. Fiegel. Fiegel summarized why facility managers should use district energy by stating, AOutsourcing the energy management function allows building managers to do what they=re supposed to do, which is rent out space.@

If you are interested in buying reprints of the article, mail or fax a written request to IDEA with the quantity that you would be interested in purchasing. If there is enough interest, you will be notified and a group reprint order will be done.

Trigen Energy and Gentor Corp. Form Strategic Alliance

On March 25, Trigen Energy Corporation, an IDEA member, and Gentor Corporation of Monterrey, Mexico, announced an agreement for a joint venture to complete the installation and utilization of 36 MW of new cogeneration capacity and develop additional cogeneration opportunities in Mexico. The Trigen-Gentor joint venture will provide electricity and steam to manufacturing sites throughout Mexico that produce denim, cardboard, penicillin, chemicals, and processed food.

The cogeneration sites employ mobile cogeneration units (MCU) manufactured and distributed by Gentor subsidiary, AGC Project Development, Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma. Gentor Corporation is one of the largest groups of industrial companies in Mexico. Of the twelve machines sited in Mexico, eight are already in operation and the remainder will be operating by the third quarter of 1996.

Article in HPAC Explains Hidden Costs of Chillers

ASelecting Chillers in the 90s: Accounting for Hidden Costs,@ looks at the hidden costs that need to be accounted for before purchasing a new chiller. The article compares electric, 2-stage direct-fired absorption and engine-driven screw comp. chillers by typical auxiliary energy use, auxiliary energy costs, annual maintenance costs, annual water costs and installation costs.

The article was published in the March 1996 issue of HPAC Heating/Piping/Air Conditioning.

SCANA Subsidiary Signs Contract to Operate Brooklyn Navy Yard Cogen Plant

Palmark, Inc., a unit of SCANA Corporation's subsidiary, has signed a contract with Brooklyn Navy Yard Cogeneration Partners, L.P. to operate and maintain a 286 MW combined­cycle cogeneration power project located at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Brooklyn, New York. The BNYCP partnership is made up of affiliates of Edison Mission Energy of New York, Inc., and York Research Corp.

The facility will sell electricity and steam to Consolidated Edison of New York, Inc., an IDEA member, Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation and the Red Hook Water Pollution Control Plant.


Legislative Update [separate section for these 7 articles]

Legislative Monitoring System Generating Useful Information

Since early January, IDEA has been testing a system for monitoring state and federal legislative and regulatory developments. Experience to date suggests that such a system could help IDEA members stay informed about developments which could have a substantial impact on their organization.

During the test, every 1­2 weeks Smith Bucklin & Associates searches a variety of computer databases using key words to identify legislation, regulations or media stories potentially relevant to district energy. Mark Spurr, IDEA Legislative Director, then reviews this information and prepares a summary of relevant items for distribution via FAX to the Board of Directors and the Principal Managers Forum Steering Committee.

This monitoring system has uncovered many types of information which can help IDEA members keep currrent on legislative, regulatory and business developments in the rapidly changing energy industry, such as:

*Federal and state proposals and FERC developments relating to utility deregulation

*Impacts of restructuring on municipal utilities and other types of energy

providers

*Infrastructure financing and outsourcing for college/university energy systems

*Proposals for changes in state energy taxes

*Proposals for deregulation of district energy rates

*Proposals for emissions trading and other innovative air quality regulatory

programs

*Developments affecting privatization of federal energy facilities

 

In April the PM Forum will make recommendations to the Board regarding continuance of this program and how to disseminate the information to IDEA members.


Open Market Emission Trading Rule Developments

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to finalize a model Open Market Trading Rule (OMTR) in May. The model rule could then be used by states without further review by EPA, or the states could develop their own rule.

The OMTR would allow the generation of marketable emission credits through actions which reduce emissions of ground­level ozone precursors (nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds). IDEA Legislative Director Mark Spurr has been working with the EPA, state regulators and other stakeholders to incorporate rule language which recognizes the net emission reductions achieved through district energy.

A number of states have developed their own rules or are preparing to do so. New Jersey recently proposed a draft rule for comment. IDEA submitted comments, as did IDEA members Don Leibowitz (Trigen Energy Corp.), Paul Ostrander (Trenton State College) and Dennis Ciemniecki (Elizabeth Town Water). Other states planning to prepare rules include Pennsylvania, Colorado, Florida, Virginia and Texas.

New Energy Tax System Proposed for New Jersey

 

The New Jersey Treasury Department wants to overhaul New Jersey's tax system to foster competition between energy companies and boost energy taxes, an important revenue source for state and local governments. The proposal is the result of a task force last year to study the state's energy taxes and the effects of deregulation.

The plan calls for replacing the gross receipts and franchise tax with a combination of income and sales taxes. Gross receipts taxes, collected from electric, gas, telephone, water and sewer utilities, are the second­largest revenue source for municipal governments in New Jersey. Utlities do not pay gross receipts taxes on wholesale transactions and are exempt from the state's 9 percent corporate income tax.

Under the proposal, utilities and independent companies would be taxed equally. Both entities would pay the corporate income tax and collect the 6 percent state sales tax from their customers. The state also would tax the fees private companies pay to use utilities' transmission and distribution lines. It would phase out that levy after five years.

Congress Considers Deregulation Bills

 

Both the Senate and House have conducted initial hearings on electric utility deregulation. Comprehensive deregulation legislation has been proposed by Sen. Bennett Johnson (D­LA) and Rep. Ed Markey (D­MA). Rep. Dan Schaefer (R­CO), chair of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power, plans to introduce his own legislation. However, both Schaefer and Sen. Frank Murkowski (R­AK), chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, have indicated that they intend to take a deliberative approach, with the purpose of the initial hearings being to educate committee members and staff.

EPA Says FERC is Responsible for Air Quality Impacts of Deregulation

 

Federal environmental and energy regulators are at loggerheads over who should be responsible for curbing increases in power plant pollution that might stem from new competition in bulk power markets. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) should make power producers prevent or offset any harm to air quality that might result from FERC's proposed new transmission rules.

EPA lambasted the FERC's draft study on the environmental impact of its proposal to make utilities open their transmission lines to all competing power producers. EPA's concerns matched those raised by the governors of Northeastern states. They fear that use of midwestern coal plants will increase as a result of competition and will spread air pollution eastward, defeating Northeastern states' efforts to meet federal clean air standards.

University Plans Tax­like Fees to Raise Infrastructure Funds

 

The University of British Columbia (UBC) wants to start acting more like a municipality and charge tenants and other groups on campus the equivalent of property taxes. In addition, UBC is investigating building a $50­million replacement for its deteriorating steam power plant. The new plant could mean millions of dollars in energy savings and possible sales of excess power to B.C. Hydro.

The new fees are part of a long­term plan to generate more money to maintain and replace the university's infrastructure. The fees, which the university calls "service levies," will be phased in gradually starting in 1996­97 and will not be fully implemented until after the year 2016.

IEC and Duquesne University Establish Partnership

 

Independent Energy Corporation (IEC) and Duquesne University announced the establishment of a total energy service partnership. Under the partnership, IEC will manage all of Duquesne's energy needs, including electricity, natural gas, steam and chilled water. The partnership includes the development and management of a 3.5 MW cogeneration system and a 2,400 ton chilled water plant. The natural gas­fueled cogeneration system is designed to provide up to 80% of Duquesne's electrical needs and at the same time use the thermal energy produced by the system for most of the heating and cooling needs of the campus. Duquesne said the arrangement will bring $6.9 million in contributions to the university over four years. The university now spends $2.1 million a year on natural gas and electricity.


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