January 2011 CEA Newsletter
Issue 46
Consumer Energy Alliance begins the new year with not only new board leadership, but also a focused vision and fiery momentum. As 2011 begins to take shape, the overall mission of CEA is beginning to take new life.
This year will prove to be one of strength in numbers and an unparalleled unified voice. With the goal of solidifying our impact across the nation, it is key that we place utmost significance on working to distribute the balanced energy message as a whole in a loud and resonating way. CEA has much to do in 2011, and we look forward to taking this on with our membership in an active and robust fashion.
CEA’s Energy Advocacy campaign is underway, with an angled focus of both offshore and onshore access over the near-term, and developing our renewable resources over the longer-term. Crucial components to this plan include expanded educational outreach into key states that have been hit hard by the sustained lack of a U.S. energy policy, emphasis on the importance of offshore & onshore energy production for every state, and constant and committed messaging from all CEA affiliates. CEA’s website is currently undergoing a facelift, and enhancements will provide a way for the messages of CEA and our affiliates to be heard in multiple formats across multiple channels. As these pieces begin to fall into place, affiliate involvement becomes the theme that keeps us moving in an appropriate direction.
In the legislative arena, CEA plans to hold policy discussions with members early in the new year. We will also circulate our “Energy Policy Position Paper for the 112th Congress” in early 2011 to provide a comprehensive overview of the state of the energy industry from all the viewpoints represented within Consumer Energy Alliance.
As natural gas issues become more center stage, CEA’s natural gas committee will be gearing up for new organization and a forceful voice. New chairmen are to be named, and the committee will continue to focus on government action with the intent of staying on top of the current issues in a proactive manner. CEA put our best foot forward with a successful showing of the documentary on natural gas development “Haynesville” in Houston, and plans with the film’s director are already underway to take this event on the road in a traveling succession of showings in key industry cities.
With much to anticipate in the upcoming year, it can be simplified by saying that we need your commitment to participate and be involved! As we begin the countdown to the 2012 election year (already!), now is the time to rally our troops and prepare for what lies ahead for the energy consumers of America.
David Holt
President
Support Energy Efficiency in Households Across America through the DOE’s Workforce Guidelines
What are the Workforce Guidelines?
The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Workforce Guidelines are intended to foster the growth of a high quality residential retrofit industry and a skilled work force to achieve energy efficiency goals.
As a part of the plan to reach those efficiency goals, the DOE calls for a voluntary national framework for worker certification and training program accreditation. This framework has been developed, and it is called the Workforce Guidelines for Home Energy Upgrades.
What is the impact of the Workforce Guidelines?
With an energy efficiency trained workforce in place, Americans will have better access to the know-how necessary to make their homes more energy efficient and better suited for saving energy dollars.
What can I do to support adoption of the Workforce Guidelines?
CEA supports the development and implementation of these guidelines and their economic impact on domestic energy costs. Please click here, to answer the call.
Jump on Board for Energy Day 2011
We are steadily building momentum for our Energy Day 2011 event! Here are some updates to keep you informed of our progress:
- The location for the event is set for Houston City Hall and Tranquility Park, Downtown, Houston, TX on October 15, 2011
- The Mayor of Houston is an official sponsor
- ABC-13 will be working with us to broadcast a pre-show that will air in Houston to publicize the festival
- We have confirmed the following sponsors, and we want to add YOU to the rapidly growing list:
- 60 Plus Association
- ABC-13
- Apache
- Bug Ware, Inc.
- Caterpillar
- City of Houston
- Consumer Energy Alliance
- Consumer Energy Education Foundation
- Cooperative for After-School Enrichment (CASE)
- Earth Quest Institute
- Environmentally Friendly Drilling Project
- Greater Houston Partnership
- Halliburton
- Harris County Department of Education
- Houston Advanced Research Center
- Houston Independent School District
- Houston Museum of Natural Science Wiess Energy Hall
- Houston Renewable Energy Network
- Houston Technology Center
- Lone Star College
- Marathon
- NASA-Johnson Space Center
- National Algae Association
- Offshore Energy Center
- Science and Engineering Fair of Houston
- Shell
- Solar Tour Houston
- The Wind Alliance
- TXU
- University of Houston
- Western Energy Alliance
E-mail Mindy at MParker@consumerenergyalliance.org for more information or to let us know you’d like to sponsor this year’s event!
CEA Announces New Board Members
At its annual board meeting on December 6th, Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) named Rich Moskowitz, vice president and regulatory affairs counsel of the American Trucking Association, as its next chairman of the board. Also named at the meeting was John Heimlich, vice president and chief economist for the Air Transport Association of America, to the position of vice chairman; Mark Pulliam, solution partner with Sabre Airline Solutions, to the position of treasurer; and Kathleen Koehler, director of events and special projects for CEA, to the position of secretary. All new officers will assume their new responsibilities effective immediately. Read the full press release here…
CEA Announces New Affiliate Members
Illinois Chamber of Commerce
The Illinois Chamber becomes the 153rd affiliate member of CEA, and the third state Chamber of Commerce to join the Alliance in addition to the United States Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is the state’s oldest, largest broad-based business advocacy group seeking to bring together members from every part of the state, in every type of business or industry. The mission of the Chamber is to exist as a pro-business advocacy membership organization. Read the full press release here…
Gulf Coast Clean Energy Application Center
Consumer Energy Alliance is pleased to welcome a new affiliate member, the Gulf Coast Clean Energy Application Center(GC RAC). The GC RAC is one of the eight centers established around the country by the U.S. Department of Energy and is located within the Houston Advanced Research Center in the Woodlands, TX. The GC RAC’s mission is to increase the adoption of combined heat and power (CHP), waste heat recovery and district energy in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. The GC RAC undertakes educational programs, policy development, and project specific support to help adopters move forward with project initiation. Through its work with regional stakeholders, the GC RAC is working to build a community with enthusiasm for CHP and has become the leading voice and resource for these technologies in the region. For more information on the Gulf Coast Clean Energy Application Center, visit www.gulfcoastcleanenergy.com
CEA Blog: Earmarking of Natural Gas Royalties
For those of us in Texas, this one hits closely to home. As technology improves and natural gas plays across the country become even more of a stronghold of the American economy, it’s a topic that every city and state ought to begin seriously considering. Should the natural gas royalties be earmarked to return to the land from which it was generated? Is this really a practical and/or wise legislative necessity? Read blog…
Ways to Go Ahead and Get Green at Your Fingertips!
Many American consumers support the green movement, and take steps to actually put these practices into place. But when it comes to renewables and actually changing our typical household infrastructure and/or behaviors, how far are we willing to go? A handy website called GoGreenSolar.com can help us actually get started with those replacement projects in our homes and retails products to get the ball rolling. The company not only retails small renewable energy systems, wind turbines, and solar panel, but also connects you to renewable energy professionals in your area to take on larger projects.
American Public Power Association
The American Public Power Association (APPA) is the service organization for the nation’s more than 2,000 community-owned, not-for-profit electric utilities that serve more than 45 million Americans in 49 states (all but Hawaii). APPA was created in 1940 as a non-profit, non-partisan organization. APPA’s purpose is to advance the public policy interests of its members and their consumers, and provide member services to ensure adequate, reliable electricity at a reasonable price with the proper protection of the environment. APPA is governed by a regionally representative Board of Directors, its policy positions are determined democratically, and the staff is committed to serving the interests of its members.
Because all electric utilities, including not-for-profit public power systems, generate electricity from numerous types of fuels, most energy issues impact us on some level — environmental/greenhouse gas issues related to burning coal and natural gas and well as supply and transportation policies related to these fuels (drilling, rail, pipeline, etc.), the use of hydropower’s impact on river species, the myriad issues surrounding the use of nuclear, and the integration of newer technologies like wind, solar, biomass, and hydrokinetic technologies.
“Having a broad-based, consensus driven organization like CEA, provides an opportunity for APPA to understand what others in the energy industry care about and are facing in the policy arena,” said Joy Ditto, Director of Legislative Affairs for APPA. “This type of opportunity is invaluable as we seek to work with others on issues of common interest.”
To learn more about APPA, visit www.publicpower.org.
