Survey shows 58% of polled companies have no emissions-measuring plan

A recent survey of 143 energy and utility professionals indicates 58% have no system to record carbon emissions. That's a slight improvement from 61% who responded the same way during 2010, reports Enviance Inc., a software provider for management of environmental, health, and safety compliance activities.

Lawrence Goldenhersh, Enviance president and chief executive officer, said his company commissioned the survey for two consecutive years as a way to track changes about how companies handle their environmental and regulatory concerns.

When asked about monitoring the US Environmental Protection Agency, 84% of those polled said they monitor changing EPA rules “as they happen.” Goldenhersh said this demonstrates a clear corporate commitment to stay ahead of EPA changing regulations.

“It will be interesting to see whether the advent of cap and trade in California in 2012...will alter what companies consider necessary to meet the analysis and reporting requirements imposed by the SEC,” Goldenhersh said of the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

California’s AB32 legislation will implement a price on carbon starting in 2012 (OGJ Online, Nov. 3, 2010).

Enviance, a privately owned company n Carlsbad, Calif., reported its survey results during the EUEC conference in Phoenix. EUEC is an annual energy, utility, and environment conference involving environmental business leaders, energy executives, and government policymakers.

New York state drafts energy plan

While Congress continues to debate cap-and-trade proposals, some state governments are moving forward on their own energy plans. The latest example is New York state, which issued a draft policy setting forth a 10-year plan.

The New York plan identifies energy efficiency as an economic way to expand its clean energy economy.

“In the short-run, investments in energy efficiency reduce energy use and bills for participating customers,” said the plan’s executive summary. “In the long-run, a significant reduction in electricity demand has been shown to put downward pressure on wholesale electricity prices, reduce price volatility, and reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants.”

The draft plan notes efficiency improvements in transportation also would reduce greenhouse gas emissions. New York Gov. David A. Paterson issued an executive order last year calling for a state energy plan, which could be finalized by Dec. 31, 2009.

The plan calls for reducing electricity use by 15% below 2015 forecasts and increasing the proportion of renewable generation to 30% of electricity demand by 2015. Andrew C. Byers, an associate vice-president with Black & Veatch, believes that it could prove to be a stretch for New York to meet its renewable power goal.

“Although renewables make up about 21% of the state’s electricity already, large-scale hydropower accounts for 19% while wind and biomass are less than 2% combined,” Byers wrote in a recent Black & Veatch Pathfinder newsletter.

“Since the state’s hydropower resources are already developed, getting to 30% will require adding five times as much power from other renewables, which are much more expensive than traditional fossil fuel generation,” Byers said. “Skeptics fear that this means much higher subsidies, paid for through increases in ratepayers’ bills.”

Decades ago, people promoted conservation. Today, people are promoting energy efficiency. But as Byers points out, it remains to be seen whether the goals can be met in the timetables being proposed.