ECT.coop » First in US Co-op Loan Program

Michale W. Kahn, ECT Staff Writer

"Central Electric Power Cooperative has received a $740,000 Department of Agriculture loan. Columbia, S.C.-based Central will use the funds to underwrite 100 residential loans for an energy efficiency research pilot over the next year.

The zero-percent interest money comes from the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program, or REDLG. State co-op officials said this is the first time a REDLG loan has been used strictly for energy efficiency.

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How Government Can Stimulate Green Technology - Room for Debate - NYTimes.com

Lisa Morganelli

"How the U.S. Can Be Effective"

Lisa Margonelli, is the director of the Energy Policy Initiative at New America Foundation. She is the author of "Oil on the Brain: Petroleum's Long Strange Trip to Your Tank" and published the Energy Trap.

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G.M. Plans to Develop Electric Cars With Chinese Automaker - NYTimes.com

Keith Bradsher

"Tuesday’s announcement was being made as the Chinese government was putting heavy pressure on foreign automakers to transfer electric car technology to joint ventures in China. But G.M. took pains to say that its joint-venture agreement was not connected to its plans to begin importing its new American-made Chevrolet Volt plug-in electric hybrid to China this year"

S.C. group fighting biomass pollution - Local / Metro - TheState.com

Sammy Fretwell

"The S.C. Coastal Conservation League, one of the state’s largest environmental groups, says the federal government should not exempt biomass plants from pending carbon dioxide rules. The league on Monday joined an Aug.15 lawsuit challenging the federal exemption.
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Duke Energy, Progress Energy to cut 2,000 jobs - Business Courier

John Downey

"Duke Energy and Progress Energy will tell North Carolina regulators this week that they expect to eliminate 2,000 positions after the companies merge.
That is 500 more than a rough estimate of 1,500 – about 5 percent of their combined work force – that a witness provided to the N.C. Utilities Commission in pre-filed testimony for next week’s hearings on the merger."

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Tax Plan to Turn Old Buildings ‘Green’ Finds Favor - NYTimes.com

By JUSTIN GILLIS

Published: September 19, 2011

"In the past three years, half the states have passed legislation permitting energy retrofits financed by property-tax surcharges, and hundreds of cities and counties are considering such programs. While the situation poses some risks, and programs aimed specifically at homeowners have run into a snag, many jurisdictions are moving forward with plans to focus on commercial properties."

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Progress on hook for $24M - Local/State - NewsObserver.com

John Murawski

"The Public Staff blamed the costs on substandard performance at the plant near Hartsville. As a result of the forced shutdowns, Progress had to spend extra to generate electricity using less efficient power plants, and to buy power from other utilities.

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