Thursday, October 2, 2014

Wind farm project starts in eastern Illinois

 
Herscher is shown on the map with the “B” map pin near Kankakee.
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Posted: Oct 02, 2014 8:57 AM CDT

By The Associated Press

HERSCHER, Ill. (AP) — EDF Renewable Energy started construction on an Illinois wind farm project they say should start producing electricity early next year.
The San Diego, Calif.-based energy company said in a news release Wednesday that ground has been broken for the Pilot Hill Wind Project in Kankakee and Iroquois counties in eastern Illinois.
Microsoft Corporation has a 20-year power-purchase agreement with the 175-megawatt wind farm. EDF Renewable said the long-term revenue that deal provides helped make the project possible.
EDF Renewable said the project will include 150 short-term construction jobs, but didn't specify how many permanent jobs it will create.

Above from:  http://www.wrex.com/story/26687060/2014/10/02/wind-farm-project-starts-in-eastern-illinois

 

 

HERSCHER, Ill., Oct 01, 2014 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- EDF Renewable Energy (EDF RE) and Microsoft Corporation today celebrated the launch of the Pilot Hill Wind Project with a groundbreaking ceremony. Located 60 miles southwest of Chicago in Kankakee and Iroquois counties, the 175 megawatt (MW) wind project is expected to begin commercial operation early in 2015. More than 100 people attended the ceremony including U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., who called it a historic day for the state of Illinois and the nation.

“We’re not only breaking ground on an exciting, new wind energy facility, we’re leading the way to a clean energy economy,” said Kelly. “I applaud Microsoft and EDF Renewable Energy for investing in clean energy and standing on the forefront of positive change and social responsibility.”

The Project, consisting of GE 1.7 MW wind turbines, benefits from a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Microsoft. The PPA played a key role in advancing the Project by providing the long-term revenue certainty needed to get Pilot Hill off of the ground and into construction.

“The Pilot Hill Wind Project is important to Microsoft because it helps solidify our commitment to taking significant action to shape our energy future by developing clean, low-cost sources to meet our energy needs,” said Paul Scanlan, Senior Program Manager for Energy Strategy. “Microsoft is focused on transforming the energy supply chain for cloud services, from the power plant to the computer chip. Long-term commitments like Pilot Hill help ensure a cleaner grid to supply energy to our datacenters.”

Tristan Grimbert, President and CEO of EDF Renewable Energy, added, “The participation of companies like Microsoft in renewable energy generation projects points to a growing trend of organizations directly procuring clean energy. Companies are coming to understand that setting renewable energy, energy efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions reduction commitments can deliver attractive cost-savings benefits while locking in long-term energy price stability. We are grateful for the sustained efforts of Vision Energy and Orion Energy who shepherded this project through the origination and development phases, and to the landowners who have patiently waited for this day to come.

Pilot Hill will also trigger significant economic development through the creation of approximately 150 local craft labor positions during peak construction as well as long-term operations and maintenance opportunities. In addition, tens of millions of dollars over the life of the project will be provided in the form of lease payments to landowners and property taxes.

With its close proximity to Chicago and one of the top ranking renewable energy training programs in the nation at Kankakee Community College, local officials hope Pilot Hill will prompt more investment in renewable energy in the area.

“Kankakee Community College is excited about the jobs and training opportunities that this project brings to our community,” remarked KCC President Dr. John Avendano. “Renewable energy is key to our future. KCC is proud to be training skilled wind technicians as part of one of the most-recognized renewable energy programs in the country.”

“Kankakee County has shown great commitment to the Pilot Hill Wind Project during the past five years of pre-development,” noted Mike Van Mill, President/CEO of the Economic Alliance of Kankakee County. “We are thrilled to see it become a reality. In addition to generating job growth and tax revenue, Pilot Hill further establishes Kankakee County as a renewable energy leader and a green technology hub. Our doors are wide open for green business.”

Mortenson Construction’s Wind Energy Group has started onsite construction activities including construction of all access roads and public road improvements; foundations; turbine erection; operations and maintenance building; collection system; substation; T-line and the installation of MET towers.

As part of EDF Renewable Energy’s community engagement program the company contributed $15,000 to area organizations; Central CUSD #4, Herscher CUSD #2, and the Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley each were presented with a check for $5,000.

EDF Renewable Energy is one of the largest renewable energy developers in North America with 5.7 gigawatts of wind, solar, biomass, and biogas projects developed throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

About EDF Renewable Energy:

EDF Renewable Energy is a leading U.S. independent power producer with more than 25 years of expertise in the renewable industry, covering all range of services from project development, management to operations and maintenance. EDF Renewable Energy specializes in wind and solar photovoltaic with presence in other segments of the renewable energy market: biogas, biomass, hydro, marine energy and storage solutions. The company develops, constructs, operates and manages renewable energy projects throughout the United States for its own accord as well as for third parties. EDF Renewable Energy’s portfolio consists of 4 gigawatts of developed projects with 1.9 gigawatts of installed capacity. EDF Renewable Energy is the U.S. subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles. EDF Energies Nouvelles is the renewable energy arm of the EDF group, the leading electricity company in the world. For more information visit: www.edf-re.com

SOURCE: EDF Renewable Energy

EDF Renewable Energy

Above from:  http://www.marketwatch.com/story/edf-renewable-energy-and-microsoft-corporation-break-ground-on-the-pilot-hill-wind-project-2014-10-01

Byron Nuclear Plant closing in 2016?

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New Report Details Economic Impact of Closing the Byron Exelon Plant

Lauren Langer

A new Nuclear Energy Institute report raises the possibility that it could soon be closed.  The report details the significant economic stress, including low natural gas prices, declining regional demand for electricity, and regulations which hurt nuclear power, which could leave ComEd no choice but to shut down Byron.
Lynn Burrows is a Byron resident and he said of the idea, “Oh, the consequences would be catastrophic [for Byron].”
The report agrees, saying that a possible retirement of this plant in 2016, along with two others in Illinois, could cost the state economy $4 billion dollars and cost 13,000 jobs.

Read the rest of the story by clicking on the following:  http://www.mystateline.com/fulltext-news/d/story/new-report-details-economic-impact-of-closing-the/25671/otSVT5ZaAUeXDYzw9EPj2g

Are you registered to vote?

If you are not sure it is easy to find out.

Click on the following:  http://www.elections.il.gov/VotingInformation/RegistrationLookup.aspx

After clicking, complete the screen shown below and you can find out if you are registered and where you should vote.

 

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Which states make you pay an Amazon sales tax

Will Illinois join into taxing Amazon?

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The Wall Street Journal

By Greg Bensinger 2 hours ago

With the new states, about 69% of Americans—nearly 219 million people—will be subject to tax on their Amazon purchases.

That's a big switch from a few years ago, when Amazon fought to protect customers from sales tax, viewing it as a competitive advantage over brick-and-mortar rivals.

Now, Amazon perceives itself as disadvantaged versus online rivals such as eBay (EBAY) and Overstock. That's because a 1992 Supreme Court ruling allows states to apply sales tax to any retailer with operations in the state, which some states have interpreted to include partners.

With its vast and expanding network of warehouses, Amazon has a physical presence in more states than its competitors, meaning more of its customers have to pay sales tax. Amazon supports federal bill that would give states more leeway to charge sales tax, evening the playing field.

Generally, sales taxes in the states seen in the map above apply just to Amazon, except in those cases where another online retailer has a physical presence there.

The next state where Amazon is scheduled to collect sales tax is South Carolina in 2016, part of a deal the Seattle company reached to build warehouses in the Palmetto State.

Still, other states are likely to fall under sales-tax requirements for online purchases through Amazon. The company has been building warehouses near urban centers at a frenetic pace, as it seeks to speed shipping times.

At the moment, Amazon is seeking to build a data center for its growing Web services division in Ohio. That could one day trigger sales tax for another 11.6 million Americans.

Above is taken from:  http://finance.yahoo.com/news/states-pay-amazon-sales-tax-174700127.html

Pentagon Says It’s Ready for Audit After Years of Delays

 

By Tony Capaccio Oct 2, 2014 4:00 AM CT

The Pentagon says most of its primary budget accounts are ready for their first full financial audits, a long-promised project.

“Over 90 percent of our general fund dollars will be under” audit by an independent accounting firm during the fiscal year that began yesterday, Navy Commander William Urban, a Pentagon spokesman, said.

That means the Defense Department will mostly meet a deadline set in 2011 by then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to have the most relevant information used to craft annual budgets ready for review. The Pentagon’s goal is for the rest of its funds to be ready in two years, by fiscal 2017.

The department, dependent on different sets of books kept by the military services and scores of specialized agencies that together were authorized to spend more than $581 billion in fiscal 2014, has struggled to meet a 1990 law requiring federal agencies to be capable of passing annual audits.

The Pentagon “should have to meet the same general principles of audit as every American taxpayer” who “must give the IRS numbers you stand behind, have receipts and face immediate financial consequences if you fail to meet the deadline,” said Rafael DeGennaro, director of the “Audit The Pentagon Coalition,” a group that says on its website it has bipartisan backing from lawmakers and advocates including Ralph Nader and Grover Norquist.

Read the entire article by clicking on the following:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-02/pentagon-says-it-s-ready-for-audit-after-years-of-delays.html

As background here is an earlier article from Bloomberg.

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Above is from:  http://media.bloomberg.com/bb/avfile/rr1EY4_E9Cx4