Montana bills to alter renewable energy standards
Two of the measures — House Bills 207 and 208 — deal with a rule that is set to take effect in 2010 and requires utilities to buy energy from small producers.
One measure increases the qualifying size for a small producer, from 5 megawatts to 25 megawatts. The other extends the compliance deadline for utilities by two years.
Both of the bills have passed out of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee.
Opponents argue the bills are part of a cluster that would undermine renewable-energy standards passed in 2005.
NorthWestern Energy and Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. support House Bills 207 and 208.
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A tenth of all electricity is lost in the grid - superconducting cables can help
PARIS - For most of us, transmitting power is an invisible part of modern life. You flick the switch and the light goes on.
But the way we transport electricity is vital. For us to quit fossil fuels, we will need a better grid, connecting renewable energy in the regions with cities.
Electricity grids are big, complex systems. Building new high-voltage transmission lines often spurs backlash from communities worried about the visual impact of the towers. And our 20th century grid loses around 10% of the power generated as heat.
One solution? Use superconducting cables for key sections of the grid. A single…
