Counting the green


"Green power" is nothing new to Linear; long before anyone coined the phrase, we were designing products with high efficiency that minimize thermal issues and provide low quiescent current [printed issue differs from web posted issue].

In the last several years, all of our markets have been demanding products with increased efficiency. The ever-present threat of higher energy costs will maintain pressure for energy efficiency, which will further drive infrastructure upgrades that will create many new product opportunities.


Saturday January 30, 2010 Ultimate electronics Albuquerque.



Significant electric power appears to be drawn.

Look at PNM load forecaster Steve Martin foils about causes of increased electric load.

Electric power is measured P = I * V where P is in watts, I is in amps and V is in volts.

Output of Harbor Freight 5 watt solar panel as a function of light conditions has been observed in term of open circuit volts out.

Next we will look it power out: V = I * R where R is in Ohms.

P = I² * R which now longer involves V. But we will monitor V too.

Wii, PV, Playstation 3, and XBOX 360 power consumption.

Global supply of rare earth elements could be wiped out by 2012
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
|
How Meaningful Is 230-MPG?

FACED with a fast-growing population, Idaho Power has been unable to avoid building new power plants altogether; a new natural gas plant is in the works. But executives are pressing ahead with efficiency measures. The utility is asking regulators to make permanent a pilot program started in 2007 that allows Idaho Power to raise rates to make up for selling less power.

Google 'steve martin pnm'

The power grid of the future is one of humanity's boldest visions. Gigantic wind farms in the sea and enormous solar fields in the desert are to generate the bulk of our power in the years to come. But consumers and companies are also producing energy with mini-power plants in their own basements and solar panels on the roof. And intelligent appliances are saving energy in our homes: washers, dryers and refrigerators that communicate with each other wash, dry or cool when electricity is cheapest. The information age is arriving at a new level: It's becoming the electricity age.

Sure.

Some experts say that the growing confusion is a sign that a transparent universal standard for fuel efficiency is needed. One such universal standard, being promoted by the Progressive Automotive X Prize Foundation, calls for all burned energy to be expressed in BTUs, and then converted to miles per gallon. As a result, MPGe would be calculated this way:

MPGe = Miles driven / [(energy burned in BTUs)/(116,090 BTU per gal of gas)]

Published: September 19, 2009

Electricity use from power-hungry gadgets is rising fast all over the world. The fancy new flat-panel televisions everyone has been buying in recent years have turned out to be bigger power hogs than some refrigerators.

The proliferation of personal computers, iPods, cellphones, game consoles and all the rest amounts to the fastest-growing source of power demand in the world. Americans now have about 25 consumer electronic products in every household, compared with just three in 1980. ...

Noah Horowitz, at the Natural Resources Defense Council, calculated that the nation’s gaming consoles, like the Xbox 360 from Microsoft and the Sony PlayStation 3, now use about the same amount of electricity each year as San Diego, the ninth-largest city in country.

Power shortages impede development in India as more than 400 million people lack electricity and supply falls short of peak demand by 16.6 percent, the World Bank said in June.


The sector suffered a major setback this summer after a federal jury ruled that Cello Energy of Alabama, a plant-fiber-based biofuel producer, had defrauded investors. Backed by venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, Cello was expected to supply 70% of the 100.7 million gallons of cellulosic biofuels that the Environmental Protection Agency planned to blend into the U.S. fuel supply next year. The alleged fraud will almost certainly prevent the EPA from meeting its targets next year, energy analysts say.

The wave of biodiesel failures and Cello's inability to produce even a fraction of what it expected have spooked private investors, which could further delay technology breakthroughs and derail the government's green energy objectives.

"If your investors are losing money in first-generation biofuels, I guarantee you they'll be more reluctant to put money into more biofuels, including next-generation fuels," says Tom Murray, global head of energy for German bank WestLB, one of the leading lenders to ethanol and biodiesel makers.

Power is shut off as bills pile up.

Thursday July 30, 2009 09:32 Many, if not most, liberal arts graduates don't comprehend the laws of thermodynamics or the relationship between BTUs and KWhs. Then there is the relationship 1kWh = 3412.14163 BTUs. All of our homes and condos in Pullman, WA were all electric. Baseboard electric heating may become very expensive in the future. Electricity, which is generated from BTUs IN, looks to become much more expensive in the near future. We have replaced our frequently used lights to CFLs. They do not produce the heat of incandescent bulbs. http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#increasingcost

A phone call Wednesday July 1, 2009 to a retired electronic rep revealed that member of the semiconductor industry reported that some in congress wish to repeal the laws of thermodynamics so that solar and wind can succeed.

Wind, Backup Power and Emissions Fast Neutron question. An Unexpected Solution to our Energy and Climate Crises HEAT RATE comment.

Wednesday July 1, 2009 09:04 PNM says the increase will help it meet the state's growing energy demand ... PNM forecaster Steve Martin alerted us about new construction as the principal factor in increased electric load. See FOIL 1. Tuesday June 30, 2009 we were alerted to http://energytomorrow.org/ http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#pnmbills

PNM Bills To Get Bigger In Two-Phase Deal Copyright © 2009 Albuquerque Journal By Michael Hartranft Journal Staff Writer Your PNM electric power gets more expensive beginning today as the first of a two-phase increase kicks in. "If a customer's meter is read July 1 or after, then the next bill reflecting that meter will be billed at the new rate," PNM spokesman Don Brown said. The average increase for a typical residential customer who uses about 600 kilowatt hours will be about $2.33 a month, according to PNM. Starting April 1, 2010, the rates will increase another $2.66 or so a month when the second phase begins. In addition to the rate increase, residential customers will see a 35- to 40-cent-a-month bump in the surcharge they pay for PNM's energy efficiency programs, starting in August. The Public Regulation Commission in May approved an agreement between PNM and other parties granting an overall rate increase of about $51.8 million, or about 5.6 percent. Residential rates increase about 4.6 percent today, and another 5.1 percent in April. The utility had sought a larger increase but agreed to this deal in talks with power users, the Attorney General's Office and others. Rates for the general power, large power and largest commercial/industrial customer classes will increase less than 1 percent, which the company says reflects a shift from having the biggest users subsidizing the other rate classes for the actual cost of providing service. The rate increase comes atop a 6.4 percent increase approved in 2008, which included a fuel adjustment charge that brought last year's total bump to about 15 percent. The increases don't affect former Texas-New Mexico Power Company customers in Silver City, Lordsburg, Bayard, Alamogordo, Tularosa and Ruidoso whose rates are frozen through 2010. PNM says the increase will help it meet the state's growing energy demand and the rising cost of providing service and borrowing. "This is allowing us to bring resources on line that have not been devoted before to serving our customers, specifically the Luna and Lordsburg power plants in the southern part of the state," Brown said. "Even with this increase," he added, "our rates remain 15 to 20 percent below the regional and national average." The fuel clause charge will continue, with modifications, enabling PNM to pass along changes in fuel costs to run power plants. It will be Set at zero the first year and reset in July 2010 based on actual fuel costs incurred the first year and expected costs for the next year. PNM has asked regulators to approve a credit for lower-than-expected fuel costs over the last year that would be passed on to customers in the three months following approval. The company says the monthly credit amount would be about $1.67, which would help offset the rate increase for those months. Under a new rate structure intended to encourage conservation, the price you pay also depends on time of year and how much electricity you use. Summer rates are higher, reflecting the greater demand for power, and the charges per kilowatt hour rise along with consumption. The lowest rate is for the first 200 kilowatt hours. There is a higher rate for the next 500 kilowatt hours, with the highest unit rate for 700 kilowatt hours and above. Albuquerque Journal Wednesday July 1, 2009

Positioning for When Water Runs Out: Part II comment.


MaxOut Savings Show Report With Ted Geoca
Saturday 11:00AM on KNTH 1070AM
MaxOut Savings Advisors, LLC
06/03/2009

The Obama Administration has now gone on to try to seize the commanding heights of the energy and manufacturing business with a draconian program called Cap and Trade. Cap and Trade is a program designed to limit carbon emissions in the United States. It will force companies to get permits to produce carbon dioxide (CO2). Therefore, power plants, factories, chemical plants and refineries, among many others, will all need permits or will have to close down and move overseas. These permits will have to be bought or traded. This will result in favoritism and a form of corruption to get the permits. It will effectively put Washington in control of the manufacturing sector in the United States. If you want a new factory or to keep an existing factory open you will need carbon permits. We are all for reducing energy usage in the United States. However, this is a program that will reduce many Americans standard of living and make energy much more expensive. Not only will it make energy more expensive, but it could lead to huge numbers of job losses. In the future, factories and refineries will move overseas to Asia where it will be easier to get the carbon permits and more jobs will be lost. This is very negative for Houston because it will harm the energy and refining businesses a number of us depend on.

Monday June 8, 2009 14:42 The classes of 2009 may have trouble with cost and availability of electricity in the future. http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#rateincreases

Regulators Approve PNM Hike from PAGE Al good compromise." The commission rejected an amendment offered by Marks to moderate the increases to residential and small commercial users. His proposal would have required each customer class to receive at least a 2.5 percent increase and said it would have reduced the increase to residential and small commercial users to about 8 percent. But representatives of parties that signed off on the agreement, including the New Mexico Industrial Energy Consumers, the Attorney General's Office and the University of New Mexico, urged the commission to leave the rate design intact. "It was a very hard-fought stipulation, especially the rate design," said Jeff Taylor of the Attorney General's Office. Peter Gould of the large industrial users said that under current rates, "There is a 17 to 18 percent subsidy (underwritten by business) being enjoyed by the (other) rate classes." The agreement also allows a fuel clause charge to continue, with modifications, enabling PNM to pass along changes in fuel costs. It would be set at zero the first year and reset in July 2010 based on actual fuel costs incurred the first year and expected cost for the next year. The rate increase will not affect for- mer TNMP customers in Silver City, Lordsburg, Bayard, Alamogordo, Tularosa, and Ruidoso, whose rates are frozen through 2010. More plants On Tuesday, the commission approved PNM's proposal to bring, the Luna and Lordsburg generation plants, a power purchase agreement with the Valencia power plant, and the conversion of PNM's share of the Palo Verde nuclear plant from lease to ownership into the rate base. Marks voted against the plan, arguing that the Lordsburg plant is not needed. The commission also adopted a measure that will enable the PRC's Consumer Protection Division to become involved in future rate negotiations involving all four major investor-owned utilities in New Mexico. Albuquerque Journal Friday May 29, 2009

Are Energy Storage Investors Chasing Their Own Tails? comment.

Wednesday May 13, 2009 08:11 Energy Conversion's Earnings and My Long and Sordid Past with Solar comment. Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News Riesz comment. PNM spokesperson Don Brown emailed on Tuesday afternoon May 12, 2009. But we won't read it since we have to do work on our legal project. Computer Security Experts: the Grid's Communications Infrastructure is Not Yet Invulnerable comment A Gloomy Construction Picture comment. Regulatory Compliance -- Creating an Enterprise Roadmap for the Power Industry comment. Global Policy Ideas for Clean Energy Revolution: The Making of an Eco-Obamanomics comment. PNM forecaster Steve Martin alerted us about new construction as the principal factor in increased electric load. See FOIL 1. "If you take participants in both programs, we expect they could save up to 50 megawatts this summer on high-demand days," Brown said. "A megawatt is typically enough power to supply 700 homes." “If you can reduce rather than produce, you’re better off. And DR helps us reduce. We’re in the same position as a lot of utilities—we’re at capacity, gas prices are high, and the price of energy on the wholesale market is also high. So we have to look at cost-effective alternatives.“ — Carlos Lucero, senior energy efficiency engineer Research Shows Bioelectricity Is Better than Biofuel comment. http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#offpeak

BUSINESS OUTLOOK Albuquerque Journal Monday April 11, 2009 http://www.pnm.com/rebates/peaksaver.htm PNM is New Mexico’s largest electricity and natural gas provider, serving more than 487,000 electricity customers and 490,000 natural gas customers in 100 communities throughout the state. Like any electric utility in a hot climate, PNM experiences high demand in the summer months due to air-conditioning loads, and must develop a resource plan to address its system peaks— effectively and reliably. Please help us to get Don Brown to reply to litigimate questions about PNM Algodones solar array. These answers may be important because of Solar Array is the fourth solar manufacturing venture planned, under construction or operating in New Mexico, joining Schott Solar, Advent Solar and Signet Solar. http://www.prosefights.org/pnmsolar/pnmsolar.htm#schottnew Thanks. http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#offpeak From: automail@pnm.com To: bpayne37@comcast.net Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 2009 12:04:02 PM GMT -08:00 Tijuana / Baja California Subject: Thank you for contacting PNM Thank you for contacting PNM. You will receive a response from us within one business day. The e-mail you sent to us can be reviewed below. YOUR MESSAGE TO PNM Name: bill payne Phone: 505-292-7037 Message: Please help us to get Don Brown to reply to litigimate questions about PNM Algodones solar array. These answers may be important because of Solar Array is the fourth solar manufacturing venture planned, under construction or operating in New Mexico, joining Schott Solar, Advent Solar and Signet Solar. http://www.prosefights.org/pnmsolar/pnmsolar.htm#schottnew Thanks. http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#offpeak ******** Please do not reply to this e-mail, which is generated automatically. The 'From' address in this e-mail does not receive mail. However, your e-mail has been received by PNM and you will receive a response. You can also contact PNM at 241-2700 during business hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.. If you are reporting an emergency - for examples, a gas leak or an electricity line down - please call 246-5700 or (800) 687-7854. You can report emergencies to that number 24 hours a day, seven days a week. ******** New Mexico tourism chat room. New Mexico Public Regulations Commission. Eclipse Owes Creditors $1 Billion. fast neutron Santa Fe, NM January 12, 2009 From actual experience, wind farms produce 1.2 watts per square meter. Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic methods capture 5 to 6 watts per square meter. There is no economy of size in either technology. Dividing the watts you need by those values gives the land area in square meters needed to produce the juice. The numbers are astronomical http://www.topix.net/forum/source/santa-fe-new-mexican/T0QVJ5UD3R25C8HRL

Thursday May 7, 2009 07:48 The Worst Case Scenario (Someone Has to Say It) comment. City offers aid, tactics to conserve irrigation water comment. Biofuels: No There, There. Government Should Focus on Other Alternatives Mascheroni body guard comment. Larry Spohn statement Former newspaper reporter Larry Spohn phone conversation May 6, 2009. They are stupid. But not that stupid. Let's hope. Let's inform APD of our concerns. Los Alamos Nuclear physicist Dr Pedro Leonardo Mascheroni May 6, 2009 phone conversation. First part not recoreded. Mascheroni opined in unrecorded first part of conversation that fusion energy for electricty generation will not happen. PNM Algodones, NM solar array and 50th college reunion link page. http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#zelicoffwater

Albuqueruque Journal Wednesday May 5, 2009

Asche said a 20 to 30 percent increase in the cost of energy to the rate payers might be on the low end of costs to meet the possible outcomes of the legislation being proposed. He said when you add in the potential for additional carbon reduction taxes customers could see their rates double or triple. comment.


In Bangladesh, there is a big gap between escalating demand and generation capacity of around 1,500 megawatts.

Frequent disruption of power, 15-16 times a day, also impedes smooth supply of water and gas for household work. Most people were seen on streets with hand fans as electricity goes off at night.

Schools, colleges, hospitals, clinics, private offices, apartment buildings, small mills and factories are also experiencing the same plight of the power shortage.

Is the U.S. Economy More Sound than It Was in the 30s? comment.

Thursday April 9, 2009 09:38 Concept is that solar and wind can replace coal and natural gas as a practical source of electricity generation. Let's seek reality. Whitman College 1959 classmante Bob Collins [a PE major at Whitman] came up with "concept to reality." PNM stated in writing [Pat O'Connell] that the laws of thermodynamic do not apply [N/A] to solar and wind generated electricity. 1kWh = 3412.14163 BTU. Let's work backward from the output of solar and wind generated electricity to what has, according to the laws of thermodynamic, have to gone in. HEAT OUT = HEAT IN - some loss. We need to consider HEAT RATE and CAPACITY FACTOR too. PNM solar expert Greg Nelson returned phone call on Wednesday April 8, 2009. Did Iran make a mistake by NOT going solar instead of nuclear? Let's hope PNM can answer this question. http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#solarscam

Cargill Hall raised the question whether Clean Energy Systems was a scam or not. Lawyer Doyle got a HEAT RATE answer which indicated Clean Energy Systems was, in fact, a legitimate electric generation company employing techniques developed in the aerospace industry. Is large-scale solar electric energy generation a scam or not? Whitman College has raised this question. Five Top Solar Power Stocks comment. PNM has a 25 kW, PNM spokesperson Don Brown reported, solar generating facility at Algodones, NM which is just north of Albuquerque on I 25.

Thursday April 2, 2009 07:09 Google: A Big Ass Battery in Every Server comment. Sears repairman reported that new refrigerator compressors only last several year and, as a result, are expensive to maintain. http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#cflmarch2009

Financial advisor asked about electric energy saving on Wednesday April 1, 2009 when we were talking about Thornburg bankruptcy. Advisor reported that he knew people who were unplugging their toasters when not in use in an attempt to save electricity. But a lot of people these days are finding the new compact fluorescent bulbs anything but simple. Consumers who are trying them say they sometimes fail to work, or wear out early. At best, people discover that using the bulbs requires learning a long list of dos and don’ts. Below enclosed with PNM March 2009 electric bill. Albuquerque Journal Tuesday March 31, 2009 Note rates on order of $.08 per kWh. We heard comments that rates may rise to $.10 -15 per kWh in the not-too-distant future. Colleges and Universities consume lots of electricity. Planning for increased electric charges and perhaps future shortages might be in order for them. Average Retail Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State.

Desert Rock comment.

Monday March 23, 2009 10:28 Li-ion Battery Manufacturers: The Bleeding Edge of Energy Storage Technology comment. Electric energy hucksters may see opportunities in world electric energy shortages? Li-ion Batteries and How Cheap Beat Cool in the Chevy Volt comment. Population Blows Away Green Energy Hopes By DONALD PETERSON AND WILLIAM STRATTON Los Alamos Education Group Until recently, large numbers failed to resonate, but the economic bailout has forced people to think about very large numbers. A trillion is a million million and once people get comfortable with the idea, both dollars and watts can be discussed. This discussion is about watts. Instead of speculating on the potential energy yields of the green technologies, it estimates the amount of renewable energy available, and how efficiently it can be gathered. The sun is the source of all renewable energy - hydro, biomass, wind and solar, that Al Gore has proposed as the future global replacement for fossil and nuclear energy. Below are some numbers you can clip and stick on the refrigerator for future reference when you want to check the dimensions of someone's energy calculations. A huge amount of solar energy strikes the upper atmosphere; 170,000 trillion watts is 1366 watts/m2 (watts per square meter), but because of clouds, dust, latitude and seasons, the average for power hitting any point on the surface is limited to just over 150 watts/m2 far different from the 1 kW/m2 at noon on the equator, usually cited. The land area of the earth is 150 trillion m2. Hence, the most readily harvestable energy amounts to 22,500 trillion watts. Current global energy demand is 15 trillion watts. The world population is 7 billion so each person has about 20,000 m2 of land (2 hectares), and an allocation of roughly 2,000 watts. By 2050, forty years from now, there will be 9.4 billion people. If Gore is right, the transition to green energy will be close to complete, the standard of living will approach that of the United States, and the world will be saved from global warming. The five- to sixfold increase in energy allocation to 10,000 to 12,000 watts per person translates to global energy in excess of 90 trillion watts - more people with much higher demand. If poverty persists, the demand will be 20 trillion to 30 trillion watts. Of the green energy available globally, 0.1 percent is a very generous estimate of the fraction that can be harvested by all methods - wind turbines, PV cells, solar thermal, hydroelectric dams -additional tide and offshore wind collection is proposed. Details of the mix are not clear but the intrusion of the collection systems will be enormous. Because of the wide distribution of green plants, photo. synthesis captures the most energy by far. This estimate is that 22.5 trillion watts can be harvested - a little more than current, but a factor of four short of the optimized 2050 demand with absolutely no room for population growth. Collection efficiency can double or triple, and location can be optimized, but the source is finite - that's all there is Low energy density is the culprit and nothing can be done about it. This scenario illustrates the importance of careful evaluation of far future energy demand before decisions are made to embark on expensive and ultimately inadequate projects. The conclusion: either population must be culled - unacceptable -or we must find a more capable, long term solution to the energy shortfall. OP-ED Albuquerque Journal Monday March 23, 2009 Wind Turbine Energy: How It Works and Stocks to Watch comment. PNM load forecaster Steve Martin identified sources of increased electric loads. Solution of limiting new construction to reduce emissions does not appear to be on Sterba's agenda. "Water vapor streams from the stacks ..." likely includes mercury, radiation, sulphur dioxide, CO2, .... . Zelicoff fails to mention new construction too. Schmitt, a geologist by training whose main scientific work in recent years involves research into the presence and possible use of nuclear fusion fuel on the moon, ... The Albuquerque Journal with the help of John Fleck has an agenda. To shape the news rather than report it. Tom Carpenter alerted us to Fleck in about 1992 when he was working for GAP. http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#sterbafuture

that creates enormous economic uncertainty. "What you put up stays for 60 years," Sterba said. "That is an enormous economic risk." While some energy companies have responded to the political uncertainty by fighting climate change regulation, PNM Resources has joined with a national coalition of industry and environmental groups to push for regulations that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions while in the process creating policy certainty he and his industry colleagues can use to guide their long-term business decisions. "I'd rather be at the table than on the menu," Sterba said. PNM was one of the founders of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, which now includes 30 members. Companies like Ford Motor Co. and Duke Energy and environmental groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Nature Con· servancy have signed on. Sterba said his views are based on studying the science with an eye toward its economic implications. "I'm not a scientist by training," he said. "I'm an economist by training." As such, Sterba said, he read work by mainstream scientists who think climate change is real and human-caused, as well as the work work.ofof those who question whether the potential for long-term damage is real. "Whatever you read," he said, "make sure you read the opposing view. He concluded that the economic risk for his company was far greater if society followed the path advocated by skeptics and took no action. The U.S. Climate Action Partnership, in its "Blueprint for Action," released in January, put it this way: "The science is sufficiently clear to justify prompt action," the document said. "Each year of delayed action to control emissions increases the risk of unavoidable consequences that could necessitate even steeper reductions in the future, with potentially greater economic cost and social disruption." The document outlines proposed government actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, calling for establishment of a "cap and trade" system to regulate emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that have been linked by scientists to climate change. The specifics of the proposal have struck some in the environmental movement as being too business-friendly. The National Wildlife Federation dropped out of the organization rather than sign on to a proposal the organizations said it does not think goes far enough. The Climate Action Partnership's proposal would cap total emissions. Companies would at first be given a limited amount of emissions permits for free. Eventually, under the USCAP proposal, the companies would have to pay for them. Companies could buy and sell emissions permits, an attempt to harness market mechanisms to find the most cost-effective ways of reducing greenhouse gases. "There is no doubt that a 'cap and trade' regime will raise energy costs in Albuquerque and wherever it is enacted," said Paul Gessing of the Rio Grande Foundation, an Albuquerque free market advocacy group. If greenhouse regulation is needed, Gessing said, a straight tax on carbon emissions rather than a complex cap and trade system would be more simple and transparent. BUSINESS OUTLOOK, Albuquerque Journal Monday March 16, 2009 Albuquerque Journal Tuesday March 10, 2009 Albuquerque Journal Tuesday March 17, 2009 Payne and Zelicoff were in the same division at Sandia labs for a short time. Zelicoff, an MD, gave our division a lecture on ricin. Schmitt, a geologist by training whose main scientific work in recent years involves research into the presence and possible use of nuclear fusion fuel on the moon, Schmitt may have a difficult time recovering from the above John Fleck statement. Albuquerque Journal Tuesday March 10, 2009

Does Wind Power Produce More Carbon Emissions than Coal? comment.

Published: February 11, 2009

TAMPA - Power plants operated by Progress Energy were pushed closer to their limits last week as demand for electricity reached an all-time high, the utility said Tuesday.

Customers turned up their thermostats Thursday and Friday as temperatures plunged below freezing.

Demand peaked Friday morning as customers used 10,276 megawatt-hours of power between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. The previous one-hour record was 10,131 megawatt-hours, set Jan. 24, 2003. [megawatt hours is probably more important than peak megawatt power production]

U.S. Wind Power Sees Record '08; '09 Likely to Bring Harder Times comment.

Huge Incentives for Energy Storage in Today's House Bill comment.

Wednesday January 28, 2009 07:11 Cramer's Stop Trading! 6 Quick Earnings Picks (1/27/09) comment. We have been following electric generation in New Mexico for over one year, in part, by attending PNM electric and gas Integrated Resource Planning meetings. We are observers who have an interested in electric generation but make no claims of expertise or ability in this area. We also visit Austin, TX at least two times a year. We see a possible problem in increased electric demand and BTU availability required to produce that electricity. In below film announcement we hope that Robert Redford and others also take into consideration possibility of electric shortages in the near further. PNM electric load forecaster Steve Martin alerted us to causes. See FOIL 1. http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#martinloads

Cramer, Mad Money CNBC, January 28, 2009 expressed long view on coal for the reason that he stated 55 new coal-fired electric generation plants are to be built in the US. venue Friday January 23, 2009 Albuquerque Journal. Redford and company appears to be successful in stopping coal electric generation in Texas. Perhaps Redford and company should think of efforts to 1 limit new construction 2 reduce home cubic feet heating and cooling requirements 3 discourage refrigerated air conditioning installations 4 discourage flat screen lcd and plasma tv purchases 5 discourage electric tooth brushes, cell phone, bluetooth, ... and other electricty guzzling appliances Reduced future electric generation capacity in the US has come to our attention as a result of a number of FOILS predicting the future of electric generation capacity, especially from ERCOT. ERCOT, which provides electricity to 21 million Texas energy consumers, carries about 85 percent of the state’s electricity load. ERCOT said Thursday consumers used 312,401 gigawatts of energy in 2008, a 1.7 percent jump over the previous year. [gigawatt hours?] ... Overall, the percentage of energy produced from natural gas, coal, nuclear energy and water fell and rose slightly in each category. However, the percentage of wind energy used grew to 4.9 percent, up from 2.9 percent in 2007. PNM electric generation capacity FOIL 9 may be typical of what is happening to future electric generation capacity in the US.

Sunday January 25, 2009 10:16 We heard 1.0 gallon of water per kilowatt hour at the PNM elctric irp. PNM appears to do better. http://wrri.nmsu.edu/publish/watcon/proc51/christensen.pdf http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#galperkwh

[I]n thermoelectric plants, 0.47 gal (1.8 L) of fresh water is evaporated per kWh of electricity consumed at the point of end use. Hydroelectric plants evaporate an average of 18 gal (68 L) of fresh water per kWh used by the consumer. The national weighted average for thermoelectric and hydroelectric water use is 2.0 gal (7.6 L) of evaporated water per kWh of electricity consumed at the point of end use. From this information, different types of building cooling systems can be compared for relative water consumption. .... http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy04osti/33905.pdf

The green energy dream: Why it may not happen. comment.

Electricity Advisory Committee comment.

Future of water supply in question comment.

Alternative Energy Industry Outlook comment.

"It is time that the state take control of this increasingly important issue." comment.

Making coal electric generation cleaner consumes BTUs.

Nuclear Firms Power Up - Barron's comment.

Delivering the Green comment.

Sunday December 21, 2008 08:00 Sunday June 15, 2008 field trip The Oil Drum post. Looks like PNM is taking action at San Juan facility. PNM PR is still pushing energy and water conservation when PNM forecaster Steve Martin points out the main problem is new construction. See FOIL 1 below. http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#plantupgrades

Nuclear and Coal: The Energy 'Dream Team' for Years to Come comment.

Housing Construction: When Will It Resume, And at What Levels? comment.

Time for the American Government and People To Confront Reality comment.

King Coal or King Saud? comment.

Dec. 4 (Bloomberg) -- E.ON AG Chief Executive Officer Wulf Bernotat warned of a possible power shortage in Germany by 2012, Sueddeutsche Zeitung said.

Germany may not be able to cover its own demand by as early as 2012, the newspaper reported in an article to be published tomorrow, citing Bernotat, CEO of Germany’s largest utility.

How Will Temporary Decline in Oil Prices Impact Energy Sector? comment.

Black Swans and Greenwashing Solar and Wind comment.

Wind heat rate comment.

Tuesday October 28, 2008 14:22 THE COMING ELECTRICITY CRISIS by Byron W. King OK, so I don't have a copy of the Sunday business section from next March. But I think I know what at least one major issue will be within the next 24 months. The headlines will scream, "Power Failures, Price Spikes Plague Northeast U.S." And the same thing will also hit the Western U.S. And the Southeastern U.S. And parts of the Midwest. ... Earlier this week, I attended a privately sponsored presentation on U.S. energy policy. The main speaker was a senior faculty member from Carnegie Mellon University. This guy has been "doing electricity" for about 40 years or so. He has written reports for the National Academy of Sciences. When the people at the U.S. Department of Energy have a question about electricity, they call this CMU professor. The news is not good. In 2007, there were about 144 new coal-fired power plants on the drawing boards of the U.S. energy utilities. But, said the professor, "We will probably build none of them.? Indeed, ?The electric industry in the U.S. is in terrible shape," said the CMU man. So we should expect local and regional brownouts and blackouts to become common occurrences "within five years." But the first isolated instances of brownout and blackout will hit us much sooner than that. ... Byron W. King for The Daily Reckoning emailed Tuesday October 28, 2008 10 More Ways to Become a Third World Utility comment. Tuesday October 21, 2008 09:09 Heat rate of solar technologies comment. Tuesday October 14. 2008 18:29 We are beginning to think about heat rates for alternate energy sources such a wind and solar. "N/A" in FOILS 5, 6, and 7 appears to suggest that the laws of thermodynamics do not apply to solar and wind generated electricity. Repeal of the laws of thermodynamics for wind and solar may not be a good idea. 1 Kilowatt hour = 3412.14163 BTUs. So one might reasonably expect that more than [second law] 3412.14163 BTUs of wind and solar energy were required to generate [first law] this quantity of electricity. What are the unintended or currently unknown adverse consequences of channeling wind and solar BTUs into electric energy? We are likely to find out. No response from CleanEnergySystems yet. So Friday October 10, 2008 08:45 Let's try to get an answer for Cargill Hall Bottom line inadvertently chopped assures prompt response. Sunday October 5, 2008 07:28 Google citation above. Does above fact or factoid suggest that more than [second law] 3,412.14163 BTUs must enter a ligitimate alternate electric energy process to satisfy the first law of thermodynamics? PNM FOILS 5, 6, and 7 indicate that about 10,000 BTUs goes into producing 1KW of electricity. Does the first law of thermodynamics look to be satified: 10,000 > 3,412.14163? -----Original Message----- From: bill payne [mailto:bpayne37@comcast.net] Sent: Friday, October 03, 2008 12:45 PM To: Cargill Hall Cc: Fair, Fred; Bob Collins [bcuw@wbhsi.net]; Brian Dohe [dohe@whitman.edu] Subject: RE: Rocket Technology Applied to Power Generation Carg Will do. Check out the N/A statement I made. Also look at first law of thermodynamics. And about alternate energy innovations which violate the first law. http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#altreport I believe that both solar and wind DO HAVE HEAT RATE values. I think that they have to because of the first law of thermodynamics. That's why I emailed PNM employee Pat O'Connell to ask what N/A stood for. O'Connell finally responded, "Not Applicable." I am thinking of posting his response. O'Connell deserves this for previous non-responses to questions. In on other words, if an alternate electric source claims so many kilo-, megawatts of electric output energy, then more energy has to go into the process than what comes out. The second law requires more energy IN than comes OUT. What is neat about foils 5, 6, and 7 is that PNM and EPRI published heat rate output for various fuel sources. This shows there is a range from about 7,??? To 24,??? BTUs. And that about 10,000 BTUs are required to produce 1 KW/h of electricity using coal or natural gas.. Sandia labs retiree buddy is a PhD physicist. I talked to him on the phone, then sent him by email a copy of THE alternate report. I only wrote the report. He said, "Don't they know about Conservation of Energy?" Let's pursue the heat rate values for alternate energies. Energy scam artists may try to sell us liberal arts grads electric systems which don't work. There is a lot of money to be made in this energy crisis. Scam engineers and scientists may figure that we are too poorly educated in engineering and science to realize the scam. bill www.cleanenergysystems.com The vocal faction? Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one! John MacKay,1841 We continue to have fun. -----Original Message----- From: bill payne [mailto:bpayne37@comcast.net] Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2008 1:28 PM To: Martin, Elizabeth, PRC Subject: RE: alternate pnm electric irp report You are welcome. -----Original Message----- From: Martin, Elizabeth, PRC [mailto:Elizabeth.Martin@state.nm.us] Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2008 10:05 AM To: bill payne Subject: RE: alternate pnm electric irp report Thank you From: bill payne [mailto:bpayne37@comcast.net] Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 7:44 AM To: Martin, Elizabeth, PRC; Jones, Sandy, PRC; Ledezma, Luis, PRC; Sloan, Carol, PRC; Javaheripour, Setareh, PRC; Lujan, BenR, PRC; Starr-Garcia, Stacy, PRC; King, David, PRC; Aragon, Leroy, PRC; Marks, Jason, PRC Cc: Wheeler, Evelin; Randy Gunn; Bill Payne; Jill M. Roelle; Carla J. Sonntag; Brown, Don; Brent Barkett; Amorales58@Comcast.Net Subject: alternate pnm electric irp report Tuesday September 30, 2008 07:45 This internet method of alternate [non corp/gov mainstrem media -uRE] reporting may have a limited lifetime if electricity becomes scarce. Until then, however, we will use it to try to achieve are agendas. Let's get the truly important Martin foils out front. What does "N/A" stand for in foils 5, 6, and 7? PNM manager Pat O'Connell does not respond to email question. We're beginning to suspect that the architect of the electric irp may have been fragged. -------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- From: "Wheeler, Evelin" Evelin.Wheeler@pnmresources.com Subject: PNM Electric IRP Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2008 22:52:55 +0000 Good Afternoon -- I am writing to let you know that PNM's electric integrated resource plan (IRP) for 2008-2027 has been filed with the N.M. Public Regulation Commission and is now available online at www.pnm.com/irp. I also want to thank each of you who participated in the public process that was so critical to the development of this document. At the beginning of the process, I said "We believe we can best meet the goal of providing our customers’ electricity needs through a participant process." That belief was proven out during the past year. Thanks to your input, we have a solid framework for meeting the growing energy needs of our electric customers -- and an approach that, I believe, successfully balances reliability, cost and environmental impact for the benefit of customers as well as all of New Mexico. I hope you will take the time to read the final document. I also hope we have a chance to work together again. After all, the beauty of the IRP was as much about the process and the dialogue we had as it was about the end product. Thanks again for your attention and your time during the past year. Best, Evelin Wheeler Director, Regulatory Affairs Evidence is 17 meetings and 229 page 1 7/8 pound V.03 report? Author had to sit-through these meetings. When some of the verbal faction [ aka B.S. artists] opened their mouths, then ...." http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#altreport

Alternate Report Electric Integrated Resource Plan for the Period 2008-2027 Tuesday September 30, 2008 07:45 ABSTRACT Official Electric Integrated Resource Plan [IRP] for the Period 2008-2027 appears to be a product of a verbal faction of attendees of the about 17 sessions. Omission of what others consider important foils from Official report and elimination of which, we feel, are unessential foils in about 229 page report is an obligation to others to write an alternate report. Failure of the Official report to forecast available source of heat [BTUs] which is to be converted to electricity and to address the sources of increased demand, and to make practical arguments for feasibility of natural gas and alternate energy sources renders the Official Report about unusable. New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources should be contracted to forecast BTU output from coal and natural gas. New Mexico should establish an engineering board to study practical feasibility of alternate energy sources [heat rates] so as to avoid energy crisis scams. PNM's electric irp came alive, in others' opinion, on August 21, 2007, PNM Alvarado Square, Albuquerque, New Mexico with presentation presentation of FOIL 1 , FOIL 2 and FOIL 3 presented by FOIL 4 Martin is identified by red check. Randy Gunn [blue check] and Dan Violette [green check] of Summit Blue pictured too. Martin explained the projected jump in PNM electric consumption caused by Albuquerque mayor lawyer Marty Chavez's water project. Martin's TOTAL PNM RETAIL SALE foil projects electric consumption to increase from about 8,000 GWh in 2008 to about 12,000 GWh in 2026. Question some attendees had was Where are the BTU's [British Thermal Units] going to come from to generate electricity for old and new buildings? This question apparently crossed the minds of some PNM technical employees too. More life was injected into the electric irp. PNM electric IRP foils address the issue of BTUs required to generate 1 KWh of electricity by technology. FOIL 5 FOIL 6 FOIL 7 quantify the amount of heat [see red star - Heat Rate] measured in BTUs in the US, transformed into electric energy using energy sources of coal, natural gas, biomass, and geothermal. Foils 5 and 6 were apparently prepared by PNM technical staff. Foil 7, which was previously classified confidential, was apparently prepared or derived from Electric Power Research Institute data. Heatrate column identified by red star is one of the more important columns in electric resource planning for the reason that BTUs IN are converted to electric power OUT. Identification of BTU sources IN is essential for prediction of kilowatt hour electricity OUT. The lower number of BTUs IN per kilowatt hour OUT, the better. New Mexico coal produces about 9-13,000 BTUs per pound. Additional information on New Mexico coal and natural gas arrived. -------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- From: Gretchen Hoffman gretchen@gis.nmt.edu To: bpayne37@comcast.net Subject: Re: alternate electric irp report Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:12:38 +0000 Here is the website for coal production data from the NM Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources dept. http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/MMD/MRRS/2007ProdData.htm The EIA has Electricity database files with statistics on the monthly cost and quality of fuels for Electric plants http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/page/ferc423.html also on the NM state Table 6 gives the cost and quality for delivered fuel- http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/st_profiles/new_mexico.html - This data is through 2006. There is also a Average heat content of fossil-fuel receipts chart for May of 2008 - the latest data available: http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/tablec1.html bpayne37@comcast.net wrote: http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#altreport -- Gretchen Hoffman Senior Coal Geologist, Database Coordinator New Mexico Bureau of Geology phone (575) 835-5640 fax (575) 835-6333 gretchen@gis.nmt.edu Natural gas heat OUT is summarized MBTU is occasionally used as a standard unit of measurement for natural gas and provides a convenient basis for comparing the energy content of various grades of natural gas and other fuels. One cubic foot of natural gas produces approximately 1,000 BTUs, so 1,000 cu.ft. of gas is comparable to 1 MBTU. MBTU is occasionally expressed as MMBTU, which is intended to represent a thousand thousand BTUs. BTU output from coal and natural gas can be used with Heat Rate values [red star column in FOILS 5, 6, AND 7] to compute heat required [and part of dollar cost] to generate electricity. PNM IRP staff estimates [green check] that in 2008 PNM will produce which is 8,449,134,000 kilowatt hours of electric power [See FOIL 2 for Martin's estimate]. This value must be multiplied by somewhere between 4,500 to 29,052, maybe realistically about 10,000, to calculate the BTUs required to produce that electricity. Laws of thermodynamics govern transformation of input heat into electricity. What are the Laws of Thermodynamics? 1st Law—Energy can be changed from one form to another, but it cannot be created or destroyed. The total amount of energy in the universe remains constant, merely changing from one form to another. 2nd Law—In all energy exchanges, if no energy enters or leaves the system, the potential energy of the state will always be less than that of the initial state. This is also known as the law of entropy. 3rd Law—It is impossible to cool a body to absolute zero by any finite process. This is actually more of a postulate than a law. In any case, it has little application to our discussion and is presented here merely for thoroughness. The BTUs required to produce electricity must come from somewhere. "N/A" in FOIL 3 may stand for "Not applicable" or "Not available." In the case of Solar - Parabolic Trough and Solar - Photovoltaic others believe that Heat Rate information is available and should be presented by any advocate promoting solar-electric technologies. Currently in New Mexico most of the BTUs for electricity comes from coal [often termed 'buried sunshine' by the coal industry] and natural gas as shown in FOIL 8. FOIL 8 presented by PNM Manager, Integrated Resource Planning, Cindy Bothwell. Above foil shows electric output from San Juan and Navajo electric generating stations to be steady over the next 25 years. Uncertainty of Coal published August 21, 2008 Albuquerque Journal shows coal production in New Mexico in decline [blue dots], however. EIA reports that in 2007 24.5 million tons were produced. "Coal mining in New Mexico has been fairly steady for a number of years, and I think will likely stay steady," said Bill Brancard, director of the Mining and Minerals Division of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department. La Plata coal mine which also supplied coal to the San Juan generating station was recently closed. PNM ability to meet electric demand appears to be headed for trouble in about 2012 if new capacity is not added. This is seen in FOIL 9. FOIL 9 PNM Plans Energy Future published by the Albuquerque Journal on 2 September 2008 expresses opinions of the vocal faction but not facts presented by others. Article states Natural gas and renewable energy will take up much of the slack, according to the plan being developed by utility company PNM with the help of renewable energy advocates. FOIL 10 shows that natural gas is probably the only option open to PNM to meet electricial demand possible shortfall by 2012. FOIL 10 PNM natural gas intregrated resource planning report included plot in FOIL 11 shows FOIL 11 which shows a declining reserve margin of natural gas similar to electric reserve margin culiminating in possible supply problems in about 2012. PNM natrual gas irp Regulatory Projects Manager Mary Homan distributed supply side natural gas document on March 12, 2008 showing a version of and Energy Information Agency FOIL 12 FOIL 12 showing that conventional natural gas production in the US peaked in 2001 and text information that falling production requires twice the number of gas wells. Onshore Unconventional such as coal bed methane [San Juan Basin coal bed methane], Barnett Shale ... are "hopes" which may nor may not prove practical replacement for conventional natural gas sources. Following quoted statements from PNM Plans Energy Future article by the vocal IRP faction may not be supported by the data in this alternate report. "Energy efficiency makes a lot of sense," said Evelin Wheeler, director of PNM's planning effort. ... "We're happy with it, or with most parts of it," said Steve Michel of Western Resource Advocates, an environmental policy group. ... "We're very clear," PNM's Wheeler said. "No new coal." The first wave of new renewable power could be here soon. PNM is currently looking for companies to provide new sources of renewable energy, including a major new solar plant. Formal proposals are due later this year, and PNM power system analyst Cindy Bothwell said 120 companies have said they might bid. The vocal faction talked for over a year in about 17 meetings held in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Not until the vocal faction got their ideas into writing could others analyze what they were talking about. The about 229 page official report appears not to make agruments of why natural gas, alternate energy source, and energy efficiency will work to sustain possible New Mexico new construction growth. Instead, of addressing of where the BTUs are going to come from seemingly irrelvant topics such as Monte Carlo simulations are included. If in fact, New Mexico faces BTU shortages within the next several years the consequences could be serious. No electricity at certain times. No natural gas or low BTU natural gas for heat. Transportation fuel shortages; increase prices of energy; falling real estate prices; increase in crime are all possible. Foils 1 shows the causes of increased electric demand. Foils 5, 6, and 7 showed the relationship between BTUs IN and electicity OUT. Foils 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 shows that a future BTU shortage problem may be developing in New Mexico which may lead to electricity shortages. Energy shortage scare is in an invitation for energy production innovations. Some innovations may work. Others may be scams. One question: does the invention defy the Laws of Thermodynamics? If the answer is yes, then something is wrong. PNM electric IRP appeared to deviate from competent engineering and scientific work when the verbal faction begran dominated the meetings. The verbal faction consisted mostly of some lawyers [Steve Michel, for one] and other non-engineering/scientific educated individuals. Perhaps for all the reasons presented in this Alternate Report, the New Mexico PRC would be wise to reject the official Electric Integrated Resource Plan for the Period 2008-2027 report? First step to correct the problem might be to award a contract with New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources to attempt to forecast BTU output from coal and natural gas for the years 2009 to 2030? Second step might be for New Mexico to establish an engineering board which studies practical feasability of alternate energy sources so as to avoid scams. When competent study of future BTU sources is complete, then perhaps intelligent decisions on the problems identified in foil 1 can be addressed. Mesa del Sol 37,500 home community is planned south of the Albuquerque International Sunport the Albuquerque Journal reported Friday July 4, 2008. Mesa de Sol and other New Mexico construction projects may not happen for BTU unavailability reasons. END

Wednesday October 15, 2008 13:26 Alternate Report relevant non-corp/gov/mainstream-media energy news. http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#altnews

Monday, October 06, 2008 12:56 AM "Have you told them the lights might go out in 2011 or 2012?" she asked. Brogan said it felt as though Maryland was standing by itself shouting about the problem, but Kormos assured her that the other states are worried, and that Washington is very aware of the difficulties the area would have if the predicted rolling brownouts and blackouts became a reality. Thu Oct 02 01:00:00 CDT 2008 A new study released this week highlights what experts have been saying for years: the U.S. faces significant risk of power brownouts and blackouts as early as next summer that may cost tens of billions of dollars and threaten lives. The study, "Lights Out In 2009?" warns that the U.S. "faces potentially crippling electricity brownouts and blackouts beginning in the summer of 2009, which may cost tens of billions of dollars and threaten lives." ... NextGen Energy Council -----Original Message----- From: Bonnie Turner [mailto:bonnie@nextgenenergy.org] Sent: Monday, October 06, 2008 9:37 AM To: bpayne37@comcast.net Subject: RE: NEW ADVISORY COMMITTEE SUBMISSION Thanks for your email Bill. Our committees are in abeyance as we focus on other activities. If you would provide me a bit more information on your company Bill, that would help me make sure you get NextGen info. I went to the website below but was unable to decipher who you represent. Any info would be helpful. Thanks so much, Bonnie Bonnie Turner Executive Director NextGen Energy Council 200 Union Blvd, Suite 105 Lakewood, CO 80228 p: 303-577-4627 c: 303-981-6551 : 303-496-0334 bonnie@nextgenenergy.org www.nextgenenergy.org From: info@nextgenenergy.org [mailto:info@nextgenenergy.org] Sent: Monday, October 06, 2008 7:08 AM To: info@nextgenenergy.org Subject: NEW ADVISORY COMMITTEE SUBMISSION The following information has been submitted to the advisory committee. Advisorry Committee Selection: Power Generation Tech Advisory Committee,Clean Liquid Fuels Advisory Committee,Carbon Management Tech Advisory Committee,Fossil-Renewable Hybrid Tech Advisory Committee,Technology Investment Advisory Committee First Name: bill Last Name: payne Email: bpayne37@comcast.net Phone: 505-292-7037 Organization: pro se fights Comments: Steve Martin identified the problem. http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm#altreport Portal Name: NextGen Energy Council energy@abqjournal.com Zelicoff and Payne were in the same division at Sandia Labs at one time. Albuquerque Journal Tuesday September 30, 2008 Developer see forest in the Mesa sand Ground was only broken on the building in February but the project is six weeks ahead of schedule. "You have to view it as a partnership said Chris Anderson, director of commercial development at Forest City Covington, about the speed of the build-to-suit project for Fidelity. "We can only go as fast as the decisions they make." The overall developer of the Mesa del Sol master-planned community, Forest City, estimates 4,100 jobs will be housed in the buildings currently in some phase of construction. A quarter mile from the Fidelity building, the steel girders of Germany-based Schott Solar's 200,000-square-foot plant are being erected. Site work is underway on Long Beach, Calif.-based Molina Healthcares 25,000-square foot data center. According to the original schedule, Sony Imagework should've been moving into a two-story, 50,000-square-foot office building about now. Also planned were a 15,000-square-foot data center and a second 35,000-square-foot office building. While Sony's plans have stalled, Mesa del Sol's existing film production complex is seeing substantial growth. Mesa Del Sol community takes shape A sprawling studio Albuquerque Studios has doubled in size since opening in spring 2007 and now encompasses 336,000 square feet on 28 acres. The hallmark of ABQ Studios, as it's often called, are the eight sound stages totalling 168,000 square feet. The four largest sound stages are cavernous 24,000-square-foot buildings with 55-foot-high ceilings. "These are the largest concrete tilt-up walls in the state," said Jason Hariton, vice president of operations at Albuquerque Studios, as he stood in the middle of one. "The (ceiling) grid is able to handle incredible loads. You can hang 10,000 pounds on any one point." Six of the studio's eight sound stages are empty because production ended for "Terminator Salvation," the fourth movie installment in the "Terminator" series. Due for release next year, the big-budget film stars Christian Bale of "Dark Knight" fame as John Connor. "They had enough explosives here to battle Kirtland," Hariton joked, referring to the nearby Air Force base.. The production involved 2,000 people working at one time or another at the studio, he said. With the exception of stars and movie executives, labor on the film was provided entirely by New Mexicans, he said. Four hundred construction workers worked on "Terminator Salvation," he said, adding, "They spent many millions of dollars on lumber and steel." The two soundstages now in use are for the production of the television series, "Breaking Bad," which is set in New Mexico. The drama won two Emmy awards this year for best actor and best editing. Employment at Albuquerque Studios ranges from a few hundred, as is the case now, to 2,500. Hariton said, "A thousand is really easy to make." Center of town Not much more than a stone's through from Albuquerque Studios is the three-story, 78,000-square-foot town center building, scheduled to open in November. The first floor will house a cafe, 5,000-square-foot welcome center and assorted retail stores. The top two floors will be leased for offices, including 12,000 square feet to be occupied by Forest City. Designed by noted Albuquerque architect Antoine Predock, the building's west-facing front is a wall of glass overlaid in pop art style with a honeycomb pattern. The pattern combines art with practical function. "It actually provides 60 percent coverage of the glass," Anderson said. "It reduces the sun load, but you can still look out." The town center building also faces a two-acre park that will serve as Mesa del Sol's main plaza. There's a scheme to hold movie screenings in the park, projecting the films on the exterior glass wall of the Predock-designed building. Discussions are underway with potential developers of hotel and apartment projects in or near the town center, said Amy Coburn, director of planning and residential development at Forest City. A few hundred yards away from the town center building, site work is under way on Mesa del Sol's first residential neighborhood. The start of home construction appears to be a moving target, given the housing slump. The first model homes had been expected to open in the first quarter, but it now looks like next summer, Coburn said. In a broader picture, home construction has stalled dramatically in the metro area. Only 76 building permits were issued in August for single family homes, according to DataTraq. For comparison, the metro averaged 735 permits a month for single- family homes in 2005- the peak year of the housing construction bubble. But Forest City's "jobs first" development strategy will lead to workers at Mesa del Sol moving into the master-planned community's housing, said Mark Lautman, economic development director at Forest City. "We've expanded the concept of sustainable development from conserving water an energy to saving people's time," he said. The opening residential phase will have about 200 homes in 10 different product types, ranging in size from 900 to 4,000 square feet. Prices will start at around $160,000. When built out, the first neighborhood near the town center building and A1buquerque Studios will have 580 homes. In conjunction with the residential development. Forest City is planning in two or three years to build a 22,000-square-foot charter school next to the Fidelity building. Once the neighborhoods get big enough, the school will be relocated and the building turned into office or flex space. Sustainable design The sustainable approach to development can be illustrated by the 40,000-square-foot visitors parking lot at the Fidelity building, where pervious concrete was used as paving. "It allows water to pass through the concrete and not run off," Anderson said. Resembling pellets set in paste, pervious concrete is more common in wetter climates like the Southeast, so its use in a drier climate like Albuquerque's is a bit of a test run, he said. The question is whether soil will collect in the paving's rough surface to the point of being a nuisance. "It's more durable than asphalt," he said. "The only maintenance mignt be vacuuming up silt and sand." At the town center building, solar panels will be installed as shade over a third-story deck at the southeast corner. The panels will generate enough power to supply eight to nine-houses, Anderson said. Now in its sixth year, Mesa del Sol has a 40-50-year timeline for build out. Forest City has the rights to develop 9,000 out of the community's 12,900 total acres. The master plan calls for 37,500 houses, condos and apartments - about 10,000 more units than you'll find in Rio Rancho today - and more than 18 million square feet of office, industrial and retail space. BUSINESS OUTLOOK Albuquerque Journal Monday September 29, 2008 Solar Energy's Promise Inflated THIS IS IN refernce to the commentary by Monte Qgdahl and Janet Bridgers of the N.M. Solar Energy Association. While the goal of the article is a laudable one, almost all of the numbers provided are inaccurate. The wildest claim is that all of the energy needs of the entire United States could be replaced by a concentrating solar plant (CSP) that covered only 100 square miles. As a reality check, one of the largest proposed CSPs in the United States is the Solana Generating Station near Gila Bend, Ariz. This $1 billion plant has a design capacity of 280 megawatts and will cover an area of 1,900 acres, or nearly 3 square miles. According to electrical industry statistics, the total generating capacity of all U.S. plants at the end of 2007 was 1,089,807 megawatts. In order to replace that generating capacity would require nearly 3,900 CSPs of the same size as the proposed Solana plant. These plants would cover an area, not of 100 square miles, but nearly 11,700 square miles and cost nearly $4 trillion. This would only replacethe electrical energy portion of our country's energy usage, not the natural gas for heating or oil for transportation, which would require added plants and space. Development of alternative energy sources is a good idea, but advocates for this goal need to provide the public with accurate information, not hype. JAMES AMANN Los Alamos Albuqueruque Journal Monday September 29, 2008 Letters to Outlook Refrigerated Air is Not Energy Efficient This is in reference to the story (9/7/08) concerning Pulte Homes' Loma Colorado development. The headline and the text refer to the homes and their cooling systems as being energy-efficient. Yet, the homes are cooled with refrigerated air conditioning. That's a bit like saying that an SUV that gets 10 miles per gallon is fuel-efficient, when cars are common that get 30 miles per gallon. As a professional engineer who works for a large building owner in the state, I have studied evaporative ,cooling and refrigerated air conditioning - and compared their energy use - for many years. I question whether Pulte Homes and the Journal have done their research on this issue. Consider these facts: · Refrigerated air conditioning requires far more electricity to operate. Refrigerated air uses three to five times more electricity than evaporative cooling. This is according to the State energy office. · Refrigerated air conditioning requires more generating capacity. If all homes in Albuquerque were cooled with refrigerated air, PNM would have to increase its generating capacity, having to build more power plants or purchase power from other sources. · Homes with refrigerated air conditioning use more electricity. If you compare two homes in Albuquerque that are identical in all ways except the type of cooling, the one with refrigerated air would use considerably more electricity compared to the one with evaporative cooling. · Our dry climate is a natural resource. New Mexico is blessed with the dry climate that allows us to use evaporative cooling for many applications. The State energy office considers the dry climate to be a natural resource, for that specific reason. · Evaporative cooling is not a "water hog." If you include water used to generate electricity at the power plant, it uses about the same amount of water as refrigerated air. The on-site water usage by evaporative coolers is approximately equal to the off-site water usage to generate the added electricity for refrigerated air. I suspect that Pulte Homes is installing refrigerated air in the homes they are building because that is what the public is asking for. The refrigeration industry and other sectors of the construction industry have had much success in their public relations campaign to convince people that evaporative cooling is no good and refrigerated air is what they need. What I don't understand is why the Journal continues to take at face Value, and to print as factual, claims by an industry that stands to. gain financially from those claims. The Journal has printed similar misleading information in the past, and I have written letters to the editor to try to set the record straight. I ask that the Journal attempt to be more accurate in the future on this issue. David K. Robertson, P.E. Corrales PNM Still Has To Answer to the PRC Sarcasm aside, Public Service Company of New Mexico has had a very tough road to travel recently. Rates skyrocketed, their investment ratings were severely cut, they had some significant losses which caused a massive work force reduction, and they are now facing a whole new set of regulations that will cost billions of dollars in new technology and upgrades in the next few years. They also face a population growth that will force them to significantly increase capacity so that when we all flip our light switches the lights come on. They face all this as a fully regulated companv This means that they have to spend a tremendous amount of capital up front and then a tremendous amount time in courtrooms fighting for the means to recoup the investment. They may or may not be able to recoup all or only a portion of what they spent, yet the money Is still spent one way or the other. If the price goes up for a non~ regulated, they just raise prices. PNM does not have that luxury. The writer of the (recent) editorial states, "It's up to the Public Regulation Commission to make sure it's a fair deal all the way around" in regards to the change from coal fired plants to gas fired ones. For all the statistical information stated in the article, the writer must not have a clue as to what it takes for PNM to do what it proposed. PNM cannot even sell off the gas side of their operation without getting approval from the PRC and a number of other organizations, including the city of Albuquerque. The way the article reads, it sounds like PNM is just going and changing out one type of plant for another. If it were that simple, lam sure they would just go out and change out everything they have to best suit their business needs and the customer would then face whatever they decide. On the contrary, PNM cannot make a move without going through a significant amount of scrutiny, discussion, debate, and finally approval by so many different agencies that the acronyms alone could probably fill up a paragraph. One of which is the PRC. I wish people would actually take the time to do a little research in regards to the "other side of the coin" instead of just spouting off statistical information of only one side. As for (natural) gas fired plants, they are a cleaner resource and yes gas prices are going to go up because demand will force them up. People want "green" energy, so they better be willing to pay the price. Nothing is free, especially new technologies. No one wants a new coal fired plant. No one wants to allow a new nuclear facility in their neighborhoods or even miles from one. Solar is a nonstarter as a main energy resource as it is unreliable and extremely expensive. Wind is only good as long as there is storage for the power because the wind does not blow every day. So what option is left? Gas is a reliable resource and is much cleaner than coal. For those who want to complain, feel free to do so. Just make sure you have all the facts. In this case, you may want to look at yourself What kind of technology do you have? Is it all energy efficient? The way to reduce prices is to reduce demand. We the consumer can control costs if we take the initiative to do so. However, we expect the government to do it all for us by regulation and law, making government bigger and using those resources (our tax dollars) inefficiently. If we are unwilling to work for the changes we want, we have absolutely no right to complain. Kevin Kohls Albuquerque Business Outlook, Albuqueruque Journal Thursday September 25, 2008 PNM Wants 18% Hike Jump Is on Top Of June Increase Posted on: Tuesday, 23 September 2008, 15:00 CDT Copyright 2008 Albuquerque Journal Journal By Winthrop Quigley Journal Staff Writer PNM on Monday asked state regulators to approve a $123.3 million increase in electric rates, an 18 percent jump that would come on top of an increase that took effect in June. If the Public Regulation Commission approves the new increase, a typical residential customer's bill would rise an average of $12.84 a month -- or 23.5 percent -- with customers paying higher rates in the summer than in winter. A high-usage residential customer would see a $22.41-permonth increase. ... Home building drops 61% New Mexico Business Weekly Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - 1:07 PM MDT

Thursday September 11, 2008 06:33 The Six Phases of a Project 1. Enthusiasm 2. Disillusionment 3. Panic 4. Search for the Guilty 5. Punishment of the Innocent 6. Praise and Honors for the Non-Participants Wednesday September 10, 2008 19:46 -----Original Message----- From: bill payne [mailto:bpayne37@comcast.net] Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 5:33 PM To: george.nail@pnm.com Cc: Wheeler, Evelin; Randy Gunn; O'Connell, Pat; Jill M. Roelle; Frank Stern; Carla J. Sonntag; Brown, Don; Jason.Marks@state.nm.us; Leroy.Aragon@state.nm.us; David.King@state.nm.us; Stacy.Starr-Garcia@state.nm.us; BenR.Lujan@state.nm.us; Setareh.Javaheripou@state.nm.us; Carol.Sloan@state.nm.us; luis.ledezma@state.nm.us; Sandy.Jones@state.nm.us; Elizabeth.Martin@state.nm.us; mayor@cabq.gov; jhamman@cabq.gov; kmccabe@cabq.gov; mcastro@cabq.gov; mcallaway@cabq.gov; Dbowdtch@cabq.gov; rshultz@cabq.gov; bill.leonard@nara.gov; foialo@nsa.gov; Eichhorst, Julia E.; the.secretary@hq.doe.gov; alexander.morris@hq.doe.gov; jim.kovakas@usdoj.gov; tanya.kubinec@wpafb.af.mil; board_of_directors@slfcu.org Subject: desidooru saloon pnm electric irp post Cliff http://www.dailyreckoning.us/blog/?p=889#comment-180728 I am starting to think about funding of our alternate report. Those funding the alternate report, of course, have editing rights. Perhaps those funding might wish to edit-out my psychological analyses of the participants complete with pictures? Please forward a copy of this email to steve martin. Maybe we should talk about possibility of consulting work? $11,018 of our retirement savings was recently stolen using a bogus federal court order and needs to be replaced. Regards bill

Tuesday September 23, 2008 10:58 http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/altreport/altreport.htm Seeking Alpha pnm report viz.

ABSTRACT New Mexico Public Regulation Commission required Public Service Company of New Mexico [PNM] under NMAC 17.7.3 to conduct a electric power prediction for the period 2008-2007. PNM Strategy, Planning, and Analytics hired Summit Blue to facilitate the electric integrated resource planning project. Foils distributed at meetings are posted at http://www.pnm.com/regulatory/irp_electric.htm. First of about 17 verbal meetings was held on July 2, 2007. Meetings were held both in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Last meeting, so far, was held on August 29, 2008. Electric Integrated Resource Plan for the Period 2008-2007, Draft Document, August 29, 2008 V.03 was distributed at the meeting. Draft document contains about 229 pages. Competent engineering/scientific report includes as much data to establish a claim and omits unessential material. V.03 is too long. Heat is converted into electricity. New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources would be a good source to obtain projected sources of heat for conversion to electricity. Mesa del Sol 37,500 home community is planned south of the Albuquerque International Sunport the Albuquerque Journal reported Friday July 4, 2008. PNM employee Steve Martin identified causes of increased electric demand: Increased construction, size of dwellings, electronic devices, and air conditioning penetration. Martin's foil was not included in V.03. Albuquerque Journal article "PNM Plans Energy Future: Renewables Fill In For Coal, Nuclear" Article states "PNM analysts unveiled a final draft of the road map Friday in a meeting with consumer and renewable energy advocates who helped draft the plan." V.03 draft is the view of a verbal faction within electric irp participants; not the view of all participants. Renewable energy and other energy sources may not be able to provide heat required to meet future New Mexico electric demand. Therefore, this alternate report is required.

We think that the PNM DRAFT electric irp report has problems. One is its length. Ninety percent of everything is crap. Sturgeon's law Second is its failure to focus on essential problems. It's not bad writing. That's the way they think. Unknown Tuesday September 2, 2008 09:10 Draft report weighed-in at 1 7/8 pounds! We, of course, are professional scientific and engineering writers :-) We write for money. Black and white test of cryptographic algorithms was witten for the the Laissez Faire City Times for $100. We have been getting lots of email from Shattuck School and Whitman College classmate who we have not previously heard from in 49 years R. Cargill Hall, Historian Emeritus, National Reconnaissance Office, has held a variety of posts in the U.S. Air Force History Program. He served as a historian at Headquarters Strategic Air Command and as NASA historian at Caltech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Hall is the author of Lunar Impact: A History of Project Ranger and is the editor of Case Studies in Strategic Bombardment; The U.S. Air Force in Space; and Early Cold War Overflights, 1950-1956. His most recent work in the open literature, "Clandestine Victory: Eisenhower and Overhead Reconnaissance in the Cold War," appears in Dennis E. Showalter, ed., Forging the Shield: Eisenhower and National Security for the 21st Century (Chicago: Imprint Publications, 2005). Hall, too, is getting interested in electric energy evidenced by a email I got from him regarding ERCOT. Hall recently moved to Texas from the WDC area. So we might ask Carg to edit? New email adddress overflight@att.net

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