Natural Gas Week, June 25, 2007, page 8

 

Energy-wise, Texas' latest legislative session seemed to
upset more than elate or even placate, no matter what
side of the fence you're on. But one faction is quite pleased
to have gained what seems the first step toward recognition
and perhaps even the Holy Grail -- tax incentives.

 

When Gov. Rick Perry signed HB 3693 into law Jun.
15, members of the newly formed Texas Combined Heat
& Power Initiative (TXCHPI) gained hope that their efforts
to increase energy efficiency, economics and security
will bear fruit.

 

The bill, sponsored state Rep. Joe Straus and Sen.
Troy Fraser, both Republicans, promotes and, in some
cases, mandates energy efficiency in the state. It calls
for a host of measures relating to energy demand, energy
load, energy efficiency incentives, energy programs
and energy performance measures.

 

While the Texas Legislature failed to pass the electric
deregulation fifth year revision bill, several other pieces of
legislation were also signed into law. These include advanced
clean energy technology, which allows electric generation
from renewables, and support for the clean-coal
FutureGen project in Texas. Non-wind renewable electric
generation was boosted by revision of the Renewable Portfolio
Standards Bill and biomass feedstock incentives.

 

TXCHPI Executive Director Rich Herweck said his
group is pleased that the new law includes specific language
directing the Public Utility Commission - Texas
to study the benefits of combined heat and power (CHP)
technology to meet energy efficiency goals, and to report
to the next legislative session.

 

CHP recycles byproduct energy that is normally
wasted from electric generation for other beneficial uses
such as cooling and heating energy for buildings or
process heat. It already provides huge efficiency advantages
at some of the largest industrial facilities in the
nation, Herweck said, including Texas petrochemical
plants, refineries, and manufacturers.

 

"Small to medium Texas businesses, together with hospitals,
schools and government facilities, will benefit from
CHP through reduced energy costs, improved reliability,
increased competitiveness and reduced air emissions," he
said, adding, "CHP's reliability is not affected by natural
or man-made disasters that damage the electric grid."

 

TXCHPI, an industry-led, nonprofit, organization,
plans regional conferences to broadcast the advantages of
CHP (NGW, Dec.11,p.9). Herweck said the group is building
alliances with others interested in clean energy, the
environment and fortification of vital public services. For
more information, see the Website at www.texaschpi.org.

 

Bobette Riner, Houston