On July 19, 2018, Northampton County Council voted 7-2 (Peg Ferraro and John Cusick dissented) to lend up to $1.5 million in matching funds for a small hydropower plant in Hugh Moore Park along the Delaware and Lehigh Canal. The private company benefiting from this government largesse, New England Hydropower Company, planned to use ancient technology - a modified Archimedes screw - to produce hydropower. Four years have passed since that time, so it's fair to ask whether we've been screwed by the Archimedes screw. New England's CEO, Michael Kerr, updated Council on November 17.
Kerr explained that jurisdiction over hydropower plants is governed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). They need a license to operate, but Covid was a logjam for this canal project. "Stuff just didn't happen," said Kerr. It is only in March that things picked up.
Kerr advises that hydropower is five time more efficient than solar and three times for efficient than wind. It will run for 60 years. The company will also build a dry dock for maintenance on the canal barge. It will be enough to power 500 homes, but there are plans to provide the energy to a local college.
Kerr intends to file with FERC in December, and once approval is obtained, it will take another year to get the turbines manufactured. They should produce energy for
Hydropower only accounts for about seven per cent of America's energy usage, said Kerr. Pennsylvania has the second highest number of rivers, but only one per cent of its energy comes from hydropower.
It's a $10 million project, and New England is coming up with $7 million on its own. Of the $1.5 million from the county, there still is about $1.1 million available. Most of the money spent has gone to soft costs like engineering and design.
Private investors will be encouraged with tax credits.
Council member John Cusick noted that three different federal laws have been enacted and asked whether New England has sought funds under these laws. Kerr answered that the tax credits he mentioned are enabled by these laws.
Wind power is the answer not hydropower. There is so much wind coming out of the County Courthouse that it is a shame not to take advantage of its benefits. Think about it Bern. We can get all the elected officials, judges, legislators, etc., etc., and they gather only once a month and we find a way to harness all that hot air like we do windmills, and "WALLA"..instant hot air energy. I can't believe you didn't think of that Bern.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the hot air could probably heat Ukraine.
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DeleteBeing in an ancillary business, I know that there are endless piles of federal funny money for anything called green. The county shouldn't spend a dime. If these guys can't find funding, they're not even trying. You can't trip on a sidewalk in DC without falling into a pile of green energy cash.
ReplyDeleteHydropower. Not so good should we fall under extended drought conditions. The Southwest thought they'd always have enough water to produce hydropower, but it won't be long before those turbines in dams along the Colorado River won't be running.
ReplyDeleteSupposedly, Cusick wants to dump Screwy Zirinski's Screw.
ReplyDeleteDon't know that's currently true. It would be somewhat pointless since Council already agreed to the loan. His point when he voted No was that it is a great idea, but one that cries our for federal or state, not county, funding.
ReplyDeleteHow about harnessing "methane gas". Don't tell me there is no methane gas in the area around the courthouse. It's hard to tell if its from the Easton Sewage treatment plant or the government complex.
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