Martin Nix

PO Box 95173

Seattle, WA 98145-2173

RAPID CONVERSION OF SEATTLE TO SOLAR ENERGY.

Let's ask the taboo question. What will it take to convert Seattle to be solar and wind energy ....quickly?

Presently, the policy with Seattle City Light (a not for profit electric utility) is to make all "future additions of electrical power" be from solar and wind and other renewables. My proposal is even more forceful....matching Seattle City Light Kilowatt per Kilowatt with solar and wind generated energy.....and do so within a few short years. Not only that....but match Puget Sound Energy's natural gas utility BTU per BTU with solar and wind energy. In effect, we are forming a brand new utility, separate from the gas, water, or even electric utility. By my calculations this is no more expensive than any other major public project like building the Seattle Area Football and Baseball Stadiums, or for that matter building a large scale coal burning power plant. It is affordable and doable.

Go out and take a look at all those roofs, driveways, sidewalks and parking lots. Right there is the solar and wind energy resource. This is a fact: the amount of sunlight and wind energy falling on top of parking lots will power ALL of Seattle. The trick is to come up with a cost effective plan that works. Forming a "Sun and Wind Utility" just might be the method. It would be a cooperative venture between the utility and private local businesses.

We just got an economic lesson up here in the Northwest: When price of energy goes up, guess what, unemployment goes up with it. We are a very energy dependent society, and the "Perfect Storm" (of increased price of gasoline, increased price of electricity, and increased price of natural gas) all have conspired to "crash the party". The stock market for nearly three years now has been a Big-Bear, directly due to the high price of energy.

Presently, Seattle City Light is awash in a close to 1.7 billion dollar debt, in part caused by the new energy crisis. What happened was this: Seattle City Light use to own 8% in Centralia Steam Plant in Centralia Washington.  This power plant was our drought protection. Seattle City Light is mostly an All-Hydroelectric Power Company, with most electrical power generated from rainfall. What happens when it doesn't rain? What happened was the utility sold the power plant about a year before a drought hit. Consequently with little generation capability available during droughts, the utility was forced to purchase electrical power on the "open market" at rip off prices. This event ended up being the biggest transfer of wealth from one part of the country to another in the history of the USA! I promptly dubbed it the "Great Texas Rip-off". To put things in perspective, 1.7 billion is the equivalent to a little less than twice as much spent on the Seattle Football and Baseball stadiums, or the amount spent on the Lake Washington Interstate Bridge, or the amount proposed for the monorail....or the amount of money it would require to install solar and wind equipment on top of parking lots, roofs, driveways and sidewalks. Recently, Seattle City Light had an outside auditor report on the utility....and well they were not very complimentary. Consequently, the City Council, specifically Heidi Wills, is conducting a review of the utility.

Back in 1995 I did approach both the city council and Seattle City Light management about Centralia Steam Plant. I have a complaint. The director of Seattle City Light, Gary Zarker, and supervising city councilor, Margaret Pageler, refused to return or answer any of my calls or letters.....yet staff were very aware of my efforts and concerns.  The auditor report of Seattle City Light was very blunt about a "culture" of arrogance.  It is the appearance of collusion with Southwest Utilities (who profited from this) that has people concerned. It is time for a change.

I have a modest proposal. Form a new utility separate from the water utility, gas utility, electric utility and even telephone and garbage utility. It would be similar in function to utilities except its purpose is to help businesses and individual to own and operate solar and wind energy equipment. Its purpose is not so much to make electrical power for resell to Seattle City Light, but to prevent the need to purchase electrical power in the first place. For example, if you have a solar greenhouse (or a windmill powering an electric heater), it heats a room. Thus, the added heat to the room will mean the electric or gas furnace does not have to work so hard. Thus, you don't have to purchase as much electrical power or gas. Try this as an exercise. Go through your house and identify each appliance that uses energy. Then identify a solar or wind device that matches it. I can tell you right now the biggest energy drain you have in your home is the furnace, hot water heater, and then come large appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, etc. Heat is something that wind and solar energy can make easily. Most battery powered devices (like fire alarms, clocks, radios, etc) are all DC powered, which can be retrofitted with Photovoltaic Cells with rechargeable batteries. Many TV sets are already dual DC/AC powered. Formation of a separate DC powered utility in your home reduces the need to use AC utility power. A solar skylight (which is different from a regular skylight) can heat a room, thus the gas furnace doesn't consume as much natural gas. Windmills placed on parking lots, for example, could convert existing parking lot lighting to be wind powered. Streetlights and traffic lights all could be solar and wind powered. In short, what we are doing is matching KW per KW, BTU per BTU, energy from the gas and electric utility.

With all that electrical power and natural gas being conserved at home, this means that electricity and gas can be used elsewhere. I predict with the price of gasoline going up, there will be increased interest in electric and natural gas powered vehicles. Presently, transit agencies are showing a very strong interest in natural gas powered buses, and believe it or not, Seattle does have a lot of natural gas powered vehicles. In effect, we now burn natural gas in our vehicles, not our furnace or hot water heater. Now we use electricity for the monorail and light rail, instead of space heat. That is how we divert solar energy to transportation, by displacing electrical power and natural gas from residential and commercial uses.

Still though, not all buildings can be converted to be solar and wind. Many large stores and apartment buildings are outright energy drains, with very little solar energy available. It is like a black hole in energy.  Natural Gas Cogeneration is a unique technology, where you generate electrical power while also making heat. Micro Turbines and Micro Diesel sets use the heat of exhaust to heat water, make hot air, or even steam or refrigeration. A Laundromat for example burns natural gas in the washer and dryer. Now the gas is burned in the cogeneration unit, making electrical power while making hot water for the washers and hot air for the dryers. When we conserve natural gas in our homes, it keeps the line pressure up in the gas pipeline....so the natural gas cogeneration units can be supplied gas. To illustrate the potential of natural gas cogeneration, if every business in Seattle had a cogeneration unit it would match Seattle City Light KW per KW.

Hopefully, people can see the interplay between utilities. This new "Solar and Wind Utility" would drought protect Seattle. The sun shines in the summer, during droughts, exactly when hydro dams do not have rain. Solar energy tends to be very available in the summer, while wind energy tends to be very available in the winter. Making our homes and businesses more energy independent (and self energy producing) helps when there is a blackout, a storm, natural gas line break, a drought, or when Texans want to rip us off!

Every solar systems engineer I know believes we have solved the "fish vs. dam" controversy. Integration of solar and wind energy into hydro dam operations allows the dams to operate more fish friendly. The dams can have lower lake levels, keep lake levels constant, and in effect simulate the natural flow of the rivers. Solar farms floating on top of lakes behind the hydro dam will help keep the water cooler for the fish, and most importantly put power into the transmission lines when the dam isn't. This means more water for the fish ladders, especially in the summer. One of the problems faced by hydro dams is "gas levels" of air in the water. If this is not balanced, it causes the fish to go through a form of "the bends". Solar and wind energy can be used to balance the level of gases in the water. Integration of solar and wind energy with Seattle City Light really does solve a big problem of electrical supply, especially when the weather gets "too hot" or "too cold". It also helps to keep "gas pressure" up in the gas line, when the weather gets too cold.

What I am proposing is in November, 2003, that a referendum or initiative be placed on the city ballot calling for establishment of a new "Solar and Wind Utility".  This would be separate from a November 2004, statewide referendum or initiative for installation of solar equipment on public buildings. What will it look like?

This new Solar and Wind Utility would have three distinct functions.

1) Marketing, manufacturing, and selling of Direct Current electrical power (as opposed to Alternating Current) from solar and wind energy

2) Installing, financing and selling solar/wind hot water heating systems.

3) And promotion of solar hot air systems, like solar passive, solar greenhouses, solar skylights, preheated solar-heated combustion air, wind powered hot water heaters, and wind produced space heat.

The key to this is simple: manufacturing. The good news is the technology for wind and solar energy is there. The bad news is the capital to get these devices into mass production isn't. As part of this new utility there would be funds set aside for small and local businesses involved in retailing, installation, and manufacturing...otherwise all we are doing is exporting jobs out-of-state. There are numerous local inventors with valid patents, and they are not getting the capital investment to get their products to market. This new utility could, for example, sponsor workshops, where Seattle residents can attend and make a solar hot water heating system, or make a solar cooker, or design their own solar greenhouse. Financing would be available. Presently the industry right now is mostly a service related industry, where you have to hire an architect or contractor. It is common knowledge that it is cheaper to build in the factory than it is "in the field". What we need are more devices that people can "install themselves" without hiring that engineer. What we need are more factories to make devices that are boxable, portable, quality, and easy to use and understand. Then the purchaser can buy the box, take it home, and install himself. The state of Washington could be a "Mecca for Solar Manufacturing". ... if the investor types would wake up. In fact, I predict, this industry could be this state's major employer.

What is the hang-up? Bluntly, it is the aloof attitudes that our local "billionaires club" have about renewable energy. Simply put, the Bill-Gate's-Types do not want to open up capital to finance factories to mass produce solar inventions. Literally, there are thousand of patents. I am speaking from personal experience. I did approach "the-powers-to-be" about these attitudes. There is just a persistent refusal on part of these CEO's and rich "solar cooked turkeys" about solar and wind energy investments. Microsoft does not want to admit that 10% of this nation's electrical power goes to computers (no electricity, no internet!). I know the bartender at Safeco Field Rainier Room....they thought photos of my "solar cooked turkeys" were hilarious. These guys have formed a real shield around themselves. When you mention the idea of conversion of Seattle (quickly) they become outright livid. It is a fact. A good definition of being rich is "you have lots of energy to waste". A good definition of being poor is "you don't have energy at all".  To someone who can't finance utility bills, they are all ears when it comes to solar and wind energy....just that they can't afford it. To the rich, utilities are a minor concern. They could afford to install solar and wind energy on their mega homes....if they wanted.

There is just no incentive for the Keith-McCaw-Types... (with their mega homes and energy wasteful lifestyle). Energy is cheap....for the rich. To someone in a refugee camp, solar cooking is their only energy source. Yet to the rich, there are all kinds of ways to cook food. Somehow we just can't be able to invent the "solar powered refugee camp". That is the wonderful news about solar and wind energy...it allows people-who-have-nothing to make their own energy. But there is the rub.

Take a look around the world. Right now, as we speak, there are military operations in the Middle East, in a large part over oil. Right now, both Russia and China are building pipelines (and roads and rails) to connect up to Iraq. Vietnam has huge oil reserves. Chechnya, the breakaway providence from Russia, is soaking with oil. It is like you can predict where the next war is by looking at the oil geology map. Don't kid it; there are a lot of people who get rich off these military arms sales to oil sheikdoms! What Bill Gates and Company do not "want to see" is that their energy wasteful lifestyle just started up a multibillion dollar oil war....costing ten times as much as Microsoft’s charities. It is like we help one person out, and hurt another ten. This country is dangerously dependent on foreign petroleum. The oil embargo is coming back with vengeance. Worldwide we spend nearly 750 billion a year (plus) on militaries....if we took that same amount and spent it instead on helping the poor make their own energy....maybe we wouldn't be fighting? 

Bin Laden just arrived. Few know this. He is a Civil Engineer.  Oh yes, with solar powered caves in Afghanistan! Ouch!

People in the "throw away class" don't like being there. And they are very upset. These starving children are joining evil groups like this....and it is all over lack of energy .Us solar people have a different vision of energy. I call it the 11th Bill of Right. The Right to Make Your Own Energy.

What we need is a "shoot out in the OK coral". We need to confront these big wig types with their "don't give a damn attitudes". There are people who are hostile to solar energy development, and repeat, will do anything to stop it. We need to smoke these guys out. Get these money peoples' attention!  A few weeks before 911 day, a respected investment councilor sent a letter to the 200 plus major investment houses in New York City asking the taboo question, "why they weren't putting investment" into solar technologies. His answer was total stone silence. Bluntly, we're being deprived of private investment capital. This means we need to explore public investment capital. We need to get their attention.

What I am proposing is a new "Solar and Wind Utility". It can be financed via existing utility rates. Right now Seattle City Light has a three tier system. The more you use, the more you pay. The justification for this is two fold. First, it forces conservation on part of those who waste the most. Second, it distributes fairly "low cost" hydropower. (Even the rich get a small portion). Not all electrical power cost the same to make and distribute. What this graduated rate system does is allocates the cost of "higher price" electrical power to those who use the most. Some of these mega homes consume as much electrical power as a small hydro dam. Right now the super rich have no incentive to get serious about energy. So......

What I am proposing is we replace the present "three tier rate structure" with a "multiple tier rate structure". The first 1% of users (who use the least) pay only a few cents per KW. The last 1%, who use the most, well get to pay a few dollars! Ho! Ho! Ho! I call it "get their attention rates".  Not only do that with the electric utility, but also with natural gas and water usage. The gas utility is privately owned, but does pay a "franchise tax" to Seattle.  This can be done.

Somehow, Seattle's elite seem to be able to come up with funds for "rich people wants"...like taxpayer subsidized garages for luxury downtown stores, or better entertainment like stadiums, or better operas....but when it comes to funding for things us "little people" need, somehow the investment capital does not seem to be there. Right now, solar hot water heaters and wind powered space heaters would do this state's economy more good than luxury items.  We need to get Seattle's elite attention. ....and smoke the anti-solar energy turkeys.

Wow, oh Wow. The big question is what would this utility look like? What we do not need is a "pork barrel" for those who see solar energy as a get rich scheme. Let me propose such a management structure. A board of three members would be appointed by the mayor, with eventually all three positions elected. One seat would be for solar hot water, another seat for DC powered photovoltaics and wind generation, and another for solar passive and hot air systems. I also propose an independent and elected "auditor and inspector" whose only role is "auditing and inspecting". His function would be totally advisory.

We could outline in the charter limitations of office (such as term limits, and maximum wage limits). I personally feel that only 25% of the utility should be allocated to salaries, facilities, and manufacturer/retailer assistance. The vast majority of the funds would be for capital and materials. I envision a budget of about 100 million a year, over the next ten years. We could have a "sunset law" where voters can vote again in ten years to change the utility. The intent is spread the funds over a range of technologies instead of just promoting one type of solar or wind system. Of course, the emphasis will be on getting the "most bang for the buck". To add insult to injury....first priority for solar and wind funding will be for people who can't afford to pay utility bills.  There could be a special program for renters.

Let's get this straight. Pay Attention Bill, Paul, Philip, Bob, John, Jim, and yes Dick and George. ........

 WE ARE TAKING SOLAR TO THE STREETS!