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Earth Day every day: Use less power

BY KEVIN S. LAW | Kevin S. Law is president and CEO of the Long Island Power Authority.

April 22, 2008

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Long Island Sound is breathing a little easier this Earth Day, in the wake of Gov. David Paterson's recent announcement that the proposed Broadwater Energy liquefied natural gas facility was inconsistent with the State Coastal Management Program.

In light of this decision, Long Islanders must continue to set the course for our energy future without adversely affecting the environment or remaining deeply invested in fossil fuels as the only means of producing the electricity we need to meet the ever-growing demand.

From 1997 to 2006, electric use per household on Long Island increased by almost 20 percent. The prosperity in our region has resulted in more appliances being used in more and larger homes, requiring ever-greater amounts of energy.

Our quality of life, to a large extent, has become dependent on electricity-powered conveniences: personal and laptop computers, digital picture frames, large-screen plasma TVs, and air conditioners, and cell phones, iPods and BlackBerries that require daily charging. Increased energy demand also has been driven by the proliferation of swimming pools and hot tubs on Long Island: Today, nearly one in four homes has an in-ground or above-ground pool, and more than one in 10 has a hot tub or home spa.

A number of key elements will create the road map to our energy future. Foremost, we need to update our energy master plan. Two public hearings are being held, one in Nassau County next Tuesday and the other in Suffolk on May 7, to begin the planning process for Long Island.

Increasing the percentage of cleaner renewable forms of energy in our mix is also critical. So is repowering our aging and less-efficient generation facilities. Finally, all of us need to take personal responsibility in the area of conservation and make educated choices when it comes to the things we buy.

The Long Island Power Authority has plans to tackle all three of these areas. To expand LIPA's renewable energy portfolio, the authority is issuing a request for proposals to secure 50 megawatts of solar power. This will be the largest solar energy project in New York State, and it will generate enough energy to power more than 6,500 households, resulting in 20,000 fewer tons of carbon emissions annually.

With the cost of oil surpassing $117 a barrel - it cost $14 when LIPA replaced LILCO in 1998 - renewable projects once considered too costly to entertain might now seem more attractive. LIPA remains committed to an affordable offshore wind project, and I am also working on plans to import more hydro power from Canada to Long Island.

As Paterson announced last week, LIPA is also gearing up to launch one of the most ambitious energy-efficiency programs for any public utility in the country. It will emphasize peak-demand reduction and complement the state's objective to reduce energy demand 15 percent by the year 2015. The program will help customers lower bills, conserve energy and enable LIPA to avoid having to build the next power plant.

Refurbishing the older generating facilities that burn oil or natural gas is another LIPA priority. In partnership with National Grid, LIPA is studying six plants, including the Northport and Port Jefferson power stations and the E.F. Barrett facility in Island Park, to see if they can be retooled to run more efficiently - thus burning less fuel and reducing atmospheric emissions.

Just as Broadwater was no silver bullet for our future energy needs (more than 85 percent of that gas would have been headed for New York City), the solution for Long Island will not be found in just one project. It will require a multipronged approach including planning, conservation, efficiency, repowering and renewables.

Nearly 40 years ago, the founders of Earth Day knew the time was ripe for the environment to take a more prominent place on the national agenda. And now is the time for energy and its inextricable link to the environment to become part of our daily vernacular.

Working together for a green energy future will allow us to transform Long Island's economy, reduce our reliance on Mideast oil and protect our environment. As our appetite for electricity continues to soar, stringent environmental regulations continue to proliferate and fossil fuels continue to increase in price, we all need to share the responsibility of ensuring a bright, clean energy future.