Comments on: Timeline Revealed for DOE Loan Program: Don’t Get Your Hopes Up http://earth2tech.com/2009/02/12/timeline-revealed-for-doe-loan-program-dont-get-your-hopes-up/ Helping the Earth with Technology Sun, 21 Mar 2010 13:52:09 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Chu Unveils DOE Changes, Timeline for Stimulus Energy Spending « Earth2Tech http://earth2tech.com/2009/02/12/timeline-revealed-for-doe-loan-program-dont-get-your-hopes-up/#comment-25569 Chu Unveils DOE Changes, Timeline for Stimulus Energy Spending « Earth2Tech Thu, 19 Feb 2009 23:01:47 +0000 http://earth2tech.com/?p=23034#comment-25569 <p>[...] this month, DOE Loan Guarantee Program Director David Frantz revealed at a Senate hearing that even the most progressed applications under the older program (created under the Energy Policy [...]</p> [...] this month, DOE Loan Guarantee Program Director David Frantz revealed at a Senate hearing that even the most progressed applications under the older program (created under the Energy Policy [...]

]]> By: Gene Hunt http://earth2tech.com/2009/02/12/timeline-revealed-for-doe-loan-program-dont-get-your-hopes-up/#comment-25327 Gene Hunt Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:57:41 +0000 http://earth2tech.com/?p=23034#comment-25327 <p>This article states that Beacon Power is among those DOE loan applicants that will likely have to wait until 2010 to be approved, due to the need for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This is false. Beacon Power is much farther along in the application review process than your article suggests.</p> <p>In fact, Beacon’s application for a loan guarantee to help fund a 20 MW flywheel-based frequency regulation plant to be built in Stephentown NY, is in the DOE's due diligence phase -- which is the step that follows any environmental review. Moreover, Beacon’s project does NOT require an EIS at all. Beacon has already moved beyond the necessary Environmental Assessment (EA), a draft of which is posted on the DOE site here:</p> <p>http://www.lgprogram.energy.gov/DraftDOE-EA-1631.pdf</p> <p>Beacon Power is expecting to receive a formal approval of the project's Environmental Assessment soon. That expectation is reinforced by the DOE’s own summary of Beacon’s EA status, seen on p. 22 of this document (which was issued last month):</p> <p>http://www.gc.energy.gov/NEPA/documents/January2009StatusChart.pdf</p> <p>Thank you for the necessary correction that appears above, and the inclusion of the clarifying statement from David Frantz at yesterday's Senate hearing. The information I’ve provided above should put to rest the idea that Beacon’s loan guarantee review process will be delayed for any such lengthy period.</p> <p>Gene Hunt Director of Corporate Communications Beacon Power Corporation</p> This article states that Beacon Power is among those DOE loan applicants that will likely have to wait until 2010 to be approved, due to the need for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This is false. Beacon Power is much farther along in the application review process than your article suggests.

In fact, Beacon’s application for a loan guarantee to help fund a 20 MW flywheel-based frequency regulation plant to be built in Stephentown NY, is in the DOE’s due diligence phase — which is the step that follows any environmental review. Moreover, Beacon’s project does NOT require an EIS at all. Beacon has already moved beyond the necessary Environmental Assessment (EA), a draft of which is posted on the DOE site here:

http://www.lgprogram.energy.gov/DraftDOE-EA-1631.pdf

Beacon Power is expecting to receive a formal approval of the project’s Environmental Assessment soon. That expectation is reinforced by the DOE’s own summary of Beacon’s EA status, seen on p. 22 of this document (which was issued last month):

http://www.gc.energy.gov/NEPA/documents/January2009StatusChart.pdf

Thank you for the necessary correction that appears above, and the inclusion of the clarifying statement from David Frantz at yesterday’s Senate hearing. The information I’ve provided above should put to rest the idea that Beacon’s loan guarantee review process will be delayed for any such lengthy period.

Gene Hunt
Director of Corporate Communications
Beacon Power Corporation

]]> By: Sweet Solar Home » Blog Archive » Rise & Shine: February 13, 2009 http://earth2tech.com/2009/02/12/timeline-revealed-for-doe-loan-program-dont-get-your-hopes-up/#comment-25325 Sweet Solar Home » Blog Archive » Rise & Shine: February 13, 2009 Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:36:01 +0000 http://earth2tech.com/?p=23034#comment-25325 <p>[...] Timeline Revealed for DOE Loan Program: Don’t Get Your Hopes Up In testimony before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, David Frantz said that while the program will begin disbursing loans this year, guarantees for projects that require environmental impact statements will not go through until 2010. [...]</p> [...] Timeline Revealed for DOE Loan Program: Don’t Get Your Hopes Up In testimony before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, David Frantz said that while the program will begin disbursing loans this year, guarantees for projects that require environmental impact statements will not go through until 2010. [...]

]]> By: Josie Garthwaite http://earth2tech.com/2009/02/12/timeline-revealed-for-doe-loan-program-dont-get-your-hopes-up/#comment-25324 Josie Garthwaite Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:31:54 +0000 http://earth2tech.com/?p=23034#comment-25324 <p>@ ipdrive - We've updated the post with Frantz's comment about the timeline for fast-tracked applications.</p> @ ipdrive – We’ve updated the post with Frantz’s comment about the timeline for fast-tracked applications.

]]> By: ipdrive http://earth2tech.com/2009/02/12/timeline-revealed-for-doe-loan-program-dont-get-your-hopes-up/#comment-25319 ipdrive Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:16:58 +0000 http://earth2tech.com/?p=23034#comment-25319 <p>Correction: I wrote..</p> <p>Your article incorrectly states that Beacon Power’s DOE loan will be delayed until 2010 along with other projects requiring environmental impact studies.</p> <p>Should have read</p> <p>Your article seems to imply that Beacon Power’s DOE loan will be delayed until 2010 along with other projects requiring environmental impact studies. This is not the case....</p> Correction: I wrote..

Your article incorrectly states that Beacon Power’s DOE loan will be delayed until 2010 along with other projects requiring environmental impact studies.

Should have read

Your article seems to imply that Beacon Power’s DOE loan will be delayed until 2010 along with other projects requiring environmental impact studies. This is not the case….

]]> By: ipdrive http://earth2tech.com/2009/02/12/timeline-revealed-for-doe-loan-program-dont-get-your-hopes-up/#comment-25315 ipdrive Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:10:10 +0000 http://earth2tech.com/?p=23034#comment-25315 <p>Your article incorrectly states that Beacon Power's DOE loan will be delayed until 2010 along with other projects requiring environmental impact studies.</p> <p>The Beacon Power project was specifically mentioned as NOT being one of those projects that was to be delayed.</p> <p>It was indirectly indicated that the Beacon Power project was the fastrack to approval.</p> <p>Please listen to the hearging via this link below. I have provided a transcript along with video time stamps that deal with Beacon Power being on the fast track.</p> <p>http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.LiveStream&Hearing_id=3e5bbb28-ae11-75e6-3270-3112e03faaca</p> <p>Senator Jeanne Shaheen of NH questioned Mr. Franz about the small companies that have been waiting a long time for the DOE loans to come though.</p> <p>Senator Shaheen's words to Mr. Franz at time stamp 76:40.</p> <p>"A New Hampshire company called Semikron. It subcontacts with Beacon Power in MA, and it is one of the 16 projects deemed qualified.</p> <p>Could you talk a little more about..."</p> <p>Mr. Franz words to Senator Shaheen at time stamp 79:10</p> <p>"Among the now group of 11 projects, and you mentioned one of the senator,</p> <p>if in fact, if a project is a manufacturing project, it does not require an EIS it only requires an environmental assesment, those projects we can move along much more quickly.....the project you mentioned happens to be in that group of projects I mentioned, that handful of projects, that we now have on the very first fastrack.</p> <p>And those projects can in fact go through the process in just a few months...."</p> <p>Time stamp; 80:08</p> <p>Senator Shaheen's response..</p> <p>"Oh good, so I can tell Semikron that that they should expect to hear shortly"</p> <p>Mr. Franz.</p> <p>"We're working with them! Actually"</p> <p>So, how in the world were you able to interpret the above as Beacon Power being delayed until 2010?</p> Your article incorrectly states that Beacon Power’s DOE loan will be delayed until 2010 along with other projects requiring environmental impact studies.

The Beacon Power project was specifically mentioned as NOT being one of those projects that was to be delayed.

It was indirectly indicated that the Beacon Power project was the fastrack to approval.

Please listen to the hearging via this link below.
I have provided a transcript along with video time stamps that deal with Beacon Power being on the fast track.

http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.LiveStream&Hearing_id=3e5bbb28-ae11-75e6-3270-3112e03faaca

Senator Jeanne Shaheen of NH questioned Mr. Franz about the small companies that have been waiting a long time for the DOE loans to come though.

Senator Shaheen’s words to Mr. Franz at time stamp 76:40.

“A New Hampshire company called Semikron.
It subcontacts with Beacon Power in MA, and it is one of the 16 projects deemed qualified.

Could you talk a little more about…”

Mr. Franz words to Senator Shaheen at time stamp 79:10

“Among the now group of 11 projects, and you mentioned one of the senator,

if in fact, if a project is a manufacturing project, it does not require an EIS it only requires an environmental assesment, those projects we can move along much more quickly…..the project you mentioned happens to be in that group of projects I mentioned, that handful of projects, that we now have on the very first fastrack.

And those projects can in fact go through the process in just a few months….”

Time stamp; 80:08

Senator Shaheen’s response..

“Oh good, so I can tell Semikron that that they should expect to hear shortly”

Mr. Franz.

“We’re working with them! Actually”

So, how in the world were you able to interpret the above as Beacon Power being delayed until 2010?

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