Vermont’s energy future

David Blittersdorf,CEO, Earth Turbines, Inc.

Founder, NRG Systems, Inc.

dblittersdorf@earthturbines.com

Renewable Energy Vermont

Stratton, Vermont

May 15, 2008

• Oil prices hit bottom

in 2000

• A 100+ year trend

has reversed

• A first for mankind!

Political supply disruption

Magoon: Are we running out of oil? The big rollover

Production peaks 40-50 years after discovery peaks

USA Peak

$2.

$10.

$90.

= Peak Oil

Title of Presentation

Evidence of global peak production

Source: Energy Information Administration

World Crude Production Peak: 75 M barrels/day (May, 2005)

Vermont’s Electricity Supply

50%

700 MW average 2100 MW average

What does this mean?

• Replacing Vermont Yankee (~250 MWaverage)

• Must have aggressive conservation/efficiency and renewables, fossil fuels for backup and peaking only

• Electricity to increase from 20% to 50+% of energy

• Shifting to electrified mass transit

• Changing our energy mindset, moving to distributed renewable resources, not 500-1000 MW fossil or nuclear plants

Title of Presentation

Wind in Vermont

• Vermont has 6,000 8,000 MW of wind capacity available now

o 600-800 miles of ridgeline

o 75 miles (~10%) is needed

How do we get there? A good start

750 MW of wind = 250 MWave

• Large wind only– 500 1.5 MW turbines– Fifteen 50 MW wind farms

• Community and large wind– 150 1 MW turbines

(locally owned)– 400 1.5 MW turbines– Eight 50 MW wind farms

Here are the facts

• Rates will go up if VY relicensed or

shutdown – market prices rising

• Renewables must play a large role.

• Vermonters want a clean energy future.

• Fossil fuels and nuclear aren’t clean,

are not fixed priced for 10-20 years

Vermont Deliberative Poll Findings

• 90% support the building of a wind farm visible from where

they live.

• 98% would like to increase the proportion of Vermont’s

electricity obtained from renewables.

• 69% wanted to see the electricity used by Vermonters

produced mostly or entirely inside Vermont.

Source: Vermont Department of Public Service (2008)

What’s getting in the way?

• Misperceptions

• Politics

• Old ways of thinking

• Inability to understand a finite earth

It’s possible!

It’s REQUIRED & NECESSARY for our survival