State Laws Based on Obsolete Technologies Restrict Cogeneration

Authors

  • Thomas R. Casten President and CEO Trigen Energy Corporation
  • Mark Hall Director of Government Affairs Trigen Energy Corporation

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13052/dgaej2156-3306.1424

Abstract

Power entrepreneurs are often prevented from installing energy
efficient technology because of state laws that are based on obsolete
technology or other unrelated factors . These rules may have been passed
originally to ensure public safety or may have been proposed by labor
unions to preserve existing jobs. Many of these rules have been made
obsolete by new technologies and need to be repealed or severely modi-
fied. Here are some examples drawn from a much longer list.

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Author Biographies

Thomas R. Casten, President and CEO Trigen Energy Corporation

Thomas R. Casten has served as president and CEO of Trigen
Energy Corporation, White Plains, NY, since 1986. Trigen is a NYSE-
listed firm whose mission is to produce electricity, heat and power with
one-half the fossil fuel and one-half the pollution of conventional gen-
eration.
Trigen, the leading thermal sciences company in North America,
develops, owns and operates commercial energy systems. Trigen uses
its expertise in thermal engineering and proprietary cogeneration pro-
cesses to convert fuel to various forms of thermal energy and electricity
at more efficient conversion rates than conventional processes. Trigen
combines heat and power generation, producing electricity as a by-
product, for use in its facilities and for sale to customers. The company
serves more than 1,500 customers with energy produced at 34 plants in
24 locations, including industrial plants, electric utilities, commercial
and office buildings, government buildings, colleges and universities,
hospitals, residential complexes and hotels. Cities served include Balti-
more , Philadelphia, St. Louis, and London, Ontario.
From 1964 to 1986, Mr. Casten was an officer in the Ll.S. Marine
Corps ., Force Engineers, and spent one year in Vietnam. Eleven years at
Cummins Engine Company included efforts to develop more efficient
power. Tom has served on the board of directors and as president of the International District Energy Association. He has authored numerous
reports and articles on cogeneration and district heating, and has been
called upon to give testimony before public service commissions, state
assembly committees, Ll.S, Congressional committees, as well as state
and federal agencies. He has recently published his first book, Turning
Off the Heat : Wily America Must Double Energy Efficiency to Save Money and
Reduce Global Warmillg.

Mark Hall, Director of Government Affairs Trigen Energy Corporation

Mark Hall is director of government affairs at Trigen Energy Cor-
poration. He has more than 7 years of experience in the areas of
regulatory and legislative advocacy, environmental, health and safety
program development and implementation and regulatory planning
and permitting . His experience includes work with the White House ,
U.s . Department of Energy, U.s . Environmental Protection Agency,
Congress, state legislatures and regulatory agencies to address global,
national and regional energy and environmental issues.
As director of government affairs, Mark Hall 's responsibilities in-
clude the strategic development and implementation of advocacy
positions for Trigen, routine interface with federal and state legislators
and regulators. He represents Trigen in a number of key coalitions and
ad vocac y organizations that focus on national energy and environmen-
tal policy.
Mr. Hall is Trigen's lead on electric market restructuring, climate
change, ozone and NOx control policy and numerous other related is-
sues. He work s closely with Trigen's management, stockholders and
customers. Mr. Hall was pre viously Trigen's manager of environmental
health and safety programs. Prior to joining Trigen he worked as an
environmental consultant to the energy industry.

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Published

1999-03-13

How to Cite

Casten, T. R. ., & Hall, M. . (1999). State Laws Based on Obsolete Technologies Restrict Cogeneration. Distributed Generation &Amp; Alternative Energy Journal, 14(2), 23–28. https://doi.org/10.13052/dgaej2156-3306.1424

Issue

1999: Vol 14 Iss 2

Section

Articles