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US 5208699 A Abstract An optical beam amplification and delivery system and method employs a central station with a laser oscillator, a laser amplifier and a phase conjugate mirror (PCM). Low power, near diffraction limited laser beams are delivered to each of a plurality of local stations through single-mode polarization preserving fibers. From the local stations the low power beams are transmitted back to the central station through high power multi-mode optical fibers. At the central station the received beams are amplified, phase conjugated and transmitted back through the amplifier and multi-mode fibers to their respective local stations. Distortions imposed upon the beams by the multi-mode fibers during transmission back to the central station, and by the amplifier, are compensated during the return path, providing high power yet near diffraction limited beam quality at the local stations. Attenuation through stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) is inhibited by selecting an appropriate aggregate diameter for the multi-mode fibers.
Claims(20) 1. An optical beam amplification and delivery system, comprising:
a central station having a phase conjugate mirror (PCM) and an optical amplifier coupled together for amplification and phase conjugation of an input optical signal, a local station, means for generating a source optical signal, a first optical fiber for providing said source optical signal to said local station, optical fiber means for operatively connecting said central and local stations, and coupling means at said local station for coupling said source optical signal from said first optical fiber into said optical fiber means for amplification and phase conjugation at said central station and return along said optical fiber means to said local station, and for decoupling the returned optical signal from said optical fiber means for use at the local station, said PCM rendering said returned optical signal more nearly diffraction limited than an originally diffraction limited optical signal of the same power that is transmitted in a single pass through said optical fiber means, said optical fiber means having a cross-sectional area sufficient to substantially inhibit stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) by said return optical signal. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for generating a source optical signal comprises a diffraction limited optical signal source at said central station.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein said first optical fiber is single-mode with respect to said diffraction limited optical signal.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for generating a source optical signal comprises a laser oscillator at said local station.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein said optical fiber means is multi-mode with respect to said source optical signal.
6. The system of claim 1, said optical fiber means comprising at least one optical fiber dividing said optical signals, the cross-sectional area of each of said at least one optical fiber being sufficient to substantially inhibit SBS by its respective portion of said return signal.
7. The system of claim 1, said PCM comprising a self-pumped SBS PCM.
8. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional local station similar to said first local station, each local station having associated therewith a separate single-mode fiber for providing said source optical signal to said local station, and optical fiber means for operatively connecting said central station and said respective local station.
9. The system of claim 1, said coupling means including a polarizing beam splitter for polarizing said source optical signal, directing said polarized signal into said optical fiber means and decoupling a return signal with a predetermined polarization for use at the local station, and further comprising a non-reciprocal polarization rotation means in the optical path between said polarizing beam splitter and said PCM and optical amplifier for rotating the polarization of an optical signal received from and returned to said polarizing beam splitter to said predetermined polarization.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for generating a source optical signal comprises a diffraction limited optical signal source at said central station, and said first optical fiber comprises a polarization preserving optical fiber that is single mode with respect to said diffraction limited optical signal for transmitting said signal to said local station.
11. A method of providing an amplified relatively diffraction limited optical signal for use at a first local station, comprising:
generating a relatively diffraction limited optical signal, transmitting said relatively diffraction limited optical signal to said local station through a first optical fiber, transmitting said relatively diffraction limited optical signal from said local station to a central station through an optical fiber means, aberrating said relatively diffraction limited optical signal during said transmission through said optical fiber means, phase conjugating and amplifying said transmitted signal at said central station, returning said phase conjugated and amplified signal to said local station through said optical fiber means so that said aberrations are substantially compensated during said return, and selecting said optical fiber means to substantially inhibit stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) during said return to the local station. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein said relatively diffraction limited signal is generated at said central station and transmitted to said local station.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein said first optical fiber is selected to be single-mode with respect to said relatively diffraction limited signal.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein said optical fiber means is selected to be multi-mode with respect to said relatively diffraction limited signal.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein said relatively diffraction limited signal is transmitted to at least one additional local station that is similar to said first local station, and said local stations are provided with optical amplification by said central station in a fashion similar to said first local station.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein said relatively diffraction limited signal is generated at said local station.
17. The system of claim 1, wherein said first optical fiber is single-mode with respect to said diffraction limited optical signal.
18. The system of claim 8, further comprising:
lens arrays for collimating the outputs of the optical fiber means associated with each local station, and a rotatable mirror for reflecting said collimated outputs to said central station for amplification, said mirror being rotatable so that respective optical fiber means are optically coupled with the amplifier on a time shared basis. 19. The system of claim 18, wherein a portion of said rotatable mirror couples the output from the means for generating a source optical signal into the respective single-mode fiber of each local station.
20. The system of claim 8, further comprising non-reciprocal beam splitter and mirrors for combining the outputs from the optical fiber means of each local station into a single beam for amplification, and for dividing the returned amplified and phase conjugated beam into separate beams that are directed into the respective optical fiber means of each local station.
Description 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to laser beam amplification and delivery apparatus and methods, and more particularly to the delivery of a high power near diffraction limited optical beam from a central station to one or more remote local stations. 2. Description of the Related Art There are numerous potential applications for the transmission of high power laser signals from a central station to a number of separate local work stations. For example, a single laser unit could be used to support multiple factory work stations that perform welding and cutting operations. Such an arrangement would enhance overall productivity, since each work station is typically active only about 10%-20% of the time. Also, if multiple systems are multiplexed together, one laser unit can cover for a different laser unit that might be inoperative for maintenance. Another application could be the performance of laser surgery in different operating rooms of a hospital, supplied from a single laser source. One or more optical transmitting apertures integrated into the wing of an aircraft could also be supplied from a single central high power laser source. To operate most successfully, the beam delivered to each local station should be near diffraction limited, i.e., with maximum collimation and a planar wavefront. Diffraction limited beams can be focused to a small spot or used over a greater working distance than poorer quality beams. For example, they make possible higher welding and cutting rates and a greater degree of application flexibility in the case of factory work stations. To preserve a diffraction limited beam's quality, a laser beam would normally be transmitted over a single mode optical fiber. However, high power lasers generally require large, multi-mode fibers with core diameters typically on the order of 1 mm. Unfortunately, transmission through a multi-mode fiber progressively distorts the beam and degrades its diffraction limited quality. This has not been a problem with prior fiber optic beam delivery systems, since the high power lasers they employed produced beams that had very poor quality to begin with (typically 100-200 times diffraction limited). Accordingly, any additional deterioration in beam quality resulting from the use of multi-mode fibers was not significant. High power lasers capable of producing beams of much higher quality are presently being developed, however, and with these lasers the loss of beam quality resulting from transmission through multi-mode fibers would be a serious drawback. The transmission of a high power laser beam can also be limited by attenuation from processes such as stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS). The presence of SBS has generally not been a problem with previous fiber beam delivery systems, since the high power lasers employed typically operated with broad spectral widths and short coherence lengths (typically on the order of 1 cm). However, for beams produced by some advanced lasers that exhibit narrower bandwidths and longer coherence lengths, SBS can become a limiting factor in the system's power handling capacity. With remote work stations located at distances of 100 m or more from the central laser source, both degradation of beam quality and beam attenuation through SBS can be expected to be encountered. Together with the supply of multiple local stations from a central laser source, the present invention is concerned with optical phase conjugation. The use of optical phase conjugation to compensate for distortions introduced while transmitting an image through a long multi-mode optical fiber has been known for some time. For example, see Yariv, "Three-Dimensional Pictorial Transmission in Optical Fibers", Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 28, No. 2, Jan. 15, 1976, pages 88-89, and Dunning, et al., "Demonstration of Image Transmission Through Fiber Optical Phase Conjugation", Optics Letters, Vol. 7, No. 11, November, 1982, pages 558-560. However, the systems described in these references employ phase conjugation apparatus that is remote from the laser source. This approach is incompatible with the desired grouping of the laser source and phase conjugation apparatus at a central station to avoid redundancies among multiple local stations. In Luther-Davies et al., "Single-Mode Resonator Incorporating an Internal Multimode Optical Fiber and a Phase-Conjugate Reflector", Journal of the Optical Society of America B, Vol. 7, No. 7, July 1990, pages 1216-1220, an optical fiber incorporated within a phase conjugate resonator is compensated to obtain a diffraction limited output from the fiber. However, this approach suffers from several disadvantages. First, the response time of the Luther-Davies et al. phase-conjugate mirror (PCM), which was based on the photorefractive effect, is relatively slow, and this limits the rate at which the fiber can be moved or flexed. For example, with the device described by Luther-Davies et al. rapid movements of the fiber cause the beam to be extinguished and to re-form after a few seconds. They report that when the fiber was flexed through 90 degrees, continuous operation of their device would only be achieved if the flexing occurred over approximately a five-second period. This represents a severe limitation in most anticipated applications such as robot welding arms, in which a time response on the order of milliseconds is required. Second, operation of their photorefractive PCM requires an auxiliary laser source in addition to the disclosed laser resonator. This requirement adds to the overall cost and complexity of the system. In principle the auxiliary laser could be eliminated by employing any of several self-pumped PCMs that have been reported. However, self-pumped PCMs are limited to reflectivities less than unity, and this low reflectivity can seriously reduce the efficiency of a resonator incorporating such a PCM. Third, for photorefractive PCMs to function it is essential that they absorb some fraction of the incident radiation to generate the charge carriers that lead to the desired photorefractive effect. This absorption is typically �0.1 percent; although this is a rather low value, it may lead to thermally induced performance degradations in high-power applications. Finally, photorefractive PCMs are not available at all wavelengths of technological interest such as the YAG laser wavelength of approximately one micron, which implies that the concept described by Luther-Davies et al. is only of limited applicability. Phase conjugation has been used to obtain an amplified output beam from an amplification medium that is optically distorted. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,268 to Abrams et al. and assigned to Hughes Aircraft Company, the assignee of the present invention, a low power source beam is transmitted through a plurality of laser gain elements, and then phase conjugated and transmitted back in the opposite direction through the same gain elements. Distortions imposed upon the beam during the initial pass through the gain elements are thus compensated during the reverse pass. While the system produces a high quality optical output, it does not deliver the output to a local station remote from the laser source, phase conjugation and amplification apparatus. A self-aligning phase conjugate laser system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,639 to Byren et al., also assigned to Hughes Aircraft Company, in which a laser oscillator is provided at a first location and in one embodiment communicates through an optical fiber with a laser amplifier and phase conjugate mirror at a separate location. For example, the laser oscillator may be incorporated into a surgical instrument that is hand held by a physician. While this system could be used to provide optical amplification and phase conjugate compensation from a central station to a number of remote surgical stations, a separate laser oscillator would be required at each local station. In addition to adding to the cost and complexity of the overall system, this would also increase the weight and bulk of the hand held surgical instrument. The present invention seeks to provide a system and method for optical beam amplification and delivery in which the beam is both generated and amplified to a high power level at a central station, and yet is transmitted to one or more local stations with near diffraction limited quality and without diminution by SBS. To accomplish these goals, a laser oscillator, phase conjugate mirror (PCM) and optical amplifier are provided at a central station. A low power diffraction limited signal is transmitted from the central station to the various local stations, preferably through single-mode, polarization preserving optical fibers. At each local station the received low power diffraction limited beam is coupled into an optical fiber transmission bus that transmits the beam back to the central station for amplification and phase conjugation. The beam is then returned back to the local station from which it originated for use in the work application. The optical fiber transmission bus is preferably implemented as a bundle of one or more multi-mode optical fibers. Each fiber has a cross-sectional area that is sufficient to substantially inhibit. SBS by its respective portion of the amplified and phase conjugated beam returned to the local station. While the use of multi-mode fibers distorts the beam during its transit from the local to the central station, and the amplifier further distorts the beam, these distortions are compensated during the return path back to the local station through the phase conjugation process. A high power, near diffraction limited beam can thus be provided in a highly efficient manner to one or more local stations from a single central station. These and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a local station network that can be supplied by a single central station in accordance with the invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the invention as applied to a single local station; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a switch system used for time-sharing the central station among the local stations; and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a beam division system used for simultaneous sharing of the central station among a plurality of local stations. FIG. 1 indicates in general outline the type of system for which the present invention is intended. A central high power laser source 2 delivers high power, near diffraction limited beams to each of a plurality of local work stations 4 over respective optical transmission lines 6. The work stations may be individual factory cutting and welding systems, laser surgery instruments, distributed aircraft beam transmitters, or in general any application in which multiple high power, near diffraction limited laser beams are required at one or more separate locations remote from the central laser unit 2. To accommodate the high power levels required, the optical transmission fibers 6 over which the high power beams are transmitted are multi-mode. The invention provides a unique way to implement the laser unit 2 and beam delivery fibers 6 so that the near diffraction limited optical quality of the beam at the source laser unit 2 is retained at the local stations 4, despite their transmission through multi-mode fibers. A schematic diagram of the preferred embodiment for the invention, showing a single local station 4 supplied from the central laser unit 2, is given in FIG. 2. The output of a relatively low power laser oscillator 8 at the desired local station wavelength is focused by a lens 10 into a single-mode polarization preserving fiber 12 that delivers it to the local work station 4. There the output of the fiber 12 is collimated by a lens 14, and reflected off a polarizing beam splitter 16 that reflects radiation at the incident beam's polarization, while transmitting radiation polarized at 90� thereto. There are various known ways to fabricate a polarization preserving optical fiber. Since the fiber 12 that transmits the near diffraction limited beam from the laser unit 2 to the local station 4 is single-mode, the beam's near diffraction limited quality is preserved at the work station . After reflection from polarizing beam splitter 16 the beam is directed back to the central laser unit 2 through a multi-mode high power optical fiber bundle 18 consisting of one or more optical fibers. The beam is first transmitted through a non-reciprocal polarization rotator 19, such as a Faraday rotator that rotates its polarization by 45�, and then coupled through lens array 20 into the multi-mode fibers 18. At the laser unit 2 the outputs of multi-mode fibers 18 are collimated by a lens array 22 and directed into a laser amplifier 24. The amplified output is then processed by a phase conjugate mirror (PCM) 26, from which the beam is returned in a phase conjugated format and transmitted in a second amplification pass through amplifier 24. The twice-amplified beam is then transmitted through multi-mode fiber bundle 18 back to the local station 4, where it is again rotated 45� by non-reciprocal polarization rotator 19. This gives it a total polarization rotation of 90�, compared to the low power beam originally delivered to the local station through single-mode fiber 12. The amplified beam is accordingly transmitted through polarizing beam splitter 16 for use in the work function at the local station. For example, it can be focused by a lens 28 for welding or cutting purposes on a work piece 30. The system would still work if single-mode fiber 12 were not polarization preserving, but half of the beam power would be lost. The low power, near diffraction limited beam delivered to the local station over single-mode polarization preserving fiber 12 is aberrated by transmission through multimode fibers 18 and also by the amplifier 24. Furthermore, it is generally impractical to equalize the individual fiber lengths of multi-mode fibers 18 to within a fraction of an optical wavelength, and this is another source of distortion. These aberrations are compensated by the PCM 26 so that, during its return path back through amplifier 24 and multi-mode fibers 18, the amplified beam is restored to its near diffraction limited quality. Locating the multi-mode fibers 18 and amplifier 24 within the compensated path of a phase-conjugate laser thus makes it possible to obtain a high power beam at the local station that is near diffraction limited, despite the fact that the laser amplifier 24 and oscillator 8 are both located at the central laser unit 2. If desired a separate laser oscillator 8 could be provided at each local station 4, but this would add to the expense of the overall system and increase the weight of a hand held laser instrument. While optimally a pure diffraction limited beam would generally be desirable, the invention still offers significant advantages if the final beams delivered to the local stations are only "relatively" diffraction limited. By this it is meant that the beams are substantially more nearly diffraction limited than would be the case if they were generated as high power beams at the central station and simply transmitted in a single pass through the multi-mode fiber bundles 18 to the local stations. Even if the final beams provided with the invention are for example 3, 4 or 10 times diffraction limited, this is a substantial improvement over 100 or 200 times diffraction limited beams that might otherwise result. The type of PCM 26 employed will generally depend upon the system's power requirements. For continuous wave operation or amplification of a relatively low peak power beam with pulses that extend over relatively long durations, such as 100-200W, 1 ms pulses, a long liquid-filled capillary can be used as disclosed in Belan et al., "Stimulated Brillouin scattering mirrors made of capillary waveguides", Soviet Journal of Quantum Electronics, vol. 17, no. 1, January 1987, pages 122-124. For higher peak power but shorter pulse duration applications, such as 10 MW over 10 ns, the PCM can operate by SBS in a bulk medium or in a large area, short length light guide. Suitable PCMs are disclosed in Basov et al, "Inversion of Wavefront in SMBS of a Depolarized Pump", JETP Letters, vol. 28, 1978, page 197-201, and Andreev et al., "Locked Phase Conjugation for Two-Beam Coupling of Pulse Repetition Rate Solid-State Lasers", IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, vol. 27, no. 1, January 1991, pages 135-141. The two referenced SBS PCMs are also useful in restoring the polarization to the beam, which tends to become depolarized during transmission through the multi-mode fibers 18 and amplifier 24. The laser oscillator 8 and power amplifier 24 employ either the same type of gain medium, or compatible types having the same wavelength as a result of their gain curves overlapping at least in part. Possible gain media may include a crystal such as ruby or neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG); a doped glass such as neodymiumdoped glass; a semiconductor such as gallium arsenide; a gas such as carbon dioxide; a liquid containing a fluorescent dye such as rhodamine 6 G; or other gain media known in the art. The gain medium in either case is excited by an appropriate conventional means not shown, such as the light from a xenon flashlamp, a high-voltage electrical discharge, a high-energy electron beam or another laser. The generation of SBS by the amplified beam returned to the local station 4 through the multi-mode fibers 18 is inhibited by making the aggregate cross-sectional area of the fibers sufficiently large. The SBS threshold is defined by the expression gPL/A, where g is the Brillouin gain of the fiber material, P is the beam power, L is the fiber length and A is the fiber core diameter. SBS will be generated when this expression exceeds a value of about 25-30. Since the present invention can be used for central and local stations that are separated by distances of 100 m or more, the generation of SBS is of serious concern. SBS is inhibited by increasing the diameter of multi-mode fibers 18 to keep the expression below 25. While a single thick multi-mode fiber might be used, very thick optical fibers suffer from poor flexibility; a bundle of multiple smaller diameter fibers is generally preferable. SBS can also be avoided in the single-mode fiber 12 by reducing the power of laser oscillator 8 and correspondingly increasing the power of amplifier 24, and/or by reducing the differential in refractive index between the fiber's core and cladding. Various schemes may be used to couple the central station to each of a plurality of separate local stations. A separate single-mode polarization preserving fiber 12 and multi-mode fiber bundle 18 would be provided for each local station. In one example, shown in FIG. 3, the outputs of multi-mode fiber bundles 18a, 18b, 18c and 18d from four separate local stations are collimated by lens arrays 22a, 22b, 22c and 22d, respectively, and then reflected off a rotatable mirror 32 into a laser amplifier 24. The outputs of the various multi-mode fiber bundles are non-parallel, so that the beam from only one fiber bundle at a time is directed into the amplifier 24. The low power beams from the multi-mode fiber bundles that are not coupled into the amplifier at any given time are either diverted off of mirror 32 or their local stations are synchronized with the central station so that a low power beam is transmitted through any particular fiber bundle only when that bundle is coupled with the amplifier 24. A similar scheme, which could employ a different portion of the same rotatable mirror 32, is used to couple the output from the oscillator 8 into respective single-mode polarization preserving fibers 12 for the different local stations. After phase conjugation and reamplification the beams follow the reverse path back to their respective local stations. The mirror 32 is rotated so that each of the multimode fiber bundles 18a, 18b, 18c and 18d is optically coupled with the amplifier 24 on a time-shared basis. Another distribution scheme, in which the multi-mode fibers 18a, 18b, 18c and 18d are coupled with the laser amplifier 24 simultaneously rather than on a time-shared basis, is illustrated in FIG. 4, again for the example of four fiber bundles. Non-reciprocal beam splitters 36, 38 and 40, together with mirrors 42, 44 and 46, are positioned between the amplifier 24 and the multi-mode fiber bundles 18a-18d to combine the fiber outputs into a single beam transmitted into the amplifier 24, and then to divide the amplified beam into four separate beams that are directed into respective multi-mode fiber bundles. If different laser powers are desired at the different local stations, the beam splitters can be made disproportionate so as to transmit more optical power to some of the fiber bundles and less to others. A similar beam division would be provided for the single-mode polarization preserving fibers 12. Various combinations of the embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4 can also be envisioned. The invention is thus capable of providing high power laser beams from a single central station to a variety of separate local stations with a near diffraction limited quality. More optical elements are located at the central station to minimize equipment redundancy, and high power beams are delivered to each of the local stations without attenuation by SBS. While several illustrative embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, numerous variations and alternate embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Such variations and alternate embodiments are contemplated, and can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Patent Citations
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Not All Racial Comments Are Created Equal
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Please God, save us from hyper-partisanship and hyper-media in perpetual election mode selling us a hyperbolic public discourse. Please God, save us from hyper-partisanship and hy ...
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"You lie!" yelled Representative Joe Wilson during President Obama's recent address before a joint session of Congress. "You lie!" yelled Representative J ...

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LifeBridge International Church
A new church for English-speaking Internationals
in Panama City, Panama
You are cordially invited to join us at the
Cinepolis Movie Theater located in the Multiplaza Mall. You will be able to find us there every Sunday at 9:30am. Please enter the mall at the Riba Smith doors and look for people in the black "LifeBridge" shirts.
Meeting in Cinepolis theater,
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An independent cinema in Croydon town centre has opened its doors again after three years of closure.
The David Lean Cinema has been shut for the past three years but is open once more after work by the David Lean Cinema Campaign.
On March 27 there was a Croydon premier of Basically Johnny Moped, the story about the town's lost legend of punk.
Former Moped guitarist Captain Sensible of The Damned, and Johnny Moped opened the cinema with Mayor of Croydon Councillor Yvette Hopley.
Campaign chairman Adrian Winchester said: "We could not have hoped for a more distinctive and memorable launch, with this much-loved cinema presenting an engaging film full of Croydon locations and extraordinary characters."
The first four screenings all sold out but there are still tickets remaining for The Great Beauty on Thursday April 10.
For more information email firstname.lastname@example.com.
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LGBT youth advocates at Gay Straight Alliance Network have launched the "Make It Better Project," an initiative that confronts bullying head on by showing students and adults what they can do to improve school safety.
"We're focused on connecting people in the public who want to do something and take action," said Executive Director Carolyn Laub.
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Gay-Straight Alliance Network Responds to President Obama's
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Humboldt County gay rights advocates have joined a national campaign hoping to change legislation in order to stop the suicides of gay youth.
Today, members of more than 40 endorsing organizations are united to urge Congress to pass the Safe Schools Improvement Act and the Student Non-Discrimination Act.
NEW YORK — By the time she was in eighth grade, Rory Mann was so aware of the differences between her and other students that she couldn't bear to enter the cafeteria. Instead, she ate lunch alone on the cold, hard bathroom floor, propped against a wall.
Palm Springs is known across the country as a gay-friendly place to live and visit.
While that atmosphere of openness can provide some benefits for LGBT teenagers in the valley, it doesn't eliminate their struggles.
"For a young person, just because there's a visible gay population in Palm Springs, doesn't necessarily mean it reflects them or their community," said Angela Kinley, a youth development coordinator with SafeHouse of the Desert.
Contact: Carolyn Laub
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LGBT and ally organizations across the country unite under GSA Network's
A nationwide effort to combat anti-LGBT bullying and prevent suicide
Jeffree Clark-Merteuil knows the hardships gay students face in school.
"In my case, it was very much, 'I'm alone, I'm the only one like this, I'm different,'" said Clark-Merteuil, the president of the Frontier High School Gay-Straight Alliance. "I felt alone and ostracized."
In response to LGBT youth suicides, Gay-Straight Alliance Network launches


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Wednesday, April 29, 2009
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- AnonymousApril 30, 2009 at 2:36 PM
Is it possible you add my Site at your Site links.
I´ll do the same.
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Printable Area
By Bharti Agrawal on May 24, 2006
"Ethnicity: North Indian Type of Meal: Party, Festive, Dinner Type of Dish: Deep fried"
Serving Size: 1 (145 g)
Servings Per Recipe: 4
"I made this for Adopt-a-Chef to use with the Chole Masala. It didn't seem right to make the Masala without this to put it on! These remind me in texture and density of Japanese pancakes (the history buff in me is thrilled since a lot of Japanese cooking came through India with Buddhism) and I greatly enjoyed making them. The recipe is very easy and very straight forward. It is basically a heavy dumpling to serve sauces on."


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Dr. Emily G. Roan, MD
Internal Medicine, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center Internal Medicine
- 41 Mall Rd
Burlington, MA 01805 - 1 Office Location
- (781) 744-7000
Dr. Emily G. Roan graduated from the Tufts University School of Medicine in 2007. She works in Burlington, MA and specializes in Internal Medicine. Dr. Roan is affiliated with Lahey Hospital & Medical Center.
Gender: Female
Years in Practice: 8 Years
Languages Spoken: English
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Graduation Date: 2007
Hospital Affiliations: Lahey Hospital & Medical Center
Specialties: Internal Medicine


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This plant belongs also to the onion / chives family. In reality they are very little.
Photograph taken by me. Camera: Sony alpha 100 plus Tamron macro lens.
How lovely this is Thea- I bet they have quite a fragrance!xxx
Thank you very much for your sweet, wonderful comment Rose. My (ex) husband taught me a long time ago how beautiful the world is if you look at tiny things like these flowers. And he was very right. I told my friend the same thing and also she is amazed how wonderful the world of the tiny things is :) These days both of us are gardening and share everything about our plants :) Thank you very much for your comment and fav.
– walstraasart
Very lovely Thea. Beautiful little flowers, so soft and fragile and I love how you presented the stamens as they uncurl. Ahhhh, spring!
Thank you very much for your sweet and interesting comment plus fav Carolyn.
– walstraasart
Really nice work!!! Beautiful Thea
Een 10 en… en je kent de rest van dit verhaaltje he? ..lol
Ik vermoed dat de rest over de griffel gaat :) :) Bedankt voor je geweldige comp0liment John!
– walstraasart
de griffel en de romantische benadering van de meester..lol
Thank you :) :)
– walstraasart
very nice – it is amazing to actually "see" what you don't see!! really lovely shot Thea…
Thank you very much for your wonderful and interesting comment Gail
– walstraasart
A very lovely capture of this very delicate flower!
Thank you!!
– walstraasart
lovely view, well captured
Thank you very much for your wonderful comment and fav Antanas
– walstraasart
Gorgeous Thea!
Thank you very much for your wonderful comment Pauline
– walstraasart
so lovely!!!!
Thank you very much Cheryl!
– walstraasart
Very beautiful Thea!!!
Thank you very much for your wonderful comment Sharon
– walstraasart


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CLASP supports appliance energy efficiency solutions in China by providing strategic advice to decision makers, conducting technical and market analyses, and leveraging international best practices.
"CLASP has a unique blend of technical expertise and strategic vision. I'm happy to contribute to this collaborative team and forward-looking mission."
- Neha Dhingra, Research Associate, India
Ghanaian consumers and business will save USD 64 million from air conditioner energy efficiency standards, implemented in 2002 with support from CLASP.
Global LEAP Outstanding Off-Grid Product Awards promote energy access.
CLASP and SEAD transform the global market for efficient appliances.
The Global Efficiency Medal competition is part of the SEAD Initiative's ambitious efforts to reduce energy use on a global scale.
Held in Beijing in Oct 2014, the workshop addressed the common barriers to implementing more robust and cost-effective compliance testing sc...
SEAD launched the SEAD Policy Exchange Forum, where policymakers share appliance energy efficiency best practices.
Two new team members bolster CLASP's programmatic and communications expertise.
Molly and Aníbal bring fresh perspective and leadership to CLASP's Board.
The SEAD Initiative expands its communications capacity to boost reach and impact.
CLASP connects appliance policy, technical, and market experts to advance solutions that improve the environment and mitigate climate change. We forge inclusive partnerships…


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Author Archives: Bill Cavalier
Roll for ADVENTURE
HELLO GAMERS! On Nov 26th, I took the new D&D 5E Dungeon Master's Guide out for a little spin to test all those tasty charts, lists, and tables that are baked in to help inspire your adventure planning. Step-by-step I … Continue reading
Join me at GameHoleCon for the World's Worst Dungeon Crawl!
HELLO GAMERS! In two short days I'll be making the journey to Madison, Wisconsin for the 2nd Annual GameHole Con. Last year's festivities were an unparalleled mix of old school and new school gaming and this year they are continuing to raise the … Continue reading
FIREBALL of WISDOM: 26 Adventure Hooks
GAMERS, on my way back from Gen Con I got bored and put a call out on Twitter to send me a monster and I'd send back a hook. Well RUN FOR COVER so-called Dungeon "Masters", it's time for a FIREBALL of WISDOM. … Continue reading
Exclusive Gen Con Preview – The CRITS or FAILS Coin!
GAMERS, the fine folks at Campaign Coins make some PRETTY SWEET accessories for your gaming table. (If you play Fate, you owe it to yourself to check out the tokens in their current Kickstarter.) Well, sound the Horn of Nerdhalla, because … Continue reading
Embrace your RAGE…
Gamers, we are getting EVER CLOSER to the launch of the new Dungeons & Dragons this August at Gen Con. We've seen a variety of previews and even a full release of the Basic D&D Rules but ONE thing has given … Continue reading
Join me at GameHoleCon in Madison this November!
HELLO GAMERS! I'm proud to say I'll be appearing ONCE AGAIN at the 2nd Annual GameHole Con in Madison, Wisconsin this November. AS YOU MAY RECALL last year was an absolute blast and this year they are bringing in an ALL-STAR … Continue reading
The OVERLY Critical Hit Deck!
Gamers, people often ask me: What do I do when I'm in the THICK OF COMBAT and I roll a one? My answer: I'll let you know when I find out. But when OTHER people in my party roll a … Continue reading
Ask the Bastard – XP
GAMERS, do you EARN experience points or does your RAT BASTARD DM just IGNORE your GLORIOUS EFFORTS and arbitrarily AWARD you levels at his stingy, piteous whim?? Check out this LATEST installment of ASK THE BASTARD as I go DEEP … Continue reading
Special ENnies Announcement!
GAMERS, I am proud to announce that I will be co-hosting the 2014 ENnie awards, alongside the illustrious and talented Jen Page. The ENnies are the only industry award voted on BY the fans, FOR the fans and I'm honored … Continue reading


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Franc Grams - Mistakes
Artist: Franc Grams
Producer: Smoke The World
Album: Let's Start Over
Avg Rating: 1.3 ( 3 votes )
Like each and every one of us, Franc Grams makes mistakes—but Mistakes, the Connecticut native's Booth debut and latest single, is definitely not one of them. Despite dealing with the artist's foibles and f**k-ups, the record itself is a home run. Over Smoke The World's Chipmunk-soul production, the artist describes how his playeriffic tendencies lost him one "hell of a shawty," and expresses regret for his time as a corner boy. On the back, he turns his judgment outward, excoriating doctors for making money off people's false hopes and music industry execs for dragging down the culture he loves. Has this thoughtful cut left you craving more from Franc Grams? Then click here to cop the artist's latest digital full-length, Let's Start Over; I assure you, you won't regret your decision.
Written by richard on 03/11/14
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This is the first song featured on DJBooth from this artist. If you would like to hear more, be sure to rate and comment!
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Los Angeles County Market Updates
Los_Angeles_County Market Updates
Take a look at Los Angeles County Market Updates via California Association of REALTORS. Please contact us with any questions.
Los Angeles
TRENDS AT A GLANCE FOR June-14
Sales Activity Los Angeles California Supply Indicators Los Angeles California
YTD % Change in Sales -11.3% -10.2% Unsold Inventory Index 3.8 3.7
YTY% Change in Sales -6.1% -4.8% Median Time of Market 39.7 33.9
Price Activity Los Angeles California Affordabilty Index Los Angeles California
Median Home Price $435,950 $457,160 Traditional 31% 33%
YTY% Change in Price 8.0% 6.6% First Time Buyers 54% 56%
Sales of Existing Single-Family Homes
Median Price of Existing Single-Family Homes
Unsold Inventory Index & Median Time of Market
Traditional & First Time Buyers Housing Affordability Index
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Research & Economics
Click this link to see the full report with graphs and statistics: Los_Angeles_County Market Updates
See all Hot Properties.
(all data current as of
$739,000 : 28216 REY DE COPAS LN, Malibu3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths
$13,500 : 120 OUTRIGGER MALL, Marina Del Rey5 beds, 6 full baths
$3,299,000 : 120 OUTRIGGER MALL, Marina Del Rey5 beds, 6 full baths
Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.


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Search Result
Search Tags: Air Force
Morin paints challenging way ahead for Air Force's audit readiness
Jamie Morin, the outgoing comptroller and President Barack Obama's nominee to be DoD's second director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office, told lawmakers Thursday that the Air Force would struggle to meet the 2014 financial management deadline. Jo Ann Rooney, the nominee to be undersecretary of the Navy, said furloughs from sequestration and the government shutdown have delayed progress on several programs.
Tags: management , Congress , DoD , Jo Ann Rooney , Jamie Morin , Michael Lumpkin , financial management , audit readiness , Carl Levin , John McCain , Senate Armed Services Committee , acquisition , government shutdown , sequestration , Jason Miller , Navy
Air Force warns industry to expect delayed acquisition decisions
The Air Force says budget uncertainty will mean a lot of delayed contracting decisions in the first portion of 2014. Meanwhile, the service is hurriedly trying to spend every last dollar in its 2013 procurement accounts.
Tags: acquisition , budget , sequestration , continuing resolution , DoD , Richard Lombardi , Jared Serbu
Weapons and budget cuts
On this week's edition of Bgov's Capital Impact show, host Allen Scott looks at the Air Force's budget problems and the effect of sequestration on weapons systems.
Tags: Kevin Brancato , Allen Scott , BGOV , Capital Impact , sequestration , weapons systems
Ayotte wants answers on A-10 cuts, blocks Air Force nominee
Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) has put confirmation of Deborah Lee James on hold until she gets answers about possible cuts to the A-10 Thunderbolt attack fighter fleet.
Tags: Deborah Lee James , DoD , people , Senate , Senate Armed Service Committee , Kelly Ayotte , A-10
Air Force empowers its CIO, centralizes IT planning
Senior uniformed Air Force leaders have agreed it's time to give more authority to the service's chief information officer. The CIO is drafting plans that will give it more say-so over planning the overall IT environment and the dollars targeted toward individual projects.
Tags: DoD , Joint Information Environment , AFNET , Michael Basla , William Shelton , Air Force Association , technology , AFCEA , Jared Serbu
Air Force officer charged with child pornography
William Gazafi, a non-commissioned officer at Andrews Air Force Base, faces six counts of sexually exploiting a minor to produce child pornography.
Tags: William Gazafi , DoD
Boeing delivers last C-17 to US Air Force
Tags: Boeing , DoD , Rachid Ali
Army, Air Force sign up for shared network architecture
The Army says it has more next-generation network capacity than it needs, and the Air Force has the opposite problem. A new agreement to share infrastructure will save the Air Force more than $1 billion.
Tags: DoD , Army , DISA , Joint Information Environment , Cindy Moran , Richard Breakiron , Jared Serbu , technology
Female general: Ability, confidence propel career
Tags: DoD , people , Air Force Academy , Michelle Johnson
Former Air Force Secretary Michael Donley to lead Pentagon's drive for efficiencies
Former Air Force Secretary Michael Donley has a new job: Help the Defense Department cut its headquarters budget by $40 billion over the next 10 years and streamline the Pentagon's organizational structure. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter revealed in internal guidance Monday that Donley, who stepped down from the Air Force in June, would lead the efficiencies review.
Tags: DoD , budget , sequestration , Michael Donley , Ashton Carter , Chuck Hagel , efficiencies , Jack Moore


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Checkerboard, Ltd Coral Polyester Throw Pillow
Coral pattern on softly textured fabric is long-lasting, wrinkle-resistant and feels as great as it looks.
Checkerboard, Ltd Coral Polyester Throw Pillow
Weights & Dimensions
Product Type: Throw pillow | Style: Coastal |
Size: Medium (16" - 20") | Shape: Square |
Cover Material: Synthetic
| Fill Material: Polyester/Polyfill
Number of Items Included: 1 | Non-Toxic: Yes |
Wrinkle Resistant: Yes | Hypoallergenic: Yes |
Lint Free: Yes | Non-Pilling: Yes |
Density: Soft | Double Stitched: Yes |
Embroidered: No | Pattern: Graphic print |
Organic: No | Gender: Unisex |
Life Stage: Adult | Fill Weight: 0.3 Pounds |
Tassels Included: No | Reversible: Yes
Pre-Shrunk: Yes | Washing Method: Spot clean only |
Iron Safe: No | Commercial Use: Yes |
Eco-Friendly: No | Country of Manufacture: United States |
Still have questions about this product? We're here to help
Checkerboard, Ltd Coral Polyester Throw Pillow
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Tell us what you think about this product. It will help us provide you with better products in the future and help your fellow shoppers make better purchases.
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Checkerboard Lifestyle products feature elegant, eye catching designs that will transform any space. Checkerboard's inspirational and fashionable designs feature a touch of sophistication and an affinity for typography.Reference
Coral Polyester Throw Pillow is also sometimes listed under the following manufacturer numbers: PIL-FTJ-B-FIL, PIL-GLW-H-FIL, PIL-GVS-N-FIL, PIL-JPV-N-FIL


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Immokalee, located in southwestern Florida, is home to one of the nation's largest migrant communities. During the winter, the population is approximately 40,000, but in the summer it dwindles to 20,000, when workers (and often their families) migrate to other states. Immokalee is a town where extreme poverty and hardship live side by side with inspiring hope and ambition. Our goal is to help Immokalee's next generation turn that hope into reality.


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Hi -
I have had this opuntia for a number of years...I have never been able to confidently ID it. Thought it might be opuntia microdasys, but that didn't appear totally right to me. Any help is appreciated...and, btw, how cold hardy is it? Is the corkiness okay? Thanks! T |
Follow-Up Postings:
looks like an unhappy Opuntia microdasys var rufida. |
- Posted by tom_termine z5b MA (My Page) on Mon, Oct 24, 11 at 21:24
Why do you say it looks unhappy? I do neglect it, but is there something I should be doing to increase its joy? Thanks. T |
- Posted by tom_termine z5b MA (My Page) on Mon, Oct 24, 11 at 22:25
....ah, so I found some pics of what it should look like! I have had this plant since before I knew anything about caring for cacti, so perhaps I was culturally (even more) abusive back then! Perhaps this is corky scab? Is it just cosmetic, and will not continue if I change my ways, or something more insidious than that? Thanks! Tom |
- Posted by wantonamara 8bTx (My Page) on Mon, Oct 24, 11 at 23:56
This is not a Opuntia macrodasy ver rufida. Look at the shape of the pads. They are not elongate ovals. Your right it is not totally right. The pads are round and thicker. It is Opuntia rufida AKA clock face prickly pear, Blind PP, Owl face PP. Clock face is also a common name for Opuntia clorotica so don't get confused. http://www.cactusbylin.com/category/31332132 - Mara |
Here is a link that might be useful: Opuntia rufida
- Posted by tom_termine z5b MA (My Page) on Tue, Oct 25, 11 at 6:27
Mara - The link you sent to Opuntia rufida (Opuntia herrfeldtii) looks very close! It even shows the corkiness that mine has (not sure if that is totally okay, however...). Common name is said to be Blind pear. It also says it does not tolerate cold and wet as well than other opuntia, which may explain the corkiness, perhaps? Thanks! T |
- Posted by wantonamara 8bTx (My Page) on Tue, Oct 25, 11 at 20:53
I think it a heat and a cold thing. Lots of PP in the wild are corky as all get out. It grows in the Big Bend area. and on my bridge. Here It had a rough winter into the middle teens and it didn't much like it high up in the air. Lived through it but I think it did not appreciate being up in the air away from a nice warm rock. It rested through this hot summer. |
- Posted by tom_termine z5b MA (My Page) on Tue, Oct 25, 11 at 20:57
That's it! Yours is almost as blemished as mine - yay! BTW, does yours ever flower? Mine never has... Thanks, again. T |
- Posted by cactusgarden 7OK (My Page) on Wed, Oct 26, 11 at 5:46
The reason it looks corky like that is because its been in a pot for so many years and it can't grow new pads so it just sits and callouses what is there. This happens on very old pads but you don't notice so much since the cactus usually has new pads forming each year. The original pad becomes kind of like a tree trunk. The roots need stretch out and and grow horizontal, usually a few feet. That cactus is not growing. You might try a much wider, more shallow pot instead of a regular flower pot to give it a chance to stretch out the roots which are most likely girdled around the pot. They don't need the depth, just the width, the roots grow fast if they have a place to grow. That is why it looks sad. If opuntias don't get water in summer, they don't grow, they just survive. Water it when it gets completely dry in summer for good growth and not at all in winter. |
- Posted by tom_termine z5b MA (My Page) on Wed, Oct 26, 11 at 11:15
Cactusgarden - Methinks you are on to something with the pot size. It was severely underpotted until mid-summer. It is now in a larger pot with room for growth. That said, come next growing season, I will go wider as you suggest. As far as water, this plant is outdoors all summer. It gets plenty of water during the growing season, and very little to none (it is protected) during the winter. Thanks! T |
- Posted by wantonamara 8bTx (My Page) on Thu, Oct 27, 11 at 0:16
I got my plant from Cactusgarden. She be the mama and she grows most everything in the ground outside of its Zone. |
- Posted by juliebees2009 7 (My Page) on Fri, Sep 21, 12 at 5:12
OK y'all be patient wih me I live in a area where its to damp for outside cactus..thus said I am dieing to have in my home a clock face cacti I dont care if I have to get a dozier to pick it up as it gets older I have a very large barrel cacti that I have on wheels, and something thats about 3 foot with leaves tiny thorns and it is a cactus I can not grow jade I think its the moisture we have. I looked up on line to fine a large clock face but no luck Its just so great we can go anywhere in the USA and find different types of plants according to the areas your at. If anyone knows where to order the very large clock face cacti please let me know and thanks. |
- Posted by wantonamara 8bTx (My Page) on Fri, Sep 21, 12 at 9:46
- Posted by juliebees2009 7 (My Page) on Fri, Sep 21, 12 at 18:18
the one I saw is being potted up for roots and its almost 12 inch's across....it huge and a single pad it fills up a pot there is one on you tube but I do not remember how I ran across it. this are large pads and he has his outside in a garden he was selling them but I could not find the web page it said no longer a page. sooo my search continues |
- Posted by range_roser Qld (My Page) on Tue, Nov 11, 14 at 23:33
This is definitely not Opuntia rufida. Opuntia rufida does not typically have perfectly round cladodes, nor does it possess a very waxy, glaucous (i.e. bluish) epidermis. The plant in your photos is often found in cacti collections and has proven difficult to ID. It is frequently labelled Opuntia azurea, however I have it on good authority that true forms of that species should possess spines with sparse glochids, whereas the one in your photo is typically spineless and with moderately dense glochids. However the flower is typical of O. azurea. There are two varieties of azurea with less spines than the typical variety, being varieties parva and diplopurpurea (but these two varieties still possess spines). So it may be a rare spineless form of O. azurea. I personally wonder if it is a hybrid involving either O. basilaris and O. azurea, or more likely O. aciculata and O. azurea. A spineless form of O. chlorotica may also be involved. But having said that, it does appear to be very widespread (i.e. worldwide) in cultivation, so perhaps it does reproduce true from seed. If this is the case, it must be a true species in its own right. The closest match flower-wise is Opuntia azurea (but lacking spines and with rounder cladodes!). I do not believe it is O. rufida, but of course the flower shape and color will be the ultimate test. I strongly suspect that your plant will flower exactly like O. azurea and not O. rufida. I have an identical plant in my collection and its flowers are a perfect match for O. azurea. |
This post was edited by range_roser on Tue, Nov 11, 14 at 23:44
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Welcome to Glenbrook Check out our cool Glenbrook songs.
Glenbrook School Song Glenbrook Song - This is Us
PB4L forms the basis of our school behaviour management programme. PB4L is a MOE initiative. Click on the PB4L link on our website to find out more. We have remade a Glenbrook version of an American song we found on Youtube. The words in our version reflect our important concepts about PB4L. Our children created the song and music video with the help of our teachers. See what you think ...
Current School Survey Link https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HGFFJZM
The weekly newsletter is available each week, and the uniform order form can be downloaded.


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Ruvati RVH7400 Gravena Undermount Stainless Steel 32-in Kitchen Sink Single Bowl
1 - 7 of 10
Product Description
Undermount Stainless Steel 32" Kitchen Sink Single Bowl
Gravena offers a modern, linear style with square / rectangular bowls. The tight radius corners of the bowls make it easy to clean around the linear edges of Gravena sinks. The rear drain placement ensures dishes don't settle on the drain and prevent water flow while the drain grooves in the basin channel water towards the drain, keeping your sink clean and dry.
- 16 gauge premium 304 grade stainless steel (18/10 Chromium/Nickel)
- Luxurious satin finish - Easy to clean and long-lasting
- Heavy duty sound guard padding and undercoating
- Interior dimensions: 30" x 17"
- Bowl Depth: 10"
- Included in box: Sink, cut-out template, mounting brackets, rinse grid, basket strainer
- Ruvati Limited Lifetime Warranty
Materials: | Stainless Steel | |
Weight: | 50 Pounds |
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Is it possible to use Revit to creat a topo from a total station using a CSV file from excell?? I would like to know if you would be able to use the points along with the labels created by the total station and imnport them into revit and give the contour major and minor lines similar to AutoCAD Civil 3D.
Any direction on the topic would be greatly apprecieated. I just started to used the total station and I'm new to that topic.
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Was This Broad City's Best Moment Ever? (Update: Lady Gaga Thinks So!)
Watch Abbi's glorious dance!
Who Is This BØRNS That Taylor Swift Loves So Much?
Find out now!
15 Gifs Proving Kate McKinnon As Justin Bieber In Calvin Kleins Is The Greatest
Spot on!
Finally! Which Kroll Show Character Are You?
Find out now!
October 11th, 2012
This week on The Wedge, we had a very special guest co-host with Damian: Diplo, the man behind Major Lazer, Mad Decent, and production for the likes of Beyonce, M.I.A., Usher, Das Racist, No Doubt, Robyn, and so on. And since we were so excited to have him, we asked Diplo if he would pick the videos, to which he was more than happy to do. So watch it below and enjoy the playful discussion that somehow links Hulk Hogan, Kim Kardashian and Rick Ross along with bad tattoos, Vince Carter and locations as exotic as Jamaica, Philadelphia and Florida.
[videoembedws clipid=781254]
[videoembedws clipid=781255]
[videoembedws clipid=781256]
[videoembedws clipid=781257]
[videoembedws clipid=781258]
[videoembedws clipid=781259]
[videoembedws clipid=781260]
[videoembedws clipid=781261]
Tags: Damian Abraham, Diplo, interview, The Wedge
Posted on Thursday, October 11th, 2012 at 2:45 pm by Cam and is filed under Blog, The Wedge.


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Printable Area
By Swan Valley Tammi on June 03, 2007
Photo by Swan Valley Tammi
Photo by Swan Valley Tammi
"A wonderful light dessert recipe from the people at Kraft Canada and adapted by me to be feed a few more. VERY tasty. (Cooking time is refrigeration time)"
Serving Size: 1 (157 g)
Servings Per Recipe: 12
"I couldn't resist even though it is fall! I was able to find pretty good nectarines so it was fine. This is so intensely fruity and refreshing. I love the fresh fruit chunks. Delicious with/without Cool Whip. I used four dessert glasses and the rest fit (to the top) of a 9 inch square pan. Thanks Tammi, for another great recipe. Roxygirl"


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ELPC's Steve Falck recently spoke with the Public News Service about how farmers in Iowa have benefited from the federal Rural Energy for America Program.
Listen to the story below.
ELPC's Steve Falck recently spoke with the Public News Service about how farmers in Iowa have benefited from the federal Rural Energy for America Program.
Listen to the story below.
CHICAGO (WLS) –Illinois officials say the state is well-equipped to meet new power plant emissions goals. The Obama Administration unveiled a plan Monday to cut carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by 30 percent by the year 2030. It sets the first national limits on carbon dioxide and will further diminish the use of coal in electrical production.
The proposal sets off a complex process in which the 50 states will each determine how to meet customized targets set by the EPA and then submit those plans for approval.
"It is important that we take serious, comprehensive action to reduce carbon emissions," said Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, "so I look forward to reviewing the draft guidelines of the federal plan in detail and helping to develop a flexible and effective approach for Illinois."
You've got questions. We've got answers on what's in store in Illinois now that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released its long-awaited proposed rule for reducing carbon emissions from power plants.
Explain in brief what the Obama administration's climate change rule is all about.
Frustrated by inaction by Congress, President Obama's Environmental Protection Agency is claiming the authority under the Clean Air Act to regulated carbon emissions by power plants. Today it issued a proposed rule, which calls on states to take the lead in reducing emissions from power generators within their borders and gives them flexibility in how to do it.
Are Illinois power plants a source of significant emissions?
Yes, indeed. Only five other states emitted more greenhouse gases from power plants than Illinois in 2012, according to EPA. And while the Obama administration is saying that the proposed rule requires a 30 percent reduction of carbon from the power sector by 2030 based on their emissions in 2005, the reductions don't fall equally state by state. Illinois is being asked to cut its power-plant emissions by 33 percent from its 2012 emissions. Only two other Midwestern states, Wisconsin and Minnesota, are being asked to do more. Strangely, neighboring Indiana, which emits more greenhouse gases than far larger Illinois thanks to its heavy dependence on carbon-heavy coal, must cut its emissions by only 20 percent.
What's the time frame for action?
EPA is on a tight time line. The proposed rule must be made final in a year. States have until 2016 to come up with their plans. That won't stop Illinois from taking the issue on earlier, thanks mainly to the lobbying exertions of Chicago-based Exelon Corp., whose six nuclear plants in Illinois stand to benefit financially from quicker action. State legislative leaders have signaled that they will consider far-reaching legislation to comply with the regulations next spring.
Why is Illinois in such a rush to enact changes that are likely to raise its residents' electric bills?
Exelon, which owns Commonwealth Edison Co., is one of the most influential companies in Illinois. It has claimed that three of its six nukes in Illinois are losing money, largely due to competition in western Illinois from close-by wind farms. The company sees compliance with EPA's rule as a means to boost revenues at its in-state plants. It argues that compliance with the rule will be next to impossible for Illinois if even one of its nuclear plants close, since nukes are virtually carbon-free and account for nearly half of the electricity produced here.
Which direction are lawmakers leaning in addressing the situation?
Every direction. Last week the Illinois House passed two resolutions dealing with the then-expected EPA regulations. One, sponsored by House Speaker Michael Madigan, effectively called on EPA and other state and federal agencies to do everything they could to promote retention of Exelon's nukes. The other, introduced in January and tied to a state-by-state pro-coal effort by an organization tied to the Koch brothers, called on EPA to allow Illinois to take longer to comply with the rule and to meet less stringent standards if it desires in the interest of keeping coal-fired power plants open. "The House has passed two resolutions that point in two different directions that are hard to reconcile in a policy way," says Howard Learner, executive direction of the Environmental Law and Policy Center, which has battled coal plants for years.
Executive Director, Environmental Law & Policy Center
CHICAGO – Howard A. Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center, issued the following statement regarding the U.S. EPA's proposed carbon pollution reduction standards issued on Monday:
"These carbon pollution reduction standards will drive technological innovation for a cleaner environment and protecting the public's health. Solving our climate change problems by cleaning up the energy sector is necessary to fulfill our moral obligation to our children and a better future," said Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center.
Learner continued: "The United State Supreme Court held that the U.S. EPA has both legal authority and responsibility under the Clean Air Act to set standards to reduce carbon pollution to safe levels. Now, it's time for the engineers and technical specialists to develop cost-effective solutions and unleash innovative new clean energy technologies that can both repower our economy and achieve better environmental protection."
"The Midwest, alone, is responsible for about five percent of global greenhouse gas pollution and states like Illinois and Iowa are positioned to lead with wind power, solar energy and energy efficiency development solutions that spur economic growth while reducing carbon pollution. We commend the Obama Administration for advancing these carbon pollution reduction standards on a clear path forward," said Learner.
The new edition of ELPC's Farm Energy Success Stories features over a dozen projects from across the nation funded by the Farm Bill's Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), which ELPC has long championed. These projects span a wide variety of technologies — including biomass, anaerobic digesters, energy efficiency, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar and wind — that have had a positive impact on rural development.
The new Farm Bill passed earlier in 2014 provides $881 million for Energy Title programs like REAP over 10 years, benefiting small- and mid-sized farms and ranches, as well as rural small businesses. ELPC's Farm Bill Clean Energy Team has led the charge to extend the Farm Bill's Energy Title programs and make these programs work well on the ground.
Learn more at ELPC's www.FarmEnergy.org.
ELPC's Andy Olsen joined the National Association of Farm Broadcasters to discuss the Energy Title in the recently passed Farm Bill. ELPC worked hard to maintain support for the important program with helps bring clean, renewable energy projects to rural communities.
"The top-funded program is the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), which provides grants and loan guarantees to farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses and rural electric cooperatives to install energy efficiency and also a wide range of renewable energy technologies," Olsen explained. "And that received $250 million in mandatory funding over 5 years. The next priority, in terms of funding, is the Biorefinery Systems Program, and that program provides loan guarantees for advanced biofuel production plants. This is an important program to get cellulosic biofuels, as well as other new biomass technologies, in place."
Listen to the story here:
Olsen explained the difference between a grant and loan guarantee.
"A grant is actually a cost share from the federal government in a project. They may pick up, say, 25% of the cost for an activity. Whereas a loan guarantee basically says the banker wants to provide a loan to get a project built, then the federal government will cover a certain percentage of that loan in the event of a default."
REAP can serve every state and every agricultural sector, according to Olsen.
"The eligible recipients for that are agriculture producers of all sorts, urban and rural, as well as rural small businesses, and rural small businesses include rural electric cooperatives. And the technologies that are supported in this are pretty broad so that every ag sector can choose the technology that best meets their needs. This has been used for cutting energy bills for producers and boosting their profits in a wide range of uses for a wide range of sectors."
People can submit applications now for REAP funding and find information at FarmEnergy.org. Deadlines have yet to be announced, but Olsen said USDA staff are working on getting those notices out.
House and Senate negotiators unveiled a new five-year Farm Bill on Monday, a $956 billion piece of legislation that's been worked on for the past two years and, if passed, will be in effect for the next five.
The House is expected to vote on the bill on Wednesday, with the Senate voting sometime after. The bipartisan bill has gained attention from some liberals for its cuts to food stamps — a program that makes up about 79 percent of the Farm Bill's cost — and from some conservatives, who think the current bill doesn't save enough compared to the current funding. But there's also several energy and environmental implications in this Farm Bill, especially in the realm of conservation, which at $56 billion makes up 6 percent of the bill's total funding.
January 28, 2014
Farm Bill Preserves Core Clean Energy Programs
Important Energy Initiatives Good for Rural Development, Jobs, Farm Income
After three years of stops and starts, debate and negotiations, the Congressional Farm Bill Conference Committee has released a compromise bill between the House and the Senate that includes mandatory funding for a downsizedEnergy Title, including the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP).
If passed by Congress, the funding for REAP and BCAP in the compromise would ensure the popular programs will continue to support diverse technologies for renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives in farm communities across the nation.
"Every state in the nation has benefitted from REAP projects and the program has broad support across party lines," Olsen explained. "We thank Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwomen Debbie Stabenow (MI) for her leadership in preserving REAP and BCAP."
"We also thank Ranking Member Thad Cochran (MS), House Agriculture Chairman Frank Lucas (OK) and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (MN) for their bipartisan support for farm energy," Olsen said.
"For over a decade, REAP proved its value by creating jobs and farm income in farm communities while advancing homegrown renewable energy and energy efficiency," said Andy Olsen, Senior Policy Analyst for the Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC). "With this support, REAP remains a bright spot in rural energy."
REAP offers grants and loan guarantees for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects owned by farmers, ranchers, rural small businesses and rural electric co-ops. BCAP provides incentives to jump start sustainable energy crops that also provide conservation benefits.
"While the overall Energy Title funding has been reduced, this compromise provides the certainty for renewed growth in rural energy projects under both REAP and BCAP," Olsen said. The bill announced late Monday by the Farm Bill Conference Committee includes $881 million for Energy Title programs over ten years.
For more, including examples of Farm Bill energy title success stories visit http://www.farmenergy.org.
By Kari Lydersen
Chicago energy experts who spent a week in Germany and Brussels in mid-November on a fact-finding expedition came back with a complicated take on Germany's famous Energiewende, the sweeping transition to clean and renewable energy.
They were highly impressed with the fact that unlike the U.S., Germany has a cohesive national energy policy, and that it has meant rapid adoption of solar and wind power, including through substantial governmental support and subsidies.
But they also learned how Germany has in some ways been a victim of its own success, with the swift transition to solar and wind and the closure of nuclear plants raising reliability issues.
"They've been successful beyond their wildest dreams – there's so much solar and wind coming on to their grid that it's actually destabilizing their grid," said Rachel Bronson, vice president of studies for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, which convened the delegation along with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) – a think tank affiliated with German Conservative political parties. "It's exciting, but there is too much (renewable power) coming on at times, and sometimes not enough."
"There are some days where they get 80 percent of their energy from renewable energy, and some days they get one percent," added Tom Wolf, executive director of the Energy Council of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. "When the sun shines and the wind blows, they've built up so much that even on average they have more energy from renewable than from nuclear.
"A lot of people in this country would consider that an incredible victory, and it is amazing," Wolf added. "But now the problems happen. I'll call them challenges rather than problems."
Another delegation member — Howard Learner, executive director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center — had a more "glass-half-full" take.
"What we're seeing in Germany with a tremendous growth in renewable development is truly a glimpse into the future for the Midwest," he said. "There are tremendous opportunities. And there are some challenges, but we have an opportunity to learn from them…We have a three- to four-year lead time here in the Midwest in terms of addressing those problems and learning from some of the German solutions."
In the wake of the March 2011 Fukushima disaster, Germany pledged to close all nuclear reactors by 2022, and eight reactors were closed almost immediately. The plan, implemented by Conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel, was the culmination of a decades-long push against nuclear power by the Green Party and many German citizens.
The rapid phase-out of nuclear power is popular, but has presented concerns about making sure adequate generating capacity is available at all times.
The Chicago delegates said the trip gave them new insight into how the German response to Fukushima was influenced by their experience with the Chernobyl disaster three decades earlier.
"Chernobyl wasn't just in the paper for them – people I talked to remembered Chernobyl very well," said Wolf. "They couldn't drink milk (from regional dairies), they worried about their kids playing outside, that moment really hit home for them."
Still, the Chicagoans think the German decision to quickly phase out nuclear power may be based more on emotion than sound policy. Wolf compared it in his blog to what he sees as a somewhat misguided American obsession with energy independence.
"In a democracy, logic can lose out to perception," he wrote.
The group's last stop was in Leipzig, an industrial city in former East Germany near some of the country's sprawling open pit mines for lignite brown coal or "braunkohle," which is wetter and dirtier-burning than the standard hard black coal found deeper underground.
Since the closing of nuclear plants, Germany has boosted its imports of hard black coal from the U.S., Colombia, Russia and other countries. An April 2013 report by German environmental groups said Germany increased its imports of U.S. coal 50 percent since last year, with most of it coming from Appalachia.
Germany also has its own hard coal, but much of it has become too expensive to mine. And in Germany, as in the U.S., there is significant popular opposition to coal. In March, Greenpeace released an academic study estimating that particulate matter from German coal plants causes 3,100 premature deaths each year. Many Germans are pushing for tighter limits on the mining and burning of brown coal, especially since recent and planned expansions of the brown coal mines eat up villages and forest.
Bronson and Wolf came away from their trip feeling the German government perhaps needs to do more to support the coal industry, to make sure it is available to provide baseload power as nuclear plants close.
"Coal remains important for industry, employment, as well as operations," wrote Bronson in ablog post for the Chicago Council. "Unless policy is carefully crafted and reconsidered, all of the above is at risk."
Wolf noted that the German policies which have encouraged an explosion of renewables have made it less profitable to run coal-fired power plants.
"We talked with people who said they can't make money being the backup for wind and solar," he said, noting that they toured a "beautiful" Leipzig coal plant which ramps up or down frequently depending when its power is needed – an inefficient way to operate. "Renewables get first crack at the grid. The problem is you can't run a coal plant and all the machinations that go with it in the long-term just being backup power. You need some kind of compensation, or you need to tone down the tariffs or subsidies for renewables."
Bronson said that while many people consider "clean coal" to be an oxymoron, she sees it differently especially after being in Germany "at a moment where they had just waved a wand and done away with nuclear."
"They need coal," Bronson said. "If you need coal, figure out how to make it cleaner."
The trip offered numerous examples of how energy issues are inextricably linked across sweeping geographic areas, and can never be addressed in isolation.
The Chicago contingent heard about a serious challenge that the U.S. and Germany have in common in pushing for cleaner energy: the need for more transmission lines to get wind power from remote windy areas to population centers where it's needed.
Wolf noted that "NIMBY" or "not in my back yard" is "a word in German too," and even clean energy-loving Germans don't want big transmission towers built near their homes.
"Not surprisingly there are a fair number of people in German communities who are unhappy with transmission running through their towns and their farmlands," said Learner. "That's an issue we're also facing in the Midwest and nationally. For transmission planners to sit down with a map and have engineers draw lines that will move power from place A to place B is one thing, it's another thing to engage with communities in between who don't always see the value and benefit of transmission lines."
He said that in Germany and in the Midwest, concern over transmission lines is motivation to also develop decentralized, smaller-scale wind and solar projects closer to where the power is needed.
Bronson noted that Germany's location in the European Union actually presents parallels to the regulatory situation in the U.S., where states present a patchwork of different energy-related laws and policies even though the generation and distribution of energy typically crosses numerous borders.
The delegation members heard from Germans surprised at the booming growth of controversial hydraulic fracturing in the U.S. Bronson noted that fracking has been slow to take off in Germany and most of Europe in part because individual landowners are much less likely to benefit directly from fracking if they don't own subsoil mineral rights.
American fracking, Bronson added, "has implications for them too," since it increases U.S. coal companies' motivation to export their product. Craig Morris, lead author of the German Energy Transition project, explained this trend in a blog earlier this year. "It's an environment where their energy policy is shifting," Bronson said, and U.S. fracking "is making it harder for them to do what they want to do," even as it is helping to lower carbon emissions in the U.S.
Despite the challenges they observed, the delegation members said seeing the German experience first-hand inspired more confidence in growing renewables in the Midwest.
"Even in these difficult moments where (the Energiewende) doesn't seem to be constructed right, the population really believes in a cleaner future and paying a cost to get there," said Bronson. "That was pretty inspiring."
They also said that as much attention as Germany is getting for its clean energy transformation, they think the U.S. is in better shape than many people realize. Learner pointed to a recent study by GE Energy Management showing that the PJM Interconnection could handle 30 percent renewables on the grid without endangering reliability, reducing costs to boot.
"We look at our own model and we're so frustrated at not having an energy policy, and yet we have increasing use of renewables, increasing diversity with natural gas and alternatives to oil," said Bronson. "Our carbon emissions are coming down while (Germany's) are going up. If you look at the full plate we're actually stumbling along kind of impressively."
The ELPC is a member of RE-AMP, which also publishes Midwest Energy News.
The Energy Transition Project is run by the Heinrich Böll Foundation, a think tank affiliated with the German Green Party. The Heinrich Böll Foundation has supported Midwest Energy News reporters Kari Lydersen and Dan Haugen to report on clean energy development in Europe.
Chuck Bushman Farm flipped the switch earlier this year on 360 solar panels spread across its chicken barn in Castalia, Iowa.
Each panel is capable of generating 240 kilowatts of power for the supplier of organic milk and chickens. Some days, the solar panels are able to produce more power than what is needed, and the farm banks it for when the demand for electricity exceeds what the panels provide. The farm also has smart meters for the chicken coop and the rest of its buildings to monitor where electricity demand is highest.
The Department of Agriculture provided the funding for the project through its Rural Energy for America Program, whose mission is to help farmers and ranchers install renewable energy technologies and improve energy efficiency. Since its creation in 2002, the program has given rural landowners grants and loans for about 7,000 projects in all 50 states.
But USDA's ability to carry out projects like the installation of solar panels was left to dangle last night with the expiration of the farm bill. Without a new bill that includes mandatory funding, conservationists warn, REAP and other programs will run out of fuel and USDA won't meet rural landowners' demand for renewable energy and energy efficiency.
"There's a great degree of uncertainty around the program, and word is getting out that funds are getting cut, but USDA still had demand in excess of what the funding would supply," Andy Olsen, a senior policy advocate at the Environmental Law and Policy Center, said late last week. "What we really need is for Congress to pass a new farm bill."
After months of wrangling, mostly on the House side, the sun set on the farm bill at midnight with little fanfare, dwarfed by the larger government shutdown.
This is the second time in two years that Congress has allowed the farm bill to expire. Last year, U.S. farm policy lapsed for three months before Congress early this year tacked a nine-month farm bill extension into larger legislation to avoid the "fiscal cliff."
Last year's farm bill expiration was unprecedented in U.S. farm policy history, but this year's had been long expected as the House has proposed cuts to the bill's food stamps program. The farm bill's expiration, though, has been downplayed by senior agriculture leaders in Congress because funding and authorities for major commodity subsidies and food stamps will not begin to expire until the beginning of next year (E&E Daily, Sept. 20).
But several of the bill's smaller programs — such as those in the energy, conservation, organic and trade-promotion sections — are facing uncertainty at best and shutdowns at worst as of last night's expiration. For energy programs, it's a question of funding.
USDA operates seven energy programs, including one that provides loans to biorefinery producers to commercialize the next generations of fuels made from agricultural residues, perennial grasses, municipal solid waste and algae.
Most share a foxhole with REAP, which the department also uses to install pumps at gas stations capable of dispersing higher blends of ethanol.
While they retained their authorizations to operate when the farm bill expired at midnight, the programs are left with a dwindling supply of carryover dollars and no certainty that funding will be available in the future. Planning for future projects will likely become more complicated the longer the nation is without a new bill.
"This year in a couple of the programs we had some carryover mandatory dollars that we were able to utilize. But those opportunities are just about gone," said Doug O'Brien, USDA's acting undersecretary of rural development, in an interview last week. "We're running out of that fuel that is moving these renewable energy programs."
Rural advocates say the programs are already on life support because of both uncertainty over the farm bill and diminished dollars from congressional appropriators — discretionary funding for REAP this year totaled about $3 million, compared with the $25 million that the farm bill had authorized for each of the past four years.
A year ago, all of the farm bill's energy programs were among 37 "stranded" programs that did not have an authorization beyond fiscal 2012. While they were reauthorized in the farm bill extension, none of the programs was provided with any mandatory funding.
The 2008 farm bill provided for a total of $255 million in mandatory funds for REAP and $320 million for the Agriculture Department to offer to biofuels producers as part of its Biorefinery Assistance Program.
In the absence of fresh cash, USDA is using carryover mandatory funding from the 2008 farm bill to enroll new participants in the programs, according to the agriculture official. Though the department expected to be able to exceed $35 million this year in grants through the Rural Energy for America Program, energy program accounts are just about tapped out.
O'Brien, whose office administers the programs, said the department is doing its best to work with the funding it's been given.
"As folks who work in the department, we certainly are cognizant and concerned about what happens about policy in the future," O'Brien said, "but at the end of the day, we have — and have had — great tools and we've just been focused on making sure we're implementing those in the best way possible."
The farm bill's expiration won't affect ongoing projects but instead hampers the department's ability to sign up new farmers and ranchers.
"Without the new mandatory funding or appropriated dollars, which is highly unlikely in the short term, they're essentially not going to run those programs. They'll remain dormant to nonexistent," said Lloyd Ritter, co-chairman of the Agriculture Energy Coalition who has worked on four farm bills.
The Obama administration and rural energy advocates are pushing for a farm bill conference committee to include the Senate version of the farm bill's energy title, which would provide $900 million in mandatory funding for programs. REAP would receive about $48 million a year for the five-year bill's duration, while the Biorefinery Assistance Program would receive $100 million this fiscal year and $58 million in fiscal 2014 and 2015.
The House version authorizes $1.4 billion in discretionary funding for energy programs but does not provide any mandatory funding.
Stakeholders are simply looking for a clear signal from Congress, Ritter said.
"It's a very poor way of doing business in the federal government," he said. "It's just inappropriate to have programs exist and not exist and exist again. … I don't think there's any question it's turning people away."
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