======================================================================
EERE NETWORK NEWS -- September 10, 2003
A weekly newsletter from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
<http://www.eere.energy.gov/>
======================================================================
Featuring:
*News and Events
DOE, USDA Award $23 Million for Biomass Research Projects
DOE Funds Nine Energy-Related Inventions and Innovations
Study: Renewables, Efficiency Could Cut Natural Gas Prices
Renewable Hawaii to Fund Projects on Maui, Molokai, Lanai
New York Dedicates New Energy-Efficient Residential Building
ACRE Becomes ACORE as Renewable Energy Conferences Approach
*Energy Connections
EIA Report Examines High Costs of Gasoline and Natural Gas
*About this Newsletter
----------------------------------------------------------------------
NEWS AND EVENTS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
DOE, USDA Award $23 Million for Biomass Research Projects
DOE and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced last week
their selection of 19 biomass research, development, and demonstration
projects that will receive a total of $23 million in joint funding.
Biomass is organic matter from plants or animals that is available on
a renewable or recurring basis. Several of the new projects are aimed
at developing the next-generation of "biorefineries," industrial
complexes that convert a range of biomass materials into biobased
products and biofuels. Two of the projects focus on efficient biomass-
fired energy systems, including a combined heat and power system and a
district energy system that will heat a number of buildings with one
biomass energy system. The remaining projects run the gamut of biomass
technologies, including pretreatment processes for biomass, catalysts
for biomass conversion processes, new bioproducts from biomass,
anaerobic digestion (converting biomass into methane), hydrogen
production from biomass, and even a microbial fuel cell that runs on
biomass-generated hydrogen. See the August 5th press release on the
DOE Web site at:
<http://www.energy.gov/engine/content.do?BT_CODE=PR_PRESSRELEASES>.
The USDA contributed nearly $16 million toward the total through funds
allocated by the 2002 Farm Bill, with DOE contributing the balance.
The two agencies work together through the Biomass Research and
Development Initiative, a multi-agency effort to coordinate and
accelerate all federal research and development of biobased products
and biomass energy. See the Initiative Web site at:
<http://www.bioproducts-bioenergy.gov/>.
DOE Funds Nine Energy-Related Inventions and Innovations
Nine new projects to develop energy-saving inventions and ideas will
receive a total of more than $1.5 million in funds from DOE's
Inventions and Innovation Program. The program announced the
selections last week following a competitive solicitation that had
yielded 252 proposals. Of the nine winning proposals, four are
concepts that are in early development, including carbon dioxide
sensors that use nanotechnology, a device for improving the
aerodynamics of tractor trailers, and a more efficient technique for
remelting aluminum scrap. Five proposals are for inventions moving
toward prototype development or commercialization, including high-
temperature fuel cell components, a variable-length wind turbine
blade, a utility-interactive inverter for distributed power sources,
and a high-efficiency system for regenerating liquid desiccants, which
are used to remove moisture from air in some energy-efficient air
conditioning systems. See the announcement from DOE's Inventions and
Innovations Program at:
<http://www.oit.doe.gov/cfm/fullarticle.cfm/id=775>.
See also the Inventions and Innovations Program Web site at:
<http://www.oit.doe.gov/inventions/>.
Study: Renewables, Efficiency Could Cut Natural Gas Prices
A new study by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
(ACEEE) and Energy and Environmental Analysis, Inc. finds that
aggressive programs to encourage energy efficiency and renewable
energy could reduce the demand for natural gas enough to cause a 10 to
20 percent drop in wholesale natural gas prices. The study,
commissioned by the Energy Foundation, developed estimates of the
near-term and mid-term potential to implement energy efficiency,
conservation, and renewable energy in each of the 48 contiguous
states. Those estimates yielded a potential to reduce U.S. natural gas
consumption by 1.1 percent within a year using energy efficiency, and
to reduce U.S. natural gas consumption by 5.5 percent by 2008, using a
combination of energy efficiency and renewable energy. By easing
supply constraints, such apparently minor reductions in demand could
yield significant price reductions, according to the report. The ACEEE
report concludes that savings to consumers and businesses over the
next five years could exceed $75 billion. See the study and press
release on the ACEEE Web site at:
<http://www.aceee.org/energy/efnatgas-study.htm>.
A recent related report from DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory (LBNL) argues that utilities should compare the cost of
renewable energy to natural gas prices that can be locked in for long
periods of time, rather than comparing renewable energy sources to
projected market prices for natural gas. The report finds that using
projected natural gas prices creates a bias in favor of generators
fueled with natural gas. Another recent report finds that consumers
show a slight preference to having utility support for renewable
energy projects included in the rate base and paid for by everyone,
rather than using voluntary premiums for green power. An opinion
survey conducted as part of the study found that 55 percent of the
poll respondents believed that renewable energy production should be
increased, even if it costs more than other electricity production
options. See the two August 2003 reports on the LBNL Web site at:
<http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/EMS/EMS_pubs.html#RE>.
Renewable Hawaii to Fund Projects on Maui, Molokai, Lanai
Renewable Hawaii announced last week that it is seeking proposals for
renewable energy projects on the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai.
Proposals are due by December 4th, and Renewable Hawaii expects to
select the winning projects by April 2004.
Renewable Hawaii, a subsidiary of Hawaiian Electric Company, has
initial approval to invest up to $10 million in renewable energy
projects. It previously requested proposals for projects on the island
of Oahu and received eight proposals that include biomass, ocean,
solar, and wind energy projects. The company plans to issue a request
for proposals for projects on the Big Island of Hawaii later this
year. See the Renewable Hawaii Web site at:
<http://www.renewablehawaii.com>.
Solar and wind energy projects throughout Hawaii are encouraged
through state tax credits, which were recently extended through the
end of 2007. The extension, which took effect on July 1st, adds new
caps to the tax credits. Previous tax credits for energy-efficient
heat pumps and ice storage systems were not extended. See the State of
Hawaii Web site at: <http://www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/ert/taxcredit.html>.
New York Dedicates New Energy-Efficient Residential Building
Last week, New York Governor George E. Pataki dedicated a new
residential high-rise building considered to be a pioneer in
sustainable design. The Solaire, located at 20 River Terrace in
Battery Park City, is the first new residential construction completed
in downtown Manhattan since the events of 9/11, and is the first to
earn the state's green building tax credit. Compared to a building
constructed to meet the minimum requirements of the building code, the
27-story building uses 35 percent less energy and has a 67 percent
lower electrical demand during peak hours. Solar cells are
incorporated into the building's exterior walls and can generate as
much as 5 percent of the building's electrical load. A rooftop garden,
fed with storm water, helps insulate and cool the building, and the
air conditioning system is fueled with natural gas and free of ozone-
depleting refrigerants. A building energy management system monitors
and controls building air quality and energy performance. The
apartments feature energy-efficient low-E windows, and the larger
apartments include an energy- and water-efficient washer and dryer.
See the governor's press release and The Solaire Web site at:
<http://www.state.ny.us/governor/press/year03/sept5_03.htm>,
<http://www.thesolaire.com/green_features/index.asp>, and
<http://www.thesolaire.com/residences/index.asp>.
According to the Albanese Organization, the developer of the project,
the first residents moved into The Solaire on July 4th, and 60 percent
of the apartments were rented by early July. See the Albanese
Organization press release at:
<http://www.albaneseorg.com/news/view_release.asp?id=8>.
The U.S. Green Building Council also honored the building during the
international Green Building Challenge competition in 2002. For more
information on the competition and to download a PDF of a brochure
with schematic drawings of the building, click on Battery Park City
on DOE's High Performance Buildings Web site at:
<http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/highperformance/gbc2002.html>
ACRE Becomes ACORE as Renewable Energy Conferences Approach
The American Council on Renewable Energy announced in mid-August that
it will now abbreviate its name as "ACORE" rather than "ACRE," thereby
settling a dispute with the National Rural Electric Cooperative
Association, which uses the ACRE acronym for its Action Committee for
Rural Electrification. With that out of the way, ACORE can now
concentrate on its co-sponsorship of the POWER-GEN Renewable Energy
conference, to be held in March 2004. That new conference gained
momentum in mid-July, when the Sustainable Energy Expo & Conference,
originally planned for October, was cancelled. Instead, conference
organizers threw their full support over to the POWER-GEN event. See
the press releases from ACORE and the Sustainable Energy Expo, as well
as the POWER-GEN Renewable Energy Web site, at:
<http://www.americanrenewables.org/ourname.html?sid=5527>,
<http://www.sustainableexpo.com/>, and
<http://pgre04.events.pennnet.com/>.
Other upcoming conferences and events include the eighth annual
National Solar Tour, sponsored by the American Solar Energy Society
(ASES). Across the United States, homes, businesses, and public
buildings that use solar energy will be open to visitors on October
4th. Last year, more than 26,000 people toured 1,222 solar buildings
in 44 states. Tours are organized locally; to find a tour in your
area, see the National Solar Tour page on the ASES Web site at:
<http://www.ases.org/tour/homepage.htm>.
Shortly after the National Solar Tour comes UPEx 2003, to be held in
Scottsdale, Arizona, from October 7th to the 10th. The annual solar
power conference is presented by the Solar Electric Power Association
and the Solar Energy Industries Association. Immediately after, on
October 11th and 12th, the first "Hydrogen Education Tour" will take
place in Denver, Colorado. Sponsored in part by DOE's National
Renewable Energy Laboratory, the event will feature exhibits and
speeches from leaders in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. See the
UPEx and Hydrogen Education Tour Web sites at:
<http://www.solarelectricpower.org/upex/default.cfm> and
<http://www.hydrogen.com/moreDetails.asp?id=2>.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENERGY CONNECTIONS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
EIA Report Examines High Costs of Gasoline and Natural Gas
The average price for gasoline in the United States hit a record high
of $1.75 per gallon on August 25th, according to DOE's Energy
Information Administration (EIA). EIA's "Short Term Energy Outlook,"
released on Monday, noted that gasoline prices surged by 20 cents per
gallon for the last three weeks of August. The report attributed the
high prices to tight supplies, heavy demand, and a series of local
supply disruptions. Among the disruptions was the August 14th
blackout, which shut down several refineries in the Midwest; a
pipeline rupture in Phoenix, Arizona; and refinery shutdowns in
California. Noting that spot wholesale prices for gasoline fell by
about 30 cents in the first week of September, the EIA expects retail
gasoline prices to decline in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, hotter weather in August caused an increased demand for
natural gas, but still allowed the industry to add to its stockpiles
of natural gas in underground storage. At the end of August, natural
gas in storage stood about 13 percent below last year's levels at this
time, and about 6 percent below the average for the previous five
years. With supplies tight for much of this year, the EIA projects
that wellhead prices will average just under $5 per thousand cubic
feet for all of 2003, up about $2 per thousand cubic feet from the
2002 average, which is a record price increase. Although the EIA
projects a drop of about $1 per thousand cubic feet for 2004, the
agency still expects residential natural gas prices to be about 10 to
15 percent higher on average for the upcoming heating season, compared
to last winter. See the EIA "Short Term Energy Outlook" at:
<http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/steo/pub/contents.html>.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can subscribe to this newsletter using the online form at:
<http://www.eere.energy.gov/news/about.cfm>.
This Web page also allows you to update your email address
or unsubscribe to this newsletter.
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
home page is located at: <http://www.eere.energy.gov/>.
If you have questions or comments about this
newsletter, please contact the editor, Kevin Eber, at
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for Your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark
Printer at Myinks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada.
http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511
http://us.click.yahoo.com/l.m7sD/LIdGAA/qnsNAA/9bTolB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Biofuels at Journey to Forever
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html
List messages are archived at the Info-Archive at NNYTech:
http://archive.nnytech.net/
Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address.
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
