================================================= EREN NETWORK NEWS -- October 2, 2002 A weekly newsletter from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN). <http://www.eren.doe.gov/> =================================================
Featuring: *News and Events University of Colorado Takes Early Lead in Solar Decathlon National Tour of Solar Buildings Comes to You on October 5th DOE Grants to Help Meet U.S. Goal of One Million Solar Roofs DOE Awards $676,778 to D.C. for Weatherization GM Unveils Hywire Fuel-Cell Car, Carbon-Fiber-Bodied Cars Nevada Geothermal Leases Sold; New California Plant Proposed Kansas Town Demonstrates Water, Energy Savings with Washers *Site News Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE) *Energy Facts and Tips EPA Lauds Companies for Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goals *About this Newsletter ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS AND EVENTS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- University of Colorado Takes Early Lead in Solar Decathlon The University of Colorado at Boulder (CU) has taken an early lead in the Solar Decathlon competition, now underway in Washington, D.C. At press time on Tuesday evening, CU held a 37-point lead over second-placed Auburn University, which in turn was holding a scant 22-point lead over third-seated University of Virginia. The competition remains tight, with six teams within 100 points of first place, and the constantly updated scores can shift the team rankings rapidly. See the Scoring Summary on the Solar Decathlon Web site at: <http://www.eren.doe.gov/solar_decathlon/cfm/index.cfm>. The Solar Decathlon is a team competition among universities to design and build the most energy-efficient solar-powered homes. Fourteen teams from throughout the United States and Puerto Rico have brought their solar homes to the National Mall for the competition, which began on September 26th and continues through October 5th. The winning team will be the one that most successfully blends aesthetics and modern conveniences with maximum energy production and efficiency in its solar-powered home. As the name implies, the Solar Decathlon includes 10 events on which each team will be judged. Surprisingly, CU placed in only one of the three events that have been completed, winning the "Graphics and Communication" contest; Auburn University came in second and Crowder College placed third. At present, CU appears to be holding the lead due to the ongoing energy performance of the team's house. In the other contests, Virginia Polytechnic Institute took first place in "Design Presentation and Simulation," followed in turn by Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Maryland. The University of Virginia, currently in third place, won the "Design and Livability" contest, a high-scoring event that was judged by a panel of nationally known architects. The University of Puerto Rico- Mayaguez placed second in the event, and the University of Texas at Austin came in third. See the DOE press releases regarding all of these contests on the Solar Decathlon Web site at: <http://www.eren.doe.gov/solar_decathlon/media.html>. Two weeks ago, this newsletter mentioned the "daunting task" of transporting all the solar houses to the nation's capital. Lest you think we were exaggerating, check out the "Contest Diaries" now posted on the Web site. Among other things, you'll learn about the logistic challenges of oversized truck loads and how the University of Puerto Rico's house had to dodge a Caribbean storm! Meanwhile, the site continues to be updated daily with new photos, and -- thanks to some fancy instrumentation and wireless Web technology -- the team rankings are updated every fifteen minutes based on energy measurements taken throughout each of the houses. See the Solar Decathlon Web site at: <http://www.eren.doe.gov/solar_decathlon/>. Speaking of Caribbean storms, Hurricane Isidore brought some rain to the competition on Friday but otherwise passed by without incident, and Hurricane Lili appears unlikely to affect the competition. High temperatures may pose a greater challenge for the decathletes, as temperatures today are expected to peak in the high 80s -- we'll see which teams can keep their cool! See the Weather Channel forecast at: <http://www.weather.com/weather/local/USDC0001>. National Tour of Solar Buildings Comes to You on October 5th While the Solar Decathlon represents the best thinking in our nation's universities regarding solar homes, buildings throughout the United States are drawing on solar energy for at least some of their energy needs -- in fact, many get by with only small amounts of energy from other sources. To see the best solar buildings in your area, try one of the local tours offered this Saturday through the National Tour of Solar Buildings, an event sponsored by the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) and DOE. Although the tour focused on homes in the past, it now includes commercial and institutional buildings. Tours in 43 states and the District of Columbia will open 800 buildings to the public, allowing people throughout the country to learn about solar energy. See the ASES press release at: <http://www.ases.org/articles/static/1/1031163694_1014849333.html>. For a listing of tours in your area, see the ASES Web site at: <http://www.ases.org/hometr/index.html>. DOE Grants to Help Meet U.S. Goal of One Million Solar Roofs DOE awarded $1.5 million yesterday to 30 new partnerships that are promoting the installation of solar power systems in 19 states. The new partnerships, part of DOE's Million Solar Roofs Initiative (MSRI), boost the total number of MSRI partnerships to 67 and push the number of pledges to build solar roofs up to the initiative's goal of one million. The Million Solar Roofs Initiative was announced before the United Nations Session on Environment and Development in June 1997. Under the program, DOE is establishing partnerships with business, government and community-based organizations at the local, regional and national levels to promote the development of solar energy. The new partnerships will combine DOE grants with private funds, allowing the partners to conduct a variety of activities, ranging from working with local and regional home builders, to constructing solar roofs on new homes, to developing new financing options with local lending institutions. See the DOE press release at: <http://www.energy.gov/HQPress/releases02/octpr/pr02203.htm>. DOE Awards $676,778 to D.C. for Weatherization While the Solar Decathlon has temporarily brought energy-efficient solar homes to the District of Columbia, DOE is also working to deliver long-lasting energy efficiency improvements to the homes in the District that need it most. DOE announced last week the award of $676,778 to the District of Columbia for weatherization assistance to low-income households. The award will boost the energy efficiency of an estimated 1,726 homes in the District. The grant is part of DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program, which provides funds to state and local agencies, as well as American Indian tribes, for measures that improve the energy efficiency of the homes of people that can least afford to waste energy. This year, DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program will reduce the energy bills of approximately 105,000 low-income families nationwide. See the DOE press release at: <http://www.energy.gov/HQPress/releases02/seppr/pr02196.htm>. GM Unveils Hywire Fuel-Cell Car, Carbon-Fiber-Bodied Cars General Motors Corporation (GM) unveiled three concept vehicles this week that indicate multiple possible futures for fuel-efficient vehicles. The most anticipated debut was that of the Hywire, GM's fuel-cell-powered concept vehicle, built on the "AUTOnomy" concept introduced by GM early this year. The concept vehicle, which is fully functional and drivable, incorporates three hydrogen fuel tanks, a 94-kilowatt fuel cell, an electric motor, and all-electric steering and braking components in an 11-inch-thick aluminum chassis. A fiberglass body connects to the chassis using 10 mechanical linkages and one electrical "docking port" that conveys all the control signals from the driver to the chassis. Relying on "drive-by-wire" technologies, the car is driven with a hands-only steering wheel reminiscent of some video game consoles. Weighing in at just under 4,200 pounds, the car sports a top speed of 99 miles per hour. In contrast, GM's Ultralite concept car counts on low weight and a minimal drag coefficient to achieve high mileage using today's fuel technologies. The carbon-fiber body allows the four-seat car to achieve a weight of only 1,400 pounds, while a computer-controlled suspension helps the Tron-like vehicle slip through the air with a drag coefficient of only 0.192. Those factors combine to yield a fuel efficiency of 84 miles per gallon. Taking a page from the Hywire, the Ultralite features a modular drive train that can be switched between gasoline, natural gas, and electric drive systems. GM's Opel brand brought a turbo diesel approach to fuel efficiency in an aggressive sports car called the Eco-Speedster, which again features a carbon-fiber body. The 112-horsepower two-seater concept car achieves 94 miles to the gallon and can reach a top speed of 155 miles per hour. All three cars were introduced to the public at the Paris Auto Show, which runs from September 26th through October 13th. To learn more, click on "Enter GM Experience Live" on the GM home page at: <http://www.gm.com>. "Hywire" is listed under "Concept Vehicles"; "Ultralite" is listed under "Heritage Concepts." Select "Opel" to see the "Eco-Speedster." Nevada Geothermal Leases Sold; New California Plant Proposed The Nevada Bureau of Land Management (BLM) sold geothermal leases for 16 tracts of land last week. The leases for 31,094 acres of land yielded more than $300,000 for the agency. The tracts are located in three "Known Geothermal Resource Areas" -- areas considered rich in geothermal energy and prime for energy development -- in northeast Nevada. Although the BLM had offered 67 tracts covering 130,537 acres, developers obviously focused on the prime locations, with as many as four bids received on the 16 leased tracts. See the September 25th press release on the Nevada BLM Web site at: <http://www.nv.blm.gov/News.Releases/>. Meanwhile, plans for a new geothermal plant in Southern California are now under review by the California Energy Commission (CEC). The proposed geothermal plant, called Salton Sea Unit Six, will produce 185 megawatts of power. The plant will represent a sizable boost in power production for the Salton Sea area, which currently includes 10 geothermal power plants with a total capacity of 340 megawatts. The $460 million project, proposed by CE Obsidian Energy, LLC, will require 10 geothermal production wells, seven brine injection wells, a 161-kilovolt switchyard, and two electrical transmission lines. The formal CEC review process takes a year; if approved, the new plant is expected to be operating by 2005. See the September 25th press release on the CEC Web site at: <http://www.energy.ca.gov/releases/index.html>. Kansas Town Demonstrates Water, Energy Savings with Washers Nearly every resident of the small, rural town of Bern, Kansas, can probably talk your ear off about the energy- and water-saving features of front-loading horizontal-axis washing machines. This unlikely fact is due to a 1997 study in which Maytag donated 103 of its Neptune washers to the town. The performance of the Energy Star- rated washers was measured by DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory in a five-month study that analyzed data from 20,000 loads of wash comprising nearly 70 tons of laundry. The result: on average, the new machines used 56 percent less energy and 38 percent less water than the machines they replaced. That study may have helped gain acceptance for the Neptune and other similar Energy Star-qualified washers. Since 1997, the percentage of Energy Star washers sold in the United States has increased from 3.74 percent of all washer sales to 16.7 percent. But there's no need to tell that to the residents of Bern: every year, their washers save enough energy to light every house in town for six weeks and enough water to fill the town's water tank 17 times. See the DOE press release at: <http://www.energy.gov/HQPress/releases02/seppr/pr02187.htm>. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SITE NEWS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE) <http://www.aspencore.org/> CORE promotes renewable energy and energy efficiency in western Colorado, primarily within the Roaring Fork Valley. The site features information on its projects, which include an efficient building program, cash incentive programs, and a renewable energy mitigation fund -- a program that has raised more than $2 million by requiring new homes to mitigate environmental impacts. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ENERGY FACTS AND TIPS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EPA Lauds Companies for Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goals The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) marked the six-month anniversary of its "Climate Leaders" program on Monday with the announcement of new goals for five of its Climate Leaders Partners and the addition of 13 new partners. The voluntary partnership between government and industry helps organizations develop a comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory and set aggressive GHG emissions reduction goals. Among the newly announced goals are a pledge by Bethlehem Steel Corporation to reduce its GHG emissions by 12 percent per ton of steel from 2000 to 2010; a pledge by IBM to achieve average annual reductions of carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to 4 percent of its electricity and fuel use from 2000 to 2005; a pledge by Holcim, Inc. to reduce its GHG emissions by 12 percent per ton of cement from 2000 to 2008; and a pledge by S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. to reduce its GHG emissions by 23 percent per pound of product from 2000 to 2005. DOE also got into the act: DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory pledged to reduce its GHG emissions by 10 percent per square foot from 2000 to 2005. Two companies had announced goals back in March: General Motors Corporation pledged to reduce its GHG emissions from all its North American facilities by 10 percent by 2005, and Miller Brewing Company pledged to reduce its GHG emissions by 18 percent per barrel of beer by 2006. See the press release on the EPA home page at: <http://www.epa.gov/>. Most companies use energy efficiency or renewable energy purchases to meet their GHG goals. Companies have found these approaches as a cost-effective approach to reducing GHG emissions -- in fact, BP announced early this year that its goal to cut GHG emissions from its operations by 10 percent had been achieved 8 years early at no net cost to the company. See the BP announcement at: <http://www.bp.com/centres/press/stanford/index.asp>. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER ---------------------------------------------------------------------- You can subscribe to this newsletter using the online form at: <http://www.eren.doe.gov/news/subscribe/>. This Web page also allows you to update your email address or unsubscribe to this newsletter. The Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN) home page is located at <http://www.eren.doe.gov/>. 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