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EREN NETWORK NEWS -- August 28, 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/>
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Featuring:
*News and Events
Renewables Cause Controversy at World Summit
Deregulation Paves Way for Renewables, Study Says
Energy Secretary Abraham Visits Michigan Fuel Cell Plant
*Site News
National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition
*Energy Facts and Tips
Drought Drains Power
*About this Newsletter
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NEWS AND EVENTS
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Renewables Cause Controversy at World Summit
As 60,000 delegates kick off the United Nations World Summit on
Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa this week,
wrangling over the best ways to implement solutions to the world's
most dire problems is in full swing. At issue is whether the
summit's implementation plan--addressing energy, biodiversity, food
security, clean water and health care--will carry specific targets
and timetables.
Monday, the U.S., Saudi Arabia and other oil states lobbied for
voluntary goals in place of a proposed specific target that calls
for nations to increase worldwide production of renewable energy to
15 percent of total energy production by 2010. Currently in the
U.S., strictly speaking, renewables provide one percent of the
nation's power. However the language in the summit implementation
plan allows hydropower and wood burning to be counted as renewable
energy. Using this definition of renewable energy, 14 percent of
world power is supplied by renewables. To meet the target proposed
for the implementation plan, production of renewables world-wide
would need to increase by one percent. While developed nations
debate the targets, participants seem to agree that in the short
term the two billion people in developing nations who lack access to
electricity or liquid fuels stand to gain most from the widespread
deployment of renewables.
For daily coverage of the Summit, see the United Nations World
Summit Web site at
<http://www.johannesburgsummit.org/>
Renewable energy was not even on the agenda at the Rio summit ten
years ago, but a Worldwatch Institute policy briefing prepared for
the Johannesburg summit points out how energy markets have
transformed. Renewable energy markets have seen growth rates
averaging more than 30 percent annually in the last five years.
Worldwatch Institute says renewable energy represents roughly the
same share of overall energy supply--and the same prospect for
future growth--as petroleum did a century ago. In 1902 petroleum
accounted for about two percent of the total, but was growing fast.
See Worldwatch's policy brief: "From Rio to Johannesburg, Renewable
Energy for the 21st Century" on their Web site at:
<http://www.worldwatch.org./worldsummit>
Deregulation Paves Way for Renewables, Study Says
A new state-by-state analysis of electricity markets released August
22nd by Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture) found
consumers pay less for energy and have greater access to cleaner
energy than in 1996, prior to deregulation. The study found that
states with the most competitive markets pay the least for energy
and have the most access to clean energy. According to the report,
clean energy policies are in place in 17 restructured states, and
only 2 monopoly states. Such policies include creating state funds
for renewable energy development and requirements that electricity
companies produce increasing ratios of clean energy. The report
concludes that deregulation is a misnomer: "Typically electricity
restructuring is a combination of increased use of wholesale and
retail competitive markets with continued regulation and public
policy interventions."
PennFuture is an advocacy organization that advances policies to
protect and improve Pennsylvania's environment and economy. Copies
of the PennFuture report are available on the organizations Web site
at:
<http://www.pennfuture.org/>
Energy Secretary Abraham Visits Michigan Fuel Cell Plant
Fuel cells received some recognition earlier this week when
Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham toured the fuel cell/hydrogen
storage technology manufacturing plant of Energy Conversion Devices
(ECD), Inc in Rochester Hills, Michigan. ECD researches hydrogen
storage technologies and hydrogen refueling infrastructure, which
will be required for automotive fuel cell technology. "President
Bush has encouraged the department to undertake public-private
technology partnerships in pursuit of a cleaner, more sustainable
energy future that is ultimately independent of foreign sources of
energy, " Secretary Abraham told the Detroit-area audience, adding,
"The automotive industry must be one of the most important partners
in this effort." See the August 23rd press release at:
<http://www.energy.gov/press/sub/hqreleases.html>
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SITE NEWS
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National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition
<http://www.e85fuel.com/>
The National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition promotes the use of 85 percent
ethanol as a renewable alternative transportation fuel to enhance
agricultural profitability, advance environmental stewardship, and
promote national energy independence. Its Web site features a
newsletter on E85, as well as information on flex-fuel vehicles, and
E85 refueling locations across the country.
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ENERGY FACTS AND TIPS
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Drought Drains Power
As of the end of July, moderate to extreme drought affected 49
percent of the 48 contiguous states, according to the National
Climatic Data Center, a division of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration. Significant below-average rain fell in
27 states in July, and drier than average conditions have persisted
in some parts of the country for several years. The average
temperature in July for the contiguous United States was
76.4 degrees, 2.2 degrees above average for the period 1895-2001.
That made it the fifth warmest July since national records began in
1895.
The effects of the drought are far-reaching, causing more than
75 Percent of range and pasturelands in five Western states to be
classified by the Department of Agriculture as poor or very poor.
The lack of water has also had dramatic impacts on energy, most
obviously in the area of hydropower, but fossil-fueled and nuclear
power plants also use huge volumes of water to cool steam pipes,
boilers and other power generation equipment.
Low water levels in the Piedmont section of North Carolina and South
Carolina, for example, have caused Duke Power to reduce its reliance
on hydroelectric generation by as much as 70 percent and close
access to the lakes it manages. Since hydropower is Duke's least
expensive source of fuel, consumers may soon be paying more. Duke
Power is one of the nation's largest electric utilities and provides
electricity to approximately two million customers in North Carolina
and South Carolina.
For more information about Duke' s hydro operations and water
restrictions, see the August 14th news release in the News Center at:
<http://www.duke-energy.com>
For detailed temperature and precipitation trends for the United
States, see the National Climatic Data Center, the "world's largest
archive of weather data," at:
<http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ncdc.html>
Elsewhere in the southeast, Delaware has instituted mandatory
residential and commercial water usage restrictions, and drought-
stricken University of Delaware took measures to conserve water and
energy. Installing Maytag Commercial Neptune high-efficiency washers
in the campus laundry facilities will save 8,000 gallons of water a
day on the campus, adding up to a savings of 3.5 million gallons of
water a year.
For more information on the Neptune see Maytag's Web site at:
<http://www.maytagcommerciallaundry.com.>
The Neptune is an Energy Star rated appliance. Energy star qualified
washers use 35-50 percent less water and 50 percent less energy per
load. Using less water also means less energy is needed to heat the
water. For more information see the Energy Star Web site at:
<http://www.energystar.gov/products/clotheswashers/>
For tips on water and energy use during a drought, see the Alliance
to Save Energy Web site at:
<http://www.ase.org/>
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ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
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If you have questions or comments about this
newsletter, please contact the editor, Kevin Eber, at
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