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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/>
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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
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NEWS AND EVENTS
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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>.
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SITE NEWS
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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.
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ENERGY FACTS AND TIPS
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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>.
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ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
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