======================================================================
EERE NETWORK NEWS -- November 26, 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 Helps Launch an International Partnership for Hydrogen
DTE Energy to Build Hydrogen-Fueled Microgrid in Detroit
Hybrid Toyota Prius Named Motor Trend "Car of the Year"
Marine Corps Base Installs Large Solar Power System
CEC Report: California Green Power Could Increase 10-Fold
*Site News
Pennsylvania State University Hydrogen Energy Center
*Energy Connections
U.S.-Canada Task Force: August 14th Blackout was Preventable
*About this Newsletter
----------------------------------------------------------------------
NEWS AND EVENTS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
DOE Helps Launch an International Partnership for Hydrogen
Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham joined with ministers representing
14 nations and the European Commission to establish the International
Partnership for a Hydrogen Economy (IPHE) last week. Representatives
from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Commission,
France, Germany, Iceland, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Norway, Russia,
the United Kingdom, and the United States signed the Terms of
Reference, formally creating the IPHE as an international mechanism to
coordinate hydrogen research and hydrogen technology development and
deployment. The IPHE will provide a mechanism to organize, evaluate
and coordinate multinational research, development, and deployment
programs that advance the transition to a global hydrogen economy. See
the November 20th press release on the DOE Web site at:
<http://www.energy.gov/engine/content.do?BT_CODE=PR_PRESSRELEASES>.
The spirit of cooperation also spilled over to the international fuel
cell industry, as the world's leading fuel cell organizations agreed
to start collaborations on information sharing, education, regulation,
and technical exchange. The U.S. Fuel Cell Council (USFCC), the Fuel
Cell Commercialization Conference of Japan, Fuel Cells Canada, the
World Fuel Cell Council, and Fuel Cell Europe signed the agreement.
The organizations collectively represent more than 300 businesses,
research institutions, and others interested in fuel cells and
hydrogen. See the joint press release on the USFCC Web site, in PDF
format only, at: <http://www.usfcc.com/MOU_Signed.pdf>.
In addition, a coalition of hydrogen and fuel cell users and suppliers
has come together to advance fuel-cell-powered buses. The National
Fuel Cell Bus Technology Initiative is envisioned as a six-year,
$150-million development effort to advance fuel cell and hydrogen
technology. WestStart-CALSTART -- a leading North American consortium
for advanced transportation technologies -- is coordinating the
initiative. See the press release on the WestStart-CALSTART Web site
at: <http://www.weststart.org/>.
DTE Energy to Build Hydrogen-Fueled Microgrid in Detroit
DTE Energy announced last week that its subsidiary, DTE Energy
Technology, will build a $5.4-million microgrid project in Detroit,
Michigan, at the facilities for NextEnergy, an organization that
encourages alternative energy development within the state. As the
name implies, microgrids are miniature power grids that can operate in
conjunction with the regional power grid or can operate in isolation.
They are usually connected to the larger power grid in a way that
allows them to maintain higher reliability and power quality for the
electrical loads they serve.
The microgrid project will be fueled by hydrogen, natural gas, and
solar power, and will include the use of several emerging on-site
energy technologies, including fuel cells, microturbines, solar power
systems, and internal and external combustion engines. It will also
include underground electrical and thermal distribution systems to
provide electricity, heating, and air conditioning to the NextEnergy
facility. In addition, the microgrid will have the capability to serve
the broader energy needs of the entire research and business
technology park where NextEnergy will be located, on the campus of
Wayne State University in Detroit. DTE Energy expects to complete the
project by December 2004. See the November 20th press release from
DTE Energy at: <http://www.dteenergy.com/cgi-bin/press.pl>.
NextEnergy was created by the State of Michigan to advance alternative
energy technologies for both stationary and vehicular power systems,
and to establish Michigan as a leader in these technologies. The
NextEnergy facility will include a 5,600-square-foot "Power Pavilion,"
which will house the microgrid, a hydrogen-fueling infrastructure,
office space, a laboratory, and product demonstration and exhibition
facilities. See the NextEnergy Web site at:
<http://www.nextenergy.org/>.
As noted in this newsletter last week, DTE Energy is also developing a
hydrogen technology park in Southfield, about 10 miles northwest of
Detroit. See last week's article at:
<http://www.eere.energy.gov/news/news_detail.cfm?news_id=806>.
Hybrid Toyota Prius Named Motor Trend "Car of the Year"
Motor Trend magazine has named the hybrid-electric Toyota Prius as its
2004 Car of the Year. After weeks of exhaustive testing, the Motor
Trend editors found the Toyota Prius to be "a user-friendly
gas/electric hybrid capable of delivering an impressive 60 miles per
gallon in city driving." According to Kevin Smith, Motor Trend's
editor-in-chief, "We believe the performance, engineering
advancements, and overall significance of the Toyota Prius merits the
distinction of Motor Trend's Car of the Year. The Prius is a capable,
comfortable, fun-to-drive car that just happens to get spectacular
fuel economy. It also provides a promising look at a future where
extreme fuel-efficiency, ultra-low emissions, and exceptional
performance will happily coexist. That makes it meaningful to a wide
range of car buyers."
Motor Trend magazine is part of Primedia, Inc. See the Primedia press
release at: <http://www.primedia.com/pr/press/mtcaroftheyear112003/>.
While domestic automakers are planning to introduce their own hybrid
electric vehicles in the near future, they are also making substantial
investments in less flashy energy-saving technologies. Ford Motor
Company, for instance, is investing up to $325 million in two
manufacturing plants, allowing them to build new rear-wheel-drive,
six-speed automatic transmissions. According to Ford, the new
transmissions will increase fuel economy by 4 to 8 percent relative to
a four-speed automatic transmission. By 2008, Ford expects 60 percent
of its vehicles to have either six-speed transmissions or continuously
variable transmissions. See the Ford press release at:
<http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=16924>.
Marine Corps Base Installs Large Solar Power System
One of the largest solar power systems in the country is now online at
a U.S. Marine Corps base in Twentynine Palms, California. The Marine
Corp base installed a 1.1-megawatt photovoltaic system, which will
provide about 10 percent of the base's electrical needs. The project
earned a $4.5 million incentive award from the state's Self Generation
Incentive Program. Southern California Gas Company presented the award
to the base last week. See the November 20th press release by
selecting "Press Releases" on the Southern California Gas Company
Web site at: <http://www.socalgas.com/about/press.shtml>.
A 1.05-megawatt solar power system is also under construction at
California State University, Hayward. PowerLight Corporation is
installing the system on four of the university's largest buildings.
When complete in December, the system will be able to provide about
30 percent of the peak electrical demand on the campus. See the press
release under "Top Stories" on the Cal State Hayward Web site at:
<http://www.csuhayward.edu/alumni_friends/public_affairs/index.html>.
Other recent solar power installations in California include a
191-kilowatt system -- combined with a 360-kilowatt cogeneration
system comprising six microturbines -- at Pierce College in Los
Angeles, a 245-kilowatt thin-film system at Shell Solar Industries'
manufacturing building in Camarillo, a 120-kilowatt water-pumping
system installed by WorldWater Corporation at a Bakersfield facility
operated by Lehr Brothers Inc., a 120-kilowatt system installed by
Nextek Power Systems on a Target retail store in El Cajon, and a
59-kilowatt system installed at the University of California,
Berkeley. See the press releases from Pierce College, Shell Solar,
WorldWater Corporation, Nextek Power Systems, and UC Berkeley at:
<http://www.lapc.cc.ca.us/news/viewarticle.asp?ID=267>,
<http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?siteId=shellsolar>,
<http://www.worldwater.com/WW7.25.03/wwpages/worldwaternews.html>,
<http://www.nextekpower.com/Projects/target/elcajon.htm> and
<http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/11/19_solar.shtml>.
CEC Report: California Green Power Could Increase 10-Fold
With all the new solar power installations cropping up in California,
it may come as no surprise that the California Energy Commission (CEC)
sees a great potential to boost the state's use of renewable energy.
In fact, a report adopted by the CEC last week says that although the
state currently draws on renewable energy for 11 percent of its
electricity, the state could produce about 10 times more electricity
from renewable energy than it does today. The document will be
submitted to the California legislature on December 1st in support of
the state's new Renewable Portfolio Standard, which requires that
20 percent of the state's retail electricity sales come from renewable
energy sources.
The CEC also approved its 2003 Integrated Energy Policy Report on
November 12th. The report calls more stringent energy efficiency
targets, an accelerated timeframe for the Renewable Portfolio
Standard, more ambitious renewable energy goals beyond the 20 percent
goal, and efforts to encourage cogeneration and distributed generation
throughout the state. In addition, the report recommends establishing
a goal of reducing the consumption of petroleum for transportation by
15 percent from current levels by 2020. See the CEC press releases at:
<http://www.energy.ca.gov/releases/index.html>.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
SITE NEWS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pennsylvania State University Hydrogen Energy Center
<http://www.engr.psu.edu/h2e/>
Pennsylvania State University's Hydrogen Energy Center conducts
research in hydrogen storage, production, and fuel cell technologies.
It also is working to identify new uses of hydrogen for environmental
remediation.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENERGY CONNECTIONS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S.-Canada Task Force: August 14th Blackout was Preventable
The U.S.-Canada Power System Outage Task Force released its interim
report on the August 14th blackout last week, concluding that grid
operators in Ohio failed to take action that would have restricted the
impact of the blackout to a smaller region. Secretary of Energy
Spencer Abraham characterized the blackout as "preventable."
The report found that a relatively minor incident -- the failure of
three high-voltage transmission lines -- cascaded into a widespread
blackout because computer problems at FirstEnergy Corporation
prevented the grid operators there from knowing the extent of their
predicament. Meanwhile, problems with system analysis tools at the
Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO) -- the entity that
coordinates power transmission in that region -- also prevented MISO
from becoming aware of the situation and taking action. In addition,
MISO lacked procedures to help it work with the PJM Interconnection --
the nearby grid operator for Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and
parts of other states -- to address power fluctuations and overloads
near the boundary of the two systems. See the interim report and
Secretary Abraham's remarks by following the link under "Blackout
Interim Report Released" on the DOE home page at:
<http://www.energy.gov/engine/content.do>.
To solicit public comments, the task force will hold a series of
public forums in early December in Cleveland, New York City, and
Toronto. Comments can also be submitted by mail or email. After
gathering these comments, the task force will release a final report
that will include recommendations for corrective actions. For details
on the public forums and public comment process, see the November 25th
press release on the DOE Web site at:
<http://www.energy.gov/engine/content.do?BT_CODE=PR_PRESSRELEASES>.
While FirstEnergy disputed the task force findings, MISO issued a
press release that detailed the improvements it has instituted since
the blackout. See the November 19th press releases from FirstEnergy
and MISO at: <http://www.firstenergycorp.com/fenews> and
<http://www.midwestiso.org/newsroom.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/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/FGYolB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html
Biofuels list archives:
http://archive.nnytech.net/index.php?list=biofuel
Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address.
To unsubscribe, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
