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New Report - Green Power Marketing Abroad: Recent Experience and Trends
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has released the following publication, "Green Power Marketing Abroad: Recent Experience and Trends" by Lori Bird and Jørn Aabakken of NREL, and Rolf Wüstenhagen of the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. The report reviews green power marketing activity in more than a dozen countries around the world to gain additional perspective on consumer demand and to discern key factors or policies that affect the development of green power markets. Specifically, it explores product design, pricing, marketing strategies, incentives, and other factors that impact demand for green power, with the objective of gleaning lessons that could be applicable to the U.S. market. In summary, the key findings are that consumer response rates beyond 10% are achievable if market conditions are favorable to green power. Most markets abroad, however, have experienced penetration rates of about 1% or less, similar to the United States. In general, green power markets are young and, as is the case with most new markets, require time to develop. Based on the review, the following factors can aid in fostering the development of green power markets: aggressive and cooperative marketing efforts by utilities and competitive providers, incentives and other policies that reduce the cost of renewable energy, restructuring rules that give priority to green power customers, market rules that enable competition to ensue, certification standards that encourage new renewables development, government purchases that stimulate demand, and consumer education that addresses the availability and benefits of green power. The full report (PDF Report: 1.1M) can be downloaded from: http://www.eren.doe.gov/greenpower/pdf/32155.pdf. Source: Green Power Network 5/8/2002.
Allegheny College to Invest in Wind Power
Allegheny College in Meadville, PA, recently announced that 7.5 percent of its electricity will be generated by wind power. The college said its investment in the alternative energy source is greater than that of any other college or university in the eastern U.S. Allegheny will purchase a portion of New Wind Energy -- electricity supplied from newly developed wind resources in Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic region -- from Community Energy, Inc. (CEI). The college said it has committed to purchasing more than one million kilowatt hours of new wind energy each year. quot;Allegheny College is committed to exploring and promoting sustainable and environmentally responsible approaches to energy production and use,quot; said Allegheny College president Richard Cook. quot;Colleges and universities have a special obligation and role to play in the research, development and demonstration of new technologies that will improve both our economy and the environment.quot; According to CEI, the college's 7.5 percent commitment will prevent the emission of nearly 1.3 million pounds of carbon dioxide, and produce environmental benefits equivalent to planting 89,000 trees. quot;Allegheny College is truly an environmental leader in the community,quot; said Clean Air Council executive director Joseph Minott. quot;This commitment is raising the bar for other similar institutions throughout the region.quot; Contact: Erin McAdams, Allegheny College, phone 814-332-6755. Source: PR Newswire 4/15/2002 via EIN Renewable Energy Today 4/18/2002.
For more information: http://www.eren.doe.gov/greenpower/ or http://www.nwlink.com/van/greenlnk.html
ASC, GE Subsidiary Supply Voltage Regulator
American Superconductor Corporation (ASC) and GE Industrial Systems recently announced the first sale of ASC's new D-VAR voltage regulation system for a wind farm application. ASC said the system was purchased by PacifiCorp to regulate voltage and control local capacitor bank switching at the Wyoming Wind Energy Project. quot;[ASC's] D-VAR system was the most cost-effective solution for integrating this wind farm into the regional transmission grid,quot; said PacifiCorp transmission planning principal engineer Craig Quist. quot;What really helped was [ASC's] forward-looking technical approach to solving the voltage control problem.quot; ASC said the D-VAR system, which is being jointly marketed to U.S. utilities by GE and ASC, is a mobile, distributed power resource that utilizes the company's proprietary power electronic converters to inject precise amounts of continuous and instantaneous reactive power into transmission grids to help solve voltage regulation and dynamic voltage stability problems. quot;With growing interest in renewable energy sources like wind power, it is vital that such plants are able to tie into the nation's power grid without causing reliability problems,quot; said ASC chief executive officer Greg Yurek. quot;Our D-VAR system eliminates this problem, allowing grid operators to maintain a highly reliable network that meets the needs of their customers.quot; Contact: ASC, website http://www.amsuper.com. Source: PR Newswire 5/21/2002 via EIN Renewable Energy Today 5/24/2002.
NERO Recognizes Spectrolab, NREL for Solar Cell
Boeing Company subsidiary Spectrolab recently announced it has been honored, along with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), by the National Energy Resources Organization (NERO) for the development of a terrestrial solar cell that is capable of achieving quot;record-breakingquot; efficiency. The research and development award was presented at NERO's annual banquet, which was hosted by U.S. Representative Billy Tauzin (R-LA), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. quot;These solar cells, and the even more advanced versions we're now developing, offer tremendous promise,quot; said Spectrolab president David Lillington. quot;Because they are highly efficient and yet relatively inexpensive to manufacture, these solar cells could dramatically reduce the cost of electricity generation from solar energy.quot; When used with a light-concentration system, NREL said the new solar cell technology can convert 34 percent of the sun's energy into electricity. Spectrolab said it has already received an order for the solar cells from Arizona Public Service. quot;The research involved here has deepened our understanding of materials, both for photovoltaics and for related solid-state technologies,quot; said NREL National Center for Photovoltaics director Larry Kazmerski. quot;It is leading the way toward the development of solar-cell concepts that have the potential to achieve efficiencies greater than 40 percent and drop the cost of solar electricity even more.quot; Contact: Richard Esposito, Boeing, phone 310-335-6314. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today 5/21/2002.
LIHI Awards Certification to CT Hydro Project
The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) recently announced that it has awarded its Low Impact Hydropower Facility certification to the Putnam Hydropower project on the Quinebaug River in northeast Connecticut. The group said the voluntary certification program is intended to quot;help consumers identify environmentally sound, low impact hydropower facilities for emerging 'green' energy markets.quot; The Putnam project has an installed capacity of 575 kilowatts (kW) and produces approximately 2.8 million kW-hours of electricity. LIHI noted that the project is a quot;run of riverquot; facility, and does not hold or store river water for later use. quot;We're delighted to certify this as our first facility in New England,quot; said LIHI executive director Lydia Grimm. quot;Small capacity dams don't necessarily indicate low environmental effects, but in this case, we can assure the public that the Putnam Hydropower project has low impacts on key resources.quot; To be certified as a low-impact facility, a hydropower project must meet LIHI's quot;low impactquot; criteria, which address such issues as river flows, water quality, fish passage, watershed health, endangered species protection, cultural resources, recreation uses, and whether or not the dam has been recommended for removal. quot;I was skeptical of this certification program initially, but the institute was very helpful in working with me to develop our application,quot; said Putnam operator Charles Rosenfield. quot;I'm happy with the outcome and am optimistic there will soon be more consumer interest in buying green electricity.quot; The Putnam project currently supplies electricity to the Connecticut Energy Cooperative for its EcoWatt and EcoWattPLUS renewable energy offerings. Contact: LIHI, phone 503-227-1763, website http://www.lowimpacthydro.org. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today 4/10/2002.
Canada Sets $260 Million Initiative To Harness Wind
The Canadian government launched a C$260 million ($170 million) initiative on Wednesday to develop wind energy to combat climate change. The government will provide a financial incentive for the installation of 1,000 megawatts of new wind generating capacity over the next five years, on top of the 200 megawatts installed in the past decade. The added capacity would be enough to power 250,000 homes. Under the initiative, the broad outlines of which were announced in the federal budget in December, producers would receive 0.8 to 1.2 Canadian cents for every kilowatt hour generated during the first 10 years of operation. The program is part of the government's C$1.5 billion commitment since 2000 to address climate change. Wind-generated power is considered a green source of electricity because of its low environmental impact. ($1=$1.53 Canadian). Source: Reuters 2002.
Ethanol Industry Sets Monthly Production Record for April
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) today announced the U.S. ethanol industry set a monthly production record in April of 127,000 barrels per day (b/d), according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). April's record was 19 percent higher than the previous April record of 107,000 b/d set in 2001. "As states like California begin the transition from MTBE to ethanol, the ethanol industry is proving month in and month out that it is ready,quot; said Bob Dinneen, RFA president. quot;With the continuing expansion and diversification of ethanol production, we are ready for any challenge - whether it's replacing MTBE or enhancing energy security by enacting a renewable fuels standard.quot; The ethanol industry is expected to produce an annual record of approximately 2.2 billion gallons in 2002. Production capacity continues to grow with 14 ethanol plants under construction constituting more than 400 million gallons of additional annual production capacity. Currently, 61 existing plants can produce more than 2.35 billion gallons per year. Source: RFA Release 5/22/2002.
Econo Air to Install Siemens Solar System
Econo Air recently announced it will install a new solar power system on the roof of its headquarters in Camarillo, CA. The company said the 17.1-kilowatt quot;earthsafequot; system will be manufactured by its partner company Siemens Solar Industries. Econo Air said the earthsafe kit features solar panels, a solar electric inverter and mounting hardware, and is the only solar electric kit currently listed by Underwriters' Laboratories quot;We chose to partner with Siemens Solar because of their reputation in the solar business, and the superiority of their products,quot; said Econo Air president Mike Richards. Richards noted that Anaheim Advantage and the city of Anaheim, CA's public utilities department helped facilitate the installation. quot;The incentives are incredible right now and we also believe in energy-saving technologies such as the earthsafe systems offered by Siemens Solar,quot; said Richards. quot;We want to do our part right here on the roof of our headquarters.quot; Contact: Econo Air, website http://www.e-conoair.com. Source: PR Newswire 4/19/2002.
DOE to Support Evaluation of Methane Power
DynaMotive Energy Systems Corporation recently announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $250,000 to a group of companies from the U.S. and Canada for a program designed to assess the commercial and technical viability of integrated pyrolysis and combined cycle biomass power systems. The project team includes Vancouver, British Columbia-based DynaMotive, DynaMotive's resource and development partner Resource Transforms International, Madison, WI-based Alliant Energy Corporation, Black and Veatch Corporation and Iowa State University's Center for Sustainable Environmental Technologies. DynaMotive said the project team will design a combined cycle gas turbine energy system that will be powered by DynaMotive's BioOil fuel. The team will also evaluate fuel supply and cost, methods for deriving value-added byproducts from BioOil and a proposed biomass energy system. The company said the project is scheduled to be complete by the second quarter of this year.
Contact: James Acheson, DynaMotive, phone 323-460-4900, website http://www.dynamotive.com. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today 4/16/2002.
BPA Opens Proceeding to Eliminate Imbalance Penalty
The Bonneville Power Administration has formally initiated its process to revise the generation imbalance rate for wind power. Petitions to intervene must be received by BPA by 12 noon April 22. Written comments by non-party participants must be received by BPA no later than 4:30 p.m. May 28. For detailed instructions on how to intervene, please refer to Federal Register Vol. 67, No. 74, Wednesday, April 17. BPA is proposing to eliminate, for wind resources, the minimum rate of 100 mills per kWh for imbalances that fall outside the Generation Imbalance Deviation Band. The revision will remove a large impediment to continued development of wind power in the BPA Control Area. AWEA policy director Jim Caldwell estimates that, with the 100-mill/kWh penalty removed, 2/3 to 3/4 of the additional average charge of 3 cents per kWh in penalties that is currently being imposed on wind power developers will be eliminated. For imbalances outside the imbalance deviation band, the current rate charges the greater of BPAıs incremental cost for energy, plus 10%; or 100 mills per kWh when the energy delivered in an hour is less than the energy scheduled. The BPA Transmission Business Line proposes to eliminate the 100 mills per kWh minimum rate for wind resources because the penalty has no effect on a generator's ability to meet the schedule. For further information, contact BPA Transmission Rates Manager Mary A. Dalton, phone (503) 230-4413 or (800) 622-4519. Information will also be available on BPAıs Web site at http://www.transmission.bpa.gov/giratecase. Source: AWEA Wind Energy Weekly 4/19/2002.
Nevada Market Potentially Strong for Wind-Turbine Projects
The president of a Danish wind-turbine company thinks he knows which way the wind is blowing in Nevada. Torben Bjerre-Madsen said his company, NEG Micon, has gotten lots of quot;positive support from politicians and utilities.quot; That's important for NEG Micon, a manufacturer of wind turbines, because one of its subsidiaries, Global Renewable Energy Partners, is in a partnership developing two wind power farms in Southern Nevada. BP Capital, a company controlled by Texas oilman Boone Pickens, is the other partner in Power Star. The partnership is developing an 85-megawatt wind turbine project at the Nevada Test Site and a 90-megawatt project at Table Mountain near Primm. Power Star hopes to obtain the necessary approvals so it can start construction on the two sites this year and complete them next year. It intends to expand the capacity of the test site project to 260 megawatts by 2005. The developers say the are confident the projects will be completed. quot;I would say they're going to be built,quot; said Jim Nairne of BP Capital. quot;It's our will. It's the will of the people.quot; The developers note both Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., support the industry. Nevada Power Co. also has signed a contract to buy electricity from the test site wind farm. The utility, however, faces financial difficulties in the wake of a March 29 regulatory decision that cut a rate increase by about half to $485 million. quot;We want to do anything we can to help them solve this problem,quot; Nairne said. Many of the conventional, gas-fired power plants being developed in Southern Nevada are expected to sell some of their electricity in California and other Western states, but wind power has an adequate market within Nevada, Nairne said. quot;I personally don't see any need for us to think about exporting the electricity to California,quot; he said. Large power customers, including casinos, that plan to exit the regulated electric utility system are potential wind power customers too. These large power users, like Nevada Power, must obtain increasing percentages of electricity from so-called renewable resources under a state law adopted last year. Renewable resources include solar power, geothermal and biomass (such as waste brush from ranchland).
Bjerre-Madsen compared the Nevada law with government efforts to foster wind power in the 1970s and 1980s. During that period, European governments supported research and wind energy development in an effort to reduce their dependence on oil fields in the Middle East, he said. But Denmark's effort produced more successful commercial results by giving the new industry guaranteed prices for its wind power. quot;Since the support was based on production of kilowatt hours, the ones that survived made reliable turbines,quot; Bjerre-Madsen said. NEG Micon today ranks as second- or third-largest wind generation company in the world. Denmark today gets 20 percent of its electricity from wind turbines, he said. Similarly, the United States may succeed in nurturing the industry. Congress last month extended production tax credits for wind power. Also, wind power is becoming more cost competitive with fossil fuels, such as natural gas and coal. quot;Over the last 20 years, the industry has been able to reduce the cost of electricity from wind by 80 percent,quot; Bjerre-Madsen said. In the United States, it now costs from 3 to 5 cents per kilowatt hour for wind power, a price that often is competitive with electricity from plants that burn natural gas and coal. The partners also are interested in developing other wind farms around the state, but they are reluctant to identify the sites now, said Tim Carlson, a consultant to the developers.
Bjerre-Madsen said Nevada could produce as much as 1,000 megawatts of electricity from wind power in the future. quot;The sky is the limit,quot; he said. Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News 4/16/2002.
GEA Reports on Geothermal Energy Production
According to data recently released by the U.S. Geothermal Energy Association (GEA), the production of geothermal energy has expanded 50 percent during the past decade, with more than 47 million people worldwide being served by the renewable power source. While the data released by GEA shows only a slight increase in geothermal production in the U.S. and Europe, quot;significant gainsquot; were noted in other countries. For example, production in Indonesia quadrupled during the past 10 years, from 144 megawatts (MW) to 589 MW, said GEA. Japan nearly tripled its geothermal power, from 214 MW to 546 MW, while geothermal energy jumped from 891 MW to more than 1,900 MW in the Phillipines, helping the country meet 25 percent of its total electricity needs. GEA said four new countries -- Australia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Guatemala -- also joined the ranks of geothermal producers during the past decade.
Despite a virtual absence of production growth in the past 10 years, the U.S. continued to be the world leader in total geothermal energy production, according to the data. However, with Congress' support of renewable energy, the U.S. quot;could see a return to the double-digit annual growth that occurred in the 1980s,quot; said GEA executive director Karl Gawell. Specifically, the GEA cited two provisions in the U.S. Senate energy bill -- the production tax credit and the renewable portfolio standard -- that could help increase the production of geothermal energy. quot;The progress made over the past decade is good news for the Earth's environment, but just the beginning of what we could do if governments placed greater emphasis on developing their geothermal and other renewable energy resources, particularly the U.S. government,quot; said Gawell. Contact: Karl Gawell, GEA, phone 202-454-5264. Source: U.S. Newswire 4/11/2002.
SatCon Delivers Solar Link and Battery Systems
SatCon Technology Corporation recently announced it has delivered StarSine power conditioning systems (PCS) to PowerLight Corporation and ZBB Energy Corporation as part of a collaborative effort to generate on-site solar electricity. The 50-kilowatt power system will be installed at Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center (GMDC) in Brooklyn, NY. The purchase of the systems is partially funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The photovoltaic panels, advanced battery and PCS will generate and store electricity in coordination with the utility grid. The advanced battery system, which uses zinc bromine flow batteries, will help offset peak power requirements during the week and use solar power to recharge during the weekend when power consumption costs are much lower. quot;These distributed power systems are an important step to achieving the U.S. federal government's initiative to reduce dependence on hydrocarbon fuels and to secure domestic energy while reducing greenhouse gases,quot; said SatCon president and CEO David Eisenhaure.
PowerLight said the rooftop panels are designed to reduce electricity costs in full operation for up to 30 years. Contact: Michael Turmelle, SatCon, phone 617-661-0540. Source: Satcon Release via EIN Renewable Energy Today 4/9/2002.
Native Peoples/Native Homelands Climate Change Workshop Report
The Native Peoples/Native Homelands Climate Change Workshop report is now posted on the Web at: http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/Library/nationalassessment/native.pdf. Source: Bob Gough, 5/13/2002.
Indian Report: Energy Consumption & Renewable Energy Dev Potential on Indian Lands
The DOE Indian Energy Report: quot;Energy Consumption and Renewable Energy Development Potential on Indian Landsquot; is now posted at: http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/solar.renewables/page/pubs.html. This report provides great background information on tribal energy use and renewable opportunities on Native American Lands. Source: Bob Gough, 5/13/2002.
Architects Award the Top quot;Greenquot; Building Projects for 2002
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) marked Earth Day by awarding its Top Ten quot;Greenquot; Projects for 2002. The winners range in scale from a 950-square-foot renovated cabin to a 125,000-square-foot office building, and from strawbale construction to metal roofs, but all include energy efficiency among their green features. The ten projects comprise a panoply of energy technologies, including daylighting, high-efficiency lighting, solar power systems, solar heating and hot water systems, passive solar heating, natural ventilation, natural-gas heat-pump air conditioning, under-floor air distribution, high-efficiency pulse boilers, geothermal heat pumps...well, you get the picture. For all the details on these innovative projects, see the AIA press release at: http://www.aia.org/MEDIA/releases/042202.asp Source: EREN Network News -- 04/24/02
EREN Energy Education & Training Site
National Transmission Grid
Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham announced the release of the National Transmission Grid Study on May 8, which includes 51 specific recommendations on improving reliability and reducing electricity costs to consumers. The study was conducted in response to suggestions in the President's National Energy Policy to identify transmission bottlenecks and measures to eliminate them. One result from the report will be the formation of an Office of Electric Transmission and Distribution within the Department of Energy.
Other recommendations related to electricity restructuring include making regional transmission organizations (RTOs) responsible for maintaining the reliability of the grid and ensuring that the transmission bottlenecks are addressed, developing standards for evaluating the performance of RTOs, passing Federal legislation that mandates compliance with reliability standards, establishing regional transmission siting forums to develop protocols and quot;best practices,quot; and granting the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) limited Federal siting authority to be exercised when national-interest transmission bottleneck issues are not resolved by regional bodies. The report is located on the Department of Energy's National Transmission Grid Study web site at http://www.ntgs.doe.gov U.S. Department of Energy Press Release, May 8, 2002 Source: AWEA Restructuring Weekly 5/10/2002.
Texas Leads U.S. in Harnessing Wind Power
Texas led the nation in wind power production last year, adding the most number of wind turbines in the country, according to the American Wind Energy Association. TXU Corp. (NYSE: TXU) was the largest buyer of wind energy in Texas and the fourth largest in the United States, the Dallas-based utility holding company said Monday. According to a recent study by the AWEA, a trade association of the wind energy industry, a record 6,500 megawatts of new wind power generating capacity were installed in 2001 -_ enough to meet the needs of 1.6 million U.S. homes. The amount was 50 percent higher than the previous year's record high. Of the new wind power capacity installed last year, nearly 1,700 megawatts were from wind farms built across the United States. Of that amount, 915 megawatts were generated in Texas _ more than had ever been installed before in the entire country in a single year. The state more than tripled its wind capacity and would rank sixth among the nations of the world in wind capacity if it were a country, based on one year's development alone, AWEA said. TXU said it led the way with 382 megawatts of the installed capacity in Texas. The company receives energy from 440 out of the 1,000 wind turbines in Texas. TXU buys wind power from four projects in West Texas near Abilene, Big Spring, and in Pecos County. TXU said it has enough renewable energy globally to power more than 355,000 homes in the United States, Europe and Australia. Some $3 billion worth of wind power investments, or about 3,000 megawatts of capacity, are being proposed or planned for the next several years in the United States, according to AWEA estimates. One megawatt of wind energy generating capacity powers between 200 and 300 homes. Web sites: http://www.awea.org, http://www.txu.com. Source American City Business Journals Inc. 2002.
44% of Americans Want to be Greener
According to a new national survey commissioned by Green Mountain Energy Company (GME), conducted to commemorate Earth Day 2002, almost half (44 percent) of survey respondents would make an effort to be quot;greenerquot; if more environmentally friendly products and services were available. Only about one in five (17 percent) respondents indicated they would be quot;greenerquot; if it was easier and took less time. Read the full story at: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/micro_stories.pl?ACCT=142794&TICK=GREENM&STORY=/www/story/04-18-2002/0001708905&EDATE=Apr+18,+2002. Source: IREC PV4U and MSR Newsletter 4/19/2002
International Wind Industry Adds 6,500 ME in 2001
The global wind industry added the largest amount ever to its generating capacity during 2001 - 6,500 MW worldwide according to AWEAıs annual market report. Two-thirds of the capacity additions (4,500 MW) were built in Europe, with Germany alone installing 2,600 MW. The next largest chunk (1,695 MW) was installed in the U.S., including 916 MW developed in a single state Texas, which has an aggressive state renewables portfolio standard. (Texas would rank sixth in wind capacity among the nations of the world if it were a country.) India added 240 MW in 2001, bringing its total wind capacity to 1,500 MW. Industry experts project that the international wind power market will grow by more than 20% annually for the next several years, reaching 60,000 MW within the next five years. The Global Windpower conference and exhibition, held April 2-5 in Paris, highlighted the industryıs huge growth. The event was sponsored by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), American Wind Energy Association, and the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturersı Association (IWTMA). About 1,600 delegates representing 50 countries attended and discussed issues ranging from policy and finance to research and manufacturing. Conference leaders attributed current market growth to technology advances, cost reductions, and energy policy measures that foster renewables development. Rakesh Bakshi of the IWTMA one of three conference chairmen, said, "Wind energy today is a global phenomenon. Itıs the fastest-growing power technology." EWEA president and conference chairman Arthouros Zervos said that a projection by his group and Greenpeace showed that 10% of the worldıs electricity could come from the wind by 2020. He noted that this level of development would involve roughly $78 billion in investment. "This is a feasible target," he said. AWEA Board member Jamie Chapman served as the U.S. chair of the event. World energy leaders noted their countriesı intentions and needs to develop wind. For example:
Source: April 2002 Windletter
Thinner Materials Improve Solar Cells
Researchers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) recently announced the development of a new technology that will allow for the production of photovoltaic (PV) films in one-nanometer thick layers. The researchers said the new technology is expected to bring flexible solar cells quot;closer to reality.quot; The researchers presented the findings at the recent 223rd meeting of the American Chemical Society. The researchers formed the PV cells using carbon-based fullerenes, which provided a flexible and light-weight structure. The thin PV cells are noted for their self-assembling capability. However, the efficiency of the cells is only about 20 percent that of silicon solar cells. Despite the limitations, the researchers expressed confidence that organic solar cells will be at least as efficient as silicon cells within five years. quot;You can fabricate a large area all at once, limited only by the size of your vat of solution from which you grow the films,quot; said Virginia Tech physics associate professor James Heflin. quot;Organic solar cells can be flexible, so you could have deployable sails on a spacecraft, or fold your solar cell into your briefcase or backpack.quot; Contact: Susan Trulove, Virginia Tech, phone 540-231-5646, e-mail strulove@vt.edu. Source: EIN Renewable Energy Today 4/10/2002.
HARC Consortium to Test Fuel Cell System
A consortium set up by the Houston Advanced Research Center will test a fuel cell system to show how fuel cells work as a source of safe, clean and efficient electric power. The 5-kilowatt, proton exchange membrane system was designed and made by Plug Power Inc., a fuel-cell system maker based in Latham, N.Y. HARC will combine the fuel cell with a separate water heating system to evaluate the system's combined heat and power capabilities. The HARC consortium, which includes Southern Co.; Texaco Energy Systems Inc., a unit of ChevronTexaco Technology Ventures; and Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development Inc., was created two years ago to examine promising fuel cell technologies. The group is testing a number of fuel cells to learn how they work, both in large- and small-scale stationary applications. The consortium is considering issues such as power quality and reliability as well as how fuel cells might be applied to incentive programs that promote emission reductions.
quot;Projects such as this can help fuel cells evolve as a technology that can contribute to the overall reliability and performance of electricity delivered to residential and commercial customers through the electric power grid,quot; said Roger Saillant, Plug Power's president and CEO. quot;We look forward to working with members of the consortium to gain a keener understanding of fuel cell applications and integration into building systems as well as market challenges.quot; A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that combines hydrogen and oxygen from the air to produce electric power without combustion. The technology offers several environmental and economic benefits, such as near-zero emissions. Other awaited applications of fuel cells include transportation and automotive applications, portable applications and distributed power for remote locations. HARC, based in The Woodlands and established in 1982, is a nonprofit organization that conducts research and provides service in the areas of energy, life sciences, and the environment. HARC's Fuel Cell Research and Applications Center was created in July 1998 in response to a growing demand for clean power generation products. Source: Houston Business Journal 5/22/2002.
For more information on marketing and research go to: http://www.ucei.berkeley.edu/ucei/nrgorgs.html
Iowa Public Utility Wins Wind Research Grant
Waverly Light & Power announced April 4 that it has won a $25,000 grant from the American Public Power Associationıs Demonstration of Energy-Efficient Developments (DEED) program. The grant, received through a joint effort with the Nebraska Public Power District and the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities, will be used for a study surrounding wind research and development. The Utility Wind Interest Group (UWIG) from Arlington, Va., will perform the study, which will be entitled quot;Characterizing the Impacts of Distributed Wind Generation on Distribution Systems.quot; UWIG is a non-profit corporation established in 1989 to accelerate the incorporation of wind technology into utility systems. The purpose of the project is to develop information resources and a set of engineering software application tools. These resources and tools will help small utility systems throughout the nation tie wind generation directly into their electrical distribution systems. Currently, most wind generation feeds into substations, then into transmission lines. Skeets 4, Waverly Light and Powerıs fourth wind turbine located north of Waverly, became one of the first wind turbines in the nation to be tied directly to a distribution system. The information resources and tools to be developed in the study will ease any difficulty other utilities could face in similar situations. For more information contact Waverly Light and Power's General Manager, Glenn Cannon, phone (319) 352-6251, e-mail glenn@wlpnet.net. More information is available about UWIG on its Web site at http://www.uwig.org. Source: AWEA Wind Energy Weekly 4/19/2002.
UNR Receives Geothermal Grant from DOE
The University of Nevada-Reno's (UNR) Great Basin Center recently received a $936,000 grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) for a geothermal energy project. The project, titled quot;Expanding Geothermal Resource Utilization in Nevada Through Directed Research and Public Outreach,quot; is part of UNR's effort to establish geothermal energy as a quot;key energy source in the western United States.quot; quot;We, as a country, need to be less dependent on imported oil, and geothermal energy can help us achieve that goal without damaging our environment,quot; said U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV). quot;Nevada is facing a crisis right now because of the proposal to store nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain.... With geothermal energy, there wouldn't be any life-threatening waste.quot; The Great Basin Center will provide data and other information to geothermal researchers, as well as help to promote collaborations between stakeholders. The grant was awarded through DOE's Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). Officials noted that UNR will conduct 90 percent of the research. The remaining 10 percent will be used for the development of databases, workshops and project management of DOE's GeoPowering the West initiative. Source: Inside Energy 4/8/2002.
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