Energy Shorts
IID service—exceptionally good
Customers of El Centro, Calif.'s Imperial Irrigation District gave exceptionally high marks to the utility for meeting their power needs. Conducted in May by RKS Research and Consulting, the survey found that IID customers are much more satisfied with their utility's service, rates, and reliability than the national average.
RKS Research and Consulting's David Reichman said, "These are terrific results. This is something IID should be proud of. The challenge is how to keep it there."
According to the survey, IID residential power customers gave the utility an average value rating score of 7.9 on a 10-point scale—higher than the average 6.8 rating of utility customers around the nation. IID's rating far exceeds the value rating given by customers of investor-owned utilities in California. "IID's is one of the highest scores we've seen in the state," Reichman added.
Sandia Lab launches new Web site
Sandia National Laboratories recently launched a new Website offering comprehensive information on semiconductor light emitting diodes or solid-state lighting. This new technology is potentially 10 times more energy efficient than incandescent lamps, and provides revolutionary new ways to light our homes and public spaces.
The site covers everything from up-to-date science, technology, and business news to a calendar of industry events. It also provides background articles and updates on a proposed national initiative to accelerate progress in solid-state lighting.
Fulfilling the need for a single, comprehensive source of information, the site will be updated and focused on this fast-paced technology area. For more information and cross linking opportunities, contact Sandia's Jeff Tsao.
Plug Power fuel cells certified for grid interconnection
The California Energy Commission certified fuel cells produced by Plug Power, Inc., to interconnect with the state's grid. The company's 5-kW stationary fuel cell system complies with the requirements of California's Rule 21 grid interconnection standard.
Rule 21 streamlines otherwise complicated interconnection, operating, and metering regulations, and processes applied to distributed energy generators. It ensures safe connection to the California electric grid and encourages the installation of small generators to reduce the demand on California's electrical system. Systems lacking Rule 21 certification must be individually tested and certified by the CEC, adding cost and time to the installation process.
Energy official touts renewables
The Energy Department's assistant secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy David Garman told both the Solar 2002 and the Windpower 2002 conferences in June that the renewables programs are paying off.
Wind in our sales
Garman thanked conference attendees and the Energy Department's Wind Power Program for research and development. "Together we have lowered the cost of wind energy from about 80 cents per kilowatthour in current dollars in 1980, to as little as four cents today," Garman said.
The Energy Department's Wind Energy Program helps the U.S. wind energy industry complete the research, testing, and field verification needed to develop advanced wind energy technologies.
Photovoltaic cost reduction
"We at the Department of Energy are committed to working in close partnership with industry to accomplish the goal of reducing the direct manufacturing cost of photovoltaic modules to $3 per watt by 2010 and to $1.50 per watt by 2020. We also plan to achieve a total manufacturing volume of six gigawatts by 2020, of which 3.2 gigawatts will be installed domestically," Garman said.
To bring solar energy technologies to the home in the near term, President Bush has called for a 15-percent tax credit for the purchase of residential solar energy equipment. This tax credit is included in energy legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.
DOE awards grants to Inter Tribal Council
Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham announced on June 20 that the Department of Energy is awarding more than $90,000 in weatherization grants to the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona. The Department's Weatherization Assistance Program annually awards grants to states and Native American tribes to improve energy efficiency for thousands of low-income households.
Abraham said, "These weatherization assistance grants will provide energy-saving home improvements this year to the 20 tribes of the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona. Weatherization is a priority of President Bush, as outlined in his National Energy Plan. Weatherization reduces an average home's energy cost by $218 each year.
The Federal Energy Management Program's utility services and restructuring Web site has expanded its capabilities with ready access to utility management information in an easy-to-use format. In a combined effort with DOE's Pacific Northwest National laboratory, the Web link focuses on managing utility costs and improving energy use efficiency.
The site's electric and gas pages provide information on utility restructuring at the state and Federal levels, energy prices and price trends, potential supply reliability concerns and other topics. The energy use management pages inventory potential sources of assistance and funding for energy efficiency and energy management projects including sections on managing electric cost, gas cost, and energy use.
For more information, contact PNNL's Mike Warwick or FEMP's David McAndrew.
Yellowstone installs H Power fuel cell
As part of its "Greening of Yellowstone" initiative, Yellowstone National Park has joined a growing number of locations trying out fuel cell technology.
A 4.5-kW cogeneration fuel cell system, manufactured by H Power, was installed at Yellowstone's busiest entrance in West Yellowstone, Mont. Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative of Ashton, Idaho, installed the systems. The demonstration project will contribute to park staff efforts to reduce pollution and the impact of energy use to safeguard one of the nation's oldest and most revered national parks. More than a million visitors pass through the West Yellowstone portal each year.
The proton exchange membrane fuel cell system is fueled by propane and provides electricity for lights, communication equipment and computers, two ticket kiosks, and an office. The system's byproduct heat will be used for space heating.
Ariz. utility starts testing new solar cell
Arizona Public Service Co. is testing a highly efficient photovoltaic cell that converts about 34 percent of the sun's energy to electricity—a world record in conversion efficiency for solar cells.
The technology was designed to create electric power for orbiting spacecraft by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Spectrolab, a California-based unit of Boeing Co.
The new technology uses gallium arsenide and germanium instead of the silicon used in traditional cells. The best silicon cells convert slightly more than 20 percent of sunlight into electricity. However, the cost of solar-generated electricity remains about 10 times greater than using coal or natural gas.