Weekly Clean Energy Roundup: Jan. 15, 2003

*News and Events

*Energy Facts and Tips

EIA: U.S. May Draw on Imports for 70 Percent of Oil by 2025

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NEWS AND EVENTS

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Toyota to Produce First Hybrid Electric Luxury SUV in 2005

Toyota Motor Corporation unveiled a new hybrid electric drive system last week and promised to use it in the Lexus RX 330, a luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV), by 2005. Toyota’s new hybrid system uses wheel-mounted electric motors on all four wheels, combined with a traditional gasoline engine and a nickel-metal-hydride battery pack.

According to Toyota, the hybrid electric Lexus RX 330 will use a six-cylinder engine to produce the power and torque of an eight- cylinder engine with “the fuel mileage of a compact car.” For now, the new hybrid drive is featured in Toyota’s sport utility hybrid vehicle (SU-HV) concept car, now on display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Toyota also unveiled a new fuel-cell-powered concept car last week. The sporty concept vehicle, called the “FINE-S,” is reminiscent of the Hywire concept vehicle introduced by General Motors Corporation in October 2001. Like the Hywire, the FINE-S “reveals the potential styling versatility for fuel-cell vehicles,” making it possible to “install the technology in a wide variety of vehicle types, shapes and sizes, based on a shared platform.” See the January 7th press releases from Toyota at: http://pressroom.toyota.com

The North American International Auto Show is also debuting a new all-electric vehicle, the Matra P75. Produced by French automaker Matra Automobile, the working prototype combines a lithium-ion battery and a 50-kilowatt motor to achieve a top speed of 87 miles per hour and a range of 124 miles. The car is at the auto show as part of the Michelin Challenge Design display. See the Michelin press release and the Matra Web page at: [sorry this link is no longer available]
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GM Introduces Hybrid Electric Military Pickup with Fuel Cell

General Motors Corporation (GM) introduced last week a fuel-efficient pickup truck for use by the U.S. Army. Based on the Chevrolet Silverado, the military vehicle is powered by a hybrid electric drive that features a diesel V8 engine. The truck also features a 5-kilowatt regenerative fuel cell, manufactured by Hydrogenics Corporation, that serves as an auxiliary power unit (APU) for powering equipment in the field. The fuel cell APU produces hydrogen while the truck is running, then converts the hydrogen into electricity in the field, serving as a clean and quiet generator. The hybrid diesel system can also be used as a generator, providing up to 30 kilowatts of either direct-current or alternating-current power. According to GM, the diesel hybrid system reduces fuel consumption by 20 percent compared to conventional diesel vehicles. The Army is expected to want 30,000 hybrid electric tactical vehicles by the end of this decade.

GM also generated three press releases on its plans for hybrid vehicles for consumers, as reported in this newsletter last week. See the GM press releases at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

GM’s work for the Army is just one of several projects aimed at increased fuel efficiency for the U.S. military. For example, UQM Technologies, Inc. has been developing hybrid vehicles for the Army and announced in December a new contract to do the same for the U.S. Marine Corps. In September, that company claimed to have achieved a breakthrough in electric motor performance. Oshkosh Truck Corporation is also developing hybrid drives for the Army, while IdaTech, LLC is developing fuel cell APUs. See the press releases from UQM Technologies, IdaTech, and Oshkosh Truck, respectively, at: [sorry this link is no longer available]
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Why all the emphasis on military fuel efficiency? One reason is a report produced by a Defense Science Board task force in January 2001, called “Improving Fuel Efficiency on Weapons Platforms.” The report found that delivering fuel deep into battle areas for the Army costs hundreds of dollars per gallon. Fuel alone accounts for more than 70 percent of the total weight of materials needed to position the U.S. Army for battle. The figures are equally astounding for the U.S. Air Force, which uses 85 percent of its fuel budget to deliver, by airborne tankers, just 6 percent of its annual jet fuel use. Based on these findings, the task force recommended that the U.S. Department of Defense explicitly include fuel efficiency in its acquisition requirements, while basing its decisions on the true cost of delivered fuel. The full report is available as a 1.12-MB PDF file on the Defense Science Board Web site at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

California Proposes Delay to Zero-Emission Vehicle Program

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) proposed new changes to its Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program last week, delaying the start of the program until 2005. ZEVs are battery- or fuel-cell-powered electric vehicles that produce no air emissions while on the road. First adopted in 1990, the ZEV program was meant to advance ZEV technologies and improve the state’s air quality by phasing in a mandate for a percentage of cars sold in the state to be ZEVs.

Initially planned to begin in 1998, the program was most recently modified in 2001 and set to begin this year, but faced both administrative and legal challenges that delayed its implementation. An attempt to provide partial credit for hybrid electric vehicles failed a legal challenge because the rule included references to fuel economy.

In the new proposal, the ZEV program will begin in 2005, and hybrid vehicles and vehicles with gaseous storage systems will earn partial credits regardless of the fuel efficiency they achieve. Automakers will be able to meet up to three-quarters of their ZEV requirement by selling these “advanced-technology partial ZEVs” or “AT PZEVs” through 2011. The estimated result (compared to the 2001 amendments): by 2011, 36 percent more AT PZEVs will be sold in the state, but the number of true ZEVs sold will drop 57 percent, to a total of 20,800. A public hearing on the latest proposal will be held on February 27th. See the “Staff Report: Initial Statement of Reasons” and the public hearing notice on the ARB Web site at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/zev2003/zev2003.htm

One interesting development: The new ZEV proposal includes higher credits for hybrid electric vehicles that can be recharged by plugging them in. That addition stemmed from recent research carried out by the Hybrid Electric Vehicle Working Group under the direction of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The research demonstrated significant fuel and emissions benefits from such “plug-in” hybrid vehicles. For details, see the December press release by selecting “News Releases,” then “2002 Index” on the EPRI Web site at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

The ARB also announced in January that grants of up to $11,000 per vehicle are available to fleets that purchase ZEVs. The vehicles must be garaged and operated in a community that is not meeting ozone standards and that is disproportionately impacted by poor air quality. See the Fleet ZEV Incentive Program on the ARB Web site at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/zevprog/fleetzip/fleetzip.htm

ChevronTexaco to Use Ethanol in Southern California by May

ChevronTexaco announced last week that it will discontinue its use of MTBE in gasoline blends sold in southern California by May, switching instead to ethanol. In northern California, the company relies primarily on a non-oxygenated blend of gasoline, but plans to completely phase out its use of MTBE by the state-mandated deadline of December 2003. With that announcement, ChevronTexaco became the last major refiner in California to commit to phasing out its use of MTBE. According to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), ChevronTexaco controls 18 percent of the retail gasoline market in the state, which means that the producers of more than 80 percent of the gasoline in the state have committed to phasing out MTBE. See the press releases from ChevronTexaco and the RFA at: [sorry this link is no longer available]
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The U.S. ethanol fuel industry continues to grow. A new farmer-owned plant capable of producing 45 million gallons of ethanol per year started up in late November, and construction began in December on a plant that will be capable of producing 40 million gallons of ethanol per year. In November, the industry set another production record, averaging 166,000 barrels per day. See the RFA press releases at:
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N.Y. Governor Proposes 25 Percent Renewable Power Mandate

New York Governor George E. Pataki proposed last week a requirement for the state to generate 25 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources within ten years. Governor Pataki announced during his annual State of the State Address that he was directing the Public Service Commission to implement the requirement, which is known as a Renewable Portfolio Standard. New York currently produces about 17 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources, primarily hydropower. The governor also proposed that the state adopt carbon dioxide emissions standards for motor vehicles, similar to those proposed in California. See the Governor’s press release at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

The proposal came near the end of the governor’s address, which is available at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

The news was applauded by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), which estimated that the new initiative will eventually generate $100 million dollars a year in income, local tax revenue, and jobs to farmers and communities that host wind power generators in New York. See the AWEA press release at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

Solar Power Installed at the White House and in California

A number of large solar power installations have been installed in recent weeks, including one at a high-profile address: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, better known as the White House. Evergreen Solar, Inc. announced last week that it provided a 9-kilowatt grid-connected solar power system for installation on a White House grounds maintenance building. Solar Design Associates oversaw the installation, which also included two solar thermal systems — one for the pool and spa, and one for domestic hot water. See the January 8th press release from Evergreen Solar at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

Meanwhile, on the other si
de of the country, California continues its leadership in large solar power systems. In late December, Kyocera Solar, Inc. announced that it will provide 2.4 megawatts of solar modules to the California Fair Industry for installation throughout the state. At about the same time, WorldWater Corporation announced that it sold a total of 600 kilowatts of solar water pumping systems to the Joshua Water Basin District in Joshua Tree. Within the next few months, Loyola Marymount University (LMU), located in Los Angeles, will follow the trend by drawing on 723 kilowatts of solar power provided by the PowerLight Corporation. The $4.3-million installation will cover 81,000 square feet of rooftop on three buildings at LMU’s Westchester campus. And on a smaller scale, Prevalent Power recently installed a 37.5-kilowatt solar power system on the roof of a kennel in San Francisco. See the press releases from Kyocera Solar, WorldWater, LMU, and Prevalent Power, respectively, at: [sorry this link is no longer available]
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Solar power installations are progressing in other states as well. In Chicago, Spire Solar Chicago installed two 18-kilowatt systems on affordable multifamily housing developments in December. In New Jersey, Cordis Corporation, a Johnson & Johnson company, installed a 72-kilowatt solar system from PowerLight on a roof at the company’s site in Warren. And on the lighter side, the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) designed a solar-powered doghouse that won the “Most Scientifically Designed Pet House” award from the Orlando Science Center’s Pet House Contest. See the press releases from Spire Solar Chicago, Cordis Corporation and FSEC, respectively, at: http://www.spiresolarchicago.com/solar/News/390SSC.htm
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SITE NEWS

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Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Products Association (AACPA)
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The AACPA promotes the use of autoclaved aerated concrete, a structural building material, in North America. Products include blocks, structural panels, lintels, and cladding panels. According to the AACPA, these products are energy efficient, reducing heating and cooling costs by as much as half.

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ENERGY FACTS AND TIPS

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EIA: U.S. May Draw on Imports for 70 Percent of Oil by 2025

The U.S. dependence on oil imports will grow over the next 22 years, according to DOE’s Energy Information Administration (EIA). Currently, the United States relies on imports to meet 55 percent of its petroleum needs, but by 2025, the EIA projects that percentage will grow to at least 65 percent and perhaps as high as 70 percent. In its Annual Energy Outlook 2002, released last week, the EIA projects that a growing consumer appetite for large vehicles with poor fuel economies will cause the U.S. consumption of energy for transportation to increase 63 percent by 2025, an increase that cannot be met with domestic energy sources.

A similar trend is evident in residential energy consumption, which is projected to grow 26 percent by 2025. According to EIA, using the best available technologies would essentially halt that growth in energy use. To meet the growing U.S. demand for natural gas, the EIA assumes that an Alaskan natural gas pipeline and a pipeline in Canada’s MacKenzie Delta will both be built, as well as several facilities for importing liquefied natural gas (LNG). See the EIA press release at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

Turning to the full report, the EIA projects that renewable energy use will grow at an average rate of 2.2 percent per year through 2025, primarily due to state mandates for renewable electricity generation. About 55 percent of the projected demand for renewable energy in 2025 is for electricity generation and the rest is for distributed heating and cooling, industrial uses (including combined heat and power), and fuel blending with ethanol. See the full report, a 1.96-MB PDF file, on the EIA Web site at:
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