Weekly Clean Energy Roundup: Feb. 19, 2003

News and Events

Venezuelan Oil Crisis Tightens World Oil Supplies

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NEWS AND EVENTS

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DOE Launches “Climate VISION” to Cut Greenhouse Gases

DOE announced a new voluntary partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions last week. The new “Climate VISION,” launched by DOE on behalf of the Bush Administration, is a public-private partnership to pursue cost-effective initiatives that will reduce the projected growth in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. The “VISION” in the title stands for “Voluntary Innovative Sector Initiatives: Opportunities Now.” It will be administered through DOE’s policy and international program. See the DOE press release at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

President Bush issued a statement in support of the new partnership. See the President’s statement on the White House Web site at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

In an accompanying fact sheet, DOE spelled out a number of energy efficiency and renewable energy commitments that are part of the partnership. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute committed to increasing the energy efficiency of refinery operations by 10 percent in the next 10 years, through such measures as increased use of combined heat and power facilities — an approach echoed by the American Forest and Paper Association. Both the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the American Public Power Association committed to expand the generation of power from renewable energy — including greater use of landfill gas, wind power, hydropower, and biofuels — through such measures as green pricing (the sale of green power at a premium price). Specific energy efficiency targets were also announced by the National Mining Association, the American Iron and Steel Institute, the Association of American Railroads, and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. See the DOE fact sheet:: [sorry this link is no longer available]

Another important participant is a group called the Business Roundtable, which launched its own “Climate RESOLVE” initiative to meet the President’s greenhouse gas emissions goals. The participating companies collectively generate about one-third of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. See the Business Roundtable press release: [sorry this link is no longer available]

Marines, Tucson Utility to Add Large Solar Power Facilities

Two planned solar power installations, both greater than one megawatt in generating capacity, were announced in February. The projects are to be installed at the Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command (MAGTFTC) in Twentynine Palms, California, and as an addition to Tucson Electric Power’s existing 2.4-megawatt solar array at Springerville Generating Station in eastern Arizona.

At Twentynine Palms, Johnson Controls, Inc. will install a 1.1-megawatt solar power plant as part of a $51 million energy and facility system upgrade program. The program, performed under an Energy Savings Performance Contract, also includes a major air conditioning system upgrade to serve more than 30 buildings and improved lighting controls and skylights in a dozen warehouses. Construction should begin this month. See the Johnson Controls press release at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

At the Springerville Generating Station, Global Solar Energy will provide both crystalline silicon and thin-film cadmium telluride solar panels totaling more than one megawatt in capacity. See the February 10th press release from Global Solar: http://www.globalsolar.com/mediacenter/index.htm

U.S. Air Force Base, Kinko’s, and World Bank Buy Green Power

The ability of companies and other organizations to reduce their environmental impact and support the development of renewable energy through green power purchases has a growing appeal to a wide range of organizations, as demonstrated by last week’s green power purchases by a U.S. Air Force Base, Kinko’s Inc., and the World Bank.

Dyess Air Force Base, located near Abilene, Texas, became the largest purchaser of green power in the country last week when it agreed to buy 100 percent of its electricity needs from wind power offered by TXU Energy. The contract totals 78 million kilowatt-hours per year and runs for two years. See the TXU press release at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

Kinko’s, a veteran green-power purchaser, has expanded its nationwide purchases of green power by 37 percent, to an estimated total of 11.2 million kilowatt-hours per year. Sixty-six Kinko’s locations in California, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington have recently joined in the company’s commitment to green power. See the Kinko’s press release at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

The World Bank also joined the ranks of green power purchasers last week, when it announced an agreement to buy 10 percent of the electricity used in its Washington, D.C. offices from renewable energy sources. Pepco Energy Services (PES) will draw on wind energy for 60 percent of the green power and landfill gas and other biomass energy sou
rces for the remaining 40 percent. See the February 11th press release by selecting “News & Media,” then “Press Releases,” on the World Bank Web site: http://www.worldbank.org

Drilling Underway for First Commercial Hot Dry Rock Facility

The first commercial endeavor to develop geothermal power from a hot dry rock (HDR) resource is now underway in Australia. With the help of a $5 million federal grant, Geodynamics Limited began drilling its “Habanero 1” well on Saturday. The well will extend about 3 miles under South Australia’s Cooper Basin to tap one of the world’s hottest geothermal resources. When the well is complete in 10 to 12 weeks, it is expected to reach an underground “hot spot” where rocks achieve temperatures of about 554 degrees Fahrenheit. See the Geodynamics Limited press release at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

Unlike today’s geothermal power plants, which draw on existing underground reservoirs of water and steam heated b y the earth, HDR technology draws energy from underground hot spots where no water exists. The technology involves drilling a well down to the hot rock, injecting high-pressure water to fractionate the rock — creating a reservoir of fissures filled with water — and then drilling a separate well to draw hot water back up from the reservoir. The hot water is used to produce power on the surface, then injected back into the first well. For further information, see the Geodynamics Limited Web site at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

Microturbines Provide Onsite Power to Offshore Oil Platforms

Since emerging on the commercial market a few years ago, microturbines have proven to be an effective technology for onsite power production, provided that a fuel such as natural gas or propane is available. Because of those qualities, microturbines are now being used in a place you might not expect: offshore oil platforms. After installing a 30-kilowatt Capstone microturbine on a North Sea oil platform in 2001, Geveke Oil & Gas recently received a follow-up order from the same company, Clyde Petroleum. Geveke will install four 60-kilowatt Capstone microturbines along with a diesel generator on Clyde’s new oil platform on the Dutch Continental Shelf. Geveke will also install a 30-kilowatt Capstone turbine on an offshore oil platform owned by BP Nederland Energie. All of the Geveke installations are fueled by wellhead gas and serve as the prime power sources for the oil platforms. See the press release and a related case study from Geveke Oil & Gas at:
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A company called Zeus Development Corporation sees a potential for such distributed power technologies to turn oil platforms into offshore power plants. Combined with high-voltage direct current (HVDC) undersea transmission cables, power plants on oil platforms could supply power to other nearby platforms or even to the mainland. Alternately, the same technology could bring onshore power to offshore platforms. Zeus is sponsoring a conference in Houston next week to present the results of its recent study on these technologies. See the company’s Web site at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

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SITE NEWS

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Renewable Energy Policy Project (REPP) Discussion Groups
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REPP hosts discussion groups on a range of renewable energy and energy efficiency topics, including bioenergy, green building, green power, solar power, and strawbale construction. The bioenergy discussion groups include the specific topics of bioconversion, digestion, gasification, and stoves. The site provides links to simple online forms for signing up to the discussion groups, or you can browse the archives online.

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ENERGY FACTS AND TIPS

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Venezuelan Oil Crisis Tightens World Oil Supplies

The latest Energy Situation Analysis Report, published by DOE’s Energy Information Administration (EIA), paints a picture of tightening world oil supplies, due largely to a reduced output of oil from Venezuela. A general strike in Venezuela has hampered oil production there, although the February production rates are beginning to trend upward. To compensate for the loss of Venezuelan oil, OPEC (the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)increased its production; at this point, EIA estimates that OPEC countries other than Venezuela and Iraq have at most 2.5 million barrels per day in excess oil production capacity that could be brought online to meet an oil supply crisis. Most of that spare capacity is located in Saudi Arabia. Nigeria, which is under a labor strike, is currently producing about 2.2 million barrels per day.

Domestically, U.S. commercial crude oil inventories (excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) are at their lowest level since October 1975. Prices for crude oil, gasoline, and heating oil have been gradually trending upward since the beginning of 2002. See the EIA’s Energy Situation Analysis Report at: [sorry this link is no longer available]

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