Weekly Clean Energy Roundup:November 3, 2004

News and Events

• Federal Employees Receive DOE Awards for Saving Energy
• Fuel Cells Help the U.S. Military Meet its Power Needs
• WestStart Launches Utility Deployment of 20 Hybrid Trucks
• U.S. Wind Industry Predicts Record Growth in 2005
• California Continues to Pursue Solar Power in a Big Way
• Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Promote Growth of Green Power

Site News

• NowHouse Project Now Open in San Francisco and on the Web

Energy Connections

• DOE, EPA, and Non-Profits Emphasize Ways to Cut Heating Bills

News and Events

Federal Employees Receive DOE Awards for Saving Energy

The efforts of 27 individuals, teams, and organizations throughout the federal government yielded almost $39 million in energy savings in the past year. In honor of those achievements, DOE presented the 2004 Federal Energy and Water Management Awards last week to employees of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy; DOE and the departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and Interior; the Environmental Protection Agency; the General Services Administration; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and the Social Security Administration. One naval facility also received an Energy Star Building Award for superior building performance. Presented each year since 1981, the awards are sponsored by DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP).

The 2004 winners purchased green power; drew on renewable energy sources such as landfill gas and solar, wind, and geothermal energy; installed fuel cells and combined heat and power technologies; implemented energy savings performance contracts and utility-financed contracts, which use private funds to cut federal energy costs; and employed energy efficient technologies and strategies such as daylighting, reflective roofing, high-performance windows, high-efficiency lighting, motion detectors, and efficient heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems. See the DOE press release.

The U.S. military led several noteworthy efforts this year, including the installation of geothermal heat pumps at an Army base in Korea; the use of sea water, a deep well, and off-peak thermal storage to meet cooling needs at a naval base in Hawaii; a strategy to avoid fuel dumping by fighter jets that saved more than 126,000 gallons of fuel; efforts aboard two naval ships that cut fuel costs by more than $1 million; and upgrades of air compressor systems at five military bases. See the complete list of the 2004 winners on the FEMP Web site.

Fuel Cells Help the U.S. Military Meet its Power Needs

Fuel cells of all sizes are now helping to meet the power needs of the U.S. military. The Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, for instance, is now using a 5-kilowatt fuel cell to provide power and hot water to its fire station. The military is also exploring the use of fuel cells to power its vehicles: Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. recently provided a 10-kilowatt fuel cell to the U.S. Army’s National Automotive Center (NAC), which has incorporated it into a vehicle called the “Quantum AMV” (Alternative Mobility Vehicle). Nicknamed the “Aggressor,” the vehicle features “far superior acceleration” compared to traditional all-terrain vehicles, can also operate in a virtually silent “stealth” mode, and can serve as a portable generator in the field. See the announcements from the U.S. Air Force and Quantum and visit the NAC Web site.

On a smaller scale, IdaTech unveiled on Monday a portable methanol-powered fuel cell system to be delivered to the Army to recharge batteries in the field. The lunchbox-size prototype produces 150 watts of power, although the system delivered to the Army will generate 250 watts. IdaTech plans to offer the system commercially. A similar energy source is under development by MTI MicroFuel Cells, which is under contract with the Army and the U.S. Marine Corps to develop methanol-powered fuel cells for field operations. The devices provide twice the energy of batteries in the same amount of space. The company will deliver five fuel cell devices to Army Special Operations Forces within the next 10 months. See the press releases from IdaTech and MTI MicroFuel Cells.

WestStart Launches Utility Deployment of 20 Hybrid Trucks

WestStart announced in mid-October that Eaton Corporation and International Truck and Engine Corporation have been selected to build more than 20 pre-production hybrid-electric work trucks for deployment at 13 utilities across the United States. The trucks promise to increase fuel efficiency by 40 to 60 percent while also serving as power sources at work sites. The trucks are early versions of vehicles that may be commercially available within the next four years, and are being evaluated by utilities as part of the Hybrid Truck Users Forum (HTUF), a joint program of WestStart and the U.S. Army’s National Automotive Center.

WestStart bills itself as the nation’s leading advanced transportation technology industry organization, with the participation of more than 115 companies and agencies. Its California operating division does business as CALSTART. According to WestStart, the United States could take the lead on hybrid trucks, as there are already more than 10 leading U.S. manufac
turers of heavy-duty hybrid propulsion systems. See the WestStart press release and the HTUF Web site.

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation, is also pursuing hybrid electric trucks, and has just placed 10 hybrid electric delivery trucks into service in New York City. The FedEx hybrid electric vehicle decreases particulate emissions by 96 percent and travels 57 percent farther on a gallon of fuel. The New York launch is a joint initiative with Environmental Defense, Eaton Corporation, and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and follows the March launch of two FedEx hybrid electric trucks. See the FedEx press release.

U.S. Wind Industry Predicts Record Growth in 2005

The growth in U.S. wind energy capacity next year is expected to break all previous records, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). In 2001, a record 1,696 megawatts of new wind power capacity, was set in 2001, but AWEA says that some industry participants are predicting more than 2,500 megawatts of new wind power in 2005. The surge in new wind power projects is due to the recent extension of the production tax credit, which is allowing many previously stalled projects to move ahead. But with the tax credit now expiring at the end of 2005, developers will rush to put their projects in place before that deadline. See the AWEA press release.

The latest example of this “wind rush” comes from Xcel Energy, which announced last week that it will buy power from two new large wind plants to be developed in Texas and New Mexico. The two projects include a 160-megawatt wind facility near Wildorado, Texas, about 30 miles west of Amarillo, and a 120-megawatt facility near Elida, New Mexico, about 60 miles northeast of Roswell. The facilities will be developed by Cielo Wind Power and Padoma Wind Power LLC and should be operating before the end of next year. The company also announced in early October that it is attempting to expedite a process to procure up to 500 megawatts of renewable energy – predominantly wind power – in Colorado. See the Xcel Energy press releases from October 1st and October 22nd.

Some utilities are also pursuing smaller wind power projects. Northern Power Systems, Inc. announced in mid-October that it will ship seven of its 100-kilowatt cold-weather wind turbines to the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative, based in Anchorage. The turbines will be shipped next summer and installed in three Alaska villages, two of which are on St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea. See the Northern Power press release.

California Continues to Pursue Solar Power in a Big Way

People and organizations across the United States are increasingly interested in solar power, but California continues to lead the way in terms of large installations. WorldWater & Power Corporation recently marked the completion of a 1-megawatt installation at Cerro Coso Community College in Ridgecrest and a 268-kilowatt water-pumping system on a citrus ranch in San Diego County. See the Cerro Coso Web site and the press releases from October 20th and 22nd on the WorldWater & Power Web site.

Projects currently planned for the Golden State include a 900-kilowatt system atop the FedEx Corporation’s hub at the Oakland International Airport, a 269-kilowatt system to be installed in Cathedral City by Honeywell, and a 225-kilowatt installation at a wastewater treatment facility in San Francisco. And today, the El Dorado Irrigation District (EID), located east of Sacramento, will issue a request for proposals for a 900-kilowatt system at one of its wastewater treatment facilities. Proposals will be due by the end of this month. Even the state’s schools are getting in the act, as the California Energy Commission (CEC) is providing $4.5 million in grants to 30 schools to install a total of 700 kilowatts of solar power. See the announcements from FedEx, Honeywell, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the EID, and the CEC.

Of course, California doesn’t have a monopoly on solar power projects, and one of its nearest neighbors is part of the competition: the Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD) in Nevada announced plans in October to build a 3.1-megawatt solar power system, with construction starting next year. Meanwhile, in Vermont, NRG Systems, Inc. – a manufacturer of wind energy assessment systems – has installed a 67-kilowatt solar power system on its new energy-efficient manufacturing facility and office building. That may not sound like much by comparison, but so far, it’s the largest in the state. See the announcements from LVVWD and NRG Systems.

Pennsyl
vania and Massachusetts Promote Growth of Green Power

Pennsylvania and Massachusetts are promoting green power, which is gaining momentum in the Northeast region. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced in mid-October that the state would double its purchase of green power for state facilities to 10 percent. Under four-year contracts with Community Energy Inc. and Strategic Energy LLC, the state will purchase 100,000 megawatt-hours a year from renewable sources such as wind and hydropower. However, the state also includes power from waste coal in its tally of green power sources. Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) has offered to match the premiums paid by green power customers, providing up to $2.5 million annually in grants that will help develop renewable energy in the state. See the DEP and MTC press releases, and visit MTC’s new Clean Energy Choice Web site.

DOE, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) honored 19 individuals and organizations in early October with the Green Power Leadership Awards. The awards, recognizing the leading U.S. green power purchasers and suppliers, are posted on the EPA Web site.

Looking to buy green power? Check out the new “Guide to Purchasing Green Power,” prepared by DOE, the EPA, CRS, and the World Resources Institute. And if you’re part of a utility that’s looking to sell green power, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) recently published the “Green Pricing Resource Guide,” written by Ed and Meredith Holt. See the AWEA press release, or go directly to the guide (PDF 433 KB).

Site News

NowHouse Project Now Open in San Francisco and on the Web

The NowHouse, a demonstration home located in the parking lot of SBC ballpark in San Francisco, California, is open to the public through December 20th. The NowHouse incorporates a number of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies, including a tankless water heater, radiant barriers, solar photovoltaic roofing, and solar water heaters. Its optimized climate controls include high efficiency air conditioners and a mini-duct air distribution system. The well-insulated home also features Energy Star windows, doors, and appliances. Visit the NowHouse Web site.

Energy Connections

DOE, EPA, and Non-Profits Emphasize Ways to Cut Heating Bills

There’s one topic that non-profit organizations and the federal government are in strong agreement about: the many ways to save energy at home this winter. With winter heating bills expected to be among the highest in recent memory, DOE, the Alliance to Save Energy (ASE), the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are all providing tips on saving energy. The Powerful $avings campaign, a joint effort of DOE and ASE, offers six smart energy practices and suggests nine home efficiency improvements. The ACEEE lists the top five “musts” to cut winter heating bills, and recommends its “Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, 8th Edition.” And the DOE/EPA Energy Star program has published “A Guide to Energy-Efficient Heating and Cooling,” noting that homeowners can save up to 20 percent on annual energy costs by making energy-efficient improvements to their heating and cooling systems. When heating equipment reaches 15 or more years of age, DOE and the EPA recommend that homeowners consider a more energy-efficient replacement. See the ASE and ACEEE press releases and the October 25th announcement on the Energy Star Web site.

DOE’s Energy Savers Web site also provides a plethora of information about how to save energy and use renewable energy in your home. See the Energy Savers Web site.

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