Editor’s Note: DOE and the Bureau of Land Management extended the public comment period on solar energy study areas until September 14. See our recent article, the BLM press release on the extension, and the website for the Solar Energy Development Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement.
We also updated two recent stories on wind power and geothermal heat pumps to include detailed information on Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs).
US and China to Cooperate on Climate Change & Energy
The US and China signed an agreement on Tuesday to enhance cooperation between on climate change, energy, and the environment. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) elevates climate change in their relationship, committing them to reach an international agreement that addresses the problem. The MOU also expands cooperation between the two countries to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon global economy.
Specifically, it lays the foundation for expanded cooperation in combating climate change and developing and promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy, smart grid technologies, electric vehicles, and other energy technologies. Under the MOU, the US and China will establish an ongoing dialogue on what they are doing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to advance international climate negotiations in preparation for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December. The MOU was one of the results of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, which was held in Washington, D.C., on Monday and Tuesday.
"Both of our countries understand the importance of clean energy for our economies and for our security," remarked Energy Secretary Steven Chu at the signing ceremony. "Both of us understand the imperative of fighting climate change. What the U.S. and China do in the coming decades will help shape the fate of the world. I’m heartened by the progress we are making. Under President Obama’s leadership, the United States has invested billions of dollars in clean energy and has taken bold steps to improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our vehicles.
"In recent years, China has taken impressive steps to improve energy efficiency, deploy renewable energy, and invest in clean energy technologies. Both our countries, however, must do more. And that’s why today’s agreement is so important. Today’s agreement should send a clear signal that the United States and China are ready to work together on clean energy and climate change. It sets the stage for what I hope will be many years of close cooperation." See the MOU, the remarks at the signing ceremony, and the joint press release on the first round of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue.
Global Clean Energy Investment Nearly Doubles in Second Quarter
Global investments in clean energy rallied in the second quarter (Q2) of 2009, reaching $24.3 billion, according to New Energy Finance. Q2 investments were 83% higher than the first quarter, which only totaled $13.3 billion, but were below that of Q208, which was $36.2 billion.
The research firm attributes most of the gain to increased investment in renewable energy facilities, such as wind and solar plants, as well as successful stock offerings from major renewable energy companies like Vestas, SunPower, and Suntech.
Venture capital and private equity investment remains relatively low, at $1.4 billion. Unfortunately, clean energy investments remained weak in the US, with financing of renewable energy projects at only $1.6 billion, down two-thirds from Q208. See the press release from New Energy Finance (PDF 20 KB).
The outlook is also improving for performance of clean energy stocks. The WilderHill New Energy Global Innovation Index (NEX), which tracks the performance of clean energy stocks worldwide, jumped 36% between April 1 and June 30. That helped to recover some of the index’s losses from 2008, when the NEX lost 61%, and the first quarter of 2009, when the NEX lost another 9%. Overall, at the end of June the NEX was down 53% from its November 2007 high. New Energy Finance credits the recent increases to an uptick in oil prices and optimism over the "green stimulus" packages offered by countries throughout the world, including the US. See the press release from New Energy Finance (PDF 28 KB).
DOE-Funded Clean Energy Research Projects Win 19 R&D 100 Awards
DOE national labs won 46 of 100 awards given out this year by R&D Magazine for the most outstanding technology developments with promising commercial potential, including 19 awards related to energy efficiency and renewable energy.
The coveted R&D 100 Awards are presented annually in recognition of exceptional new products, processes, materials, or software developed throughout the world and introduced into the market the previous year. The awards are selected by an independent panel of judges based on the technical significance, uniqueness, and usefulness of projects and technologies from across industry, government, and academia. See the DOE press release for the list of DOE-funded award winners, and all the R&D 100 Award winners.
For renewable energy, awards went to Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) and Solexant for their joint development of nanocrystal solar cells, which are expected to cut solar cell costs by a factor of five. The solar cells employ tiny semiconductor particles that can be produced at high volume, suspended in liquid, and applied to a substrate using inexpensive processing techniques.
The National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) and SkyFuel, Inc. won a joint award for the SkyTrough solar collector, a parabolic solar concentrator that replaces heavy glass mirrors with a lightweight, weatherproof reflector material. This innovation enabled improvements to the support structure and sun-tracking system, cutting installed costs 35%. Parabolic troughs, such as SkyTrough’s, are typically the most expensive part of concentrating solar power systems.
Pacific Northwest National Lab and Perpetua Power Source Technologies won an award for the Perpetua Power Puck, which generates electricity from temperature differences in its surrounding environment. The Power Puck can replace conventional chemical batteries and can be used for data collection at remote sites, such as monitoring the structural integrity of dams, bridges, and pipelines. See the press releases from LBNL, NREL, and PNNL.
Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) was the big winner for energy efficiency-related technologies, garnering five awards, including one for the first-ever fire-resistive phase-change material, which can provide thermal energy storage when incorporated into the walls and ceilings of buildings. ORNL also won two awards for material processing techniques, including a technology that uses superconducting magnets to cut down on energy used in heat-treating materials, as well as a system that uses light pulses to rapidly heat inks and films to high temperatures, without overheating the paper or plastic substrates on which they are deposited. ORNL also developed a stainless steel that is corrosion-resistant at high temperatures and an improved high-temperature superconducting cable, which can reduce energy losses in the power grid. See the ORNL press release.
Six other R&D 100 Awards went toward innovations related to energy efficiency, including one shared by Ames Laboratory, the National Energy Technology Lab and Reaction Engineering International, which jointly developed a process simulator for designing high-efficiency industrial plants. Argonne National Lab (ANL) won two efficiency-related awards, including one for a hard and slick coating that can allow all types of mechanical systems, such as engines, to operate more efficiently, and one for an improved lithium-ion battery, developed jointly with Envia Systems.
And Sandia National Labs (SNL) won three efficiency-related awards, including one for a power module that can convert electricity from one form to another (such as alternating current to direct current) with only half the power loss of today’s power modules, one for a communications platform that enables optical data transmission and routing with 100 times less power consumption than traditional electronic approaches, and one for an innovative nanotechnology for producing platinum catalysts, which can be used in fuel cells and solar cells. See the press releases from Ames Laboratory, ANL, and SNL.
DOE, Agriculture Department to Award $6.3M for Biofuels Research
DOE and the USDA announced their joint selection of awards of up to $6.3 million over three years toward fundamental genomics research, which may lead to the improved use of plant feedstocks for biofuel production. DOE will provide $4 million for four projects, while USDA will award $2.3 million to three projects.
The projects will focus on developing enhanced versions of poplar trees, alfalfa, and grasses, including Miscanthus, switchgrass, Brachypodium distachyon (purple false brome), and sweet sorghum. Awardees are located in five states: California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, and Nebraska. The grants will be awarded under a joint DOE-USDA program begun in 2006 that is committed to fundamental research in biomass genomics, providing the scientific foundation to facilitate use of lignocellulosic materials for bioenergy and biofuels. See the DOE press release and the list of awards.
DOE Awards $54M for State Energy Programs in Four States
DOE awarded $54 million in Recovery Act funds to Nevada, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin to support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Under DOE’s State Energy Program (SEP), states and territories have proposed statewide plans that prioritize energy savings, create or retain jobs, increase the use of renewable energy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The funds will support loan and grant programs; capital financing programs; building retrofits; building energy code upgrades; LED (light-emitting diode) upgrades for traffic signals and street lights; and funding to install solar renewable energy systems.
For example, Wisconsin will strengthen its manufacturing sector by investing in businesses that manufacture clean energy products and components, such as wind, solar, biofuels, and advanced electrical storage systems. The state will invest in these advanced manufacturing areas and assist companies in retooling facilities or equipment to provide component parts and other critical needs for renewable energy systems and energy efficient technologies. Projects may include advanced battery manufacturing, retrofitting manufacturing facilities to produce wind turbine components, fuel conversion projects from fossil fuels to biomass, and energy efficiency improvements at pulp and paper plants. Vermont will use a portion of its funds to install solar thermal energy systems on the homes of low-income families, providing solar hot water and solar heating for those families.
The Recovery Act appropriated $3.1 billion to the State Energy Program, giving priority to achieving national goals of energy independence while helping to stimulate local economies. For the four states, the new funds represent 40% of the State Energy Program funds available to them under the Recovery Act, following an initial 10% of the funds that were awarded to support planning activities. The second half of the funds will be released when they meet the reporting, oversight, and accountability milestones required by the Recovery Act. See the SEP Web site, and check the state-by-state list of funding and energy plans in the DOE press release.
"Cash for Clunkers" Rebate Program Gets Rolling
The program, which formally took effect July 24, offers up to $1 billion in rebates to U.S. residents who trade in older cars and trucks for more efficient vehicles. The program, which the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) calls the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), covers sales or leases starting on July 1, and is scheduled to run through October 31 or until funding runs out. Rebates range from $3,500 to $4,500, depending on the fuel economy of the vehicles involved, and the DOT estimates the program will remove about 250,000 inefficient vehicles from the roads. The DOT will hold a Webinar for car dealers on Monday, July 27, and has established a toll-free hotline for consumers at 866-227-7891. See the DOT press release and the CARS Web site.
Generally, to qualify for the stipend, the vehicles must not be older than 25 years, must be drivable, and must have a combined fuel economy of 18 miles per gallon (mpg) or less as certified by the U.S. EPA. New vehicles must have a combined fuel economy of at least 22 mpg, while new SUVs and small and medium-sized pickup trucks and vans (collectively called "category 1 trucks") must have a combined fuel economy of at least 18 mpg. To earn the maximum rebate, new cars must have a combined fuel economy of at least 10 mpg higher than the traded-in cars. A Category 1 truck earns the maximum rebate with a 5 mph improvement over the surrendered truck. Under CARS, all vehicles traded in must be junked, though some parts may be salvaged. For a complete rundown on the program, see the previous article from this newsletter and the DOT final rule (PDF 446 KB).
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EREE Network News is a weekly publication of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
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