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Plug Power, Ballard Receive $3.5M DoD Funding

Plug Power Inc. and Ballard Power Systems Inc. have been awarded $3.5 million by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to collaborate on the next phase of fuel cell systems development to support the DoD’s Continuity of Operations (COOP) initiative. Plug Power and Ballard have worked together since early 2006 on backup power applications that target the U.S. DoD and Department of Homeland Security and other government agencies. The companies will continue to work collaboratively on a modular and scaleable fuel cell system for use in telecommunication and other mission-critical backup applications. Prototype system trials are expected to be deployed in 2008 with both government and commercial customers. Government investment enabled first-phase technology evaluation of the backup power solution. This further funding, for the second phase, will facilitate delivery of systems to customers for validation of product requirements. “This award from the Department of Defense accelerates joint development activities that move us toward a product that supports the critical infrastructure needs of public and private clients across a number of applications and industries,” said Roger Saillant, Plug Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “The funding acts as a catalyst that unites Plug Power’s established leadership in the development and commercialization […]

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DOE Provides $20M to Plug-In Development

The US DOE announced it will invest nearly $20 million in plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) research. Five projects have been selected for negotiation of awards under DOE’s collaboration with the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) for $17.2 million in DOE funding for PHEV battery development projects and; DOE will provide nearly $2 million to the University of Michigan (U-M) to spearhead a study exploring the future of PHEVs. DOE funding announced today will help advance President Bush’s Twenty in Ten Plan, which aims to displace twenty percent of gasoline usage by 2017 through greater use of clean, renewable fuels and increased vehicle efficiency. PHEVs have the potential to displace a large amount of gasoline by delivering up to 40 miles of electric range without recharging ­ a distance that would include most daily roundtrip commutes. “These projects will help provide the perspective and expertise necessary to get plug-in hybrid electric vehicles out of the laboratory and into the showroom, a key part of the President’s plan to reduce our reliance on oil by increasing the use of clean energy technologies,” Assistant Secretary Kolevar said. “The Department remains committed to working with our national labs, universities, industry and automakers to […]

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Economic Models Overestimate the Costs of Energy and Climate Policies

Testifying today at the U.S. House Science Subcommittee on Research and Science Education today, ACEEE Senior Economist for Technology Policy John A. “Skip” Laitner said that “most current economic policy models substantially overestimate the costs of energy and climate policies, because they consistently overlook the economic benefits of energy savings from accelerated adoption of energy-efficient technologies, changing social preferences, and more energy-aware behaviors.” Laitner’s testimony indicated two principal problems with the current generation of economic models. The first is that most economic policy models have underestimated the potential for energy productivity gains from policy initiatives, which save consumers and businesses money; thus creating an economic stimulus. The second is that they overestimate the costs of achieving increased levels of energy efficiency, which creates an exaggerated portrayal of economic impacts of many policies. The result, he stated, is “an inaccurately diminished picture of the energy efficiency resource. These fundamental modeling problems have large and important implications for both energy policy and climate change mitigation policy.” Laitner acknowledged that “the good news is that while there is clear room for improvement in modeling methodology, we already know how to make these corrections.” Still, he cautioned, “Congress needs better energy policy evaluations, and […]

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Tactics Questioned in Emissions Lobbying

A key congressional Democrat on Monday accused the White House of working behind the scenes “to stack the deck” against California’s efforts to impose new restrictions on vehicle greenhouse-gas emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency’s decision whether to permit the state to impose its own standards is “supposed to be made on the merits,” said Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles). But, he asserted, administration officials — led by Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters — have worked to rally members of Congress and governors from vehicle-producing states to oppose California’s efforts. Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, leveled his accusation of improper lobbying in a letter to James L. Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The administration’s effort, Waxman wrote, “suggests political considerations — not the merits of the issue — will determine how EPA acts.” The federal Clean Air Act allows California to set antipollution standards stricter than the federal government’s, but only if the EPA waives a provision in the act stating that federal standards supersede state standards. California applied for such a waiver in 2005, but the request remained in legal limbo until the Supreme Court’s ruling in April […]

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Sun-Powered Homes Defy a Cool Housing Market

With foreclosures rising and home prices diving, there is a bright spot in California’s residential real estate market: Solar-powered homes are starting to outsell traditionally electrified new homes in several markets, and developers are stepping up their use of the technology. Perhaps it’s only fitting for a state that so openly celebrates its sunshine. Still, the growing popularity of household solar power is an encouraging sign for the thousands of solar enthusiasts and vendors gathering in Long Beach this week. “Those builders are seeing that they’ll get more buyers coming to their developments when they have solar. They sell like hot cakes,” said Bernadette del Chiaro, energy specialist at the advocacy group Environment California. Julie Blumden, a vice president at SunPower Corp., a San Jose-based manufacturer of solar roof tiles, said builders using solar were selling homes faster than nonsolar competitors — an important factor in a slow market. “The increase in sales velocity is actually paying for the solar systems,” she said. SunPower, which sells its solar tiles to builders including Lennar Homes and Grupe Co., said it had orders to provide solar systems for 3,000 new homes in California in the coming years. “The last time we saw […]

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Largest Green Ski Development Planned in Colorado

A Colorado company is unveiling details surrounding a $1 billion resort called Ever Vail that promises to be the largest green development of its kind. Vail Resorts Inc. is planning the development at the base of Vail Mountain on 9.5 acres and says it will use a variety of green building techniques, including the use of geothermal heating, hydrogen power, reclaimed water and living roofs. “Our announcement today is just the beginning of many more to come about our efforts to make sure Ever Vail is on the cutting edge of green building,” said Rob Katz, CEO at Vail Resorts. “We hope it will become a symbol of our intrinsic relationship with the spectacular mountain environment in which we operate. Ever Vail will be the largest multi-use resort development certified through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program of the U.S. Green Building Council, the company said.

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Ecuador Makes Momentous Move: Foregoes Oil Revenue to Protect Rainforest

In a historic move, Ecuador has decided to leave its largest oil reserve unexploited to protect its rainforest. Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa made the announcement at the United Nations meeting of world leader’s on global climate change taking place in New York. The Yasun -ITT Initiative is unprecedented by an oil exporting country – oil provides one third of the country’s revenue. Correa said he believes the value of avoiding climate change and deforestation is of greater value to Ecuador and the planet as a whole, and that this is the country’s first step in a transition toward the world’s first truly sustainable economy. This is the first time a country has thought beyond its borders to consider the health of the planet as a whole. Ecuador plans to transform its economy and pursue energy independence by supporting alternative energy use and increasing opportunities for job creation. A key part of this initiative is to avoid oil extraction activities in Yasuni National Park, home to at least two indigenous tribes that live in voluntary isolation and one of the most biodiverse places on earth. Ecuador proposes to leave the nearly one billion barrel ITT oilfield unexploited in order to preserve […]

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