EERE Network News
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July 23, 2008
News and Events
- Renewable and Efficient Inventions Earn Nine R&D 100 Awards for DOE
- Large-Scale U.S. Solar Power Facilities Becoming Commonplace
- Pennsylvania Creates a $500 Million Alternative Energy Fund
- Texas to Spend $4.93 Billion on Transmission Lines for Wind Power
- California Establishes Statewide Green Building Standards
- USDA Awards $6.9 Million for Renewable Energy, Efficiency Projects
Energy Connections
- At Halfway Point, 2008 is the Ninth Warmest Year on Record
News and Events
Renewable and Efficient Inventions Earn Nine R&D 100 Awards for DOE
Researchers at DOE's national laboratories and its Y-12 National Security Complex garnered 30 out of the 100 awards given out by R&D Magazine this year, nine of which were in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy. The annual R&D 100 Awards mark the 100 most technologically significant new products and processes of the year. DOE's Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) were honored with R&D 100 Awards for their innovative work in photovoltaic solar cells, biofuel production technologies, lithium batteries for vehicles, appliance controllers, energy-saving materials, and measurement tools. See the DOE press release.
NREL and PNNL were the only DOE national laboratories to win R&D 100 Awards for renewable energy innovations this year. NREL received two awards for its work in photovoltaic solar cells, one of which was for the inverted metamorphic multi-junction solar cell, a flexible solar cell that is 94% lighter than conventional solar cells and converts solar energy with greater than 40% efficiency. That technology is being commercialized by Emcore Corporation for both space and terrestrial applications. NREL was also recognized for its Hybrid CIGS, a simplified and flexible method of manufacturing thin-film solar cells made of copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS). Developed with HelioVolt, the Hybrid CIGS process involves spraying inks onto common materials, such as metal or glass, and bonding them with a quick process that forms a layer of large-grain CIGS crystals. The technique can be used with complex shapes, allowing photovoltaic layers to be integrated into common building materials. Meanwhile, PNNL contributed to work by Velocys, Inc. to develop a small, modular system to produce biofuels using Fischer-Tropsch catalysts. See the press releases from NREL and Velocys (PDF 62 KB). Download Adobe Reader.
Regarding energy efficiency, both ANL and LBNL won R&D 100 Awards for lithium batteries. ANL teamed up with EnerDel to develop an inexpensive, powerful, and long-lasting lithium-ion battery that costs much less than today's nickel metal-hydride batteries. The use of a nanostructured lithium titanate anode is a key technology for the battery, which could open the door to cheaper hybrids and affordable plug-in hybrids. LBNL also applied nanotechnology to batteries, creating a solid-state lithium battery containing a nanostructured polymer electrolyte. The battery has the high energy density needed for practical electric vehicles, which led start-up company Seeo Inc. to license the technology. ORNL also won for a vehicle-related technology by developing a spectrometer that can take samples in confined spaces like automotive catalytic converters, fuel reformers, or fuel cells. For building technologies, PNNL won for a controller that shuts down appliances when the power grid is under stress. Finally, both ANL and ORNL won additional awards for applying nanotechnology to material surfaces. ANL developed low-friction pump seals that save energy while improving the reliability of industrial pumps, while ORNL developed a inexpensive, easily made water-repellant coating that can reduce the energy needed to propel waterborne vessels or to pump water through pipes. See press releases from ANL, LBNL, ORNL, and PNNL.
Large-Scale U.S. Solar Power Facilities Becoming Commonplace
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Parabolic trough technology uses curved mirrors to concentrate the sun's heat. See a larger version of this photo. |
A spate of announced plans to build large solar power facilities throughout the United States seems to indicate that relatively large-scale systems are becoming commonplace. The trend is most apparent in concentrating solar power (CSP), with a number of facilities in the planning stages with capacities greater than 100 megawatts (MW). One recent example is a plan to build a 106.8-MW CSP plant near Coalinga, California, about 60 miles southwest of Fresno. Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) signed a power purchase contract for the facility with a subsidiary of Martifer Renewables Electricity LLC in June. Slated to start operation in 2011, the facility will produce power from biomass fuels when the sun is not available, allowing for constant power production. In addition, the four largest utilities in New Mexico, including PNM, issued a request for proposals (RFP) in late June to build a CSP plant in the state on the scale of about 100 MW. Bids are due by September 26, and a contract should be issued by January 2009, with the goal of commercial operation by 2012. Both the California and New Mexico facilities will use parabolic trough-shaped mirrors to concentrate the sun's heat. See the PG&E press release and the PNM press release and RFP.
Meanwhile, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) is moving ahead with its plans to deploy solar power in the Sunshine State. The utility plans to build a 75-MW CSP facility at the site of its gas-fired Martin Plant in Indiantown, just east of Lake Okeechobee. The solar thermal facility will help to reduce natural gas consumption at the power plant. But FPL is also making an impressive commitment to solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, with plans to install 25 MW of solar panels at a site in DeSoto County, east of Sarasota. Construction will begin by the end of this year on what will be the world's largest PV power facility (although larger projects are now planned for Europe). FPL will also install a 10-MW PV project at the Kennedy Space Center. The three projects were approved by the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) on July 15. See the FPL press release, the FPL Web page on the Martin Plant, and the Florida PSC press release.
For PV systems, even a 1-MW facility is quite large, and megawatt-scale systems are now planned for many parts of the country. In late April, for instance, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter announced that a megawatt-scale PV system will be installed at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in Pennsylvania. In late May, Duke Energy Carolinas announced plans to buy all the power from a 16-MW PV facility, to be built north of Charlotte, North Carolina. SunEdison LLC is building the facility and expects to have it running by 2010. In mid-June, Pepco Energy Services was awarded a contract to install a 2.36-MW PV system on the roof of the Atlantic City Convention Center in New Jersey, with the installation to be completed by the end of the year, and in late June, enXco agreed to install a 1.3-MW system and a 0.5-MW system on two warehouses in South Plainfield, New Jersey, under a contract with Hall's Warehouse Corporation. But California has always been a leader in solar power, and on July 16 First Solar, Inc. announced that it will install a 2-MW PV system on the roof of a commercial building in Fontana, California, and at least 7.5 MW of ground-mounted PV panels in Blythe, California, with the power from both systems to be sold to Southern California Edison (SCE). See the press releases from Mayor Nutter, Duke Energy, Pepco Energy Services, enXco, and First Solar.
Pennsylvania Creates a $500 Million Alternative Energy Fund
Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell has approved a bill that establishes a $500 million fund to support alternative energy projects. Special Session House Bill 1 authorizes the Commonwealth Financing Authority to borrow $500 million, most of which will be split into six funding sources relating to energy efficiency and renewable energy: $80 million in grants and loans for solar energy projects; $100 million in grants, loans, and rebates for up to 35% of the cost of solar energy projects at residences and small businesses; $165 million in grants and loans for alternative energy projects, excluding solar energy, at businesses and local government facilities; $25 million for wind and geothermal energy projects; $40 million to help start-up businesses involved in energy efficiency technologies; and $25 million in grants and loans to improve the energy efficiency of new and existing homes and small business buildings. An additional $65 million will go toward pollution control technologies and to help low-income families pay their energy bills.
The bill defines alternative energy projects as projects that employ alternative fuels; biomass, wind, solar, and geothermal energy sources; waste energy; waste coal; clean coal technologies; and other energy sources included in the state's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act. It also includes facilities that manufacture products or parts for alternative energy, alternative fuels, energy efficiency, or energy conservation, as well as research and development facilities for alternative energy and alternative fuels. Last but not least, it includes projects "for the development or enhancement of rail transportation systems that deliver alternative fuels or high-efficiency locomotives." The bill places no time limit on the payout of the various funds, and it pays off the debt by drawing $40 million per year from the state's general fund for the next 30 years. See the article from the EERE Network News on the state's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act.
In addition to the $500 million fund, the bill creates a Consumer Energy Program that is funded at $15 million for the next 3 fiscal years, then gradually decreases to $8 million by the 2015-2016 fiscal year, for a total of $100 million. Of that, $92.5 million will support loans, grants, and rebates for up to 25% of the cost of energy efficiency improvements to homes and small businesses, while $5 million will support low-interest loans for energy efficiency improvements to homes. An additional $50 million will be available over the next 8 years to support tax credits for 15% of the cost of alternative energy projects, capped at $1 million per year for each project. See the governor's press release and the full text of the bill (PDF 250 KB). Download Adobe Reader.
Governor Rendell also approved two bills on July 10 that relate to biofuels. House Bill 1202 could add as much as 1 billion gallons of advanced biofuels to the state's fuel supply. It requires all retail diesel fuel sold in the state to contain 2% biodiesel, once the in-state production of biodiesel reaches 40 million gallons per year, increasing incrementally to a 20% biodiesel requirement, once the in-state production of biodiesel reaches 400 million gallons per year (but only if vehicle manufacturers approve the use of 20% biodiesel). Likewise, all retail gasoline sold in the state must contain 10% ethanol, once the in-state production of cellulosic ethanol reaches 350 million gallons per year. The state already has a biodiesel production capacity of 60 million gallons per year, so the 2% biodiesel requirement could go into effect soon, if production is high enough. To encourage biodiesel production, Special Session Senate Bill 22 will offer a subsidy of 75 cents per gallon of biodiesel produced, capped at $1.9 million per year for each producer. The bill also expands a hybrid vehicle rebate program to include plug-in hybrids and other alternative fuel vehicles. See the governor's press release and the full text of HB 1202 (PDF 42 KB) and SB 22 (PDF 20 KB).
Texas to Spend $4.93 Billion on Transmission Lines for Wind Power
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Texas is already host to a number of large wind plants, including the 736-megawatt Horse Hollow Wind Farm and the 278-megawatt King Mountain Wind Ranch, shown here. |
The Public Utility Commission (PUC) of Texas approved a plan on July 17 to build transmission lines to carry up to 18,456 megawatts (MW) of wind power from West Texas and the Texas Panhandle to metropolitan areas of the state. Back in April, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which oversees the state's electrical grid, provided the PUC with four scenarios for transmission system upgrades, with the costs ranging from $2.95 billion to $6.38 billion. The most expensive option would have delivered 24,859 MW of wind power to the cities of Texas, but the PUC chose a less expensive option, Scenario 2, at a cost of $4.93 billion. The PUC estimates that the new lines will be in service within 4 or 5 years, at which point residential customers will be charged about $4 per month to pay off the cost of the transmission lines.
According to ERCOT, the selected plan includes 6,903 MW of wind power capacity that was either in service when ERCOT started preparing its report in September 2007, or had progressed to the point that its developer had signed an agreement to connect the system to the grid. For that existing and near-term future wind power capacity, the new transmission lines will provide greater access to markets, allowing a more efficient and economical use of those wind power resources. In addition, Scenario 2 will allow the development of 11,553 MW of new wind power. That includes 2,393 MW of wind power in the "Panhandle B" zone, which is where a company founded by T. Boone Pickens plans to eventually build the world's largest wind power plant, with a generating capacity of 4,000 MW. The 1,000-MW first phase of that project, the Pampa Wind Project, is expected to go online by early 2011. See the Texas PUC press release (PDF 15 KB); the April press release from ERCOT, which includes a link to the full ERCOT study; and the article from the EERE Network News on the Pampa Wind Project. Download Adobe Reader.
California Establishes Statewide Green Building Standards
The California Building Standards Commission adopted on July 17 a statewide green building code, which the state claims as a first in the nation. The new California Green Building Standards Code contains standards for single-family homes, health facilities, and commercial buildings and will encourage builders to reduce the energy use of their structures to 15% below the energy use that is achieved with the state's mandatory energy efficiency standards. The standards also address onsite renewable energy use, water consumption, green building materials, indoor air quality, and other measures. The new standards will become mandatory for housing in 2010 but are currently optional for all buildings, allowing time for the building industry and local building code officials to adjust to the new standards. After 2010, the green building standards will be updated annually. See the press release (PDF 20 KB) from the California State and Consumer Services Agency and the Green Building Standards Code on the Building Standards Commission Web site. Download Adobe Reader.
California may also be the first state to launch a map-based directory of state-owned facilities that have achieved or are pursuing LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is one of the leading green building certification programs in the country. Under an executive order signed by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2004, all new and renovated state-owned facilities must meet LEED Silver certification requirements, the third-highest level of certification available. You can check the state's progress in a Google Maps interface or view an Excel spreadsheet of the state's green building data. See the Green Building Directory.
USDA Awards $6.9 Million for Renewable Energy, Efficiency Projects
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on July 22 that it will award $6.9 million in loans and grants for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency projects at farms and rural small businesses. The USDA will award the loans and grants to 27 individuals and businesses in seven states: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, Vermont, and Wisconsin. The awards, provided under the Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program of USDA's Rural Development office, often go towards the purchase of more energy-efficient grain dryers, but the current batch of loans and grants will also support the installation of an anaerobic digester at a Wisconsin dairy farm. The digester will convert cow manure into methane, which will be burned in an engine to power a 250-kilowatt generator. In addition, a loan and grant package will support the installation of a reverse osmosis purification unit at a maple syrup business in Vermont. See the USDA press release.
Energy Connections
At Halfway Point, 2008 is the Ninth Warmest Year on Record
The first half of 2008 ranks as the ninth warmest on record, according to global statistics released by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) on July 16. With La Niña conditions depressing sea surface temperatures for much of the beginning of this year, scientist did not expect 2008 to break any temperature records, but the La Niña event has now passed, and warmer ocean temperatures are expected for the remainder of the year. The NCDC, a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), ranks global land temperatures for the first half of the year as the eighth warmest on record, while global ocean temperatures are the tenth warmest on record. For the first half of 2008, global temperatures are 0.79°F above the mean temperature for the 20th century, while the record for the first half of a year was set a decade ago, at 1.15°F above the 20th-century mean. See the NOAA press release and the NCDC's global analysis for June.