Energy User News articles from December 2003

Energy User News archives from December 2003

California deregulation II: the sequel.(News)
December 1, 2003... California is a state of firsts: first state to deregulate its electricity industry and the first to abandon that free market experiment. Now, having ousted Gov. Gray Davis in a recall vote, at least in part for his handling of the...

Governor Mike Leavitt confirmed as EPA head.(News)
December 1, 2003... WASHINGTON, DC--Utah Governor Mike Leavitt (R) was confirmed October 28 by an 88-8 vote of the U.S. Senate to be the next Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He succeeds Christine Todd Whitman, who resigned in June 2003....

ISO New England Inc.(EunTicker)
December 1, 2003... ISO New England Inc. announced on October 31 that it had filed a proposal with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to create a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) for New England. While FSO New England wiN continue with its...

New York City.(EunTicker)
December 1, 2003... The mid-August blackout, said to be the worst in North American history, test New York City's economy as much as $1 billion, according to a report released on Tuesday by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The event also revealed serious problems with the...

Cogentrix Energy Inc., the privately held power-plant owner based in Charlotte, NC, announced on October 22 that it had completed a years-long search for a buyer.(EunTicker)
December 1, 2003... Cogentrix Energy Inc., the privately held power-plant owner based in Charlotte, NC, announced on October 22 that it had completed a years-long search for a buyer. Goldman Sachs, an investment bank and former Cogentrix advisor, plans to buy 26...

Invensys plc announced that it has signed an agreement to sell its metering business to IMS Meters Holdings Inc.(EunTicker)
December 1, 2003... Invensys plc announced that it has signed an agreement to sell its metering business to IMS Meters Holdings Inc. for $650 million. The sale of the metering business is consistent with a board decision to simplify the group's structure by...

Hydrogenics Corp., a designer and manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cell systems, announced a partnership with IdaTech.(EunTicker)
December 1, 2003... Hydrogenics Corp., a designer and manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cell systems, announced a partnership with IdaTech, the fuel cell subsidiary of IDACORP, Inc., to develop a 50kW fuel cell system that can serve as an independent energy source for...

Reliant Energy.(EunTicker)
December 1, 2003... Reliant Energy announced October 23 that it intends to retire two natural gas- and oil-fired steam units totaling 25 MW at its power generating station at Sayreville, NJ, early next year. The facility also has four combustion turbines totaling...

Duke Energy Corp.(EunTicker)
December 1, 2003... Duke Energy Corp. plans to slash about 2000 jobs, of 8% of its work force, and expects to post a Iowerthan expected annual profit after reporting a 79% drop in its thirdquarter earnings, according to news reports.

States, cities sue EPA over New Source Review.(News)
December 1, 2003... Twelve states and several Northeast cities sued the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on October 27 to try to block the Bush administration's changes to the Clean Air Act (CAA). Specifically at issue is the much-discussed portion of the...

EUN calendar.(News)(Calendar)
December 1, 2003... DECEMBER 4-5 Gas Outlook 2004, Renaissance Houston Hotel, Houston, TX, Center tot Business Intelligence. For more information, contact Steve Ebeling: (781) 939-2419, e-mail: s.ebeling@cbinet.com, or visit: www.cbinet.com/events/...

Plug Power introduces an on-site hydrogen generation system.(News)
December 1, 2003... LATHAM, NY--Plug Power Inc. introduced its newest demonstration product in the days before PowerGen International, in Las Vegas, NV. GenSite will be designed to produce CGA Class B grade compressed hydrogen gas based on Plug Power's proprietary...

WRMA 2003 annual survey finds use of weather contracts triples.(News)
December 1, 2003... MIAMI--The Weather Risk Management Association (WRMA), the international trade organization of the weather risk management industry, announced the number of weather risk manage ment contracts transacted from April 2002 through March 2003 had...

Speaking out: maybe the grid is the least of our problems.(Editorial)
December 1, 2003... The keynote speaker at Powersystems World correctly noted that the August [14.sup.th] blackout that paralyzed the northcast for days could have been much worse. In some ways, he said, we can be thankful that the system worked as well as it did....

Tracking the real environmentalists: they're more mainstream than some groups care to acknowledge.(Green matters: environmental policies)
December 1, 2003... Ever notice how the anti-environment crowd wants everyone to believe that the environmentalists are in the minority? That they wield too much influence for their numbers? And that they're irrational crazies? Have you noticed bow easy it is...

Controlling dynamic power variations in data centers: important energy savings can be obtainsed.
December 1, 2003... Designing and managing the power in mission critical spaces such as network server rooms and data centers is a complicated exercise that gets more complicated with each new stage of technology. The industry generally recognizes the difficulty...

Calibrating building energy simulations: part of M&V for facilities without dedicated utility meters.
December 1, 2003... Computer-based energy simulations performed for buildings in the commercial and private sector are often calibrated using dedicated utility meters; however, dedicated building utility meters are rarely found on large military bases or...

100 kW Turbo Alternator from Elliott.(Products literature & services: metering, lighting, and backup power)
December 1, 2003... Microturbine is capable of producing 100 kW of electrical power and 172 kW of thermal exhaust power. The unit is packaged as an efficient combined heat and power (CHP) genset. Cogeneration usage can consist of hot water, low-pressure steam,...

Compact ballasts for metal halide lamps from Advance.(Products literature & services: metering, lighting, and backup power)
December 1, 2003... Line of compact ballasts for high-wattage metal halide applications is currently available for 1000-W probe-start. 1000-W pulse-start, and 875-W pulsestart metal halide lamp models. The ballasts utilize the industrystandard (4 x 4) core...

CO meter from Extech.(Products literature & services: metering, lighting, and backup power)
December 1, 2003... Carbon monoxide meter measures up to 10,000 ppm, and the backlighting on the display automatically switches on in low light areas. An audible indicator increases in tone up to 30 ppm. Above 30 ppm, a twotone alarm is activated. There is a 0-999...

Falcon SMP series UPS.(Products literature & services: metering, lighting, and backup power)
December 1, 2003... Line-interactive UPS features a liquid crystal display (LCD) display and is available in 500 VA, 700 VA, and lk VA models. In contrast to simple LED lights, the LCD shows over 12 operating parameters and provides explanations. It also gives the...

Paper on UPS technology from Caterpillar.(Products literature & services: metering, lighting, and backup power)
December 1, 2003... Technical paper discusses uninterruptible power supply (UPS) with the company's Kinetic Power Cell Technology. In a comparison with battery-based units, the document details the merits of battery-free backup power sources. Topics include the...

Central station air handling units from Carrier.(Products literature & services: metering, lighting, and backup power)
December 1, 2003... The company's Aero family has expanded to offer new solutions for the largest commercial air handling requirements. For applications demanding up to 33,000 cfm of air delivery, the Aero 39M unit--previously only offered up to size 30-is now...

WEG premium efficiency motors.(Products literature & services: metering, lighting, and backup power)
December 1, 2003... NEMA premium efficiency motors feature cast-iron frames and are available from 1-500 hp in totally enclosed fan-cooled or open drip-proof enclosures. They meet or exceed CEE efficiency levels and qualify for utilitysponsored rebates in many...

Direct incandescent replacement LED lamps from LEDtronics Inc.(Products literature & services: metering, lighting, and backup power)
December 1, 2003... Task/spotlight direct incandescent replacement LED lamps have illuminators with indium gallium aluminum phosphide (InGaAIP) and silicon carbide/gallium-nitride (SiC/GaN) LED technologies, 25-mm Edison-screw bases, and lightmaximizing designs....

DC energy storage systems from Active Power.(Products literature & services: metering, lighting, and backup power)
December 1, 2003... The CleanSource DC line of battery-free energy storage systems has been expanded to include additional power levels and incorporate several changes in the product line. Based on flywheel technology, the new models provide tightly regulated,...

Cummins brochure on on-site cogeneration.(Products literature & services: metering, lighting, and backup power)
December 1, 2003... Brochure describes the benefits of cogeneration systems--including energy efficiency, reduced energy costs, and increased power reliability for commercial, industrial, and institutional power users. Specifically, the brochure details the...

12V165F VRLA battery from EnerSys Inc.(Products literature & services: metering, lighting, and backup power)
December 1, 2003... Valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery has increased power-to-size ratio, the manufacturer says. Through grid and plate optimization, the battery offers an increased capacity to 165 Ah, providing more power in the same standard footprint as...

Solatube daylight dimmer.(Products literature & services: metering, lighting, and backup power)
December 1, 2003... Daylight dimmer for tubular skylights allows the natural lighting level of a room to be turned up of down on demand in both residential and commercial applications. The dimmer utilizes a butterfly baffle design that is driven by an electric...

Environmental regulations favor fuel cells.(News)
December 1, 2003... PALO ALTO. CA--According to a September [30.sup.th] Frost and Sullivan report, and users of portable generators face possible price increases. The increased equipment prices would be caused, in part, by the high costs of technology required to...

SCE deploys verdiem software.(News)
December 1, 2003... SEATTLE, WA--Verdiem, maker of a software utility that measures, manages, and reduces energy consumption in large PC networks, will release this month the enterprise-class Version 2.0 of its popular Surveyor Network Energy Manager. The updated...

New study shows financial benefits of green buildings exceed cost by 10 to 1.(News)
December 1, 2003... WASHINGTON, DC--Investments in green buildings pay for them selves 10 times over, according to a new study for 40 California agencies. The study was conducted by the Capital E group, Lawrence Berkley Laboratory, and participating California...

DOE encouraged by gas storage levels.(News)
December 1, 2003... Washington. DC-Natural gas storage levels surpassed 3 trillion cubic feet, Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham announced on October 13. Abraham noted that he was encouraged that the goal he had set last May had been exceeded. In addition,...

BlueBook finds reduced asset valuation for U.S. power plants; $25 billion lost.(News)
December 1, 2003... SACRAMENTO, CA--Henwood Energy announced the release of the Power Generation BlueBook Advisory Service that offers the first comprehensive independent view of the valuation of U.S. electricity generating plants. "There is a great deal of...

Global warming data supports climate models.(News)
December 1, 2003... SANTA CRUZ, CA--Scientists have filled in a key piece of the global climate picture for a period 55 million years ago that is considered one of the most abrupt and extreme episodes of global warming in Earth's history, according to a University...

Updated guide to state CHP incentives available.(News)
December 1, 2003... WASHINGTON, DC--A number of states, seeking to reduce power prices, improve the reliability of the power grid, and reduce air pollution, have developed policies to encourage combined heat and power (CHP). The American Council for an...

Fuel cell powered by coal mine methane begins operations.(News)
December 1, 2003... WASHINGTON, DC--In a pairing of old and new. FuelCell Energy of Danbury, CT, has begun operating a fuel cell powered by coal mine methane. Funded by the Department of Energy (DOE). the demonstration harnesses the power of a pollutant--methane...

Degree days for selected cities: October.(Marketplace and data: statistics, trends & energy data)
December 1, 2003... Monthly Monthly Cumulative Monthly Deviation Deviation Deviation City Total from Norm from Last Year from Norm Atlanta 82 -44 ...

Weather hedging: Chicago mercantile exchange weather futures prices.(Marketplace and data: statistics, trends & energy data)
December 1, 2003... Each Degree Day Value at $100 per contract CDD Heating Degree Days Location Set Oct Oct Nov Dec Jan Atlanta, GA 37 85 280 595 655 475...

Gas price comparison.(Marketplace and data: statistics, trends & energy data)
December 1, 2003... Breakeven Rates ($/kWh) 4th 1st 2nd Q-02 Q-03 Q-03 Large Office (150,000...

Rankinq of electricity prices commercial.(Marketplace and data: statistics, trends & energy data)
December 1, 2003... Rank Cts/kWh ST UTILITY %Total kWh 1 24.17 AK Bethel Utilities Corp 0.007% 2 23.27 AK Alaska Power C0 0.008% 3 21.47 AK ...

Rebate report.(Marketplace and data: statistics, trends & energy data)
December 1, 2003... Lighting VCDs Technical Envelope Assistance Alabama X X X X Alaska X X Arizona X ...

Ranking of gas utility prices by state commercial.(Marketplace and data: statistics, trends & energy data)
December 1, 2003... Rank State Price/Mcf Rank State Price/Mcf 1 Hawaii 19.97 27 Tennessee 8.74 2 New Hampshire 14.09 28 Wisconsin 8.65 3 Georgia ...