Energy Conservation News articles from April 2002

Energy Conservation News archives from April 2002

OUTLOOK: Tracking Efficiency Tax Incentives.
April 1, 2002... While federal incentives for energy efficiency investment have been weak, a number of states have taken significant steps to encourage energy efficiency through sales tax waivers or income tax credits for purchases of energy-efficient...

Analysis: CAF Not Cost-Effective.
April 1, 2002... According to CAF-The Numbers Behind the Story (published in March) by Randall Lutter, Fellow, AEI-Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies (1150 17th St., NW, Washington, DC 20036), CAF standards are not the most rational or cost-effective...

Deregulation Saves in Texas.
April 1, 2002... Retail Energy Markets, a new research report released in March by XENERGY (3 Burlington Woods, Burlington, MA 01803; Tel: 781/273- 5700, Fax: 781/229-4867), reveals that electric deregulation in Texas has resulted in major benefits for both...

GOVERNMENT: DOE Funds Industrial Research.
April 1, 2002... In early April, DOE announced awards of more than $2 million for cost-shared projects to improve energy efficiency in industrial processes. The awards are part of DOE's Industries of the Future Best Practices Program, which focuses on the nine...

ENERGY MANAGEMENT/FINANCING GAO Says TVA Not Using DSM Optimally.
April 1, 2002... According to a March U.S. General Accounting Office report, "TVA Plans to Reduce Air Emissions Further, but Could Do More to Reduce Power Demand" (see http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d02301.pdf), although TVA's (400 W. Summit Hill Dr., Knoxville,...

Achieving Greater Demand Response.
April 1, 2002... In mid-March an Information Exchange was held at the SMUD Energy Technology Center. The purpose of the workshop was to gather information on the effectiveness of various forms of emergency demand response and dynamic pricing tariffs operated in...

COMMERCIAL: Efficient Solutions to Drought, Shortages.
April 1, 2002... Watergy: Taking Advantage of Untapped Energy and Water Efficiency Opportunities in Municipal Water Systems (see http://www.ase.org/programs/international/watergyfull.pdf), published by the Alliance to Save Energy (ASE, 1200 18th St., NW, Suite...

Good Payback from Chiller Replacements.
April 1, 2002... The national economic downturn has slowed replacement in buildings of comfort cooling chillers that use chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and manufacturers predict that by year end 48% of the original 80,000 CFC chillers will still rely on the...

Funds Okayed for Web Server Farms.
April 1, 2002... The California Energy Commission is funding a research project to trim the electricity used by Internet server farms or "server hotels" in the state by at least 30%. The commission will contribute $500,000 to the Lawrence Berkeley National...

INDUSTRIAL: High Energy Magnet Developed.
April 1, 2002... Magnequench, Inc. (6435 Scatterfield Rd., Anderson, IN 46013-9606; Tel: 888/335-0258, Fax: 765/648-5060; Email: infopowder@mqii.com, Website: www.magnequench.com) and Daido Steel Co., Ltd. (Kogin Bldg., 1-11-18, Nishiki, Naka-ku, Nagoya,...

TRANSPORTATION: Bio-Diesel for Bus Fleet.
April 1, 2002... The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is awarding $320,000 to the NOCO Energy Corp. (100 James Ave., Tonawanda, NY 14150-7750; Tel: 716/874-8150) for two projects to develop and use bio-diesel fuel in the...

Civic Re-design Yields 30% Efficiency.
April 1, 2002... The fuel economy of the newly released 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid is 30% greater than last year's model. Achieving 46 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 51 mpg on the highway with the 5-speed manual transmission, the Civic Hybrid can travel...

"Small" Vehicles Are Still Safe.
April 1, 2002... A new report on auto safety finds that the average sport utility vehicle or pickup truck is more dangerous than most cars on the road, when the risk posed to other drivers is taken into account. The report also shows that, contrary to...

UTILITIES/POWER GENERATION Solar Cells You Could Wear.
April 1, 2002... University of California, Berkeley, chemists have found a way to make cheap plastic solar cells flexible enough to paint onto any surface and potentially able to provide electricity for wearable electronics or other low-power devices. The...

Highly Efficient FuelCell/Turbine.
April 1, 2002... FuelCell Energy, Inc. (3 Great Pasture Rd., Danbury, CT 06813; Tel: 203/825-6000; Email: dferenz@fce.com, Website: http://www.fuelcellenergy.com), a developer and manufacturer of Direct FuelCell power plants, has received U.S. Patent 6,365,290,...

Energy Production from Wastewater Plants.
April 1, 2002... According to ThermoEnergy Corp. (1300 Tower Bldg., 323 Center St., Little Rock, AR 72201; Tel: 501/376-6477, Fax: 501/244-9203; Website: http://www.thermoenergy.com), the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office has allowed all claims for its latest...

APPLIANCES: Chipset Reduces Power Needs.
April 1, 2002... Lucent Technologies' (600 Mountain Ave., Murray Hill, NJ 07974; Tel: 908/582-8500 or 888/458-2368, Fax: 908/508-2576; Website: http://www.lucent.com) Bell Labs scientists have developed a chipset that dramatically increases the efficiency of a...

ASHRAE Guide for Heat Exchangers.
April 1, 2002... Design and installation of energy-efficient ground-source heat pump (GSHP) systems are straightforward engineering exercises. The key is site characterization to select the optimum heat exchanger for the building and site. "Understanding a...

HVAC: First Variable Screw Chiller.
April 1, 2002... Carrier Corp. (One Carrier Place, Farmington, CT 06034; Tel: 860/674-3000 or 800/227-7437, Fax: 860/674-3139; Website: http://www.carrier.com) has unveiled "Evergreen VSS," a new technology that combines HFC-134a non-ozone-depleting refrigerant...

LIGHTING: Sandia Joins Revolution in Solid-State Lighting.
April 1, 2002... According to Sandia Laboratory (Website: http://www.sandia.gov), some 25 of their researchers are working on an project that will establish the fundamental science and technology base to replace the country's primary lighting source,...

Fiber Optic Prototype Wins Awards.
April 1, 2002... Steven Winter Associates' (SWA, 50 Washington St., Norwalk, CT 06854; Tel: 203/857-0200, Fax: 203/852-0741; Website: www.swinter.com) passive fiber optic daylighting technology received a 2002 Science Innovative Housing Technology Award from...

INDUSTRY NEWS: U.S. Energy Systems Posts Strong Earnings.
April 1, 2002... U.S. Energy Systems, Inc. (1 North Lexington Ave., White Plains, NY 10601; Tel: 914/993-6443, Fax: 914/993-5190; Website: http://www.usenergysystems.com), which operates in combined heat and power markets, had revenues for fiscal year 2001 of...

RESOURCES: Consumer's Guide to Small Wind Systems.
April 1, 2002... The National Renewable Energy Lab has published Small Wind Electric Systems: A U.S. Consumer's Guide. This guide provides consumers with enough information to help them determine if a small wind electric system can provide all or a portion of...

Report Assesses Efficiency Standards.
April 1, 2002... A new DOE/EIA study entitled "Analysis of Efficiency Standards for Air Conditioners, Heat Pumps, and Other Products" (S. 1766 Section 921-929, H.R. 4 Section 124, 142, and 143) addresses the provisions of H.R. 4 and S. 1766 that pertain to...

CALENDAR.
April 1, 2002... May 15-17, 2002. External Combustion Engines: New Strategies for Efficient, Green Power Generation, Los Angeles. Contact: Charles E. Spear Jr., Conference Director, Intertech, 19 Northbrook Dr., Portland, ME 04105; Tel: 207/781-9612, Fax:...