Energy Conservation News articles from April 2003

Energy Conservation News archives from April 2003

OUTLOOK: House Rejects Energy Efficiency, Funds Solar.
April 1, 2003... According to a statement by Joan Claybrook, president, Public Citizen (1600 20th St., NW, Washington, DC 20009; Tel: 202/588- 1000; Website: www.citizen.org), the U.S. House approval of the Energy Policy Act of 2003 (H.R. 6) "abandons consumers...

Niche Efficiency Big Business.
April 1, 2003... Just under $1.1 billion was invested in 179 emerging cleantech companies in 2002, according to the most recent issue of the Cleantech Venture Monitor (www.cleantechventure.com). At 5% of overall venture capital activity last year, about 1 in...

Highlights of 2002 include:.
April 1, 2003... Clean energy ventures received the most dollars at $494 million, or 45%, but received only 33% in the fourth quarter with clean industrial technology companies taking up the slack. Average deal size declined from $8.1 million in the first...

GOVERNMENT: $44 M in Grants for Energy Initiatives.
April 1, 2003... According to the Department of Agriculture, approximately $44 million in grants are now available for renewable energy initiatives. The money came via the 2002 Farm Bill and programs will be conducted in collaboration with the Department of...

Vermont's Utility a Finalist.
April 1, 2003... Just 3 years after replacing a patchwork of 22 energy efficiency programs, Efficiency Vermont-the nation's first independent, ratepayer-funded energy efficiency utility-has made the shortlist for the sought-after Innovations in American...

ENERGY MANAGEMENT/FINANCING Demand-Side Studied in New England.
April 1, 2003... Eric Hirst (Consulting in Electric-Industry Restructuring, 1932 Rhododendron Way, Bellingham, WA 98229; Tel: 360/656-6691; Email: Eric@EHirst.com, Website: www.EHirst.com) and Brendan Kirby recently completed two papers for the New England...

COMMERCIAL: Big Savings with Cogen at Hospital.
April 1, 2003... Chino Valley Medical Center (Chino, CA), a 126-bed hospital, expects to save thousands of dollars each month in energy costs with a new on-site power system that will supply 75% of the hospital's electrical and thermal energy. The hospital's...

Solar Energy System Dedicated in Illinois.
April 1, 2003... The most powerful solar energy system in Illinois will be dedicated by State and local officials on April 23. This new solar hot water system, which produces more energy than any other solar system in the state, is installed at a large...

TRANSPORTATION: Ceramic Brakes Mean Higher Fuel Efficiency.
April 1, 2003... Starfire Systems, Inc. (10 Hermes Rd., Malta, NY 12020; Website: www.starfiresystems.com), located in the Saratoga Technology and Energy Park, received a $150,000 contract from NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority)...

EV Costs Coming Down.
April 1, 2003... According to a new research study (see www.epri.com/corporate/discover_epri/news/downloads/EPRI_AdvBatEV. pdf) from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI, 3412 Hillview Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94304), a combination of greatly improved battery...

Motor Oil of the Future?
April 1, 2003... Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have developed a chemically modified version of the edible oil that shows promise as a cleaner, renewable alternative to petroleum-based motor oil, while enhancing its protective properties....

Army's Eyes Lightweight Materials.
April 1, 2003... According to a new report, Use of Lightweight Materials in 21st Century Army Trucks (see www.nap.edu/catalog/10662.html?onpi_newsdoc040203), there are energy-savings possibilities in newly engineered trucks and trailers, responsible for...

UTILITIES/POWER GENERATION Solar Rebate to be Paid.
April 1, 2003... PG&E (77 Beale St., San Francisco, CA 94177; Tel: 415/973-7000, Fax: 415/267-7268; Website: www.pge.com) is paying a $2.3 million rebate to the Sewerage Commission-Oroville Region (SCOR) for its solar-powered wastewater treatment plant. The...

100-kW Inverters for Power-Generation.
April 1, 2003... Sharp Corp. and Daihen Corp. have jointly developed a solar inverter for large-scale photovoltaic power-generating systems intended for commercial users and electric utilities. Operational tests will begin in May of this year, with product...

APPLIANCES: "Biofuel Cell" Could Replace Rechargeable Batteries.
April 1, 2003... Scientists at Saint Louis University have developed a new type of biofuel cell-a battery that runs off of alcohol and enzymes-that could replace the rechargeable batteries in everything from laptops to Palm Pilots. Instead of plugging into a...

Efficient Refrigerators From Nanomaterials.
April 1, 2003... Scientists at Research Triangle Institute (Rama Venkatasubramanian, Center for Thermoelectrics Research, Research Triangle Institute, 3040 Cornwallis Rd., Research Triangle Park, NC 27709; Tel: 919/541-6889, Fax: 919/541-6515; Email:...

Tiny Bubbles Key to Liquid-Cooled System.
April 1, 2003... Purdue University researchers have made a discovery that may lead to the development of an innovative liquid-cooling system for future computer chips, which are expected to generate four times more heat than today's chips. Researchers had...

HVAC: Economy Affects CFC Chiller Phaseout.
April 1, 2003... Building owners in the United States last year replaced or converted 2,594 comfort cooling chillers that use chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), leaving an estimated 38,800 of the units that still rely on CFC refrigerants, which were banned from...

Large Tonnage Cfc Chillers Converted/Replaced by Year.
April 1, 2003... G % of Conversions Replacements Total Cum. 80,000 Prior to 1/1/03 8,697 32,492 41,189 51% 1/03 to 1/1/04 334 2,549 44,072...

Radiant Barriers Added to Load Guidelines.
April 1, 2003... For the first time, the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) has included radiant barriers in its method of calculating load requirements for air conditioning and heating systems nationwide. Radiant barriers were added to the ACCA's...

LIGHTING: Electric City, ComEd Announce System.
April 1, 2003... Electric City (1280 Landmeier Rd., Elk Grove Village, IL 60007; Tel: 847/437-1666, Fax: 847/437-4969; Website: www.electriccityeccc.com) has entered into an agreement with ComEd to develop a 50-MW Power Curtailment system for the utility...

INDUSTRY NEWS: Hydrogenics Infrastructure Supported By Canada.
April 1, 2003... Technology that will help pave the way for fuel-cell vehicles is receiving support from the Government of Canada. A $620,000 (Canadian) contribution will help Hydrogenics Corp. develop, demonstrate, and commercialize refueling technology....

RESOURCES: Skylight Software Resource Is Free.
April 1, 2003... The Institute for Research in Construction (IRC) of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) has released a beta version of the skylight software called SKYVISION for testing and evaluation by end-users. The software can now be downloaded...

Just Published-Small-Scale Cogeneration Handbook.
April 1, 2003... Small-Scale Cogeneration Handbook, by Bernard F. Kolanowski, has just been published by The Fairmont Press. As the technologies for small-scale cogeneration have advanced over the last decade, a greater number of commercial, institutional,...

CALENDAR.
April 1, 2003... May 18-21, 2003. 9th National Clean Cities Conference, Palm Springs, CA. Contact: Sara Huntley; Email: events@tcplink.nrel.gov August 17-20, 2003. Energy 2003: Real World, Real Solutions, Orlando, FL. Contact: Tel: 800/395-8574; Online...