Energy Conservation News articles from February 2000

Energy Conservation News archives from February 2000

Conservation Sought for Glass Industry.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The U.S. Department of Energy is seeking applications for federal assistance for cost shared research and development of technologies which will reduce energy consumption and reduce environmental impacts of the U.S. glass industry. The key...

TRANSPORTATION: Alcan and Ford in Partnership.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... In many automotive applications, aluminum can replace twice its weight in heavier materials, thereby significantly reducing fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. A 10% reduction in mass yields a 6-8% improvement in fuel economy. The weight...

NYC Says "Yes" to Hybrid Buses.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... In the mass-transit industry's first large-scale purchase of hybrid buses, New York City Transit has ordered 125 buses equipped with a hybrid electric drive system using Lockheed Martin technology. The buses are scheduled for delivery in early...

Thermo Photovoltaic Car Demonstrated.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Researchers at Western Washington University (Vehicle Research Institute, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9086; Tel: 360/650-3045; E- Mail: seal@cc.wwu.edu; Website: http://vri.etec.wwu.edu/viking_29.htm) have created a...

UTILITIES/POWER GENERATION : Reducing the Cost of Nuclear Fuel.
February 1, 2000... A new fuel may increase the time nuclear reactors can run between shutdowns. Longer runs mean cheaper electricity, which should help nuclear power plants compete with coal- and natural gas-powered plants. Researchers from the Department of...

DOE Pours on Fuel Cells Fund.(Department of Energy)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The U.S. Department of Energy has released its budget request for Fiscal Year 2001 (FY01) programs. Within the request, well over $100 million dollars is slated for fuel cell related programs, including the following: Stationary Fuel...

Novel Solar Cells Reach the Market.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... EMCORE Corp's photovoltaic division (EMCORE PhotoVoltaics 10420 Research Road, SE, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87123. Website:http://www.emcore.com/solarcell/index.html) has started manufacturing and shipping the world's highest efficiency...

APPLIANCES: Optical Switching Could Cause Shakeup.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Electronic transistors may one day be replaced by all-optical transistors, which are in early stages of development at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). "Our findings could have tremendous impact on the...

Chip Cuts Power Needs.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... As anticipated in last month's issue of ECN, Transmeta Corporation finally unveiled its new microprocessor design. The new chips appear to be compatible with Intel's products while consuming substantially less power. The new processor, already...

Eveready Doubles Battery Lifetime.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Eveready Battery Co., Inc. has developed a new battery, called Energizer e_, that lasts longer -- in some cases, more than twice as long as standard alkaline batteries. According to the company, the new battery will last 240 percent longer...

HVAC: Project to Test Duct Sealing Technologies.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH; Website: http://www.pathnet.org) are collaborating on a field test of several duct- sealing...

Commercial Systems Not Efficient.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... A recent Department of Energy report reveals that energy consumption by auxiliary equipment in commercial building heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems is much larger than previously thought, about 1.5 quadrillion British...

LIGHTING: Digital Lighting Technology Awarded Patent.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... A U.S. patent (No. 6,016,038) was issued in late January for a digital lighting technology could potentially replace conventional lighting. The patent assignee, Color Kinetics, has received $13 million in financing from investors that include...

Program Promotes LED Traffic Signals.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE, One State Street, Suite 1400 Boston, MA 02109-3507; Tel: 617/589-3949; Fax: 617/589-3948; E-Mail: CEE@CEEforMT.org; Website: www.CEEforMT.org) is launching a national initiative to promote Light-...

INDUSTRY NEWS: Broader Markets for MicroTurbines.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Capstone Turbine Corporation (18700 Oxnard St., Tarzana, CA 91356; Phone: 818/774-9600; Fax: 818/774-0228; Website: http://www.capstoneturbine.com), the manufacturer of commercial microturbines, and Mariah Energy Corp. (www.suncurrent.ab.ca),...

OSRAM to Acquire Motorola Lighting.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Lighting manufacturer OSRAM SYLVANIA (100 Endicott St., Danvers, MA 01923; Phone: 978/777-1900; Fax: 978/750-2152; Website: http://www.sylvania.com) and Motorola, Inc. (www.motorola.com) have signed a definitive agreement for OSRAM SYLVANIA to...

SatCon Gets Contract from Northwest Power.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... SatCon Technology Corporation (161 First St., Cambridge, MA 02142; Phone: 617/661-0540; Fax: 617/661-3373; Website: http://www.satcon.com) will be building the fuel cell power converters for Northwest Power Systems of Bend, Oregon. The SatCon...

CALENDAR.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... April 3-6, 2000, Advanced Energy Generation Conference, Newport Beach, CA. Contact: International Colloquium and Exhibit on Environmentally Preferred Advanced Energy Generation; Tel: 949/824-7302. April 12-14, 2000, Commercializing Fuel...

OUTLOOK: Implications of the Nanotech Initiative.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... President Clinton's FY 2001 budget request includes an 84% increase ($227 million) increase in the government's investment in nanotechnology research and development. The emerging fields of nanoscience and nanoengineering -- the ability to...

GOVERNMENT: $300 Million in Wind Savings Seen in Iowa.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Iowa is now the number three state in the nation for wind power, with 332 large wind turbines and at least 22 smaller wind turbines producing enough power for over 80,000 homes. Most of these turbines are in major wind farms developed by Enron...

DOE Grants $6 Million.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... DOE is shelling out more than $6 million in grants to help get energy efficient production technologies and products on the market. Thirty-two projects were competitively selected from 400 proposals. Among the energy-saving projects selected...

ENERGY MANAGEMENT/FINANCING : Southern Oregon U. to Save $3.1 Million.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Southern Oregon University (SOU) will save more than $3.1 million in energy and operational costs during the next 15 years by making key improvements to its physical plant through a performance contract with Johnson Controls, Inc. (5757 N....

Enron, Chase in Long-Term Deal.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Enron Energy Services, a subsidiary of Enron Corp. and Chase Manhattan Corporation (270 Park Ave., New York, NY 10017; Phone: 212/270-6000; Fax: 212/270-2613; Website: http://www.chase.com) have entered into a ten-year, $750 million energy...

"Talking Meters" May Save Energy.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... New high-tech meters are making their way into Seattle as part of Puget Sound Energy's (411-108th Ave. NE, Bellevue, WA 98004-5515; Phone: 425/454-6363; Fax: 425/462-3444; Website: http://www.psechoice.com) ongoing expansion of a network meter...

RESIDENTIAL: Self-Powered Heating Systems.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Oil- and gas-fired heating systems rely on electric controls, pumps, and blowers to circulate heated air or water throughout the house. When the power goes out as a result of a storm or other incident, these components cannot be operated....

SolarAttic Claims 30% Heating Savings.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The recent run-up in crude oil prices has focused new attention on SolarAttic's (Website: http://www.solarattic.com) new home heating technology which, if used nationwide, could eliminate an estimated 30% of the crude oil currently needed for...

Building Envelope Solicitation Announced.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... According to the January 14th issue of the Commerce Business Daily, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL, Morgantown, P.O. Box 880, Morgantown, WV 26507-0880), formerly the Federal Energy Technology...

Fuel Cell Testing in Full Swing.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... KeySpan Technologies Inc., a subsidiary of KeySpan Energy (175 E. Old Country Rd., Hicksville, NY 11801; Phone: 888/222-7359; Fax: 718/403-2042; Website: http://www.keyspanenergy.com), has signed an agreement with GE MicroGen, a subsidiary of...

Equipment Database Now Available.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The GRI Baseline Center has announced publication of a study that offers a comprehensive database of residential equipment characteristics summarized by housing type, region and fuel. The report, Residential Sector Data for the GRI Baseline...

INDUSTRIAL: Wider Distribution of Oxygenation System.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Praxair, Inc. (39 Old Ridgebury Rd., Danbury, CT 06810-5113; Phone: 203/837- 2000; Fax: 203/837-2450; Website: http://www.praxair.com) has entered into a manufacturing, marketing and sales agreement with Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc. of Rockford,...

Fume Hood Reduces Bills.
February 1, 2000... An advanced, energy-efficient laboratory fume hood technology developed by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has passed standard tests for fume hoods and is now ready for...