Energy Conservation News articles from July 2000

Energy Conservation News archives from July 2000

OUTLOOK: Energy Demand Grows Only 0.2% in 1999.
July 1, 2000... According to a just released BP Amoco PLC (Britannic House, 1 Finsbury Circus, London EC2M 7BA, U.K.; Tel: +44-20-7496-4000, Fax: +44-20-7496-4630, Website: www.bpamoco.com) study, world energy demand increased only 0.2% in 1999, compared to...

EIA Estimates 1999 Carbon Emissions.
July 1, 2000... U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels rose by 1.0% in 1999, increasing from 1,495 million metric tons of carbon (MMTC) in 1998 to 1,511 MMTC in 1999, according to EIA preliminary estimates. While the 1999 growth rate of 1.0%...

Lobbying Groups Issue Major Efficiency Reports.
July 1, 2000... In the wake of brownouts and soaring gas prices stemming from spot shortages, two major efficiency lobbying groups, the Alliance to Save Energy (ASE, 1200 18th St. NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036; Tel: 202/857-0666, Fax: 202/331-9588,...

GOVERNMENT: New York Approves Efficiency Tax Credit.
July 1, 2000... In an effort to promote "green building" initiatives throughout New York, the governor, George Pataki, recently approved a $25 million tax credit as part of the state's fiscal year 2000-2001 budget. The credit is intended to encourage building...

ENERGY MANAGEMENT/FINANCING: Conectiv, Silicon Energy in Strategic Alliance.
July 1, 2000... Silicon Energy (1250 Marina Village Pkwy., Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501; Tel: 510/749-9400, Fax: 510/749-6990, Toll-free: 877/749- 9400, Website: www.siliconenergy.com) and Conectiv Solutions (800 King St., Wilmington, DE 19899; Tel:...

RESIDENTIAL: Utility Customers Test Internet Thermostats.
July 1, 2000... Carrier Corp. (One Carrier Place, Farmington, CT 06034; Tel: 860/674-3000, Fax: 860/674-3139, Toll Free: 800/227-7437, Website: www.carrier.com), a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp., is providing Internet-accessible thermostats to a...

Microsoft Demos Networking Standard.
July 1, 2000... Microsoft (1 Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399; Tel: 425/882- 8080, Fax: 425-936-7329, Website: www.microsoft.com) is working with GE and other industry leaders to converge existing home control initiatives to provide a unified standard...

Home with Efficient Foam Core Panels.
July 1, 2000... The first-ever manufactured home built entirely from energy efficient foam core panels rolled off the assembly line at Champion Enterprises' (2701 Cambridge Ct., Suite 300, Auburn Hills, MI 48326; Tel: 248/340-9090, Fax: 248-340-9345, Website:...

COMMERCIAL: ANSI Adopts MSE 2000.
July 1, 2000... According to the Energy and Environmental Management Center (EEMC) of the Georgia Institute of Technology, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI, 1819 L St. NW, 6th floor, Washington, DC 20036; Tel: 202/293-8027, Fax: 202/293-9287)...

Water Comes Clean Using Less Energy.
July 1, 2000... An energy-efficient process that can be used to desalinate sea water and extract contaminants from wastewater is being successfully tested by scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. Capacitive deionization is a...

Research Lab Sports New Technologies.
July 1, 2000... A new project, which will be a working prototype of energy relief systems for the people and cultures of the world's growing cities, is being developed in Colorado. The building will be a combination of a working research lab devoted to...

INDUSTRIAL: Fuel Cell Energy Ends Power Plant Demo.
July 1, 2000... At the end of June, FuelCell Energy, Inc. (3 Great Pasture Rd., Danbury, CT 06813; Tel: 203/825-6000, Fax: 203/825-6100, Website: www.fuelcellenergy.com) completed the successful operation of the 250 kW direct FuelCell power plant at its...

Huge Cogeneration Plant in the Works.
July 1, 2000... Dow Chemical Co. (2030 Dow Center, Midland, MI 48674; Tel: 517/636-1000, Fax: 517/636-3518, Website: www.dow.com) and American Electric Power (1 Riverside Plaza, Columbus, OH 43215; Tel: 614/223-1000) have signed a letter of intent that will...

TRANSPORTATION: Fuel Cell Powered Bicycle Tested.
July 1, 2000... According to Manhattan Scientifics, Inc. (641 Fifth Ave., Suite 36f, New York, NY 10022; Tel: 212/752-0505, Website: www.mhtx.com), they have completed initial development and testing of the "hydrocyle" a fuel cell powered bicycle. The...

Hybrid Electric Van Under Development.
July 1, 2000... Timeless Technologies (Exeter, NH), a leading developer of clean energy vehicles, will produce an environmentally friendly electric hybrid delivery van powered by an ultra-low emission microturbine generator. The Postal Service in Boston will...

Nissan Unveils Hybrid Trucks.
July 1, 2000... Nissan Diesel Motor, Co. (17-1, Ginza 6-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104- 8023, Japan; Tel: +81-3-5565-2147, Fax: +81-3-3546-2669, Website: global.nissan.co.jp) has developed hybrid-powered trucks using natural gas and an electric motor that are...

UTILITIES/POWER GENERATION Pre-Packaged Cogen May Reduce Costs.
July 1, 2000... Combined Energy Systems (CES, Annapolis, MD) has completed the first sale of its new power system product, the SOURCE, to West Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Grimsby, Ontario. The SOURCE was introduced in late 1999 and is a pre-engineered and...

Superconductivity Awards Targeted.
July 1, 2000... Approximately 7% of electricity produced at power plants is lost before reaching the customer. Superconductivity can cut these losses in half through more efficient transformers, transmission cables, and other equipment using superconducting...

Backup Generators for Peaking Power.
July 1, 2000... Many commercial and industrial facilities maintain backup generators to provide power during system emergencies that prevent the utility from delivering electricity as it normally does. In New York State, it is estimated that these backup...

APPLIANCES: New Power Chips Cut Consumption.
July 1, 2000... International Rectifier (233 Kansas St., El Segundo, CA 90245; Tel: 310/726-8000, Fax: 310/322-3332, Website: www.irf.com) has developed a new generation of power chips that can reduce electricity consumption in a wide range of home appliances...

Most Efficient Thin Film PV.
July 1, 2000... According to BP Solarex (630 Solarex Ct., Frederick, MD 21703- 8624; Tel: 301/698-4200, Website: www.bpsolarex.com), the company's 0.9 sq. m Apollo thin film module has achieved a record 10.6% efficiency with a corresponding power output of...

Audio Products Are Big Loads.
July 1, 2000... DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory recently conducted a study on home audio products to assist in prioritizing its building equipment research and development programs by identifying appropriate energy saving technologies to pursue....

LIGHTING: Wattman Making Inroads in California Markets.
July 1, 2000... ECN recently had the opportunity to review letters from customers who had been reporting their experiences with lighting voltage controllers on their premises, specifically one made by Bristol Park Industries (6059 Bristol Pkwy., 2nd Fl.,...

INDUSTRY NEWS: Evaluating SOFCs for Residential Uses.
July 1, 2000... Fuel Cell Technologies Corp. (Vancouver, B.C.) announced its wholly-owned subsidiary Fuel Cell Technologies, Ltd. (FCT) has entered into an agreement with Siemens Westinghouse Power Corp. (4400 Alafaya Trail, Orlando, FL 32826; Tel:...

Unicom Gets FermiLab Contract.
July 1, 2000... Unicom Energy Solutions (UES, 37th Fl., 10 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, IL 60690-3005; Tel: 312/394-7399, Fax: 630/663-7599, Website: www.ucm.com) has begun work to improve energy efficiency and rebuild the infrastructure of the DOE's Fermi...

RESOURCES: Should You Move Online?
July 1, 2000... ECN periodically updates readers on the implications and practical applications of e-commerce for the benefit of companies that vend energy services and/or energy conservation-related products. In the course of this update, staff has come...

Report Issued on Carbon Emissions.
July 1, 2000... A special topical report entitled, "Energy-Related Carbon Emissions in Manufacturing" was recently posted at EIA's website: www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/efficiency/carbon_emissions/carbon_mfg.html. Manufacturers emit over a quarter of the...

Efficiency Pays Off for California.
July 1, 2000... According to a new report, "The Public Benefit of California's Investments in Energy Efficiency," April 2000, conducted by the Rand Corp. for the California Energy Commission, (Website: www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1212.0/), the benefits to...

CALENDAR.
July 1, 2000... August 10-11, 2000, Latin America Workshop on Energy-Efficiency Standards, Mexico City, Mexico. Contact: Sachu Constantine, Program Manager; Tel: 202/530-2241. August 20-25, 2000, ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings,...