Energy Conservation News articles from March 2003

Energy Conservation News archives from March 2003

OUTLOOK: Record Growth for Wind Power.
March 1, 2003... According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA, Christine Real de Azua, International Policy Analyst, American Wind Energy Association, 122 C St., NW, Washington DC 20001; Tel: 202/383- 2500, Fax: 202/383-2505; Email:...

Book Ranks Efficient Cars.
March 1, 2003... The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE, 1001 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 801, Washington, DC 20036-5525; Tel: 202/429-0063, Fax: 202/429-0193; Email: aceee_publications@aceee.org, Website: www.aceee.org) has released its...

Energy Efficiency Funds at Risk?
March 1, 2003... According to Harry Misuriello at the Alliance to Save Energy (Director, Buildings and Utilities Programs, Alliance to Save Energy, 1200 18th St., NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036; Tel: 202/530-2214, Fax: 202/331-9588; Email:...

GOVERNMENT: Building Efficiency Incentives Introduced.
March 1, 2003... Legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate on February 4, 2003, that will provide tax incentives for improving the energy efficiency of residential and commercial buildings. The proposed legislation is S. 507 and is sponsored by Olympia...

NY PSC Pushes Renewable Energy.
March 1, 2003... The New York State Public Service Commission (Website: www.dps.state.ny.us) has initiated the process for developing and implementing a Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) that will ensure that within 10 years, at least 25% of the...

ENERGY MANAGEMENT/FINANCING: Microsoft.Net, XML Web Share Information.
March 1, 2003... Facility managers and engineers will be able to more effectively analyze and address energy-related challenges with Rockwell Software RSEnergyMetrix, a new Web-enabled energy management solution from Rockwell Automation. RSEnergyMetrix combines...

Web-Enabled Energy Data.
March 1, 2003... eBidenergy, Inc. (Rochester, NY) and Osram Sylvania (Towanda, PA) have completed Phase 1 of a Web-enabled energy information system known as PowerTrak for the Towanda, Pennsylvania, facility. With multiple manufacturing, business, and research...

RESIDENTIAL: Microgrids: Power in a Small Package.
March 1, 2003... In 1996, a sagging power line in Oregon brushed against a tree and within minutes 12 million customers in eight states lost power. Such is the vulnerability of today's power grid. To address this weakness, Berkeley Lab scientists are helping to...

BP Launches Solar Solutions.
March 1, 2003... BP Solar (Website: www.bpsolar.com) is marketing a total solar energy solution to California homeowners that will reduce or eliminate monthly electricity bills, enhance energy independence, and help clean the environment through the production...

INDUSTRIAL: Natural Gas Crisis Threatens Nation.
March 1, 2003... The American Chemistry Council (ACC), which represents America's largest industrial users of natural gas, has called on the Bush administration and Congress to take immediate steps to avert a looming natural gas crisis. Recently, the spot price...

Smithfield Foods Turns Waste to Energy.
March 1, 2003... Smithfield Foods, Inc. (Website: www.smithfieldfoods.com) is investing $20 million to build a facility that converts swine waste into biodiesel vehicle fuel. Smithfield will be the major partner in BEST BioFuel, LLC, a partnership that will...

TRANSPORTATION: More Fuel Efficient Engine Design.
March 1, 2003... Australian scientists are winners in the race to master new magnesium technology to build the motor vehicles and consumer goods of the future. This follows breakthroughs by CSIRO that make it possible for manufacturers to successfully use...

Software Alleviates Traffic Jams.
March 1, 2003... The same in-road detectors that control traffic lights and monitor traffic could soon respond quicker to traffic jams, thanks to software developed by an Ohio State University engineer. In tests, the software helped California road crews...

Shell, GM Partner on Fuel Cell Vehicles.
March 1, 2003... General Motors Corp. and Shell Hydrogen are combining resources to demonstrate hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and fueling infrastructure technology in the Washington, DC, area. The demonstration will feature the nation's first hydrogen pump at a...

Expanding Applications for Glass Fiber.
March 1, 2003... An Ohio State University engineer and his colleagues have discovered something new about a 50-year-old type of fiberglass: it may be more than one and a half times stronger than previously thought. That conclusion, and the techniques engineers...

UTILITIES/POWER GENERATION: Drilling Starts On Australia's Deepest Well.
March 1, 2003... Geodynamics, Ltd. (Lisa Huet, Geodynamics, Ltd., P.O. Box 2046 Milton 4064, Level 3, 11 Lang Parade, Milton, Queensland 4064 Australia; Tel: +61 7 3721 7500, Fax: + 61 7 3721 7599; Email: lhuet@geodynamics.com.au, Website:...

Commercial Launch of HTS Product Line.
March 1, 2003... In late January, American Superconductor Corp. introduced its new line of SuperVAR high-temperature superconductor (HTS) dynamic synchronous condensers-machines that cost effectively increase and optimize the transmission capacity of existing...

Development of Superconducting Wire.
March 1, 2003... Hyper Tech Research, Inc. (Troy, OH) has been selected to receive a 2-year SBIR Phase II grant from the Air Force for the continued development of Magnesium Diboride (MgB2) superconducting wire for MHD magnets. This funding to Hyper Tech...

EcoVillage Provides Renewable Model.
March 1, 2003... Nicolet Area Technical College (Rhinelander, WI) has installed a 10-kW, 120-ft.-high wind turbine funded through an $80,000 grant from Wisconsin's Focus on Energy Renewable Energy program. This will make it one of the most environmentally...

HVAC: ASHRAE Seeking Energy Use.
March 1, 2003... The use of simplified system models to reduce energy use in buildings has become common. But no general procedure exists that can be easily implemented by energy professionals. A step-by-step procedure to determine the annual cooling and...

ARI Performance Standards Revised.
March 1, 2003... ARI Standard 470-2002, "Desuperheater/Water Heaters," and ARI Standard 480-2001, "Remote Type Refrigerant-Cooled Liquid Coolers," have been revised and are available for free download at www.ari.org from the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration...

LIGHTING: Hotel Demonstrates Control System.
March 1, 2003... Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) researchers are studying the energy savings of a new energy-efficient lighting control system to be installed at a DoubleTree Hotel in Sacramento, under an agreement just signed by Berkeley...

INDUSTRY NEWS: ConEd Acquires Xenergy Division.
March 1, 2003... ConEdison Solutions (Website: www.ConEdSolutions.com) has acquired the assets of the energy and engineering services division of XENERGY, Inc., a Burlington, Massachusetts-based energy services and consulting company. The XENERGY unit provides...

Clean Air Partners Raises $8.6 Million.
March 1, 2003... Clean Air Partners (Website: www.cleanairpartners.com/), a company that develops and commercializes high-tech solutions to reduce emissions from mobile and stationary engines, has closed its second round of venture capital funding in the amount...

Onsite Energy Announces Project.
March 1, 2003... Onsite Energy Corp. has executed the Fourth Amendment to its Master Energy Efficiency Services Agreement with the City of San Diego to proceed with a comprehensive $3.6 million energy project at the city's Police Department Headquarters...

Sharp and RITE Develop Garbage-Powered Fuel Cell.
March 1, 2003... The Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE, Kyoto, Japan) and Sharp Corp. have developed technology necessary for the creation of garbage-powered fuel cells. The biological fuel cells use bacteria to produce hydrogen...

Varmaraf, Power Chips in Geothermal Agreement.
March 1, 2003... Varmaraf ehf (Website: www.varmaraf.is) and Power Chips, plc have signed a memorandum of understanding acknowledging a mutual goal of "providing a superior method of power conversion for geothermal applications, including but not limited to...

RESOURCES: Renewables Rebate Guidebook Available.
March 1, 2003... A rebate program guidebook for California renewables is now available at this website: www.energy.ca.gov/renewables/documents/. Hard copies of the Guidebook will be available shortly. Applicants must use either the Emerging Renewable Rebate...

Report Evaluates Renewable Resources.
March 1, 2003... As part of efforts to advance the National Energy Policy, the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (Bureau of Land Management, Denver Federal Center, P.O. Box 25047, Denver, CO 80225-0047) and the Department of Energy's...

CALENDAR.
March 1, 2003... April 2-3, 2003. GLOBALCON Energy Efficiency & Facilities Management Expo, Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA. Contact: Brian Douglas, Director of E-Commerce & Events, Association of Energy Engineers; Tel: 770/279-4386; Website:...