Monday, December 30, 2013
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Feds reach deal to cut energy use of TV boxes | TheHill
The Department of Energy has reached a deal with environmental and business groups on new energy efficiency standards for cable and satellite television boxes.
The agreement will save about $1 billion in energy costs for more than 90 million American homes each year, the department said, but won’t lead to new regulations. Instead, the energy efficiency standards will be voluntary.
Feds reach deal to cut energy use of TV boxes | TheHill
Monday, December 23, 2013
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Friday, December 13, 2013
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Fuel efficiency hits new highs, government says - Dec. 12, 2013
Carmakers keep making more and more efficient vehicles, the government said in a Thursday report.
Fuel efficiency hits new highs, government says - Dec. 12, 2013
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Monday, December 9, 2013
Join us for a Google+ Hangout: The Growing Biobased Market - Influencers, Insight, and Impacts
USDA Blog Post:
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack (right) tours Domtar Inc. in Plymouth, NC on Friday, Aug. 15, 2013. Domtar produces lignin, a biobased material with the potential to create advanced new products and energy. Domtar is working with a number of partners, including the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory, on development of lignin applications that includes fuel additives, solid fuels, high performance adhesives and more.
Did you know USDA is the federal leader in helping to advance the U.S. bioeconomy through the use of renewable agricultural (plant), marine and forestry raw materials? By using agricultural feed stocks to make everyday finished products like biolubricants, bioplastics, construction materials and cleaners these products, we add value to the agricultural industry and up and down supply chains. That is, jobs are not created just on the farm or near the farm gate, but throughout the manufacturing process on sales of these biobased products.
Please join me Thursday, December 12, 2 p.m. eastern, as I host a #MyFarmBill Google+ Hangout about the BioPreferred program. We’ll hear from some of the industry standouts working with USDA to create new markets for biobased products. The Hangout will also include YOUR questions and comments.
The BioPreferred program was created by Congress in the 2002 Farm Bill and renewed in 2008 to help develop and expand markets for biobased products made in America and around the world. The BioPreferred program has two parts:
- A mandatory Federal purchase program that requires the use of biobased products in the completion of many government service and construction contracts, thus harnessing power of the Federal government to pull the market for biobased products. USDA has thus far designated nearly 100 categories of such products which include about 10,000 individual products.
- A voluntary product certification and labeling initiative, designed to help drive the consumer market for biobased products. More than 900 “USDA Certified Biobased Product” labels have been awarded to organizations ranging from small, family-owned businesses to Fortune 500 companies and global brand owners that manufacture bioproducts.
USDA stands ready to assist American farmers and ranchers who want to participate in this growing industrial sector and to help businesses that make and sell biobased products. However, USDA’s ability to continue supporting this market and jobs development program is at risk without the swift passage of a Food, Farms and Job Bill.
Participate in the Hangout on Thursday by watching it live on the USDA Google+ page or on usda.gov/live. You can send me questions in advance or share your story by using the Twitter hashtag #myfarmbill, YouTube or Facebook.
See you Thursday!
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Friday, December 6, 2013
NREL's Industry Growth Forum Brings Together Energy Innovators
NREL News Release:
NREL's Industry Growth Forum Brings Together Energy Innovators
Event recognizes the top clean energy technologies and startup businesses
Thursday, December 05, 2013
The Industry Growth Forum hosted by the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) this week attracted nearly 400 investors, entrepreneurs, scientists and thought leaders to Denver. Last night, three companies where honored with Best Venture and Outstanding Venture Awards.
The two-day forum highlighted clean energy industry technology and business developments. In addition to hearing business case presentations from 30 clean energy companies, including seven Colorado companies, participants participated in a comprehensive agenda of in-depth panel discussions and networking opportunities.
"The union of R&D successes, a receptive investment community, and favorable clean energy policies will accelerate renewable energy and energy efficiency technology innovations into the marketplace," NREL Director Dan Arvizu said. "The relationships built and information shared at this forum are vital to the advancement of clean energy technologies. We are pleased to be able to leverage the convening power of the laboratory to facilitate this critical discussion. "
Since 2003, the presenting prototype, pre-commercial, and expanding cleantech companies who have presented have collectively raised more than $5 billion in growth financing.
Three entrepreneurial companies were singled out from the 30 competitively-selected presenters to win the 2013 Clean Energy Venture Awards. Award winners will receive in-kind commercialization support to help increase their chances of becoming commercially successful.
Ener-G-Rotors received the top prize, the Best Venture award. This New York based company sells devices that are a breakthrough in the economic generation of electricity from low temperature heat.
An Outstanding Venture award went to Boulder Ionics Corp.; this Arvada, Colo. company is a commercial supplier of ionic-liquid based high-performance electrolytes and related chemicals for energy storage devices.
An Outstanding Venture award also went to HIECO. This Canadian company is focused on developing and commercializing a nonthermal pasteurization method.
NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Monday, December 2, 2013
NREL Growth Forum to Feature 30 Clean Energy Companies
NREL Media Advisory:
NREL Growth Forum to Feature 30 Clean Energy Companies
Startup companies present business cases to finance experts
Monday, December 02, 2013
Thirty clean energy companies, including seven Colorado companies, will gather in Denver Dec. 3-4 to present their clean energy business cases to a panel of national venture capitalists and other experts from the clean energy finance community at the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) annual Industry Growth Forum.
In addition to the business case presentations, a comprehensive agenda of speakers, in-depth panels and networking opportunities will address the most important topics in the industry today for the approximately 350 participants at this year's Forum. At the conclusion of the Forum, NREL will present recognition for the Best Venture Award and Outstanding Venture Awards. Award winners will receive in-kind commercialization support to help increase their chances of becoming commercially successful.
WHAT: NREL Industry Growth Forum
WHO: Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory
WHEN: Tues., Dec. 3 – Wed., Dec. 4
WHERE: Grand Hyatt Denver Hotel, 1750 Welton St., Denver, CO 80202
WHO: Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory
WHEN: Tues., Dec. 3 – Wed., Dec. 4
WHERE: Grand Hyatt Denver Hotel, 1750 Welton St., Denver, CO 80202
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING PRESENTATIONS:
Tues., Dec. 3
12:15 to 1:30 p.m.
|
Opening Luncheon and Keynote Speaker
|
Keynote Address from Ira Ehrenpreis, General Partner, Technology Partners
|
Wed., Dec. 4
8 to 9:15 a.m.
|
Panel Discussion – Needs and Challenges in Clean Energy Investing: A Call to Action for Investors Across All Asset Classes
|
Panel Discussion featuring Scott Sarazen (Ernst & Young), Colleen Calhoun (GE Energy Ventures), Gerd Goette (Siemens Venture Capital), John McKenna (Hamilton Clark Sustainable Capital) and Tim Woodward (Elan Management)
|
Wed., Dec. 4
Noon to 1:30 p.m.
|
Luncheon Panel Discussion – Government Support of Clean Energy Innovation: A Look at Emerging Technology Innovation Areas and Government Programs That Support Clean Energy Development
|
Panel Discussion featuring Dan Arvizu (NREL), Sharon Burke (U.S. Department of Defense), Ilan Gur (ARPA-E), Rick Brenner (Agricultural Technology Innovation Partnership) and Michael Knotek (U.S. Department of Energy)
|
Wed., Dec. 4
5:15 to 7 p.m.
|
Awards Reception
|
NREL's presentation of Industry Growth Forum awards
|
Conference registration is required to attend the 25th NREL Industry Growth Forum. Complete registration details and the full agenda are available at www.industrygrowthforum.org. Media should RSVP to NREL Public Affairs at 303-275-4090 or email public.affairs@nrel.gov.
NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
###
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
NIFA Grant Brings Power of the Sun to Remote Arizona Community
USDA Blog Post:
Tohono O’odham Community College occupational technology students receive hands-on training using solar demo trailer that is used to demonstrate different ways that solar energy can be used, including a passive solar hot water heater as shown on the roof of the trailer. The solar demo trailer is a mobile educational resource that is used throughout the schools and communities of the Tohono O'odham Nation in Arizona.
This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.
A man in Arizona threw away an extension cord – and that’s a big deal for some folks who live about 100 miles west of Tucson.
The 48 families who live in the Pisinemo District of the Tohono O’odham Nation reside in an area so remote that some had to get their power by stringing extension cords to a neighbor’s house. Now, however, they have new solar panels to provide electricity for heating, cooling, and cooking.
Residents of the district are now using the power of the sun, thanks to Tohono O’odham Community College (TOCC) and its partner, the University of Massachusetts–Lowell. Using a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the two schools gave 25 TOCC occupational technology students on-the-job training in solar panel installation – one home has a freestanding power system while others are tied-in to a grid.
“This pilot project creates a model for bringing renewable energy to businesses – in this case ranching – and to homes in remote, rural communities,” said Dr. Teresa Newberry, project director for TOCC.
TOCC’s program is in response to a request from local community leaders who want to explore power sources that may help them supplement – or replace – the commercial utility grid. Five homes have received the upgrade so far, and they hope to continue with additional funding. In addition to homes benefitting from solar power, farmers have been able to restart an irrigation system that dried up when the old-fashioned windmill broke down.
Community Coordinator Samuel Fayuant, right, explains the workings of solar panels to an engineering student from University of Massachusetts-Lowell. The panels at Squash Burn Well in the Pisinemo District of Tohono O’odham Nation, Ariz., power the well's submersible pump. Photo by Teresa Newberry
This project was funded under NIFA’s Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program, which builds institutional research capacity at the 1994 land-grant institutions and also funds projects to enhance student research skills. Research funded under this grant typically address community, reservation, or regional challenges.
Through federal funding and leadership for research, education, and Cooperative Extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people’s daily lives and the nation’s future.
Tohono O’odham Community College occupational technology students receive training on building solar-powered drip irrigation systems that are designed to conserve water. Photo by Teresa Newberry
Monday, November 25, 2013
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Honda Accord wins Green Car of the Year - Nov. 21, 2013
The Honda Accord was named Green Car of the Year in an award ceremony Thursday at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Honda Accord wins Green Car of the Year - Nov. 21, 2013
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Monday, November 18, 2013
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Assault on Ethanol Misses Its Mark
Senator Chuck Grassley Press Release:
As its market share dips, Big Oil is doubling down to swat down its perennial piñata. This time around, petroleum producers and food conglomerates are using environmental groups as political cover to gain traction on efforts to pull the plug on the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS).
Despite the ridiculously transparent and self-serving assault by these special interest groups, the relentless campaign to discredit ethanol undermines America’s longstanding efforts to diversify its energy landscape, fuel the economy and strengthen national security.
The predictable efforts to smear ethanol’s reputation ignore the renewable fuel’s valuable contributions to clean energy, rural development, job creation and U.S. energy independence. The latest round of misguided untruths disregards the plain truth. Ethanol is a renewable, sustainable, clean-burning fuel that helps run the nation’s transportation fleet with less pollution. Yet, critics continue to hide behind distortions that claim ethanol is bad for the environment.
Let’s talk turkey and separate fact from fiction regarding ethanol’s impact on the environment.
Critics say farmers are putting fragile land into production to cash in on higher corn prices at the expense of soil erosion and clean water. They point out that five million Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres are no longer enrolled in the conservation program since 2008. They want to pin the blame on ethanol.
First of all, fewer acres enrolled in the CRP has more to do with federal belt tightening than land stewardship decisions by America’s corn farmers. The 2008 farm bill built upon other stewardship incentives for America’s farmers and ranchers administered by the USDA, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, wetlands restoration and wildlife habitat programs. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), no new grassland has been converted to cropland since 2005.
Fact: The Wetlands Reserve Program in 2012 had a record-breaking enrollment of 2.65 million acres. WRP lands cannot be farmed for 30 years.
Farmers must make marketing, planting and stewardship decisions that keep their operation financially sound and productive from crop year to crop year. Even more importantly, these decisions must be environmentally sustainable for the long haul. Let’s be clear. Farmers simply can’t afford not to take scrupulous care of the land that sustains their livelihoods.
Fact: Fertilizer use is on the decline. Compare application per bushel in 1980 versus 2010 – nitrogen is down 43 percent; phosphate is down 58 percent; and, potash is down 64 percent.
Fact: Ethanol burns cleaner than gasoline. According to the Argonne National Laboratory, corn ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 34 percent compared to gasoline. If the oil industry wants to talk about the environment, let’s not forget the 1989 Exxon Valdez and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spills.
Critics also say the RFS is driving more acres into corn production. In reality, the RFS is driving significant investment in higher-yielding, drought-resistant seed technology. This is a win-win scenario to cultivate good-paying jobs and to harvest better yields on less land.
Fact: The total cropland planted to corn in the United States is decreasing. In 2013, U.S. farmers planted 97 million corn acres. In the 1930s, farmers planted 103 million acres of corn. Farmers have increased the corn harvest through higher yields, not more acres.
Critics contend the nation’s corn crop is diverted for fuel use at the expense of feed for livestock and higher prices at the grocery store.
Fact: In reality, the value of corn increases during ethanol production. One-third of the corn processed to make ethanol re-enters the marketplace as high value animal feed called dried distillers grain. Livestock feed remains the largest end-user of corn. When co-products such as dried distillers grains are factored in, ethanol consumes only 27 percent of the whole corn crop by volume; livestock feed uses 50 percent of the crop.
Fact: The USDA Secretary has said farmers receive about 14 cents of every food dollar spent at the grocery store. And, the farmer’s share of a $4 box of corn flakes is about 10 cents.
So what’s at stake when a coalition of special interests tag teams to pull the rug out from underneath the nation’s ethanol policy?
Unfortunately, these flawed attacks on ethanol and next-generation biofuels undermine America’s effort to move forward with an aggressive, diversified energy policy that takes into account global demand, geopolitics and U.S. economic growth.
November 15, 2013
Assault on Ethanol Misses Its Mark
by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley
As its market share dips, Big Oil is doubling down to swat down its perennial piñata. This time around, petroleum producers and food conglomerates are using environmental groups as political cover to gain traction on efforts to pull the plug on the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS).
Despite the ridiculously transparent and self-serving assault by these special interest groups, the relentless campaign to discredit ethanol undermines America’s longstanding efforts to diversify its energy landscape, fuel the economy and strengthen national security.
The predictable efforts to smear ethanol’s reputation ignore the renewable fuel’s valuable contributions to clean energy, rural development, job creation and U.S. energy independence. The latest round of misguided untruths disregards the plain truth. Ethanol is a renewable, sustainable, clean-burning fuel that helps run the nation’s transportation fleet with less pollution. Yet, critics continue to hide behind distortions that claim ethanol is bad for the environment.
Let’s talk turkey and separate fact from fiction regarding ethanol’s impact on the environment.
Critics say farmers are putting fragile land into production to cash in on higher corn prices at the expense of soil erosion and clean water. They point out that five million Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres are no longer enrolled in the conservation program since 2008. They want to pin the blame on ethanol.
First of all, fewer acres enrolled in the CRP has more to do with federal belt tightening than land stewardship decisions by America’s corn farmers. The 2008 farm bill built upon other stewardship incentives for America’s farmers and ranchers administered by the USDA, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, wetlands restoration and wildlife habitat programs. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), no new grassland has been converted to cropland since 2005.
Fact: The Wetlands Reserve Program in 2012 had a record-breaking enrollment of 2.65 million acres. WRP lands cannot be farmed for 30 years.
Farmers must make marketing, planting and stewardship decisions that keep their operation financially sound and productive from crop year to crop year. Even more importantly, these decisions must be environmentally sustainable for the long haul. Let’s be clear. Farmers simply can’t afford not to take scrupulous care of the land that sustains their livelihoods.
Fact: Fertilizer use is on the decline. Compare application per bushel in 1980 versus 2010 – nitrogen is down 43 percent; phosphate is down 58 percent; and, potash is down 64 percent.
Fact: Ethanol burns cleaner than gasoline. According to the Argonne National Laboratory, corn ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 34 percent compared to gasoline. If the oil industry wants to talk about the environment, let’s not forget the 1989 Exxon Valdez and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spills.
Critics also say the RFS is driving more acres into corn production. In reality, the RFS is driving significant investment in higher-yielding, drought-resistant seed technology. This is a win-win scenario to cultivate good-paying jobs and to harvest better yields on less land.
Fact: The total cropland planted to corn in the United States is decreasing. In 2013, U.S. farmers planted 97 million corn acres. In the 1930s, farmers planted 103 million acres of corn. Farmers have increased the corn harvest through higher yields, not more acres.
Critics contend the nation’s corn crop is diverted for fuel use at the expense of feed for livestock and higher prices at the grocery store.
Fact: In reality, the value of corn increases during ethanol production. One-third of the corn processed to make ethanol re-enters the marketplace as high value animal feed called dried distillers grain. Livestock feed remains the largest end-user of corn. When co-products such as dried distillers grains are factored in, ethanol consumes only 27 percent of the whole corn crop by volume; livestock feed uses 50 percent of the crop.
Fact: The USDA Secretary has said farmers receive about 14 cents of every food dollar spent at the grocery store. And, the farmer’s share of a $4 box of corn flakes is about 10 cents.
So what’s at stake when a coalition of special interests tag teams to pull the rug out from underneath the nation’s ethanol policy?
Unfortunately, these flawed attacks on ethanol and next-generation biofuels undermine America’s effort to move forward with an aggressive, diversified energy policy that takes into account global demand, geopolitics and U.S. economic growth.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Grassley, Colleagues Urge Administration to Support Biodiesel
Senator Chuck Grassley Press Release:
“Biodiesel has exceeded RFS targets in each year and is clearly poised to do so again in 2013. The industry has had impressive growth, going far beyond initial expectations just five years ago, and is supporting 62,160 jobs and nearly $17 billion in total economic impact. Biodiesel is improving our energy security by reducing our dependence on imported petroleum diesel, diversifying fuel supplies and creating competition in the fuels market,” the Senators wrote. “Setting the 2014 biodiesel volume requirement at reduced levels could have severe impacts on the domestic biodiesel industry. Further, a continuation of 2013 levels paired with any reduction in advanced biofuels targets could similarly negatively impact the industry.”
The following Senators also signed on to the letter: Senators Mark Pryor (D-AR), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Angus King (I-ME), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Jon Tester (D-MT), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mike Johanns (R-NE), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bob Casey (D-PA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tom Udall (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Susan Collins (R-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Kay Hagan (D-NC), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
The full text of the letter can be read here:
November 14, 2013
The Honorable Gina McCarthy The Honorable Tom Vilsack
Administrator Secretary
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Department of Agriculture
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. 1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460 Washington, D.C. 20250
The Honorable Sylvia Mathews Burwell
Director
Office of Management and Budget
725 17th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20503
cc: The Honorable Howard Shelanski, Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs
Dear Administrator McCarthy, Secretary Vilsack, and Director Burwell:
We write to encourage the Administration to develop a 2014 regulatory proposal for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that supports the current-year projected 1.7 billion gallons of U.S. biodiesel production.
Biodiesel has exceeded RFS targets in each year and is clearly poised to do so again in 2013. The industry has had impressive growth, going far beyond initial expectations just five years ago, and is supporting 62,160 jobs and nearly $17 billion in total economic impact. Biodiesel is improving our energy security by reducing our dependence on imported petroleum diesel, diversifying fuel supplies and creating competition in the fuels market.
Setting the 2014 biodiesel volume requirement at reduced levels could have severe impacts on the domestic biodiesel industry. Further, a continuation of 2013 levels paired with any reduction in advanced biofuels targets could similarly negatively impact the industry.
Biodiesel is the only Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-designated advanced biofuel to achieve commercial-scale production nationwide and the first to reach 1 billion gallons of annual production. Keeping the targets stagnant, rather than gradually allowing the biodiesel industry to grow, could leave 400 million gallons of biodiesel potentially unused – roughly 25 percent. Such a cut could result in nearly every small facility shutting down and permanently ceasing production of biodiesel, leading to the loss of some 7,000 jobs. Additionally, investment and financing for the U.S. biodiesel industry could be severely jeopardized, creating new and possibly insurmountable hurdles for the remaining producers to grow and expand.
In setting 2014 targets for biodiesel, the EPA should avoid outcomes that could lead to plant closures, worker layoffs, and uncertainty over future investments in the biodiesel industry. We urge you to continue to support this fragile and growing industry with a reasonable increase in the RFS volume requirement for 2014.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
For Immediate Release
November 14, 2013
November 14, 2013
Grassley, Colleagues Urge Administration to Support Biodiesel
(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Al Franken (D-MN), Roy Blunt (R-MO), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) led 28 of their Senate colleagues in a bipartisan letter urging the Obama Administration to support the American biodiesel industry in its upcoming 2014 regulatory proposal for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Current projections indicate that the industry will produce 1.7 billion gallons of biodiesel in 2014, continuing its pattern of exceeding annual RFS targets. In light of the this production estimate, the Senators urged the Administration to carefully consider its 2014 biodiesel targets, which, if decreased or left stagnant at 2013 levels, could cost thousands of American jobs and significantly impact confidence in industry investments.
“Biodiesel has exceeded RFS targets in each year and is clearly poised to do so again in 2013. The industry has had impressive growth, going far beyond initial expectations just five years ago, and is supporting 62,160 jobs and nearly $17 billion in total economic impact. Biodiesel is improving our energy security by reducing our dependence on imported petroleum diesel, diversifying fuel supplies and creating competition in the fuels market,” the Senators wrote. “Setting the 2014 biodiesel volume requirement at reduced levels could have severe impacts on the domestic biodiesel industry. Further, a continuation of 2013 levels paired with any reduction in advanced biofuels targets could similarly negatively impact the industry.”
The following Senators also signed on to the letter: Senators Mark Pryor (D-AR), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Angus King (I-ME), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Jon Tester (D-MT), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mike Johanns (R-NE), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bob Casey (D-PA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tom Udall (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Susan Collins (R-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Kay Hagan (D-NC), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
The full text of the letter can be read here:
November 14, 2013
The Honorable Gina McCarthy The Honorable Tom Vilsack
Administrator Secretary
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Department of Agriculture
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. 1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460 Washington, D.C. 20250
The Honorable Sylvia Mathews Burwell
Director
Office of Management and Budget
725 17th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20503
cc: The Honorable Howard Shelanski, Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs
Dear Administrator McCarthy, Secretary Vilsack, and Director Burwell:
We write to encourage the Administration to develop a 2014 regulatory proposal for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that supports the current-year projected 1.7 billion gallons of U.S. biodiesel production.
Biodiesel has exceeded RFS targets in each year and is clearly poised to do so again in 2013. The industry has had impressive growth, going far beyond initial expectations just five years ago, and is supporting 62,160 jobs and nearly $17 billion in total economic impact. Biodiesel is improving our energy security by reducing our dependence on imported petroleum diesel, diversifying fuel supplies and creating competition in the fuels market.
Setting the 2014 biodiesel volume requirement at reduced levels could have severe impacts on the domestic biodiesel industry. Further, a continuation of 2013 levels paired with any reduction in advanced biofuels targets could similarly negatively impact the industry.
Biodiesel is the only Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-designated advanced biofuel to achieve commercial-scale production nationwide and the first to reach 1 billion gallons of annual production. Keeping the targets stagnant, rather than gradually allowing the biodiesel industry to grow, could leave 400 million gallons of biodiesel potentially unused – roughly 25 percent. Such a cut could result in nearly every small facility shutting down and permanently ceasing production of biodiesel, leading to the loss of some 7,000 jobs. Additionally, investment and financing for the U.S. biodiesel industry could be severely jeopardized, creating new and possibly insurmountable hurdles for the remaining producers to grow and expand.
In setting 2014 targets for biodiesel, the EPA should avoid outcomes that could lead to plant closures, worker layoffs, and uncertainty over future investments in the biodiesel industry. We urge you to continue to support this fragile and growing industry with a reasonable increase in the RFS volume requirement for 2014.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
###
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Friday, November 1, 2013
DOE rooftop challenge winners offer energy, cost savings
PNNL News Release:
1 of 2
RICHLAND, Wash. – New super-efficient rooftop units that heat and cool commercial buildings offer significant energy and dollar savings, say scientists at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. They found that the devices reduce energy costs an average of about 41 percent compared to units in operation today.
The newly published report analyzes the operation of the commercial rooftop HVAC unit known as the Daikin Rebel, which was one of two units to meet DOE's Rooftop Challenge, a competition for manufacturers to create a rooftop unit that significantly exceeds existing DOE manufacturing standards. Daikin Applied was the first to produce such a unit, which was studied in depth by PNNL researchers; Carrier Corp. also met the challenge. The work is part of a broader DOE program known as the DOE Rooftop Campaign, which promotes the adoption of efficient rooftop units.
The PNNL study, done by scientists Srinivas Katipamula and Weimin Wang, is an in-depth look at the performance of the Rebel compared to other rooftop units in use today. The devices are usually nestled on building roofs, far from view but crucial to our comfort. The devices demand a significant proportion of the 18 quadrillion BTUs of energy that the nation's commercial buildings swallow every year.
The PNNL team estimates that if current rooftop units were replaced with devices similar to the Rebel over a 10-year period, the benefits in terms of energy saved and reduced pollution would be about equal to taking 700,000 cars off the road each year. Put another way, the reduced energy draw could idle about eight average-size coal-fired power plants in each of those 10 years.
If all rooftop units with a cooling capacity of 10 to 20 tons were replaced immediately, DOE officials estimate the cost savings at around $1 billion annually.
"There are great gains waiting to be made in energy savings, using technologies that exist today," said Katipamula, whose study was supported by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Katipamula and Wang ran extensive simulations analyzing the Rebel's performance compared to other rooftop units. The pair used DOE's Energy Plus building energy simulation software and worked with detailed performance data supplied by Intertek of Cortland, N.Y., which tested the units in the laboratory. Katipamula and Wang also created several new computer models — a necessary step because they were testing technology that has never existed before. The Rebel includes variable-speed fans and a variable-speed compressor, which allow it to respond more precisely to conditions inside a building than conventional technology.
The team ran simulations for a typical 75,000-square-foot big-box store in three cities: Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles. They compared performance of the Rebel to three types of units: those in use today, those that meet current federal regulations for new units, and those that meet more stringent requirements, known as ASHRAE 90.1-2010 standards. DOE designed the Rooftop Challenge to exceed the ASHRAE standards.
The team found that the Rebel reduced energy costs and use as follows:
"The savings depend very much on the particular conditions — the climate, the size of the store, the materials used in the construction, and so on," said Katipamula. "We've developed Energy Plus software models that allow building designers or owners to calculate for themselves the cost-effectiveness of installing a newer unit that meets the DOE rooftop challenge."
While "cost-effectiveness" might seem to break down into simple dollars and cents, that is often not the case for commercial buildings. Payback differs dramatically depending on whose investment is at stake; oftentimes, tenants pay the energy costs, and they often have no choice in what equipment a building owner or builder chooses to use. Katipamula says that offering incentives to builders is one way to increase their stake in using cost-efficient equipment.
The work by Katipamula and Wang shows how PNNL scientists and engineers have a strong but hidden hand in how buildings and homes throughout the nation are built. Their research helps provide the foundation for universally used commercial building codes - what energy savings are possible and practical, for instance, and what should be expected from buildings and builders in the future.
Reference: W. Wang and S. Katipamula, Part-Load Performance Characterization and Energy Savings Potential of the RTU Challenge Unit: Daikin Rebel, funded by the U.S. DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, through the Building Technologies Office. The report, including a link for builders and others to simulate tests of their own buildings, is available here.
DOE rooftop challenge winners offer energy, cost savings
October 28, 2013 - Tom Rickey, PNNL, (509) 375-3732
- Researchers Srinivas Katipamula (left) and Weimin Wang (right)
Photo courtesy of Kristin Nolan. - The Daikin Rebel
Photo courtesy of Daikin Applied.
1 of 2 The newly published report analyzes the operation of the commercial rooftop HVAC unit known as the Daikin Rebel, which was one of two units to meet DOE's Rooftop Challenge, a competition for manufacturers to create a rooftop unit that significantly exceeds existing DOE manufacturing standards. Daikin Applied was the first to produce such a unit, which was studied in depth by PNNL researchers; Carrier Corp. also met the challenge. The work is part of a broader DOE program known as the DOE Rooftop Campaign, which promotes the adoption of efficient rooftop units.
The PNNL study, done by scientists Srinivas Katipamula and Weimin Wang, is an in-depth look at the performance of the Rebel compared to other rooftop units in use today. The devices are usually nestled on building roofs, far from view but crucial to our comfort. The devices demand a significant proportion of the 18 quadrillion BTUs of energy that the nation's commercial buildings swallow every year.
The PNNL team estimates that if current rooftop units were replaced with devices similar to the Rebel over a 10-year period, the benefits in terms of energy saved and reduced pollution would be about equal to taking 700,000 cars off the road each year. Put another way, the reduced energy draw could idle about eight average-size coal-fired power plants in each of those 10 years.
If all rooftop units with a cooling capacity of 10 to 20 tons were replaced immediately, DOE officials estimate the cost savings at around $1 billion annually.
"There are great gains waiting to be made in energy savings, using technologies that exist today," said Katipamula, whose study was supported by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Katipamula and Wang ran extensive simulations analyzing the Rebel's performance compared to other rooftop units. The pair used DOE's Energy Plus building energy simulation software and worked with detailed performance data supplied by Intertek of Cortland, N.Y., which tested the units in the laboratory. Katipamula and Wang also created several new computer models — a necessary step because they were testing technology that has never existed before. The Rebel includes variable-speed fans and a variable-speed compressor, which allow it to respond more precisely to conditions inside a building than conventional technology.
The team ran simulations for a typical 75,000-square-foot big-box store in three cities: Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles. They compared performance of the Rebel to three types of units: those in use today, those that meet current federal regulations for new units, and those that meet more stringent requirements, known as ASHRAE 90.1-2010 standards. DOE designed the Rooftop Challenge to exceed the ASHRAE standards.
The team found that the Rebel reduced energy costs and use as follows:
- Compared to units in operation today that are ready for replacement, energy costs were 33 percent less in Chicago, 44 percent less in Houston, and 45 percent less in Los Angeles. The Rebel slashed energy demand by 15 percent, 37 percent, and 36 percent, respectively.
- Compared to new units that meet current federal regulations, costs were cut 29 percent, 37 percent, and 40 percent, in Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles, respectively. Likewise, energy demand was reduced 12 percent, 30 percent, and 32 percent in those three cities.
- As expected, savings were a bit less when compared with new units that meet today's strictest ASHRAE standards. Costs to run the RebelTM system were 15 percent lower in Chicago, 27 percent lower in Houston, and 18 percent lower in Los Angeles. Energy demand was 8 percent, 23 percent, and 15 percent lower, respectively.
"The savings depend very much on the particular conditions — the climate, the size of the store, the materials used in the construction, and so on," said Katipamula. "We've developed Energy Plus software models that allow building designers or owners to calculate for themselves the cost-effectiveness of installing a newer unit that meets the DOE rooftop challenge."
While "cost-effectiveness" might seem to break down into simple dollars and cents, that is often not the case for commercial buildings. Payback differs dramatically depending on whose investment is at stake; oftentimes, tenants pay the energy costs, and they often have no choice in what equipment a building owner or builder chooses to use. Katipamula says that offering incentives to builders is one way to increase their stake in using cost-efficient equipment.
The work by Katipamula and Wang shows how PNNL scientists and engineers have a strong but hidden hand in how buildings and homes throughout the nation are built. Their research helps provide the foundation for universally used commercial building codes - what energy savings are possible and practical, for instance, and what should be expected from buildings and builders in the future.
Reference: W. Wang and S. Katipamula, Part-Load Performance Characterization and Energy Savings Potential of the RTU Challenge Unit: Daikin Rebel, funded by the U.S. DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, through the Building Technologies Office. The report, including a link for builders and others to simulate tests of their own buildings, is available here.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Friday, October 25, 2013
Commentary: Why Germany Is Waging Its Green Revolution Wrong - SPIEGEL ONLINE
Germany pretends to be a pioneer in the green revolution. But its massively expensive Energiewende has done nothing to make the environment cleaner or encourage genuine efficiency. One writer argues: Either do it right, or don't do it at all.
Commentary: Why Germany Is Waging Its Green Revolution Wrong - SPIEGEL ONLINE
Commentary: Why Germany Is Waging Its Green Revolution Wrong - SPIEGEL ONLINE
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Monday, October 21, 2013
Governor Pat Quinn, Shedd Announce Largest Solar Panel Installation at Cultural Institution in Illinois
Illinois EPA Press Release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 20, 2013
Governor Pat Quinn, Shedd Announce Largest Solar Panel Installation at Cultural Institution in Illinois
Illinois Public, Private Leaders Unite to Bring Energy-Efficiency to the Top-Attended Aquarium in the Nation
CHICAGO – Governor Pat Quinn and Shedd Aquarium today kicked-off the first phase of the institution’s clean-energy initiative with the installation of 913 photovoltaic solar panels on top of the aquarium’s world-class marine mammal pavilion. In an event held on the roof of the Abbott Oceanarium, the Governor, along with Shedd leadership and Illinois sustainability champions, unveiled the 265-kilowatt project that is the biggest solar panel installation in any cultural institution in the state of Illinois funded through a public and private partnership.
The Shedd Aquarium is a recognized leader in sustainability, conservation and education and today’s event is part of Governor Quinn’s agenda to protect our natural resources and ensure a clean and healthy environment for future generations.
“Shedd’s green energy efforts demonstrate how Illinois is paving the way in advancing next-generation clean technology and sustainable energy,” Governor Quinn said. “The solar panel project at the aquarium is the start of many progressive changes to our energy economy, serving as a model to integrate sustainability into operations for organizations around the country.”
“Protecting and preserving the living world is at the heart of Shedd Aquarium and we understand that conservation and sustainability begin at home in the aquarium,” said Ted A. Beattie, Shedd President and CEO. “Collaborative relationships fuel the actions needed to move the needle literally in terms of energy consumption. We’re grateful for the generous support from Governor Pat Quinn as well as our public and private partners to help Shedd be among the first cultural institutions to adopt a comprehensive clean energy model.”
The energy-efficient panels are part of Shedd’s Master Energy Roadmap – an ambitious energy initiative aiming to cut energy consumption in half by 2020, transforming the aquarium into the nation’s first clean energy-powered cultural institution. Named the number one attended aquarium in the country in 2012, Shedd worked with public and private energy leaders to advance the building’s larger energy management system, bringing Shedd closer to achieving its long-term goal of saving close to 10 million kilowatt hours annually – enough to power 750 households.
The state of Illinois is investing $205,000 in the $1.1 million project. The program leverages Illinois’ significant potential for renewable power and heating - wind, solar, and biogas offer both economic and environmental benefits. Wind energy costs have fallen significantly, and modern wind farms provide both stable income for farmers and significant property tax revenues for local governments. Biogas facilities allow
livestock owners to transform wastes from pollution into clean energy, and solar thermal technologies offer an increasingly cost-effective alternative to volatile natural gas prices. Illinois strongly supports the development of these resources.
As a key organization with the design of Shedd’s Master Energy Roadmap and Aquarium’s lead partner in solidifying the solar project, Illinois Science and Technology Coalition’s President and CEO Mark Harris celebrated the first milestone of the initiative. “Shedd’s commitment to sustainable, clean energy sources is an important achievement for the aquarium, the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago,” Harris said. “Shedd’s solar power technology represents a critical part of our mission at the Coalition that is dedicated to growing Illinois’ role as a global innovation leader for sustainable energy.”
In addition to statewide emphasis on sustainable energy, other local officials applauded the latest installation. “We are thrilled to see Shedd Aquarium take on significant changes to move toward a complete transition to renewable energy sources. This emphasis on renewable energy sources through initiatives such as Shedd’s Energy Roadmap is a priority of the Mayor’s and will help motivate sustainable strategies through practical solutions through our entire community in the future,” said Karen Weigert, Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Chicago, which was named the most sustainable large community in 2012.
Under the on-site renewable generation portion of the roadmap, panels will help power life-support equipment to the aquarium's Great Lakes gallery, which showcases the region's diverse native animals including iconic lake sturgeon in a new touch pool exhibit. In addition to reducing costs and enhancing the building’s energy reserve and various life support systems, the new solar panels support Shedd’s Great Lakes initiative to protect and preserve the lakes by reducing its reliance on traditional energy sources.
The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation provided support for the project, advancing their mission to improve energy efficiency through renewable energy technologies and protect natural areas for communities across Illinois.
“It is a significant move to advance sustainability locally and Shedd is paving the way to create a healthy and prosperous Illinois through environmental best practices,” said Dennis O’Brien, Executive Director, Illinois Clean Energy. “By increasing the use of renewable energy resources – such as solar power - we will help diversify Illinois' energy portfolio together, driving economic benefits for the state's communities.”
Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, also lent their support to help build the photovoltaic panel. The solar installation employs end-to-end solar solution, complete with advanced technology elements that will improve solar system operations through real-time monitoring, statistics and key performance indicator (KPI) measurements.
“This is an exciting project for both of our organizations, the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago,” said Chris Curtis, President and CEO of Schneider Electric North America. “We’re proud to support Shedd in their solar efforts by providing cutting-edge energy technologies that will work to meet their sustainability and energy goals.”
Launched in January 2013, Shedd’s Master Energy Roadmap designed an innovative “smart building” prototype. Future projects include continued building automation, advanced lighting controls, building analytics, demand response programs and predictive monitoring.
Reflecting on the aquarium’s long history and commitment to sustainability, Beattie continued, “We’ve been doing our part as The World’s Aquarium to further our community’s world-class reputation through important initiatives such as this one. Over the next five years through our sustainability strategic plan, we are investing in people, animals, the environment, our facility and our future.”
###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 20, 2013
Governor Pat Quinn, Shedd Announce Largest Solar Panel Installation at Cultural Institution in Illinois
Illinois Public, Private Leaders Unite to Bring Energy-Efficiency to the Top-Attended Aquarium in the Nation
CHICAGO – Governor Pat Quinn and Shedd Aquarium today kicked-off the first phase of the institution’s clean-energy initiative with the installation of 913 photovoltaic solar panels on top of the aquarium’s world-class marine mammal pavilion. In an event held on the roof of the Abbott Oceanarium, the Governor, along with Shedd leadership and Illinois sustainability champions, unveiled the 265-kilowatt project that is the biggest solar panel installation in any cultural institution in the state of Illinois funded through a public and private partnership.
The Shedd Aquarium is a recognized leader in sustainability, conservation and education and today’s event is part of Governor Quinn’s agenda to protect our natural resources and ensure a clean and healthy environment for future generations.
“Shedd’s green energy efforts demonstrate how Illinois is paving the way in advancing next-generation clean technology and sustainable energy,” Governor Quinn said. “The solar panel project at the aquarium is the start of many progressive changes to our energy economy, serving as a model to integrate sustainability into operations for organizations around the country.”
“Protecting and preserving the living world is at the heart of Shedd Aquarium and we understand that conservation and sustainability begin at home in the aquarium,” said Ted A. Beattie, Shedd President and CEO. “Collaborative relationships fuel the actions needed to move the needle literally in terms of energy consumption. We’re grateful for the generous support from Governor Pat Quinn as well as our public and private partners to help Shedd be among the first cultural institutions to adopt a comprehensive clean energy model.”
The energy-efficient panels are part of Shedd’s Master Energy Roadmap – an ambitious energy initiative aiming to cut energy consumption in half by 2020, transforming the aquarium into the nation’s first clean energy-powered cultural institution. Named the number one attended aquarium in the country in 2012, Shedd worked with public and private energy leaders to advance the building’s larger energy management system, bringing Shedd closer to achieving its long-term goal of saving close to 10 million kilowatt hours annually – enough to power 750 households.
The state of Illinois is investing $205,000 in the $1.1 million project. The program leverages Illinois’ significant potential for renewable power and heating - wind, solar, and biogas offer both economic and environmental benefits. Wind energy costs have fallen significantly, and modern wind farms provide both stable income for farmers and significant property tax revenues for local governments. Biogas facilities allow
livestock owners to transform wastes from pollution into clean energy, and solar thermal technologies offer an increasingly cost-effective alternative to volatile natural gas prices. Illinois strongly supports the development of these resources.
As a key organization with the design of Shedd’s Master Energy Roadmap and Aquarium’s lead partner in solidifying the solar project, Illinois Science and Technology Coalition’s President and CEO Mark Harris celebrated the first milestone of the initiative. “Shedd’s commitment to sustainable, clean energy sources is an important achievement for the aquarium, the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago,” Harris said. “Shedd’s solar power technology represents a critical part of our mission at the Coalition that is dedicated to growing Illinois’ role as a global innovation leader for sustainable energy.”
In addition to statewide emphasis on sustainable energy, other local officials applauded the latest installation. “We are thrilled to see Shedd Aquarium take on significant changes to move toward a complete transition to renewable energy sources. This emphasis on renewable energy sources through initiatives such as Shedd’s Energy Roadmap is a priority of the Mayor’s and will help motivate sustainable strategies through practical solutions through our entire community in the future,” said Karen Weigert, Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Chicago, which was named the most sustainable large community in 2012.
Under the on-site renewable generation portion of the roadmap, panels will help power life-support equipment to the aquarium's Great Lakes gallery, which showcases the region's diverse native animals including iconic lake sturgeon in a new touch pool exhibit. In addition to reducing costs and enhancing the building’s energy reserve and various life support systems, the new solar panels support Shedd’s Great Lakes initiative to protect and preserve the lakes by reducing its reliance on traditional energy sources.
The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation provided support for the project, advancing their mission to improve energy efficiency through renewable energy technologies and protect natural areas for communities across Illinois.
“It is a significant move to advance sustainability locally and Shedd is paving the way to create a healthy and prosperous Illinois through environmental best practices,” said Dennis O’Brien, Executive Director, Illinois Clean Energy. “By increasing the use of renewable energy resources – such as solar power - we will help diversify Illinois' energy portfolio together, driving economic benefits for the state's communities.”
Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, also lent their support to help build the photovoltaic panel. The solar installation employs end-to-end solar solution, complete with advanced technology elements that will improve solar system operations through real-time monitoring, statistics and key performance indicator (KPI) measurements.
“This is an exciting project for both of our organizations, the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago,” said Chris Curtis, President and CEO of Schneider Electric North America. “We’re proud to support Shedd in their solar efforts by providing cutting-edge energy technologies that will work to meet their sustainability and energy goals.”
Launched in January 2013, Shedd’s Master Energy Roadmap designed an innovative “smart building” prototype. Future projects include continued building automation, advanced lighting controls, building analytics, demand response programs and predictive monitoring.
Reflecting on the aquarium’s long history and commitment to sustainability, Beattie continued, “We’ve been doing our part as The World’s Aquarium to further our community’s world-class reputation through important initiatives such as this one. Over the next five years through our sustainability strategic plan, we are investing in people, animals, the environment, our facility and our future.”
###
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
Commissioner Oettinger Presents 200 Renewable Energy Projects to EU - SPIEGEL ONLINE
European Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger is in Brussels on Monday to present his plan for the future of energy in the EU. He wants to export Germany's push toward renewables to the rest of the Continent -- and for the first time, he actually has the money to do it.
Commissioner Oettinger Presents 200 Renewable Energy Projects to EU - SPIEGEL ONLINE
Commissioner Oettinger Presents 200 Renewable Energy Projects to EU - SPIEGEL ONLINE
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Sunday, October 6, 2013
GE Donates Dollars, Labor to Solar Decathlon
GE Press Release:
GE Donates Dollars, Labor to Solar Decathlon
October 3, 2013
- Kentuckiana engineering students build house that could serve as replacement following a disaster
- GE engineers donate hundreds of hours helping students build solar-powered house
- Locally-built solar-powered house recognized as one to watch in national competition
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Oct. 3, 2013 — (NYSE: GE) — Scenes from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina may be etched on our minds forever. If such a disaster ever hits again, engineering students from the Universities of Louisville and Kentucky, and Ball State University believe they may have a good replacement to aid communities during the reconstruction period - their entry in this year’s Solar Decathlon competition.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Solar Decathlon is an international biennial competition that challenges 20 collegiate teams to design, build and exhibit fully functional solar-powered homes. Team Kentuckiana built its house on the University of Louisville (UofL) campus. The house was recently dismantled and shipped to Irvine, Calif., where it will be re-assembled for judging Oct. 3 through 13.
The two-bedroom house, which has already been recognized as one of the top five to watch, has a vaulted ceiling in the kitchen/living room area; a mechanical room; a bathroom, which doubles as a safe room; a closet that serves as a laundry room; and special siding built to withstand high winds. It features a deck all around with planter boxes, and is furnished with a full set of energy-efficient GE appliances, including the GeoSpring™ hybrid water heater.
GE supportWhen UofL announced its participation in the 2013 Solar Decathlon, vice president of technology Kevin Nolan helped secure a $85,000 GE gift to support the effort. The university students, however, needed even more help from GE. They needed expert advice from its engineers and eventually many hours of volunteer labor.
More than 50 GE engineers volunteered to help with the labor during three separate one-day blitzes. It is estimated that GE workers donated more than 500 man hours of labor during those three days, while some of the engineers worked many more hours, coming on their own time after work and on weekends to help.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter or check out our website for more informationFriend GE Appliances on Facebook to view how-to videos, learn about new GE appliances and join in the discussion with other GE appliance owners. Join today and follow @GE_Appliances on Twitter or just locate detailed information about our products at www.geappliances.com.
About GE Appliances
GE Appliances is at the forefront of building innovative, energy-efficient appliances that improve people’s lives. GE Appliances’ products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, water filtration systems and water heaters. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information on GE Appliances, visitwww.ge.com/appliances.
GE Appliances is at the forefront of building innovative, energy-efficient appliances that improve people’s lives. GE Appliances’ products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, water filtration systems and water heaters. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information on GE Appliances, visitwww.ge.com/appliances.
GE Energy Financial Services and Partners Announce Completion of Expansion at Colorado Highlands Wind Project
GE Press Release:
GE Energy Financial Services and Partners Announce Completion of Expansion at Colorado Highlands Wind Project
October 2, 2013
Output at Colorado Highlands Wind increased by 36 percent
The expansion of Colorado’s newest renewable energy facility is complete, with the Colorado Highlands Wind project now capable of generating 91 megawatts of electricity for Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association.
The facility originally came on-line in December of 2012, with 42 1.6-megawatt GE turbines able to produce 67 megawatts of power. The expansion – which was announced in April and began construction in July – consists of an additional 14 1.7-megawatt GE turbines, increasing the facility’s total current capacity by 36 percent.
Tri-State has a 20-year power purchase agreement to receive all the electricity and environmental attributes from the wind farm, which is jointly owned by Alliance Power, Inc. of Littleton, Colo., and GE Energy Financial Services of Stamford, Conn. It is located on 6,640 acres in northeast Colorado’s Logan County – in the service territory of Tri-State member co-op Highline Electric Association.
“Colorado Highlands Wind has been performing extremely well since being brought on-line late last year,” said Tri-State senior vice president Brad Nebergall. “Since it was originally designed to accommodate 91 megawatts on the existing transmission system – and since Tri-State is always proactively pursuing projects that make sense for us and our member electric co-ops – the expansion of Colorado Highlands Wind was an opportunity we quickly embraced.”
Jim Michael, managing member of Colorado Highlands Wind, said, “We are pleased to be able to increase the long-term cost-effective renewable energy that our project is generating for Tri-State and its members, while providing other significant benefits to the community.”
Colorado Highlands Wind is currently one of three utility-scale renewable energy facilities from which Tri-State receives all of the electrical output and renewable energy credits.
In 2010 the wholesale power supplier began purchasing the electricity generated at the 51-megawatt Kit Carson Windpower Project in eastern Colorado as well as the 30-megawatt Cimarron Solar Facility in northeastern New Mexico. Combined with Tri-State’s renewable hydropower resources, renewable energy generation makes up approximately 18 percent of the energy the association provides to its member co-ops.
In addition, Tri-State’s member co-ops have another 49 megawatts of local, community-based renewable and distributed generation projects in operation or scheduled to be operational in the near future.
In 2013, Tri-State adopted a new wholesale rate, along with demand management and energy shaping product offerings that, among other benefits, will assist the association to better integrate intermittent renewable resources into its power supply.
Based in the Denver suburb of Westminster, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association is a not-for-profit wholesale power supplier to 44 electric cooperatives and public power districts serving approximately 1.5 million consumers throughout a 200,000 square-mile service territory across Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.
The expansion of Colorado’s newest renewable energy facility is complete, with the Colorado Highlands Wind project now capable of generating 91 megawatts of electricity for Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association.
The facility originally came on-line in December of 2012, with 42 1.6-megawatt GE turbines able to produce 67 megawatts of power. The expansion – which was announced in April and began construction in July – consists of an additional 14 1.7-megawatt GE turbines, increasing the facility’s total current capacity by 36 percent.
Tri-State has a 20-year power purchase agreement to receive all the electricity and environmental attributes from the wind farm, which is jointly owned by Alliance Power, Inc. of Littleton, Colo., and GE Energy Financial Services of Stamford, Conn. It is located on 6,640 acres in northeast Colorado’s Logan County – in the service territory of Tri-State member co-op Highline Electric Association.
“Colorado Highlands Wind has been performing extremely well since being brought on-line late last year,” said Tri-State senior vice president Brad Nebergall. “Since it was originally designed to accommodate 91 megawatts on the existing transmission system – and since Tri-State is always proactively pursuing projects that make sense for us and our member electric co-ops – the expansion of Colorado Highlands Wind was an opportunity we quickly embraced.”
Jim Michael, managing member of Colorado Highlands Wind, said, “We are pleased to be able to increase the long-term cost-effective renewable energy that our project is generating for Tri-State and its members, while providing other significant benefits to the community.”
Colorado Highlands Wind is currently one of three utility-scale renewable energy facilities from which Tri-State receives all of the electrical output and renewable energy credits.
In 2010 the wholesale power supplier began purchasing the electricity generated at the 51-megawatt Kit Carson Windpower Project in eastern Colorado as well as the 30-megawatt Cimarron Solar Facility in northeastern New Mexico. Combined with Tri-State’s renewable hydropower resources, renewable energy generation makes up approximately 18 percent of the energy the association provides to its member co-ops.
In addition, Tri-State’s member co-ops have another 49 megawatts of local, community-based renewable and distributed generation projects in operation or scheduled to be operational in the near future.
In 2013, Tri-State adopted a new wholesale rate, along with demand management and energy shaping product offerings that, among other benefits, will assist the association to better integrate intermittent renewable resources into its power supply.
Based in the Denver suburb of Westminster, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association is a not-for-profit wholesale power supplier to 44 electric cooperatives and public power districts serving approximately 1.5 million consumers throughout a 200,000 square-mile service territory across Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.
About GE Energy Financial Services
GE Energy Financial Services—GE’s energy investing business—works as a builder, not just a banker, to help meet the world’s power and fuel needs. We offer more than money—expertise—for essential, long-lived and capital-intensive power, oil and gas infrastructure—GE’s core business. Drawing on GE’s energy technical know-how, financial strength and risk management, we see value where others don’t and take on our customers’ toughest challenges with flexible equity and debt transaction structures. Based in Stamford, Connecticut, GE Energy Financial Services holds approximately $18 billion in assets. More information: www.geenergyfinancialservices.com. Follow GE Energy Financial Services on Twitter: @GEEnergyFinServ
GE Lighting Showcases Long-Lasting, Durable Automotive LED Headlight Technology at AAPEX
GE Press Release:
GE Lighting Showcases Long-Lasting, Durable Automotive LED Headlight Technology at AAPEX
October 2, 2013
EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — Oct. 2, 2013 — (NYSE:GE) — GE Lighting delivers improved visibility and a long life rating for drivers with its GE NIGHTHAWK™ LED headlights, which are designed to last for 15,000 hours and draw less amperage than standard halogen headlights.
GE will showcase its NIGHTHAWK LED headlight technology in booth #1432 at the upcoming Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX), from Tuesday, Nov. 5 through Nov. 7, 2013, at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev.
The NIGHTHAWK LED headlight provides a reliable automotive exterior lighting solution that is compatible with a variety of vehicles, including motorcycles, Jeeps, off-road vehicles and classic car models from 1983 and older. Available in 5” x 7” rectangular and 7” round models, NIGHTHAWK LED headlights are a direct-fit replacement for conventional sealed beam halogen headlights.
Utilizing a standard HB2/H4 wiring connection that works with both 12-volt and 24-volt systems, NIGHTHAWK LED headlights require no adapters or special tools to install. Drivers can install each headlight within 30 minutes or less, on average.
Crisp, White LightNIGHTHAWK’s filament-free LED light source provides a bright, white light with greater visibility on road surfaces when compared with standard halogen bulbs.
“The result of crisp, white LED light is a dramatic improvement in distance projection and better overall driver visibility for increased reaction time,” said Rob Gill, North American automotive sales manager with GE Lighting. “Our NIGHTHAWK LED headlights also deliver a color temperature that is close to daylight [5600 Kelvin], which improves drivers’ abilities to perceive contrast.”
NIGHTHAWK LED headlights also feature a horizontal split-lamp design, which produces a unique low beam and high beam appearance. Its sharp, low beam “cutoff” of upward light also results in very little light being cast into the eyes of oncoming drivers. Further, its non-yellowing polycarbonate lens distributes light evenly and helps protect against damage from typical road debris.
Exceptional DurabilityUndergoing GE’s thorough engineering and testing procedures to deliver high-quality performance, NIGHTHAWK headlights are built using a rugged aluminum die-cast lamp housing and solid-state circuitry design to withstand rough conditions and vibration. Further, its epoxy-sealed electronics help to protect against damaging moisture and corrosion.
Automotive aftermarket distributors and suppliers can benefit from opportunities to upsell and better satisfy customers with dependable LED lighting technology that requires no maintenance beyond normal lens cleaning. NIGHTHAWK LEDs are also ideal for commercial owners/operators and fleet maintenance managers looking to improve productivity and maximize driver efficiency by helping to eliminate hazards and costly downtime associated with lamp failure.
GE’s NIGHTHAWK LED headlamps meet all DOT requirements and come with a 3-year limited warranty. For more information, visit www.gelighting.com.
About GE Lighting
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs about 14,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal® and Energy Smart® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx™, Immersion™, Infusion™, Lumination™, Albeo™ and Tetra® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visit www.gelighting.com.
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs about 14,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the Reveal® and Energy Smart® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx™, Immersion™, Infusion™, Lumination™, Albeo™ and Tetra® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visit www.gelighting.com.
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