The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

EERE Network News -- 09/01/04


A weekly newsletter from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
The EERE Network News is also available on the Web at:
www.eere.energy.gov/news/

September 01, 2004

News and Events

Colorado Utility Seeks 500 Megawatts of Renewable Energy

After 20 Years, California Solar Project Reaches 3.2 Megawatts

Arizona Utilities Expand Solar Energy Incentives

Solar Car Sets Record Distance, but Tragedy Mars Related Tour

UPS Deploys Three Fuel-Cell-Powered Delivery Trucks

California Hydrogen Highway Network Gains Momentum


Energy Connections

EIA Examines the Long-Term Longevity of Petroleum

News and Events

Colorado Utility Seeks 500 Megawatts of Renewable Energy

Xcel Energy announced in mid-August that it intends to add up to 500 megawatts of renewable energy to its energy supply in Colorado. The utility earned approval for the plan from the Colorado Public Utility Commission on August 11th, and issued a request for proposals on August 17th. The utility seeks power generated from wind, solar, biomass, or geothermal energy, as well as from waste sources or from hydropower plants that are 20 megawatts or less in capacity. Xcel Energy will accept bids for power purchase contracts extending between 5 and 30 years. Proposals are due on November 23rd for the renewable power facilities, which must be in operation by the end of 2006. See the Xcel Energy press release, or go directly to the request for proposals.


After 20 Years, California Solar Project Reaches 3.2 Megawatts

California's Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) dedicated new solar power arrays last week at the site of one of its first major solar installations, located about 25 miles southeast of Sacramento, near the now-closed Rancho Seco nuclear power plant. The new arrays increase the solar power capacity at the site to 3.2 megawatts. The site's first solar project—a one-megawatt system called PV1—was installed 20 years ago, and those solar arrays are still operating at about 80 percent of their original performance.

Including the solar panels that SMUD has installed on parking structures, homes, and other buildings, the utility now has a total installed solar power capacity of 8.3 megawatts. In the past year, the utility has drawn on renewable energy sources for 9 percent of its electricity supply, and the utility has committed to increase that percentage to 20 percent by 2011. See the SMUD press release (PDF 98 KB). Download Acrobat Reader.


Arizona Utilities Expand Solar Energy Incentives

Two Arizona utilities are offering new or expanded incentives for their customers to install solar power systems. Following approval by the Arizona Corporation Commissioners in early August, Tucson Electric Power (TEP) has expanded its solar power incentives to provide a subsidy of up to $3,000 per kilowatt of rated direct-current capacity for a limited number of solar power systems, and $2,000 per kilowatt of rated alternating-current capacity. TEP will not provide maintenance for systems earning the higher subsidy. According to TEP, solar power systems could also qualify for up to $1,000 in state tax credits. UniSource Energy Services (UES), TEP's sister company, is offering the same incentives. UES has also started a voluntary program for customers to add $2 to their monthly electric bill to support solar power projects in the UES service territory. See the press releases from TEP, UES and the ACC.


Solar Car Sets Record Distance, but Tragedy Mars Related Tour

Members of the Midnight Sun team install the car's canopy as driver Silvia Pascual prepares to depart.Credit: Midnight Sun Solar Car Team, University of Waterloo

An intrepid team of solar car enthusiasts from Canada's University of Waterloo has set a world record for the longest journey by a solar-powered car. Called the Midnight Sun North American tour, the trip started from the campus in Waterloo, Ontario, crossed Canada to Vancouver, then headed down through Seattle and down the length of California. On August 26th, the team crossed the border into Arizona, surpassing the world-record distance of 7,043.5 kilometers (4,376.6 miles) set by Queen's University in July 2000. The team is now setting its sights on an unofficial record of 13,054 kilometers (8,111 miles) set in Australia. See the University of Waterloo press release.

As of Monday, the team had left Terrell, Texas, heading for Little Rock, Arkansas, and had traveled more than 10,000 kilometers (6,214 miles). Although the team originally planned to travel a total of 19,336 kilometers, or just over 12,000 miles, they have decided to bypass the Southeast, since Hurricane Frances is expected to bring unfavorable weather into the region by this weekend. See the "Tour News" section of the Midnight Sun North American tour Web site, and check on the status of Frances from the National Hurricane Center.

Sadly, another Canadian solar car tour ended in tragedy on August 12th. The Canadian Solar Tour featured solar cars from six universities in Ontario and Quebec and was meant to travel from Windsor, Ontario, to Quebec City, Quebec. Near Waterloo, Andrew Frow, a University of Toronto student, was involved in a two-car crash and was killed. The tour was cancelled, and a memorial service was held on August 19th in honor of the 21-year-old engineering student. A memorial scholarship has also been established in Andrew Frow's name. The accident remains under investigation. See the August 12th and August 23rd announcements from the University of Toronto.


UPS Deploys Three Fuel-Cell-Powered Delivery Trucks

UPS is using three fuel-cell-powered Dodge Sprinters as delivery vehicles.Credit: UPS
UPS announced last week that it will place three fuel-cell-powered delivery trucks in service in California and Michigan. DaimlerChrysler is providing the vehicles, which are a fuel-cell version of the Dodge Sprinter delivery truck. The new vehicles have a range of about 155 miles and accelerate as well as current UPS vehicles. And thanks to housing the fuel-cell system in the floor, the vehicles also boast a 10 percent increase in cargo capacity compared to the diesel-powered version of the Sprinter. The UPS announcement was made in Los Angeles, where the first vehicle was deployed; the other two vehicles will be placed into service in Sacramento, California, and Ann Arbor, Michigan. See the UPS press release.

The new delivery vehicles are a step up in size for UPS, which has been using a DaimlerChrysler "F-Cell" vehicle on a daily express-delivery route in Ann Arbor, Michigan, since February. See the story from the June 23rd edition of this newsletter.


California Hydrogen Highway Network Gains Momentum

California's Hydrogen Highway Network is moving ahead with the opening of a new hydrogen fueling station in southern California and plans for three more fueling stations underway. In mid-August, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) opened one of southern California's first hydrogen fueling stations at its headquarters in Diamond Bar, east of Los Angeles. The publicly available station, built by Stuart Energy, is among the first of 13 hydrogen fueling stations slated for construction in four southern California counties. To help implement that plan, Air Products announced in mid-August that it will build three fueling stations for AQMD, collaborating with Proton Energy Systems, Inc. on two of the stations. The new fueling stations will be located in Burbank, Riverside, and Santa Ana, and should be completed in 2005. See the press releases from AQMD and Air Products.

According to Texaco Ovonic Hydrogen Storage Systems LLC (TOHS), the AQMD is also looking ahead to the vehicles that will fuel up at those stations. By next spring, the AQMD will add five hybrid sedans with hydrogen fuel tanks using TOHS' solid hydrogen storage system, which works by absorbing hydrogen in a metal powder. The California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) is also looking ahead, and released a study in mid-August on the safety of parking hydrogen vehicles in garages. The study found that even non-ventilated garages can safely house hydrogen vehicles, so long as the vehicles are equipped with hydrogen leak detectors and automated hydrogen shut-off valves. See the press releases from TOHS and CaFCP.

The California Hydrogen Highway Network initiative, established in April by executive order of Governor Schwarzenegger, aims to install a network of 150 to 200 hydrogen fueling stations throughout California by 2010. See the California Hydrogen Highway Network Web site.


Energy Connections

EIA Examines the Long-Term Longevity of Petroleum
In the wake of recent high oil prices, DOE's Energy Information Administration (EIA) has re-released a July 2000 study that examined the long-term prospects for world petroleum supplies. As noted in that study, the critical event in world oil production will be when it hits its peak, since any decline in oil production would leave some oil demand unsatisfied, and would likely lead to significant price increases. Drawing on oil resource estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey (which the authors believe to be conservative), the study finds a wide range of potential dates for the peak in oil production, ranging from 2021 to 2112, although either extreme is unlikely. Using a demand growth of 2 percent per year (the EIA currently projects a growth of 1.9 percent per year through 2025), and using the mean value for the amount of oil reserves, the study predicts petroleum production will hit its peak in 2037.

The authors point out, however, that the study examines only conventional crude oil resources, and does not consider unconventional sources such as tar sands and very heavy oils. The authors also note that a greater use of gasoline-saving technologies, such as hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles, could significantly extend the worldwide production of crude oil. See the EIA report, "Long-Term World Oil Supply Scenarios."


This newsletter is funded by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)