A personal quest to promote the use of wind energy and hydrogen technology in the Great Lakes area of the United States. The Great Lakes area is in a unique position to become an energy exporting region through these and other renewable energy technologies. *Update 2014: Just do it everywhere - Dan*
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Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2009 9:52 AM
Subject: Google Alert - hydrogen, wind, power
Google News Alert for: hydrogen, wind, power
| Conn. man modifies pickup to run on wood, waste |
| Obama Urges Senators to Back Cap and Trade Bill |
From: Google Alerts
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 6:27 AM
Subject: Google Alert - hydrogen, wind, power
Google News Alert for: hydrogen, wind, power
| Race is on to create a new world of energy |
| NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN POWER TRANSMISSION AND CARBON SEQUESTRATION ... |
| To Infinity and Beyond! Or at Least Back to the Moon |
| Futurescape/3 Dirigible Woods |
Auto-Ban: German Town Goes Car-Free
by: Tony Paterson, The Independent UK
From: Google Alerts
Sent: Saturday, June 27, 2009 6:13 AM
Subject: Google Alert - hydrogen, wind, power
Google News Alert for: hydrogen, wind, power
| Solar Fest sheds light on green energy practices |
| Scientific Alliance newsletter 26th June 2009 |
| Futurescape/1 Oahe |
From: Google Alerts
Sent: Friday, June 26, 2009 6:36 AM
Subject: Google Alert - hydrogen, wind, power
Google News Alert for: hydrogen, wind, power
| Hasten slowly into renewable energy |
| Remarks on wind energy poorly researched |
| A recipe for clean, green hydrogen power |
| Project will make coal clean, safe |
| Hydrogen fuel-cell motorcycles, no gas required |
Tell Congress: PASS the American Clean Energy & Security Act
Dear Daniel,In less than 24 hours, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote to determine the fate of the American Clean Energy & Security Act (H.R. 2454). Please contact your Member of Congress to ask him or her to vote in favor of this legislation.Earlier this week, during a White House press conference, President Obama said, "It is legislation that will finally spark a clean energy transformation that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and confront the carbon pollution that threatens our planet."This landmark legislation includes a national renewable electricity standard (RES)--a policy urgently needed to support investment in renewable energy, create high-quality jobs for Americans, diversify and secure our nation's energy supply, and offset carbon emissions.Although the current RES provisions aren't reaching President Obama's campaign goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025, passing this bill out of the House of Representatives is an important step in the legislative process. We'll be asking you in the near future to contact your Senators, asking them to help strengthen the RES in their version of the bill.NOW is the time to make your voice heard and urge your Representative to COMMIT to the American worker and PASS the American Clean Energy & Security Act.Thank you for your continued support of wind energy. Our economy, our environment and our security depend on it.
Sincerely,
Tom Gray
Director of Communications
American Wind Energy Association
Repower America
Dear Daniel,
In the next day or so, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on the boldest effort in our history to rethink how we produce and use energy in this country.
I recorded a video message to describe what's at stake and how we need your help urgently. Take a moment and please watch it.
Some of the smartest ideas on energy and climate -- ones that have been aired by countless hearings in our Capitol over the last two decades -- are finally getting their due in this bill. And it's deserving of our strongest support.
When people said that we couldn't get a bill out of a House committee with a diverse base of support, we proved them wrong. But it wasn't without the work of many people, including members like you.
Today, we need twice that effort. Please watch the video and call your Representative today:
http://www.RepowerAmerica.org/UrgentAlGoreVideo
Thanks for everything,
Al Gore
From: Google Alerts
Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 6:14 AM
Subject: Google Alert - hydrogen, wind, power
Google News Alert for: hydrogen, wind, power
| Green Energy Company Seeks to Bring Thousands of Jobs to Indiana | ||
Tapping Clean Power | ||
Carbon Capture: Possible Solutions, Pt. III | ||
| Kites to solve the energy problem |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 6/17/09 CONTACT: Joy Zedler, jbzedler@wisc.edu, 608-262-8629 PUBLIC INVITED TO LEARN ABOUT WISCONSIN'S WETLANDS MADISON - Coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, the public is invited to join hundreds of wetland scientists and advocates next week during the joint meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Wisconsin Wetlands Association and Wetland Biogeochemistry Symposium. The meeting will take place Sunday-Friday, June 21-26, at the Monona Terrace Convention Center. In addition to the scientific sessions and symposia, the meeting will include a variety of nontechnical events open to the public and likely to appeal to a broad range of interests. The meeting will kick off with a free public tour of the wetlands in the UW Arboretum from 8:30-10 a.m. on Sunday, June 21. Led by Arboretum naturalists, the tour will showcase different types of wetlands (hint: they don't all look like ponds!) and how they are being affected by urbanization and ecological restoration efforts. "It's not just that wetlands are aesthetically beautiful and inspirational recreation places," says Joy Zedler, a UW-Madison botany professor and one of the conference organizers. "They occupy such a small fraction of the Earth's surface, and yet they perform an extremely large and diverse suite of ecosystem services," ranging from carbon storage and filtering our water to supporting a diverse range of plants and animals. Another rich Madison-area wetland habitat, Waubesa Wetlands, will serve as the inspiration for a Sunday afternoon tour and poetry workshop led by local poets. Waubesa Wetlands was recently named one of the state's 100 "Wetland Gems" by the Wisconsin Wetlands Association. Other events open to the public include a screening of the film "A String of Pearls: Wisconsin's Freshwater Estuaries Along Lake Superior," exploring Wisconsin's shoreline resources and the people who cherish them; a banquet dinner featuring local environmental journalist Peter Annin; and plenary talks, including one by George Archibald, co-founder of the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo. Some events may require advance registration or fees. More information and registration are available at http://www.sws.org/2009_meeting/public_events.mgi. ### - Jill Sakai, 608-262-9772, jasakai@wisc.edu **************************************************** For questions or comments about UW-Madison's email news release system, please send an email to: releases@news.wisc.edu For more UW-Madison news, please visit: http://www.news.wisc.edu/ University Communications University of Wisconsin-Madison 27 Bascom Hall 500 Lincoln Drive Madison, WI 53706 Phone: (608) 262-3571 Fax: (608) 262-2331
GreenerComputing - News and Resources on IT and the Environment 
June 17, 2009
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The Green IT Perspective
By Preston Gralla
The data center of tomorrow may look very different from the one of the future -- but in ways that are very green and will most likely surprise you.
When many people think of tomorrow's data center, they imagine racks of monstrous servers, powered by enormous amounts of electricity taken straight off the grid. What they don't envision are many tiny processors that are merely sipping energy -- and sipping it from solar cells mounted on the building's roof.
That, however, may well be the future of the data center, judging from some interesting news this week. As I write in my blog, "Will Your Next Data Center Be Solar Powered?", i/o Data Centers, an IT infrastructure provider, is in the process of deploying a massive array of solar panels that will generate up to 4.5 megawatts of electricity to help power its giant data center. Thousands of solar panels will sit on its roof, and given that it's located in Phoenix, there's plenty of sunlight to go around. That means plenty of electricity. If solar energy can help power such a massive data center, it can certainly help power smaller ones as well.
Talking about small, in "Are Tiny Processors the Future of Green Data Centers?", I point to the possibility ... Read More
The Latest Green IT News Cisco, EMC Team with MIT to Launch $100M Green Data Center
By GreenerComputing Staff
The city of Holyoke, with its ready source of cheap, relatively clean hydroelectic power, will host a new, energy efficient data center that will bring innovation and jobs to the city.... Read More
DOE Muffs IT Energy Efficiency at Seven Sites: Department Audit
Second Data Center LEED Certification for Digital Realty Trust
Wisconsin E-waste Bill Passes Senate, Moves to Assembly
Nokia Wants Charger-Free Mobile Phones
Featured News Will Your Next Data Center Be Solar Powered?
By Preston Gralla
Think that solar power can't power data centers? Think again. i/o Data Centers, an IT infrastructure provider in Phoenix is in the process of deploying a massive array of solar panels that will generate up to 4.5 megawatts of electricity to help power its giant data center.... Read More
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EERE: Western Clean Energy, Fuel-Efficient Vehicles, and Solar Energy Projects
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/enn.cfm
June 17, 2009
News and Events
- Federal Agencies to Assist with Clean Energy Development in the West
- DOE Offers $240 Million for Fuel-Efficient Cars and Trucks
- Ohio State University Wins First Year of EcoCAR Challenge
- U.S. Government Orders 14,105 More Fuel-Efficient Vehicles
- DOE to Invest $49 Million in 24 Solar Projects and Solar Training
- USDA Awards $49 Million for Biomass Energy Projects in 14 States
Energy Connections
- Reports: Climate Change is Already Impacting the United States and World
News and Events
Editor's Note: As a follow-up to the recent announcement of Recovery Act funding for energy efficiency improvements in manufacturing and in the information and communication technology industries, DOE has issued two Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs). The first, titled "Recovery Act: Deployment of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Systems, District Energy Systems, Waste Energy Recovery Systems, and Efficient Industrial Equipment," is available on the DOE Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) Web site (PDF 368 KB) or by searching the public opportunities on FedConnect for reference number DE-FOA-0000044. The second, titled "Energy Efficient Information and Communication Technology," is also available on the ITP Web site (PDF 192 KB) or by searching the public opportunities on FedConnect for reference number DE-FOA-0000107. Applications for the two FOAs are due by July 14 and July 21, respectively. Download Adobe Reader.
Federal Agencies to Assist with Clean Energy Development in the West
DOE and other federal agencies announced on Monday that they will help the West to tap its clean energy potential and create green jobs. DOE and the Western Governor's Association (WGA) released a joint report that takes the first steps toward identifying areas in the West that have the potential for large-scale renewable energy developments with low environmental impacts. The "Western Renewable Energy Zones - Phase 1 Report" identifies geographic areas with at least 1,500 megawatts (MW) of high-quality renewable energy resources within a 100-mile radius, excluding environmentally sensitive areas and other high-value lands. The report identifies 37 "hubs" for renewable energy development in the 11 western states, as well as 15 hubs in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia (including one that straddles the border with the United States), plus 2 hubs in Mexico's Baja California. The states, provinces, and Baja California are all part of the same transmission network, the Western Interconnect. The hubs have not yet been screened for wildlife sensitivities.
The hubs cluster together in the sunny, geothermally active Desert Southwest and along the windy eastern border of the region, but renewable energy hubs are present in every western state and province. Combined, the hubs have enough renewable energy resources to potentially support nearly 200,000 MW of renewable power, including 95,219 MW of wind power, 86,921 MW of solar power, 4,478 MW of geothermal power, 8,452 MW of hydropower (all in Canada), and 3,720 MW of biomass power. Focusing only on the United States, and excluding the hub that straddles the Canadian border, the hubs could potentially support more than 180,000 MW of renewable power, including 93,655 MW of wind power, 81,930 MW of solar power, 4,138 MW of geothermal power, and 2,573 MW of biomass power. That's enough to generate about 453 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. For comparison, the entire U.S. generating capacity equaled roughly a million megawatts in 2007 and generated 4.16 trillio n kilowatt-hours of electricity. The U.S. hubs might also support an estimated 25,810 MW of geothermal power that would draw on resources that haven't been discovered yet, but are inferred to be present based on our knowledge of each area's geology. See the WGA press release and the full report (PDF 1.5 MB). Download Adobe Reader.
Going forward, federal agencies and the WGA will screen the renewable energy hubs for wildlife sensitivities, thereby identifying what will be known as Western Renewable Energy Zones. To help with that effort, DOE, the Interior Department, and the Department of Agriculture have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the WGA to enhance state wildlife data systems with improved mapping and data. This work will help to minimize the impact of energy development on wildlife corridors and key habitats. Once the Western Renewable Energy Zones are identified, DOE and the WGA will then form a plan for transmission lines to deliver the renewable energy from the zones to the region's cities and will evaluate the relative economic costs of delivering that power. That work will provide a foundation for future development of renewable energy and electric transmission systems in the West.
Taking full advantage of the renewable energy potential in the West will require long-term, coordinated transmission planning across the United States. To help achieve that goal, DOE announced $80 million in new funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including a $60 million solicitation to support regional transmission system planning. The remaining $20 million will support additional transmission and demand analysis to be performed by DOE's national laboratories and by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation. DOE is also offering $50 million in Recovery Act funds to help states and public utility commissions throughout the country to accelerate reviews of the large number of electric utility requests expected under the Recovery Act. An additional $39.5 million in Recovery Act funding will be available for state governments to ensure the resiliency of the electrical grid. The funds can be used by cities and states to hire or retrain sta ff in order to address such issues as integrating smart grid technology into the transmission network. See the DOE press release.
DOE Offers $240 Million for Fuel-Efficient Cars and Trucks
In 2006, DOE and four leading U.S. manufacturers of tractor-trailers concluded a two-year study of methods to improve the aerodynamics of trucks, including the wind tunnel testing shown here. DOE now aims to integrate these and other fuel-saving technologies into trucks that use one-third less fuel per ton of freight delivered.
Credit: Freightliner LLCDOE released a $240 million solicitation last week for the development of high-efficiency trucks and passenger vehicles. The funding includes approximately $110 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and $130 million from DOE annual appropriations, and each project will receive funding from only one of the two sources. The solicitation is divided into two areas: system-level technologies for efficient Class 8 trucks and advanced technology powertrains for passenger vehicles. Class 8 trucks are defined as heavy-duty commercial trucks weighing over 33,000 pounds, including tractor-trailers, and the goal is to increase vehicle freight efficiency by 50%. Awardees will develop and test vehicles with advanced engines and other fuel-saving features, such as improved aerodynamics, reduced vehicle weight, lower rolling resistance, hybrid technologies, and idle reduction technologies. If the tests are successful, they could lead to a fu ll-scale demonstration vehicle within the next three to five years.
The second part of the solicitation aims to accelerate the development of efficient engine and powertrain systems for passenger vehicles. For gasoline-fueled vehicles, these awardees will aim to achieve at least a 25% improvement in fuel economy compared to today's typical vehicles, while diesel-fueled vehicles will target at least a 40% improvement. The new powertrains can include improvements to in-cylinder combustion, engine mechanics, waste heat recovery, friction reduction, emission control, fuels, and materials, and they can also include electrification technologies and reduced ancillary loads. Awardees will develop the engines and test them on a dynamometer, which simulates typical loads on the engine. Engines that perform well during dynamometer testing could be integrated into a test vehicle within the next three to five years. Applications are due on September 9. See the DOE press release and the solicitation on grants.gov, or search the public opportunities on FedConnect for reference number DE-FOA-0000079.
Ohio State University Wins First Year of EcoCAR Challenge
A team of students from Ohio State University (OSU) earned top honors at the EcoCAR competition last week for their design of an extended-range electric vehicle. The three-year competition, officially called "EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge," tests the engineering acumen of university students from across North America, as they endeavor to convert a 2009 Saturn VUE into an electrified vehicle with improved fuel economy and reduced emissions. While achieving those goals, the teams must also retain the vehicle's performance and consumer appeal. The teams could explore such electrification options as fuel cells, electric vehicles, hybrids, plug-in hybrids (hybrids with oversized battery packs that can be plugged in to recharge), and extended-range electric vehicles (electric vehicles with an engine and generator to extend their range). The competition is sponsored by DOE and General Motors Corporation (GM) and is being managed by DOE's Argonne Nationa l Laboratory. Seventeen universities from the United States and Canada are participating in the competition.
For the first year of the EcoCAR challenge, students were tasked with designing the vehicle, drawing on advanced software and computer modeling tools to achieve the optimal fuel efficiency and minimal emissions. OSU's design recharges its battery pack using a 1.8-liter Honda engine fueled with E85 (a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) to achieve a three-fold increase in fuel economy relative to the production version of the Saturn VUE. About half of the teams chose an extended-range electric vehicle, while one team chose a full-function electric vehicle, two chose fuel cell-powered plug-in hybrids, and six chose plug-in hybrids. All of the teams employ lithium-ion battery packs with plug-in capability in their designs, and all of the teams that used liquid fuels designed their vehicles for renewable fuels. Next comes the hard part, as the teams actually have to build what they designed. And in the final year, teams refine their vehicles to near-showroom quality. See the EcoCAR challenge Web site, the press releases from GM and OSU, and the OSU EcoCAR Web site.
U.S. Government Orders 14,105 More Fuel-Efficient Vehicles
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) ordered 14,105 fuel-efficient vehicles on June 1, using $210 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The vehicles will be used in federal fleets, and they include 2,933 Chrysler vehicles, 7,024 Ford vehicles, and 6,348 General Motors vehicles. Each new vehicle purchased by the GSA will have a higher fuel economy than the one it replaces. Combined with an April purchase of 3,100 hybrid sedans, the new purchase increases the total number of new fuel-efficient vehicles purchased with Recovery Act funds to 17,205, at a total cost of $287 million.
That falls just short of a commitment made in April by President Barack Obama for the GSA to purchase about 17,600 fuel-efficient vehicles by June 1, in part because the GSA purchased more hybrid vehicles than it originally intended. The GSA had planned to order 2,500 hybrid sedans, but ended up ordering 3,100 hybrids. Hybrids are generally more expensive than conventional fuel-efficient vehicles, so buying more of them leaves less money for ordering other vehicles. By September 30, the GSA will spend another $15 million to order advanced technology buses and electric vehicles for use in the federal fleet. See the GSA press release and the article from this newsletter on the previous purchase.
DOE to Invest $49 Million in 24 Solar Projects and Solar Training
DOE announced last week its selection of 24 projects to research, develop, and design new manufacturing and product improvements that could cut costs for a substantial segment of the solar photovoltaic industry in the near future. The competitively-selected projects will be eligible for a total of up to $22 million in Recovery Act funds, which will be matched by more than $50 million in cost-shared funding from private partners. The projects include new manufacturing processes, films, and coatings for solar photovoltaic devices; monitoring devices that can be used to control the manufacturing process or for quality control; and entire solar power systems. The projects also include efforts to recycle scraps of solar-grade silicon produced during manufacturing, employ an ion beam to reduce the reflectance of solar modules, increase the light absorption of a solar cell by creating pits on its surface with a laser, trap light within thin crystalli ne silicon solar cells using diffraction gratings, and develop materials that "downshift" high-energy ultraviolet light to a lower-energy light that can be efficiently converted into electricity in a solar cell. See the list of the 24 new solar projects.
DOE will invest up to $27 million to help train solar installers. Enlarge this photo.
Credit: Craig Miller ProductionsDOE also announced plans to offer up to $27 million to develop the nation's infrastructure for solar installation training. DOE will fund this effort using $5 million from the Recovery Act, as well as $22 million in annual appropriations. The funds will go to a single national organization that will facilitate the development and distribution of model training curricula, best practices in training, and information on solar career pathways. A select number of regional training centers that also receive funding to offer solar instructors advanced courses on solar technologies, instructional design, and course development. The funds will help create green jobs by ensuring that a trained workforce is ready to support significant growth in solar energy. See the DOE press release.
USDA Awards $49 Million for Biomass Energy Projects in 14 States
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced last week its selection of 23 biomass energy projects in 14 states that will receive $49 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The funds will help create markets for small-diameter and low-value trees removed during forest restoration activities. The wood will be used to fire boilers for heating systems in schools and other facilities, to provide heat for a cement plant, as fuel for biomass power systems and combined heat and power systems (also known as cogeneration systems), and as a source of firewood and pellets for wood stoves. It will also be co-fired with coal in a coal power plant in Colorado, while Oregon will evaluate the value of in-woods, portable pyrolysis units that would convert biomass into a biobased oil. Biomass pyrolysis involves heating wood to high temperatures in the absence of oxygen, causing the organic compounds in the wood to break down. The USDA also awarded $8 million for biomass projects not related to energy production. See the USDA press release and the full list of projects (PDF 125 KB). Download Adobe Reader.
The USDA also announced in early May that it planned to award $224 million in Recovery Act funds to 110 projects that would make improvements to ecosystems and reduce hazardous fuels, such as underbrush and small trees in dense forests. While most of those projects were not related to energy production, some were, including two projects in Arizona; and one each in California, Colorado, Idaho, Kentucky, and South Carolina; five in Oregon; and one project that spans both Oregon and Washington. Those projects aim to direct at least some of their wood towards power generation, combined heat and power generation, heating for schools, industrial heat production, firewood sales, and the production of wood pellets for stoves. The Colorado project will co-fire the wood with coal in a coal-fired power plant. Note that additional projects may direct biomass to energy projects, but may not have explicitly declared that in their project summary. See the USDA press release and the full list of projects (PDF 146 KB).
Energy Connections
Reports: Climate Change is Already Impacting the United States and World
Climate change is already having visible impacts on the United States, and the choices made now will determine the severity of future impacts, according to a federal report released on Tuesday. The report, "Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States," finds that Americans are already being affected through increases in extreme weather, droughts, and wildfires caused by climate change. The future could hold more frequent and intense heat waves, increased heavy downpours, reduced summer runoff, increasing insect infestations, more wildfires, an increasingly acidic ocean, and local sea-level rises of more than three feet. These climate changes could disrupt energy, water, and transportation systems; hurt crop and livestock production, fisheries, and tourism; increasingly threaten coastal homes and infrastructure, while losing coastal land to rising seas; and harm human health. The report also examines climate change impacts by sector and region. A product of the interagency U.S. Global Change Research Program, the report notes that implementing sizable and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible would significantly reduce the pace and overall amount of climate change. See the press release from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the report Web page.
The new study is in line with recent reports that tackle the climate change issue on the global scale, in some cases finding even more drastic impacts. A report from the National Science Foundation (NSF) found signs of a changing climate in nearly every part of the globe, from the icy polar regions to Earth's equatorial ecosystems. A report from "The Lancet" and the University College London (UCL) declared climate change as the biggest health threat of this century, because of its impacts on heat waves, disease transmission, and the security of food, water, and sanitation. That conclusion is backed up by a report from the Global Humanitarian Forum (GHF), which found that climate change currently accounts for 300,000 deaths per year, and by 2030, that number could rise to a half million people per year. The report also finds that climate change impacts the lives of 325 million people today, causing economic losses of $125 billion per year, and by 2030, it could affect more than twice as many people at nearly triple the economic cost, reaching $340 billion annually. Part of that impact on people's lives is the need to flee rising seas, floods, and drought areas, and a new report from Columbia University, the United Nations University, and CARE International finds that such displacements are already underway. The report cites other studies indicating that 25-50 million people could be displaced by 2010, and that number could rise to nearly 700 million people by 2050. See the NSF press release, report Web site, and Web page for the report PDF files; the UCL press release, which links to the full report; the GHF press release and full report (PDF 2.6 MB); and the Columbia University press release, which links to the full report. Download Adobe Reader.
This newsletter is funded by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and is also available on the EERE Web site. If you have questions or comments about this newsletter, please contact the editor, Kevin Eber.
This service is provided to you at no charge by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE). Visit the Web site at http://www.eere.energy.gov.
