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*
http://gl-zephyr.blogspot.com/ - Great Lakes area Wind Power & Hydrogen, renewable energy news.
From: Google Alerts
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 5:11 AM
Subject: Google Alert - hydrogen, wind, power
Google News Alert for: hydrogen, wind, power
| LOCAL IDA: Local investors seek help taking over TAM |
HTTP://GL-ZEPHYR.BLOGSPOT.COM – Wind Energy & Hydrogen News, Great Lakes Region
From: Google Alerts
Sent: Saturday, February 13, 2010 5:11 AM
Subject: Google Alert - hydrogen, wind, power
Google News Alert for: hydrogen, wind, power
| ACUA wind farm draws European energy chiefs: Ex-Soviet countries under ... |
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| The future of coal is green |
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Looking for Green Opportunities?
We would like to inform you of an upcoming workshop being hosted by the Delta Institute, a tenant of the Green Exchange.
Please see below for details.
Get Ready, Get Set and Grow With the Green Economy
Thursday, February 18, 2010
8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. CST
Oakton Community College, Room 1606
1600 E. River Road
Des Plaines, IL 60018
Spend six hours with Delta Institute staff and guest speakers and find out how you can prepare to grow your business, town or community with the emerging green economy. This workshop will help you understand the dynamics of the fastest growing segment of the U.S. economy and learn about opportunities in renewable energy, building design and construction, waste and water management, agriculture and horticulture and other developing green sectors.
FEATURED SPEAKERS
- Bill Becker, Founder and CEO of Aerotecture International, Inc.
- David Kyrouac of Natural Creations Landscaping, Inc.
- PLUS experts on green opportunities in waste, manufacturing and other fields.
Workshop participants will also:
- understand current policies, incentives and support services driving the green economy.
- discover how to evaluate assets, strengths and needs relative to green business development.
- find out what is needed for a successful green economic development strategy.
$100 tuition includes session, materials, lunch, and breaks.
Register now at delta-institute.org/greentraining/
Questions? Contact dpopely@delta-institute.org or call (312) 554-0900 X15
Green Exchange | 2545 West Diversey Avenue | Chicago | IL | 60647
*FREE Documentary Film Showing, with group Discussion after film
WHAT: Food, Inc.
WHEN: **Fri 2/12 at 7:20pm**
WHERE: Unitarian Church (DUUC) in Naperville *
*
DESCRIPTION, Directions AND Sponsor/contact INFORMATION:
*
This film reveals information that may be shocking to some of us -- about what what we eat and how it's produced. Food, Inc. lifts the veil on this nation's food industry -- exposing how our food supply is controlled by a few corporations. They are accused of often putting their profits ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of farmers, the safety of workers, and important environmental considerations. Watch with us, then critique, analyze and problem solve with us.
*All of our free monthly second-Friday Just Views programs start at 7:20 pm*, are sponsored by the DuPage Peace through Justice Coalition and are held ** at the Unitarian Church (DUUC) in Naperville IL at 4 S 535 Old Naperville Road* (630/505-9408) .
_ _
_Directions_: Go (south of Route 88) to the corner of Naperville Road and Diehl. Proceed one block east along Diehl, then turn left/north. Enter the Unitarian Church ahead on your right.
Our /timely issues/ programs are free and open to the public, no reservations required. Parking is free, too. Just Views shows great films about matters vital to social and economic justice on /second Fridays monthly/ -- year round. View and then share views from different vantages with citizens attending and invited resource persons. Each night is a stimulating, informal, stand-alone program
Just Views Director is sociologist Stephanie Hughes 630/ 420-4233. Upcoming and past films are described at www.DuPagePeace <http://www.dupagepeace/>. org--just click on Just Views. Also click on "New DPTJC Maillist" and take simple steps to /receive email notices of future programs/. Mark your calendars ahead for the second Friday of every month, share these notices, and bring friends!
Earth Policy Release ---
Data Highlights on the Global Food Supply
www.earthpolicy.org/index.php?/press_room/C68/2010_datarelease7
Earth Policy Release
Data Highlights
February 10, 2010
World agriculture today faces pressure from many sources. On the production side, the amount of unused arable land worldwide has dwindled. Overworked soils are becoming eroded and degraded, and overpumped aquifers are being depleted. Meanwhile, as the global population grows and increasing biofuel production converts grain into fuel for cars, demand for food continues to climb. In Chapters 2 and 9 of Plan B 4.0, Lester Brown discusses these challenges. Here are some highlights from the supporting data:
In Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, human populations increased threefold from 1961 to 2007, while livestock populations grew 12-fold. Increasing foraging needs and human food needs have placed excessive demands on soils. The country is losing 867,000 acres of cropland and rangeland to desertification each year.
On the water front, Saudi Arabia stands out as a dramatic example. Following the 1970s Arab oil export embargo, the Saudis, fearing a retaliatory embargo on grain, decided to become self-sufficient in wheat. They heavily subsidized irrigation, pumping water at great depths from a non-replenishable fossil aquifer, in order to farm the desert. Yet in early 2008, after being self-sufficient in wheat for over 20 years, the Saudis announced that with their aquifer largely depleted, they would reduce their wheat planting each year until 2016, when wheat production will end. Although Saudi Arabia is the first country to acknowledge publicly how falling water tables are affecting harvests, over half the world’s population lives in countries where aquifers are being depleted faster than they can be replenished.
World food production continues to increase, yet the rate at which it is increasing has slowed. From 1970 to 1990, world grain production grew by 64 percent. From 1990 to 2009, it increased by only 24 percent. Past growth in agricultural production was fueled in part by expanding irrigation: world irrigated area tripled from 1950 to 2000. However, expansion of irrigated area has since slowed significantly as land and water availability has declined, showing almost no growth in the past decade.
When growing global population is taken into account, this trend becomes even more concerning. The world irrigated area per thousand people has declined from a high of over 47 hectares (116 acres) in the late 1970s to only 43 hectares (106 acres) per thousand people in 2007.
Growing populations and pressures on agricultural production have meant increasing food insecurity around the globe. The number of hungry people in the world declined from 878 million in 1970 to 825 million in the mid-1990s, but it has been rising ever since. In 2009, for the first time, the world’s hungry numbered more than 1 billion.
The global agricultural situation may be dire, but Plan B 4.0 offers solutions. With improvements to land and water management and measures to address population growth, we have the ability to restore our agricultural systems and secure food supplies. You can download our datasets or read the book to learn more about the challenges facing world agriculture and the Plan B solutions.
Feel free to pass this information along to friends, family members, and colleagues!
EERE: Boosting Biofuels, Soaring Wind Energy, and GM's Electric Motor Plant
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
February 10, 2010
News and Events
- President Obama Announces Three Steps to Boost Biofuels
- Biomass Crop Assistance Program to Spur Production of Renewable Energy
- U.S. Wind Energy Industry Installed Nearly 10,000 MW in 2009
- U.S. Geothermal Energy Capacity Grew 6% in 2009
- GM Invests $246 Million in Electric Motors and Components in Baltimore
- Florida Company Donates Solar Lights to Haiti
Energy Connections
- SEC: Businesses Should Disclose Climate Change Impacts
News and Events
President Obama Announces Three Steps to Boost Biofuels
President Barack Obama announced on February 3 three actions that the federal government is taking to boost U.S. biofuels production. The measures include: the final rule from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) of 36 billion gallons by 2022; a proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its Biomass Crop Assistance Program, which provides financing to increase the production of biomass for bioenergy (see article below); and the release of Growing America's Fuel, the first report from the president's Biofuels Interagency Working Group. The report lays out a strategy to advance the development and commercialization of a sustainable biofuels industry.
The primary measure is the change in the RFS program, required by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which mandates that biofuels production will grow from last year's 11.1 billion gallons to 36 billion gallons in 2022. The 2022 goal includes 21 billion gallons to come from advanced biofuels, defined as those that cut lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% and that are not derived from cornstarch. For the first time, all renewable fuels must also achieve lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions of 20%, compared to the gasoline and diesel fuels they displace, in order to be counted towards compliance with volume standards. Most existing biofuel plants are exempt from the GHG standard, but new plants will need to meet it. In establishing the final rule, the EPA continued to include indirect GHG emissions caused by land-use changes, but the agency used updated data on ethanol production to conclude that most new ethanol plants will produce fuel with a lower GHG impact than gasoline, thereby allowing corn ethanol to count toward the volume standards. According to the EPA, meeting the 2022 goal could reduce U.S. dependence on oil by more than 328 million barrels per year.
The EPA final rule sets the RFS for 2010 at 12.95 billion gallons of renewable fuel, all of which must be used in transportation fuels over the course of the year. For the first time, the EPA has also set volume requirements for specific categories of renewable fuels. For 2010, the cellulosic biofuel standard is 6.5 million gallons, and the total volume of advanced biofuels must be at least 950 million gallons. Biomass-based diesel is expected to contribute 650 million gallons of that total, but because a regulatory structure was not implemented to achieve the 2009 requirement of 500 million gallons of biomass-based diesel, the new rule combines the two years, requiring a total of 1.15 billion gallons of biomass-based diesel for 2009 and 2010. See the full EPA rule.
The Obama Administration also released Growing America's Fuel, the first report from the Biofuels Interagency Working Group, which was created by the president last May and led by DOE, the USDA, and the EPA. The report warns that the United States, which now produces 12 billion gallons per year of biofuels, is not on the road to reach the goal of 36 billion gallons by 2022. To address the potential shortfall, the report focuses on both short-term growth and a long-term roadmap for biofuel growth, suggesting strategies such as strategic public-private partnerships to develop the biofuels supply chain, further research and development of feedstocks, and accelerated development of "drop-in" biofuels, such as biobased gasoline, diesel fuel, and aviation fuel. The report also calls for increased government consumption of biofuels along with an integrated management approach, relying on the oversight of a small centrally-located team accountable to the new president's Biofuels Interagency Working Group. See the DOE press release and the Growing America's Fuels report (PDF 165 KB). Download Adobe Reader.
Biomass Crop Assistance Program to Spur Production of Renewable Energy
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has proposed new regulations for the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), which is designed to boost production of non-food biomass crops for renewable energy. The new proposed rule was one of three measures to boost biofuels that were announced by President Obama on February 3. Authorized in 2008 by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act, BCAP provides incentive payments for those investing in new first-generation energy crops that can displace fossil fuels. The BCAP program has already begun to provide matching payments for the collection, harvest, storage, and transportation of biomass to eligible biomass conversion facilities. The new proposed rule terminates those payments and as of February 8, the USDA is no longer accepting applications for matching payments. The program will start up again when the final rule is in place.
BCAP funds two main activities, one of which provides up to two years of matching payments for eligible biomass materials sold to qualified biomass conversion facilities that produce heat, power, biobased products, or advanced biofuels. The new rule offers three potential options for structuring payments, all of which are aimed at reducing payments to facilities that already use biomass and providing incentives for new uses of biomass (see page 6285 of the Federal Register, or page 23 of the PDF file). BCAP will also provide payments to producers of eligible biomass crops for up to 75% of the cost of establishing the perennial crops, followed by annual payments for up to 15 years of crop production. These crops must be located in designated project areas, which can be proposed by biomass conversion facilities or by groups of biomass producers. Annual payments are limited to five years for annual crops and non-woody perennial crops.
The USDA intends to cap the cost of the BCAP program at $2.6 billion, including $2.1 billion for matching payments for biomass materials over the next four years, $306 million for crop establishment over the next three years, and $219 million for annual payments over the next 17 years. The funds come via the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) a government-owned and operated entity that was created to stabilize, support, and protect farm income and prices. The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on February 8 and is open to public comment until April 9. See the USDA press release, the BCAP Web site, the CCC Web site, and the proposed rule (PDF 185 KB). Download Adobe Reader.
U.S. Wind Energy Industry Installed Nearly 10,000 MW in 2009
Wind energy capacity expanded both nationally and globally in 2009, according to industry reports.
Credit: Todd SpinkThe U.S. wind industry installed nearly 10,000 megawatts (MW) of new wind turbines in 2009, increasing its generating capacity by 39%, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). The industry group credited the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the record-breaking year, which topped 2008 by nearly 19%. AWEA's fourth quarter report, released on January 26, places wind power neck-and-neck with natural gas as the leading source of new electricity generation for the country. Together, the two account for about 80% of the new capacity added in the country last year. The new wind capacity is enough to serve more than 2.4 million homes.
With 4,041 MW completed, the fourth quarter was the strongest in the year but still lower than the fourth quarter of 2008. Overall, the 9,922 MW installed in 2009 brought the total wind power generating capacity in the United States to more than 35,000 MW. Texas strengthened its position as the top state for wind power by installing the most wind capacity in 2009, at 2,292 MW, but Indiana, a relative newcomer, followed in second place by installing 905 MW of wind power. Indiana also featured the largest wind project of the year, the 600-MW Fowler Ridge Wind Farm. See the AWEA press release and the AWEA 2009 report (PDF 842 KB). Download Adobe Reader.
Globally, wind power capacity grew by 31% in 2009, adding 37.5 gigawatts (GW), according to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). China added a third of the additions, growing from 12.1 GW in 2008 to 25.1 GW in 2009. That's an increase of 13 GW, about 31% greater than the wind capacity growth in the United States. The fast pace landed China in third place for total installed wind capacity, falling just behind Germany, but still about 10 GW behind the United States. Overall, the main markets driving worldwide growth continue to be Asia, North America, and Europe, each of which installed more than 10 GW of new wind capacity in 2009. See the GWEC press release and supporting tables (PDF 2.1 MB). Download Adobe Reader.
U.S. Geothermal Energy Capacity Grew 6% in 2009
Geothermal power, from plants such as this one in Nevada, continued to increase in 2009.
Credit: Patrick Laney, INLGeothermal energy capacity expanded 6% in the United States in 2009, due to six new geothermal plants which came online, adding 176.68 megawatts (MW). Three projects came into service in Nevada, with one apiece in California, Oregon, and Utah. The total online capacity in the U.S. reached 3,152.72 MW as of August 2009, according to the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA), an industry trade association.
There is further expansion on the horizon. GEA has identified 6442.9 MW of new U.S. geothermal power plant capacity under development, though some of those may not go forward. However, there are seven projects with an estimated 125 MW of capacity that have drilling and facility construction underway. Those projects include two in California, totaling 85 MW; one in Florida generating 0.2-1.0 MW; three in Nevada, totaling 39.4 MW; and one in Oregon producing 0.2 MW. The Florida and Oregon projects will be the first geothermal projects in those states. One of those projects—at Jay Oil Field in Florida—will use the hot water produced by oil and gas wells to generate power. Two such projects started up in Louisiana and Mississippi in 2009, and more are planned for Louisiana, Nevada, and Wyoming. See the GEA press release (PDF 25 KB), the GEA report update (PDF 394 KB), and the Web site for DOE's Geothermal Technologies Program. Download Adobe Reader.
GM Invests $246 Million in Electric Motors and Components in Baltimore
General Motors Corporation (GM) announced on January 26 that it will invest about $246 million in its facilities in Baltimore, Maryland, for manufacturing electric motors and electric drives. This includes construction of a high-volume electric drive production facility at the Baltimore Transmission plant, which will produce electric motors for GM's rear-wheel-drive hybrid technology starting in 2013. The factory will be the first electric motor manufacturing facility in the United States to be operated by a major automaker. In August, DOE selected GM for a $105 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the construction of U.S. manufacturing capabilities to produce electric motors and related electric drive components. See the GM press release.
GM also had a strong presence at the Washington Auto Show, which ran from January 27-31 in Washington, D.C. As part of the event, GM announced that the D.C. area will be one of three initial launch markets (along with Michigan and California) for the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle. GM also announced a development and demonstration vehicle charging program with two D.C.-area utilities. The project is part of DOE's Transportation Electrification Initiative, using $30 million in Recovery Act funds. The company also unveiled the North American production version of the high-efficiency Chevrolet Cruze, which goes on sale later this year. The Cruze features a new Ecotec 1.4-liter turbocharged engine that delivers up to 40 miles per gallon on the highway. Providing some competition for GM, Wheego Electric Cars unveiled the full-speed Wheego Whip LiFe, which runs on lithium-ion batteries and is expected to be available by mid-year. The show also featured ethanol produced from paper, the result of a partnership between enzyme maker Novozymes and Fiberight, which developed the technology and used it to power two flex-fuel vehicles. See the GM press releases on the Chevy Volt and the Chevy Cruze and the press releases from Wheego, and Novozymes.
Florida Company Donates Solar Lights to Haiti
Sol Inc., a Florida manufacturer of solar outdoor lighting, is helping relief efforts in Haiti, pledging more than $300,000 in equipment and aid. The company's product combines a small solar panel and a battery pack to provide power for a high-intensity lamp that uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Following the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck the island on January 12, killing untold tens of thousands, Sol employees have been in Haiti since January 19, working to install solar-powered light systems. Workers have helped bring sun-powered illumination to hospitals, relief camps, and food distribution centers in the quake's epicenter of Port-au-Prince. The company is continuing to work with U.S. officials and agencies to get more of the solar lights to Haiti.
Sol has assisted with solar lighting in other disaster recoveries, including efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Hurricane Rita in 2005, Peruvian earthquakes in 2007, and tornadoes in Chapman, Kansas. Sol will be providing additional lights through a special ongoing Solar Lights for Haiti matching program it has established. See the latest Sol press releases, Sol's Web site for community outreach, and the "Dispatch from Haiti" on the Sol USA home page.
Energy Connections
SEC: Businesses Should Disclose Climate Change Impacts
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued "interpretive guidance" to companies on January 27 to indicate how companies should handle the impacts of climate change in their financial disclosures. While the SEC guidance does not create new legal requirements, it points out where companies could be liable if they fail to disclose potential climate change impacts. Specifically, the SEC directs companies to consider the impacts of existing laws and regulations regarding climate change, and in certain circumstances, the potential impact of pending legislation or regulation. Companies should also consider the impacts of international accords, the indirect consequences of climate change regulation or business trends (which might create new opportunities or risks), and the actual and potential physical impacts of climate change on their businesses. See the SEC press release.
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.
Sent by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy · 1000 Independence Ave., SW · Washington DC 20585 · 877-337-3463
http://gl-zephyr.blogspot.com/ - Great Lakes area Wind Power & Hydrogen, renewable energy news.
From: Google Alerts
Sent: Friday, February 12, 2010 5:12 AM
Subject: Google Alert - hydrogen, wind, power
Google News Alert for: hydrogen, wind, power
| United Tech considers "bigger bets" in clean tech | ||
Wal-Mart Canada Adding Energy Efficient DC, Solar, Wind | ||
| Hydrogen highway plan for motorway | ||
| Take a deep breath...yep, that's air | ||
| Air Products is Honored with Prestigious Rushlight Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Award | ||
| The Future of Electrical Energy Storage: The economics and potential of new ... | ||
Proterra's employment impact | ||
| Alternative Forklift Power Sources |
http://gl-zephyr.blogspot.com/ - Great Lakes area Wind Power & Hydrogen, renewable energy news.
From: Google Alerts
Sent: Thursday, February 11, 2010 5:15 AM
Subject: Google Alert - hydrogen, wind, power
Google News Alert for: hydrogen, wind, power
| Walmart Canada to build "green" distribution hub | ||
| Wal-Mart Canada Plans Wind, Solar Energy Projects >WMT | ||
| 'Recovery is blowing in the wind and tides' | ||
Christopher Helman is the Southwest Bureau Chief of Forbes, based in Houston | ||
| The Great Climate Debate commits suicide | ||
| Whistler Enjoys Record Snowfall for Olympics, Lower Slopes Not So Much |
http://gl-zephyr.blogspot.com/ - Great Lakes area Wind Power & Hydrogen, renewable energy news.
From: Google Alerts
Sent: Sunday, February 07, 2010 5:25 AM
Subject: Google Alert - hydrogen, wind, power
Google News Alert for: hydrogen, wind, power
Arab states may become solar energy exporters |
http://gl-zephyr.blogspot.com/ - Great Lakes area Wind Power & Hydrogen, renewable energy news.
From: Google Alerts
Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2010 5:17 AM
Subject: Google Alert - hydrogen, wind, power
Google News Alert for: hydrogen, wind, power
| Week in Renewables: Risky IPOs, Solar Gasoline and the Nuclear ... | ||
My own private... hydrogen power station? | ||
Hydrogen is not the Fuel of the Future | ||
Nuclear Power Giant Areva Buys Solar Start-up Ausra | ||
| Reading the clean energy 'bubble' | ||
| Areva buys Mountain View solar startup Ausra |
http://gl-zephyr.blogspot.com/ - Great Lakes area Wind Power & Hydrogen, renewable energy news.
From: Google Alerts
Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 5:12 AM
Subject: Google Alert - hydrogen, wind, power
Google News Alert for: hydrogen, wind, power
| Dept. Of Energy Gives $20.5M To Community Projects | ||
| Areva to Acquire the U.S. Solar Company Ausra | ||
St. Peters getting stimulus money for light bulbs |
http://gl-zephyr.blogspot.com/ - Great Lakes area Wind Power & Hydrogen, renewable energy news.
From: Google Alerts
Sent: Saturday, February 06, 2010 5:20 AM
Subject: Google Alert - hydrogen, wind, power
Google News Alert for: hydrogen, wind, power
H-Cell 2.0 Hydrogen Fuel Cell System for RC Cars only, sorry | ||
| Powering Ahead |
http://gl-zephyr.blogspot.com/ - Great Lakes area Wind Power & Hydrogen, renewable energy news.
From: Google Alerts
Sent: Friday, February 05, 2010 5:17 AM
Subject: Google Alert - hydrogen, wind, power
Google News Alert for: hydrogen, wind, power
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology Powers R/C Cars | ||
Obama's Misguided Nuclear Dementia | ||
| Factual view of wind power | ||
Walking house, Air-borne hotel – Welcome to eco-prop | ||
| Taiwan's green-energy industry to grow, provide jobs |
