Articles for April 20, 2009
ENERGY NEWSBRIEFS is a
weekly current awareness service provided by the Washington State University
Extension Energy Program Library and written by Angela Santamaria, WSU Energy
Library Manager, to assist users in tracking developments in the energy field.
To view past issues or to subscribe to receive an email notification of the
publication of a new issue, go to Energy Newsbriefs archives at http://www.energy.wsu.edu/library/newsbriefs.cfm.
Please be aware that
although every URL is checked for accuracy prior to the publication of Energy
Newsbriefs, URLs are, for various reasons, subject to change. Further, servers
sometimes fail to connect to working URLs.
BIOENERGY
"Energy
Producer Maintains 24/7 Operation," by Amanda Martyka, Assistant Editor,
Maintenance
Technology
, describes how a maintenance software system prevents costly
shutdowns at a landfill-gas recovery plant. See this article in
Maintenance
Technology
, March 2009, at http://www.mt-online.com/article/0309-process-improvements.
BUILDINGS
The following two articles
of interest were published in the March 2009 issue of Solar Today:
-
"Back to the Future," by Seth Masia, Managing Editor, Solar Today,
describes a net-zero-carbon home that looks as though it was built a
century and a half ago but is new and built to LEED Platinum standards.
See this case study at http://ases.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=513&Itemid=23.
-
"Home Energy Upgrades
That Pay," by Richard Crume, reports that for the most part
homeowners have been making the improvements that make the most sense in
terms of saved energy costs and saved energy and reduced carbon footprint.
See this article at http://www.ases.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=517&Itemid=23.
CLEAN ENERGY TRACKING AND FORECASTING
Clean Energy Trends 2009 is a 22-page, March 2009, report by from Clean Edge
by Joel Makower, Clean Edge, co-founder, Ron Pernick, co-founder and Managing
Director, and Clint Wilder, Contributing Editor; all of Clean Edge. The report
focuses on activity in biofuels, wind, and solar photovoltaics. See a one-page
excerpt at http://www.cleanedge.com/reports/reports-trends2009.php. The complete report is at http://www.cleanedge.com/reports/pdf/Trends2009.pdf.
HVAC (HEATING, VENTILATION, and AIR CONDITIONING)
"Evaluating
Airflow-Measuring Devices:Sources
of Differences between Expected and Actual Performance" was written by
Leonard A. Damiano, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Ebtron Inc. The
information about the differences focuses on two common technologies employed
in commercial buildings: velocity-pressure and thermal dispersion. See this
two web-page article in
HPAC Heating/Piping/AirConditioning Engineering -
Fastrack
, March 3, 2009, at http://hpac.com/fastrack/Evaluating-Airflow-Measuring-Devices-0509/.
POLICY
"Interactive Energy Bill: Just around the
Corner?" by Josie Garthwaite, describes the draft bill in the U.S. House
of Representatives, sponsored by Rep. Waxman and Rep. Markey, from the
perspective of those keenly interested in smart appliances for the residential
sector. See this article in Business Week, April 5, 2009, at http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2009/tc2009045_701898.htm.
"NREL: Use Public Land to Produce Energy,"
by Kris Bevill, suggests that some of the wind and solar potential and all of
the geothermal potential on public lands, together represent more than half of
the energy currently used in the United States. See this article in
Biomass
Magazine
, April 2009, at http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2551.
ROOFING
"Understanding
Cool Roof Codes and Rebate Requirements," by Loren Snyder, Contributing
Editor, Building Operating Management, is a three-part article in the
March 2009 issue of the journal of the same name:
Part 1: "Cool Roof Rebates Explained" shows the opportunities
available to owners of (mostly) commercial buildings. It is usually necessary
to combine other energy efficiency retrofits with cool roofing to qualify. Read
it at http://www.facilitiesnet.com/roofing/article/Cool-Roof-Rebates-Explained--10677.
Part 2: "Cool Roof Standards" discusses
both the voluntary programs and the mandated codes that the building industry
either may choose to participate in or must meet. View it at http://www.facilitiesnet.com/roofing/article/Cool-Roof-Standards--10678.
Part 3: "States Adopt California's Title 24"
explains the significance of "progressive federalism" in terms of the
roofing standards in Title 24. See it at http://www.facilitiesnet.com/roofing/article/States-Adopt-Californias-Title-24--10679.
SCHOOLS
"Chartwell
School Receives LEED Platinum Certification," by Cynthia Walker, lists a
number of the innovative approaches taken in the design and construction of
this new California school such as lighting and daylighting controls,
sustainable building framing, photovoltaics, and much, much more. See this
article in FacilityWise, March 20, 2009, at http://www.schoolfacilities.com/_coreModules/content/contentDisplay.aspx?contentID=3166.
WOOD and "WOOD"
"The
Politics of 'Dirty' Wood," By Ron Kotrba, Senior Writer,
Biomass
Magazine
, introduces the reader to some of the challenges to the reuse and
recycling of wood that is pressure treated and painted ("dirty wood").
Advanced air pollution control systems may work to drastically decrease
emissions if there is a mixture of predominantly virgin wood and some dirty
wood. However, public opinion is running against any burning or gasification
of dirty wood and the same is true for laws and regulations in many states.
See this article in Biomass Magazine, April 2009, at http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2539&q=&page=all.
"Researchers Use Methane, Hemp to Create Wood,"
by Ryan C. Christiansen, is a fascinating report on the development of a
bio-based wood substitute. See this article in the Web-only version of
Biomass
Magazine
, posted March 19, 2009, at http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2555.
Past issues of
Energy
Newsbriefs
are available at http://www.energy.wsu.edu/library/newsbriefs.cfm.
Generally, subscription information
for the journals cited above can be found at the home page of their web
sites.
© 2009
Washington State University Extension Energy Program. This publication
contains material written and produced for public distribution. Permission to
copy or disseminate all or part of this material is granted, provided that the
copies are not made or distributed for commercial advantage, and that each is
referenced by title with credit to the Washington State University Extension
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for any other use requires prior written permission from the Washington State
University Extension Energy Program.
