Articles for July 13, 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
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ALTERNATIVE FUELS VEHICLES
The Energy Efficiency and Renewables Energy (EERE) Office of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has developed the Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center, a website that includes a geographic page devoted to mapping various aspects of DOEs alternative fuels efforts. Included on the page are links to maps that illustrate market penetration of fueling stations, both built and planned, and other indicators of how the efforts are coming along. The maps are downloadable; the first is interactive. See this geographic web page at http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/data/geographic.html. (The home page for the Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center includes access to a great deal of information in addition to its geographic web page; the Center's home page is at http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/.)
BIOFUELS
"Market Found for Portable Biodiesel Processors" was authored by Nicholas Zeman. The market is comprised of small-scale biodiesel manufacturers and sales, it is said, are aided by the processors which employ a proprietary fluids separation technology. See this article in Biodiesel Magazine, June 2009, at http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=3507.
The National Clean Diesel Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Ecology and funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, is operating. To learn about the program, specific funding opportunities, technologies, tools and resources, and other information, go to the National Clean Diesel Program website at http://www.epa.gov/diesel/.
BUILDINGS - RESIDENTIAL
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has begun a pilot program called, "ASHRAE Building Energy Quotient." Its aim is to reduce dramatically the energy use of buildings. This program is described in the June 22, 2009, press release from ASHRAE at http://www.ashrae.org/pressroom/detail/17194. The press release includes a link to the Building EQ website at http://buildingeq.com/ .
Microsoft has launched a new website for homeowners to learn about energy efficiencies in the home. This site includes an online home energy audit to evaluate current energy use and track decreases in that use as efficiencies are introduced into a home. The site is called hohm.com and is in beta at this time: http://www.microsoft-hohm.com/.
DISTRIBUTED ENERGY
"Building Up Distributed Energy Goals for Turkey - Office Buildings Polygeneration System" was jointly authored by M. Ali Kilicaslan, Natural Gas O&M Manager; Orhan Aydin, Chairman, Industrial Zone; and Adem Arici, Regional Manager, Industrial Zone; all of OSTIM, Ankara, Turkey. The authors say that the building achieves the goals set for it: low energy use with the energy produced from renewable resources and waste heat generated on-site. View this article in Cogeneration & On-Site Power Production, June 2009, at http://www.cospp.com/display_article/362680/122/CRTIS/none/none/1/Building-up-distributed-energy-goals-for-Turkey---office-buildingrsquo;s-polygeneration-system/.
"Economizers and Emissions," by Lyn Corum, shows the important role that condensing economizers can play in saving energy and reducing a building's carbon footprint. See this four web-page article in Distributed Energy, May/June 2009, at http://www.distributedenergy.com/may-june-2009/economizers-and-emissions.aspx.
HVAC (HEATING, VENTILATION, and AIR CONDITIONING)
"Regenerative Dual Duct: An Overview System Helps Ensure VAV Systems Provide Adequate Ventilation," was written by Mark S. Lentz, PE Lentz Engineering Associates Inc. The author begins with the history of why the focus of HVAC systems, through ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62-1989, changed from heating to ventilation. Ever since, HVAC systems designers have had to balance energy reductions on the one hand and proper ventilation on the other. See this article in HPAC Heating/Piping/AirConditioning Engineering--Fastrack, May 2009, at http://hpac.com/ventilation-iaq/regenerative-dual-duct-overview-0509/.
SOLAR
"Solar Energy to Cook 30K Meals at University," by D. Madhavan, describes the technology to be employed for student lunches at the hostel for boys at Sathyabama University in Chennai, India. The university is looking into solar storage in the hope that teas, breakfasts, and dinners could also be cooked with solar power. See this article in The Times of India, July 2, 2009, at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Chennai/Solar-energy-to-cook-30k-meals-at-university/articleshow/4726290.cms.
WIND
"Home Grown: Iowa Lakes Keeps Wind Power Local," by Erin Huntimer, describes the challenges met by the Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative to establish the 14-turbine wind farm that serves its customers. The big story is how much two coops, Iowa Lakes and Basin Electric, were able to work together to make the Iowa Lakes project possible and, in the end, to help one another in other ways. This article appears in Basin Today, May-June 2009; to view it, go to http://www.basinelectric.com/News_Center/Basin_Today_Magazine/index.html, and select the article title under the May-June 2009 heading.
"Maximizing Efficiency through Maintenance" was written by Bob Ward, Power Generation Segment Manager, and GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies. The author is a strong proponent of predictive maintenance, which, he explains, can spot problems early. In this way they do not develop into larger ones that require major maintenance with expensive downtime. Distributed Energy, May/June 2009, at http://www.distributedenergy.com/may-june-2009/maximizing-efficiency.aspx.
"Not So Windy: Research Suggests Winds Dying Down -- The Dying of the Winds: Study Hints at Reduced Wind Speed in US, May Be A Problem for Turbines" by Seth Borenstein, Science Writer, Associated Press. A study by researchers in atmospheric science at the University of Iowa shows a decrease in wind speed that, it is conjectured, may be related to global warming. The study is to be published next month in the Journal of Geophysical Research, a peer-reviewed academic journal. The evidence indicates that the winds across the Great Lakes that affect a number of Midwestern states account for most of the speed losses. See this three web-page article in ABC News, June 10, 2009, at http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GlobalWarming/wireStory?id=7800447.
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