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Finavera Renewables Inc., a developer of wave energy systems, took two major steps toward commercialization of its technology in late December: it became the first ocean energy company to earn a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and it signed the nation’s first power purchase agreement for a wave power plant. FERC announced on December 20th that it issued a conditioned five-year license to Finavera’s Makah Bay Offshore Wave Pilot Project in Washington State.
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Back in the 19th century, the steam engine replaced the sail as the preferred mode of propulsion for cargo ships. Now a cargo ship has gone full circle, drawing on wind energy to help reduce its fuel use. The MV “Beluga SkySails,” christened in mid-December, employs a kite-like sail similar to a paraglider to help tow it across the ocean.
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President Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 into law on December 19th, thereby mandating a 40% increase in fuel economy by 2020. The act requires the Department of Transportation to set tougher fuel economy standards, starting with model year 2011, until the standards achieve a combined average fuel economy for model year 2020 of at least 35 miles per gallon (mpg).
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Can a company that built its reputation on software tools and computer server farms parlay that expertise into a clean energy revolution? Google believes that it can. The company plans to spend tens of millions of dollars on both renewable energy research and development and related investments in 2008, with the goal of making renewable energy less expensive than coal power. That goal is embodied in the name of the new initiative, “RE |
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Automakers continued an emphasis on smaller cars at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. Ford Motor Company unveiled the Ford Verve concept vehicle, a four-door small car slated for production in 2010. Ford also displayed a three-door version of the Ford Verve, which was first introduced at last year’s Frankfurt Auto Show. According to Ford, small cars and crossovers are the only vehicle types with projected near-term growth in the United States. See the Ford press release and Verve Web page.
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The U.S. electric utility industry invested $6.9 billion in transmission projects in 2006, and members of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) plan to invest another $38.1 billion from 2007 to 2010, according to a new EEI report. This represents a 60% increase above the amount invested from 2003 to 2006. EEI is the association of shareholder-owned U.S. electric companies and represents about 70% of the U.S. electric power industry. The EEI report notes that transmission lines are being added for a variety of reasons, and one is to connect remote renewable energy resources to the electrical grid.
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The ball that dropped in New York City’s Time Square to mark the start of this New Year was lit entirely by energy-efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Redesigned for its centennial, the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball now features 9,576 high-power Luxeon LEDs from Philips Lighting and can generate more than 16 million colors, allowing the ball to create billions of color combinations.
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Wind is a form of solar energy. Winds are caused by the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the irregularities of the earth’s surface, and rotation of the earth. Wind flow patterns are modified by the earth’s terrain, bodies of water, and vegetation. Humans use this wind flow, or motion energy, for many purposes: sailing, flying a kite, and even generating electricity.
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Chrysler LLC brought a wide range of green vehicles to the Detroit Auto Show, including three concept vehicles that incorporate electric drive technologies. The Dodge ZEO concept—short for “Zero Emissions Operation”—is an all-electric sport wagon combining a 64-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack with a 200-kilowatt (268 horsepower) electric motor. The rear-wheel-drive vehicle accelerates to 60 miles per hour (mph) in less than six seconds and has a range of at least 250 miles.
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GM’s latest incarnation of its “E-Flex” propulsion system—the one initially designed for the Chevrolet Volt—is a fuel-cell-powered crossover vehicle carrying the Cadillac badge. The Cadillac Provoq concept vehicle was unveiled on January 8 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is also on display at the Detroit Auto Show.
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The 2007 sales of ENERGY STAR® compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) have nearly doubled since 2006, according to the estimations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In 2007, 290 million CFLs were sold, and the special energy-saving bulbs now account for approximately 20% of the American light bulb market. ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs use approximately 75% less energy and last up to ten times longer than traditional bulbs.
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