Arkansas Renewable Energy News
June/July
2005
Welcome to the Arkansas Renewable Energy e-newsletter! This newsletter is a bi-monthly feature of the Arkansas Renewable Energy website. Visit the website at www.arkansasrenewableenergy.org for more information on solar, wind, biomass, and other renewable energy resources!
“Because we don't think about future generations, they will never forget us." – Henrik Tikkanen
In This Issue...
News...
- Looking for a Good Summer Read? Check Out Our New Fact Sheets
- Farmers Challenged by Rising Fuel Costs
- DOE and USDA to Cooperate on Producing Hydrogen from Biomass
- New Website Focuses on Hybrid Vehicles
- DOE Initiates Six Projects to Boost Vehicle Fuel Efficiency
Funding Oportunities
Website Spotlight
Mark Your
Calendars!
Tip of the Month
Looking for a Good Summer Read? Check Out Our New Fact Sheets
If you’re interested in solar, alternative fuels, or reducing your home energy costs, put our new fact sheets on your list of must-reads this summer. The series of four includes:
Farmers Challenged by Rising Fuel Costs
Higher oil costs are hitting farmers especially hard, says a widely reprinted Associated Press article that appeared on ABC News. Farmers face higher costs to run their equipment, to apply petroleum-based fertilizers to their crops, and to transport their produce to market. Food prices have stayed relatively steady, meaning that farmers are left to absorb the higher energy costs in their own bottom line. Meanwhile, says the article, higher fuel costs have forced some truckers out of the market, creating a shortage of trucks available to haul produce to market, particularly in California . Read the full story at abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=754071.
DOE and USDA to Cooperate on Producing Hydrogen from Biomass
DOE and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at developing more cost-effective ways to produce hydrogen from biomass resources. Under the MOU, DOE and USDA experts will meet regularly to share information on technologies and activities of mutual interest related to reducing the cost of chemically converting biomass to hydrogen. Biomass sources that can be used for hydrogen production include ethanol, crop and forest residues, and dedicated energy crops, such as switchgrass or willow. Transitioning to hydrogen technologies in the agriculture industry and in rural communities is important for a number of reasons: Renewable, farm-based biomass can fuel hydrogen production; agricultural vehicles could one day be fueled by hydrogen; and hydrogen fuel cell technology could potentially provide power for rural communities and remote locations on farms and ranches. To get the full story, visit the Press Room at www.energy.gov.
New Website Focuses on Hybrid Vehicles
Considering purchasing a hybrid vehicle? Check out HybridCenter.org, a new website launched by the Union of Concerned Scientists. You'll find an interactive hybrid buyer's guide that will make customized suggestions for hybrid models that could work for you, based on your driving habits, location, budget and other factors. There's also a comparison chart that allows you to compare features of all hybrid models available. The website is located at www.hybridcenter.org.
DOE Initiates Six Projects to Boost Vehicle Fuel Efficiency
DOE has entered into an agreement with industrial and academic organizations to pursue six projects aimed at significantly improving the fuel efficiency of cars and trucks. DOE is providing $7.35 million in funding to the six partnerships, which have a total value of $14 million. Four of the projects focus on developing advanced combustion engines, including an exhaust gas recirculation control system for diesel engines, a variable valve actuation system for low-temperature combustion in diesel engines, a fast-response actuator system for adjusting the compression ratio in engines, and an engine that operates on a high-compression-ratio, modified Atkinson combustion cycle—an approach used in the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape Hybrid—in which the intake valve is held open longer than normal to allow a reverse flow into the intake manifold. To get the full story, visit the Press Room at www.energy.gov.
State Technologies Advancement Collaborative Funding
The State Technologies Advancement Collaborative (STAC) has issued a $4.95-million solicitation for distributed energy and energy efficiency projects. The solicitation is open to state entities for multi-state projects involving distributed energy and energy efficiency in industry, transportation, and buildings, including projects relating to the Rebuild America Program. Formed in November 2002, STAC is a five-year pilot project comprising DOE, the National Association of State Energy Officials, and the Association of State Energy Research and Technology Transfer Institutions. Get the full RFP and other information at www.stacenergy.org. Applications are due July 15, 2005.
EnergyNet
Don’t miss the EnergyNet website, a new electronic network aimed at advancing clean energy solutions. Developed by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), this informative tool provides access to reports, fact sheets, testimony, presentations, and educational materials on renewable energy issues. Check it out at www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/energynet/index.cfm!
Mark Your Calendars!
Here's a sample of the many upcoming events focusing on energy issues. For a more complete list, see our Events Calendar!
International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo
June 28 - July 1, 2005
Kansas City , MO
This event provides an important to exchange information that will aid ethanol producers in their efforts to improve production and plant operations. The goal of the conference is for ethanol producers, current and future, to learn new methods that will increase the profitability and efficiency of their business. Get more information at www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/events/view?id=3132.
ACEEE Summer Study: Cutting the High Cost of Energy
July 19-22, 2005
West Point, NY
This is the 7th biennial ACEEE conference on Energy Efficiency in Industry. Participants from around the world will gather for three days to discuss technical, policy, and program issues related to increasing energy efficiency in industry. Presentations and discussions will relate to the theme Cutting the High Cost of Energy. Get more information at www.aceee.org/conf/05ss/05ssindex.htm.
ISES 2005 Solar World Congress
August 6-12, 2005
Orlando, FL
Join others participants as industry experts look back at the solar energy accomplishments of the past half-century and look ahead to the next 50 years, with a special focus on the challenges of water in our future. Visit the conference website at www.swc2005.org.
Tip of the Month:
Summer is coming soon, and with many parts of the country already experiencing hot days, the U.S. Department of Energy is offering easy tips to save money and energy while keeping cool. By following a few common sense guidelines, you can cut your summer energy bills by 10 to 50 percent. The energy-saving tips cover such topics as wisely using fans and air conditioning, landscaping for energy efficiency, shading your windows, and weatherizing your home, as well as other low-cost tips to save energy. To see the tips and other useful links, visit the Press Room at www.energy.gov.
The Alliance to Save Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also are offering tips to save energy this summer. See the Alliance to Save Energy’s tips at www.ase.org/section/_audience/consumers . You can find EPA’s press release and related documents on the Energy Star website at www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=news.nr_news.
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