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 http://www.arkansasrenewableenergy.org/
for more information on solar, wind, biomass, and other
renewable energy resources!
Arkansas Renewable Energy
News
November/December 2006
"The conservationist's most important task, if we are to save the earth, is to educate." – Peter Scott , founder chairman of the World Wildlife Federation
In This Issue...
News...
• Arkansas a Hotbed for Biofuels Production
• Company Announces Plans for Little Rock Biodiesel Plant
• EPA Encourages Biofuels in Transport Freight Industry
• 2007 Fuel Economy Guide Released
• USDA Announces More Biobased Products for Federal Procurement
• American Energy Initiative Produces New Renewable Energy Report
• October Marks Beginning of Tax Credit Phase-out for Toyota Hybrids
• New World Trade Center Project Designed for LEED Certification
• Cattle Manure to Power New Ethanol Plant
• Oregon Students Design Water Heater Powered by Wind
Funding Opportunities
Website Spotlight
Mark Your Calendars!
Tip of the Month
News
Arkansas a Hotbed for Biofuels Production
Biofuels production in Arkansas is increasing at a rapid pace, with production expected to triple by next summer. According to this article in Delta Farm Press , the state is poised to become a ‘production center' of biofuels. At the recent Energy and Value-Added Products from Biomass conference, attendees shared what they're doing to make it happen, from promoting biofuels bills in the legislature to developing production incentives to constructing new facilities. http://deltafarmpress.com/news/060921-arkansas-biofuels/index.html
Company Announces Plans for Little Rock Biodiesel Plant
Green Way Bio Energy, LLC, has announced plans to construct a biodiesel production plant in Little Rock , reports ArkansasBusiness.com. Construction will begin later this year in the Little Rock Port Authority and is expected to be complete next spring. The facility will have an annual production capacity of 10 million gallons of biodiesel. “We are tremendously excited to be a part of the rapidly growing bio energy sector,” said Keith Thompson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Green Way Bio Energy. “ Green Way 's facility will be environmentally friendly creating no air pollution and no wastewater.” http://arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?aID=95561.45351.107685&k=biodiesel
EPA Encourages Biofuels in Transport Freight Industry
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is encouraging the freight-hauling members of its SmartWay Transport Partnership to commit to using renewable fuels. EPA launched its new SmartWay Grow & Go program last week with the goal of having one quarter of its SmartWay Transport partners using renewable fuels by 2012, and half of them using renewable fuels by 2020. There are currently 481 SmartWay Transport partners, including major truck and rail carriers as well as shipping and logistics companies. Among the current partners are H-E-B and Meijer, which are expanding the sale of renewable fuels at their retail pumps, and Coca-Cola Enterprises, which is expanding the use of ethanol and biodiesel in its light- and heavy-duty fleets. http://www.epa.gov/smartway/growandgo/
2007 Fuel Economy Guide Released
DOE and EPA have released the 2007 Fuel Economy Guide , which identifies fuel-efficient autos for the 2007 model year. Hybrid vehicles lead the way for overall fuel economy with the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, Toyota Camry Hybrid, and the front-wheel-drive version of the Ford Escape Hybrid topping the list, and the four-wheel-drive version of the Ford Escape Hybrid tying with the new Mercury Mariner Hybrid in tenth place. http://www.energy.gov/news/4366.htm
USDA Announces More Biobased Products for Federal Procurement
USDA has announced a fourth proposed rule designating 10 more biobased product categories (representing over 480 biobased products) that must receive special purchasing consideration by all federal agencies. The designations are part of the Federal Biobased Products Preferred Procurement Program, which is being renamed "BioPreferred" as part of an effort to educate federal purchasers. The new items include bath and tile cleaners; clothing products; concrete and asphalt release fluids; cutting, drilling, and tapping oils; deicers; durable films; firearm lubricants; floor strippers; laundry products; and wood and concrete sealers.
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal?contentidonly=true&contentid=2006/10/0406.xml
American Energy Initiative Produces New Renewable Energy Report
The American Energy Initiative, a joint project of the Worldwatch Institute and the Center for American Progress, has produced a new report titled American Energy: The Renewable Path to Energy Security . The report demonstrates the potential of renewable energy and energy efficiency and presents a practical policy agenda for achieving them. The full report can be downloaded at the project's website.
http://www.americanenergynow.org
October Marks Beginning of Tax Credit Phase-out for Toyota Hybrids
Beginning October 1, 2006 , buyers of Lexus or Toyota hybrid vehicles will be entitled to a lower tax credit. According to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), more than 60,000 hybrid vehicles built by Toyota Motor Corporation had been purchased as of the second quarter of 2006. As required by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the IRS is cutting the tax credit by 50 percent for the fourth quarter of 2006, which starts October 1, through the first quarter of 2007. From April 1 through September 30, 2007, the tax credit will again be halved, and a year from now the tax credit will disappear. Meanwhile, tax credits remain in full force for other automakers producing hybrids. http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=162562,00.html
New World Trade Center Project Designed for LEED Certification
In New York City, the Freedom Tower and other buildings in the complex will be designed to achieve LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, a voluntary third party rating system where credits are earned for satisfying specified green building criteria. The Freedom Tower, the World Trade Center Memorial and Memorial Museum, and World Trade Center Office Towers 2, 3, and 4 will be designed to achieve LEED Gold certification and to be 20 percent more energy-efficient than required by New York energy codes. The Freedom Tower and World Trade Center Office Towers will draw on four fuel cell systems for 4.8 megawatts of power, while the New York Power Authority and Silverstein Properties will buy a total of 184 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy credits to offset the remaining power needs for the complex. World Trade Center 7, completed early this year, achieved LEED Gold certification in March.
http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/06/0907061.html
Cattle Manure to Power New Ethanol Plant
Panda Ethanol has announced plans to build a fuel-efficient ethanol plant in Sherman County, Texas, which will have a production capacity of 100 million gallons annually. The new plant will refine about 40 million bushels of corn and sorghum each year into ethanol. As well, the plant will use one billion pounds of cattle manure each year to generate steam for production of the ethanol. The plant will be equal in size to Panda's Hereford plant, which will be the largest biomass-fueled ethanol plant in the United States when it goes online in 2007.
http://www.pandaenergy.com/portals/0/pdf_files/Panda_Sherman_Annoucement_082906.pdf
Oregon Students Design Water Heater Powered by Wind
A group of engineering students at Oregon State University has designed and constructed a working prototype of a wind-powered water heater that they hope will make a positive impact on the way the world heats water. The system uses “magnets, a copper plate, and plenty of ingenuity” and is based on old sketches of OSU professor Alan Wallace, who has since passed away. The system is about the size of a phone booth and its wind turbine was constructed from a 50-gallon steel drum. The system, say the students, can be mounted on a rooftop or other location with enough wind to rotate the turbine, and even in a stream where moving water could turn the system's array of magnets. And once the water is hot, the wind turbine could be used to generate electricity, or the hot water could provide additional passive heating for a home.
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2006/Sep06/waterheater.html
Funding Opportunities
Biofuels R&D Grants
The U.S. Departments of Energy and Agriculture have announced the availability of $4 million for bio-based fuels research that will accelerate the development of alternative fuels. The departments issued a solicitation for research proposals for new plant feedstock genomics research projects. “This joint research initiative shows a commitment to acquiring new alternative energy resources and improving the efficiency with which biomass and plant feedstocks are used to produce renewable fuels such as ethanol,” Under Secretary of Agriculture Tom Dorr said. The full solicitation is available at http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?oppId=11165&mode=VIEW . Also read the press release at http://www.energy.gov/news/4355.htm
Website Spotlight
ENERGY STAR Program
Looking for a way to reduce your energy bills? Consider replacing older electric equipment with models that are ENERGY STAR-certified. ENERGY STAR certifies products in a variety of categories that achieve high levels of energy efficiency, including appliances, lighting, windows and doors, heating and cooling equipment, exit signs, office equipment, and home electronics. And, because of their energy efficiency, ENERGY STAR-certified products also help protect the environment! Check out the program website at www.energystar.gov/ to find certified products, along with other sources of information, savings calculators, and more. You can even learn how you can make your home or business more energy-efficient and, thus, less costly to operate.
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 !
POWER-GEN International
November 28-30, 2006
Orlando , FL
Get ready. With the energy industry on the threshold of change, there's never been a more critical time to learn about the latest developments and trends impacting the industry in 2006. POWER-GEN International brings the sharpest minds in the industry together for three days of education, training, fast-track networking and new business negotiation.
http://pgi06.events.pennnet.com/fl/content.cfm?NavId=3900&Language=Engl
11th National Renewable Energy Marketing Conference
December 3-6, 2006
San Francisco, CA
Join other participants to learn about the status of green power marketing in electricity markets and to explore strategies to increase the development of renewable energy resources through customer choice.
http://www.renewableenergymarketing.net/
2nd International Conference on Integration of Renewable and Distributed Energy Resources
December 4-8, 2006
Napa, CA
Take advantage of this opportunity to share knowledge among North American, European, and Asian practitioners and researchers in the fields of renewable energy and distributed energy resources. The conference will focus on the technical, market, and regulatory issues that challenge the integration of these sources into the grid.
http://www.2ndintegrationconference.com/
Tip of the Month:
Check refrigerators for proper door closure
Refrigerators are among the top energy users in most homes. Test the seal on the doors of both your refrigerator and freezer periodically to be sure they're sealing tightly. Otherwise, you're probably wasting energy through the door. To test the seal, close the door on a dollar bill or a piece of paper. If the bill or paper pulls out easily, you may need to adjust the door or install a new seal. If repair is not possible, the refrigerator should be replaced. Consider an ENERGY STAR-certified model when replacing, since they use considerably less energy than their conventional counterparts.
For more information, see:
• ENERGY STAR: Refrigerators and Freezers
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=refrig.pr_refrigerators
• Replace Older Refrigerators with High-Efficiency Units
http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/ph/phecc/strat_M1.cfm
You have received this e-mail because you visited the Arkansas Renewable Energy website or expressed an interest in receiving information about renewable energy in Arkansas.
If you have renewable energy News or an Energy Tip for posting on the website, please send it to info@arkansasrenewableenergy.org. Please forward the newsletter to others who may be interested
in renewable energy issues in Arkansas.
If you want to remove yourself from this mailing list, please send an e-mail to < Majordomo@lists.ncat.org> with the following command in the body of your email message:
unsubscribe arkansasrenewableenergy
If you ever need to contact the owner of the list, if you have trouble unsubscribing or if you have questions
about the list itself, send email to:
owner-arkansasrenewableenergy@lists.ncat.org