EERE Network News
April 08, 2009
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News and Events
DOE and EPA Recognize Energy Star Partners and Retailers
DOE and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized business, regional groups, and government entities for their work in the Energy Star program, either through achieving major energy savings or helping consumers save money.
Retrofit of Empire State Building to Slash Energy Use by 38%
By 2013, New York City's Empire State Building should be consuming 38% less energy while shaving its peak electrical demand by 3.5 megawatts. But the real achievement of the massive energy retrofit is the process used to devise it, a process that can now be applied to other existing buildings.
Progressive Automotive X Prize Names 111 Registered Teams
Teams from 25 U.S. states and 10 foreign countries are preparing to compete in the Progressive Automotive X Prize, which offers a $10 million prize purse. To win, teams will need to achieve sky-high fuel economy during a long-distance stage competition. But first, they'll have to make it past the design judges.
Chrysler Selects A123Systems for Electric Vehicle Batteries
When it begins producing its first electric vehicle next year, Chrysler LLC plans to turn to a U.S.-based company for its battery packs. A123Systems intends to build a factory in Michigan to manufacture the lithium-ion batteries used in all of Chrysler's electric vehicles.
Interior Department: Offshore Wind Energy Could Power the Country
Offshore wind turbines in shallow waters could meet 20% of the electricity needs of most coastal states, while an expansion into deeper waters could meet the total U.S. electrical demand, according to data from DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory that was recently released in an Interior Department report.
Geodynamics Proves Viability of Enhanced Geothermal Systems
An Australia company has successfully completed a flow test through a reservoir that it created in a hot, dry geological formation in South Australia's Cooper Basin. Geodynamics Limited plans to install a 1-megawatt pilot power plant at the site by mid-year.
Energy Connections
Report: Today's Low Oil Prices are Slowing a Growth in Supply
With oil prices much lower than they were this time last year, oil companies are putting off their search for new supplies, according to Cambridge Economic Research Associates. If oil demand picks back up, this could cause a price escalation, but right now, future oil demand is highly uncertain.