EERE Network News
February 11, 2004
News and Events
National Research Council Reports on U.S. Hydrogen Energy Efforts
A report released by the National Research Council on February 4th notes that President Bush's vision of a hydrogen energy economy would have fundamental and dramatic benefits for U.S. energy security and the environment. DOE requested the NRC report.
Researchers Gain Insight on How Plants Split Water
A research finding at the Imperial College London is a step forward in understanding plants' water-splitting reaction, and may lead to new methods to produce hydrogen. The London researchers found that one of the protein structures forms a cube-shaped region that helps to catalyze reaction.
PacifiCorp Seeks 1,100 Megawatts of Renewable Energy
A utility that serves much of the northwestern United States is seeking to add up to 1,100 megawatts of new renewable energy resources in the next seven years. The company is seeking projects in two regions: Oregon, Washington, and northern California, and Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming.
Breakthrough May Shed Light on High-Temperature Superconductivity
Scientists have created a new form of matter called a "fermionic condensate." The finding may shed new light on the processes occurring in high-temperature superconductor materials, which carry currents without resistance and are being used to build new, energy-efficient electronic devices.
Two Large Solar Power Systems On Order in California
PowerLight Corporation is keeping busy, installing a 200- kilowatt solar power system in San Diego and a 457-kilowatt solar power system in Santa Rosa. But the news is not all good for the U.S. solar power industry: AstroPower, Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Audubon Center Uses Only Solar Energy, Earns Greenest Rating
The National Audubon Society's new building in Los Angeles is power entirely with solar energy systems, allowing it to operate independent of the power grid. The building has earned a Platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Site News
DOE Updates Its Industrial Technologies Program Web site
DOE's Industrial Technology Program, one of 11 energy programs in EERE, has an updated Web site that reflects the look and feel of the EERE Web site. Among the newsworthy items on the new site are new annual reports from the 12 subprograms as well as a new report on the cement industry.
Energy Connections
EIA Updates Summaries of Seven Energy-Intensive Industries
Find out all the latest facts about seven of the most energy- intensive industries in the United States, thanks to DOE's Energy Information Administration (EIA). The seven industries manufacture aluminum, chemicals, forest products, glass, cast metals, petroleum, and steel.
