EERE Network News
December 15, 2004
News and Events
Sam Bodman Nominated as Secretary of Energy
President Bush has nominated a "problem solver" and engineer to serve as the new Secretary of Energy. Sam Bodman, currently serving as Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, is slated to replace Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, who announced his resignation in mid-November.
General Motors and DaimlerChrysler to Team Up on Hybrid Vehicles
General Motors and DaimlerChrysler will work together to develop a hybrid electric drive system that incorporates two electric motors into an electrically variable transmission, the companies announced on December 13th.
Honda Debuts Its Third Hybrid Vehicle, the Accord Hybrid
The 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid is now on sale, earning EPA mileage ratings of 29 and 37 miles per gallon in city and highway driving. The car also achieves higher performance than the Accord V-6, with 6 percent more horsepower and high torque at a wider range of engine speeds.
Bay-Area Postal Facilities to Combine Efficiency, Fuel Cell, and Solar Power
The U.S. Postal Service's two largest mail processing and distribution facilities in San Francisco will soon benefit from a variety of energy efficiency upgrades, and one will also benefit from a 250-kilowatt fuel cell and 285 kilowatts of solar power.
Major Corporations Buy 62 Megawatts of Green Power in 2004
The World Resources Institute announced that the members of its Green Power Market Development Group bought 62 megawatts of electricity from renewable energy sources over the past year. The companies bought biomass and wind power and installed wind and solar energy systems.
Wood Products Companies in Oregon Achieve Big Energy Savings
Three wood products companies in Oregon have drawn on a number of energy-saving technologies, saving a total of more than 25 million kilowatt-hours per year. A variety of industries in Arizona, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia are also taking steps to save energy.
Site News
Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council
The Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council (WTERT) is an organization of industry, government, and university researchers that works to advance the economic and environmental performance of waste-to-energy technologies.
Energy Connections
U.S. Dependence on Imported Energy to Grow by 2025
U.S. dependence on imported oil will increase over the next 20 years, according to DOE's Energy Information Administration. While LNG imports will increase 16-fold to meet our nation's expanding need for natural gas, electricity produced from renewable energy will grow slowly.
