EERE Network News
January 31, 2007
News and Events
President Bush Signs Executive Order on Efficiency, Renewable Energy
President Bush signed an executive order on January 24th that calls for federal agencies to reduce their energy intensity by 30 percent (relative to 2003) by 2015. The order includes alternative fuel mandates and energy efficiency requirements for buildings, electronic products, and vehicle fleets.
DOE to Offer $17 Million for Plug-In Hybrid and E85 Research
DOE announced on January 23rd that it will issue $17 million in solicitations to support technologies to improve vehicle efficiency and use of E85 fuel. E85 is a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline that is used in flexible fuel vehicles.
Ford Unveils New Plug-In Fuel Cell Hybrid and Flex-Fuel Hybrids
Ford arrived at the Washington Auto Show in late January with a plug-in hybrid that actually runs. The Ford Edge with HySeries Drive employs a fuel cell to recharge its battery on the fly. Ford also exhibited an ethanol-fueled Escape Hybrid, while other automakers emphasized new clean diesels.
Wells Fargo Takes Top Spot in EPA Green Power List
With the U.S. Air Force cutting its green power purchase by more than half, Wells Fargo & Company is now the largest green power purchaser in the United States. New York University and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs are newcomers with significant new green power purchases.
U.S. Wind Power Capacity Grew 27 Percent in 2006
Companies opened new wind turbine manufacturing facilities in Iowa, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania in 2006 to support a 2,454 megawatt increase in U.S. wind power capacity. The rapid expansion is expected to continue next year, when more than 3,000 megawatts are expected to be installed.
California Sets Greenhouse Gas Standards for Electric Utilities
California's interim greenhouse gas standard prohibits investor-owned utilities from signing long-term contracts with power plants that emit more carbon dioxide than combined cycle gas turbines. The rule should prompt utilities to purchase more power from low-carbon energy sources.
Energy Connections
Gasification Power Plants Planned for Kentucky and Texas
While the coal mining industry prepares for a record year, General Electric has invested in a coal gasification power plant in Kentucky. A similar effort in Texas will draw instead on petroleum coke, a refinery byproduct, with plans to sequester its carbon dioxide by injecting it into oil fields.
