EERE Network News
March 14, 2007
News and Events
DOE to Award up to $168 Million to 13 Solar Energy Projects
Thirteen solar technology partnerships will have the privelege of negotiating with DOE to receive as much as $168 million over three years. The 13 projects cover a wide range of solar cell technologies, including concentrating, crystalline silicon, thin-film, and organic solar cells.
Solar Cell Researchers Awarded Prestigious Dan David Prize
Two solar cell researchers at DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, have been awarded the Dan Davis Prize. Jerry Olson and Sarah Kurtz pioneered the multi-junction solar cell, a technology that is now yielding record-breaking solar conversion efficiencies.
DOE Loan Guarantee Applications Led by Renewable, Efficiency Projects
DOE is in the process of reviewing 143 pre-applications for loan guarantees, many of which are for biomass and solar energy projects and industrial energy efficiency projects. The pre-applications request guarantees for more than $27 billion in loans, but DOE can issue guarantees for only $4 billion.
New Mexico Mandates More Renewable Power and Helps to Transmit It
Two bills signed into law on March 5th will encourage the development of renewable energy projects in New Mexico. The first law extends and expands the state's renewable energy requirement to 20 percent by 2020, while the other will lead to new power lines to transmit renewable power.
Hybrid Concept Vehicles Point to the Future for Honda and Toyota
The Detroit Auto Show may garner the greatest attention in the United States, but you'd have to head to Geneva to see the future of hybrid vehicles from Honda and Toyota. The concept cars unveiled there in March foreshadow a new look for the Toyota Prius and a future two-seater from Honda.
Bad Props Threaten Record Attempt by Biodiesel-Fueled Boat
An attempt to circumnavigate the globe at record speed in a biodiesel-fueled boat is off to an inauspicious start, as failing propellers are causing the boat to struggle to reach port in Panama. The future of the record attempt relies on efforts to quickly find replacement props for the unique vessel.
Energy Connections
EU Agrees to Cut Greenhouse Emissions and Boost Clean Energy by 2020
The European Union (EU) has commited to a 20 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. The EU also intends to cut its energy use by 20 percent, meet 20 percent of its energy needs with renewable energy, and replace 10 percent of its vehicle fuel with biofuels, all by the 2020 deadline.
