EERE Network News
June 06, 2007
News and Events
President Bush Calls for Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Goals
President Bush is looking past the Kyoto Protocol toward a new global agreement on greenhouse gas emissions goals. The President plans to convene a series of meetings with major industrialized countries and rapidly growing countries like India and China to set new goals by the end of next year.
DOE Releases First Annual Report on U.S. Wind Power Market
DOE has released its first annual report on developments and trends in the U.S. wind power market. Of note, the United States installed 2,452 megawatts of wind power capacity in 2006 and currently holds the largest share of the worldwide wind power market.
Calpine to Boost Geysers Geothermal Production by 80 Megawatts
Calpine Corporation plans to drill new wells and upgrade eight power plants at The Geysers geothermal complex in northern California. Meanwhile, Western GeoPower is gearing up to build a new plant at The Geysers, while two other companies are focusing their efforts in Nevada.
Report: California, Connecticut, and Vermont Lead in Energy Efficiency
Thanks to their spending on energy efficiency programs, their efforts to set efficiency standards for buildings and appliances, and other efforts, the states of California, Connecticut, and Vermont are leaders in energy efficiency, says a new report.
DuPont Launches a New Polymer Derived from Corn
A growing number of products can now be produced from corn, thanks to a new polymer launched by DuPont in early June. Called Cerenol, the polymer could soon turn up in your face cream, your bike shorts, and even the paint on your car.
Biodiesel-Fueled Boat Abandons Circumnavigation Attempt
An attempt to circle the world in a powerboat in record time using only biodiesel as fuel has failed—not due to the fuel, but because of structural damage to the boat. Having successfully reached Spain, the crew is now planning a promotional tour of Europe, and is looking toward next year.
Energy Connections
EIA: U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Energy Use Declined in 2006
Mild weather, a drop in energy demand, and the use of less carbon-intensive energy sources for power production caused the energy-related production of carbon dioxide in United States to decrease by 1.3 percent in 2006, according to DOE's Energy Information Administration (EIA).
