EREN Network News

May 19, 1999

News and Events

• Energy-Efficient Community Opens First Model Homes
• Los Angeles Launches Green Power Program
• DOE Invests $10 Million in Industrial Energy Efficiency
• DOE Designates New "P-Series" Alternative Fuel
• Nissan Tests Fuel-Cell Powered Sport Utility Vehicle

Site News

• Offshore Wind Energy Network

Energy Facts and Tips

• Where Does Our Nuclear Power Come From?
• Using Fans to Help Ventilate Your Home

About this Newsletter

News and Events

Energy-Efficient Community Opens First Model Homes
A new housing development in Los Angeles, California, will incorporate the latest energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies, saving energy without compromising comfort. The Village Green, in the San Fernando Valley, opened its first model homes on May 13th. The homes include such features as extra insulation, gas-fired cooling systems, windows with heat-blocking coatings, and solar photovoltaic roof panels to generate electricity. The first homes will be available to the public by October, and by the end of 1999, 60 of the planned 186 energy-saving homes will be built.

Village Green is one of five national pilot communities in the federal government's Partnership for Advancing Technologies in Housing (PATH). Partners in the construction effort include DOE's Building America program, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Southern California Gas Company, and several private companies. For more information, see the PATH Web site.

For more information about the Building America program, see the Web site.

Los Angeles Launches Green Power Program
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) is now offering green power to its customers. The "Green Power for a Green LA" program allows customers to purchase electricity generated from clean, renewable sources, such as solar or wind power. Although customers will pay a small premium for the green power, the DWP program will offset that cost by offering energy efficiency measures, such as free energy-efficient light bulbs and home energy audits. For more information, see DWP's Green Power for a Green LA Web site.

DOE Invests $10 Million in Industrial Energy Efficiency
DOE announced this week that it is making $10 million available for the development of advanced energy-efficient technologies for industry. DOE expects to award $2.7 million for cost-shared research on integrated boiler systems and integrated process heater systems, and $1 million for cost- shared research in sensor and control technology. In addition, $4 million in grants will be awarded for cost-shared energy-efficient technology demonstrations by state and industry partnerships, through a program called NICE3. And for the individual inventor or small business, a DOE program called Inventions and Innovations is offering grants totaling $2.3 million to assist in the development of innovative energy-saving technologies. DOE is currently soliciting proposals for these programs. For more information, see the news release on DOE's Office of Industrial Technologies Web site.

DOE Designates New "P-Series" Alternative Fuel
On May 17th, DOE published a final rule that adds a new category of fuel to the definition of "alternative fuel." The new "P-series fuels" are blends of ethanol, methyltetrahydrofuran (MTHF), natural gas liquids, and butane. The ethanol and MTHF are expected to be derived from biomass materials such as corn, wood, grasses, agricultural waste, waste paper, and construction wood waste. The fuels are designed to be used in ethanol flexible-fuel vehicles. DOE estimates that the new fuels could replace one billion gallons of gasoline by 2005. For more information, see the "Press" section of the Pure Energy Corporation Web site.

See also DOE's Alternative Fuels Data Center Web site.

Nissan Tests Fuel-Cell Powered Sport Utility Vehicle
Nissan Motor Company announced on May 13th that it had begun driving tests on a fuel-cell powered sport utility vehicle. The prototype runs on methanol and uses an on-board methanol reformer to generate hydrogen, which powers the fuel cell. The fuel cell generates electricity to drive an electric motor. A lithium-ion battery provides an alternative power source to the motor. For more information, see the "News Release" section of the Nissan Web site.

Site News

Offshore Wind Energy Network
The Offshore Wind Energy Network (OWEN) is a joint industry and academia collaboration in the United Kingdom coordinated by Rutherford Appleton Laboratory's Energy Research Unit. OWEN "promotes research on all issues connected with the development of the UK's offshore wind energy resource and encourages cooperation and partnership between commercial organizations and researchers." Visit their Web site for information about OWEN, offshore wind energy research projects, research funding, membership in OWEN, and news and events.

For this and other recent additions see the EREN Web site.

Energy Facts and Tips

Where Does Our Nuclear Power Come From?
Nearly 20 percent of the electricity generated in the United States comes from nuclear power. To supply the nuclear fuel for these power plants, electric utilities buy fuel elements that contain uranium oxide pellets. In 1998, U.S. utilities purchased 42.7 million pounds of uranium oxide, of which 38.3 million pounds were loaded into nuclear reactors. U.S. utilities also maintain inventories of nearly 67 million pounds of uranium oxide. For more information, see the newly- released "Uranium Industry Annual 1998," published by DOE's Energy Information Administration.

Using Fans to Help Ventilate Your Home
Last week's edition discussed strategies for naturally ventilating your home. For many homes, natural ventilation will not create enough of a breeze to keep your home comfortable on the hottest days. Rather than resort to air conditioning, consider using fans to help supplement the natural ventilation of your home.

The best way to use a fan is to place in it a window such that it blows out, exhausting the warm air from your home. See last week's edition for tips on choosing the best window from which to exhaust warm air. If you have a window that will open from the top, mount the fan in the top section of the window. Plug any gaps in the window area around the fan.

Strategically choose a window (or several windows) located far from the fan to allow in the outside air. The air should flow through the house between the open windows and the fan, and should pass through the bedrooms to keep you comfortable while sleeping.

Next week's edition will examine the use of whole-house fans for ventilation. If you have questions about how to keep your home cool, see the "Ask an Energy Expert" page on EREN.

About this Newsletter

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