EREN Network News

August 16, 2000

News and Events

• Largest PV Manufacturing Facility in the World Now Open
• DNC Powered by Green Power and Alternative Fuels
• GM, ExxonMobil Develop Gasoline Processor for Fuel Cells
• DOE Funds 21 Companies to Advance Geothermal Energy
• DOE Provides $4.4 Million for 21st Century Truck Initiative
• Maryland, West Virginia Tie in FutureTruck Competition
• "Village Power 2000" Brings Lights to Uganda, Tanzania

• United BioEnergy Commercialization Association

• Report: More Americans Are Using Air Conditioning
• In English or Spanish, Cut Your Bills With Energy Savers

News and Events

Largest PV Manufacturing Facility in the World Now Open
First Solar, LLC, quietly began production at its new 75,000- square-foot photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing facility in June. The fully automated facility in Perrysburg, Ohio, is capable of producing 100 megawatts of solar electric modules per year, making it the largest PV manufacturing plant in the world. At present, the company is gradually gearing up to its full production capacity.

To achieve its high output, First Solar is using a patented Vapor Transport Deposition process to apply thin films of cadmium telluride, a semiconductor, onto a glass substrate. A laminate layer is then added to protect the films. The company claims the process can produce 70 meters (roughly 230 feet) of product per minute.

First Solar is currently producing a 50-watt PV module, which in July received the Underwriter's Laboratory recognition for electrical and fire safety. The company claims that it will provide a full-service solution for solar electrical systems by engineering and assembling modules into large arrays, adding ancillary electrical equipment, and installing the systems. See the First Solar Web site.

For more information on thin-film technology, see the DOE Photovoltaics Web site on EREN.

DNC Powered by Green Power and Alternative Fuels
The Democratic National Convention (DNC), now underway in Los Angeles, is striving to be one of the greenest conventions ever. The DNC Committee has arranged for the convention to be powered entirely by green power — electricity from renewable energy sources — provided by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. A solar electric system has also been installed on the roof of the Convention Center to provide about 15 percent of the center's electrical needs. In addition, the DNC Committee has included a significant number of alternative fuel vehicles in its fleet. See the DNC press release.

GM, ExxonMobil Develop Gasoline Processor for Fuel Cells
General Motors Corporation (GM) and ExxonMobil Corporation jointly announced last week that they have developed an efficient processor for converting gasoline into hydrogen for use in fuel cells. The companies claimed that the processor converts gasoline to hydrogen with 80 percent efficiency, but did not state how that efficiency was defined.

GM plans to build an integrated system that uses the processor to fuel a 25-kilowatt fuel cell stack, and intends to demonstrate the system in a GM laboratory by year end. GM also plans a vehicle demonstration of the system by February 2002. See the press release on the GM Web site.

The GM and ExxonMobil press release follows a July announcement by Nuvera Fuel Cells that it will ship "the world's first complete gasoline-powered fuel processing systems" to four major automotive companies for testing. The press release doesn't state a specific shipping date. The Nuvera system incorporates a sulfur removal technique that allows it to be fueled with sulfur-bearing gasoline. Fuel cell systems are intolerant of sulfur, which is present in today's gasoline formulations. See the Press Release section of the Nuvera Web site.

DOE Funds 21 Companies to Advance Geothermal Energy
DOE announced last week that it is awarding $3.5 million in first-year funds to 21 companies in support of its GeoPowering the West Initiative. Among other goals, the initiative aims to meet 10 percent of the electrical needs in the western United States with geothermal energy by 2020. Of the 21 companies, five will focus their efforts on developing small-scale geothermal power plants, nine will work on increasing power production at existing power plants and extending the plants' operating life, and seven will advance the exploration and development of geothermal resources. See the DOE press release.

DOE Provides $4.4 Million for 21st Century Truck Initiative
DOE announced last week that it is awarding $4.4 million over four years for the development of advanced truck technologies. As part of DOE's 21st Century Truck Initiative, three teams will develop low-friction heavy-duty axles, lightweight ceramic composite brakes, and an integrated engine flywheel and electric motor that will serve as a starter and will generate electricity to supply the truck's electrical loads. See the DOE press release.

Maryland, West Virginia Tie in FutureTruck Competition
The University of Maryland and West Virginia University were declared joint winners of this summer's FutureTruck competition last week. The competition pits university teams against one another in a challenge to minimize a Chevrolet Suburban's greenhouse gas emissions while maximizing its fuel economy, without sacrificing performance. The winners tied due to the Maryland team's 12 percent increase in fuel economy and the West Virginia team's 23 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. GM had originally declared West Virginia the winner at the end of the competition in June, before the results were official. See the press release on the GM Web site.

"Village Power 2000" Brings Lights to Uganda, Tanzania
Seventeen U.S. students traveled in late July to Uganda and Tanzania to install solar panels in schools and a clinic that had no electricity. The trip was part of the DOE's Village Power 2000 Millennium Project, working to bring clean and affordable energy to millions of rural people throughout the world who have no access to electric power. Traveling with the students were members of the Hathaway Foundation and the Discovery Channel Global Education Fund; the Discovery Channel also filmed the trip. DOE presented awards to the students and their sponsors last week. See the DOE press release.

Site News

United BioEnergy Commercialization Association
This trade association's mission is to build market understanding and credibility of biomass power and to help define appropriate technology commercialization paths. The Web site includes an overview of biomass power, including benefits of the technology, white papers, brochures, and a glossary. The site also features a summary of biomass- related legislation.

For this and other recent additions to the EREN Web site, see http://www.eren.doe.gov/new/whats-new.html.

Energy Facts and Tips

Report: More Americans Are Using Air Conditioning
As continued heat waves are causing U.S. electric utilities to cope with high electrical demands, it should come as no surprise to utility executives that more Americans now have air conditioning, and they are using it more. A report issued early this month by the DOE's Energy Information Administration (EIA) finds that 47 percent of U.S. households had central air conditioning in 1997, up from only 23 percent in 1978. Over the same period, the percentage of households without any form of air conditioning dropped from 44 percent to 28 percent. Of the homes with central air conditioning in 1997, more than half the residents say they use it all summer long. See the EIA report.

In English or Spanish, Cut Your Bills With Energy Savers
Looking to save energy at home? DOE's popular Energy Savers booklet is available as a Web site, as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file, or in hardcopy. A new Spanish edition is also available as either a PDF file or in hardcopy. For information on obtaining any of these, see the Energy Savers page on EREN.

Electric utilities or other organizations can order bulk copies of Energy Savers in either English or Spanish for distribution to their customers or members. An Energy Savers Quick Tips bill stuffer is also available. See the Energy Savers Partnership Program.

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