EREN Network News

February 23, 2000

News and Events

• DaimlerChrysler Unveils High-Mileage Hybrid Electric ESX3
• Scientists Find Key to Producing Hydrogen from Algae
• Southwire Company Installs Superconducting Cable
• Rebuild America Marks 250th Partnership in Austin, Texas
• New York Promotes Solar Energy Systems for Homeowners
• DOE Awards Funds for Automotive Research

• The Energy Foundation

• Learn All About Alternative-Fuel Vehicles

About this Newsletter

News and Events

DaimlerChrysler Unveils High-Mileage Hybrid Electric ESX3
DaimlerChrysler AG unveiled yesterday the ESX3, a hybrid diesel-electric concept car that achieves the gasoline equivalent of 72 miles per gallon. The five-passenger car features a three-cylinder diesel engine that works along with a motor drive on the front wheels to propel the car. During braking, the motor generates electricity to recharge the car's Lithium-ion battery pack. The ESX3 also includes an advanced electro-mechanical automatic transmission and a lightweight body made of injection-molded plastic. See the DaimlerChrysler press release.

The ESX3 was developed as part of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV), a unique public-private partnership in which DOE plays a significant role. See the PNGV Web site.

Energy Secretary Bill Richardson praised the achievement. See Secretary Richardson's announcement on the DOE Web site.

In related news, DaimlerChrysler announced last week that one of its subsidiaries, dbb Fuel Cell Engines GmbH, and Shell Hydrogen have successfully developed and tested a prototype gasoline reformer to produce hydrogen for fuel cell applications. In the future, such systems could enable fuel- cell-powered cars to be fueled with gasoline. The companies have integrated the reformer into a compact fuel processor that can provide enough hydrogen for a 50-kilowatt fuel cell. See the DaimlerChrysler press release.

Scientists Find Key to Producing Hydrogen from Algae
DOE-funded research has led to the discovery of a mechanism to produce significant quantities of hydrogen from algae. For 60 years, scientists have known that algae produce trace amounts of hydrogen, but have not found a feasible method to increase the production of hydrogen. Now scientists from the University of California (UC), Berkeley, and DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory have found the key. After allowing the algae culture to grow under normal conditions, the research team deprived it of both sulfur and oxygen, causing it to switch to an alternate metabolism that generates hydrogen. After several days of generating hydrogen, the algae culture was returned to normal conditions for a few days, allowing it to store up more energy. The process could be repeated many times.

Producing hydrogen from algae could eventually provide a cost-effective and practical means to convert sunlight into hydrogen for powering fuel cells. The near-term plans for powering fuel cells involve generating hydrogen from fossil fuels such as natural gas, methanol, or gasoline.

The scientists announced their joint discovery on Monday at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C. The findings were also printed in the January 2000 issue of Plant Physiology. See the UC Berkeley press release.

Southwire Company Installs Superconducting Cable
Superconducting materials have long been recognized as potential energy savers: their ability to transmit electricity without resistance could greatly cut energy losses in the generation, transmission, and use of electricity. But the need to maintain the materials at ultra-low temperatures limited their use. When high-temperature superconductors were discovered in 1986, the concept of superconducting cables and motors inched closer to reality, yet the characteristics of the materials still presented formidable challenges for practical applications of superconductors.

A significant milestone in meeting those challenges occurred last week, when Southwire Company dedicated a 100-foot section of three-phase power distribution cable using high- temperature superconductors. Southwire not only made the cable, it also relies on it: the cable provides power to three of its Carrollton, Georgia, manufacturing plants. Southwire developed the cable in partnership with DOE and several private companies.

The superconducting cable can deliver three to five times more power than a traditional power cable while losing only about 0.5 percent of the power it transmits, compared to 5 to 8 percent lost by traditional power cables. And that energy loss really adds up: DOE's Energy Information Administration estimates that energy lost in the transmission and distribution of U.S. electricity totals more than 200 billion kilowatt-hours each year. See the DOE press release.

Rebuild America Marks 250th Partnership in Austin, Texas
DOE's Rebuild America, a program that promotes energy efficiency in renovated buildings, added its 250th partnership last week with the addition of Rebuild Austin. The Texas partnership will work in a disadvantaged area of East Austin, transforming a church, a daycare center, senior housing, and other facilities into models of energy efficiency. A variety of public and private organizations are contributing to the Rebuild Austin partnership. Texas has more than 15 partnerships, which have generated more than $11 million in private investments to renovate more than 8.4 million square feet of floor space. See the DOE press release.

Rebuild America links partners in 47 states, Native American tribes and in three U.S. Territories. The renovation programs typically reduce energy use by 20 to 30 percent in buildings owned by small businesses, school districts, housing authorities, arts and culture organizations, and public agencies. Nationwide, Rebuild America is well on its way to completing energy retrofits in 2 billion square feet of floor space by 2003, which is expected to save $650 million in energy costs. See the Rebuild America Web site.

New York Promotes Solar Energy Systems for Homeowners
New York Governor Pataki announced late last month that the New York Energy $mart program will promote solar photovoltaic electric systems for homeowners. The state will provide subsidies of $1.25 million to three marketers of solar photovoltaic electric systems — SunWize Technologies, Fours Seasons Solar Products, and Astropower, Inc. Those companies will combine their own funding with state and DOE funds to spend a total of $5 million to promote solar energy in the state. See the Governor's press release.

See also the Astropower press release.

In related news, Massachusetts Electric Company has announced the expansion of its popular Massachusetts Electric Solar Project to all of its customers. The project — started as a pilot in Medford, Massachusetts — provides solar photovoltaic electric systems to homeowners at half price. DOE provides partial funding for the project. See the Massachusetts Electric press release.

DOE Awards Funds for Automotive Research DOE announced last week the award of $750,000 for the development of more fuel-efficient cars and light trucks. The funds will go to three small businesses and two universities for cost-shared studies of advanced engine coolants and sensors and improved materials for batteries and other applications. See the press release on the DOE Web site.

Site News

The Energy Foundation
The Energy Foundation is a partnership of major foundations interested in sustainable energy. The group makes grants to nonprofit charitable organizations in five areas: utilities, buildings, transportation, renewable energy, and integrated issues. The foundation also supports the China Sustainable Energy Program and the U.S. Clean Energy Program, which is building momentum in U.S. businesses for a shift toward a low-carbon energy future. The site includes information about the grants, qualifying conditions, application instructions, deadlines for application, downloadable application forms, and information about past grantees.

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

Energy Facts and Tips

Learn All About Alternative-Fuel Vehicles
Recent editions of this newsletter have mentioned alternative-fuel vehicles (AFVs) many times. If you're feeling in the dark about these non-gasoline-guzzling alternatives, you might want to check out the newest edition of the "ABCs of AFVs," a publication of the California Energy Commission. You can download the publication for free (or order a hardcopy version for $8) on the Commission's Web site.

Another valuable source of AFV information is DOE's Alternative Fuels Data Center.

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