 Conservation Update — November 1998
U.S. Department of Energy/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory The new sub-CFLs:
On behalf of U.S. DOE, PNNL staged a competition among potential suppliers by developing aggressive technology and performance specifications for sub-CFLs and then asked bidders to offer products that met or beat those specifications at the lowest possible price. Awards went to Duro-Test Lighting; LINK USA International, Inc.; Lights of America; and Sunpark Electronics Corporation. Suppliers are selling the sub-CFLs at specially arranged prices over the next 12 months directly to volume buyers such as multi-family building owners/operators, electric utilities, universities, public housing authorities, hotel/motel companies, federal agencies, and lighting product resellers. The suppliers will deliver to locations in the United States and most U.S. territories with prices based on delivery zone and quantities ordered. Minimum order quantities range from 60 to 10 lamps, depending on the supplier. The sub-CFLs carry an unconditional one-year warranty. For more information about sub-CFLs, call PNNL at (509) 372-4333, Fax PNNL at (509) 375-3643, or visit the program's Web site.
Arizona Contact: Gloria Castro, (602) 280-1426
Governor's Awards for Energy Efficiency Presented Educational Institution recipients included the Tucson Unified School District as third place award winner for its High School Energy Controls Program; second place went to Roosevelt Elementary School District for its Lighting Retrofit Project; and the first place winner was Maricopa County College District for its Systematic Electric Consumption Profiling. The first place award recipient for State Government was the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs for its Energy Efficient Lighting Project. In the Local Government category, the City of Scottsdale took third place for its Solar Power Generating Facility Project. In second place was the City of Sierra Vista for its use of LED Traffic Lights, and the City of Phoenix took first place for its Landfill Gas Conversion System Project. The Project Manager of the Year Award went to Jeff Seaton, Energy Manager for the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs. The project manager was chosen from the seven award winning projects. Contact: Gloria Castro, (602) 280-1426
California "The new credits provide an incentive for builders to significantly improve the quality of design, installation, and sealing of ducts," explained Energy Commission Chairman William Keese. "The credits rely on field testing and certification of the ducts by the installer, with independent, third-party inspection of a sample of homes in each building tract." The revisions were supported by the building industry as a means of improving construction practices and providing a safeguard against potential construction defect litigation. By providing a credit for improved duct systems, builders have more selection of what energy efficiency features can be installed in new homes. Studies by the building industry conclude that installation and testing of improved duct systems is a less expensive way to comply with energy efficiency building standards than other options that have been available. "Field research in California has indicated that, on average, the energy required to heat and cool new homes can be reduced by 10 percent by sealing leaky ducts," Keese said. To receive duct efficiency credits, heating and air conditioning contractors must certify that the home's duct system is tight. In addition, builders must have duct systems tested by an approved third-party testing agency. To earn the credits, builders must have a third party test 15 percent of the certified homes in each tract. The test, using duct-pressurizing equipment, must result in leakage of no more than 6 percent. The building code revision allowing duct credits is expected to take effect in May 1999. Contact: Claudia Chandler, (916) 654-4989
State to Help Test Battery Pack for Electric School Buses If tested successfully, the prototype battery pack will result in the first full-scale NiMH battery technology designed specifically for production school buses used in California and elsewhere. The standard electric school bus today ranges 40-80 miles between charges using lead acid batteries weighing 7,400 pounds. When modified to use NiMH battery modules weighing about 4,000 pounds less, a production school bus would double its range to about 80 to more than 100 miles. Transportation technology analysts at the Commission say longer-life batteries will make the electric school bus competitive with diesel school buses while reducing schoolchildren's exposure to carcinogens and other tail pipe emissions.
From The Energy File, California Energy Commission, September 1998
Iowa
Contact: Kimberly Baxter, (515) 281-6486, or email Kimberly Baxter
Kentucky The CIO's office has already been working with Executive Branch agencies to ensure that they are Y2K compliant. This undertaking is directed more toward assisting the companies and organizations that are vital to the health, safety, and economic wellbeing of the commonwealth.
Contact: Greg Guess, (502) 564-7192
Maryland Photovoltaics (PV) convert sunlight directly into electricity in a clean and quiet process that uses no moving parts. By using an electronic device, the inverter, direct current output is converted into alternating current, the same as that provided by the electric company and used in houses and on farms throughout the U.S. PV systems can be connected into the electric circuitry of the house or outbuilding and offset the purchase of power from the utility. PV systems are expected to last at least 20 year, or more. The cost of installing a 1.2 kilowatt system is approximately $2,700. The price is contingent on mounting the system on a sloped, south-facing roof with plenty of sun. The simple payback on the system is just over 10 years, leaving up to 10 years of free electricity generation. Because of tax credits and accelerated depreciation allowed for solar installations, farmers also should see an immediate positive cash flow and a net present value of more than $300 during the life of the system. This would assume financing over 10 years at 7 percent, and assumes savings on the electric bill based on average residential rates in Maryland. Individuals could see a shorter or longer payback depending on their utility rates. (A 1.2 kilowatt PV system sited in Maryland will generate about 1900 kilowatt hours each year.) Besides the attractive renewable energy component of PV, by siting a generation source on a long distribution circuit, the PV system can sometimes assist with low voltage problems. Reducing the flow of electricity from the grid, it may also help reduce ground currents and stray voltage. These issues will be investigated further as more systems are installed. MEA's preliminary analysis shows that farms may be one of the most cost-effective places to site solar energy systems. Historically, farmers have been pioneers in adopting new technologies, and they are well experienced in installing and maintaining new equipment (although little should be required here). During phase one of this solar energy program, Forum for Rural Maryland will identify five farms to receive the solar electric systems of up to 3 kilowatts installed. Contact: Christopher Cook, 1-800-72-ENERGY
Oregon The Oregon Office of Energy put Oregon's Nuclear Emergency Response Plan into action. At the Emergency Coordination Center, local and state officials decided which actions to take to protect Oregonians. Health physicists and nuclear engineers went to the site of the simulated accident to assess plant conditions, track the radioactive plume, and monitor the accident. Office of Energy staff developed emergency instructions for the public and prepared information for the news media. "The exercise showed that the state can protect Oregonians in the event of a nuclear accident," said Mary Lou Blazek, Office of Energy Nuclear Safety administrator. "We hope we never have to respond to a nuclear emergency," said Deanna Meggs, nuclear emergency preparedness coordinator. "But we must be prepared to stop radiation contamination from getting into the food chain if radioactive materials reach the Oregon border." The Office of Energy is the state's lead agency in planning for and responding to radiological emergencies and is responsible for protecting the health and safety of Oregonians. It works closely with other state and local agencies on nuclear emergency preparedness. The Oregon Health Division, Oregon Emergency Management, and Morrow and Umatilla counties also participated in the exercise. The Federal Emergency Management Agency audits Oregon's Nuclear Emergency Preparedness Program every other year to ensure program quality.
Contact: Steve Sautter, (503) 373-7400
CONSERVATION UPDATE is a free monthly publication prepared by the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet, Division of Energy, with funding from the United States Department of Energy, to facilitate the transfer of current State Energy Program (SEP) and technical information among the states and territories. Please submit short articles that describe successful programs, solicit ideas, share reports, studies or evaluations, or announce new publications, personnel changes, office address changes, conferences, seminars and workshops. Submittals are due by the seventh of each month. Please send submittals, address corrections, or name changes to: CONSERVATION UPDATE, Division of Energy, 663 Teton Trail, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, phone (502) 564-7192, facsimile (502) 564-7484, email: landry@nrepc.nr.state.ky.us. Past issues are available upon request. For more information, contact Karen W. Landry, Editor, or John M. Stapleton, Director.
Visit the Division's Web site at www.nr.state.ky.us/nrepc/dnr/energy/dnrdoe.html
Search Webmaster
U.S. Department of Energy
|