ASERTTI News
Mark Your Calendars –
tcbiomass2009 is Coming Soon!
Please mark your calendars for tcbiomass2009, the
only global scientific forum on the science of
thermochemical conversion of biomass to biofuels,
September 16-18 2009, in Chicago, Illinois. Gas
Technology Institute and the Planning Committee are
pleased to announce the program has been finalized
for the tcbiomass2009 Conference on Tuesday,
September 15, 2009. Twenty-six papers will be
presented during conference, along with over forty
posters and the opportunity to network with top
thermochemical biomass conversion scientists,
researchers and technology developers. Delegates
from fourteen countries have registered to attend
the event. Please
click here for additional conference and
registration information.
White Roofs Catch On as
Energy Cost Cutters
A recent New York Times article describes the
savings attainable by switching to a shiny
plasticized white covering that experts say is not
only an energy saver but also a way to help cool the
planet. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, a Nobel
laureate in physics, has proselytized for cool roofs
at home and abroad. Studies show that white roofs
reduce air-conditioning costs by 20 percent or more
in hot, sunny weather. Lower energy consumption also
means fewer of the carbon dioxide emissions that
contribute to global warming. What is more, a white
roof can cost as little as 15 percent more than its
dark counterpart, depending on the materials used,
while slashing electricity bills. To read the full
NYT article, please
click here.
Obama Administration
Announces More Than $327 Million in Recovery Act
Funding for Science Research
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu
announced more than $327 million in new funding from
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will go
toward scientific research, instrumentation, and
laboratory infrastructure projects. Ten of DOE's
national laboratories in six states will be
receiving funds, along with researchers at
institutions of higher learning across the nation.
Of the $327 million in Recovery Act funding
announced, $107.5 million is slated to go to
universities, nonprofit organizations, and private
firms, generally on a competitive, peer-reviewed
basis. The remaining $220 million will go to U.S.
Department of Energy National Laboratories for a
range of research, instrumentation, and
infrastructure projects, including $164.7 million
for projects already allocated. Please
click here to view the full press release.
Energy, Treasury Now
Accepting Applications for Funding For Renewable
Energy Projects
With the goal of expanding development of
renewable energy projects throughout the United
States and creating new jobs, the U.S. Department of
Energy and the U.S. Department of the Treasury
announced they are now accepting applications for a
program that will make direct payments in lieu of
tax credits to companies that create and place in
service renewable energy facilities. The two
Departments estimate distributing at least $3
billion in financial support to approximately 5,000
biomass, solar, wind, and other types of renewable
energy production facilities. The funding for this
effort is made available through the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Please
click here to view the full press release.
DOE Announces Recovery Act
Funding of up to $5.5 million for Ethanol Blends
Infrastructure and Outreach
As part of the ongoing effort to support the
development of domestic renewable fuels, the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the
availability of up to $5.5 million from the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act to increase the use of
higher ethanol blends up to E85 (85% ethanol/15%
gasoline) by expanding refueling infrastructure and
launching targeted outreach to promote public
awareness. The FOA is available at FedConnect, and
can be found by searching for Reference Number
DE-FOA-0000125. Applications for this FOA are due
September 30, 2009. Please
click here for the additional detail on the
announcement.
IEA Clean Coal Centre Draft
Report Available for Comment
A new IEA Clean Coal Centre draft report
entitled, "Co-gasification and the indirect
co-firing of coal and biomass" by Rohan Fernando, is
available for review and comment. Please
click here to link directly to the report. The
report briefly describes the technologies for coal
gasification and biomass gasification. It considers
the technical issues arising during the
co-gasification of coal and biomass. It describes
the experience gained from the plant, which have
co-gasified the two fuels. The report then updates
the experiences of plants indirectly co-firing the
two fuels. Please submit you comments to Barbara
McKee at
barbara.mckee@hq.doe.gov by September 3, 2009
with a carbon copy to Terri Durdock at
terri.durdock@hq.doe.gov. IEA Clean Coal
Centre is an organization set up under the auspices
of the International Energy Agency (IEA).
DOE Loan Guarantee Funding at
Risk in "Clunkers" Extension
In an energy bulletin released by Concept
Capital, the Washington research group describes a
recent attempt by lawmakers to replenish funding for
the successful "cash for clunkers" program. The
House passed legislation, H.R. 3435, which would
take $2 billion in stimulus funding from the
Department of Energy's (DOE) renewables,
transmission and cutting edge biofuels loan
guarantee program and redirect it towards cash for
clunkers. With the House gone on recess, the Senate
would need to take up the House's exact bill this
week if lawmakers want a legislative fix for the
"clunkers" program before the start of the Senate's
August recess. Notwithstanding the success of cash
for clunkers, some opposition to a quick fix has
emerged. Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) has expressed
opposition to using the loan guarantee funds to
extend the "clunkers" initiative. Sens. Dianne
Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine)
have indicated they would like to see stricter
emissions standards for the program in addition to
more information on how the program is working.
Please
click here for the full report.
Efficiency Drive Could
Cut Energy Use 23% by 2020, Study Finds
As reported in the New York Times, the biggest
opportunity to improve the nation's energy situation
is a major investment program to make homes and
businesses more efficient, according to a study
released Wednesday by the consulting firm McKinsey.
An investment of $520 billion in improvements like
sealing ducts and replacing inefficient appliances
could produce $1.2 trillion in savings on energy
bills through 2020, the study found. Please
click here to link to the full article. You can
link directly to the McKinsey report by
clicking here. A separate study released on
Tuesday by the National Research Council (NRC) cited
potential energy savings of 15 percent by 2020 and
30 percent by 2030 if more efficient technologies
were adopted. Unlike McKinsey, the research council
included transportation, acknowledging that it would
be a difficult sector to transform quickly. |
