Industry News Archive
Below is an archive of our industry related news.

Cogeneration: It's Place in the Future of Electricity in Louisiana - April 2006 ( 75 KB)
Author(s): David McGee and Patricia Nussbaum

In Louisiana, cogeneration has been largely confined to industrial users who need process heat. The new reality created by last year's hurricane season opens the door for more applications in the commercial, agricultural and industrial customer levels. This 4-page paper describes the drivers that are reshaping the way Louisiana residents look at electricity and how cogeneration should take on a larger role in power generation.

March 2, 2006
Individual utility interconnection and tariff practices continue to be significant barriers faced by combined heat and power (CHP) projects, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's (ACEEE) new report "Combined Heat and Power: Connecting the Gap between Markets and Utility Interconnection and Tariff Practices (Part I)." This report is the first of two reports documenting individual utilities' CHP/distributed energy policies and practices state-by-state. Part I covers 15 states (including Texas); Part II will address utilities in the remaining states.

The report focuses on interconnection and tariff practices for key utilities, as well as their friendliness in general to CHP projects. It exposes barriers to entry for proposed CHP facilities, highlights the need for a national interconnection standard, and illustrates the existing hierarchy regarding the progressiveness of CHP policies on a state-by-state and regional basis. It identifies major utilities in 15 states and reviews them systematically, placing them into a four-tiered ranking system based on their friendliness to CHP. It also reviews recent developments in CHP policy and markets, explores several trends among the states, and makes some policy recommendations to address these barriers.

Go to http://aceee.org/pubs/ie062.htm to download the report for free.

March 1, 2006
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced today that 11 educational institutions will be awarded $5.3 million to conduct air quality research that focuses on reducing emissions and odor levels due to agricultural operations. The announced funding is part of USDA's overall air quality program and marks the third year of funding, bringing the total research investment in these initiatives to $15.4 million.

The fiscal 2005 grants are being awarded to the following institutions:

• North Carolina State University, two awards totaling $999,627.
• Texas A&M University, $499,259.
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, $499,531.
• West Texas A&M University, $99,320.
• University of Iowa, $405,753.
• Washington State University, $459,714.
• The University of Chicago, $382,401.
• University of California-Davis, $498,741.
• University of Illinois, $499,995.
• University of Maryland, $465,116.
• University of Minnesota, $484,284.

Go to http://www.csrees.usda.gov/ for more information.

February 6, 2006
Every year, the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) reviews the leading fuel cell companies from around the world and assembles a useful quick reference for those interested in a high level snapshot of the industry. The report is a useful reference summarizing the trends impacting the growing the fuel cell market and the industry's key players.

The 2005 report profiles 110 key fuel cell stack developers and system providers worldwide in short, easy-to-read capsules. The report provides detailed descriptions of the technical approach and commercial activities for each company.

Click on the report cover (on right) to see a sample of the report.

Electronic Copy: US$495
Electronic & Hard Copy: US$515
Receive a 10% discount if you purchased the 2004 Industry Assessment Report

Please click here to order your copy online.

Or, if you would like to order via email, fax, or telephone, please click here to download the order form. Follow the directions on the form.

February 2, 2006
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission today finalized revised regulations for cogeneration and small power production facilities. The rule eliminates ownership restrictions for both new and existing facilities and ensures that the thermal output of cogeneration facilities is used in a productive and beneficial manner.

The final rule implements section 1253 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which amended section 210 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA). Today's rulemaking amends Commission regulations to ensure that new qualifying cogeneration facilities (QFs) use thermal output in a productive and beneficial manner, and that the electrical, thermal, chemical and mechanical output of new cogeneration QFs is used fundamentally for industrial, commercial and institutional purposes. The final rule thus supports development of new cogeneration facilities that truly conserve energy.

Please click here to read the entire press release from FERC.

October 27, 2005 - Source: GreenBiz.com
WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2005 - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have awarded BP Global Power Corp. and Cinergy Solutions with the 2005 Energy Star Combined Heat and Power Award for the pollution reduction and energy-efficiency impacts of their South Houston Green Power (SHGP) combined heat and power project in Texas City, Texas. The project also received the 2003 EPA Combined Heat and Power Certificate of Recognition. [Read More]

October 25, 2005 - Source: Solar Austin Press Release
While green power marketers gathered in Austin for the 10th National Green Power Marketing Conference, Solar Austin and the Union of Concerned Scientist (USC) issued The Energy Freedom Challenge: America's Race to Independence Through Renewable Energy, a challenge to other cities around the country to a race to be the city powered with the most renewable energy.

"We challenge cities across America to be the first city to get over 50% of their electricity needs using renewable resources such as solar, wind, and bioenergy," Joni Gilton, the freedom challenge coordinator said. "This race will help clear the air, create jobs, save consumers money, and stimulate competition between America's leading clean energy cities."

Leading U.S. cities such as Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, and Portland have already implemented innovative policies to create new markets for renewables at the municipal level. [Read More]

October 20, 2005
Berkeley, California - At a time of soaring gas prices, public concern over the country's dependence on foreign oil, and mounting evidence of global warming, the nation's investment in energy research and development is declining, according to a report by scientists at the University of California, Berkeley.

In a paper in the journal Issues in Science & Technology, Dan Kammen, a UC Berkeley professor and co-director of the campus's Berkeley Institute of the Environment, and doctoral student Greg Nemet, marshal statistics to show that both the federal government and private business investments in energy research and development have declined significantly since the 1980s. They use data on patents, federal and industry spending, and emerging venture capital funds to examine the relationship between federal investment and innovation.

Despite the current administration's expressed concern about the nation's energy problems, the 2005 federal budget reduced energy research and development by 11 percent below the 2004 level, Kammen and Nemet note. Equally worrisome is the 50 percent decline in U.S. companies' investments in energy research and development between 1991 and 2003. [Read More]

May 12, 2005
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has issued standard procedures for the interconnection of small power generating equipment to power grids. The rule applies only to interconnections with facilities already subject to FERC jurisdiction and does not apply to local distribution facilities. The new procedures are meant to reduce the uncertainty, time, and costs associated with connecting systems to the grid. The rule applies to systems 20 megawatts or less. It allows simpler interconnection for systems of 2 megawatts or less, and even simpler procedures for systems of 10 kilowatts or less that use inverters. (In July 2003 FERC issued a separate rule for systems above 20 MW). The rule directs public utilities to offer non-discriminatory, standardized interconnection service for small generators and to provide technical procedures for connecting to the grid. Public utilities will also have to provide a Small Generator Interconnection Agreement, which contains the contractual provisions for the interconnection and spells out who pays for improvements to the utility's electric system, if needed to complete the interconnection.

The rule reflects input from a broad-based group of utilities, small generators, state commission representatives, and other interested entities who came together to recommend a unified approach to small generator interconnection. This rule reflects many of these consensus positions as well as those of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC). The rule harmonizes state and federal practices by adopting many of the best interconnection practices recommended by NARUC. It should help promote consistent, nationwide interconnection rules for small generators, the Commission said.

See the FERC press release and the final rule.

11/08/2004
The Gulf Coast CHP Center is pleased to offer technical assistance, feasibility studies, economic analyses, expert advice, customized presentations, case studies, and information on available grants and incentives to any business in the Gulf Coast region (TX, LA, and OK) that is considering CHP for their facility. Contact Dan Bullock at (281) 364-6087.