Congress appropriated $7.5 billion to DOE to support up to $25 billion in loans to companies using U.S. factories to make cars and components that increase fuel economy at least 25% above 2005 fuel economy levels. DOE plans to make additional loans over the next several months to large and small auto manufacturers and parts suppliers up and down the production chain. The intense technical and financial review process is focused not on choosing a single technology over others, but is aimed at promoting multiple approaches for achieving a fuel efficient economy. See the DOE release and the Model S page on the Tesla Motors Web site.
NREL Study Shows 20% Wind is Possible by 2024
As much as 20% of the power connected to the grid could come from wind by 2024, according to a NREL study. The report, "Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study," released on January 20, is a technical review analyzing the economic, operational, and technical implications of shifting 20% or more of the Eastern Interconnection's electrical load to wind energy by 2024.
The Eastern Interconnection is the largest of three US power grids, running from the East Coast to as far west as eastern Montana (see a map from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, and an NREL map of the study area). It provides power to some 70% of the U.S. population.
The study concludes that 20% wind power is technically feasible, although transmission upgrades and operational changes to the system will be required, regardless of the source of wind power. The study also finds that reaching 20% wind power would require a major national commitment to clean, domestic energy sources.
The report finds that drawing wind energy from a larger geographic area makes it less expensive and more reliable, because the aggregated wind output is more predictable and less variable. The cost of aggressively expanding the transmission grid would represent a fraction of the total annualized costs of wind expansion and would be more than paid for by reduced expenditures for fossil fuels. The expanded transmission grid would also help optimize the electrical system, allowing wind power to provide a highly cost-effective means of reducing carbon emissions.
While more research is needed, the report notes the widespread adoption of plug-in hybrid vehicles for nighttime recharging (when wind generation is higher) could ease some of the issues associated with the integration of wind power into the grid. See the NREL press release and Web page for the Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study.
New American Home Incorporates Energy-Saving Technologies
The National Council of the Housing Industry and
Builder Magazine have unveiled the design of the 2010 edition of The New American Home, which aims to use 72% less energy than a similar house built to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code.
The New American Home provides an annual real-world demonstration of current innovations in architecture, construction techniques, and new products, including the latest energy-saving technologies.
