Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Energija Europske Unije



Energetski izazov jedan je od najvećih izazova s kojima se Europa danas susreće. Nagli rast cijena energije i sve veća ovisnost o uvozu čine opskrbu energijom sve nepouzdanijom te ugrožavaju čitavo gospodarstvo. Potrebno je donijeti ključne odluke kako bi se znatno smanjile emisije CO2 i suzbile klimatske promjene. U nadolazećim godinama bit će potrebna velika ulaganja kako bi se europska energetska infrastruktura pripremila za budućnost.

Ciljevi EU-a „20-20-20”

Cilj je energetske politike EU-a osigurati sigurnu, pouzdanu i održivu opskrbu energijom po dostupnim cijenama. Energetska politika temelji se na ciljevima EU-a „20-20-20” koje treba postići do 2020.:
  • 20 postotno smanjenje emisija stakleničkih plinova u EU-u u usporedbi s 1990.
  • 20 postotni udio energije iz obnovljivih izvora u ukupnoj potrošnji energije u EU-u
  • 20 postotno povećanje energetske učinkovitosti u EU-u.
Čelnici EU-a predložili su smanjenje emisija stakleničkih plinova u EU-u za 30% ako i veliki proizvođači stakleničkih plinova u razvijenim zemljama i zemljama u razvoju izvan EU-a daju svoj doprinos.
Dugoročni cilj EU-a smanjenje je emisija stakleničkih plinova do 2050. za 80 – 95% u odnosu na 1990., uz istodobno osiguranje opskrbe energijom i održavanje konkurentnosti.

Ušteda energije za 20% do 2020.

Solarne ploče na krovu © CarofotoSolarne ploče na krovu sve su češći prizor.
Glavni cilj do 2020. energetska je učinkovitost. Ona je ključna za postizanje dugoročnih energetskih i klimatskih ciljeva te predstavlja najučinkovitiji način:
  • smanjenja emisija
  • povećanja energetske sigurnosti i konkurentnosti
  • smanjenja troškova energije.
Kako bi povećao učinkovitost, EU usmjerava pozornost na djelatnosti u kojima je mogućnost uštede najveća, a to su javni promet i građevinska industrija. Osim toga potrošači mogu smanjiti potrošnju energije s pomoću pametnih brojila i oznaka energetske učinkovitosti kućanskih uređaja.

Slobodno kretanje energije

Električna energija i plin prenose se putem električnih mreža i plinovoda koji često prelaze državne granice. Odluke iz područja energetske politike jedne zemlje neminovno utječu na druge zemlje.
Osiguranjem slobodne trgovine energijom u EU-u omogućuju se:
  • konkurentne cijene
  • veći izbor za potrošače
  • sigurnija opskrba
  • sigurnost za ulagače u nove tehnologije obnovljive energije i infrastrukturu.
Oznaka energetske učinkovitosti © EUS pomoću oznaka energetske učinkovitosti potrošači mogu odabrati proizvode kojima se štedi energija.
Funkcionalno unutarnje tržište s dostatnom infrastrukturom za prijenos i skladištenje energije najbolje je jamstvo sigurne opskrbe jer se njime omogućava djelovanje tržišnih mehanizama i usmjeravanje energije tamo gdje je potrebna. EU želi potpunu integraciju nacionalnih energetskih tržišta do 2014.

Tehnološki zaokret

Ako ne učini znatan tehnološki zaokret, EU do 2050. neće postići svoje ciljeve smanjenja emisija CO2 u sektoru električne energije i prometu. Strateškim energetskim tehnološkim planom utvrđuje se srednjoročna strategija za sve sektore.
Potrebno je ubrzati razvojne i demonstracijske projekte za najvažnije tehnologije kao što su druga generacija biogoriva i pametnih električnih mreža. Istraživači i tvrtke EU-a trebaju uložiti dodatne napore kako bi zadržali vodeće mjesto na rastućem međunarodnom tržištu energetske tehnologije te kako bi pojačali suradnju sa zemljama izvan EU-a u području posebnih tehnologija.

Snažno međunarodno partnerstvo

Europsko energetsko tržište najveće je regionalno tržište na svijetu (s više od 500 milijuna potrošača) i najveći uvoznik energije. Neki od izazova s kojima se EU susreće, kao što su klimatske promjene, pristup nafti i plinu, tehnološki razvoj i energetska učinkovitost, zajednički su većini zemalja, pa ih treba rješavati u okviru međunarodne suradnje.
U međunarodnoj energetskoj politici potrebno se zauzimati za zajedničke ciljeve sigurnosti opskrbe energijom, konkurentnosti i održivosti. Odnosi sa zemljama proizvođačima i tranzitnim zemljama važni su, ali sve veću važnost imaju i odnosi sa zemljama koje su veliki potrošači energije, a posebno sa zemljama s rastućim gospodarstvom i zemljama u razvoju.

Hrvatski Centar Obnovljivih Izvora Energije (HCOIE)

Monday, November 11, 2013

Clean Energy Leaders of the Future


The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013 wrapped up. 

Even though the sun has set at the Solar Decathlon village and students have gone home, their hard work is having a lasting effect on sustainable design and our nation’s clean energy leaders.

A two-year competition that challenges collegiate teams to build energy-efficient, solar-powered houses, the Solar Decathlon is a perfect example of how the Energy Department is training and inspiring the next generation of architects, engineers and entrepreneurs. Over the course of the competition, students gain hands-on experience in everything from fundraising and marketing to design and construction. Showcasing their houses to the general public allows students to get feedback on their designs and how they work in the real world -- something that many of them would never get in the classroom.

But the Solar Decathlon goes far beyond inspiring just university and college students. From sparking the interest of a middle school student to create sustainable buildings to motiving a homeowner to install LED bulbs, the Solar Decathlon is also changing the way the general public thinks about sustainable home design. Visitors to the Solar Decathlon are learning that clean energy technology can help create homes that are attractive and cost effective without sacrificing comfort.


CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

  special thanks to U.S. Department of Energy | USA.gov
Watch latest video for highlights from this year’s Solar Decathlon and insights into how the competition is shaping the careers of the students involved and making sustainable home design popular.



Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

Monday, October 21, 2013

Energy Market Forum



Hrvatski Centar Obnovljivih Izvora Energije 

 s ponosom predstavlja  

Energy Market Forum

 

Energy Market Forum mjesto je gdje će najvažniji domaći tržišni igrači i neovisni profesionalci raspravljati o problemima hrvatskog energetskog tržišta i mogućim rješenjima tih problema.

Što razlikuje Energy Market Forum od ostalih konferencija o energetici?

Energy Market Forum jedina je domaća manifestacija ovog tipa koja je fokusirana isključivo na problematiku energetskog tržišta. Panel rasprave i prezentacije bit će tematski posvećene odnosima između tržišnih igrača, njihovom odnosu prema krajnjim kupcima te odnosu s državom. Za razliku od sličnih konferencija, na Energy Market Forumu u panel raspravama i prezentacijama govorit će isključivo profesionalci, neovisni konzultanti te predstavnici nadležnih regulatornih tijela.

Razvoj i liberalizacija tržišta energije u Hrvatskoj najvažniji je makroekonomski trend trenutno prisutan u Hrvatskoj. Energetski sektor posljednji je segment domaće ekonomije koji ulazi u tranziciju iz socijalističkog ustroja u sustav temeljen na načelima slobodne, tržišne ekonomije. Riječ je o istom procesu koji je, primjerice, prije desetak godina prošao telekomunikacijski sektor, a koji je u konačnici kroz tržišnu konkurenciju doveo do razvoja novih usluga, poboljšanja postojećih te na kraju i nižih cijena za krajnje korisnike.
Iako je proces liberalizacije domaćih tržišta električne energije i prirodnog plina formalno počeo prije 5 godina, u svom punom obujmu zaživio je tek nedavno. Tako hrvatski građani nekoliko zadnjih mjeseci mogu birati između više dobavljača električne energije, a uskoro će takav izbor imati i kod dobavljača prirodnog plina.
U bliskoj budućnosti, pak, uslijedit će i velike promjene na domaćem tržištu nafte i naftnih derivata, gdje konkurencija postoji, ali je već godinama u znatnoj mjeri sapeta državnim mehanizmom ograničavanja cijena te nizom drugih regulatornih obveza. Utoliko, da bi liberalizirano tržište energije u Hrvatskoj zaživjelo na željeni način, bit će potrebno donijeti cijeli niz važnih odluka.


Panel 1: Rodilo se tržište. A što sad?

- Koji su dosadašnji efekti liberalizacije tržišta električne energije?
- Što priječi jači tržišni razvoj alternativnih opskrbljivača?
- Ima li u Hrvatskoj damping cijena struje?
- Kad će domaći potrošači dobivati jedinstveni račun za energiju i distribuciju?
- Kad će i koje nove usluge i proizvode ponuditi alternativni opskrbljivači?
- Ima li lijeka za skupu energiju uravnoteženja? 



Dr. Robert Golob  
Dr. Robert Golob, predsjednik Uprave GEN-I
Marko Ćosić 
 Marko Ćosić, predsjednik Uprave Proenergy
Zdravko Ivičić  
dipl.ing. Zdravko Ivčić, direktor NOX GRUPE d.o.o.
Zoran Miliša  
Zoran Miliša, predsjednik Uprave, RWE energija


Panel 2: Stiže jeftiniji plin. Tko preživi, pričat će

- Gospodarstvenici već uživaju plodove liberalizacije tržišta, kad će i kućanstva?
- Što treba mijenjati u regulativi?
- Domaći distributeri već godinama preživljavaju zahvaljujući profitu iz opskrbe, mogu li preživjeti dolazak novih opskrbljivača i potencijalni gubitak dijela tržišta?
- Kako osigurati likvidnost domaćeg tržišta plina?
- Što je zaustavilo rast potrošnje prirodnog plina u Dalmaciji?
- Donose li veliki infrastrukturni projekti jeftiniji plin ili je rezultat baš suprotan? 



dipl.oec. Pavao Vujnovac  
dipl.oec. Pavao Vujnovac, predsjednik Uprave, Prvo plinarsko društvo
Nataša Vujec  
Nataša Vujec, direktorica Crodux-plin i bivša državna tajnica za energetiku
Davorka Tancer  
dipl.ing. Davorka Tancer, direktorica, Prirodni plin d.o.o.
Vladimir Đurović  
Vladimir Đurović, direktor strateškog razvoja i investicija, Plinacro


Panel 3: Zlatna koka koja daje profit od 1%

- Koji su dosadašnji efekti liberalizacije tržišta električne energije?
- Što priječi jači tržišni razvoj alternativnih opskrbljivača?
- Ima li u Hrvatskoj damping cijena struje?
- Kad će domaći potrošači dobivati jedinstveni račun za energiju i distribuciju?
- Kad će i koje nove usluge i proizvode ponuditi alternativni opskrbljivači?
- Ima li lijeka za skupu energiju uravnoteženja? 


 

Darko Markotić  
dipl.iur. Darko Markotić, INA d.d., izvršni direktor
Nikolaj Ivčikov  
Nikolaj Ivčikov, direktor Lukoila hrvatska
 
 

Više o konferenciji Energy Market Forum 2013. pronađite ovdje
Program konferencije možete preuzeti ovdje.
Prijaviti se možete putem prijavnice ili putem web obrasca koji se nalazi ovdje.

 Energy Market Forum 
Zagreb, 
Green Gold, 
Konferencijski centar Forum,
dvorana “Zemlji”, 
30. listopada 2013., 
s početkom u 9:30 sati

Hrvatski Centar Obnovljivih Izvora Energije (HCOIE)

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

GREENVEST: HOME EDITION

  

 

Hrvatski Centar Obnovljivih Izvora Energije 

 s ponosom predstavlja

prvi hrvatski green-tech i green-lifestyle sajam 

GREENVEST: HOME EDITION


 Prvi 'ugljično neutralni' sajam u Hrvatskoj i regiji, sutra će otvoriti svoja vrata posjetiteljima. Saj
se održava na ulazima Slavonija i Dalmacija u trgovačko-zabavnom centru - Arena centru - od 17. do 19. listopada te će okupiti 50 tvrtki-izlagača iz sektora zelenog gospodarstva. 
Posjetiti ga možete sve do subote do 21:00 sat. Ulaz je slobodan, a dodatne informacije možete dobiti i na info centru sajma na ulazu Dalmacija. Također, u međuvremenu možete upoznati i sve izlagače putem e-kataloga dostupnog na sljedećem linku.

"Na prvom izdanju GREENVEST: HOME EDITION-a predstaviti će se usluge, proizvodi i tehnologije iz područja eko inovacija, eko poljoprivrede, energetske učinkovitosti, financijskih usluga, informatičkih tehnologija, inteligentne energije, inženjerskih usluga, konzultantskih usluga, obnovljivih izvora energije, tehnologije reciklaže, zaštite okoliša, zelene gradnje, zelenih uslužnih djelatnosti i zelenog prijevoza. Sajam će, prema neslužbenim informacijama, posjetiti više od 125 tisuća posjetitelja. Ulaz za sve posjetitelje biti će u potpunosti besplatan, a radno vrijeme sajma biti će od četvrtka do subote od 10:00 do 21:00 sat", najavili su ispred Saveza za energetiku Zagreba i tvrtke Energo Media Servis, generalnih organizatora GREENVEST-a.
Događaj će se održati pod pokroviteljstvom predsjednika Republike Hrvatske Ive Josipovića, Ministarstva gospodarstva, Ministarstva zaštite okoliša i prirode te generalnim supokroviteljstvom gradonačelnika Grada Zagreba Milana Bandića i Grada Zagreba - Gradskog ureda za energetiku, zaštitu okoliša i održivi ravoj. Događaj medijski pokrivaju Večernji list, Poslovni dnevnik, magazin Hausbau, Media Servis, Radio 101 te portali net.hrvecernji.hrposlovni.hrcroenergo.euwebgradnja.hr i zelenaenergija.org.
U nastavku donosimo i abecedni popis izlagača: ABB d.o.o. Hrvatska; Agenor automatika d.o.o. - Nordom™; ARTES d.o.o., Slovenija; BSH kućanski uređaji d.o.o.; Caparol d.o.o.; Carbon Central Network; Centaršped d.o.o. - Termocert; CO2CUT d.o.o.; Čista voda d.o.o.; ECO 3 ENERGY s.r.o., Slovačka; Electrolux d.o.o. Hrvatska; Energo Media Servis d.o.o.; ETRUST d.o.o., Slovenija; EU PROJEKTI; Grad Zagreb - GUEZOOR; HEP Opskrba d.o.o. - Član HEP Grupe; Hoco-Stabil d.o.o.; Hrvatska gospodarska komora - EEN; Hrvatski interijeri d.o.o.; ICE Studio d.o.o.; IMAO Electric d.o.o.; Inteligentna kuća d.o.o.; IPAK Velenje, Slovenija; Keter Invest Organica d.o.o.; Knauf Insulation d.o.o.; KRUTAK d.o.o.; Kuprešak nekretnine d.o.o.; Media Commerce d.o.o. - Magic Baby; Miel d.o.o., Slovenija; Ministarstvo zaštite okoliša i prirode; MS Marine d.o.o. - E-max skuteri; Netis d.o.o.; OPG Andreja Petrović; Peugeot Hrvatska d.o.o.; Pjer d.o.o.; Ponovno tri d.o.o. – Hausbau; Prosys d.o.o., Slovenija; Quadratum d.o.o.; Robert Bosch d.o.o.; S.T.P. d.o.o.; Savez za energetiku Zagreba; Solarni projekti d.o.o.; Sun Arh d.o.o.; Terradecor d.o.o.; Tondach Hrvatska d.d.; VAGABUNDO d.o.o.; VR Enbekon d.o.o.; Wienerberger-Ilovac d.d. i Zagrebačka banka d.d..
Povodom otvorenja sajma, a u nazočnosti više državnih dužnosnika i s ciljem okupljanja gospodarstvenika iz svih područja zelenog gospodarstva, prvog dana sajma u hotelu DoubleTree by Hilton organizira se gala večer pod nazivom 1st EMS GREEN ECONOMY DINNER. Večer je zatvorenog tipa i namijenjena je isključivo predstavnicima tvrtki izlagača i njihovim poslovnim partnerima te članovima i partnerima Saveza za energetiku Zagreba.
Prigodom svečanog otvorenja sajma tvrtki Energo Media Servis biti će uručen certifikat ISO 9001:2008. Naime, ova je hrvatska tvrtka prva na razini Europske unije uspostavila i primjenjuje sustav upravljanja kvalitete za 'Pružanje usluge integriranih rješenja i platformi za popularizaciju, rast, razvoj i konkurentnost zelenog gospodarstva te konzaltinga na području financiranja zelenih investicijskih projekata na domaćoj i međunarodnoj razini', a i nalazi se na 2. mjestu Hrvatskog kvocijenata inovativnosti (HKI) za 2012. u kategoriji malih tvrtki.
Drugog dana sajma održati će se i jednodnevna konferencija pod nazivom 'GREENVEST: Hrvatsko zeleno gospodarstvo u 2014. godini'. Uz iznimno dinamičan program i govornike, organizatori će poslovnom sektoru i drugoj zainteresiranoj javnosti pružiti sveobuhvatne informacije o Nacionalnom akcijskom planu za obnovljive izvore energije, Zakonu o obnovljivim izvorima energije i drugim povezanim podzakonskim aktima, informacije o planovima i mjerama vezanim uz daljnji razvoj projekata obnovljivih izvora energije i energetske učinkovitosti te održive gradnje, a poseban naglasak stavljen je na buduće izvore financiranja takvih projekata iz domaćih i europskih izvora.
"Zeleni razvoj temelj je novih gospodarskih kretanja Europske unije i drugih razvijenih zemalja svijeta. Sve veći broj gospodarskih subjekata svoje poslovanje preusmjerava ili ustrojava prema nekim od navedenih djelatnosti kako bi postali održiviji te povećali svoju konkurentnost na domaćem i međunarodnom tržištu. Takav pristup istraživanjima, razvoju i proizvodnji postaje sve traženiji i među krajnjim potrošačima. Upravo zato je nastupilo vrijeme da i u Republici Hrvatskoj predstavimo zelene usluge, proizvode i tehnologije krajnjim potrošačima", istaknuo je Tomislav Marjanović, direktor GREENVEST-a.
Dodajmo kako je GREENVEST: HOME EDITION ujedno prvi 'ugljično neutralni' sajam u Hrvatskoj i regiji s izračunatim i kompenziranim emisijama stakleničkih plinova. U partnerstvu s hrvatskom tvrtkom CO2cut, uložena su sredstva u ugljikove kredite projekata obnovljivih izvora energije i pošumljavanja. Projektima je neutralizirano 85 tona CO2 emisija prostora sajma, dolaska i odlaska sudionika na konferenciju, noćenja i logistike. Detaljan iznos bit će prikazan i umirovljen na javnoj svjetskoj platformi financijskog registra Markit po samom završetku sajma.
Za kraj važno je najaviti i događaje za iduću godinu. Naime, Energo Media Servis tijekom 2014. godine održati će ukupno tri sajma. U proljeće GREENVEST: BUILD - Sajam održive arhitekture, gradnje i uređenja te u jesen GREENVEST: HOME EDITION, a koji su u potpunosti konceptualno jednaki ovogodišnjem GREENVEST: HOME EDITION-u. Osim toga, u ljeto iduće godine slijedi i, po prvi puta, ALL ENERGY EXPO - Specijalizirani sajam energetike, tržišta energije, elektrostrojarstva, industrijske automatizacije, elektronike, računalnih i inteligentnih sustava. 

Hrvatski Centar Obnovljivih Izvora Energije (HCOIE)

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Sajam Energetika 2013

 

 


Hrvatski Centar Obnovljivih Izvora Energije (HCOIE) 

poziva Vas na 

Sajam Energetika 2013.

 Od 01. – 04. Listopada, u poslovnim danima od utorka do petka Zagrebački velesajam priprema i organizira specijalizirane sajmove ENERGETIKA, EKOTEHNO i INTERPROTEX te stručni skup Energetska konferencija.
Spajanjem ova tri sajma nastoji se objediniti programe i projekte u području očuvanja, zaštite i unapređivanja okoliša, ljudi i imovine te u području energetske učinkovitosti i korištenja obnovljivih izvora energije.
Ovogodišnji sajam ENERGETIKA, smještena u paviljone 7 i 7a, proširuje program izlaganja na konvencionalne izvore energije objedinjujući na taj način cijeli energetski sektor. Cilj sajma usmjeren je prema poticanju poduzetnika za razvoj i proizvodnju opreme unutar energetskog sektora te povećavanju svijesti o korištenju energije i topline, energetskoj učinkovitosti i mjerama uštede energije. Pokrovitelj sajma je Ministarstvo gospodarstva RH.
Cijeli projekt ENERGETIKE odvija se kroz izložbeno - sajamski dio i Konferencijski – stručni program. Sajam će kroz izložbeni i konferencijski program pokazati kako proizvesti i koristiti energiju, s naglaskom na obnovljive izvore, a na što racionalniji i učinkovitiji način.
Hrvatska ima ogroman potencijal u Sunčevoj energiji tj. broju sunčanih dana, energiji vjetra i energiji biomase. Međutim taj potencijal nije dovoljno iskorišten što ukazuje na velike mogućnosti razvoja ovog sektora. Naime, Hrvatska se nalazi na samom dnu europske ljestvice po instaliranoj snazi energije iz obnovljivih izvora.
Za stručni dio zadužena je Energetska konferencija koja će analizirati najvažnije teme energetskog sektora sa namjerom unaprjeđenja poslovnih prilika i usmjeravanja investicija prema projektima energetske učinkovitosti i korištenja obnovljivih izvora energije.
Sajam je otvoren od 10.00 do 18.00 sati, od utorka do petka. 
Cijena ulaznice je 20 kuna.
Više na www.zv.hr 
Hrvatski Centar Obnovljivih Izvora Energije (HCOIE)

Thursday, September 19, 2013

News and Events by CCRES September 19, 2013

 

News and Events September 19, 2013


Energy Department Dedicates Clean Energy Research Center

 

A modern, rectangular building.
The ESIF on NREL's campus is the nation’s first major research facility focused on clean energy grid integration and wide-scale deployment.
Credit: Dennis Schroeder, NREL
The Energy Department on September 11 dedicated the nation’s first major research facility focused on clean energy grid integration and wide-scale deployment. Located on the campus of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the new Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) will help manufacturers, utilities, and public and private sector researchers overcome the challenges of integrating clean energy and energy efficiency technologies into today's energy infrastructure. The Energy Department also unveiled Peregrine—the newest Energy Department supercomputer. NREL collaborated with HP and Intel to develop an innovative warm-water, liquid-cooled supercomputer. Peregrine resides in the new ESIF data center, designed to be the world’s most energy-efficient high performance computing data center.
President Obama has set a goal to double renewable electricity generation once again by 2020. Seamless and efficient grid integration will help meet this ambitious target and make clean energy technologies even more affordable. To that end, ESIF will tackle generation, transmission, distribution, and end-use challenges to advance renewable energy, electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, microgrids, and next-generation building technologies.
As one of the first ESIF projects, the Energy Department, NREL, and Toyota Motor Engineering&Manufacturing, North America, announced on September 11 a collaborative research effort to integrate plug-in electric vehicles into the power grid. Scientists and engineers at ESIF and NREL’s Vehicle Testing and Integration Facility will use 20 Prius plug-in hybrid electric vehicles from Toyota to develop and explore ways to prepare grid operators and energy infrastructure to accommodate the growing U.S. electric vehicle fleet. See the Energy Department press release.
The ESIF also made news on September 12 with a one-of-its-kind national secure data center dedicated to the independent analysis of advanced hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center (NFCTEC) allows industry, academia, and government organizations to submit and review data gathered from projects to advance cost-effective fuel cell technology. NFCTEC will also help accelerate the commercialization of fuel cell technologies by strengthening data collection from fuel cell systems and components operating under real-world conditions, and by providing analyses of these detailed data that can be compared to technical targets. See the Energy Department Progress Alert.
 

Energy Department, EPA Release Used-Vehicles Fuel Economy Tool

 

The Energy Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on September 12 released a new label that features EPA fuel economy estimates and carbon dioxide estimates for used vehicles sold in the United States since 1984. Consumers may create the new label electronically using a new tool on FuelEconomy.gov. This electronic graphic can be downloaded and included in online advertisements on the web, while the paper label may be printed and affixed to the vehicle window. Because a vehicle's fuel economy changes very little over a typical 15-year life with proper maintenance, the original EPA fuel economy estimate remains the best indicator of a used vehicle's average gas mileage.
The Obama Administration has taken steps to improve the fuel efficiency of vehicles sold in the United States, establishing the toughest fuel economy standards for passenger vehicles in U.S. history. These standards are expected to save consumers $1.7 trillion at the pump—or more than $8,000 in costs over the lifetime of each vehicle—and eliminate six billion metric tons of carbon pollution.
All new vehicles now include a comprehensive fuel economy and environmental window sticker from the EPA, including passenger vehicles that meet the new fuel economy standards. With the FuelEconomy.gov tool, used vehicle sellers can provide potential buyers with fuel economy information that they can easily understand. Last year, more than 40 million used cars were sold in the United States—roughly three times the number of new cars sold in 2012. See the Energy Department Progress Alert and the FuelEconomy.gov website.
 

University of Maryland Wins Appliance Design Competition

 

The Energy Department announced September 10 that the University of Maryland won the second annual Max Tech and Beyond design competition for ultra-low energy use appliances and equipment for the second year in a row. The team developed a heat pump clothes dryer that is nearly 59% more efficient than a traditional electric dryer. The winning prototype will be on display at this year's U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon in Irvine, California. With a comprehensive business plan, Ohio State University placed second in the challenge for its hybrid air/water conditioner that can achieve nearly a 73% energy cost savings over a conventional central air conditioning, dehumidification, and ventilation system.
The Max Tech and Beyond competition challenges university teams to go beyond the current "max tech," or maximum technology performance levels, by exploring new design concepts that could become the next generation of ultra-low energy use appliances and equipment. Funded by the Energy Department's Building Technologies Office and managed by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the competition encourages participating students to connect with U.S. manufacturers and license their designs after successful demonstration. In total, eight teams spent the 2012-2013 academic year in their respective laboratories, fine-tuning their innovative technologies and gaining valuable knowledge of energy efficiency. These efforts helped to produce ultra-efficient prototypes for demonstration and deployment in the global clean energy market. See the Energy Department Progress Alert.
 

USDA Awards $15 Million for Advanced Biofuels

 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on September 12 that it is making more than $15 million in investments to support the production of advanced biofuel. USDA is funding 188 producers through the Advanced Biofuel Payment Program.
For example, Riverview, LLP, a Minnesota-based company, will use a payment to support a project that produces electricity from two anaerobic digesters which use manure from two of the company's dairy operations to produce electricity. During the last quarter of 2012, the anaerobic digesters produced almost 4.9 million kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to power more than 400 homes a year. And American Biodiesel, Inc. in California will receive payment for its quarterly production of biodiesel from a variety of sources, including canola and soybean oil. The biodiesel reduces emissions and is primarily used as an alternative to diesel fuel. See the USDA press release.
 

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

  special thanks to U.S. Department of Energy | USA.gov

Solar Decathlon 2013: Designing the Houses of Today

 

Designing an energy-efficient, solar-powered house for the Solar Decathlon is like solving a riddle that has more than one right answer. Instead of just thinking about building materials and cost in the design process, teams have to consider a myriad of factors to create a winning house.
While the design process never officially ends, the teams spend more than a year focusing on the design before breaking ground on their houses. Early on in the process, they select a target client for their house—one of the biggest impacts on their final design—and decide how they will transport their house to the competition site. The teams also have to make sure their designs meet contest criteria and rules—such as staying within a specified square footage, not exceeding solar array dimensions, and being accessible to visitors with disabilities. Throughout the process, the teams are required to submit construction plans and documentation, which are reviewed by the Solar Decathlon organizers for building code and rules compliance. Once their designs are complete, the teams can start constructing their houses. Visit the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013 website and for the complete story, read the Energy Blog.


EPA Kicks Off Energy Star National Building Competition

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on August 20 launched the 2013 Energy Star National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings. Teams from more than 3,000 buildings across the country are competing to see who can most reduce their buildings’ energy use. In support of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, which calls for buildings to cut waste and become at least 20% more energy efficient by 2020, the competition specifically targets wasted energy in commercial buildings and motivates businesses to improve energy efficiency, reduce harmful carbon pollution, and save money.
More than 25 different types of commercial buildings are facing off in this year’s Energy Star National Building Competition, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The diverse field of competitors includes the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando, Florida; a Catholic cathedral and rectory in Seattle, Washington; New York City’s historic 100 Park Avenue building; and Busch Stadium—home of the St. Louis Cardinals in St. Louis, Missouri. Competitors measure and track their buildings’ monthly energy consumption using Portfolio Manager, EPA's Energy Star online energy measurement and tracking tool, and work over the year to cut energy waste through improvements that range from equipment replacement to changes in occupant behavior. Midpoint “weigh-in” results will be posted in December, with the winner announced in April 2014.
The number of participants in the Battle of the Buildings has increased from 14 buildings in 2010—the competition’s first year—to more than 3,200 buildings in 2013. Altogether, last year’s competitors cut their energy costs by more than $50 million and reduced annual greenhouse gas emissions equal to the electricity used by more than 43,000 homes. Commercial buildings in the United States are responsible for approximately 20% of both the nation’s energy use and greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion annually. See the EPA press release and the Battle of the Buildings website.
 

Renewable Energy Provided Nearly 50% of 2012 U.S. Added Capacity

 

Renewable energy sources in the United States accounted for nearly 50% of U.S. electric capacity added in 2012, according to a new report. Wind deployment added a record 13,124 megawatts (MW) of capacity, and solar added 3,313 MW of capacity, according to the latest edition of the Ernst & Young report on U.S. renewable energy attractiveness indices. The report highlights trends in U.S. renewable investment and ranks the states in terms of their attractiveness for clean technology investment. The indices provide scores for state renewable energy markets, renewable energy infrastructures, and their suitability for individual technologies, and are updated on a biannual basis.
California led the nation in the report's measure of all renewable energy attractiveness, followed by Hawaii, Texas, Colorado, and Nevada. Texas was the leader in the actual installed wind base. See the Ernst & Young press release and the latest indices report.
 

EPA, NREL Screen Contaminated Sites for Renewable Energy Potential

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on August 5 updated its RE-Powering mapping and screening tool, which will now provide preliminary screening results for renewable energy potential at 66,000 contaminated lands, landfills, and mine sites across the country. Working in collaboration with the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), RE-Powering developed screening criteria for solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal potential at various levels of development.
The RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative, started by EPA in 2008, encourages development of renewable energy on potentially contaminated land, landfills, and mine sites when it is aligned with a community’s vision for the site. Pulling from EPA databases of potentially and formerly contaminated lands, as well as partnering with state agencies from California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, the RE-Powering Initiative expanded the universe of sites from 24,000 to more than 66,000.
The updated tool provides insight into the significant potential for renewable energy generation on contaminated lands and landfills nationwide. For solar energy alone, EPA identified more than 10,000 contaminated sites with the potential to install a 300-kilowatt solar array or greater. Based on mapped acreage, these sites could cumulatively host solar energy systems that capture greater than 30 times more solar energy than all renewable energy systems operating in the United States today. See the EPA press release and the RE-Powering mapping tool.
 

USDA Awards $21 Million to Renewable and Energy Efficiency Projects

 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on August 15 announced more than $21 million in funding for 631 projects across the nation that will help agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce their energy consumption and costs, use renewable energy technologies in their operations, and conduct feasibility studies for renewable energy projects. Farmers, ranchers, business owners, and agriculture producers in 42 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico will receive funding. Grants and loans are made through the USDA's Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
REAP helps producers reduce energy costs and increase production efficiency. For example, a family in North Carolina will use a $7,403 grant to install an energy-efficient geothermal system. And a nursery in Nevada will use a $12,476 grant to install a solar photovoltaic system to provide power for its farm and nursery. Under the terms of REAP, up to 25% of an eligible energy production or conservation project can be funded through a grant, and additional support can be provided in the form of a loan. Since the start of the Obama Administration, REAP has helped fund nearly 7,000 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects nationwide.
The funding includes almost $300,000 in grants to 19 agricultural producers and rural businesses to conduct feasibility studies for renewable energy systems. For example, the Gunnison County Electric Association, Inc., in Gunnison, Colorado, will receive a $6,739 grant to assess the feasibility of installing a small hydropower generating plant at the Taylor Reservoir Dam. If built, the plant would generate 4 megawatts of power. See the USDA press release.

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

Friday, August 23, 2013

News and Events by CCRES August 23, 2013

 

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources

News and Events August 23, 2013

Energy Department Invests in Heating, Cooling, and Lighting

 

The Energy Department on August 14 announced 12 projects to develop innovative heating, cooling, and insulation technologies as well as open-source energy efficiency software to help homes and commercial buildings save energy and money. These projects will receive approximately $9 million from the Energy Department along with about $1 million in matching private sector funding.
The Energy Department will invest about $6 million for nine projects that will develop new energy efficient building technologies, including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and building insulation. The projects will also help curb emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), potent greenhouse gases primarily used in refrigeration and air conditioning. Among the selected projects, the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory will develop affordable insulation plastic film for large windows. The Energy Department's Sandia National Laboratories along with United Technologies Research Center will help demonstrate a rotating heat exchanger technology for residential HVAC systems. And the Energy Department's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, along with Thermolift, Stony Brook University, and National Grid will help commercialize a natural gas heat pump to provide heating, cooling, and hot water for homes and commercial buildings. See the complete project list PDF.
Commercial and residential buildings use nearly 40% of the total energy consumed in the United States each year and produce more than 40% of the nation’s carbon pollution. According to the Energy Information Administration, about 48% of energy consumption in U.S. homes in 2009 was for heating and cooling, down from 53% in 1993. While better insulation and more efficient windows and equipment helped precipitate this decline, the projects announced are focused on furthering these savings.
The Energy Department also announced about $3 million to three projects—led by the University of California, Virginia Tech, and Carnegie Mellon University—to develop open source software that helps building owners and operators measure, monitor, and adjust lighting, HVAC, and water heating energy use to save energy without compromising performance. According to a study by the Energy Department's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, commercial building owners could save an average 38% on heating and cooling bills by installing energy control systems. See the Energy Department press release.
 

Largest Federally-Owned Wind Farm Breaks Ground

 

The Energy Department on August 13 broke ground on the nation’s largest federally-owned wind project at the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas. Once completed, this five-turbine 11.5 megawatt project will power more than 60% of the plant and reduce carbon emissions by more than 35,000 metric tons per year. The Pantex Plant is the primary site for the assembly, disassembly, and maintenance of the United States’ nuclear weapons stockpile.
Located on 1,500 acres east of the Pantex Plant, the wind farm will generate approximately 47 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually—enough to power nearly 3,500 homes. The project is expected to complete construction and start generating electricity in summer 2014. See the Energy Department press release.
 

DOI Establishes Renewable Energy Evaluation Area in California

 

The U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) on August 13 announced that it has approved the establishment of the West Chocolate Mountains Renewable Energy Evaluation Area (REEA) on public lands in California’s Imperial Valley. This REEA will prioritize the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands for the exploration and development of solar and geothermal energy. The BLM estimates that the 64,058-acre area has the potential to develop over 3,330 megawatts of solar power and 150 megawatts of geothermal power. The REEA creates a new Solar Energy Zone, which is part of the Obama Administration's efforts to facilitate solar energy development by identifying areas in six Western states with high solar potential, few resource conflicts, and access to existing or planned transmission.
As part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan to reduce carbon pollution, move toward clean energy sources, and slow the effects of climate change, the Interior Department is working to approve 20,000 megawatts of renewable energy production on public lands by 2020. See the DOI press release.
 

BLM Approves California Geothermal Development Project

 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service Inyo National Forest on August 13 signed the Record of Decision approving a new 40-megawatt geothermal project near Mammoth Lakes, California. The Casa Diablo IV Geothermal Development Project will be built on lands administered by the Inyo National Forest and on private lands within four existing federal geothermal leases. The project will include construction of a new geothermal power plant, up to 16 new production and injection wells, multiple pipelines, and an electric transmission line.
Ormat Nevada Inc. will develop the project on public and private land. When completed, the project would produce enough energy to power 36,000 homes. See the BLM press release.
 

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

  special thanks to U.S. Department of Energy | USA.gov

 

President Obama Signs Two Bills to Boost Small Hydropower Projects

 

President Obama on August 9 signed into law two bills aimed at boosting development of small U.S. hydropower projects. The bills, H.R. 267, the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act, and H.R. 678, the Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act, are expected to help unlock some of the estimated 60,000 megawatts of untapped U.S. hydropower capacity.
H.R. 267 promotes the development of small hydropower and conduit projects and aims to shorten regulatory timeframes of certain other low-impact hydropower projects, such as projects that add power generation to the nation’s existing non-powered dams and closed-loop pumped storage projects.
H.R. 678 authorizes small hydropower development at existing canals, pipelines, aqueducts, and other manmade waterways owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Such development could provide enough power for 30,000 U.S. homes. See the National Hydropower Association press release PDF.
 

Tacoma Completes Major Hydropower Upgrade at Cushman Dam

 

The Energy Department and the city of Tacoma on August 7 inaugurated a new powerhouse and fish passage facility at its Cushman Hydroelectric Project in Washington State, powering over 2,000 additional homes and reintroducing steelhead and salmon to their native habitats.
Tacoma Power's Cushman Hydroelectric Project installed a new two-generator powerhouse that increases electric generation capacity by 3.6 megawatts and captures energy from previously untapped water flows. The project also added an innovative elevator and transportation system to reintroduce Washington's endangered steelhead and salmon populations upriver from the Cushman Hydroelectric Project for the first time since the 1920s. This $28 million project was supported by a $4.7 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act award from the Energy Department. See the Energy Department Progress Alert.
 

NREL Analyzes Solar Energy Land-Use Requirements

 

The Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has published a report on the land use requirements of solar power plants based on land-use practices from existing solar facilities. The report, “Land-use Requirements for Solar Power Plants in the United States,” gathered data from 72% of the solar power plants currently installed or under construction in the United States.
Among the findings were that a large, fixed-tilt photovoltaic (PV) plant that generates 1 gigawatt-hour per year requires an average of 2.8 acres for the solar panels. This means that a solar power plant that provides electricity for 1,000 homes would require 32 acres of land. Also, small single-axis PV systems require on average 2.9 acres per annual gigawatt-hour, or 3.8 acres when considering all unused area that falls inside the project boundary. And finally, concentrating solar power plants require on average 2.7 acres per annual gigawatt-hour for solar collectors and other equipment, or 3.5 acres when considering all land enclosed within the project boundary.
By the third quarter of 2012, the United States had deployed more than 2.1 gigawatts of utility-scale solar power generation capacity, with another 4.6 gigawatts under construction. A previous NREL report, “Land-use Requirements and the Per-capita Solar Footprint for Photovoltaic Generation in the United States,” had estimated that if solar energy was to meet 100% of all electricity demand in the United States, it would take up 0.6% of the total area in the United States. For the newer report, the data come not from estimates or calculations, but from compiling land use numbers from actual solar power plants. See the NREL press release and complete reportPDF.
 

2012 Warmest on Record for United States: Report

 

2012 was the warmest on record for the United States, and among the 10 warmest years on record worldwide, according to the 2012 State of the Climate report released August 6 by the American Meteorological Society. The peer-reviewed report, with scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) serving as lead editors, was compiled by 384 scientists from 52 countries. It provides a detailed update on global climate indicators, notable weather events, and other data collected by environmental monitoring stations and instruments on land, sea, ice, and sky.
Conditions in the Arctic were a major focus in 2012, with the region experiencing unprecedented change and breaking several records. Sea ice shrank to its smallest “summer minimum” extent since satellite records began 34 years ago. In addition, more than 97% of the Greenland ice sheet showed some form of melt during the summer, four times greater than the 1981–2010 average melt extent. See the NOAA press release and the report highlights online.

 

eGallon and Electric Vehicle Sales: The Big Picture

 

For certain markets, time of year has a distinct effect on prices and/or sales volumes. For instance, sales of Halloween favors tend to be high in October and decline in November. But that drop in sales doesn’t spell doom for candy and costume shops. Similarly, falling peach harvests between August and October don’t say much about the overall health of the orchards. This seasonality is why we often look at year-on-year growth instead of month-to-month growth to determine market dynamics.
July exhibits some of that same seasonality for the electric vehicle (EV) market. Taken in this context, both the EV market and eGallon are performing extremely well.
Just like gasoline, the eGallon price tends to rise with the summer heat. This mostly results from increased electricity use associated with air conditioning. But despite this, the eGallon to gasoline ratio has held steady at about a 1:3—meaning that a gallon of unleaded gasoline is about three times as expensive as an eGallon. The average eGallon price for the country, which is based on May’s electricity prices, is now about $1.22—four cents higher than last month. Since our last eGallon update, gasoline prices have actually jumped about 7 cents to $3.56—though they too are down compared to this time last year. Use our eGallon tool to see gasoline and eGallon prices for your state. For the complete story, see the Energy Blog.

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

Monday, August 12, 2013

Energy Strategy for Europe - VIDEOS

 

What do we want to achieve?

 The EU aims to get 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. Renewables include wind, solar, hydro-electric and tidal power as well as geothermal energy and biomass. More renewable energy will enable the EU to cut greenhouse emissions and make it less dependent on imported energy. And boosting the renewables industry will encourage technological innovation and employment in Europe.

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy  Sources (CCRES) 

powered by  

Intelligent Energy Europe IEE


The Power to Change

The Power to Change - Promoting renewable electricity in the European Union

Use of wind, solar and hydro power in Denmark, Spain and Germany.
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The Power to Change

Do more with less Energy – Boosting Energy efficiency in the European industry

Better energy management and the switch to modern energy-efficiency technologies help small companies across Europe cope with increasing energy costs and environmental regulation.
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The Power to Change

Local communities for sustainable energy in Europe

Public communication campaigns organised in Heidelberg (Germany) and Dunkerque (France) encourage citizens to play their part in sustainable energy use.
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The Power to Change

Fuelling the future - Promoting Biomass Heating in the European Union


Development and use of modern district and individual domestic heating systems using biomass in Lithuania, Slovenia, and France.
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The Power to Change

Making the switch - Promoting Energy Efficient Lighting in the EU


People in Czech Republic, Sweden and Belgium ‘make the switch’ to modern, efficient lighting systems and create new business opportunities .
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The Power to Change

European cities promote cycling


Bucharest (Romania), Bolzano (Italy) and Bromley (UK) help promote the bicycle as an alternative to polluting transport and to make cyclists’ lives easier.
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The Power to Change

Sustainable cooling helps fight global warming (2007)


Replacing air conditioning systems with more efficient systems and achieve better building designs in Belgium, Germany and Portugal.
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The Power to Change

Local biofuel production boosts Europe's green future (2007)


IEE-funded projects encourage the local production and the greater use of biodiesel in Bulgaria, Ireland and Spain.
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The Power to Change

Europe's children learn to fight climate change (2007)


Local experts and teachers run fun and informative classes on energy saving in Slovenia, the UK and Belgium.
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Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)