News and Events by CCRES August 10, 2013

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources  News and Events August 10, 2013

DOE Awards $11 Million to Small Clean-Tech Businesses   The Energy Department on July 24 announced new awards totaling nearly $11 million to help small businesses in nine states develop innovative ideas that could cut carbon pollution, reduce U.S. reliance on imported oil, and boost energy efficiency. The 11 projects—located in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, and Virginia—will focus on developing clean energy technologies with a strong potential for commercialization and job creation. Technologies receiving awards include a project led by Applied Spectra, Inc. of Freemont, California, to develop an optical sensor for in-vehicle, real-time measurements of battery materials and chemistry to enable optimum performance and extend the life of lithium-ion batteries. Another project, led by Cool Energy, Inc., of Boulder, Colorado, will test a high-efficiency, low-temperature geothermal power technology that could help develop geothermal energy resources across most of the United States. And Proton OnSite of Wallingford, Connecticut, will lead a project to reduce the cost and improve the efficiency of systems that produce hydrogen fuel from renewable energy sources. Funded by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy through the Energy Department's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, these awards are for Phase II projects to further develop Phase I projects and produce a prototype or equivalent within two years. Ten awards are for SBIR projects, and one is for an STTR project. See the Energy Department Progress Alert and the complete list of awards.   DOI Announces Offshore Virginia Wind Energy Lease Sale   The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and its Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on July 22 announced that BOEM will hold a competitive lease sale for commercial wind energy off the shore of Virginia. The auction, which will be the second such U.S. offshore lease, is scheduled to take place on September 4 and will offer nearly 112,800 acres. The nation’s first wind energy lease sale will be held on July 31 for an area offshore of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The Virginia wind energy area, located 23.5 nautical miles from the Virginia Beach coastline, will be auctioned as a single lease. The lease area has the potential to support more than 2,000 megawatts of wind generation—enough electricity to power approximately 700,000 homes. As part of the ‘Smart from the Start’ program for expediting commercial-scale wind energy in federal offshore waters, DOI has identified Wind Energy Areas to spur responsible development of this abundant renewable resource. See the DOI press release, lease background on the BOEM website, and the lease announcement in the Federal Register.   ARPA-E Announces $30 Million for Full-Spectrum Solar   The Energy Department on July 16 announced that the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) will offer up to $30 million for a new program to develop new technologies that deliver cost-effective solar energy when the sun is not shining, in bad weather and even at night. The program, Full-Spectrum Optimized Conversion and Utilization of Sunlight (FOCUS), seeks to develop two distinct technology options to deliver low-cost, high-efficiency solar energy on demand: new hybrid solar energy converters and new hybrid energy storage systems. The technologies developed will help advance solar energy beyond current photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies to ensure solar power remains a consistent, cost-effective renewable energy option. The first approach will develop advanced solar converters that turn sunlight into electricity for immediate use, while also producing heat that can be stored at low cost for later use. These hybrid converters will use the entire solar spectrum more efficiently than PV or CSP technologies. The second approach will develop innovative storage systems that accept heat and electricity from variable solar sources to deliver electricity when needed. See the Energy Department press release and the ARPA-E website.   U.S., China Lead 2nd Quarter Energy Investment: Report   Global investment in clean energy was $53 billion in the second quarter of 2013, up 22% from the first quarter, mainly because of an upturn in the financing of wind and solar projects, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The rebound was led by the United States, which saw investment grow 155% compared to its first quarter, reaching $9.5 billion. China's investment was up 63% to nearly $14 billion. Europe saw investment fall 44% compared to the first quarter of 2013, reaching $9.5 billion, that continent’s lowest quarter total for more than six years. The downturn in Europe led to a drop in global investment in clean energy in the second quarter of 2013 ended up 16% below the figure for the second quarter of 2012, the report said. Overall, the biggest category of investment between April and June 2013 was asset finance of utility-scale projects, such as wind farms and solar parks, with a total investment of nearly $32 billion, up 39% on the first quarter but down 21% year-on-year. See the Bloomberg New Energy Finance press release.   Energy Department, NREL Launch New Research Center for Grid Integration   The new Energy Systems Integration Facility at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is the only Energy Department user facility focused on utility-scale clean energy grid integration. Credit: Dennis Schroeder, NREL The Energy Department and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced on June 20 the Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) in Golden, Colorado, as the latest Energy Department user facility and the only facility in the nation focused on utility-scale clean energy grid integration. The facility's first industry partner—Colorado-based Advanced Energy Industries—has already signed on to start work at ESIF, developing lower-cost, better-performing solar power inverters. Located on NREL's campus, the 182,500-square-foot ESIF is the nation's first facility to help both public- and private-sector researchers scale-up promising clean energy technologies—from solar modules and wind turbines to electric vehicles and efficient, interactive home appliances—and test how they interact with each other and the grid at the utility scale. The ESIF will house more than 15 experimental laboratories and several outdoor test beds, including an interactive hardware-in-the-loop system that lets researchers and manufacturers test their products at full power and real grid load levels. The facility also features a petascale supercomputer that can support large-scale modeling and simulation at one quadrillion operations per second. As the first industry partner to use ESIF, Advanced Energy Industries is testing its new solar photovoltaic (PV) inverter technology with the facility’s utility-scale grid simulators and hardware-in-the-loop systems. Solar inverters are responsible for a number of critical functions within a solar PV system, including converting the direct current output into alternating current for the grid. Advanced Energy’s inverter will help support a smarter grid that can handle two-way flows of power and communication while reducing hardware costs. See the Energy Department press release.   California, Washington Utilities Honored with 2013 Public Power Wind Award   The Energy Department on June 18 recognized utilities in California and Washington with the 2013 Public Power Wind award. Washington State's Snohomish County Public Utility District received the Member System award for its participation in the Wind Integration Forum, a joint initiative led by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council and the Bonneville Power Administration to address wind energy and hydroelectric generation in the region and the integration of these resources into the electric grid. As part of the forum, Snohomish is one of two regional utilities to pilot a program that provides twice-an-hour scheduling of wind transmission—increased from the standard once-an-hour scheduling—to allow the grid operators to better respond to wind fluctuations. In addition, the Southern California Public Power Authority received the Joint Action Agency award for its use of innovative financing to aggregate more than 710 megawatts of installed wind capacity. By carefully structuring the power purchase agreements across five wind projects, Southern California secured energy prices for several participating municipal systems at substantially lower costs. The Public Power Wind award was created in 2003 by the Energy Department's Wind Powering America initiative and the American Public Power Association (APPA) to recognize and encourage community-owned electric utilities that demonstrate outstanding leadership in advancing wind power in the United States. A panel of experts evaluate the award nominees for high-performing executive leadership, creative marketing approaches, innovative projects, and benefits to customers. The winners were announced at the APPA's annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee. See the Energy Department Progress Alert.   Smart Grid, Distributed Energy to Strengthen Grid in Hoboken, New Jersey   The Energy Department announced on June 13 that it will partner with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities; the City of Hoboken, New Jersey; and the Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSE&G) to help develop and assess strategies for improving the reliability and resiliency of the local electric grid in Hoboken. Recognizing the destructive potential of major weather events such as Hurricane Sandy, the collaboration will help Hoboken in its efforts to rebuild and upgrade its electricity infrastructure by delivering a strategic design that identifies priority energy needs and energy system functions for various outage durations, evaluates potential system improvements, and estimates cost. Under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding, the Energy Department will help the City of Hoboken and PSE&G implement the Energy Surety Design Methodology (ESDM), a quantitative risk-based assessment tool that allows communities to evaluate their regional energy needs, identify advanced solutions to improve the reliability and resiliency of their electric grids, and understand the most cost-effective strategies for system upgrades. Developed at Sandia National Laboratories, the ESDM relies mainly on the use of advanced smart grid technologies and the integration of distributed energy resources such as backup generators, solar power, and stored energy. Previous applications of the ESDM have shown enhanced grid reliability and resiliency, improved integration of renewable and distributed energy, and cost-effectiveness. See the Energy Department press release.   Energy Intensity of Federal Buildings Slashed 25% in Past Decade   The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), which builds and manages federal buildings, recently announced that it cut federal energy spending by $65.5 million in fiscal year (FY) 2012 by reducing the energy use intensity levels in its buildings by nearly 25% since FY 2003. That placed the GSA well ahead of its goal of a 21% reduction in energy intensity. The agency also exceeded its FY 2020 greenhouse gas reduction target in FY 2012, reducing emissions by more than 35% from FY 2008 levels—equivalent to taking 162,000 vehicles off the road for a year. The GSA has also reduced its water usage in buildings by nearly 20% since FY 2007. The milestones were noted as part of the GSA's sustainability and energy performance scorecard for FY 2012. The GSA has worked to reduce the environmental impact of federal buildings through the use of innovative technologies such as solar panels, advanced lighting systems, geothermal technology, wind power, and low-flow plumbing systems. See the GSA press release.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)   special thanks to U.S. Department of Energy | USA.gov

Sioux Students Kindle Solar Knowledge   It started with a spark—an interest in green energy. This glimmer of curiosity led Lyle Wilson, an instructor at Oglala Lakota College in South Dakota and U.S. Army veteran, to start researching renewable energy technologies such as solar, wind, and geothermal. Now sparked by Lyle’s interest, members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation are finding new possibilities in their clean energy capabilities. As part of his work at Oglala Lakota College, Lyle works with students in the applied sciences department to construct houses for members of the tribe. He envisioned taking the work a step further by integrating solar panels into new homes to help reduce power bills. To make it happen, Lyle reached out to Solar Energy International (SEI), which helps coordinate solar training courses for the Energy Department’s Solar Instructor Training Network. From there, a group of students and instructors at the college signed on for SEI's Photovoltaic (PV) 101: Solar Design and Installation course, in which they set up their first grid-tied photovoltaic system. This introduction served as fuel for their solar fire. Next, about 20 people took part in SEI's PV 203: Solar Electric Design (Battery-Based) class. This course allowed them to install two 250-watt solar panels on their construction trailer. For the complete story, see the Energy Blog. Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

News and Events by CCRES July 08, 2013

 

CCRES ALGAE PROJECT Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources News and Events July 08, 2013

President Obama Touts Renewable Energy, Efficiency in Climate Plan   President Obama announced on June 25 his climate action plan, which includes significant goals related to renewable energy and energy efficiency. The plan directs the U.S. Department of the Interior to issue permits by 2020 for enough renewable energy projects on public lands to power 6 million homes, while also designating the first-ever hydropower project for priority permitting, setting a new goal to install 100 megawatts of renewable energy on federally assisted housing by 2020, and maintaining the existing commitment to deploy renewable energy projects on military installations. The plan also expands the president's Better Buildings Challenge to help a wide range of buildings become at least 20% more energy efficient by 2020; sets a goal to reduce carbon emissions by at least 3 billion metric tons by 2030 through efficiency standards for appliances and federal buildings; and commits to partnering with industry and stakeholders to develop fuel economy standards for heavy-duty vehicles. "A low-carbon, clean energy economy can be an engine of growth for decades to come," said President Obama. "And I want America to build that engine." The president's climate action plan also directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to establish carbon pollution standards for both new and existing power plants, while making up to $8 billion in loan guarantees available for advanced fossil energy projects. It also leverages new opportunities to reduce emissions of highly potent greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons, directs agencies to develop a comprehensive methane strategy, and commits to protecting our forests and critical landscapes. The climate action plan also commits the United States to lead international efforts to address climate change, while proposing a number of actions to help prepare the United States for the impacts of climate change. See the president's announcement, the associated White House fact sheet, and a set of infographics on the climate action plan.   Energy Department Invests $13 Million in Next-Generation Biofuels   Drop-in biofuels can be made from non-food biomass sources, such as algae, shown growing here in a tent reactor at the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Credit: Dennis Schroeder, NREL The Energy Department on July 1 announced its investment of $13 million in four research and development projects that aim to accelerate the deployment and cut the cost of next-generation biofuels. The projects—located in Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin—support the Energy Department goal of producing cost-competitive drop-in biofuels at $3 per gallon by 2017. Drop-in biofuels are made from non-food sources but are almost indistinguishable from conventional fuels. They can include bio-oil, a biobased crude oil substitute that can be processed in a refinery, as well as biobased substitutes for gasoline, diesel fuel, and jet fuel. The four selected projects include an effort by Ceramatec of Salt Lake City, Utah, to use an electrochemical process to remove oxygen from bio-oil, making it more suitable for processing in a refinery; a project led by the Energy Department's Oak Ridge National Laboratory to use a microbial electrolysis process to remove the hydrogen from the water found in bio-oil, making the bio-oil production process more efficient and the bio-oil less corrosive; an investigation by the University of Oklahoma in Norman into the use of heat and solvents to convert biomass into a refinery-compatible intermediate chemical; and an effort by Virent, Inc., of Madison, Wisconsin, to develop an innovative separation process that will work with the company's proprietary process to convert biomass into drop-in fuels. The Energy Department's Idaho National Laboratory will help with feedstock pre-processing for the Virent project. See the Energy Department Progress Alert.   Interior Department Approves a 500-MW Wind Project in Arizona   The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced on June 28 that it has approved a 500-megawatt (MW) wind energy project in Arizona. The Mohave County Wind Farm will be located on federal lands in northwestern Arizona, about 40 miles northwest of Kingman. Proposed by BP Wind Energy North America, Inc., the wind farm will consist of up to 243 wind turbines. The decision paves the way for right-of-way grants for the use of approximately 37,800 acres of federal land, while providing a 1.2-mile buffer zone to protect nearby nesting locations for golden eagles and assuring that no turbine will be erected within a quarter-mile of private property. See the DOI fact sheet and map of the proposed project. DOI has approved 46 wind, solar, and geothermal utility-scale projects on public lands since 2009, including associated transmission corridors and infrastructure to connect to established power grids. When built, these projects could provide enough electricity to power more than 4.4 million homes and support more than 17,000 construction and operations jobs. DOI's Bureau of Land Management has identified 14 additional renewable energy proposals that are slated for review this year and next. See the DOI press release.   Interior Dept., NREL Developing Modular Hybrid Power Systems for Villages   The Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is working with the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) on designing a modular, expandable, and replicable small-scale power system for villages that draws partly on renewable energy sources. The initiative, called the "Remote Community Renewable Energy Partnership," aims to deploy small-scale power systems to isolated, off-the-grid villages in remote Alaska and to U.S. island territories. The power systems will draw on either wind or solar power with a diesel generator as a backup power source. By mid-2014, NREL intends to complete the design of the modular power systems and then partner with willing villages to pilot test the new modular systems. The modular approach is meant to encourage deployment while minimizing the engineering and construction costs for each project. See the DOI blog.   EPA Strengthens Energy Star Requirements for Refrigerators and Freezers   The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on June 27 that it has revised its Energy Star requirements for residential refrigerators and freezers. The updated requirements raise the bar for energy efficiency in these products and, for the first time, encourage manufacturers to include optional "connected" features. These features would offer consumers more ways to reduce the energy consumption of their refrigerators and freezers, help lower their utility bills, and better protect the environment and the climate. Under the new standards, Energy Star-certified refrigerators and freezers will use at least 10% less energy than models meeting 2014 federal minimum efficiency standards. If all refrigerators and freezers sold in the United States were to meet the updated requirements, the energy cost savings would grow to more than $890 million each year while reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of taking more than one million vehicles off the road. By recycling an old refrigerator and replacing it with a new Energy Star-certified refrigerator, consumers can save from $150–$1,100 on energy costs over the product's lifetime. To earn the Energy Star label, product performance must be certified by an EPA-recognized third party, based on testing in an EPA-recognized laboratory. The updated Energy Star refrigerator and freezer specification will go into effect on September 15, 2014. Certain Energy Star refrigerators and freezers with connected features will provide consumers new convenience and energy-saving opportunities. These products will allow consumers to view real-time energy use, receive energy-related messages—such as an alert when the door has been left open—and manage appliance settings remotely. Refrigerators and freezers with connected functionality will also be "smart grid"-ready, meaning that with consumer permission, they will be able to respond to utility signals, including curtailing operations during more expensive peak demand times. See the EPA press release and the Energy Star's new specification for residential refrigerators and freezers.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)   special thanks to U.S. Department of Energy | USA.gov

L.A. Rooftop Solar Project Goes Online in San Fernando Valley   With 1 billion square feet of rooftop space and more than 300 days of sunshine, Los Angeles has all the makings of a leading solar hub. Now, an innovative program is leveraging these resources to accelerate the county’s transition to the forefront of solar innovation. On June 26, the Los Angeles Feed-in Tariff program—the largest rooftop solar program in the nation—celebrated the completion of its first solar installation. The program incentivizes businesses to install solar arrays on rooftops across Los Angeles to generate clean, renewable electricity. Participating business are offered a 20-year contract to sell the solar energy they produce to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power at a set price. For the complete story, see the Energy Blog. CCRES Bonus Energy Department Announces Investment to Accelerate Next Generation Biofuels Following last week's rollout of President Obama's plan to cut carbon pollution, the Energy Department today announced four research and development projects to bring next generation biofuels on line faster and drive down the cost of producing gasoline, diesel and jet fuels from biomass. The projects—located in Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin—represent a $13 million Energy Department investment. "By partnering with private industry, universities and our national labs, we can increase America's energy security, bolster rural economic development, and cut harmful carbon pollution from our cars, trucks and planes," said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. "As the President made clear in his plan to cut carbon pollution, partnerships like these will help move our economy towards cleaner, more efficient forms of energy that lower our reliance on foreign oil." In the United States, the transportation sector accounts for two-thirds of total U.S. oil consumption and one-third of our nation's total greenhouse gas emissions. Hydrocarbon-based biofuels made from non-food feedstocks, waste materials, and algae can directly replace gasoline and other fuels in our gas tanks and refineries. The Energy Department continues to take steps to speed the development of clean, renewable biofuels, with the goal of producing cost-competitive drop-in biofuels at $3 per gallon by 2017. The research projects announced today build on the Obama Administration's broader efforts to accelerate the next generation of biofuels by bringing down costs, improving performance and identifying effective, non-food feedstocks and conversion technologies. These projects will help maximize the amount of renewable carbon and hydrogen that can be converted to fuels from biomass and improve the separation processes in bio-oil production to remove non-fuel components—further lowering production costs. The projects selected for negotiation include: Ceramatec (up to $3.3 million; Salt Lake City, Utah): Ceramatec will utilize an efficient electrochemical deoxygenation process to develop cost-effective technology to separate oxygen from bio-oil. This project will help produce hydrocarbon products suitable for further processing in conventional petroleum refineries. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (up to $2.1 million; Oak Ridge, Tennessee): Oak Ridge National Laboratory will use a microbial electrolysis process to efficiently remove the hydrogen from the water found in bio-oil. This technology will help reduce the corrosivity of bio-oil and improve the efficiency of converting hydrogen and biomass to biofuels. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Georgia Institute of Technology, Pall Corporation, OmniTech International, and FuelCellsEtc will also participate in this project. University of Oklahoma (up to $4 million; Norman, Oklahoma): The University of Oklahoma will investigate two methods—thermal fractionation and supercritical solvent extraction—to maximize the amount of renewable carbon and hydrogen that can be extracted from biomass and converted to a refinery-compatible intermediate and suitable for final upgrading to a transportation fuel. The multidisciplinary research team includes experts in catalysis, separation, life-cycle analysis and techno-economic assessment. Virent, Inc. (up to $4 million; Madison, Wisconsin): Virent will develop an innovative separation process which uses its BioForming® technology to efficiently convert carbon from lignocellulosic biomass into hydrocarbon fuels. Virent will work to improve the overall carbon conversion efficiency of biomass—helping to reduce the cost of producing hydrocarbon biofuels that work with our existing transportation fuel infrastructure and are capable of meeting the Renewable Fuel Standard. Idaho National Laboratory will also bring their feedstock pre-processing capabilities to the project. Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

 

News and Events by CCRES June 21, 2013

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources News and Events June 21, 2013 Drivers Can Compare Gasoline and Electric Fuel Prices with eGallon   The Energy Department on June 11 launched the eGallon—a way for consumers to compare the costs of fueling electric vehicles versus driving on gasoline. The current national average eGallon price is about $1.14, meaning that a typical electric vehicle could travel as far on $1.14 worth of electricity as a similar vehicle could travel on a gallon of gasoline. On Energy.gov/eGallon, consumers can see the latest eGallon price for their state and compare it to the price of gasoline. Over time, consumers will notice that the eGallon price will be far more stable and predictable than gasoline prices. That’s because the eGallon price depends on electricity prices, which historically are very stable; gasoline prices depend on the global oil market, which can be very unstable and are often influenced by unpredictable international events. The eGallon provides a metric that is easily comparable to the traditional gallon of unleaded fuel. That comparison is made by calculating how much it would cost to drive an electric vehicle the same distance a similar conventional vehicle could travel on a gallon of gasoline. For example, if gasoline costs $3.60 per gallon in your state and the eGallon price for your state is $1.20, that means that for $1.20 worth of electricity you can drive the same distance as you could for $3.60 worth of gasoline. The eGallon price varies from state to state based on the price of electricity. See the Energy Department press release.   Energy Department Invests in Next Generation Efficient Lighting   The Energy Department on June 4 announced five manufacturing research and development projects to support energy-efficient lighting products. The projects will focus on reducing manufacturing costs, while continuing to improve the quality and performance of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). The Energy Department’s $10 million investment is matched dollar for dollar by private sector funding. According to a new report by the Energy Department, LED lamps and fixtures installed in the United States have increased tenfold over the last two years—from 4.5 million units in 2010 to 49 million units in 2012. These installations, which include common indoor and outdoor applications such as recessed lighting and streetlights, are expected to save about $675 million in annual energy costs. During the same period, the cost of an LED replacement bulb has fallen by about 54%. Switching entirely to LED lights over the next two decades could save the United States $250 billion in energy costs and reduce electricity consumption for lighting by nearly 50%. By 2030, LED lighting is projected to represent about 75% of all lighting sales, saving enough energy to power approximately 26 million U.S. households. Projects selected include: Cree Inc. (Durham, North Carolina) will develop a modular design for LED lights that can link together multiple units to fit larger areas; Eaton Corporation (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin) will develop an innovative manufacturing process that streamlines the LED fixture design and removes unnecessary materials and parts; LEDWorks, (Rochester, New York) will develop and demonstrate new spray-printing equipment that reduces overall manufacturing costs and could help support cost-competitive mass production; Philips Lumileds (San Jose, California) will develop an alternative to the standard flip-chip device that grows an LED face-down on the sapphire substrate; and PPG Industries, Inc. (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) will develop a cost-effective manufacturing process to help commercialize an integrated substrate that includes the glass foundation as well as the other necessary layers. See the Energy Department Press Release.   Energy Department Offers $9 Million to Advance Hydrogen Technologies   The Energy Department on June 11 announced up to $9 million in new funding to accelerate the development of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies for use in vehicles, backup power systems, and hydrogen refueling components. The Energy Department will fund up to eight projects from industry, academia, and national labs. These investments will strengthen U.S. leadership in cost-effective hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and help industry bring these technologies into the marketplace at lower cost. Projects selected for funding will demonstrate, deploy, and validate hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in real-world environments. These efforts aim to reduce the costs of hydrogen and fuel cells industry-wide, expand critical infrastructure, and build a solid domestic supplier base. Selected projects will represent a wide variety of applications with potential for widespread commercialization. Topic areas include fuel cell medium-duty trucks; advanced hydrogen refueling components; rooftop installations of hydrogen-fuel-cell-backup power systems; and hydrogen meter research and development. See the Energy Department Progress Alert.   New Building Performance Database Launched by Energy Department   The Energy Department on June 17 launched the new Buildings Performance Database, the largest free, publicly available database of residential and commercial building energy performance information. This database will allow users to access energy performance data and perform statistical analyses on more than 60,000 commercial and residential buildings across the country, and new records are being added regularly. The database includes buildings' location; age; size and function; electricity and fuel consumption; equipment information and operational characteristics. The data can also be used to compare performance trends among similar buildings, identify and prioritize cost-saving energy efficiency improvements, and assess the range of likely savings from these improvements. An application programming interface (API) will allow external software developers to incorporate analytical results from the database into their own tools and services. The database tools have been designed to meet the content and usability needs of public agencies, building owners and managers, contractors, energy efficiency program administrators, and financial institutions, with over 1,000 users testing the site since March 2013. The Department hopes that public and private stakeholders will continue to submit data and expand the resource. All data is made anonymous and protected by stringent privacy and security protocols. Currently, commercial and residential buildings account for approximately 70% of the electricity consumption in the nation. The database strengthens the Department's commitment to provide U.S. industry, state and local governments, and researchers with innovative energy data tools that can help cut energy waste and save money. The database was developed for the Department's Building Technologies Office by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Building Energy Inc. See the Energy Department Progress Alert.   DOI Announces First Offshore Renewable Energy Lease Sale   The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and its Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on June 4 announced that BOEM will hold the first-ever competitive lease sale for wind energy on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. The auction, scheduled to take place on July 31, will offer 164,750 acres offshore Rhode Island and Massachusetts for commercial wind energy leasing. The area being auctioned is located 9.2 nautical miles south of the Rhode Island coastline. The area has the potential for an installed capacity of 3,395 megawatts, according to a report recently released by the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory. This total could supply enough electricity to power more than 1 million homes. BOEM issued a revised environmental assessment (EA) for commercial wind lease issuance within the Wind Energy Area offshore of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The EA considers reasonable foreseeable environmental and socioeconomic impacts from issuing renewable energy leases. The EA also considers the impacts of conducting site characterization such as surveys and assessment activities such as installation and operation of meteorological towers and buoys. As a result of the analysis in the revised EA, BOEM issued a "Finding of No Significant Impact," which concluded that reasonably foreseeable environmental effects associated with the commercial wind lease would not significantly impact the environment. See the DOI press release, the final sale notice in the Federal Register, and BOEM's EA and Finding of No Significant Impact .   DOI Approves Three Renewable Energy Projects in Arizona and Nevada   The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) on June 3 announced the approval of three major renewable energy projects in Arizona and Nevada that are expected to deliver up to 520 megawatts (MW) to the electricity grid. When built, the projects will generate enough power for nearly 200,000 homes. The 350-megawatt Midland Solar Energy Project and the 70-megawatt New York Canyon Geothermal Project are located in Nevada. The Midland Solar Project will be built on private lands about 7 miles southwest from Boulder City, Nevada, and will cross 76 acres of federal transmission corridor. The New York Canyon Geothermal Project and electrical transmission facility will be built on 15,135 acres of land managed by the DOI's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) about 25 miles east of Lovelock, Nevada, in Pershing County. The 100-megawatt Quartzsite Solar Energy Project, located on 1,600 acres of BLM-managed lands in La Paz County, Arizona, will use concentrating solar power (CSP) technology with integrated thermal energy storage technology. CSP technologies use mirrors in heliostats to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto a central tower to produce heat, where liquid molten salt captures and stores the thermal energy which is then used to produce electricity. CSP systems are distinguished from other solar energy technologies by their ability to store energy as heat so that consumer demand can be met even when the sun is not shining, including during the night. The BLM has identified an additional 15 active renewable energy proposals slated for review this year and next. BLM identified these projects through a process that emphasizes early consultation and collaboration with its sister agencies at DOI—the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service. See the DOI press release and the BLM website.   NREL Highlights 2012 Utility Green Power Leaders   The Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on June 5 released its assessment of leading utility green power programs. Under these voluntary programs, residential and commercial consumers can choose to help support additional electricity production from renewable resources such as wind and solar. The top 10 programs support more than 4.2 million megawatt hours /year (MWh/year) of voluntary green power. Using information provided by utilities, NREL has developed "Top 10" rankings of utility green power programs for 2012 in the following categories: total sales of renewable energy to program participants; total number of customer participants; the percentage of customer participation; green power sales as a percentage of total utility retail electricity sales; and the lowest price premium charged for a green power program using new renewable resources. Ranked by renewable energy sales in terms of MWh/year, Portland General Electric (Oregon) overtook Austin Energy in Austin, Texas, in 2012, selling the largest amount of renewable energy in the nation through its voluntary green power program. Dominion Virginia Power and Oklahoma Gas & Electric are new to the top renewable energy sales list. Ranked by the percentage of customer participation, the top utilities are City of Palo Alto Utilities (California), followed by Portland General Electric, Madison Gas and Electric Company (Wisconsin), Sacramento Municipal Utility District, the City of Naperville (Illinois) and Pacific Power (Oregon). In addition, six utilities provided green power supply that included at least 2% solar. See the NREL press release and the Green Power website.   Federal and Industry Partners Issue Challenge to Manufacturers   A coalition that includes the U.S. federal government and more than 200 major commercial building partners has recently challenged U.S. manufacturers to build wireless sub-meters that cost less than $100 apiece. The U.S. Federal Energy Management Program and U.S. General Services Administration are among the organizations issuing the challenge. A group of at least 18 manufacturers has already agreed to take up the challenge, pledging to produce devices that will meet the specifications outlined by the Energy Department and its private sector partners that have signed letters of intent to purchase the wireless sub-meters. The Energy Department worked with members of its Better Buildings Alliance and federal agencies to develop a performance-based manufacturing specification, and will offer third party verification that the wireless building metering systems meet the performance specifications. Electricity sub-meters provide building operators with the information they need to identify opportunities for savings. For example, a large commercial building might pay $10,000 a month or more for electricity, but not have any way to detect which systems are consuming the most electricity. A wireless sub-meter could be installed at various electrical panels throughout the building to give a more detailed picture of where the electricity is being used, thereby helping to identify savings. It might also allow commercial building operators to bill individual tenants for their electricity usage, creating an incentive for energy efficiency. Wireless sub-meters typically cost about $1,000 per installation now, so the goal is to reduce the cost by about 90%. The Department’s Washington, D.C. headquarters, the James A. Forrestal Building, will be used as a testing facility. See the Energy Department press release and the Better Buildings Alliance website.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)   special thanks to U.S. Department of Energy | USA.gov

Building a 21st Century Electric Grid   As part of President Obama’s initiative to make America a magnet for jobs by building a 21st century infrastructure, on June 7 he signed a Presidential Memorandum that will speed the modernization of the nation’s electric grid. This will help make electricity more reliable, save consumers money on their energy bills, and support homegrown American clean energy jobs and industries by making renewable energy easier to access across the country. Transmission projects often cover hundreds of miles and involve multiple federal, tribal, state and local jurisdictions with diverse interests and responsibilities. Collaborating early to minimize duplication and delays is vital to getting critical projects to construction to better serve American homes and businesses. The June 7 Presidential Memorandum directs federal agencies to create an integrated pre-application process across the federal government to help identify and address issues before the formal permit application process begins, and streamline the coordination of permitting processes across the federal, state, and tribal governments. The memorandum also directs agencies to identify and improve the use of energy corridors on federal lands that are most suitable for siting electric transmission projects, to help expedite permitting while improving environmental and community outcomes. These energy corridors are designed to reduce regulatory conflicts, minimize negative impacts on natural and cultural resources and address concerns of local communities, decreasing the potential for permitting delays. For these corridors, agencies will work together to integrate new and innovative ways to avoid, minimize and mitigate the impact on environmental and cultural resources. The memorandum also prioritizes meaningful engagement with stakeholders and the public to arrive at the best quality projects with the least conflicts and most support. For the complete story, see the Energy Blog. Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

CCRES Neighborhood Program

Did you ever stop to think about what makes your community a good place to live? On the other hand, it may be you don't think you live in a good community. If you don't think so, what is it about the community you don't like? Is it the people, the traffic and congestion, the housing, the services, a combination-what is it?

Being homeless for example can be a temporary point in time,

or it can be a long, lonely, fearful, stressful and hungry time. Not all people

that are living on the street are the ones that you see as you walk down the

street or pass at an intersection. There are many, some say well over a thousand,

which are on the street due to an issue that sent them to the streets that they

had no real control over.

The economy may have had a role; the loss of a house

due to a bad mortgage; job loss due to layoffs; the list goes on and on. We are

not here to expound on all of the people issues that plague our towns, we are

here for one simple purpose:

 CCRES Neighborhood Program 

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES believe that giving turns ordinary money into change, a change for the better.

That's why we ask each of our CCRES partner to think about what they can do in their community to give.

Whether it's volunteering for a community event, helping out a neighbor in need, or making a donation, the act itself doesn't matter. Even the smallest act of giving can spark change.

In neighborhoods all across the Croatia, the CCRES Neighborhood Program is also helping families and business owners make energy efficiency upgrades that are saving them money and improving the comfort of our buildings.

CCRES continues giving, we urge you to do the same. Ask yourself the question:

What can you do?

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Offer your skills.

Consider offering your skills rather than goods. Help an elderly neighbor with household fixes, offer to repaint a community playground, rake leaves or mow the lawn of a neighbor who is unable to do it. Often these skills are needed just as much, if not more than money or goods.

Give to Charity.

It doesn't have to be about money.

Volunteer.

Inform yourself  for volunteer activities in your community.

Check out for many well-known organizations.

Visit a nursing home.

Take some of your free time and visit a nursing home. Read a book with an elderly person, talk about topics in the news, play cards and bring a little joy into both of your lives. You will probably come out with a new friend!

Help a school in your community.

Offer to help distribute school lunches, check or grade papers for teachers, help during recess, or manage school activity functions.

Clean up your community.

Participate in a local environmental clean-up day or start your own with family and friends. Go to your local parks, beaches, or hiking trails and pick up litter.

Send Holiday mail for Croatian heroes.

During the holiday season you can send a card to a Croatian soldier through the partnership between CCRES and HVIDRA.

Volunteer at a church.

Offer to help with the day care, cleaning the church, bringing fresh flowers for the services, or offer to do office work at the church administration office.

Donate clothing.

Are your clothes too tight, too loose, tags still on something you never wore? Give it away. You can stop by your local RED CROSS or KARITAS , and many communities have drop-off boxes where you can leave your donated goods.

Give a new Toys .

Donate a brand new toy to your local children nursery to help bring joy to a child in need. Contact your children nursery to learn how you can donate.

Give to a local food bank.

You can donate a few of the canned goods you currently have in your pantry. With the recent economic crisis, food banks aren't being given as much from donors and more people are needing to be served. Contact your local food bank today to find out how you can donate or visit solarserdar.blogspot.com.

Donate books.

If you have books that have not been read in over a year, chances are you are not going to ever read them again. Give them away! Donate your used books to libraries, schools, or shelters so someone else can enjoy them like you once did.

Making a Donation to the CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES.

Without generous private donations the CCRES would be unable to continue the valuable work it does in bringing objective information to an often overheated debate.

Making a donation is simple: 

a cheque payable to CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES can be posted to the following address:

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

Medarska 24,

10 000 ,Zagreb,

CROATIA

or on:

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

BANK ACCOUNT 2484008-1105745975

IBAN HR0324840081105745975

SWIFT RZBHHR2X

More info at: solarserdar@gmail.com

We also believe that the restoration of dignity is a

critical part of the solution. We look forward to your

questions and assistance.

Who are we and where did we come from:

 We are a not for profit educational organization located in Zagreb. All

of the proceeds from this project will go towards our mission and the expansion

of our mission.

The area was selected for many reasons; first it will be the launching site for a

regional and national roll out when we are successful with the first site.

Second it is where we live currently and we see the issues every day here as

well as other places, but here is where we can be most effective at this time.

As an ongoing support we will partner with local

and region organizations, both for profit and those not for profit organization

that we can team with for solutions. We will also provide a job for our clients

both as staff at the locations as well as assistance to our partners when and

where it is available.

We are concerned business people, members of the community, former

homeless people, caring individuals and maybe your next door neighbor.

We have begun at 2011 an organization called CCRES, it is a not for profit

organization. 

Combined with all of our resources we have many years of business, life, community, 

and family experience.

All of which will be put to work on this project, we will succeed and we will

see this project to the successful completion of the opportunity to assist.

CCRES offers annual memberships for research institutions, public and private sector organizations, individual associates and students. Memberships are provide access to E-Newletters and invitations to CCRES seminars and other events.

 Annual Memberships:

 To become a member, please click JOIN NOW!  

Additional Benefits: 

Invitations to CCRES seminars, tours, lunches and other special events. Advance notice of joint-funding opportunities. Access to CCRES facilities. Receipt of E-Newsletter. Recognition and logo presence for CCRES websites. Ability to sponsor additional fellowships, meetings or seminars. A seat on the CCRES Advisory Board. Exclusive invitations to events. Listing on the CCRES webpage and blogs. High-profile inclusion in CCRES marketing materials.

By sharing best practices on things like workforce development and financing options, local efficiency programs can dramatically increase the number of Croatian homes that are energy efficient.

We will, with your help, make a difference in the community.

Thank you.