Recently in Data Category
Southern Company has released a report detailing a series of tests conducted on co-firing green wood chips from whole and from approximately needle free pine trees. The purpose of the project was to "determine what level of processing of whole trees is required to successfully co-fire the chips in a boiler, and to evaluate the benefits and costs of wood processing compared with the effect of the fuel on the power plant." The tests were performed at Plant Gadsden in Gadsden, Alabama. From the report, summary results are as follows:
The full report can be found here.
- Green wood chips were successfully co-fired in blends with coal between 8% and 15%
wood by weight. Of the input fuel energy, 2.8% and 5.5% was from wood, and represented about 2.0 MW to 3.8 MW biomass power. - Sulfur emissions were reduced, and particulates were no higher with co-firing. At normal operating condition, carbon monoxide emissions were unchanged. The measured impact on NOx emissions was small.
- With 10% co-firing, boiler efficiency was about the same as coal alone, while there was a slight reduction in efficiency with 15% wood.
- Higher moisture losses due to high wood moisture were offset or nearly offset by reduced dry gas losses up the stack.
- High moisture of the wood coal mixtures resulted in low mill temperatures and high mill bowl under pressures. This caused a 5% load derate when co-firing 15%.
- The coal-wood mixtures had much lower fuel energy to volume ratio than the baseline coal. The issues appear to have been related to the installation of new automatic controls. Stability issues were corrected in subsequent tests by tuning the fuel-steam pressure automatic controls.
The full report can be found here.
The Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy has released 2006 data on green pricing and net metering programs across the U.S. According to the EIA, the number of "electric industry green pricing program participants increased from 442
in 2005 to 484 in 2006. However, the total number of customers
enrolled in green pricing programs decreased by almost 32 percent,
falling from 942,772 in 2005 to 645,167 in 2006." EIA explained this decline in large part to the discontinuation of an Ohio-based green pricing program which lost 400,000 customers. The company running the program cited regulatory hurdles and unexpected transmission charges as reasons for the discontinuation.
The EIA also collected net metering data and reported that "the total number of electric industry participants increased from 188 in 2005 to 232 in 2006. The total number of participating customers was 34,469 in 2006, an increase of 63 percent over 2005. Of this total, 31,323 or 91 percent, were residential customers."
To view the full report and your state's individual data visit the EIA website here.
The EIA also collected net metering data and reported that "the total number of electric industry participants increased from 188 in 2005 to 232 in 2006. The total number of participating customers was 34,469 in 2006, an increase of 63 percent over 2005. Of this total, 31,323 or 91 percent, were residential customers."
To view the full report and your state's individual data visit the EIA website here.
The US Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center has gone live with their new online alternative fuel station locator. Users can indicate the type of alternative fuel they are looking for (including B20 and E 85), enter a search area and view available service stations. The program can also identify fuel stations along a travel route that you provide. Other available data includes planned stations and payment type available at fueling stations. The station locator can be accessed here.
The Energy Information Administration has released the International Energy Outlook 2008. The Outlook projects 50 percent growth in energy use between 2003 and 2030. It also projects a 50 percent increase in greenhouse gas emissions during the same period with current policy regulations. The EIA attributes this growth to "robust economic growth and expanding populations in the world's developing countries." While the report does project a 2 percent increase in hydroelectricity and renewable energy use, coal and natural gas consumption also increase by 2 and 1.7 percent. To learn more, read the press release and the full report.
The Pew Center on Global Climate Change offers users interactive maps describing energy and climate change policies in each of the U.S. states. Map topics include:
- Climate Action
- Energy Sector
- Transportation Sector
- Building Sector
The National Academy
of Science has released its 2008 Understanding & Responding to Climate
Change brochure. The easy to read brochure presents the findings of up to
date climate change research by the NAS and puts them into a larger
narrative. The brochure describes what is climate change; what research is
indicating about current and future climate change; the science of green house
gases; potential effects on humans; areas needed for future research; and how
climate change science informs policy decisions. To read or obtain copies of the
brochure visit the NAS climate change website.
A survey of 700 American adults found that 37 percent of those polled named "fuel efficiency and alternative fuels" as the top priority for technological investment in the next 10 years. Fuel efficiency and alternative fuels received the most votes followed by medical (30%) and environment (14%). The survey was commissioned by the Fairfax County (Virginia) Economic Development Authority and conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs. Survey results can be found here.
The Energy Information Administration recently added infrastructure information to their detailed maps for each state. Infrastructure details such as power plant capacity and coal mine production are available. To review your state visit the EIA State Energy Profile website.
