High Prices Will Limit Sales of Electric Vehicles in 2012

http://www.pikeresearch.com/newsroom/high-prices-will-limit-sales-of-electric-vehicles-in-2012

Many potential buyers will hold off on purchases of electric vehicles (EVs) during 2012 due to the premium pricing of the vehicles, according to a new white paper from Pike Research. Nissan raised the price of the Leaf for 2012, and while the 2012 Chevrolet Volt will sell for $1,000 less, the car comes without several features that were previously standard but are now options.  According to data from Pike Research’s annual Electric Vehicle Consumer Survey, the optimal price for a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) to engage consumers is $23,750.  With the 2012 Toyota Prius PHEV ($32,000), the Honda Fit BEV ($36,625), and the Ford Focus EV ($39,995) all north of $30,000 (before federal incentives), consumers hoping for an affordable EV ride have been left wanting.  These relatively high selling prices will constrain the market for PEVs in 2012.  The white paper, which includes 10 predictions about the EV market in 2012, is available for free download on Pike Research’s website.

“Vehicles on sale in 2012 will not benefit from recent cost reductions in batteries,” says research director John Gartner.  “The batteries in these vehicles were ordered before 2012, so any flexibility in reducing vehicle pricing will not occur until 2013 or 2014 at the earliest.  Nevertheless, the global market for plug-in electric vehicles will grow to more than a quarter million vehicles in 2012 – a number sufficient to put an end to the ‘are they for real?’ speculation that has surrounded this market.”

Pike Research’s industry predictions for 2012 include the following:

• Car-sharing services will expand the market for EVs and hybrids.
• Battery production will outstrip vehicle production.
• The Asia Pacific region will become the early leader in vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems.
• Third-party EV charging companies will dominate public charging sales.
• Employers will begin to purchase EV chargers in large numbers.
• EVs will begin to function as home appliances.

Pike Research’s white paper, “Electric Vehicles: 10 Predictions for 2012”, analyzes ten key trends that will influence the development of the electric vehicle market in 2012 and beyond.  Conclusions and predictions in this paper are drawn from the firm’s ongoing Smart Transportation research coverage, with forecasts included for key market sectors.  

During 2012, Pike Research estimates that global PEV sales will surpass 257,000 units.

The market for vehicles that can provide power to a building or the grid will be in its infancy in 2012 and will be driven primarily by fleets that can derive the most value from a vehicle’s battery. Asia Pacific (47% global share in 2012) will dominate this market because the higher penetration of PEVs in the region will create a sufficient amount of power potential for the grid.

A full copy of the white paper is available for free download on the firm’s website.

Pike Research www.PikeResearch.com
Press Release dated December 16, 2011

Another Pike release on December 19th at http://www.pikeresearch.com/newsroom/the-market-for-electric-vehicle-telematics-will-reach-1-4-billion-by-2017 entitled "The Market for Electric Vehicle Telematics Will Reach $1.4 Billion by 2017" noted that:

For early plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), one of the key features for customers is not a component of the drivetrain, but rather, the telematics package.  Giving the driver the ability to check on the battery and the rate of charge, telematics serve as a lifeline of sorts to help alleviate concerns over the limited range of electric vehicles (range anxiety).  In addition, many manufacturers are developing applications that can provide details on where the closest charging stations are within range of the current battery level of charge.  According to a new report from Pike Research, nearly nine out of ten PEVs sold this year will include at least a basic telematics package, and that percentage will likely grow to 94% by 2017.  Annual revenue from worldwide sales of electric vehicle telematics will total $1.4 billion by 2017, the cleantech market intelligence firm forecasts.

A key group of players in the EV telematics supply chain will be wireless equipment manufacturers coming from outside the automotive industry, who are accustomed to more compressed product development timeframes than the carmakers use.

“The hardware manufacturers are experiencing a bit of a culture shock,” says senior research analyst Dave Hurst, “as automotive development generally targets an 8 to 10-year lifespan, compared to a 2 to 3-year lifespan for other wireless devices.  For this reason, despite the fact that much of the data being transferred in PEV telematics can be done easily with a slow GSM connection, most hardware manufacturers are targeting 3G services with their modems to ensure compatibility with the wireless network long term.”

In addition, while basic telematics packages that offer simple data connections for emergency services, breakdown calls, charging station locations, and diagnostics/vehicle monitoring will be standard features on most PEVs by 2017, many consumers will want more elaborate, connected vehicle telematics, which can provide live traffic, weather, streaming content, and cloud computing-based applications.  Pike Research’s analysis indicates that, by the end of the forecast period, 80% of PEVs will come with connected vehicle systems installed.  Those costlier packages will push average revenue per user (ARPU) for electric vehicle telematics to $13.27 by 2017, up from $10.65 today. 

Pike Research’s report, “Electric Vehicle Telematics”, analyzes the market opportunity for telematics in plug-in electric vehicles, including market forces, technology, government influence on the market, and key drivers of the growth and profiles of key market players.  The report includes plug-in electric vehicle sales, sales of basic and connected vehicle telematics, and global revenue forecasts through 2017, segmented by world region.  An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website.

A Pike release on December 13th at http://www.pikeresearch.com/newsroom/electric-vehicle-charging-equipment-sales-to-reach-4-3-billion-worldwide-by-2017 entitled "Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Sales to Reach $4.3 Billion Worldwide by 2017" noted that:

Sales of electric vehicles are expected to accelerate strongly over the next few years, and along with them will come rapid growth in deployment of charging equipment for the vehicles.  Two years from now, more than 80 different models of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) will be found on roadways across the globe, and by 2017, more than 5.1 million PEVs will be sold globally.  In many markets, the majority of customers who purchase a PEV will purchase charging equipment for their home.  At the same time, many cities and states are promoting the use of PEVs and installing EV charging systems as a means of reducing urban emissions.  According to a recent report from Pike Research, more than 1.5 million locations to charge vehicles will be available in the United States by 2017, with a total of 7.7 million locations worldwide.

This will translate into revenues of more than $4.3 billion for makers of electric vehicle charging equipment by 2017, the cleantech market intelligence firm forecasts, up from $400 million in 2011, representing a compound annual growth rate of 49%.

“Prices for EV charging equipment will fall by 37% through 2017 as costs are driven down by competition from large electronics companies as well as volume production,” says research director John Gartner.  “With each new electric vehicle model that gets launched, makers of charging equipment, city planners, and retailers gain an increased sense that EVs are here to stay.  This will encourage both the production and purchase of charging systems.”

The deployment of EV charging equipment will also have implications for electric utilities’ business models.  The impact of power delivered through EV charging units could shorten the lifespan of some neighborhood distribution equipment, such as transformers or power lines.  Some utilities are offering less expensive EV charging rates and time of use (TOU) pricing, with power purchased overnight costing a fraction of the peak power price.  The benefits of off-peak charging will encourage nearly all equipment purchases to be smart charging units that can be programmed remotely.  A number of pioneering utilities are beginning to invest in information technology (IT) and other smart grid equipment to accommodate the increased load.

Pike Research’s report, “Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment”, examines the growing global market for electric vehicle charging equipment and provides market analysis and forecasts for residential, workplace, public, and private charge points.  The study also analyzes the key emerging sectors of direct current (DC) charging equipment and wireless EV charging stations.  Key industry players are profiled and detailed charging equipment forecasts, segmented by world region and key countries, extend through 2017.  An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website.

Userful to Demo Ultra-Low-Cost School Computing Solution at BETT 2012

http://userful.com/press/bett-multiseat-linux

Userful, "the world leader in Linux desktop virtualization", will be demonstrating the next generation of their Userful MultiSeat™ solution which turns one Linux computer into multiple high performance independent computer stations using the HP t200 thin client device, a multiseat device that can be connected either via USB or Ethernet using Userful's software. Userful MultiSeat enables schools to deploy more than twice as many computers for the same cost, while enabling multiple users to use different applications at the same time from one host computer, each with their own monitor, keyboard, and mouse. The new product truly redefines the cost of a full featured high performance computer.

Userful MultiSeat enables schools to quickly deploy large numbers of computer stations for a very low cost, whether in the classroom, computer lab, or school library. It is easy to set up, use and maintain, and provides teachers with the tools they need to give their students a high quality computer-based education. It dramatically reduces electricity use, paying for the computers in power savings alone in 4 years or less, and reduces environmental heat, noise and pollution at the same time. It also reduces infrastructure costs, by requiring fewer cables and fewer electrical outlets, and enables schools to reinvest by starting new computer labs with the computers recovered as a result of a MultiSeat computing upgrade.

"Userful is shaping the future of economically and environmentally sustainable educational computing," said Tim Griffin, President of Userful. "We've already done the world's largest ever desktop virtualization deployment, and one of the largest digital inclusion initiatives in the world. Userful is the perfect solution for anyone who wants the benefits of desktop virtualization, without the price tag."

More than 50,000 schools worldwide are already using Userful MultiSeat to provide millions of students with computer access. Userful has proven to be the computer solution of choice for governments with digital inclusion mandates to provide school age children with computer access, on limited budgets. Countries such as Brazil, who have already successfully deployed over 500,000 Userful computer stations to schools in every municipality, have shown that with the combined cost savings of Userful MultiSeat, Linux, and open source software, it is feasible to provide every student with a comprehensive education using computers, regardless of whether they live in a city or a remote indigenous village with little infrastructure. The Brazilian Ministry of Education has reported saving 60% in up-front costs, and 80% in annual power savings as compared to their previous PC-per-station solutions.

Userful MultiSeat Linux allows each student to individually control their own computer station and applications. To the students, it seems like they each have their own dedicated computer. In reality they are all sharing the resources of a single host computer. It's high performance, and set up is Plug-And-Play. Ten students can engage in multiple activities such as watching a full-screen video, exploring Google Earth, conducting research on the internet or using a word processor. It is easy to add new computer stations and teachers can easily expand the number of stations in their lab or classroom in minutes. Since it's Linux based, hundreds of educational software applications are available at no charge, including classroom computer management software for teachers. Teachers also don't need to worry about downtime. In the event that a host computer fails, teachers can simply move (hot-swap) the station cable to one of the other computers in the lab/classroom and the students can resume working.

Every ministry of education worldwide is eligible for a free 90 day pilot so that educators can easily experience first hand the high performance, and ease of use of the solution.

To arrange a demo, meeting, or interview at BETT, please e-mail karl@userful.com, or phone +1.403.289.2177 x218

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
For more information, visit http://userful.com/products/userful-multiseat-linux

For more information on the HP t200 multiseat device, visit: HP t200 Product Information
http://userful.com/press/bett-multiseat-linux
Press Release dated January 3, 2011

Investing in efficient industrial boiler systems in China and Vietnam

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421511008147
Abstract: Energy efficiency in industrial boiler steam systems can be very low due to old technologies, improper design and non-optimal operation of the steam systems. Solutions include efficiency assessments and investments in steam system optimizations, education and training for operators of the systems. This paper presents case studies on assessing and investing in boiler steam systems in China and Vietnam. Methodologies and approaches for data collection and analyses were designed specifically for each of the two countries. This paper concludes: (1) investing in energy efficiency in industrial boiler steam system in China and Vietnam are cost effective; (2) government should not sent national energy efficiency standards lower than that of energy companies or energy equipment manufactures.

Highlights:
► GEF successfully catalyzed investment in industrial energy efficiency boilers in China in 1990s.
► With about $100 million of investment by the GEF/World Bank/Chinese government, the project will mitigate 40 million tons of CO2 by 2019.
► This generated lowest unit cost of carbon reduction in the world: about $2.5 per ton of CO2 mitigation.
► Investing in energy efficiency in industrial boiler steam system today in Vietnam will be the same cost effective as in China: $2.1 per ton of CO2 mitigation.

by Ming Yang 1 and Robert K. Dixon 2
1. 3E&T International, Suite 1506, No. 10 Building, Luo Ma Shi Street, Xuan Wu District, Beijing, 100052, China
2. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, US Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585, USA
Energy Policy via Elsevier Science Direct www.ScienceDirect.com
Volume 40; January, 2012; Pages 432-437
Special Issue: Strategic Choices for Renewable Energy Investment

Efficient Water Heating Technologies Can Save Consumers Nearly $18 Billion

http://www.aceee.org/press/2011/10/efficient-water-heating-technologies

New energy-efficient water heating technologies and practices can save residential and commercial buildings on average 37% more energy than conventional technologies. These energy savings could be worth nearly $18 billion, according to a new study of emerging technologies released today by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

 

Water heating is typically the second largest use of energy in residential buildings, following space heating and cooling. The study, Emerging Hot Water Technologies and Practices for Energy Efficiency as of 2011, surveys and examines a suite of sixteen products and services ranging from heat pumps (50–55% savings) and high efficiency gas water heaters (30–39% savings) to best maintenance practices for multifamily buildings (25% savings).

“The technologies we evaluated represent a sea change in the way we think about heating water,” said Harvey Sachs, lead author and ACEEE Senior Fellow. “Consumers can now choose among many sophisticated tank, tankless, and solar water heating systems to meet their needs.”

Indeed, one of the prominent features of this study is the great variety of water heating technologies available today: the storage, tankless, and hybrid units surveyed suggest that consumers can now select a water heater that not only saves energy, but also offers hot water service tailored to their needs. For example, in some applications, point-of-use water heaters can deliver hot water to isolated fixtures (such as new home additions and remote lavatories) faster and with less waste than whole-home storage units.

Other findings in the report include:

• The 11 electric technologies included offer a cumulative 1.6 quadrillion Btu savings through 2025, at an average cost of saved energy of $0.03/kWh. These energy savings are enough to serve a typical city of about 17 million people for a year, and the cost of energy savings is less than one-third of what the average residential customer pays for electricity.
• Commercial point-of-use water heaters can deliver hot water to lavatories and sinks in new buildings at a negative incremental cost to developers.
• Drain water heat recovery devices and on-demand recirculation pumps can greatly improve system performance at very low cost compared with standard plumbing.

The water heating technologies evaluated in this study could prove particularly useful for utility program administrators as they explore options to meet rising energy demands and satisfy new environmental regulations. Utilities act as key players in efforts to bring emerging technologies into the mainstream through their incentive programs and customer education.

“We were pleased to help sponsor ACEEE’s research to help raise awareness about new water heating technologies that will help better serve our customers,” said Ahmed Abdullah, Emerging Technologies Program Manager, SoCalGas, one of several sponsors of the project. Other sponsors include BC Hydro, Energy Trust of Oregon, National Grid, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Southern Company, and the U.S. Department of Energy.

ACEEE projects that the majority of measures evaluated in this report (eleven of sixteen) will prove cost-effective by 2025, the end of the analysis period. Others will be chosen by consumers for amenity value, such as “endless hot water.”

“An exciting finding from this study,” said Jacob Talbot, report coauthor and Research Analyst, “is that there are a great number of technologies with both large savings potential and an economic benefit to consumers.”

To read the report, click here.

---

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) www.ACEEE.org  acts as a catalyst to advance energy efficiency policies, programs, technologies, investments, and behaviors.
Press Release dated October 5, 2011

Price of electric vehicle batteries to fall as manufacturing capacity outstrips demand

http://bnef.com/PressReleases/view/166
The total worldwide manufacturing capacity of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles will greatly exceed supply unless demand by automakers increases significantly in the short-term, according to new research by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. As a result of the overcapacity, battery prices are poised to fall.

Automakers have committed to producing up to 839,000 plug-in electric vehicles worldwide by 2013, up from just 124,000 to be delivered by the end of 2011. As a result, demand for lithium-ion batteries will reach 18GWh by 2013 from the current level of 2.4GWh - a sevenfold increase in just two years. In contrast, the supply capacity under construction by battery makers will reach 35GWh by 2013, enough to supply almost double the number of planned electric vehicles. As batteries have a limited shelf life, it is unlikely that battery manufacturers will produce more than market demand. Instead, they will reduce output to match contracted demand.

At the moment, electric vehicle batteries cost between $800-1000/kWh and make up about 30-50% of the cost of a typical EV. But the short-term overcapacity and the competitiveness in the field will push battery prices lower, improving affordability of electric vehicles – but also making life increasingly difficult for smaller pure-play EV battery manufacturers, according to Ali Izadi-Najafabadi, an energy-smart technologies analyst at Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

“In the short term the larger, mainly Asian, conglomerates can cope with limited demand and compete by lowering prices, but smaller pure-play battery makers will be left vying for an increasingly limited number of supply contracts. For the latter group, other applications such as grid-scale energy storage will be a critical source of demand,” said Izadi-Najafabadi.

Automakers with committed electric vehicle plans have secured sufficient supply for their programmes through close collaboration with just five lithium-ion battery manufacturers via commercial-scale supply contracts or joint ventures. However, there are currently over 20 battery makers with plants constructed or under construction, and it will take time for this excess capacity to be absorbed. In the long term, lithium-ion battery prices will continue to decline as the industry reaches scale. Electric vehicle sales are expected to increase and battery costs will continue to decline along an experience curve to hit around $350/kWh by 2020.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance http://bnef.com
September 14, 2011

Army explores alternative energy with hydrogen fuel cells

http://www.army.mil/article/69520/Army_explores_alternative_energy_with_hydrogen_fuel_cells/
The U.S. Army is investing in highly efficient energy sources to reduce its fossil fuel usage, officials said Nov. 16 as APG unveiled hydrogen fuel cells.
...
APG's fuel cells are electro-chemical devices that use hydrogen as a fuel to produce backup electricity without having to combust the fuel. Twenty-four buildings across nine federal government sites will receive fuel cells within six months.

Rick Farmer, deputy program manager with DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, said projects such as hydrogen fuel cells help to improve America's environment and economy.
...
"Over the last year, we have seen about 50 percent growth in the megawatts of fuel cell power shipped in the United States," Farmer said. "DOE-funded projects have reduced the projected high-volume cost of fuel cells to $49 per kilowatt, an 80 percent reduction since 2002 and over 30 percent in the last two years.

"Together with our partners, DOE has co-funded about 600 fuel-cell lift trucks. Based on the results of these demonstrations, industry has placed orders for about five times that amount with no DOE funding."

By Mr. Dan Lafontaine (RDECOM)
November 17, 2011
FOR FULL STORY GO TO:
http://www.army.mil/article/69520/Army_explores_alternative_energy_with_hydrogen_fuel_cells/

Analysis of Small Business Innovation in Green Technologies

http://www.sba.gov/advocacy/7540/28811
Purpose
Previous Advocacy-funded studies of small busi-ness patenting activity established the existence of a cohort of independent, for-profit innovative small firms with 15 or more patents over a five-year period. The studies also showed that innovative small firms had a higher percentage of emerging technology patents in their portfolios than their larger counterparts. A recent focus on “green” jobs, businesses, and technology led to this study of a subset of these innovative patent holders. This project was designed to highlight differences in the patent activity of small and large firms in green technologies and industries.

Overall Findings
Small innovative firms in this study are even more productive, measured in terms of patents per employee, than was shown in the previous studies. The current study finds that small innovative firms are 16 times more productive than large innovative firms in terms of patents per employee. In green technologies, while four times as many large as small innovative firms have at least one green patent, small firms are more likely than larger firms to have green technology as a core part of their business.

Highlights
• Small innovative firms are 16 times more productive than large innovative firms in terms of patents per employee. Small innovative firms with fewer than 500 employees produced 27 patents per 100 employees, compared with 1.6 patents per 100 employees in large firms with 500 or more employees.
• Patents of the small firms in the study were cited 79 percent more by recent patents than is typical for other patents of the same age and patent classification. Patents of the large firms were cited just slightly above average. The small firms in the study also outperformed the large firms in patent originality, generality, and growth.
• U.S.-based organizations were responsible for 43 percent of U.S. patents in green technologies in 2005-2009, while Japanese organizations were responsible for 32 percent. No other country had more than 6 percent.
• Green patents form a higher percentage of the portfolios of small firms with at least one green patent (20 percent on average) than of the large firms’ portfolios (1.5 percent).
• Green patents from small firms are cited 2.5 times as frequently as green patents from large firms.
• While small firms account for about 8 percent of all U.S. patents in the U.S. innovative firm database, they account for 14 percent of green technology patents. Small firms account for more than 32 percent of the patents in both smart grids and solar energy, and 15 percent of patents in batteries and fuel cells.
• Eighty percent of the “prolific” inventors—those with five or more recent green patents with a citation index of 1 or more—from small green technology firms had previously worked at large companies, or large government or university labs.
Scope and Methodology
The researchers created a dataset of companies with 15 or more patents in a five-year period, 2005-2009. These 1,279 innovative firms have been granted in total more than 1 million patents. The current study analyzes 532 small innovative firms. Forty-two percent (224 firms) are new entrants and were not part of the previous 2002-2006 analysis.

To further focus on “green” technologies, the researchers chose to cover the following technologies: batteries, clean coal, smart grid/smart metering/electric grid infrastructure, fuel cells, geothermal energy, generic green technology, hybrid electric vehicle systems, hydro power, solar energy, and wind energy. Although there may be debate about this list, these technologies were selected because the study is technology-based and is designed to assess the role of small entities in green technology developments. For example, mass transit, as an energy efficient implementation, may be considered “green,” but the increased use of mass transit is more likely to be driven by a change in consumer attitudes driven by government policies rather than by technology developments. A second reason given for selecting these technologies is that they have been used successfully in other green energy projects such as the California Green Innovation Index.

This report was peer-reviewed consistent with Advocacy’s data quality guidelines. More information on this process can be obtained by contacting the director of economic research by email at advocacy@sba.gov or by phone at (202) 205-6533.
...
In spite of the recession, the innovative firms in the database have performed very well on average. Small innovative U.S. firms have revenues averaging $46.5 million per year. This compares favorably to their cohort set from the 2008 study, which averaged $39.4 million per year. Large innovative firms have done even better, with average sales increasing from $7.4 billion to $8.4 billion over the same period.

The full report is available free of charge at http://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/rs389tot.pdf

U.S. Small Business Administration www.SBA.gov October, 2011

Financial viability of energy-efficiency measures in a new detached house design in Finland

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261911006830
Abstract: This study analyses alternative energy-saving design concepts for a typical new detached house design in Finland. The impact of these design concepts on the construction costs and on the total delivered energy needs of the building were calculated, and the financial viability of the different concepts analysed. Different thermal insulation and airtightness properties of the building envelope and different ventilation’s heat recovery efficiency assumptions were tested in the analysis work. Other variations modelled included the heating mode: direct electrical floor heating, or floor heating via an air or ground source heat pump. Among these alternatives, the estimated annual consumption of purchased energy for running the household varied extensively, in the range 57–182 kW h/net floor m2. With the real interest rate set at 3%, the payback period was shortest for the air source heat pumps (9 years). When a heat pump was installed in a house with higher energy consumption, the payback period was 7 years, and if it was installed in the ‘ultra low-energy’ house designs, the payback period was over 13 years. Investment to thick thermal insulation of envelope was unattractive in Finland. The results of this study can be generalized to similar climates and techno-economic environments.

by Arto Saari 1, Targo Kalamees 2 and 3, Juha Jokisalo 2, Rasmus Michelsson 1, Kari Alanne 2, Jarek Kurnitski 4
1. Aalto University, School of Engineering, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, PO Box 12100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
2. Palto University, School of Engineering, Department of Energy Technology, PO Box 14400, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
3. Tallinn University of Technology, Department of Structural Design, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
4. Finnish Innovative Fund, PO Box 160, FI-00181 Helsinki, Finland
Applied Energy via Elsevier Science Direct www.ScienceDirect.com
Volume 92; April 2012; Pages 76-83
Keywords: Energy efficiency; Financial viability; Building simulations; New construction; Detached house

Growth Forum Boosts Cleantech Startups

http://www.nrel.gov/news/features/feature_detail.cfm/feature_id=1648
A disruptive DC to DC power conversion technology for semiconductor chips that power microprocessor cores and other mobile technology devices joined an elite group of technologies deemed "Best Ventures" at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) 24th Industry Growth Forum.

For three days in November, cleantech startups, venture capitalists, banks and researchers from U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) NREL convened in Denver looking for market-ready innovations to speed the adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.
...
Ready to seek out those opportunities were more than 250 companies applying for 30 presenter slots. ... Then, out of the 30 presenters, only three are bestowed with the Clean Energy Venture Awards....
...
The Best Venture award went to Arctic Sand Technologies of Cambridge, Mass. Arctic Sand is commercializing a groundbreaking power conversion technology that consolidates several broad-level power components into one chip. "Eighty percent of the energy that is generated in the world gets lost in the form of heat," Arctic Sand founder and CEO Nadia Shalaby said after the awards ceremony. "The culprit is the $60 billion power conversion industry that converts one form of energy into another. Arctic Sand addresses this problem inside of devices. We make DC to DC conversion chips and our solutions are 10 times smaller and 75 percent more efficient at cost parity."
...
Two Outstanding Venture awards were also presented at the Growth Forum. The first company recognized was ICR Turbine Engine Corporation of Hampton, N.H. ICRTec is developing an innovative gas turbine engine that is a replacement for diesel engines. The ICR engine has both lower emissions and better fuel economy. It also is able to operate on any liquid or gaseous fuel and can switch between fuels while on the move — something not possible with other engines.

The second Outstanding Venture award went to LimeLite Technologies of Austin, Texas. LimeLite's energy efficient safety lighting technologies optimize the performance of electroluminescent lighting. Already a player in the consumer nightlight industry, LimeLite is looking to expand in to building safety lighting, specifically exit signs.

According to CTO Samuel Kim's presentation at the forum, there are nearly 1 billion exit signs in the world. LED exit signs have a yearly maintenance cost of approximately $34 and the LimeLight solution would bring that cost down to $6.82.

"Exit signs have a very high cost of ownership due to the fact they are on 24/7, 365 days a year," Kim said. "On average, our products are 10 to 16 times more energy efficient, last two times longer and are two to six times more luminous and have great visibility in smoky conditions."

Just because a company leaves the Growth Forum without a trophy, does not mean it leaves empty handed. Companies that have presented at the Growth Forum have raised almost $4 billion in investments since 2003. TerraLUX, based in Longmont, Colo., is one example.
...
TerraLUX has created a patented technology that enables the simple integration of energy efficient LED light engines into existing lighting fixtures. According to Verheyen, a TerraLUX unit replaces a traditional light source, such as a 60-watt incandescent light bulb, with an eight-watt energy efficient LED unit.

"It's significantly less power consumption and it also lives 50 times as long," Verheyen said. "The customer doesn't notice the difference because the color and quality of the light source are the same."
...
NREL Center Director for Electricity Resources and Building Systems Integration David Money began with an overview of the challenges facing NREL, and industry, when it comes to energy systems integration. According to Mooney, 30 years of renewable energy R&D technology is entering the market and one of the challenges facing utilities is how to get that energy onto the grid in large quantities while maintaining the reliability and affordability of the nation's energy systems.

Mooney also gave the audience a preview of NREL's new laboratory specifically designed to address these energy integration challenges — the Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF). "There are a few things about ESIF that make it really unique," he said. "We are going to be able to conduct systems integration experiments at megawatt scale. We are going to be able to bring utility and other partners into the building so they can see these systems operating at real power."

Conversations at the Partnership Accelerator moved from the utility scale to the virtual scale with Google SketchUp's Aidan Chopra discussing Google's easy-to-use 3-D modeling program for buildings. "If you don't have a good 3-D representation of what it is you plan to make, you are hobbled in a lot of ways," Chopra said.

In addition to simply creating a 3-D rendering of a house or commercial space, SketchUp can be a tool for placing solar panels on a building. "People from individual homeowners who are considering PV to PV installers are using SketchUp in conjunction with Google Earth to figure out this converging industry. Our level of ubiquitousness in this industry is actually sort of astounding."

SketchUp was a perfect segue into a discussion led by NREL Senior Engineer Nicholas Long about how NREL is leveraging SketchUp and DOE's EnergyPlus to do energy modeling via its Open Studio product. Together, residential and commercial buildings account for a staggering 40 percent of energy use in the United States. NREL is developing a suite of tools in Open Studio to help tame this energy use.

Once a building is constructed, occupant comfort is another area where energy use can hurt, rather than help the owner. NREL Senior Engineer Dane Christensen introduced an NREL innovation known as DEVap. The Desiccant-Enhanced eVaporative air conditioner (DEVap) is a new air conditioning process with the potential of using 50 percent to 90 percent less energy than today's top-of-the-line units. It removes heat from the air usingmembranes, evaporative cooling and liquid desiccants in a way that has never been done.

"In humid climate like Houston or Miami, you can't exactly use a swamp cooler, by using DEVap we've actually coupled the evaporative cooler with a desiccant, which is a dehumidifier," Christensen said. "It has allowed us to apply the efficiency of evaporative cooling in a much broader range of climates. In fact, it can be used in any building, in any climate across the country."

All told, 13 speakers presented a wide array of solutions for accelerating the built environment ranging from energy efficiency to advanced windows to whole building controls. The event demonstrated available opportunities that companies, researchers and investors can all work on to meet the DOE's goal of cutting building energy consumption by 50 percent.
...
by Heather Lammers
National Renewable Energy Research Lab (NREL) www.nrel.gov
November 15, 2011

Smart energy systems to cut BT’s energy bills by £13m a year

http://www.btplc.com/News/Articles/Showarticle.cfm?ArticleID=0004F79D-C922-4D05-8F54-808BD8A27040
BT is set to shave £13 million a year off its energy bills, and reduce its carbon footprint by five per cent, by introducing an innovative smart energy management and control system across thousands of its offices, telephone exchanges and data centres.

The company is currently installing more than 22,000 smart energy meters and over 1500 building energy management systems – as well as an advanced control network over broadband – to monitor and control energy consumption and ensure that systems like heating, ventilation and air conditioning are optimally configured and functioning efficiently.

The programme brings together a unique combination of smart meters, machine to machine communications, forecasting and reporting functions overlaid by a software tool for driving accurate billing and driving out waste energy consumption. The programme, which is already underway, is being rolled out to more than 110 buildings a month.

The meters wirelessly monitor energy consumption and environmental conditions across BT’s key buildings and telephone exchange sites, providing real-time reporting data to an integrated energy management system. The central software-based system will record energy usage information from a variety of sources, including smart meters, invoices and building energy management and control systems, enabling multiple stages of data analysis to ensure energy efficiency across BT’s sites. Ultimately, the system allows BT to identify further opportunities where it can reduce its energy consumption and reduce carbon footprint and energy costs.

The programme is expected to reduce BT’s carbon footprint by 60,000 tonnes per year and reduce energy costs by £13m per year. This reduction in carbon is equivalent to the annual emissions from electricity supplied to 23,000 houses.

The integrated energy management system – which will cover more than 90 per cent of BT’s UK energy consumption – will also allow the company to identify anomalies in energy usage across its buildings and spot issues, such as ineffective use of cooling and heating. It also allows BT to remotely manage power and infrastructure devices supporting BT’s telecom and IT services. By benchmarking for example, the Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), across BT buildings the company’s Energy and Carbon Unit can identify BT’s best and worst performing locations and implement actions to remedy energy wastage and inefficiencies.

Richard Tarboton, Director of Energy and Carbon, BT, said: “Having real-time energy usage information for thousands of buildings at our finger tips will really help us drive down BT’s carbon footprint and energy bills.

“Thousands of smart meters placed at BT offices, telephone exchanges and data centres will help us monitor energy usage levels and identify areas where we can deliver savings and make buildings more efficient.”
BT – which serves customers in more than 170 countries – also plans to start rolling out similar smart energy management systems globally in 2012.

During the 2010/11 financial year, BT consumed 2,342GWh of energy running its UK networks, data centres and offices, equivalent to 0.7 per cent of all the electricity used in the UK. To lower its energy consumption BT is committed to a number of major initiatives, like integrated energy management, to reduce its carbon intensity by 80 per cent by 2020, compared to 1997 levels.

As one of the UK’s top 10 largest energy consumers BT is already one of the UK’s largest consumers of low carbon energy. It is also planned to build wind turbines with the aim to generate 25% of its UK energy needs from renewable energy sources by 2016.

BT www.BT.com Press Release dated November 9, 2011 via/hat tip www.GreenBiz.com

EPA’s WaterSense Program to Label Innovative Watering Technology/Weather-based irrigation controllers can help save 110 billion gallons of water and $410 million per year on utility bills

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/3881d73f4d4aaa0b85257359003f5348/93a52a1723ce20b18525793d004e0347
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program announced today that irrigation controllers will soon be the first outdoor product eligible to earn the WaterSense label. The most efficient irrigation controllers, which operate like a thermostat for your sprinkler system by telling it when to turn on and off, may provide home and building owners the ability to save 110 billion gallons of water and roughly $410 million per year on utility bills.

“As much as half of the water we use on our landscapes goes to waste due to evaporation, wind, and improperly scheduled irrigation systems,” said Sheila Frace, Director of EPA’s Office of Water’s Municipal Support Division. “WaterSense labeled irrigation controllers are designed to do the thinking for you and apply water only when needed, to ensure a healthy landscape that doesn’t waste water.”

Residential outdoor watering in the United States accounts for more than 7 billion gallons of water each day, mainly for landscape irrigation. For many homeowners, the practice is “set it and forget it.” When watering schedules for irrigation system are set during the hottest and driest months and not adjusted when the weather changes, the result is overwatering for much of the year. WaterSense labeled irrigation controllers, which monitor watering needs based on local weather data, can use significantly less water by applying water only when plants need it – reducing annual water bills and offering convenience and peace-of-mind while keeping landscapes healthy.

Controllers with the WaterSense label could be available in spring 2012. Like all WaterSense labeled products, WaterSense labeled irrigation controllers must be independently certified to meet EPA’s criteria for water efficiency and performance.

WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, seeks to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, new homes, and services. Since the program's inception in 2006, WaterSense has helped consumers save 125 billion gallons of water and more than $2 billion in water and energy bills.

More information on WaterSense: http://www.epa.gov/watersense
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) www.EPA.gov
Press Release dated November 3, 2011

Good Enough is Better than Best for Solar Modules

http://www.luxresearchinc.com/images/stories/brochures/Press_Releases/RELEASE_Solar_Nonactive_6_1_11.pdf
In a race to improve margins and expand market share, solar manufacturers are seeking to jettison all unnecessary costs from their photovoltaic (PV) modules. To date, they’ve been more successful in trimming costs from active PV materials – helped, in part, by declining silicon prices. But non-active materials such as frontsheets, encapsulants, and backsheets have proven to be more stubborn. These non-active materials contribute between 25% and 40% to overall module costs, depending on the type of module, and that percentage will grow as silicon prices continue to decline.

In a new report titled, “Critical to Quality: Illuminating Drivers for Change in Solar Non-Active Materials,” Lux Research surveys the field of incumbent and emerging non-active material technologies for flat plate PV modules, and identifies the most realistic and viable opportunities for minimizing trade-offs between cost and performance.

“Module-makers confront risks whether they explore unfamiliar new materials themselves, or let competitors search for a better solution and find it first,” said Jason Eckstein, a Lux Analyst and the report’s lead author. “The guiding principle is to find new non-active materials that minimize costs while meeting the minimum 25-year threshold for module lifetimes.”

In preparing its report, Lux Research surveyed 30 manufacturers of crystalline silicon (x-Si), rigid thin film, and flexible thin film PV modules, and built detailed analytical models to identify the most attractive development opportunities for non-active materials based on cost vs. performance tradeoffs, among others. Among its findings:

• Float glass will edge into rolled glass’ traditional dominance over x-Si modules. Historically, rolled, patterned glass frontsheets have dominated the x-Si module market due to higher transmittance over float glass alternatives more typically used in thin-film modules. However, even as rolled glass has increased in price, suppliers have begun offering float glasses of equal quality, and x-Si players like SolarWorld have begun incorporating the cheaper alternative into their modules.
• Higher efficiency modules to expand use of anti-reflective (AR) coatings. To date, AR-coated glass has seen low adoption rates. By reducing reflectance from the frontsheet, however, AR coatings directly boost out-of-the-box efficiency for solar modules. In fact, based on current pricing, AR-coated glass offers a significant value for higher efficiency crystalline silicon and CIGS technologies at a cost less than $4/m², which will fuel higher adoption in the future.
• Despite claims of enhanced performance from new encapsulants, adoption is unlikely. Several suppliers have announced new encapsulant materials, claiming higher performance than ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), the industry standard. But EVA is a low cost solution that addresses existing performance requirements for every market segment. Overall, module-makers will remain adverse to new encapsulants that require a change to their manufacturing processes, even given the incentive of more durable or efficient modules.

Lux Research www.luxresearchinc.com
Press Release dated June 1, 2011