Author Archive

Tim Triplett

Tim Triplett is a freelance writer and editor based out of St. Charles, Ill. He holds a bachelor's degree in mass communications from Illinois State University and an MBA from Aurora University. In his 33-year career with various newspapers and business magazines, Tim has reported on a wide range of subjects, including business-to-business marketing, industrial coatings, the global metals trade and green manufacturing.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded 55 grants to teams of college and university students across the country who will design creative solutions to sustainability challenges in the developed and developing world. The People, Prosperity, and the Planet (P3) Phase I awards for the 2010-2011 competition challenges students, working together on interdisciplinary teams, to design and build sustainable technologies that improve quality of life, promote economic development, and protect the environment.

The competition begins in Phase I with the award of $10,000 grants to student teams who focus on a wide range of categories including water, energy, agriculture, built environment, and materials and chemicals. After working on the project for eight months, the teams will bring their designs to the 7th Annual National Sustainable Design Expo on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. At the expo, the projects will be judged by a panel of experts and a select few will be awarded P3 Awards and Phase II grants up to $75,000 for students to further their designs, implement them in the field, or move them to the marketplace.
For more information on 2010-2011 Phase I P3 Awards, visit

http://www.epa.gov/ncer/p3/current.

Prior to the economic downturn, wind turbines were in high demand, but in the past 18 months wind energy has lost some momentum despite the nation’s continued push for “green” energy sources.

In late July, the American Wind Energy Association reported that only 700 megawatts of wind power was installed in the United States in the first half of 2010. That’s 71 percent fewer wind towers than in the first half of 2009 and 57 percent fewer than in the first half of 2008. New installations for full-year 2010 will likely be 25 to 45 percent below last year, the group estimates.

Construction on a number of wind-power projects will at least be started this year to take advantage of the federal convertible tax credit that is due to expire. Currently there are about 5,500 megawatts in the pipeline. Next year, however, AWEA predicts a dramatic decline “as there is no demand beyond the present coasting momentum” without new federal government policy to promote wind farm demand.

“Strong federal policy supporting the U.S. wind energy industry has never been more important,” says Denise Bode, AWEA’s chief executive officer. “We have a historic opportunity to build a major new manufacturing industry. Without strong supportive policy, like a national renewable electricity standard to spur demand, investment and jobs, manufacturing facilities will go idle.”

Federal stimulus money from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act has helped to bring some wind power projects already in the pipeline to the finish line, adds Bode. “However, power purchase agreements—the locomotive that drives the project pipeline—are difficult to obtain today given the drop in overall electricity demand, lower natural gas prices and the absence of a clear national renewable energy policy.”

AWEA says a renewable electricity standard would prompt utilities to buy wind power and stimulate demand again. As proposed in the American Clean Energy and Leadership Act of 2009, which got the nod of the Senate Energy and National Resources Committee last summer, a national renewable electricity standard would require that 15 percent of the United States’ energy be produced from renewable sources, such as wind, solar and biomass, by 2020. However, the scaled down energy bill recently introduced by Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) did not include a renewable electricity standard, but rather focused on the cleanup of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and measures for improving U.S. energy efficiency.

The Essential Element has developed a revolutionary next-generation mobile power plant and water purification solution that brings hope to over a billion people in the world who do not have access to clean drinking water. According to the World Health Organization, over 5,000 people die each day because the energy necessary to purify water is not available in impoverished regions or disaster areas. The company claims to have solved this problem with their HYDRA, an on-site self-fueled, self-powered system to pump, purify and store potable water and excess power.

The HYDRA is a fuel cell-based device that can turn scum into over 20,000 gallons of pure water a day, store electricity better than a battery, make medical-grade oxygen and run on the sun. “What we’re doing is using the sun to break water into hydrogen and oxygen, saving the oxygen for medical uses and using the hydrogen to power the fuel cell, which provides the energy to run the water purification system,” said Brad Carlson, COO of The Essential Element. “So it’s fully self-contained, needs no outside sources of power, and can be delivered to any point on the globe.”

The HYDRA produces far more power than the water purification equipment needs, which can then be used to power schools, clinics, tools, lights, emergency or community communication systems and other devices, say is inventors.

Mobile water purification systems have been employed for many years with limited results. Several major problems have limited the widespread adoption of the systems. High-cost/low-efficiency solar panels are heavy and expensive. They utilize difficult-to-dispose-of batteries with limited life and power storage and produce ineffective or marginal water purification. Use of gasoline or diesel fuel generators runs the risk of spills. Fossil fuel contaminates water and soil whenever it comes into contact with them—just one quart of oil can pollute 150,000 gallons of water—not to mention the toxic fumes emitted when fossil fuels are burned or the costs and difficulties of transporting those fuels over flooded or damaged roads.

Use of the HYDRA, which costs about $100,000, can provide pathogen-free clean water and power to people wherever and whenever it is needed, raising the standard of living for impoverished people all over the world, says Carlson.

Water scarcity, population and economic growth, pollution and urbanization are all placing increased pressure on freshwater resources around the world. The gap between the supply of freshwater and demand for water for industrial, agricultural and domestic use is growing at a rapid pace. At the same time, the cost of desalination has come down steadily, and it is becoming a more affordable means of meeting the world’s growing freshwater needs. According to a new report from Pike Research, all of these factors will contribute to strong growth in the desalination technology market over the next several years. The market intelligence firm forecasts that global desalination investment will double from $8.3 billion in 2010 to $16.6 billion per year by 2016, representing cumulative spending of $87.8 billion during that period.

“The desalination plant supplier market is highly fragmented, despite a great deal of mergers and acquisitions activity during the last decade,” says managing director Clint Wheelock. “The top five suppliers captured only 25 percent of the market from 2007 to 2009. And as reverse osmosis is increasingly adopted as the major desalination technology, the barriers to entry are being lowered.”
In contrast, however, Wheelock notes that the market for key desalination components is far more concentrated. For example, more than 65 percent of the market for reverse osmosis membranes is controlled by three large players. The markets for high-pressure pumps and energy recovery devices are also quite concentrated. Pike Research’s analysis indicates that these competitive dynamics will be critically important as the stakes continue to increase in the rapidly growing global desalination market.

Pike Research anticipates that the Middle East/North Africa region will continue to be the global hub of desalination plant construction, but there will be significant growth opportunities in other parts of the world as well. The firm forecasts that, in 2016, the top five markets in terms of installed capacity will be Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, China, and Israel. Worldwide desalination capacity will reach 126 million cubic meters per day by 2016, up from 76 million in 2010.

Pike Research is a market research and consulting firm that provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets. For more information, visit www.pikeresearch.com

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s top 10 Green Power Partners increased their voluntary green power commitments by more than 1.5 billion kilowatt-hours in 2009, while 300 new organizations joined the Green Power Partnership. Overall, the 1,200 partners are buying nearly 18 billion kWh of green power annually, equivalent to the annual carbon dioxide emissions from electricity use of more than 1.6 million average American homes.

“EPA’s Green Power Partners are raising the bar for clean, renewable energy use,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “By using green power, they’re doing their part to fight climate change and proving every day that sound environmental practices can also be economically sound.”

Among the top 10 partners, Intel Corp. remains the partnership’s largest single purchaser of green power, increasing its commitment over the previous year to more than 1.4 billion kWh. Kohl’s Department Stores increased its green power purchase by more than 1 billion kWh in 2009, becoming the second-largest purchaser within the partnership. PepsiCo, Whole Foods Market, the City of Houston, Dell, The Pepsi Bottling Group, Cisco Systems, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and Johnson & Johnson round out the top 10 purchasers. All together, these 10 leaders are buying more than 7.3 billion kWh of green power annually, equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity use of more than 680,000 average American homes.

EPA’s Green Power Partnership works with more than 1,200 organizations to voluntarily purchase green power to reduce the environmental impacts of conventional electricity use. Green power is generated from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, biogas, and low-impact hydropower. Green power electricity generates less pollution than conventional power and produces no net increase in greenhouse gas emissions. The green power purchases support the development of new, renewable generation resources nationwide.

For more information on the top 50 green power purchasers list, visit http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/toplists/top50.htm. For more information on EPA’s Green Power Partnership, visit http://www.epa.gov/greenpower.

Not only in the United States but internationally, automakers are being required to decrease the greenhouse gas emissions of their vehicles while also increasing their fuel efficiency. With more automakers turning to advanced power train technologies such as hybrids and electric-powered vehicles, the steel industry is scrambling to maintain its market share as car designers look for lighter-weight materials to help them compensate for the heavy batteries and fuel cells.

A global coalition of steel companies is now cooperating on the Future Steel Vehicle (FSV) research program to develop a safe, lightweight steel body for future cars and trucks that reduces emissions over the entire life cycle of the vehicle. An earlier initiative, the Ultralight Steel Auto Body Advanced Vehicle Concept (ULSAB-AVC) program, achieved a 25 percent mass savings vs. conventional auto body construction using advanced high-strength steels (AHSS). The FSV’s new goal is to achieve an additional 10 percent mass saving.

Emission savings will be based on a total lifecycle assessment of the vehicle, which involves more than just tailpipe emissions. It also will take into account the total carbon footprint of the complete fuel cycle, the complete vehicle manufacturing cycle and end-of-life recycling.
Producers of lightweight alloys such as aluminum and titanium have taken some automotive market share from steel, but at a significantly higher cost per vehicle. The steel industry has slowed those losses by developing lighter and stronger AHSS grades.

High-strength steels being considered for the Future Steel Vehicle program are more advanced than those used in ULSAB-AVC. About 90 percent of the body structure in the ULSAB-AVC program was composed of AHSS, with strengths as high as 800 to 1,000 megapascals (MPa). The FSV program will use steels up to 1,500 MPa. A decade ago the highest strength steels measured only 270 MPa.

Many people have begun taking their own reusable bags to the grocery store so they don’t have to answer the “paper or plastic” question and decide which material to add to the waste stream once they get their groceries home. Now there’s a way to take that idea a step further with the drycleaning routine.

While you can ask for your clothes to be returned “naked” from the drycleaner with no plastic bag protecting them, they may get soiled again by the time you get them home in a car full of kids or pets. As an alternative, The Green Garmento is an affordable and eco-practical option that not only helps organize, but more importantly eliminates the need for single-use plastic drycleaning bags.

The Green Garmento is an eco-friendly 3-in-1 reusable garment bag. At home it functions as a space-saving hamper; on the trip to the drycleaner, it becomes a stylish duffel bag; and at pick-up, it transforms into a hanging garment bag to protect cleaned clothes. Switching to The Green Garmento will help to reduce the estimated 300 million pounds of single-use plastic drycleaning bags that continue to clog landfills and kill wildlife each year, say the makers of the green garment bag.

Here’s how it works: Place all your “to be cleaned” garments in The Green Garmento as a duffel, using it as a hamper. Turn the bag over to your drycleaner and ask him to return your clothes hung up inside. At pickup, the clothes will be neatly arranged in The Green Garmento as a hanging garment bag. Wide gussets and a side zipper help to keep everything safely in place. Using two Green Garmentos, you can “swap out” with the drycleaner and continually repeat the process.

Many professional drycleaners have adopted the use of The Green Garmento. Not only does it meet their desire to be more eco-friendly, it saves them money on plastic and it’s easy to implement, claims the company.

The Green Garmento is available in multiple sizes ranging from 40 inch to 72 inch and in a variety of colors including: Black Night, Blue Water and Green Grass. To learn more and see the list of authorized drycleaners that currently utilize The Green Garmento, visit:

http://www.thegreengarmento.com

Following one of the worst years in economic history, signs of hope have begun to emerge for the clean-tech sector, with clean energy becoming a driving force for global economic recovery. In 2009, combined global revenue for the three major clean-energy sectors – solar photovoltaics, wind power and biofuels – grew by 11.4 percent over 2008, reaching $139.1 billion. These three sectors are expected to reach $325.9 billion by 2019, according to the Clean Energy Trends 2010 report issued by Clean Edge Inc., a research and publishing firm devoted to the clean-tech sector.

“From the smart grid and energy efficiency to renewable energy generation and advanced battery storage, clean tech continues to be a major driver of regional job growth, economic recovery and technological competitiveness,” says Ron Pernick, Clean Edge co-founder and managing director. “Despite severe economic conditions, clean-energy markets were able to hold their momentum in 2009 as many regional and federal governments and private corporations focused on clean-energy investments as a way to pull out of the global economic tailspin.”

The Clean Energy Trends report includes growth projections for the major clean-energy sectors (solar PV, wind and biofuels), as well as global clean-tech investment and jobs data. The report’s key findings include:

• The global production and wholesale pricing of ethanol and biodiesel reached $44.9 billion in 2009 and are projected to grow to $112.5 billion by 2019. In 2009, the biofuel market consisted of more than 23.6 billion gallons of ethanol and biodiesel production worldwide.

• Wind power (new installation capital costs) is projected to expand from $63.5 billion in 2009 to $114.5 billion in 2019. Last year’s global wind power installations reached a record 37,500 MW. China, the first-time global leader in new installations, accounted for more than a third of new installations, with 13,000 MW.

• Solar PV will grow from a $30.7 billion industry in 2009 to $98.9 billion by 2019. New installations reached almost 6 GW worldwide in 2009, a nearly sixfold increase from five years earlier. But because of rapidly declining solar PV prices, industry revenue in 2009 fell about 20 percent, from $38.5 billion in 2008.

• U.S.-based venture capital investments in energy technologies declined from $3.2 billion in 2008 to $2.2 billion in 2009. However, clean energy’s percentage of total U.S. venture capital investments continued to rise, accounting for 12.5 percent of total activity in 2009. This represented the largest share in the history of the clean-energy asset class.

• The global solar PV and wind power industries together currently account for a total of more than 830,000 jobs worldwide. By 2019, global industry growth will push the total to more than 3.3 million jobs.

The annual Clean Energy Trends report, now in its ninth year, can be downloaded for free at www.cleanedge.com.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is recognizing eight landfill methane capture projects for their innovation in generating renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The winners include one of the largest landfill gas (LFG) to liquefied natural gas facilities in the world, located in Livermore, Calif.

“We are proud to recognize Landfill Methane Outreach Program partners who are turning trash into a clean and profitable source of energy,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “These projects, and others like them, are helping us transition into a clean energy economy and make important greenhouse gas reductions.”

Methane, a primary component of LFG, is a GHG with more than 20 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. Using LFG provides a significant energy resource, prevents GHG emissions, and reduces odors and other hazards associated with emissions. This year’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program winning projects will avoid the emissions of 546,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, the equivalent of annual GHG emissions from nearly 100,000 passenger vehicles.

Awards were given in three categories: Projects of the Year were given to the University of New Hampshire EcoLine Project, Rochester, N.H.; Jefferson City Renewable Energy Project, Jefferson City, Mo.; The Altamont Landfill Resource and Recovery Facility, Livermore, Calif.; Ox Mountain LFG Energy Project, Half Moon Bay, Calif.; Sioux Falls Landfill & Poet LFG Pipeline, Sioux Falls, S.D.; and the Winder Renewable Methane Project, Winder, Ga. The State Partner of the Year was given to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and the Community Partner of the Year was awarded to the Kent County Department of Public Works, Byron Center, Mich.

EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program has assisted with more than 450 LFG energy projects over the past 15 years. The United States currently has about 509 operational LFG energy projects. The LFG electricity generation projects have a capacity of 1,563 megawatts and provide the energy equivalent of powering more than 920,000 homes annually.

The direct-use projects provide an additional 304 million standard cubic feet of LFG per day and provide the energy equivalent of heating more than 715,000 homes annually. Direct-use LFG energy projects do not produce electricity, but instead use LFG as an alternative to replace another fuel such as natural gas or coal.

The Landfill Methane Outreach Program is a voluntary assistance and partnership program that reduces GHG emissions by supporting LFG energy project development. The program also assists countries throughout the world in developing landfill methane reduction projects through the international Methane to Markets Partnership.

Aluminum is the big winner in this year’s ranking of the “10 Best Engines” by Ward’s Automotive Group. Eight of the 10 engines recognized by Ward’s are made of aluminum. Aluminum’s lightweight, high-strength and corrosion resistant properties make it attractive for a variety of automotive applications, including engine manufacturing, as automakers look to improve fuel economy while maintaining safety and performance.

“It’s no surprise that nearly all of the engines on Ward’s list are all-aluminum. The auto industry relies more every year on aluminum to improve fuel economy without sacrificing the performance and safety that customers expect,” said Randall Scheps, chairman of The Aluminum Association’s Aluminum Transportation Group and director of ground transportation for Alcoa. “Time and time again, aluminum’s value proposition for engines, components and body panels is recognized by leading automakers, contributing to aluminum’s nearly 40 years of uninterrupted growth in North America.”

Automakers continue to see the benefits of lightweighting with aluminum, as evidenced by Ford’s recent announcement to include a 5.4-liter all-aluminum engine in the 2011 Shelby GT500. The new engine is 102 pounds lighter than its predecessor’s cast-iron engine, delivering a better power-to-weight ratio, improved fuel economy, acceleration, handling and steering precision.

In fact, the use of aluminum in vehicle engines has grown over the past three years. A study commissioned by The Aluminum Association, Inc., last year, and released by Ducker Worldwide, showed that, on a component basis, aluminum use for engine blocks has had the largest increase with penetration reaching nearly 70 percent.

In the same study, worldwide aluminum content in vehicles was projected to grow by 28 to 30 billion pounds per year, from the current 16 to 17 billion pounds, through 2020.

Ranking as the world leader in aluminum penetration in vehicles, North America produces more than 50 vehicles that contain more than 10 percent aluminum content.