CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

CCRES Neighborhood Program

2013-05-20T15:04:00.001+02:00

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.

HCOIE RADIONICA I STRUČNI SEMINAR

2013-05-05T21:53:00.001+02:00

HCOIE RADIONICA I STRUČNI SEMINAR

HCOIE radionica i stručni seminar je dvodnevni događaj koji smo održali u prostorijama strukovnog Udruženja HCOIE na temu mogućnosti primjene fotonaponskih, odnosno sustava za pretvorbu Sunčeve u električnu energiju, te pretvaranje solarne energije u toplinsku.

Ovakvim tipom radionica i seminara željeli smo upoznati stručne suradnike, članove, studente, male i srednje tvrtke, obrte, ali i druge pravne i fizičke osobe koje su zainteresirane za proizvodnju energije Sunca s aktualnostima iz struke kako bismo doprinijeli povećanju kvalitete obrazovanja te omogućili svima zainteresiranima priliku za širenje znanja.

Na radionici je bilo riječi o teoretskim osnovama i mogućnostima primjene istih, a potom su u praksi bili prikazani najuspješniji primjeri iz prakse, odnosno ostvareni projekti, o čemu su govorili predstavnici investitora, odnosno proizvođača i isporučitelja opreme.

Namjera je i ove radionice bila organizirati edukaciju na kojoj će se polaznicima omogućiti visok stupanj interakcije s predavačima te upoznavanje s opremom.

Ukoliko želite sudjelovati na nekoj od budućih HCOIE radionica i seminara, molimo popunite pristupnicu koja se nalazi na stranicama HCOIE nakon kojeg ćete biti obaviješteni o programu i datumima narednih seminara i radionica.

HRVATSKI CENTAR OBNOVLJIVIH IZVORA ENERGIJE (HCOIE)

News and Events by CCRES May 03, 2013

2013-05-03T21:47:00.000+02:00

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources

News and Events May 03, 2013

Energy Department Offers $13 Million to Advance Ocean Energy Technologies

The Energy Department on April 30 announced up to $13 million in funding to develop and test advanced components and technologies to boost the performance of marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) energy systems. The Energy Department plans to select up to 10 awards aimed at developing advanced controls, power systems, and device structures specifically for MHK applications, which harness energy from waves, tides, or currents.

Through the new funding opportunity, the Energy Department intends to support projects that increase the power-to-weight ratio of MHK devices or improve system reliability through investment in three component technologies. The Department will select up to six projects to develop advanced control systems, including software or hardware, and perform numerical modeling or testing to assess performance improvements; up to two awards will be selected that focus on developing lighter, more compact, and more efficient power take-offs (PTOs) to increase system and component reliability and modularity and to make PTOs longer-lasting and easier to repair; and up to two projects will develop and test an advanced device structure that minimizes the loads transmitted to other components and increases the device’s ability to withstand extreme conditions. See the funding opportunity announcement at the Water Power Program Financial Opportunities Webpage.

The Energy Department also launched a new Energy 101 video on a range of innovative MHK technologies and the Department’s research and development efforts to improve performance and lower costs. Additional information on these efforts is available through Open Energy Information’s new Water Power Gateway. See the Progress Alert and the Water Power Gateway.

New Battery Design Could Help Solar and Wind Power the Grid

Researchers from the Energy Department's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University have designed a low-cost, long-life “flow” battery that could enable solar and wind energy to become major suppliers to the electrical grid. The research is a product of the new Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR), an Energy Department Energy Innovation Hub. Established last November and led by Argonne National Laboratory with SLAC as a major partner, JCESR is one of five such Hubs created by the Energy Department to accelerate energy research.

While solar and wind power make a substantial contribution to the nation’s energy supply, they also create significant power fluctuations, which can sometimes exceed the tolerances of the electrical grid. “Flow” batteries can smooth those fluctuations. Typically, flow batteries pump two different liquids through an interaction chamber where dissolved molecules undergo chemical reactions that store or give up energy, and have a membrane that only allows ions not involved in reactions to pass between the liquids while keeping the active ions physically separated. The new flow battery uses a simplified design without a membrane, and is a less expensive design compared to other batteries, which may improve its scalability and cost-effectiveness. In laboratory tests, it also demonstrated excellent energy storage performance through the equivalent of more than five and a half years of daily charge and discharge cycles. See the Energy Department press release and the JCESR website.

Report Assesses Potential U.S. Hydropower Upgrades

The Energy Department on April 22 announced a new study outlining key improvements that can be made to hydropower production in the United States to provide more efficient and cost-effective electricity to homes and businesses. Developed with funding from the Energy Department, the Electric Power Research Institute's (EPRI) report, "Quantifying the Value of Hydropower in the Electric Grid," identifies and assesses the quantifiable benefits from potential improvements. The report cites potential upgrades such as installing turbines that can operate with lower water levels, utilizing new power plant designs that can increase revenue and efficiency, and monetizing the services hydropower provides to the nation's electric grid.

Hydropower supplies about 7% of U.S. electricity generation and is currently the nation's largest source of renewable electricity. Hydropower is widely valued for the ancillary services, or flexibility, it provides to the power grid—allowing storage capabilities, enabling fast stops and starts, and responding rapidly to imbalances of supply and demand to maintain power system stability. For example, pumped storage hydropower plants can pump water uphill when electricity supply exceeds demand, such as during nighttime hours or times when renewable energy sources are generating more power than consumers are using. This ability to store energy until it is needed—and to absorb excess renewable energy generation—lowers electricity prices and enables the generation of more renewable electricity.

The researchers looked at improvements that could boost the efficiency and output of hydropower plants and at pumped storage hydropower systems, particularly in their potential to be integrated with variable renewable sources such as wind and solar power. According to the report, hydropower plants could see their largest revenue and efficiency increases by deploying new hydropower technologies, making operational improvements, utilizing hydropower's flexibility more in grid resource planning, and monetizing the energy storage capability of pumped storage. Among the key findings from the report: relying more heavily on hydropower to address changes in electricity supply and demand could provide more flexible reserve power options and reduce wear and tear on conventional thermal-generating equipment; and expanding the effective operating range of hydropower units by reducing the minimum amount of water needed to use the turbines stably can increase the production value of plants by 60%. EPRI also published nine accompanying case studies and supplemental reports that discuss the elements covered in the final report in greater detail. See the Energy Department Progress Alert and the complete report .

EIA Opens New State Energy Portal Online for Consumers

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) announced on April 11 that it has launched a publicly available, comprehensive online view of the U.S. government's national and state energy data and information. The agency designed the new online portal with a range of users in mind, including policy makers, energy analysts, and the general public, who want to locate and compare state energy data and rankings and customize their own maps and charts, using an assortment of interactive tools.

Users can view an array of energy facilities and resources, including information about renewable resource potential for wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal energy. In addition to customizable maps, the portal summarizes each state's ranking of its energy production, consumption, prices, and more. The state energy portal adds a unique visual dimension to each state's energy resources and infrastructure. See the EIA press release and the state energy profile website.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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

A Renewable Boost for Natural Gas

The race to transition to cleaner, greener natural gas power plants is getting a boost from an unlikely source—solar energy. A new system developed by the Energy Department's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) converts natural gas and sunlight into a more energy-rich fuel called syngas, which will allow hybrid solar-gas power plants to use about 20% less natural gas to produce the same amount of electricity while also lowering the plant's greenhouse gas emissions.

The system works through concentrating solar power, which uses a reflecting surface to concentrate the sun's rays like a magnifying glass. In the case of the new system from PNNL, a mirrored parabolic dish directs sunbeams to a central point, where a device absorbs the solar heat to make syngas.

The four-foot-long, two-foot-wide device contains a chemical reactor and several heat exchangers. The concentrated sunlight heats up the natural gas flowing through the reactor's channels, where a catalyst helps turn the natural gas into syngas. The heat exchangers recycle leftover heat from the chemical reaction gas, increasing the efficiency of the system. In fact, tests on an early prototype of the device demonstrated that more than 60% of the sunlight hitting the parabolic dish was converted into chemical energy contained in the syngas. For the complete story, see the Energy Blog.

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

News and Events by CCRES April 26, 2013

2013-04-26T21:01:00.000+02:00

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

News and Events April 26, 2013

Energy Department Announces Projects to Develop Innovative, Advanced Drop-in Biofuels

The Energy Department on April 22 announced nearly $18 million in four innovative pilot-scale biorefineries that will test renewable biofuels as a domestic alternative to power cars, trucks, and planes, and that also meet military specifications for jet fuel and shipboard diesel. These biorefineries will be in in California, Iowa, and Washington.

The projects selected for funding include Frontline Bioenergy of Ames, Iowa, which will use an innovative new pilot scale reactor and new gas conditioning processes to produce biofuel from woody biomass, municipal solid waste, and refuse; Cobalt Technologies of Mountain View, California, which will operate a pilot-scale integrated biorefinery to convert switchgrass to bio-jet fuel; Mercurius Biorefining of Ferndale, Washington, which will build and operate a pilot plant that uses an innovative process that converts cellulosic biomass into bio-jet fuel and other chemicals; and BioProcess Algae of Shenandoah, Iowa, which will evaluate an innovative algal growth platform to produce hydrocarbon fuels meeting military specifications using renewable carbon dioxide, lignocellulosic sugars, and waste heat.

The pilot-scale biorefinery projects selected will use a variety of non-food biomass feedstocks, waste-based materials, and algae in innovative conversion processes to produce biofuels that meet military specifications for jet fuel and diesel. The projects will demonstrate technologies to cost-effectively convert biomass into advanced drop-in biofuels and assist these organizations to scale up the processes to commercial levels. Recipients are required to contribute a minimum of 50% matching funds for these projects. See the Energy Department press release.

Energy Department Highlights Nissan’s Better Plants Challenge Project

The Energy Department on April 17 recognized Nissan’s participation in the Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge and its showcase project at the company’s new energy-efficient paint plant in Smyrna, Tennessee. The 250,000-square-foot Smyrna facility, which opened in January, is expected to cut energy use by almost a third compared to its predecessor.

As a partner in the Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge, Nissan North America has committed to reducing energy use in its three U.S. plants by 25% by 2020, affecting 12 million square feet of plant space. Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge participating organizations receive technical assistance from the Energy Department and share best practices on industrial energy efficiency with other Challenge partners.

Each year, the United States spends about $200 billion just to power commercial buildings and another $200 billion to power industrial facilities. Together, commercial and industrial buildings account for roughly half of the nation’s energy use and more than 40% of U.S. carbon emissions. The Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge serves as the industrial component of President Obama’s broader Better Buildings Challenge, which was launched in December 2011 to help America’s commercial and industrial buildings become at least 20% more efficient over the next decade. See the Energy Department press release and the Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge website.

EIA: 2012 Home Energy Bills Lowest Percentage in 10 Years

U.S. consumers spent 2.7% of their household income on home energy bills last year, which was the lowest percentage in 10 years, according to a U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) analysis released on April 18. Also, aggregate home energy expenditures by U.S. households fell $12 billion in 2012 from the 2011 level. Warmer weather contributed to lower energy consumption in 2012, and because household energy expenditures reflect both prices and consumption, these changes resulted in lower household energy expenditures.

On average, households spent $1,945 on heating, cooling, appliances, electronics, and lighting in 2012. This total includes home use of electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, propane, kerosene, wood, and coal, but excludes fuels used for transportation. It also excludes other household utilities such as water and telephone services. Using EIA projections for 2012 based on household data from the U.S. Census Bureau through 2010, $1,945 is the lowest level since 2002. The percentage of household income spent on home energy bills peaked at 4.3% in 1982 and steadily declined until it reached its lowest level since 1973—2.4% in 1999. See the EIA's Today in Energy.

Walmart Announces New Goals for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Walmart on April 15 announced the company’s next step on the path to achieving its goal of being 100% supplied by renewable energy. The company committed to achieving the production or procurement of 7 billion kilowatt-hours of renewable energy globally every year by the end of 2020. That would mark a 600% increase over its 2010 levels. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer will also seek to reduce the energy intensity required to power the company's buildings during the same period by 20%.

Walmart expects its six-fold increase in utilizing renewable energy projects to be equal to eliminating the need for roughly two U.S. fossil fuel power plants. Based on external estimates of projected energy costs and other factors, the two new commitments are anticipated to generate more than $1 billion annually in energy savings once fully implemented. The company also expects to avoid 9 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of taking 1.5 million cars off the road.

In the United States alone, Walmart plans to install solar power on at least 1,000 of its rooftops and facilities by 2020, an increase from just over 200 solar projects currently in operation or under development. According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, the company has more solar power capacity and number of systems than any other company in America. It has also been cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as America’s leading user of onsite renewables, using more onsite renewable power than any other company in the United States. In addition to onsite solar, the company will continue to develop projects in wind, fuel cells, and other technologies. It will also procure offsite renewable energy from utility-scale projects, such as large wind, micro-hydro, and geothermal projects. See the Walmart press release.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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

On the Path to Low Cost Renewable Fuels, an Important Breakthrough

by Leslie Pezzullo, Technology Manager, Bioenergy Technologies Office

America’s homegrown fuel resources—from wood chips to the leaves and stalks of corn plants—are plentiful. Research finds that these resources could produce enough clean, renewable fuel to replace about 30% of the nation’s current petroleum consumption. Still, on the path to creating a strong, thriving biofuels industry, there are challenges we continue to address. That’s why the Energy Department is working with researchers, industry, and other partners to increase the reliability and cost-effectiveness of renewable fuel production.

The good news is we are making progress—particularly when it comes to cellulosic ethanol. For the uninitiated, cellulosic ethanol is fuel produced from the inedible, organic material abundant in agricultural waste—including grasses, farm waste, and virtually every type of plant. While cellulosic ethanol represents a huge opportunity for the renewable fuels industry, the high costs and inefficiencies associated with the technology are barriers to its commercialization. However, with major technology milestones met by researchers at our national labs and industry partners, that’s all starting to change.

Last fall, scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) successfully demonstrated the technical advances needed to produce cellulosic ethanol cost competitively at $2.15 per gallon—a process that was modeled at $9 per gallon just a decade ago. For the complete story, see the Energy Blog.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

SUPEUS – studenti za budućnost

2013-04-22T22:11:00.000+02:00

U organizaciji Hrvatskog Centra Obnovljivih Izvora Energije (HCOIE) nastavljeno je predstavljanje hrvatskih visokotehnoloških tvrtki, udruga i poduzetnika na europskim i svjetskim portalima kojima je zajednički predznak energetika, obnovljivi izvori energije i očuvanje okoliša.
„Želim naglasiti da će hrvatske tvrtke, udruge i poduzetnici ovdje biti promovirane ne samo da bi prodavali svoje proizvode nego i da bi svoje znanje razvoja informacijskih i energetskih tehnologija podijelile s sličnim svjetskim tvrtkama, poduzetnicima iz razvijenih nacija kojima se Republika Hrvatska prilagođava i politički i gospodarski. Nadam se da će naše prezentacije hrvatskih tvrtki i poduzetnika dovesti do suradnje između država, kompanija i poduzetnika do razine koja nije samo prijateljstvo nego i partnerstvo", istaknuo je Željko Serdar , predsjednik Hrvatskog Centra Obnovljivih Izvora Energije.

SUPEUS – studenti za budućnost

SUPEUS - Studentska udruga za promicanje energetske učinkovitosti i savjetovanje predstavlja ambiciozni tim studenata tehničkih i prirodoslovnih fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu čija je glavna zanimacija promoviranje energetske učinkovitosti, održive gradnje i obnovljivih izvora energije, a glavna djelatnost su seminari, radionice i ostali informativno edukacijski projekti kojima nastojimo povezati studente, tvrtke i fakultete. Udruga trenutno broji 25 redovnih članova, 29 članova pripravnika, 2 alumni člana i 8 počasnih članova. Članovi su studenti Arhitektonskog fakulteta, Fakulteta elektrotehnike i računarstva, Fakulteta strojarstva i brodogradnje te Građevinskog fakulteta, studenti Prirodoslovno matematičkog fakulteta – Znanosti o okolišu, Ekonomskog fakulteta, Fakulteta kemijskog inženjerstva i tehnologije i Rudarsko naftno geološkog fakulteta. Hrvoja Turibaka, Josipa Markežića, Marka Miškovića i Hrvoja Turkovića na osnivanje SUPEUS-a potaknulo je višegodišnje aktivno praćenje i sudjelovanje u projektima energetske učinkovitosti, obnovljivih izvora energije i održive gradnje.. Vođeni željom promoviranja održivosti među studentima, odlučili su osnovati Udrugu. Prvi sastanak osnivača održan je 1. ožujka 2011. godine na Fakultetu elektrotehnike i računarstva. Dana 14. ožujka 2011. održana je i osnivačka skupština na kojoj je donesena službena odluka o osnivanju Udruge te je donesen statut. Udruga je registrirana pri Gradskom uredu 6. svibnja 2011., a službeni početak rada Udruge je 27. rujna 2011., kada je rad Udruge službeno predstavljen. Tijekom godinu i pol rada, članovi Udruge uspješno su pripremili i odradili pet projekata, a svaki je naišao na odobravanje studenata, profesora, ali i tvrtki. Uz to, članovi Udruge redovito svoje znanje proširuju i nadopunjuju na internim seminarima. Članovi SUPEUS-a redovito prolaze i službene edukacije u području savjetovanja o energetskoj učinkovitosti, obnovljivim izvorima energije i održivoj gradnji, a priliku za dokazivanjem imaju kroz odjel savjetovanja. Profesionalnost, znanje i konstantna želja za dokazivanjem glavne su odlike svakog člana SUPEUS-a. SUPEUS je u 2012. godini postao partnerski član Savjeta za zelenu gradnju u Hrvatskoj (GBC) i Hrvatske stručne udruge za sunčevu energiju (HSUSE). Na taj način omogućili smo neposrednu povezanost i suradnju studentskih i poslovnih organizacija.

Udruga je uspješno odradila nekolicinu projekata u kojima su najuspješniji SUPEUS Case Study, BUS 2012 te izdavanje stručnog časopisa SUMA.

SUPEUSOV MAGAZIN ili skraćeno SUMA, jest magazin o obnovljivim izvorima energije, energetskoj efikasnosti i održivoj gradnji, a svečano je promoviran 8. ožujka 2013. godine na Fakultetu elektrotehnike i računarstva. Časopis objedinjuje sve aktivnosti i događanja te je jedan od najvećih projekata Udruge. Prvi broj časopisa posvećen je Hrvoju Turibaku, prvom i počasnom predsjedniku Udruge od kojeg je sama ideja i potekla. Tiskan je u nakladi od 1500 primjerak i izlazit će jednom godišnje. Namijenjen je studentima, tvrtkama, organizacijama i profesorima koji su zainteresirani ili rade na području energetske učinkovitosti i obnovljivih izvora energije. Ovim projektom, na jednom je mjestu pružen pregled svih projekata Udruge, aktualnih događanja, projekata i planova na području energetske učinkovitosti i održivog razvoja, ali i otvorena mogućnost studentima da objavljuju svoje radove, članke i ideje neovisno o članstvu u Udruzi. Časopis je rezultat isključivo studentskog rada.

Budućnost ugodnog stanovanja, ili skraćeno BUS, bio je drugi i dosad najveći projekt Udruge. To je besplatni seminar namijenjen studentima koji pokriva područja energetske učinkovitosti, obnovljivih izvora energije i održive gradnje. Ideja za organizacijom ovakvog projekta potekla je nakon prisustvovanja članove Udruge brojnim konferencijama i skupovima za stručno usavršavanje. Ideja je bila vrlo jednostavna: organizirati seminar za studente na kojem će predavati profesori, renomirani stručnjaci i predstavnici tvrtki, te prezentirati najvažnije i najaktualnije teme iz svijeta energetske učinkovitosti, obnovljivih izvora energije i održivosti.

Prvi seminar Budućnost ugodnog stanovanja održan je krajem 3. mjeseca 2012. godine i bio je prvenstveno namijenjen studentima arhitektonske, građevinske, elektrotehničke i strojarske struke. Međutim, sudionika je bilo i s drugih fakulteta, kao što su EFZG, RGN, PMF, FKIT... Ukupno trinaest predavanja bilo je podijeljeno u tri bloka predavanja s dvije pauze. Pri blok više se doticao građevinske i arhitektonske struke, drugi strojarske i treći elektrotehničke struke. Svako predavanje bilo je koncipirano tako da ga razumiju studenti koji ne studiraju dotično područje, ali da opet studentima koji su bolje upoznati sa sadržajem predavanja ne bude dosadno. Cilj je naravno bio okupiti što više studenata s različitih fakulteta, zainteresirati ih za različita područja i omogućiti im da nauče nešto novo.

Održana predavanja:

- Energetska certifikacija i potencijal energetske obnove zgrada u RH – Željka Hrs-Borković, dipl.ing.arh.

- Arhitektura s više ugodnosti – prof. Ljubomir Miščević, dipl.ing.arh.

- Toplinska zaštita zgrade – prof.dr.sc. Ivana Banjad Pečur, dipl.ing.građ.

- Inteligentni sustavi u zgradarstvu – Renato Krikšić, dipl.ing.el.

- Primjena termografije u zgradarstvu – prof.dr.sc. Srećko Švaić, dipl.ing.stroj.

- Važnost osiguranja kvalitete izvođenja energetski efikasne zgrade – Bojan Milovanović, dipl.ing.građ.

- Brickhouse 2020 – Tomislav Franko, dipl.ing., Wienerberger

- Dizalice topline danas i sutra – prof.dr.sc. Vladimir Soldo, dipl.ing.stroj.

- Trigeneracija – prof.dr.sc. Dražen Lončar, dipl.ing.stroj.

- Uporaba sunčeve energije u termotehnici – doc.dr.sc. Damir Dović, dipl.ing.stroj.

- Moderni sustavi rasvjete – dr.sc. Josip Zdenković, dipl.ing.

- Fotonaponski sustavi - doc.dr.sc. Ljubomir Majdandžić, dipl.ing.

- Eksperimentom do koncepta kuće budućnosti – Maison Air at Lumiere, Pariz - Jan Mihelčić, dipl.ing.arh.

Glavni cilj projekta bio je povezati studente različitih fakulteta kroz temu energetske učinkovitosti. S obzirom na broj prijavljenih studenata (326) može se reći da je glavni cilj ostvaren. Što se tiče sadržaja samog seminara rezultati anonimne ankete provedene među sudionicima pokazali su da postoji želja i potpora za daljnjim organiziranjem ovakvih događaja. Vrijednost cijelog projekta prepoznale su i tvrtke, njih 20, koje su omogućile organizaciju cijelog projekta, kao i tri medijska partnera koji su popratili projekt.

Ovogodišnji BUS imat će jedinstvenu temu, a to je Grad. Seminar će se održati 4. 5. 2013. godine na AGG-u u Zagrebu u Velikoj predavaonici (81), Kačićeva 26, 10000 Zagreb. Cijeli seminar organiziran je kroz 4 bloka. U prvom bloku i uvodnom dijelu nastojat će se prezentirati vizije i koncepti za razvoj suvremenog grada te važnost uključivanja javnosti u razvojne projekte. Kroz različita predavanja prezentirat će se i što sve obuhvaća stanovanje u jednom gradu. U drugom bloku prezentirat će se rješenja za konkretne probleme koji se javljaju u gradu. Predavanja će se dotaknuti otpada, proizvodnje i distribucije energije, promet, priprema i obrada voda, energetske obnove grada itd. Mogućnosti financiranja projekata su jedna od tema trećeg bloka seminara, dok u posljednjem bloku će se kroz predavanja prikazati planirani i realizirani projekti, studije, istraživanja i zanimljivosti iz područja EE i OIE.

Za detaljnije informacije pozivamo sve zainteresirane da prate stranice Udruge: http://supeus.hr/ i Facebook stranicu cijelog događaja: http://www.facebook.com/BUS2013?notif_t=page_new_likes

Velika nam je čast i zadovoljstvo bilo predstaviti Vam SUPEUS - Studentsku udrugu za promicanje energetske učinkovitosti i savjetovanje.

Sigurnost i pouzdanost, iskustvo i poslovna strategija u osmišljavanju i realizaciji projekata glavne su prednosti SUPEUS - Studentske udruge za promicanje energetske učinkovitosti i savjetovanje.

Željko Serdar

Hrvatski Centar Obnovljivih Izvora Energije (HCOIE)

News and Events by CCRES April 18, 2013

2013-04-18T18:54:00.002+02:00

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources

News and Events April 18, 2013

President's 2014 Budget Proposes Critical Investments in Clean Energy

President Barack Obama on April 10 requested a $28.4 billion Fiscal Year 2014 budget for the Energy Department, including $2.78 billion for the Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). The request is part of the Administration-wide effort to strengthen the U.S. economy with energy that is cleaner, cheaper, and creates sustainable jobs.

As Assistant Energy Secretary Dr. David Danielson explained in an April 10 presentation, the $2.78 billion EERE portion of the request includes $615 million in funding for research and development into sources of renewable electricity generation such as wind, solar, water power, and geothermal energy. The proposed budget also includes $949 million for energy savings programs including the Federal Energy Management Program, Weatherization & Intergovernmental, building technologies, and advanced manufacturing. And the proposed FY 2014 budget includes a $957 million request for sustainable transportation, including research and development of vehicles, bioenergy, and fuel cell technologies. This segment includes $575 million for cutting-edge vehicle technologies research and $282 million in research into next-generation advanced biofuels. See the presentation on the EERE proposed FY 2014 budget .

Overall, the budget request for the Energy Department invests in innovative research to lead in research, development, deployment, and production of clean energy technologies. It also creates a new Race to the Top for Energy Efficiency and Grid Modernization, and helps consumers and businesses save money and improve their energy efficiency through the President’s Better Buildings Initiative.

Other highlights in the FY 2014 budget include $80 million for advanced technologies and tools that improve clean energy integration into the grid; $147 million in research and development of smart grid investments, cybersecurity for energy control systems, and National Electricity Delivery within the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability; and $2 billion for an Energy Security Trust to help transition U.S. cars and trucks off of oil. See the Energy Department press release and the White House blog.

First U.S. Grid-Connected Enhanced Geothermal System Deployed

The Energy Department on April 12 recognized the nation’s first commercial enhanced geothermal system (EGS) project to supply electricity to the grid. Based in Churchill County, Nevada, Ormat Technologies’ Desert Peak 2 EGS project has increased power output of its nearby operating geothermal field by nearly 38 %, generating an additional 1.7 megawatts of power. EGS technologies utilize directional drilling and pressurized water to enhance flow paths in the subsurface rock and create new reservoirs, capturing energy from resources that were once considered uneconomical or unrecoverable.

Leveraging a $5.4 million Energy Department investment—matched by $2.6 million in private sector funding—the Ormat Desert Peak project is extending the life of previously unproductive geothermal wells. Since the project’s start in 2008, the Energy Department has worked with Ormat, GeothermEx, the U.S. Geological Survey, and Lawrence Berkeley and Sandia National Laboratories to develop cost-effective and innovative production technologies that utilize protective environmental best practices and monitoring. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that EGS in the United States has the potential to enable development of 100 to 500 gigawatts of geothermal resource capacity. See the Energy Department press release and the Energy Department's Geothermal Technologies Office website.

DOE and NREL Name Inaugural Collegiate Wind Competition Teams

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on April 11 announced the teams selected for the inaugural DOE Collegiate Wind Competition, which will take place in spring 2014. The Collegiate Wind Competition is a forum for undergraduate college students of multiple disciplines to investigate innovative wind energy concepts; gain experience designing, building, and testing a wind turbine to perform according to a customized business plan derived from market data; and increase their knowledge of wind industry barriers.

The 10 student teams selected through a competitive process are Boise State University, California Maritime Academy, the Colorado School of Mines, James Madison University in Virginia, Kansas State University, Northern Arizona University, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Alaska—Fairbanks, the University of Kansas, and the University of Massachusetts—Lowell.

The theme of the inaugural competition is to design and construct a lightweight, transportable wind turbine that can be used to power small electronic devices. A principal contest involves testing each team's prototype wind turbine in a wind tunnel under specific conditions. Each team's business plan and turbine will also be evaluated against other pre-weighted criteria. The third event of the competition will be a team-to-team debate relating to current wind market drivers and issues. The turbine from the college or university with the best overall score will be placed on temporary display at the DOE headquarters building in Washington, D.C. See the NREL press release.

USDA Announces $6 Million for Rural Smart Grid

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on April 10 announced funding for projects to improve electric service in rural areas across 13 states, including more than $6 million in smart grid funding, which increases access to information to better manage electricity use. Overall, $280 million will be available through loans for rural electric infrastructure in Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Texas.

For example, the Georgia Transmission Corporation, which serves customers in Alabama and Florida in addition to Georgia, will receive a USDA loan that includes more than $3 million for smart grid projects. The Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative in Kansas will receive a USDA loan that includes more than $192,000 for smart grid projects. Smart grid technologies involve adding communication capabilities and control systems to the electrical grid that are intended to improve home energy management for the homeowner, provide greater demand control for the utility, and create a more reliable power grid overall. Smart grid technologies are also expected to better accommodate the use of renewable energy, all forms of on-site power production, and electric vehicles. See the USDA press release.

And on March 29, USDA announced that it is seeking applications to provide assistance to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Funding is available from USDA's Rural Energy for America Program. See the USDA press release.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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

Celebrating Earth Day 2013 in a Google+ Hangout

The Energy Department is celebrating Earth Day 2013 by hosting a special Google+ Hangout on Monday, April 22 at 3 p.m. EDT. We've rounded up our panel of experts to answer your questions and share best strategies for saving energy and money in the home. The live discussion will be streamed on Google+, YouTube, and energy.gov/live.

On average, U.S. families spend more than $2,000 per year on their home energy bills. Unfortunately, much of this money is wasted on air leaks and drafts. Considering that the residential sector accounts for about 22% of U.S. energy consumption, upgrading homes to run more efficiently is not only a great way to save money but can also help minimize our impact on the planet.

Our Earth Day Google+ Hangout not only gives you the opportunity to learn new approaches to home efficiency upgrades, it’s also your platform to share your best energy-saving tips. During the live discussion, we will be selecting video questions to answer in addition to taking real-time questions from Twitter and Google+ tagged with #askEnergy. You can also submit questions by emailing us at newmedia@hq.doe.gov or posting in the comments on the Energy Department’s Facebook page. For the complete story, see the Energy Blog.

Earth Day - April 22 - is fast approaching. With environmental disasters escalating and international climate change talks at an impasse, your participation is needed now more than ever.

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

EKO ZADAR DVA d.o.o.

2013-04-17T10:20:00.002+02:00

U organizaciji Hrvatskog Centra Obnovljivih Izvora Energije (HCOIE) nastavljeno je predstavljanje hrvatskih visokotehnoloških tvrtki i poduzetnika na europskim i svjetskim portalima kojima je zajednički predznak energetika, obnovljivi izvori energije i očuvanje okoliša.
„Želim naglasiti da će hrvatske tvrtke i poduzetnici ovdje biti promovirane ne samo da bi prodavali svoje proizvode nego i da bi svoje znanje razvoja informacijskih i energetskih tehnologija podijelile s sličnim svjetskim tvrtkama, poduzetnicima iz razvijenih nacija kojima se Republika Hrvatska prilagođava i politički i gospodarski. Nadam se da će naše prezentacije hrvatskih tvrtki i poduzetnika dovesti do suradnje između država, kompanija i poduzetnika do razine koja nije samo prijateljstvo nego i partnerstvo", istaknuo je Željko Serdar , predsjednik Hrvatskog Centra Obnovljivih Izvora Energije.

EKO ZADAR DVA d.o.o.

Tvrtka EKO ZADAR DVA d.o.o. na čelu s mr.sc. Vladimirom Matjačićem, dipl.oec. u prvoj je fazi izgradnje vjetroelektrane radnog naziva ZD4.

Uz cestu Benkovac-Karin Donji, na sjeverno-istočnoj strani u kršu Bukovice, u tijeku je prva faza izgradnje vjetroelektrane radnog naziva ZD4 u vlasništvu privatne tvrtke Eko Zadar Dva d.o.o. Benkovac.
Za mjesec-dva započet će s komercijalnim radom prve četiri vjetroturbine snage 9,2 megawatta (MW), a na jesen i još šest vjetroturbina snage 18 MW.

Divovska konstrukcija

- Ulaganje je 360 milijuna kuna, za prvu fazu 120, a za drugu 240 milijuna kuna. Od toga su 30 posto vlastita sredstva, a 70 posto krediti Hrvatske banke za obnovu i razvitak (HBOR) te Zagrebačke banke (ZABA), kazao je Vladimir Matjačić, direktor Eko Zadar Dva d.o.o., predsjednik Nadzornog odbora i suvlasnik Heplasta iz Preloga u Međimurju, tvrtke koja proizvodi polietilenske i polipropilenske cijevi.
Ukupna snaga tih vjetroelektrana iznosi 27,2 MW, a proizvodnja će biti oko 90 milijuna kilovatsati (kWh) ili 25 tisuća MW godišnje, što je dovoljno za opskrbu preko 20 tisuća domaćinstava "zelenom energijom". Vjetroelektrane će u usporedbi s proizvodnjom električne energije pomoću kamenog ugljena i plina smanjiti emisiju štetnih tvari u atmosferu za oko 60.000 tona CO2 godišnje.

Divovska konstrukcija vjetroturbine je teška preko 130 tona. Rotor ima masu 62 tone, a gondola oko 80 tona. Promjer rotora agregata iznosi 108 metara, a na visinu od 90 metara podiže ga 500-tonska dizalica Zagrebtransa.

Koncesija 20 godina

- Investitori su domaći dok je stupove i vjetroagregate isporučio te ih montira Siemens Hrvatska. Od ukupne investicije od 360.000 milijuna kuna u Hrvatskoj ostaje preko 50 posto, prvenstveno u kupnji potrebitog materijala, gradnje komunalne infrastrukture te troškove izvođača radova i ishođenja potrebne dokumentacije.

Prihod od prve četiri vjetroturbine je oko 2,5 milijuna eura godišnje. Kada se cjelokupnoj investiciji dodaju troškovi rada, održavanja, administracije, osiguranja te ostali čimbenici potrebni za rad vjetroelektrane, realan povrat uloženog novca je oko 10 godina.
Iskorištavanje energije vjetra najbrže je rastući segment proizvodnje energije iz obnovljivih izvora.
- Koncesija je 20 godina dok će shodno ugovoru proizvedenu električnu energiju po definiranoj cijeni Hrvatski operator tržišta energije (HROTE) otkupljivati 12 godina. Preostale godine su po sadašnjim propisima tržišna utakmica.
Osim 400 MW trenutno na listi, Hrvatska u sljedećih sedam godina treba izgraditi dodatnih 800 MW vjetroelektrana. Riječ je o dijelu obveze da Hrvatska do 2020. godine 20 posto svoje električne energije proizvede iz obnovljivih izvora.

EKO ZADAR DVA d.o.o.

Knezova Šubića Bribirskih 15/B, Benkovac

Registrirane djelatnosti:

* -Savjetovanje u energetici* -Projektiranje energetskih i industrijskih postrojenja i objekata* -Kupnja i prodaja robe* -Poslovanje nekretninama* -Proizvodnja električne energije* -Trgovanje, posredovanje i zastupanje na tržištu energije

LISTA PROJEKATA VJETROELEKTRANA ZA PRIKLJUČENJE NA ELEKTROENERGETSKU MREŽU

http://www.hep.hr/ops/usluge/sustav/VE_u_pogonu_i_sa_sklopljenim_UOP_om_08_2012.pdf

Velika nam je čast i zadovoljstvo bilo predstaviti Vam tvrtku EKO ZADAR DVA d.o.o.

Sigurnost i pouzdanost, kvaliteta usluge, iskustvo i poslovna strategija u osmišljavanju i realizaciji sustava glavne su prednosti tvrtke

EKO ZADAR DVA d.o.o.

Željko Serdar

Hrvatski Centar Obnovljivih Izvora Energije (HCOIE)

News and Events by CCRES April 11, 2013

2013-04-11T08:52:00.001+02:00

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources

News and Events April 11, 2013

Energy Department Announces Apps for Vehicles Challenge Winners

The Energy Department announced the winners of the Apps for Vehicles Challenge on April 1. The competition asked app developers and entrepreneurs to demonstrate how the open data available on most vehicles can be used to improve vehicle safety, fuel efficiency, and comfort. The Department awarded the Judges' Prize to New York City-based Dash, which developed an app that turns any vehicle into a "smart car," providing real diagnostics and alerts to enable drivers to maximize engine performance, minimize carbon emissions, and save money. The Popular Choice prize went to MyCarma, headquartered in Troy, Michigan, which developed an app that offers a personalized fuel economy estimate based on a driver's unique driving patterns instead of a standard test cycle. Green Button Gamer, based in Boston, Massachusetts, won the Safety Innovation award, and Fuel Economy Coach, based in Augusta, Georgia, received the Fuel Efficiency Innovation award.

The Apps for Vehicles Challenge is focused on spurring innovative projects or services to reduce fuel costs and increase safety for consumers by utilizing vehicle-generated information, including data on engine speed, brake position, headlights, and distance traveled. Entries were judged based on their creativity, innovation, use of open vehicle data, consumer accessibility, and potential to help consumers improve fuel efficiency. The Energy Department announced the competition in October 2012, and from nearly 40 entries that were submitted for the first phase of the competition, seven were selected as finalists to advance to the second stage. See the Energy Department's Progress Alert and visit the Apps for Vehicles Challenge website to download the winning apps.

Energy Department Renews Funding for Bioenergy Research Centers

The Energy Department announced on April 4 that it would fund its three Bioenergy Research Centers for an additional five-year period, subject to continued congressional appropriations. The three centers were established by the Department's Office of Science in 2007 as an innovative program to accelerate fundamental research breakthroughs toward the development of advanced next-generation biofuels. The centers include the BioEnergy Research Center, led by the Department's Oak Ridge National Laboratory; the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, led by the University of Wisconsin-Madison in partnership with Michigan State University; and the Joint BioEnergy Institute, led by the Department's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Each center is designed to be a large, integrated, multidisciplinary research effort, funded at the rate of $25 million per year, and they have consistently received high marks from outside reviewers for both their scientific productivity and the effective management and integration of their research efforts.

In their first five years of operation, the Bioenergy Research Centers have produced more than 1,100 peer-reviewed publications and more than 400 inventions, as recorded in invention disclosures or patent applications. Among the breakthroughs are new approaches for engineering non-food crops for biofuel production; reengineering of microbes to produce advanced biofuels such as "green" gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel precursors from biomass; and the development of methods to grow non-food biofuel crops on marginal lands so as not to compete with food production. In the next five years, emphasis will be on bringing new methods and discoveries to maturity, developing new lines of research, and accelerating the transformation of scientific breakthroughs into new technologies that can transition to the marketplace. See the Energy Department press release, and for more information on the centers, visit the Genomic Science Program website.

New Database Shows Benefits of Energy Efficiency Programs

The Energy Department on April 5 recognized a new publicly available database that offers federal, state, and local decision-makers information documenting the results of energy-efficiency programs in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. The Regional Energy Efficiency Database (REED), a project of Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, provides a one-stop resource to readily access energy efficiency program data, including energy and peak-demand savings, costs, avoided emissions, and job impacts. This is part of the Energy Department's broader effort to improve public access to energy information, empowering consumers, industry, and government agencies to make informed decisions that save money by saving energy.

The REED database allows users to generate reports and download underlying data showing the impacts of ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. REED will help inform a broad range of policy issues, including energy, economic, and air quality planning, and help demonstrate the long-term, money-saving benefits of energy efficiency investments. Specifically, policymakers, program administrators and other industry stakeholders can use the REED data for a variety of purposes, including comparing efficiency program impacts across states to help identify best practices in efficiency policy and program design, as well as informing progress toward clean air and climate change goals. The database currently includes 2011 electric and gas energy efficiency program data and will expand this fall to include 2012 data from Delaware and the District of Columbia, as well as the states currently in the database. See the Energy Department Progress Alert.

Manufacturing Energy Use Down Since 2002: EIA

Total energy consumption in the U.S. manufacturing sector decreased by 17% from 2002 to 2010, according to data released on March 19 by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Manufacturing gross output decreased by only 3% over the same period. Taken together, these data indicate a significant decline in the amount of energy used per unit of gross manufacturing output. The significant decline in energy intensity reflects both improvements in energy efficiency and changes in the manufacturing output mix. Consumption of every fuel used for manufacturing declined over this period.

The manufacturing sector comprised more than 11% of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010. The manufacturing base in the United States is broad, and includes energy-intensive industries such as petroleum refining, chemicals, aluminum, iron and steel, paper, wood products, and food, as well as less energy-intensive industries such as textiles, leather, apparel, furniture, machinery, and electrical equipment. Energy for manufacturing can be consumed in two ways: as a fuel or as a feedstock (material input to a final product). Energy consumed as a fuel includes all energy used for heat and power. Energy used as feedstock is the use of energy sources for raw material input or for any purpose other than the production of heat or power. See the EIA press release.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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

5 Super-Sized Solar Projects Transforming the Clean Energy Landscape

2012 marked a record year for America’s solar industry. Installations surged by 76% compared to 2011—representing an estimated market value of $11.5 billion. From commercial to residential, every sector experienced significant growth, but the clear standout of 2012 was utility-scale solar.

Utility-scale solar projects are designed to generate massive amounts of electricity. Unlike other sectors, the electricity generated by utility-scale projects is sold directly to wholesale utility buyers. In the recently released U.S. Solar Market Insight report, GreenTech Media and SEIA found that the utility-scale sector grew by an unprecedented 134% last year—with eight of the largest solar projects in America starting operation.

Many of these projects were supported by investments from the Energy Department’s Loan Guarantee Program. These investments—in several of the world’s largest solar generation facilities—help to lower the cost of financing and accelerate the completion of transformative clean energy projects. For the utility-scale projects that came online last year as part of the loan program portfolio, see the complete story, see the Energy Blog.

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

News and Events by CCRES April 05, 2013

2013-04-05T18:38:00.001+02:00

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources

News and Events April 05, 2013

EPA, Energy Department Recognize 2013 Energy Star Partners of the Year

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Energy Department on March 26 recognized 118 awardees for their commitment to saving energy and protecting the environment. Recipients of the 2013 Energy Star Partner of the Year Award include Sears Holdings Corporation, PepsiCo, JC Penney, Food Lion, USAA Real Estate, Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia, and Toyota.

The winners were chosen from nearly 20,000 Energy Star partners, including manufacturers, retailers, public schools, hospitals, real estate companies, and home builders, for their long-term commitment to climate protection through greater energy efficiency. Energy Star partners complete a rigorous application process that demonstrates their commitment to the partnership and the environment.

Organizations are recognized in several categories. The Sustained Excellence awards went to 70 organizations for exceptional leadership year after year in the Energy Star program and their dedication to environmental protection through superior energy efficiency. The "Partners of the Year" honors were bestowed on 41 organizations for strategically and comprehensively managing their energy use. The seven "Excellence Award" winners received recognition in part for their superior efforts in the Home Performance with the Energy Star program as well as specific activities to promote energy-efficient products, homes, or buildings. See the EPA press release and the complete list of winners.

BLM Seeks Solar Energy Proposals for Colorado Lands

The U.S. Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is seeking proposed solar energy development projects on 3,714 acres of BLM-managed land in Conejos and Saguache counties in southwestern Colorado. The BLM’s current actions come after two years of planning to pave the way for utility-scale solar development on public lands that will be capable of producing 20 megawatts or more of energy. The 60-day public notice appeared in the Federal Register on March 22, 2013. See the Federal Register notice.

This public notification is the first step to possible competitive solar energy development on public lands in the San Luis Valley. Last year, EPG Solar 1, LLC filed applications to develop solar energy on public lands within the De Tilla Gulch and Los Mogotes East Solar Energy Zones. Once the 60-day notice period closes, the BLM will review all submissions to see if other companies are interested in developing solar energy in these areas. See the BLM press release.

Air Force Announces Energy Efficiency Achievements, New Energy Plan

An F-35 Lighting II, with an engine delivering 60% more thrust than other aircraft of the same weight, lands at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
Credit: U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christopher Tam

The U.S. Air Force on March 21 highlighted its recent energy use reductions, touting savings of $1.5 billion in energy costs in 2012, and announced current initiatives under the new Air Force Energy Strategic Plan. The Air Force is the largest single consumer of energy in the federal government, and in fiscal year 2012, spent more than $9 billion for energy, with more than 85% of those costs in aviation fuel. However, the service has already significantly reduced energy consumption and increased use of renewable energy, helping drive down its energy costs.

In addition to cutting fuel use, the Air Force also reduced facility energy intensity by more than 21% since 2003 and is on track to meet its goal of reducing energy intensity by 37.5% by 2020. Last year, 5.5% of the Air Force's electricity came from renewable energy sources, and by 2025, it plans to get 25% of its electricity from renewable energy.

The new energy plan, the first update since 2010, calls for an increase in on-site energy production through renewable energy. In 2006, the Air Force set a goal of reducing aviation fuel consumption 10 percent by 2015. The military branch is also following a net-zero approach to water and energy installation to help meet a 2030 federal net-zero energy goal for all new facility construction and alterations. See the Air Force press release and the Air Force Energy Strategic Plan .

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JBEI Researchers Engineer Plant Cell Walls to Boost Sugar Yields for Biofuels

Researchers at the Energy Department's Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) are taking major steps toward achieving new breakthroughs for biofuels using lignocellulosic biomass, the most abundant organic material on Earth. This ample resource could supply the sugars needed to produce advanced biofuels, which can supplement or replace fossil fuels if several key technical challenges are met. One of these challenges is finding ways to more cost-effectively extract those sugars.

The JBEI, a scientific partnership led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), advances the development of next-generation biofuels that can provide renewable transportation energy. JBEI researchers have focused on reducing the natural resistance of plant cell walls to release their sugars. In the past, extracting sugars from their lignin cage has required the use of expensive and environmentally harsh chemicals at high temperatures, a process that can drive production costs of advance biofuels prohibitively high.

In order to achieve the partnership's goal, researchers rewired the regulation of lignin production—or biosynthesis—in engineered plants and created an artificial positive feedback loop to enhance secondary cell wall biosynthesis in specific tissues. This reduces the resistance of plant cell walls and boosts sugar content without impacting plant development. Now, the researchers believe their lignin rewiring strategy could also be transferrable to other plant species, and are working to improve the technique. See the LBNL press release.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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

National Parks Move Transportation Forward in America's Great Outdoors

America's National Parks have always attracted pioneers in transportation. In the early 1900s, the new transcontinental railroad encouraged people to “See America First,” particularly the National Parks. Today, the National Park Service is leading by example. Working in partnership with the Energy Department’s Clean Cities National Parks Initiative, National Parks across the country are using alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies to reduce air pollution and lower fuel costs.

Building on the success of its existing National Park Service projects, Clean Cities is now partnering with five additional parks to implement specific projects that improve the parks’ environment and increase the sustainability of their operations. Most of the projects focus on shifting many of the parks' vehicles to run on alternative fuels, such as propane, biodiesel and electricity—a transition that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and minimize fuel costs.

The projects will also educate park visitors on improving the sustainability of their own driving habits to reduce greenhouse gas emissions during park visits and when they return home. For example, parks such as Yellowstone and Grand Teton are educating visitors on the benefits of reducing the amount of time they idle their cars or visiting sites in the parks by biking, walking, or using park shuttles. If just 25% of visitors at the 13 parks in the Clean Cities National Parks Initiative reduce their idling by five minutes, it would save 192,000 gallons of gasoline and more than 2,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year. For the complete story, see the Energy Blog.

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

Projekt Solarni Suncokreti

2013-03-27T08:27:00.000+01:00

Projekt Solarni Suncokreti

Projekt Solarni suncokret namijenjen je edukaciji učenika osnovnih škola o obnovljivim izvorima energije - energiji sunca, vjetra, riječnih tokova, morskih mijena i valova, geotermaloj energiji te energiji biomase.

U sklopu projekta, omogućenog donacijom Hrvatskog Telekoma, u 10 osnovnih škola - u Dubrovniku, Hvaru, Zadru, Kaštel Lukšiću, Krku, Puli, Križevcima, Zagrebu, Ivanić-Gradu i Vukovaru - instaliran je po jedan solarni treker, uređaj koji se tijekom dana okreće za suncem, poput suncokreta, iz čega je proizašao i sam naziv projekta.

Solarni trekeri samostojeći su solarni sustavi koji „prate“ sunce tijekom dana tako da se solarni moduli usmjeravaju prema suncu pod optimalnim kutom, što donosi oko 30% veću učinkovitost sustava, a time i više proizvedene električne energije.

Informacije o količini proizvedene električne energije putem „solarnog suncokreta“ prikupljat će se i voditi do sustava na Internetu na kojem će se moći: vidjeti koliko je koji „suncokret“ proizveo električne energije u nekom satu, danu, mjesecu ili godini; usporediti sa solarnim suncokretima u drugim školama; očitati za koliko je smanjena emisija CO2; zbrojiti rezultate svih „suncokreta“ zajedno i sl. Sve navedene informacije na Internetu činit će virtualnu mrežu solarnih suncokreta.

U sklopu projekta organizirana je edukacija za nastavnike te su osigurani materijali koji sadrže prijedlog nastavnog programa i korištenja radnih listova i slikovnica za učenike 3. i 6. razreda osnovne škole (imaju preporuku za korištenje Ministarstva znanosti, obrazovanja i sporta).

Osnovne škole uključene u projekt

Veli vrh (Pula)
Fran Krsto Frankopan (Omišalj)
Hvar (Hvar)
Ljudevita Modeca (Križevci)
Đure Deželića (Ivanić-Grad)
Tina Ujevića (Zagreb)
Siniše Glavaševića (Vukovar)
Šimuna Kozičića Benje (Zadar)
Ostrog (Kaštel Lukšić)
Lapad (Dubrovnik)

Osnovna škola Šimuna Kožića Benje u Zadru postala je prva od 10 izabranih škola koja je instalirala solarni treker - uređaj koji se tijekom dana okreće za suncem, poput suncokreta – u sklopu projekta vrijednog 400.000,00 kuna kojeg financira Hrvatski Telekom a provodi Program Ujedinjenih naroda za razvoj (UNDP).

Svaki „solarni suncokret" proizvest će određene količine električne energije ali također služiti i kao oruđe putem kojeg će učenici učiti o prednostima obnovljive energije. Slični uređaji postavljaju se i u školama u Dubrovniku, Hvaru, Zadru, Kaštel Lukšiću, Krku, Puli, Križevcima, Zagrebu, Ivanić-Gradu i Vukovaru. Uz UNDP, edukaciju učenika o obnovljivim izvorima energije u deset škola će provoditi Društvo za oblikovanje održivog razvoja (DOOR), a u aktivnostima promocije sudjelovat će i udruga Eko Kvarner.

U sklopu projekta Solarni suncokret kojeg u 10 škola diljem Hrvatske zajednički provode Hrvatski Telekom i Program Ujedinjenih naroda za razvoj (UNDP), prvi u nizu Solarnih trekera bit će pušten u pogon u četvrtak, 21. ožujka 2013. u 13:00 sati u OŠ Šimuna Kozičića Benje, Asje Petričić 7 u Zadru.

Projekt je namijenjen edukaciji učenika osnovnih škola o obnovljivim izvorima energije - energiji sunca, vjetra, riječnih tokova, morskih mijena i valova, geotermaloj energiji te energiji biomase. Program je omogućen putem donacije Hrvatskog Telekoma, a edukacije učenika provodit će se u suradnji s Društvom za oblikovanje održivog razvoja (DOOR) i udrugom Eko Kvarner.

U sklopu projekta u osnovnim školama u Dubrovniku, Hvaru, Zadru, Kaštel Lukšiću, Krku, Puli, Križevcima, Zagrebu, Ivanić-Gradu i Vukovaru instaliran je po jedan solarni treker - uređaj koji se tijekom dana okreće za suncem, poput suncokreta. Solarni trekeri samostojeći su solarni sustavi koji „prate“ sunce tijekom dana tako da su solarni moduli usmjereni prema suncu pod optimalnim kutom, što donosi oko 30% veću učinkovitost sustava, a time i više proizvedene električne energije.

Hrvatski Centar Obnovljivih Izvora Energije (HCOIE)

News and Events by CCRES March 21, 2013

2013-03-21T20:49:00.001+01:00

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources

News and Events March 21, 2013

DOI Approves Three Renewable Energy Projects in California and Nevada

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) on March 13 announced the approval of three major renewable energy projects in California and Nevada that, when completed, are expected to deliver 1,100 megawatts to the grid. That will be enough electricity to power more than 340,000 homes. The projects will help support more than 1,000 construction and operations jobs.

The 750-megawatt McCoy Solar Energy Project and 150-megawatt Desert Harvest Solar Farm are both located in California’s Riverside East Solar Energy Zone, an area established through the Western Solar Energy Plan and identified as most suitable for solar development. The 200-megawatt Searchlight Wind Energy Project will be constructed on public lands in Clark County, Nevada.

The McCoy Solar Energy Project, located about 13 miles northwest of Blythe, California, will occupy 4,394 acres. The project is expected to employ approximately 500 workers during peak construction, and create 34 permanent jobs. When operational, the facility will generate enough clean power for an estimated 225,000 homes in Southern California. McCoy Solar has agreed to purchase more than 4,500 acres of habitat to protect the Desert Tortoise, Burrowing Owl, and Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard species.

DOI and California state agencies are also engaged in the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, a mutual landscape-level planning effort to streamline renewable energy development in appropriate areas in the California desert and simultaneously conserve important natural resources and natural communities for species protection and recovery. A draft of the plan is expected in summer 2013. Additionally, BLM has identified 23 active renewable energy proposals slated for review this year and next, including 14 solar facilities, six wind farms, and three geothermal plants. See the DOI press release.

New EPA Report Shows Significant Gains in Fuel Economy for 2012

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on March 15 released its annual report that tracks the fuel economy of vehicles sold in the United States, emphasizing major gains in the efficiency of American vehicles, which reduce oil consumption and cut carbon emissions. The EPA estimates that between 2007 and 2012, fuel economy values increased by 16%, while carbon dioxide emissions decreased by 13%. In 2012, there was a significant one-year increase of 1.4 miles per gallon (mpg) for cars and trucks.

EPA’s “Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 through 2012” attributes the improvements to the rapid adoption of more efficient technologies, the increasing number of high fuel economy choices for consumers, and the fact that many automakers are already selling vehicles that can potentially meet more rigorous future fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards. The report indicates that the projected gains for 2012 more than make up for a slight dip in fuel economy in 2011.

The expected 1.4 mpg improvement in 2012 is based on sales estimates provided by automakers to EPA. These projections show a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions to 374 grams per mile and an increase in average fuel economy to 23.8 mpg. These numbers represent the largest annual improvements since EPA began reporting on fuel economy. Compared to five years ago, consumers have twice as many hybrid and diesel vehicle choices, a growing set of plug-in electric vehicle options, and a six-fold increase in the number of car models with combined city/highway fuel economy of 30 mpg or higher. See the EPA press release and the complete report .

East Asia Summit Energy Cooperation Task Force Announced

The United States and Brunei announced on March 14 that they will create, and jointly chair, a new workstream of activities on renewable energy power generation to promote and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy technologies in the countries participating in the East Asia Summit (EAS)

Proposed projects include a public-private dialogue on eliminating policy barriers to renewable energy investment. The partners will also address the dissemination of information needed to make investment decisions, such as results of solar power technology testing at Brunei’s new demonstration facility, which will be combined with information from Energy Department research on performance in different environments. The United States and Brunei will also share research about the impacts of climate change on hydropower production. The Energy Department and its laboratories, in partnership with the newly-established Brunei National Energy Research Institute, will advance the proposed work, and all EAS countries are being encouraged to participate and contribute. See the Energy Department press release.

President Obama Highlights Proposal for an Energy Security Trust

President Obama on March 16 highlighted his “all-of-the-above” approach to American energy, including his proposal to establish an Energy Security Trust, that would invest revenue from offshore oil and gas development in research to help transition cars and trucks from reliance on oil. Investments made through the Energy Security Trust would focus on a range of technologies, including electric vehicles (EV) and advanced batteries, as well as advanced biofuels and cars that run on natural gas. The investments will continue to reduce U.S. dependence on oil, support job creation, increase energy security, and save families money at the pump, while also cutting harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

"In my State of the Union Address, I called on Congress to set up an Energy Security Trust to fund research into new technologies," President Obama said. "Much of our energy is drawn from lands and waters that we, the public, own together. So I’m proposing that we take some of our oil and gas revenues from public lands and put it towards research that will benefit the public, so that we can support American ingenuity without adding a dime to our deficit." The president credited the idea to a proposal put forward by a non-partisan coalition of CEOs and retired generals and admirals. See the White House press release.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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

Energy Department Turns Up the Heat and Power on Industrial Energy Efficiency

Katrina Pielli, senior policy advisor, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Industrial processes—from petroleum refineries and paper mills to chemicals and metals industries—consume about one-third of all energy produced in the United States. While the Energy Department is investing in advanced energy-saving technologies like carbon fiber and 3D printing, we also see great potential in more traditional technologies—such as combined heat and power (CHP)—that strengthen U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, lower energy consumption, and reduce harmful emissions.

In August 2012, President Obama directed federal agencies to help facilitate investments in industrial energy efficiency, such as CHP systems, that can save manufacturers as much as $100 billion in energy costs over the next decade. The President’s Executive Order established a new national goal of 40 gigawatts of new CHP capacity by 2020, which is a 50% increase from today. Meeting this goal would save American manufacturers and companies $10 billion each year, resulting in $40 to $80 billion in new capital investment in plants and facilities that would create American jobs and reduce emissions equivalent of taking 25 million cars off the road.

These efforts underscore President Obama’s goal of cutting energy waste from homes and businesses in half over the next two decades and accelerating the resurgence of American manufacturing, as announced in the State of the Union last month. For the complete story, see the Energy Blog.

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

News and Events by CCRES March 14, 2013

2013-03-14T10:33:00.001+01:00

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources

News and Events March 14, 2013

Energy Department Offers $50 Million to Advance PEV Technologies

The Energy Department on March 8 announced more than $50 million in funding for new projects that will accelerate the development of advanced plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) technologies to improve vehicle fuel economy and performance. This new funding supports the Energy Department's EV Everywhere Grand Challenge, which aims to make PEVs as affordable to own and operate as today's gasoline-powered vehicles within the next 10 years and will help to advance the technology goals outlined in the EV Everywhere Grand Challenge.

The Department will select new research projects that focus on lowering the cost and increasing the efficiency of PEV components and develop models and tools to predict these vehicles' performance and help improve fuel economy. The Department will fund projects that cover 12 areas of interest across five major areas of research and development, including: advanced light-weight and propulsion materials; battery development; power electronics; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems; and fuels and lubricants.

Through the Advanced Vehicle Power Technology Alliance between the Department of Energy and the U.S. Army, the Army is contributing $3.5 million in co-funding in several areas where there are joint development opportunities. The Energy Department will accept applications from industry, national laboratories, and university-led teams to address these challenges and enable technologies that will drive innovation in vehicle design. See the Energy Department Progress Alert, the Vehicle Technologies Office website, and the funding announcement.

DOE Announces Winners of Student Energy-Efficiency Building Competition

The Energy Department on March 8 announced the winners of the second annual Better Buildings Case Competition, which challenges university teams to develop and present real-world solutions to cut energy waste and improve the efficiency of commercial buildings. The winners included the Carnegie Mellon University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California-Santa Barbara, University of Chicago, and Yale University. The Better Buildings Case Competition supports President Obama's goal of cutting energy waste from homes and businesses in half over the next two decades.

This year, 14 university teams analyzed case studies focusing on a range of challenges faced by private-sector organizations and state and local governments that are looking to improve the energy efficiency of their operations. The case studies consisted of real scenarios, background information, and data provided by organizations that included partners in the Better Buildings Challenge program—a broad public-private partnership working to make U.S. commercial and industrial buildings 20% more efficient by 2020.

Student teams competed to find the best solutions to energy efficiency challenges presented in real-world case studies for the City of Fort Worth, Texas; the Energy Efficient Buildings Hub; the U.S. General Services Administration; and the "Everything Store," representative of several retail stores including Kohl's, Staples, and Target. These teams presented their ideas and written proposals to a panel of commercial real estate and energy experts at the White House. See the Energy Department Progress Alert and the Better Buildings case studies website.

Energy Department Partnerships Speed Advanced Vehicle Technologies

The Energy Department on March 5 announced that 16 major U.S. employers and two stakeholder groups have joined the Department's Workplace Charging Challenge to give more workers access to new transportation options. Also, another three U.S. corporations have joined the National Clean Fleets Partnership.

As part of the Energy Department's EV Everywhere Grand Challenge, the Department announced that the new partner employers have joined the Workforce Charging Challenge, which aims to expand the availability of workplace vehicle charging for U.S. workers—increasing the convenience of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). The new partners include AVL, Bentley Systems, Biogen Idec, Bloomberg LP, The Coca-Cola Company, the City of Sacramento, Dell, Facebook, The Hartford, The Hertz Corporation, National Grid, New York Power Authority, NRG Energy, OSRAM SYLVANIA, Raytheon Company, and Southern California Edison. Each partner organization commits to assessing workforce PEV charging demands and then developing and implementing a plan to install workplace charging infrastructure for at least one major worksite location. In addition, the California Center for Sustainable Energy and the Green Parking Council have signed the Ambassador Pledge to develop and execute plans to support and promote the workplace charging initiative.

Further, the Energy Department announced that three new corporate partners—AMP Americas, Kwik Trip, and Waste Management—are joining the National Clean Fleets Partnership, a broad public-private partnership that assists the nation's largest fleet operators in reducing the amount of gasoline and diesel they use nationwide. The new Clean Fleets Partners join with 18 other major national companies that are improving the fuel economy of their commercial fleets, integrating alternative fuels like natural gas and electricity into their daily operations, and reducing their overall fuel use. The National Clean Fleets Partnership is part of the Energy Department's Clean Cities Initiative. See the Energy Department press release, the EV Everywhere website, and the Clean Cities website.

FEMP Issues Guide for Large Renewable Energy Projects at Federal Facilities

The Energy Department's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) on March 11 issued a new resource that provides best practices and other helpful guidance for federal agencies developing large-scale renewable energy projects. The Large-Scale Renewable Energy Guide: Developing Renewable Energy Projects Larger than 10 MWs at Federal Facilities provides a comprehensive framework, including active project management strategies, common terms, and principles that promote partnerships among the federal government, private developers, and financiers. Improving coordination on large-scale renewable energy projects will help ensure successful projects while diversifying the U.S. energy supply, creating jobs, and advancing national goals for energy security.

Renewable energy at federal facilities represents a large clean energy resource for the United States. Federal energy policies, requirements, and goals require the development of nearly 3 gigawatts of renewable power projects over the next decade.

Federal project managers who use the guide to design and develop their projects will learn best practices for private-sector financing across a variety of funding options and competitive acquisition processes. The guide will also help commercial developers better understand federal energy planning and acquisition processes. The guide was developed by FEMP and the Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, with contribution and assistance provided by the U.S. Army Energy Initiatives Task Force. See the Energy Department's Progress Alert, the complete FEMP report , and the FEMP website.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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

Energy Department and USDA Partner to Support Energy Efficiency in Rural Communities

By Dr. Kathleen Hogan, deputy assistant secretary for energy efficiency, and Todd Campbell, alternative energy advisor, USDA

Each year, urban households in the United States combined use more than three times the total energy that rural households use. Yet, the Energy Information Administration estimates that rural families spend about $400 more per year in energy bills compared to the typical urban household. Unlocking new opportunities to save energy will help rural Americans save money while improving our energy security, creating jobs, and protecting our air and water.

We have seen this work firsthand at USDA Rural Development. Through our Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), we have partnered with agriculture producers and rural small businesses to construct 6,605 renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvement projects since 2009, providing $213 million in grants and $178 million in loan guarantees. When complete, these projects will be responsible for generating or saving 7.32 billion kWh annually, enough energy to power 680,000 households each year. At the Energy Department, the Weatherization Assistance Program is helping low-income rural households save on their utility bills through a broad range of home efficiency upgrades—from installing insulation to replacing leaking windows to repairing heating and cooling systems. Since the program’s inception in 1976, we’ve helped low-income families permanently reduce their energy bills to the tune of hundreds of dollars per year. This is a good start, but there is much more work that can be done. For the complete story, see the Energy Blog.

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

News and Events by CCRES March 07, 2013

2013-03-07T16:11:00.002+01:00

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources

News and Events March 07, 2013

President Obama Nominates New Energy Department and EPA Heads

President Obama on March 4 nominated Ernest Moniz to replace Steven Chu as Secretary of Energy, and Gina McCarthy to take over U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) leadership from Lisa Jackson. Of his new Energy Secretary nominee, Obama said "Ernie knows that we can produce more energy and grow our economy while still taking care of our air, our water and our climate." The president praised Moniz, who served as Undersecretary of Energy for President Bill Clinton and directs the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Energy Initiative, which brings together prominent thinkers and energy companies to develop the technologies that can increase energy independence and create new jobs.

In announcing McCarthy's nomination, President Obama called her a top environmental official in Massachusetts and Connecticut, where she helped design programs to expand energy efficiency and promote renewable energy. She previously served as the assistant administrator of the EPA's Office of Air and Radiation. President Obama said both nominees are "going to be making sure that we're investing in American energy; that we're doing everything that we can to combat the threat of climate change; that we're going to be creating jobs and economic opportunity in the first place. They are going to be a great team. And these are some of my top priorities going forward." See the White House press release.

Agriculture Department Awards $8 Million for Smart Grid Technology

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on February 18 announced that rural electric cooperatives and utilities in 12 states will receive loan guarantees to improve generation and transmission facilities, as well as to implement smart grid technologies. The announcement includes support for more than $8 million in smart grid technologies, which help utilities make efficiency improvements to the electric grid and help consumers lower their electric bills by reducing energy use in homes and businesses. States receiving this USDA smart grid funding are Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas.

Smart grid technologies involve adding communication capabilities and control systems to the electrical grid; this is expected to change how people use electricity, resulting in improved home energy management for the homeowner, greater demand control for the utility, and a more reliable power grid overall. Smart grids are also expected to better accommodate the use of renewable energy, all forms of on-site power production, and electric vehicles. See the USDA press release.

GSA Seeks Public Input for Green Building Certification

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) on February 5 announced that it is seeking additional input from the public regarding the federal government's use of third-party green building certification systems, which reflect building energy efficiency. GSA published a notice in the Federal Register seeking public comments through April 6, 2013, on how the federal government can best use certification systems to measure the design and performance of the federal government's construction and major modernization projects. Federal construction and modernization projects must adhere to the government's own green building requirements, and third party certification systems should help in measuring effectiveness and performance.

GSA is currently evaluating three certification systems for green building standards, including the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) 2009, the Green Building Initiative's Green Globes, and the International Living Future Institute’s Living Building Challenge. After the public comment period, GSA will use that feedback and make a recommendation to the Energy Department, which could include one system, multiple systems, or no system. See the GSA press release and the notice in the Federal Register.

Ultra-Efficient VW Hybrid to Debut at Geneva Auto Show

Volkswagen will debut the XL1 hybrid it calls the most fuel-efficient production car in the world at the International Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland.
Credit: Volkswagen

Volkswagen (VW) will debut the XL1 hybrid when the 83rd International Motor Show opens on March 7 in Geneva, Switzerland. The automaker calls it "the most fuel-efficient production car in the world" and estimates the vehicle gets 261 miles per gallon (mpg). The plug-in hybrid two-seater can also cover a distance of up to about 31 miles in all-electric mode. The sports car is designed for a top speed of about 100 mph, and has a 20-kW motor and a 2-cylinder, Turbocharged Direct Injection diesel engine. Lightweight carbon fiber-reinforced polymer is used in its construction. The automaker is planning to begin production in 2013.

Also listed as premiering at the show is the Audi A3 Sportback TCNG, which is designed to use synthetic methane, or, as the automaker calls it, renewable "e-gas." Other concept vehicles will be unveiled at the show as well, which runs through March 17. See the VW press release and the Geneva show website.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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

St. Louis Launches Plan for More Sustainable Community

St. Louis, regarded as the Gateway to the West, is also becoming the gateway to sustainability for the state of Missouri. Central to increasing energy efficiency in St. Louis has been the Energy Department's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program.

St. Louis identified its City Hall, considered the crown jewel of the city's buildings portfolio, as a building that could benefit from retrofit. Before making upgrades, the city conducted an energy audit of the building and determined that it was only occupied 40% of the year. The city saw an opportunity to reduce energy use for the other 60% of the year when the systems require minimal operation. EECBG funds were leveraged to help meet these energy efficiency goals, including HVAC retrofits, internal lighting upgrades, direct digital control upgrades and whole building lighting upgrades, and resulted in energy savings up to 50%.

Additionally, 52 outdated metal halide lamp fixtures were replaced with LED fixture tops in the City Hall parking structure. The new LED fixtures deliver more useful light where it is needed and use a total of 1.3 kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy—compared to the 7.8 kWh required by the previous lighting—for an energy savings of nearly 83%. For the complete story, see the Energy Blog.

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

News and Events by CCRES February 28, 2013

2013-02-28T19:24:00.000+01:00

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources

News and Events February 28, 2013

Three New Businesses Join the Better Buildings Challenge

The Energy Department on February 21 announced that Johnson Controls, Macy's, and Sprint are joining the Better Buildings Challenge. Launched by President Obama in 2011, the Better Buildings Challenge brings together corporations, universities, municipalities, and other national leaders to make significant commitments to energy efficiency to reduce waste and save on energy costs. Johnson Controls, Macy's, and Sprint will collectively upgrade more than 200 million square feet of building space to cut energy use by at least 20% by 2020. These steps support the President's goal of cutting energy waste from homes and businesses in half over the next two decades, which was articulated in the 2013 State of the Union address.

The United States spends about $200 billion annually to power commercial buildings and another $200 billion to power industrial facilities. Better Buildings Challenge partners work with the Energy Department to implement energy-savings practices that reduce energy waste and save money. These new partners will also share facility-level energy use data and successful strategies with Better Buildings Challenge partners as well as other U.S. businesses and organizations helping to lead a clean, sustainable energy economy. The Better Buildings Challenge now has more than 110 partners, representing two billion square feet of building space and more than 300 manufacturing facilities. See the Energy Department Progress Alert and the Better Buildings Challenge website.

ARPA-E Announces Projects Have Attracted over $450 Million in Private Sector Funding

The Energy Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy (ARPA-E) on February 26 announced that ARPA-E projects have demonstrated major technical successes and shown significant market engagement in the four years since the agency began catalyzing energy breakthrough technologies. Overall, 17 projects have attracted over $450 million in private sector follow-on funding after ARPA-E's initial investment of approximately $70 million, 12 have leveraged their technologies to form new companies, and more than ten have partnered with other government agencies for later stage investment. The innovations include improved batteries, electric vehicle motors, solar thermochemical fuel production, and wind turbines among a range of technologies.

Building on President Obama's call in his 2013 State of the Union address to further American energy independence through innovation, key thought leaders from academia, business, and government are coming together this week to discuss cutting-edge energy issues at ARPA-E's fourth annual Energy Innovation Summit in National Harbor, Maryland. See the Energy Department press release.

DOE's SunShot Announces $17 Million for Solar Reliability, Grid Integration

The Energy Department's SunShot Initiative recently announced up to $17 million to support the development of innovative, cost-effective solutions to boost the amount of solar energy that utilities can integrate seamlessly with the national power grid. This funding will help utilities develop adaptable and replicable practices, long-term strategic plans, and technical solutions to sustain reliable operations with large proportions of solar power on the grid. It will also support projects aimed at improving the lifetime and reliability of solar modules and electronics.

The funding is being offered through two opportunities. The Solar Utility Networks: Replicable Innovation in Solar Energy (SUNRISE) funding opportunity is making up to $12 million available for projects to enable utilities to develop long-term strategic plans that integrate high levels of renewable energy generation and ensure reliable real-time power system operations under high renewable penetration. Funding is also available for projects to provide technical assistance for capacity-building activities regarding utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) planning and installation. The application deadline for the funding opportunity is April 24, 2013. See the SUNRISE solicitation.

Also, the Physics of Reliability: Evaluating Design Insights for Component Technologies in Solar (PREDICTS) funding opportunity is making up to $5 million available for projects aimed at improving the lifetime and reliability of PV modules, concentrating solar power (CSP) components, and the electronic hardware used to operate and connect to the grid. The funding covers two topic areas: identification, evaluation, and modeling of intrinsic failure mechanisms in PV and CSP subsystems and system components; and development of standard testing procedures for the lifetime of microinverters and microconverters. The application deadline is April 29, 2013. See the PREDICTS solicitation and the SunShot newsletter for more information.

Energy Department Names Two 2012 Wind Cooperatives of the Year

The Golden Valley Electric Association developed the 25-megawatt Eva Creek Wind Farm in Ferry, Alaska in 2012.
Credit: Golden Valley Electric Association

The Energy Department on February 21 recognized the East River Electric Power Cooperative of South Dakota and the Golden Valley Electric Association of Alaska as the 2012 Wind Cooperatives of the Year. East River and Golden Valley were selected by a panel of experts from the wind industry, utilities, government, national laboratories, and cooperatives.

East River Electric Power Cooperative of Madison, South Dakota, is a wholesale electric power supply cooperative serving eastern South Dakota and western Minnesota. The cooperative is regarded as one of the earliest champions in installing the first utility-scale wind turbines in the Dakotas. In 2009, the co-op created South Dakota Wind Partners LLC, which is a model for community-based, locally-owned wind development that is fully financed by South Dakota residents.

The Golden Valley Electric Association is focused on generating 20% of its peak load electricity—the power supplied when customer demand is highest—from renewable energy by 2014. As part of this commitment, Golden Valley developed the 25-megawatt Eva Creek Wind Farm in Ferry, Alaska, in 2012. The remote site is located at the end of a 10-mile dirt road, contributing to unique construction challenges. The Eva Creek Wind Farm project is expected to help the cooperative meet its renewable goals ahead of schedule, reduce dependence on oil, and save Golden Valley members as much as $4 million in annual electricity costs by the end of 2013. See the Energy Department Progress Alert and the Wind Powering America website.

Survey Finds U.S. Rivers Could Provide 3% of Nation's Electricity

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) recently completed a mapping and assessment of hydrokinetic resources in continental U.S. rivers and found that these undeveloped resources could provide 3% of the nation's annual use of electricity. The assessment is part of an effort by the Energy Department to characterize U.S. hydrokinetic waterpower resources, including river, wave, tidal, ocean thermal, and ocean current.

The assessment analyzed 71,398 river segments across the 48 contiguous states and additional river segments in Alaska. It yielded a total theoretical resource estimate of 1,381 terawatt-hours per year (TWh/yr) for the continental United States, which is equivalent to approximately 25% of annual U.S. electricity consumption. Because there are constraints on developing many sites, the study found that the technically recoverable resource estimate for the continental United States is 120 TWh/yr, or approximately 3% of annual U.S. electricity consumption.

The results show that the Lower Mississippi region contributes almost half (47.9%) of the technically recoverable resource estimate; Alaska, 17.1%; the Pacific Northwest region, 9.2%; and the Ohio region, 5.7%. See the EPRI press release.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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

Savings to Chew On: Wrigley Expands Commitment to Sustainability

Known for chewing gum and candy products, Wrigley Manufacturing Company recently expanded its commitment to sustainability and is collecting solar power to help run its Altoids manufacturing plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Using funds from the Energy Department's State Energy Program, the company installed 240 rooftop solar panels (a 50.4-kilowatt array) on its Chattanooga facility in December 2010. The solar panels cover about one-seventh of the plant's roof, leaving plenty of room for expansion. The array generates more than 170,000 kilowatts of clean energy per year—about 3% of the plant's energy use—and eliminates 117 tons of greenhouse gas emissions. During the first year of operation alone, the solar installation saved Wrigley more than $16,000 in electricity costs.

The solar installation is a part of Wrigley’s "Sustainable in a Generation" effort to eliminate fossil fuel energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. Wrigley is developing a strategy to minimize its impact on the environment, focusing on reducing fossil fuel energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste. From 2007 to 2011, Wrigley's landfill waste decreased by 71.62%, greenhouse gas emissions by 2.37%, and energy use by 7.75%. See the Energy Blog.

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

Ara solar d.o.o.

2013-02-22T19:24:00.000+01:00

Ara solar d.o.o.

Tvrtka Ara-solar d.o.o. na čelu sa mr. sc. Damirom Vragovićem koja ima zastupništvo tvrtke TRITEC za jugoistočnu Europu uspješno plovi nemirnim morem obnovljivih izvora energije u Republici Hrvatskoj.

Ara-solar d.o.o. nudi:
Mrežne fotonaponske sustave do 10 kWp

Mrežne fotonaponske sustave do 30 kWp

Mrežne fotonaponske sustave iznad 30 kWp

Otočne fotonaponske sustave

Integrirane fotonaponske sustave

Ara-solar d.o.o. također nudi usluge:

Projektiranja FN sustava

Savjetovanje u ishođenju dozvola

Ara-solar d.o.o.

Tvrtka Ara-solar d.o.o. zastupništvo tvrtke TRITEC održava i praktične radionice i predavanja za obrtnike zainteresirane za poslove instalacije fotonaponskih sustava.

Radi se o grupama od četrdesetak polaznika radionica, od kojih neki već imaju iskustva u radu s fotonaponskim sustavima, a neki se s tom tehnologijom tek susreću.Na radionicama obrtnici i majstori vježbaju na montažnim konstrukcijama TRI Stand Aero, koji su namijenjeni za ravne krovove.

Tijekom praktične obuke polaznici imaju priliku upoznati softver TRI dizajn koji je među rijetkim softverskim rješenjima na hrvatskom jeziku i služi za dimenzioniranje fotonaponskih sustava.

Također rade na montažnim sustavima i u softveru za dimenzioniranje TRI dizajna na hrvatskom jeziku, a dobivaju i znanja i informacije o najnovijim tehničkim dostignućima Bosch modula.

Teoretski dio nastave, uz djelatnike tvrtke Ara-solar, održavaju i predavači tvrtke Bosch Solar iz Njemačke, koji prezentiraju njihove najnovije visokoučinkovite fotonaponske module. Polaznici na radionicama dobivaju i certifikat kojim se produžuje garancija na proizvod TRI Stand Aero s pet na deset godina.

Ara-solar konstrukcije za montažu sustava omogućuju jednostavno i brzo montiranje fotonaponskih modula na sve vrste krovova pa čak i na pročelja zgrada.
Sve komponente montažnog sustava su testirane tako da posjeduju sve potrebne certifikate i dozvole za korištenje od proizvođača modula.

U ponudi Ara-solar ima više vrsta krovnih konstrukcija:
TRI-STAND (za ravne i kose krovove i fasadne sustave)
TRI-STAND aero (za velike ravne krovove)
TRI-VENT (za krovove prekrivene trapeznim limom)
TRI-ROOF (montažni sustavi za integriranje modula u postoječi krov)
Solrif (montažni sustavi za integriranje modula u postoječi krov)

U ponudi su i solarni rasvjetni stupovi idealni za stambene površine, javne trgove, ulaze zgrada, pješačke i biciklističke staze, mostove, parkove, vrtove, igrališta i kampove, vodena pročelja, autobusne stanice, sport i rekreaciju.

Praćenje rada sustava se prakticira kako bi se povećala količina energije koja se dobiva iz fotonaponskog sustava te kako bi se otklonile eventualne greške ili kvarove.

Za tu svrhu Ara-solar nudi veliki izbor mjernih instrumenata, kablova, pribora i pripadajućeg alata.

Kao vaši solarni stručnjaci i partneri, mi ćemo vas i dalje savjetovati i podržavati u planiranju vašeg solarnog sustava. Član uprave

Damir Vragović

Ara solar d.o.o.

Ivana Mažuranića 84, 42000 Varaždin

Trgovački sud Varaždin

MBS: 070077747

RAIFFEISENBANK AUSTRIA d.d.

Ž.r.: 2484008-1105535927

OIB: 03655077637

Tel/fax: 042/204-888

Mail: office@ara-solar.hr

web: www.ara-solar.hr

Velika nam je čast i zadovoljstvo bilo predstaviti Vam tvrtku Ara-solar d.o.o.

Sigurnost i pouzdanost, povoljne cijene i kvaliteta usluge, iskustvo i poslovna strategija u osmišljavanju i realizaciji brojnih solarnih sustava glavne su prednosti tvrtke Ara-solar d.o.o.

Željko Serdar

Hrvatski Centar Obnovljivih Izvora Energije (HCOIE)

News and Events by CCRES February 21, 2013

2013-02-20T20:12:00.002+01:00

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources

News and Events February 21, 2013

Clean Energy Highlighted in President's State of the Union

President Obama highlighted clean energy during his State of the Union address on February 12, 2013.
Credit: Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy

President Obama on February 12 highlighted clean energy and challenged the nation to become even more energy efficient during his State of the Union address to Congress. During the speech marking the start of his second term of office, President Obama spoke about a range of clean energy topics, including cars and transportation, energy efficiency, manufacturing, and wind and solar energy. He called for continued national investment into research, saying "now is the time to reach a level of research and development not seen since the height of the Space Race. And today, no area holds more promise than our investments in American energy." He added, "We are finally poised to control our own energy future."

President Obama cited recent advances in wind and solar energy over the past four years, a period which began as "other countries dominated the clean energy market and the jobs that came with it." He noted that conditions in the clean energy market are improving in the United States. "Last year, wind energy added nearly half of all new power capacity in America. So let's generate even more. Solar energy gets cheaper by the year—so let's drive costs down even further."

President Obama also heralded new manufacturing efforts by announcing the launch of three more manufacturing hubs where businesses will partner with the Departments of Energy and Defense "to turn regions left behind by globalization into global centers of high-tech jobs." He said he is asking Congress to help create a network of 15 of these hubs to ensure that the United States remains a leader in manufacturing. As an indicator of progress, President Obama affirmed that now "we buy more American cars than we have in five years, and less foreign oil than we have in 20." Furthermore, he noted that those cars are more fuel efficient. "We have doubled the distance our cars will go on a gallon of gas," he said.

As he cited the benefits of reduced dependence on foreign oil, particularly the decline in carbon pollution as result of increased renewable energy usage, he challenged the nation to become even more energy efficient. "I'm also issuing a new goal for America: let's cut in half the energy wasted by our homes and businesses over the next 20 years." See the full text of the State of the Union address on the White House website.

DOE Announces New Investment in Hydrogen Fuel Technologies

The Energy Department on February 14 announced a $1 million investment to analyze potential cost-competitive pathways for producing and transporting hydrogen fuel. The project selected will identify cost-effective and efficient materials and processes to produce hydrogen from renewable energy sources. This investment supports the Energy Department's broader goal to lower the cost of hydrogen fuel to $2-$4 per gallon gasoline equivalent (gge) by 2020 to make hydrogen fuel cost-competitive with gasoline.

The project, led by Strategic Analysis in Arlington, Virginia, will help accelerate commercialization of cost-competitive, U.S.-made hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The project will conduct thorough cost analyses of hydrogen pathways to identify the most economical hydrogen production and delivery methods and highlight remaining research and development challenges. With the help of this Energy Department investment, Strategic Analysis will examine a range of hydrogen production pathways, including electrolysis from the electrical grid and renewable energy sources, converting biofuels to hydrogen, biomass gasification, solar thermochemical hydrogen, photoelectrochemical hydrogen, and biological hydrogen. See the Energy Department Progress Alert.

DOE Announces Winners of Next Generation Luminaires Design Competition

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on February 14 announced the winners of the fifth annual Next Generation Luminaires™ Design Competition for outdoor lighting. The competition was launched in 2008 to promote excellence in the design of energy-efficient commercial lighting fixtures, or "luminaires," that employ light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The "best-in-class" winners for four categories of outdoor lighting include The Lighting Quotient of West Haven, Connecticut, for its façade-lighting fixture, the fraqti™ Outdoor-Style S170 luminaire; Relume Technologies of Oxford, Michigan, for its Oxford decorative acorn fixture for streetscapes and walkways; GE Lighting of East Cleveland, Ohio, for its roadway lighting fixture, the Evolve™ LED Scalable Cobrahead luminaire; and Edge Lighting of Chicago, Illinois, for its decorative wall sconces, the "TV" and "Dial" LED luminaires.

The competition was sponsored by the Energy Department, the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, and the International Association of Lighting Designers. A panel of eight judges from the architectural lighting design community evaluated 120 outdoor lighting entries from 42 manufacturers based on lighting quality, appearance, construction, serviceability, efficacy, and value. In addition to the four "best-in-class" winners, 33 entries were judged as meeting the stringent requirements of the competition. These recognized winners represented a wide range of manufacturers and applications, including lighting for roadways, streetscapes, walkways, parking lots, parking garages, canopies, façades, and landscapes, as well as decorative lighting and wall-mounted area lighting.

Design competitions are a key part of the Energy Department's national strategy to accelerate solid-state lighting technology advances from laboratory to marketplace. Solid-state lighting, which includes both LED and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technologies, has the potential to save Americans $30 billion per year in energy costs by 2030. See the Energy Department Progress Alert and Solid-State Lighting website, and see the Next Generation Luminaires website for photos and details about all the winners of this year's competition.

EPA Releases Latest Quarterly Green Power Partnership Rankings

The latest U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Green Power Partnership’s Top Partner Rankings show that two more companies have now purchased enough green power to account for 100% of each of their total U.S. electricity use. Since the EPA's last quarterly Green Power Partnership update in October 2012, Intel expanded its use of green power from 88% to 100% of its total electricity use by purchasing 300 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power, while Staples increased from 80% to 101% green power use by adding 120 million kWh of green power. Intel and Staples join 15 other Top 50-ranked Green Power Partners in obtaining 100% or more of their electricity from renewable energy sources. The recently-released totals are up to date as of January 9, 2013.

Intel, which currently ranks first in the total amount of purchases on the Green Power Partnership Top 50 list, uses electricity generated from biogas, biomass, small hydro, solar, and wind. Staples, ranked sixth overall on the Top 50 list, sources its electricity from biogas, solar, and wind energy.

The Green Power Partnership works with a variety of organizations including major companies, colleges and universities, as well as local, state, and federal governmental agencies to promote the use of green power. Organizations can meet EPA Green Power Partnership requirements using any combination of three different product options: renewable energy certificates; on-site generation; and utility green power products. Combined, the top 50 largest purchases of green power by EPA Green Power Partners amount to more than 17 billion kWh annually, which represents nearly 70% of the green power commitments made by all EPA Green Power Partners. Usage amounts in the rankings reflect U.S. operations only and are sourced from U.S.-based green power resources. See the EPA Green Power Partnership Top 50 webpage and DOE's Green Power Network website.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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

What's Your PEV Readiness Score?

Removing early market barriers is essential to increasing the number of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) on the road. To help cities, counties and states cut red tape, save time and improve drivers’ experiences, the Energy Department's Clean Cities initiative created the Plug-in Electric Vehicle Readiness Scorecard.

The Scorecard is an interactive online tool that allows community managers to measure their regions' current "PEV-friendliness"—the ability to meet the needs of electric vehicle drivers. To calculate their scores, community representatives answer a series of multiple-choice questions covering diverse topics ranging from the time required to issue a residential charger permit to incentives available to PEV drivers. The Scorecard questions, which are based on best practices and input from key stakeholders, require real, on-the-ground data from the community. Because PEV community readiness often involves a number of city agencies, non-governmental organizations, and even local businesses, multiple users can enter information for the same region on one account. For the complete story, see the Energy Blog.

CCRES BIOFUELS FROM ALGAE

CCRES ALGAE TEAM

EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) is an initiative of the European Commission that first took place in 2006 with hundreds of organisations and individuals participating each year.

The next edition of the European Union Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) will take place from 24 to 28 June 2013.
THIRD GENERATION BIOFUELS FROM ALGAE Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES) have a new technology with major potential to contribute to the fight against climate change.As with all new technologies, careful consideration of potential impacts on the environment and human health is important. The international community has acknowledges that global warming needs to be kept below 2˙C (3,6˙F) compared with the pre industrial temperature in order to prevent dangerous climate change.This will require significant reductions in the world´s emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHG) over the coming decades.CCRES have one of the technologies that can help to achieve this. The EU, which is responsible for around 11% of global GHG emissions today, has put in place binding legislation to reduce its emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by 2020.Europe is also offering to scale up this reduction to 30% if other major economies in the developed and developing world´s agree to undertake their fair share of a global reduction effort. This is why the EU must support alternative fuels, in particular biofuels, with the triple objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, diversifying fuel supply and developing longterm replacements for fossil fuels. Third generation biofuels from algae will have an important role to play as soon as they are ready for the market. They should be more sustainable, boasting both a lower enviromental impact and lower costs.Biofuels must become a commercial and competitive product using the broadest range possible of raw materials from both Nord and South Europe. Biofuels from algae have a big role to reduce CO2 emmisions. The sustainability of algae biofuels and their potential impacts on other sectors, including land use, are will remain critical issues.Algae biofuels provide an important contribution towards climate change mitigation and security of supply.They are only part of the solution, and must be considered in a wider context, in which efforts are also being made to reduce transport demand, improve transport efficiency and encourage the use of environmentally friendly modes of transport.

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

UNEP's 1st Universal Session

2013-02-12T14:32:00.000+01:00

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Source (CCRES) proudly presents UNEP's 1st Universal Session starts next week

Eight months after Rio+20, UNEP’s 1^stUniversal Session of the Governing Council and Global Ministerial Environmental Forum is an important milestone in UNEP’s history, especially regarding its strengthening and upgrading as set out in “the future we want” outcome document. Ministerial-level consultations will be held on the theme “Rio+20: from outcome to implementation.”

For more information, including on pre-session events covering youth, civil society, law, and gender, visit http://www.unep.org/gc/gc27/

Participate in e-Discussion

Environmental Sustainability: Moving From the MDGs to Post-2015 is the topic for the UN's current e-Discssion. It aims to look broadly at what we have learned from the MDGs and explore how to frame the next set of goals.

For more information, see the 90 discussion notes and Framing Paper with background on the questions being asked. The discussion runs from 4 February to 1 March 2013 with weekly themes.

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES) share to you latest reports

UNEP to lead Climate Technology Centre

The UN Climate Change Conference in Doha ended on 8 December 2012 with a number of important agreements reached. The conference confirmed a UNEP-led consortium as host of the Climate Technology Center (CTC), for an initial term of five years. The CTC, along with its associated Network, is the implementing arm of the UNFCCC's Technology Mechanism.

For more information on the conclusions of the conference, click here, or see UNEP's third annual ‘Emissions Gap Report’ released before the conference.

Provides countries with a practical guide on how indicators can measure progress towards an inclusive, resource-efficient, green economy, and support new national policies to assess human well-being and quality of life. Read more, or go to the full report,

The possibilities for green economy policies for small island developing states. Read the full report.

The report suggests that some countries’ sovereign debt ratings may be less robust than many investors may realize, if depletion of natural resources are taken into account. Full report or Learn more

Expansion and Conservation Priorities in Tropical Countries is a report that shows that an increase in the amount of land being used for crops is one of the main reasons for the continuing loss of biodiversity and threatens to undermine attempts to meet international environmental goals. Click to learn more or for the full report.

The process of illegal logging carried out largely by organized crime is threatening efforts to combat climate change, deforestation, conserve wildlife and eradicate poverty and is hampering the efforts of REDD. Learn more or view the full report.

A study of over 200 major water-related projects, this report concludes that disjointed management of human demands on water and aquatic systems has now put social and ecological systems in jeopardy. Learn more and read the report.

This report addresses the ecological foundation of food security. The report argues that while factors such as availability, access, utilization and stability must be given adequate attention, the ecological dimension is not only being overlooked but undermined. Learn more or get the full report.

Highlights the potential hazards of carbon dioxide and methane emissions from warming permafrost. Learn more or read the full report .

UNEP's report outlining the dangers caused by current levels of mercury exposure, which was released ahead of the successful negotiations to create a binding commitment on the part of 140 nations to cut mercury emissions.

This booklet presents 24 case studies from 17 countries on grassroots solutions to the impacts of climate change.

Have a look at the latest issue of UNEP's magazine featuring an article by European Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard.

This bulletin highlights the need for more reliable and consistent data about the state of Himalayan glaciers. Learn more.

The third edition of UNEP's Emmissions Gap report launched on the eve of climate change negotiations in Doha. Learn more or read the full report.

The key role that wetlands play in supporting human life and biodiversity needs to be recognized and integrated into decision-making as part of the transition to a resource-efficient, sustainable world economy. Learn more or read the full report.

Newsletter with updates on the sustainable management of mangrove plantations in Central America. In Spanish.

This report shows that despite the growing number of nature reserves, national parks and other protected areas across the globe, half of the world's richest biodiversity zones remain entirely unprotected. Read more or view the full report.

Analysis of the unprecedented imapcts of climate change on Island communities in the Pacific Ocean. Learn more or read the full report .

TUNZA: Acting for a Better World is a report produced by and for youth, which builds on UNEP's GEO 5 report and examines whether environmental targets are being met, and what is being done by young people to try and make sure they will be. Full report.

News and Events by CCRES February 09, 2013

2013-02-09T20:41:00.002+01:00

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources

News and Events February 09, 2013

Thirteen Major Companies Join Energy Department's Charging Challenge

The Energy Department announced on January 31 that 13 major U.S. employers and eight stakeholder groups have joined the new Workplace Charging Challenge to help expand access to workplace charging stations across the country. The Workplace Charging Challenge is a collaborative effort to increase the number of U.S. employers offering workplace charging by tenfold in the next five years. The first 13 employers have signed the Workplace Charging Pledge as partners, including 3M, the Chrysler Group, Duke Energy, Eli Lilly and Company, the Ford Motor Company, General Electric, General Motors, Google, Nissan, the San Diego Gas & Electric Company, Siemens, Tesla Motors, and Verizon. The pledge commits each partner organization to assess workforce charging demands for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and to develop and implement a plan to install workplace charging infrastructure for at least one major worksite location.

Eight stakeholder organizations also have signed the Ambassador Pledge to develop and execute plans to support and promote the workplace charging initiative, including: the California PEV Collaborative, CALSTART, the Electric Drive Transportation Association, the Electrification Coalition, the International Parking Institute, NextEnergy, Plug In America, and the Rocky Mountain Institute. The Energy Department will provide technical assistance and establish a forum for partners and ambassadors to share information.

The Workplace Charging Challenge supports the broader efforts of the Department's EV Everywhere Grand Challenge, announced by President Obama in March 2012, to make PEVs as affordable and convenient for American families as gasoline-powered vehicles within the next 10 years. As part of the announcement, the Department released the EV Everywhere Grand Challenge Blueprint, which describes PEV technology and deployment barriers, as well as steps to move forward in achieving the EV Everywhere goal. See the Energy Department press release and the EV Everywhere Grand Challenge Blueprint and webpage.

Energy Department Invests $9 Million in Data-Driven SunShot Projects

The Energy Department announced on January 30 its selection of seven data-driven projects to unearth new opportunities for reducing solar energy costs and accelerating solar energy deployment in the United States. The Department will invest about $9 million in the seven projects, located in six states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Texas. The projects are part of the SunShot Initiative, a collaborative national effort to make solar energy cost-competitive with other forms of energy by the end of the decade.

For four of the projects, the Energy Department will provide $7 million to research teams led by Sandia National Laboratories, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Yale University, and the University of Texas – Austin (UT-Austin). These teams will partner with public and private financial institutions, utilities, and state agencies to apply statistical and computational tools to solve industry problems and lead regional pilot projects across the country to test the impact and scalability of their innovations.

For example, Yale University researchers will partner with SmartPower's New England Solar Challenge to design and implement innovative strategies that can increase the effectiveness of community-led bulk purchase programs for solar power. The team from the UT-Austin will work with complex datasets from six Texas utilities to better understand customer needs and identify opportunities to streamline installation and interconnection. Similarly, NREL will develop a computational model to analyze data from a network of U.S. solar installers and help identify new types of community- and regional-scale strategies to drive down financing and deployment costs.

The Department will also invest $2 million in three projects led by the University of North Carolina – Charlotte (UNC Charlotte), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and SRI International to analyze decades of scientific publications, patents, and cost and production data. SRI International will develop advanced software that reads and analyzes thousands of scientific publications and patents to discover new ways to speed solar energy technology innovation and commercialization. Meanwhile, MIT and UNC Charlotte will apply computational tools to patent, cost, and production data to speed up solar technology cost reductions and better forecast future cost reductions for new energy technologies. See the Energy Department press release and the full list of projects.

AWEA: Wind Power Leads New U.S. Generating Capacity in 2012

The U.S. wind energy industry had its strongest year ever in 2012, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) announced on January 30. The industry installed a record 13,124 megawatts (MW) of U.S. electric generating capacity last year, achieving over 60,000 MW of cumulative wind capacity, enough to power almost 15 million homes. The annual total far surpasses the previous record of 10,000 MW installed in 2010. For the first time, wind energy became the number one source of new U.S. electric generating capacity, providing 42% of all new generating capacity.

In last year's fourth quarter alone, 8,380 MW were installed, making it the strongest quarter in U.S. wind power history. AWEA noted that this was due in large part to impending expiration of the federal Production Tax Credit. It was slated to end on December 31, 2012, but was extended by Congress as part of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012.

The top 10 states for new capacity installations in 2012, in order, were Texas (1,826 MW), California (1,656 MW), Kansas (1,440 MW), Oklahoma (1,127 MW), Illinois (823 MW), Iowa (814 MW), Oregon (640 MW), Michigan (611 MW), Pennsylvania (550 MW), and Colorado (496 MW). The Golden State regained its position as the second largest state in installed wind capacity, surpassing Iowa, which had been number two since 2008. California achieved the 5,000-MW milestone in wind capacity, following Texas, and alongside Iowa. See the AWEA press release.

DOE Announces New Funding to Develop Biomass Supply Chain Technologies

The Energy Department on January 28 announced about $6 million for projects that will develop and demonstrate supply-chain technologies to affordably deliver commercial-scale lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks such as woody plant tissue to biorefineries across the country. This funding will help accelerate the development of integrated, cost-effective supply-chain systems that reduce time and costs to produce biofuels for cars, trucks, and airplanes.

The Department will make available about $6 million this year for one to two multi-year projects. All selected projects will require a cost share contribution by the grant recipient, including 20% for research and development activities and 50% for demonstration activities. See the Energy Department Progress Alert and the full funding announcement.

Energy Department Expands Technical Assistance for Tribal Energy Projects

The Energy Department on January 30 announced the second round of the Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) Program, which provides federally recognized Tribal governments with technical assistance to accelerate clean energy project deployment. Additionally, the Energy Department plans to seek information from tribes interested in launching or expanding utility services in their own communities, which will help establish a new START Utility Program (START-UP). Additional details on this effort will be available on the Office of Indian Energy website in the coming weeks.

Over the past year, the START program has helped nine Tribal communities advance their clean energy technology and infrastructure projects, from solar and wind to biofuels and energy efficiency. The second round of technical assistance awards will build upon the initial successes of the START program and further help Native American and Alaska Native communities increase local generation capacity, enhance energy-efficiency measures, and create local entrepreneurial and job opportunities. In the contiguous United States, Energy Department and national laboratory experts will provide technical assistance on tribes' clean energy project development. In Alaska, the Energy Department and the Denali Commission will help rural Alaska Native communities conduct energy awareness and training programs and pursue new renewable energy and energy efficiency opportunities. Applications are due by March 15, 2013. See the Energy Department press release and the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs webpage.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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

Letter from Secretary Steven Chu to Energy Department Employees Announces His Decision Not to Serve a Second Term

In a letter to Energy Department employees on February 1, Energy Secretary Steven Chu highlighted the tremendous progress of the last four years and announced his decision to not serve a second term as Secretary. Text of the letter is below.

Dear Colleagues:

Serving the country as Secretary of Energy, and working alongside such an extraordinary team of people at the Department, has been the greatest privilege of my life. While the job has had many challenges, it has been an exciting time for the Department, the country, and for me personally.

I’ve always been inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, who articulated his Dream of an America where people are judged not by skin color but “by the content of their character.” In the scientific world, people are judged by the content of their ideas. Advances are made with new insights, but the final arbitrator of any point of view are experiments that seek the unbiased truth, not information cherry picked to support a particular point of view. The power of our work is derived from this foundation.

For the rest of Secretary Chu's letter, see the Energy Blog.

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

Earth Protect

2013-02-05T08:22:00.000+01:00

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources proudly presents Earth Protect

Air Pollution

Air pollution, both indoors and outdoors, is a major environmental health problem affecting everyone in developed and developing countries alike. The 2005 WHO Air quality guidelines (AQGs) are designed to offer global guidance on reducing the health impacts of air pollution. The guidelines first produced in 19871 and updated in 19972 had a European scope. The new (2005) guidelines apply worldwide and are based on expert evaluation of current scientific evidence. They recommend revised limits for the concentration of selected air pollutants: particulate matter (PM), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2), applicable across all WHO regions.

Key facts

Air pollution is a major environmental risk to health. By reducing air pollution levels, we can help countries reduce the global burden of disease from respiratory infections, heart disease, and lung cancer.
The lower the levels of air pollution in a city, the better respiratory (both long- and short-term), and cardiovascular health of the population will be.
Indoor air pollution is estimated to cause approximately 2 million premature deaths mostly in developing countries. Almost half of these deaths are due to pneumonia in children under 5 years of age.
Urban outdoor air pollution is estimated to cause 1.3 million deaths worldwide per year. Those living in middle-income countries disproportionately experience this burden.
Exposure to air pollutants is largely beyond the control of individuals and requires action by public authorities at the national, regional and even international levels
The WHO Air quality guidelines represent the most widely agreed and up-to-date assessment of health effects of air pollution, recommending targets for air quality at which the health risks are significantly reduced. The Guidelines indicate that by reducing particulate matter (PM10) pollution from 70 to 20 micrograms per cubic metre, we can cut air quality related deaths by around 15%.

Air Pollution in China (videos on earthprotect.com)

Hazardous Air Quality Forces Beijing Residents Indoors

Enormous clouds of pollution cover skies in Beijing, China, now deemed the Air-Pocalypse.

Beijing's air quality plummets again

A thick grey pall hangs over Beijing's Tiananmen Square on Monday, blocking out much of the sunlight.

Air pollution in China

Thick air pollution fog blankets Chinese capital

Beijing residents are reaching for their face masks

From The Earth Protect Blogs

Not "Sustainability" but "Value" and "Innovation"

by Greg Lavery, Lavery and Pennell

The term "sustainability" has a confusing number of definitions. Leading companies have
realized that sustainability is really all about capturing non-traditional areas of value – financial, social and environmental – which all add to the success of a company. In these tight economic times, companies have little appetite for feel-good projects. Now it is about ROI and many of the topics traditionally discussed under the heading "sustainability" are being reframed as cost reduction, revenue growth, risk reduction, and innovation for growth programs.
read more...

Why “Go Big or Go Home” Doesn’t Work

by Cindy Jennings

The pressure to “See the Big Picture”, “Go Big or Go Home”, and to “Think Bigger” is prevalent across both pop culture and business culture. No wonder it is difficult for us to feel okay about taking any kind of small action or step toward our BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal). Anything small isn’t good enough.
read more...

Earth Protect Welcomes New Team Members

Morgan Rider

Morgan Rider is an environmental engineer with over 20 years experience helping public and private sector organizations manage environmental impacts, risks and costs. She worked with companies such as BMW North America, Xerox, Sutter Home Wines, Nike, LSI Logic and Ball Aerospace helping to develop and implement strategies and programs to reduce their environmental footprint.
read more...

Dena New

Dena New is an International Master of Business Administration (IMBA) candidate at Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver. Focusing her studies on finance and sustainability, she is passionate about the use of sustainable business practices in conserving our global future.
read more...

News and Events by CCRES January 30, 2013

2013-01-30T20:51:00.001+01:00

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

News and Events January 30, 2013

Energy Department Offers $12 Million to Accelerate Solar Cell Efficiency

The Energy Department on January 25 announced a new $12 million funding opportunity to develop innovative, ultra-efficient solar devices that will help close the gap with the theoretical efficiency limit. That limit is defined as the highest potential percentage of sunlight that can be converted directly into electricity. Currently, a sizable gap still exists between the efficiency of laboratory and commercial-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) cells and the predicted maximum efficiencies of different solar cell materials. Accelerating breakthroughs in solar cell conversion efficiency will help continue to lower the overall cost of solar power.

The new initiative—the Foundational Program to Advance Cell Efficiency II (FPACE II)—aims to accelerate record-breaking conversion efficiencies that will close the gap with this theoretical limit for a variety of PV cells, including silicon-based technologies and thin-film materials such as cadmium telluride and copper indium gallium diselenide. The new funding opportunity builds on the SunShot Initiative's FPACE I projects, awarded in September 2011, which are aimed at eliminating the gap between the efficiencies of best prototype cells achieved in the laboratory and the efficiencies of typical cells produced on manufacturing lines.

In the current solicitation, FPACE II seeks proposals from collaborative teams of researchers from national laboratories, universities, and industry that can develop materials model systems and fabricate prototype devices that achieve efficiencies near the theoretical limit. See the Energy Department Progress Alert and the Funding Opportunity Announcement.

Biodiesel Production Tops 1 Billion Gallons in 2012

The U.S. biodiesel industry broke the billion-gallon mark in 2012 for the second consecutive year, according to year-end production figures from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) noted that the total volume of nearly 1.1 billion gallons exceeded the 2011 production by 6 million gallons.

December production totaled just 59 million gallons, the lowest monthly volume of the year. The National Biodiesel Board attributed the production drop to uncertainty over the biodiesel tax incentive. Congress renewed the $1-per-gallon incentive on New Year's Day as part of the so-called "fiscal cliff" legislation. Biodiesel production is reported under the EPA's Biomass-based Diesel category in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The fuel is made from a mix of resources, such as recycled cooking oil, soybean oil, and animal fats. See the NBB press release and the EPA's RFS Web page.

DOI Finalizes Arizona Renewable Energy Zone Plan

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) on January 18 announced that it has designated 192,100 acres of public land across Arizona as potentially suitable for utility-scale solar and wind energy development. The publication of the Record of Decision for this initiative, known as the Restoration Design Energy Project, caps a three-year, statewide environmental analysis of disturbed land and other areas that could accommodate commercial renewable energy projects. The DOI's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) eliminated from consideration lands in Arizona containing sensitive resources requiring protection, such as endangered or threatened wildlife and sites of cultural and historic importance. The plan does not eliminate the need for further environmental review of individual sites.

The Record of Decision also establishes the third solar zone on public lands in Arizona and the eighteenth nationwide: the new 2,550-acre Agua Caliente Solar Energy Zone is located in Yuma County near Dateland, and the BLM estimates that the zone could generate more than 20 megawatts through utility-scale solar projects. The Solar Energy Zones are part of the Obama Administration's efforts to facilitate solar energy development by identifying areas in six states in the West with high solar potential, few resource conflicts, and access to existing or planned transmission. Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah are included in the zones. See the Interior Department press release and the BLM's Record of Decision.

Hybrid Tops Annual "Greenest" Vehicle List

The Toyota Prius C topped the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's (ACEEE) fifteenth annual "Greenest" car ratings in a list released on January 16. The compact, which debuted in the U.S. market last year, had a "Green Score" of 58 in the ACEEE measure of comprehensive eco-performance, which reflects the vehicle's rating of 53 miles per gallon (MPG) in the city and 46 MPG highway. Overall, the list was dominated by hybrid-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and electric vehicles (EV).

Rounding out the top five were the Honda FIT, Prius 1.8 liter, Prius plug-in hybrid, and the Honda Civic hybrid. The Ford Focus with a lithium-ion battery ranked tenth. The Scion IQ and the Mercedes-Benz Smart ForTwo coupe were the only non-hybrid, non-plug-in vehicles on the list.

Fuel economy for EVs is provided in miles per kilowatt-hour, while the rating for plug-in hybrids is provided in MPG for gasoline operation and in miles per kilowatt-hour for electric operation. ACEEE is a nonprofit organization that acts as a catalyst to advance energy efficiency policies, programs, technologies, investments, and behaviors. See the ACEEE press release and the full "Greenest" car list.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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

Keeping America Competitive: Bringing Down the Cost of Small Wind Turbines

How do we stay competitive in the global wind energy market? A key component is continued leadership in manufacturing small wind turbines—those rated at 100 kilowatts or less.

Historically, the United States has been the leading manufacturer of small wind turbines, helping to boost economic growth and create job opportunities. U.S. small wind manufacturers report using 80-85 percent domestic content in their turbines, and the small wind industry represents an estimated 1,600 American jobs. Still, in the increasingly competitive global wind market—our continued leadership in this field is far from guaranteed.

To help U.S. small turbine manufacturers maintain their leading international market position, we’re investing in two projects—led by Maine's Pika Energy and Oklahoma's Bergey Windpower Company—as part of the Energy Department's Small Wind Turbine Competitiveness Improvement Project. This initiative supports manufacturers in their efforts to lower the cost of energy from small turbines by improving their components and upgrading their manufacturing processes. To read the complete story, see the Energy Blog.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

WaterWorld MIDDLE EAST 2013

2013-01-19T08:51:00.000+01:00

CROATIAN CENTER OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES promotes WaterWorld MIDDLE EAST 2013

ATTENTION: Water & Wastewater International Subscribers! - As a reader of the Official Publication of WaterWorld Middle East, we'd like to offer YOU a SPECIAL DISCOUNTED RATE for an Individual Full-Conference Delegate Registration.

REGISTER BY WEDNESDAY, 30 JANUARY & USE
PROMO CODE 'WWMEMAG'...
And SAVE 30%!

Unparalleled Conference:
Global Insight with Regional Applications

WaterWorld Middle East is bringing together some of the most experienced and influential minds in the global water & wastewater industry - under one roof - to discuss the best methods and technology to face the challenges in the region.
Strategic Water Track includes:
- Country Spotlights
- Privatisation Progress
- Water Resource Management
- Desalination - Operational Challenges
- Utililty Management
- Panel Debate: Desalination's Changing Landscape -
Thermal to RO
Water Challenges, Trends & Issues Track includes:
- Consultancy Debate: Emerging Trends
- Wastewater Reuse
- Industrial Water Treatment
- Technology Debate: Wastewater Option & Merits?

Powerful Technical Tours:
An Inside Look At The Region's Best

With two very exciting Technical Tours to choose from, delegates have the priveledge to experience an in-depth look at two of Qatar's cutting-edge facilities.
TOUR 1
Ras Abu Fontas, Power & Desalination Plant:
- The Ras Abu Fontas (RAF) complex of power generation and water desalination plants is Qatar Electricity & Water Company (QEWC)'s largest facility - located 25 km southwest of Doha.
LEARN MORE HERE!
TOUR 2
Qatar Science & Technology Park:
- As the official Technology Partner which champions pioneering industry-based research and development, delegates will have the chance to visit QSTP’s cutting-edge research facilities and technologies which have numerous awards for innovative use of sustainable design features.

Highlights include tour of leading research centres such as QSTP’s ConocoPhillips Water Sustainability Centre, Chevron Centre for Sustainable Energy Efficiency, ExxonMobil Research Qatar and Qatar Shell Research Centre which support Qatar’s sustainable development through research, demonstration and training in power and energy efficiency.
LEARN MORE HERE!

Thank You To Our Supporting Sponsors & Partners

WaterWorld Middle East would like to thank its strategic supporting and partnering organizations, some of the most influential entities in the region.

Under The Patronage Of: Qatar Ministry Of Energy And Industry	Platinum Sponsor: ASHGHAL	Event Partner: ACWUA
Knowledge Partner: Frost & Sullivan	Technology Partner: Qatar Science & Technology Park	Official Airline Partner: Qatar Airlines

YOUR RESOURCES:

GENERAL:
Event Schedule (pdf)
Registration Form (pdf)
Attendee Online Registration
Visa Application Support Letter (pdf)

_______________________

CONFERENCE:
Conference At-A-Glance (pdf)

Full Conference Programme

Invitation To Attend (pdf)

Pre-Conference Brochure (pdf)

Advisory Board List

_______________________

EXHIBIT / SPONSOR:
Exhibitor Prospectus (pdf)
WaterWorld Middle East Floorplan
Sponsorship Brochure (pdf)

_______________________

YOUR CONTACTS:

Conference Manager
Emily Pryor
T: +44 (0) 1992 656 614
F: +44 (0) 1992 656 700
E: emilyp@pennwell.com

Exhibit Sales
(International)
Roy Morris
T: +44 (0) 1992 656 613
F: +44 (0) 1992 656 700
E: rmorris@pennwell.com

Exhibit Sales
(North America)
Bridgett Maddux
T: +1 (918) 831-9130
F: +1 (918) 831-9834
E: bridgettm@pennwell.com

_______________________

JOIN OUR SOCIAL NETWORK TODAY!

Sharing the common goal of energy efficiency and water conservation, it is fitting that WaterWorld Middle East 2013 be held at QNCC, the first green technology venue and the venue of choice in the Middle East.Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)

News and Events by CCRES January 12, 2013

2013-01-12T14:33:00.001+01:00

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

News and Events January 12, 2013

Energy Department Awards $10 Million to Develop Advanced Biofuels

The Energy Department is supporting five projects that will develop new technologies to convert biomass into advanced biofuels and bioproducts.
Credit: Energy Department

The Energy Department on January 3 announced its award of more than $10 million in funding to five projects in California, Maryland, Texas, and Washington that will develop innovative technologies to convert biomass into advanced biofuels and bioproducts. These projects use synthetic biological and chemical techniques to convert biomass into processable sugars that can be transformed into bioproducts and drop-in biofuels for cars, trucks, and planes.

Two of these projects will develop cost-effective ways to produce intermediates from the deconstruction of lignocellulose, a structural material that comprises much of the mass of plants. Biofuel intermediates are biomass-based products that can be treated as commodities and passed from a producer to a refiner through the supply chain, before being processed into biofuel. Three projects will propose new conversion techniques to transform biomass intermediates into advanced biofuels and bioproducts. See the Energy Department Progress Alert.

Energy Department Invests $9 Million for Home Energy-Saving Products

The Energy Department on December 21 announced a $9 million investment in building envelope technologies, including high-efficiency, high-performance windows; roofs; and heating and cooling equipment. The new investment supports six advanced manufacturing projects in California, Connecticut, Idaho, Maryland, Missouri, and Tennessee that advance whole-home energy performance.

The investment includes about $6.5 million awarded to four projects to develop highly efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, and about $3 million awarded to two projects that focus on building envelope materials. For example, St. Louis, Missouri-based Unico will receive $2 million to develop a cold-climate heat pump with a variable-speed compressor that will maintain capacity and efficiency, even at very low temperatures. The Department's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will develop and test highly insulated, easy-to-install windows that use automated shading and can capture or repel heat, depending on the season. See the Energy Department press release.

Renewable Energy Tax Credits Extended

The Production Tax Credit (PTC) and the investment tax credits will be extended through the end of the year under the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which was passed by Congress on January 1, 2013, and signed into law on January 2 by President Obama. The extension of the PTC, included in the bill to avert the so-called "fiscal cliff," would apply to all U.S. wind projects that start construction in 2013. In addition to the PTC, the law also covers investment tax credits for community and offshore wind projects.

The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said the incentives will allow continued growth for wind energy. Last year, the amount of wind energy installed in the United States comprised a record-setting 44% of all new U.S. electrical generating capacity, according to the Energy Information Administration and AWEA. See the White House Blog, the White House American Taxpayer Relief Act fact sheet, and the AWEA press release.

The law also includes geothermal, biomass, and hydropower tax credits as well as a range of other energy efficiency and renewable energy credits. For example, the law extends the biodiesel tax incentive for 2012 and 2013, which expired on December 31, 2011. The $1-per-gallon biodiesel tax incentive was first implemented in 2005. According to a study conducted by Cardno ENTRIX, a consulting firm, the biofuel industry would support more than 112,000 jobs nationally in 2013 with the tax credit in place versus nearly 82,000 without it. See press releases from the National Biodiesel Board and the Geothermal Energy Association.

Also, the measure provides one-year tax credits for energy-efficient additions such as exterior windows, doors, and skylights which are eligible for the non-business energy property tax credit; alternative-fuel-vehicle refueling stations; a $2,500 tax credit for two-wheeled or three-wheeled plug-in electric vehicles; and construction of energy-efficient new homes and the purchase of energy-efficient appliances. See the text of the bill.

Rooftop Solar Challenge II Gets $12 Million Energy-Department Backing

The Energy Department on December 20 announced $12 million in new funding for the Rooftop Solar Challenge II, which will support projects that make solar energy businesses more efficient. The funding opportunity builds on the success of 2011's Rooftop Solar Challenge and is part of the Department's broader efforts to spur solar power deployment by making it easier, faster, and cheaper to finance and install solar energy systems.

The challenges are aimed at streamlining and standardizing local permitting, zoning, metering, and connection processes and improving finance options to lower costs for residential and small commercial rooftop solar energy systems. Through the first round, 22 regional teams have worked to dramatically reduce the non-hardware or soft costs of solar. This has included standardizing installation and permitting fees across multiple jurisdictions, establishing group purchasing discounts, and expanding online permitting. These soft costs can comprise 40% of the cost of going solar. The teams selected for round two, which may include teams selected in the first round, will be evaluated throughout a two-and-a-half-year project period using solar market maturity models developed by the Department's SunShot Initiative. See the Energy Department Progress Alert.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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

Pinpointing America's Geothermal Resources with Open Source Data

When it comes to harnessing America's vast geothermal energy resources, knowing where to look is half the battle.

Geothermal energy—the heat contained within the earth—represents a growing part of the country's clean energy mix. Still, for continued growth of this industry, gaining easy access to reliable, comprehensive geothermal data remains a critical barrier.

To help solve this challenge, the Energy Department is partnering with the Arizona Geological Survey—among other public and private sector contributors—to create the National Geothermal Data System at www.geothermaldata.org. This interactive, open source database provides project developers and other industry partners with the critical information they need to cut the time in identifying and developing new production areas and to reduce upfront discovery costs. For the complete story, see the Energy Blog.

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

ACE USA : the Right Risk Partner Makes the Difference

2013-01-09T18:49:00.001+01:00

Renewable Energy: the Right Risk Partner Makes the Difference
ACE USA has released a white paper exploring the insurance and risk management issues facing the renewable energy industry during project development. This new report explains the importance of effective and proactive risk management strategies, throughout a project lifecycle.
To access the whitepaper click here.

For more question about the white paper and more information about ACE Custom Casualty Energy and its range of products and services, please contact:
Darren Small
Vice President and Underwriting Manager
ACE Custom Casualty Energy

www.acegroup.com/us

Multaqa Qatar 2013

2013-01-07T11:07:00.000+01:00

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES) shares to you Multaqa Qatar 2013
The leading MENA risk and insurance forum
11 – 12 March 2013, Ritz Carlton, Doha

Hosted by the Qatar Financial Centre Authority and organised by Global Reinsurance, Multaqa Qatar 2013 is the Middle East’s leading risk and insurance event.

Now in its seventh year, Multaqa Qatar combines a world-class business conference with an integrated networking programme bringing together over 450 international insurance executives to meet and do business.

If you have business operations in the GCC or are looking to expand into the region Multaqa Qatar 2013 is a must attend event. What's more, attendance is complimentary - by invitation only.
If you have not yet applied for your invitation, we strongly recommend that you do this in the next few weeks to avoid disappointment. We will shortly be closing registration for 2013.
With just over 8 weeks to go, the online Qatar Club Room is now open. Our delegation are now using the Meeting Scheduler to make contact with each other, ahead of the event. Once you have registered and been approved, you can also take full advantage of this service.
Who is attending?
Over 250 senior executives have already confirmed their participation at Multaqa Qatar 2013. With a limited number of places available make sure your company is represented at this important event. Here are just some of the companies who have confirmed their attendance:

Aon • AQR • Apex Insurance • ACR • ARIG • Aspen Re • AXA Insurance • Bahrain National Insurance • Bahrain Kuwait Insurance • Echo Re • Gen Re • General Takaful • Hannover Re • IAT Reinsurance • JLT • Lockton • Marsh • Miller • Misr • MNK Re • Munich Re • Oman Insurance • Partner Re • Protection Insurance • Q-Re • QIC • RFIB • Saudi Re • SEIB • Swiss Re • Takaful Re • T'azur • Trans Re Zurich • Trust Re • United Insurance Brokers • Willis • Zarish Sal

Click here to apply for your invitation today if you have not yet confirmed your attendance.

Contact:

Registration/delegate enquires
Debbie Kidman, Head of Events, Global Reinsurance
Tel: 0044 20 7618 3094 Debbie.kidman@globalreinsurance.com

Speaker enquiries
Jane Wicks, Programme Designer, Global Reinsurance
Jane.wicks@globalreinsurance.com

Exhibiting
William Sanders, Publisher, Global Reinsurance
William.sanders@globalreinsurance.com

Business and leisure programme
Multaqa Qatar 2013 carefully combines an outstanding conference agenda with ample opportunities for meetings and networking activities. Click here for the full business programme.

Meeting Zone
Multaqa Qatar 2013 also incorporates the GR Meeting Zone and online meeting scheduler helping you to connect with other attendees before, during and after the event.

Keynote presentations
This year's event features a line up of international speakers including:

	Chris O'Kane Chief executive officer, Aspen Group
	Ashok Kumar Roy Chairman-cum-Managing Director, GIC
	Christoph Schwager Chief Risk Officer, EADS

Nutrient data for Spirulina

2012-12-28T18:10:00.000+01:00

CCRES Spirulina, raw

Nutrient	Unit	Value per 100.0g
Proximates
Water	g	90.67
Energy	kcal	26
Protein	g	5.92
Total lipid (fat)	g	0.39
Carbohydrate, by difference	g	2.42
Fiber, total dietary	g	0.4
Sugars, total	g	0.30
Minerals
Calcium, Ca	mg	12
Iron, Fe	mg	2.79
Magnesium, Mg	mg	19
Phosphorus, P	mg	11
Potassium, K	mg	127
Sodium, Na	mg	98
Zinc, Zn	mg	0.20
Vitamins
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid	mg	0.9
Thiamin	mg	0.222
Riboflavin	mg	0.342
Niacin	mg	1.196
Vitamin B-6	mg	0.034
Folate, DFE	µg	9
Vitamin B-12	µg	0.00
Vitamin A, RAE	µg	3
Vitamin A, IU	IU	56
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)	mg	0.49
Vitamin D (D2 + D3)	µg	0.0
Vitamin D	IU	0
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)	µg	2.5
Lipids
Fatty acids, total saturated	g	0.135
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	g	0.034
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	g	0.106

CCRES Spirulina, dried

Nutrient	Unit	Value per 100.0g	cup 112g	tablespoon 7g
Proximates
Water	g	4.68	5.24	0.33
Energy	kcal	290	325	20
Protein	g	57.47	64.37	4.02
Total lipid (fat)	g	7.72	8.65	0.54
Carbohydrate, by difference	g	23.90	26.77	1.67
Fiber, total dietary	g	3.6	4.0	0.3
Sugars, total	g	3.10	3.47	0.22
Minerals
Calcium, Ca	mg	120	134	8
Iron, Fe	mg	28.50	31.92	2.00
Magnesium, Mg	mg	195	218	14
Phosphorus, P	mg	118	132	8
Potassium, K	mg	1363	1527	95
Sodium, Na	mg	1048	1174	73
Zinc, Zn	mg	2.00	2.24	0.14
Vitamins
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid	mg	10.1	11.3	0.7
Thiamin	mg	2.380	2.666	0.167
Riboflavin	mg	3.670	4.110	0.257
Niacin	mg	12.820	14.358	0.897
Vitamin B-6	mg	0.364	0.408	0.025
Folate, DFE	µg	94	105	7
Vitamin B-12	µg	0.00	0.00	0.00
Vitamin A, RAE	µg	29	32	2
Vitamin A, IU	IU	570	638	40
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)	mg	5.00	5.60	0.35
Vitamin D (D2 + D3)	µg	0.0	0.0	0.0
Vitamin D	IU	0	0	0
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)	µg	25.5	28.6	1.8
Lipids
Fatty acids, total saturated	g	2.650	2.968	0.186
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	g	0.675	0.756	0.047
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	g	2.080	2.330	0.146
Cholesterol	mg	0	0	0

CCRES special thanks to US National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference

CCRES ALGAE PROJECT
part of
Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)