Post Tagged with: "DOE"

Publication Alert: Annual Energy Outlook – 2011

May 10, 2011 at 7:10 pm

(Source:  U.S. Energy Administration Information)

Shown below is a copy of the recently released Annual Energy Outlook 2011.  The projections in the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Annual Energy Outlook 2011 (AEO2011) focus on the factors that shape the U.S. energy system over the long term. Under the assumption that current laws and regulations remain unchanged throughout the projections, theAEO2011 Reference case provides the basis for examination and discussion of energy production, consumption, technology, and market trends and the direction they may take in the future. It also serves as a starting point for analysis of potential changes in energy policies. But AEO2011 is not limited to the Reference case. It also includes 57 sensitivity cases  which explore important areas of uncertainty for markets, technologies, and policies in the U.S. energy economy.

The report’s section on Transportation offers quite a bit of information and I felt the readers would benefit quite a bit.. Take a look.

Growth in transportation energy use slower than historical trend

From 2009 to 2035, transportation sector energy consumption grows at an average annual rate of 0.6 percent (from 27.2 quadrillion Btu to 31.8 quadrillion Btu), slower than the 1.2 percent average rate from 1975 to 2009. The slower growth is a result of changing demographics, increased LDV fuel economy, and saturation of personal travel demand.

figure dataEnergy demand for LDVs increases by 10 percent, or 1.7 quadrillion Btu (1.3 million barrels per day), from 2009 to 2035 (Figure 71). Moderate growth in fuel prices compared with recent history and rising real disposable income combine to increase annual vehicle miles traveled (VMT), although personal travel demand increases at a slower rate than historically. Growth in delivered energy consumption by LDVs is tempered by more stringent standards for vehicle GHG emissions through model year (MY) 2016 and fuel economy through MY 2020. Energy demand for heavy-duty vehicles (including primarily freight trucks but also buses) increases by 48 percent, or 2.2 quadrillion Btu (1.0 million barrels per day), as a result of increased freight travel demand as industrial output grows and the fuel economy of heavy-duty vehicles shows only marginal improvement.

Energy demand for air travel increases by 16 percent, or 0.4 quadrillion Btu (0.2 million barrels per day). Growth in air travel is driven by increases in income and moderate growth in fuel costs, tempered by gains in aircraft fuel efficiency, while growth in air freight movement (caused by export growth) also increases fuel use by aircraft. Energy consumption for marine and rail travel increases as industrial output rises and demand for coal transport grows. Energy use for pipelines stays flat as increasing volumes of natural gas are produced closer to end-use markets.

CAFE and greenhouse gas emissions standards boost vehicle fuel economy

After the introduction of corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards in 1978, the fuel economy for all LDVs increased from 19.9 miles per gallon (mpg) in 1978 to 26.2 in 1987. Despite continued technological improvement, fuel economy fell to between 24 and 26 mpg over the next two decades, with sales of light trucks increasing from about 20 percent of new LDV sales in 1980 to 55 percent in 2004 [88]. From 2004 to 2008, fuel prices increased, sales of light trucks slowed, and tighter fuel economy standards for light-duty trucks were introduced. As a result, average fuel economy for LDVs rose to 28.0 mpg in 2008.

figure dataThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) introduced new attribute-based CAFE standards for MY 2011 LDVs in 2009, and in 2010 NHTSA and The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) jointly announced CAFE and GHG emissions standards for MY 2012 to MY 2016. EISA2007 also requires that LDVs reach an average fuel economy of 35 mpg by MY 2020 [89]. In the Reference case, the average fuel economy of new LDVs (including credits for alternative fueled vehicles and banked credits) rises to 29.8 mpg in 2011, 33.3 mpg in 2016, and 35.8 mpg in 2020 (Figure 72). After 2020, CAFE standards for LDVs remain constant in the Reference case, and LDV fuel economy increases only moderately, to 37.8 mpg in 2035.

In the Reference case, cars represent 65 percent of LDV sales in 2035, compared with 69 percent in the High Oil Price case and 55 percent in the Low Oil Price case. The economics of fuel-saving technologies improve in the High Technology and High Oil Price cases, but the effects on average fuel economy relative to the Reference case are tempered by the fact that CAFE standards already require significant improvement in fuel economy performance and the penetration of advanced technologies.

Travel demand for personal vehicles increases more slowly than in the past

Personal vehicle travel demand, measured as VMT per licensed driver, grew at an average annual rate of 1.1 percent between 1970 to 2007, driven by rising income, a decline in the cost of driving per mile (determined by both fuel economy and fuel price), and demographic changes (such as women fully entering the workforce). Since 2007, VMT per licensed driver has declined slightly because of the sudden spike in the cost of driving per mile followed by the economic downturn. However, VMT per licensed driver begins to grow again in the Reference case, but at a more moderate average annual rate of 0.6 percent, reaching over 15,280 miles in 2035 (Figure 73).

figure dataThe projected growth in VMT per licensed driver results from a return to rising real disposable personal income, which increases by 90 percent between 2009 and 2035. While motor gasoline prices rise by 60 percent over the period, faster income growth ensures that the impact on travel demand is blunted by a reduction in the percentage of income spent on fuel. In addition, the effect of rising fuel costs is moderated by a 30-percent improvement in new vehicle fuel economy following the implementation of more stringent GHG and CAFE standards for LDVs.

Several demographic forces also play a role in moderating the growth in VMT per licensed driver despite the rise in real disposable income. Although LDV sales increase through 2035, the number of vehicles per licensed driver remains relatively constant (at just over 1). In addition, unemployment remains above pre-recession levels in the Reference case until late in the projection period, further tempering the increase in personal travel demand.

New technologies promise better vehicle fuel efficiency

The market adoption of advanced technologies in conventional vehicles facilitates the improvement in fuel economy that is necessary to meet more stringent CAFE standards through MY 2020 and reduce fuel costs thereafter. In the AEO2011 Reference case, the CAFE compliance of new LDVs rises from 29.1 mpg in 2009 to 35.8 mpg in 2020 and 37.8 mpg in 2035, due in part to greater penetration of unconventionally fueled vehicles and in part to the addition of individual technologies in conventional vehicles (Figure 74).

figure dataIn 2035, advanced drag reduction, which provides fuel economy improvements by reducing vehicle air resistance at higher speeds, is implemented in 98 percent of new LDVs. In addition, with the adoption of light-weight materials through material substitution, the average weights of new cars and light trucks decline by 4.9 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively, from 2009 to 2035, providing additional improvements in fuel economy.

Advanced transmission technologies also improve fuel economy by improving the efficiency of vehicle drive trains. Aggressive shift logic is used in 73 percent of new LDVs in 2035; and other advanced technologies, such as continuously variable, automated manual, and six-speed transmissions, are installed in 56 percent of new conventional vehicles.

Engine technologies that reduce fuel consumption also penetrate the market for new vehicles. Cylinder deactivation and turbocharging reach penetrations of 31 and 14 percent, respectively, in 2035. Electrification of accessories such as pumps and power steering, which also increases fuel economy, is implemented in 19 percent of new LDVs in 2035.

Unconventional vehicle technologies exceed 40 percent of new sales in 2035

Unconventional vehicles (those that use diesel, alternative fuels, and/or hybrid electric systems) play a significant role in meeting more stringent fuel economy standards and offering fuel savings in the face of relatively higher fuel prices, growing from 15 percent of new vehicle sales in 2009 to 42 percent by 2035 in the AEO2011 Reference case.

figure dataFlex-fuel vehicles (FFVs), which can use blends of ethanol up to 85 percent, represent the largest share of unconventional LDV sales in 2035, at 19 percent of total new vehicle sales and 47 percent of unconventional vehicle sales (Figure 75). Manufacturers selling FFVs currently receive incentives in the form of fuel economy credits earned for CAFE compliance through MY 2016. FFVs also play a critical role in meeting the RFS for biofuels.

Sales of electric and hybrid vehicles that use stored electric energy grow considerably in the Reference case. Micro hybrids, which use start/stop technology to manage engine operation while at idle, account for 8 percent of all conventional gasoline vehicle sales by 2035, the largest share for vehicles that use electric storage. Gasoline-electric and diesel-electric hybrid vehicles account for 5 percent of total LDV sales and 13 percent of unconventional vehicle sales in 2035, and plug-in and all-electric hybrid vehicles account for 3 percent of LDV sales and 8 percent of unconventional vehicle sales. Sales of diesel vehicles also increase, to 5 percent of total LDV sales and 13 percent of unconventional vehicle sales in 2035. Light duty natural gas vehicles account for less than 0.1 percent of new vehicle sales throughout the projection due to their high incremental cost and limited fuel infrastructure.

Click here to read the Executive Summary and the rest of the details

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Disturbing News from Department of Energy – Audit Cites Nuclear Weapons Drivers Got Drunk (sometimes?!) on Job

November 22, 2010 at 8:52 pm

(source: Washington Post’s Federal Eye)

This is very disconcerting, to say the least. But I’m glad at ths ame time they are working to fix the problem.

Federal agents responsible for driving nuclear weapons and other sensitive materials sometimes got drunk and were detained by police while on the job, according to a new watchdog report.

A report released Monday by the Energy Department’s Office of Inspector General found 16 alcohol-related incidents between 2007 and 2009 involving personnel with the National Nuclear Security Administration‘s Office of Surface Transportation (OST). About 600 OST agents are responsible for safely transporting or shipping nuclear weapons and other materials across the country.

Two incidents involved extended overnight missions where OST agents parked convoy vehicles in safe harbor before checking in at nearby hotels, the report said. In separate incidents, an agent was arrested in 2007 for public intoxication while two agents were handcuffed and temporarily detained by police officers in 2009, according to the report.

Click here to read the entire story.

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Cash for Clunkers Update: $2B Additional Funding Taken from Renewable Energy Loan Guarantee Program

August 8, 2009 at 11:09 am

(Source: Green Car Congress, CNN & Streetsblog)

On Friday, President Obama signed into law H.R. 3435, which provides $2 billion FY 2009 emergency supplemental appropriations for the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Program (Cash-for-Clunkers, C4C).

The additional $2 billion for the supplementary funding to keep the C4C program going is being transferred from the amount made available for Department of Energy–Energy Programs—Title 17—Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program in title IV of division A of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).

One of the arguments in favor of passing the bill prior to the Senate showdown, that offering $2 billion in extra “clunkers” cash would not amount to deficit spending, stems from Democratic leaders’ decision to shift the funds over from a Department of Energy (DoE) loan guarantee program.

That strategy was designed to appeal to fiscal hawks who would have a difficult time voting to add to the already trillion-dollar federal deficit. Indeed. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) already put her leaders on notice (via Twitter) that she could only vote yes on “clunkers” if no new money was spent.

But the DoE loans in question were approved to encourage the development of alternative energy and biofuels, two “green job” creators that have influential allies on Capitol Hill. Senate Energy Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) is already criticizing the shift as a raid on the clean-energy pot, and Renewable Fuels Association chief Bob Dineen said he wants Congress to promptly put the $2 billion back home at the DoE:

The ethanol industry understands the trying economic times this country finds itself in and thus supports ideas like the “cash for clunkers” program, but is concerned to see the program paid for by depleting the renewable energy loan guarantee program. We hope Congress will move quickly to replenish the fund. One of the advantages of the “cash for clunkers” program is putting more fuel efficient cars on the road, however those new cars should also be running on renewable fuels like ethanol in order to benefit both the changing climate and the domestic economy. For the U.S. long term auto and fuel needs, it seems counterproductive to limit the renewable fuels industry.

We support the efforts to improve fuel efficiency, and this program is a good step. But it should not come at the expense of technologies that will lead America away from petroleum all together. We strongly encourage Congress to replace the $2 billion borrowed at the first possible opportunity.

Replenishing the DoE fund would take place in a separate vote later this year, however, making it easier for lawmakers to claim they’re not adding to the deficit with this week’s “clunkers” vote.

“It has proved to be a highly successful vehicle marketing tool,” said Tim Evans, energy analyst for Citi Futures Perspective in New York. “But you would need a microscope to see the demand impact for gasoline from this program because it involves a relatively small number of vehicles.”

The Reuters estimate assumes an average upgrade in fuel efficiency of 10 miles per gallon, which is in line with initial auto industry statistics on new trade-ins.

Click here to read the entire article.

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Toyota Advanced Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle Achieves 431 Mile Estimated Range; Toyota Targeting Commercialization Within Six Years

August 7, 2009 at 11:02 pm

(Source: Green Car Congress)

The Toyota Highlander Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle – Advanced (FCHV-adv) (earlier post) achieved an estimated range of 431 miles on a single full tank of compressed hydrogen gas, and an average fuel economy of 68.3 miles/kg (approximate mpg equivalent) during a day-long trip down the southern California coast.

In mid-2008, the US Department of Energy (DOE), Savannah River National Laboratory (SNRL) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), approached Toyota to participate in a collaborative evaluation of the real world driving range of the FCHV-adv. On 30 June 2009, two fuel cell vehicles, two Toyota Technical Center engineers, an SRNL engineer and a NREL engineer completed a 331.5 mile extended round trip drive between Torrance, California and San Diego.

The drive began at TMS headquarters in Torrance, traveled north to Santa Monica, turned south to San Diego and finally retraced the route back to Torrance. The route encompassed a variety of drive cycles, including high speed highway driving, moderate highway driving and stop and go traffic on surface streets, in an effort to capture a typical commute. Each vehicle was outfitted with a data collection system that captured vehicle speed, distance traveled, hydrogen consumed, hydrogen tank pressure, temperature and internal tank volume.

For comparison, the 2009 Toyota Highland Hybrid achieves an EPA-estimated rating of 26 mpg combined fuel economy and has a full-tank range of approximately 450 miles. With premium grade gasoline currently priced at about $3.25, the gasoline-powered V6 Highlander hybrid is estimated to travel approximately 26 miles at a cost of about $3.25. Currently, hydrogen gas pricing is not fixed, but DOE targets future pricing at $2 to $3 per kilogram. Therefore, Toyota estimated the FCHV-adv to travel approximately 68 miles at a projected cost of about $2.50 – more than double the range of the Highlander Hybrid, at equal or lesser cost, while producing zero emissions.

Click here to read the entire article.
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National lab wants to save seven billions gallons of gasoline/year spent on running A/C in American cars

June 29, 2009 at 11:24 pm

(Source: Wired)

Image Courtesy: Apture

Seven billion gallons of gasoline. That’s how much fuel America consumes each year just running the air conditioning in their cars. And don’t think riding with the windows down is the answer; the Mythbusters have long since debunked that solution.

That’s 5.5 percent of the country’s fuel use, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says auto air conditioning contributes more than 58 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Factor in a 50 million additional tons of CO2 due to refrigerant leakage and you have a environmentally unhealthy result that no American would be proud of.

In the age of gaining independence from oil and seeking responsible consumption, the Department of Energy (DOE) has funded the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) to seek solutions to make air conditioning and other similar ancillary systems more efficient. The findings of this research can help automakers hit President Obama’s target for increased average fuel efficiency and put a dent in the carbon footprint of American cars. Research on cabin cooling efficiency is aimed at three areas:

  • System View: A full system analysis and redesign of the vehicle cabin thermodynamics using UV glass coatings, insulation and electrically driven compressors vs. traditional belt driven units
  • Efficient Delivery: Using more direct delivery methods such as low-mass seats, ventilated, and thermo-electrically cooled seats. The approach – Why make the whole cabin comfortable when your aims are only to make the passengers comfortable?
  • High Risk Research: Investigating ways to turn waste heat and ambient noise, generated by an engine, into usable energy. Thermal acoustics, for instance, uses sound waves to transform heat into usable electricity.

What’s in it for the OEMs and to us – the consumers? Here are some of the reasons:

  • The Obama Administration plans to increase the average fuel efficiency of America’s cars from 27.5 mpg to 35.5 mpg within seven years. It also requires automakers to curb tailpipe emissions by 40 percent. Given the impact air conditioning and other ancillary systems has on fuel consumption, any improvements in that area will be embraced by automakers.
  • Air conditioning systems have a big impact on hybrid and electric vehicles. In a typical gasoline vehicle, the air conditioning will cut your fuel efficiency 15 to 20 percent. But in a hybrid, it can cut the effective fuel efficiency and range by 15 to 35 percent. Increasing the efficiency of the cooling system could boost fuel economy and range.
  • The UK’s ban of hydrofluorocarbon-134a (HFC-134a) gas, more commonly known as the stuff that makes your A/C work. Because HFC-134a is a known greenhouse gas, the ban could lead to the use of less-efficient alternatives as was the case when the U.S. banned CFCs. The UK ban was adopted in 2004 and takes effect early next year.

The National Renewable Energy laboratory says its work, if it is implemented by the auto industry, could save us 3 billion gallons of gas a year.

Click here to read the entire article.

TransportGooru Musings:  The OEMs are already cranking up their own research and the market is seeing a glimpse of what’s been cooking in the labs thus far.  The Energy Department in December awarded $4.2 million to Ford and $2.3 million to General Motors to help them develop thermoelectric climate control systems. From the Japanese stable, the latest model of Toyota Prius features an solar electric panel on the roof that powers the air-conditioning, saving on gallons of gasoline that most cars use to power the A/C.   The solar panels on the roof of the new Prius model will provide 2 to 5 kilowatts of electricity, enough to power the A/C fan, making it a wonderful option for folks living in hot climate zones.  Wanna know what’s even more fun?  You can activate the A/C  from inside your house (actually, anywhere within 30 ft radius) remotely using your key fob, making the car cool and comfortable when are ready to climb into it for your saturday afternoon shopping trip.  You don’t have to dread getting into your car anymore after leading it outside in your drive baked under the sun.  Not forget, Toyota made an awesome commercial showing off this new feature, which you can check it out here.

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U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu rules out raising petrol prices to European levels through increased taxes or regulation; says politically infeasible

May 28, 2009 at 11:10 pm

(Source: Financial Times)

Reducing America’s reliance on oil by raising petrol prices to European levels through increased taxes or regulation is not politically feasible, says Steven Chu, US secretary of energy.

The admission comes as Congress considers a cap- and-trade system that opponents say will substantially increase petrol prices just as oil prices soar to their highest level in six months.

In the past Mr Chu, a Nobel laureate, has argued that, if the US wanted to reduce its carbon emissions, policymakers would have to find a way to increase petrol prices to levels in Europe. But in an interview on Wednesday with the Financial Times, Mr Chu said: “At this moment, let me be frank, it is not politically feasible.”

Higher petrol prices are likely to be one of the biggest potential sticking points ofPresident Barack Obama’s cap-and-trade system when the bill moves from the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives to the more conservative Senate late this year.

Mr Chu’s move against using taxes to raise US petrol prices is likely to frustrate environmental advocates who believe that the only way seriously to change Americans’ consumption habits is through higher prices.

Unlike Europe, the US hardly taxes its fuel, leading to pump prices that are often one third of those in Europe and to the average American consuming double the amount of oil of his European counterpart.

But Mr Chu warns that Americans will have to learn to live with higher petrol prices even if Washington does not enact policy that boosts them.

“Regardless of what one does in any sort of taxation, I believe that prices of oil and natural gas will go up in the coming decades,” he said, adding: “They will naturally go up just because of fundamental supply and demand issues.”

Mr Chu was adamant that a cap-and-trade system would be necessary to cut emissions. “We need to begin to put a price on carbon. We need to ratchet down the carbon,” he said.

The bill currently under consideration in Congress would reduce emissions by about 2 per cent a year.

A key question, however, was “how to help the US make the transition”, he said. Many states are heavily dependent on coal, or have energy-intensive industries, and the administration will need to win over lawmakers from these states to have a chance of passing the legislation.

Click here to read the entire article.
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U.S. to Require Fuel-Economy Standard by 2016. In addition to first ever nationwide regulation of greenhouse gases, plan would also raise the fuel efficiency target for new vehicles

May 18, 2009 at 4:22 pm

(Source: Wall Street Journal & Politico via Yahoo)

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration plans to order auto makers to increase the overall fuel economy of automobiles sold in the U.S. to 35 miles per gallon by 2016, four years faster than current federal law requires, people familiar with the matter said Monday.

The move is part of a broader overhaul of fuel economy rules aimed at cutting greenhouse-gas emissions.

Image: Fueleconomy.gov

The Obama administration is expected to announce a plan to revamp federal vehicle fuel-efficiency standards to bring them into harmony with the goals of a California greenhouse-gas law. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation will jointly raise fuel-economy standards and reduce greenhouse-gas pollution under the plan.

Separately, auto makers have agreed to drop litigation challenging the legality of state-level curbs on tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gases, people familiar with the matter said.

An announcement of the agreement is expected Tuesday, with representatives of several large auto companies, including General Motors Corp. Chief Executive Fritz Henderson, and the president of United Auto Workers, Ron Gettelfinger, planning to participate, people familiar with the matter said.

The agreement worked out by aides to President Barack Obama represents a partial victory for the auto industry. The industry will be able to operate under a single national standard on fuel economy, rather than multiple regimes at the federal and state levels. Auto makers have long opposed California’s tailpipe emissions program as tantamount to state-level regulation of fuel economy, traditionally a federal responsibility.

But the standards will require huge investments by auto makers to remake their U.S. fleets so that they have roughly the same overall efficiency as vehicles they now sell in Europe, where gasoline is two to three times more expensive as in the U.S. By moving the 35 mpg requirement to 2016 from 2020, the administration is stepping up the pressure on the industry to overhaul its product lineup faster. It typically takes three to four years for auto makers to design and bring a new vehicle to market.

Auto executives are flying into Washington from around the world for the White House announcement.   California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, is expected to attend, the sources said.

The CAFE standard was established by Congress in 1975 in response to the Arab Oil embargo.   A 2007 energy law requires auto makers to boost the average fuel economy of their vehicle fleets to at least 35 miles per gallon by 2020, a 40% increase from the roughly 25 mpg standard for the current fleet.  Last summer, the Transportation Department estimated that requiring auto makers to achieve 31.6 mpg by 2015 would cost the industry $46.7 billion, a sum the agency said would make it among the most expensive rule makings in U.S. history.

On Obama’s seventh day in office, he directed his Transportation Department to establish higher fuel-efficiency standards for carmakers’ 2011 model year “so that we use less oil and families have access to cleaner, more-efficient cars and trucks.”

“This rule will be a down payment on a broader and sustained effort to reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” he said. “Going forward, my administration will work on a bipartisan basis in Washington and with industry partners across the country to forge a comprehensive approach that makes our economy stronger and our nation more secure.”

According to two industry officials familiar with the plan, mileage standards would rise slowly at first — from a combined requirement of 27.3 miles per gallon for cars and trucks in 2011 — and faster approaching roughly 35 miles per gallon in 2016. That would give auto makers more time to adjust — and collect credits if they can manage to exceed earlier targets — before the steeper increases kick in.

It is unclear how quickly the EPA and the Transportation Department’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be able to make a formal proposal for curbing emissions and boosting fuel economy. The EPA on Monday was holding a public hearing on its proposal to find that greenhouse gases endanger public health, the first step toward regulating them.

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NASA’s deep space missions may get new jolt of fuel

May 8, 2009 at 12:53 pm

The Energy Department has requested $30 million to relaunch a program to make radioactive plutonium-238, the supply of which is running low.

The Energy Department plans to restart its program of making radioactive fuel for NASA’s deep space missions, the agency announced Thursday, a decision that came only hours after the National Research Council warned that the nation was fast running out of the fuel.

Jen Stutsman, a spokeswoman for the department, said the agency had requested $30 million in its fiscal 2010 budget proposal to restart the fuel-making process. In its budget statement, the agency said it had “a long and successful history” of supporting NASA’s needs. It said it welcomed the National Research Council findings.

In a 74-page report titled “Radioisotope Power Systems: An Imperative for Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Space Exploration,” the council pointed out that American leadership in space has depended in part on the ability to power spacecraft on deep space missions, in which the sun’s rays are too weak for generating solar power.

For such research, which includes the New Horizons mission now heading for Pluto and the Cassini mission now orbiting Saturn, the electricity that powers onboard instruments comes from devices called radioisotope power generators. The RPGs make electricity with the heat from the radioactive decay of small amounts of plutonium-238 carried on board. 

According to Ralph McNutt, a space scientist at Johns Hopkins University and co-chairman of the committee that produced the report, the United States stopped making Pu-238 about 20 years ago, with the end of the Cold War. Although Pu-238 is not weapons-grade material, it is a byproduct of making the more dangerous Pu-239, he said.

NASA uses about 11 pounds of Pu-238 each year. In recent years, it has purchased some of the material from Russia, but unless it makes new Pu-238, McNutt said, NASA will run out by the end of the next decade. That will leave enough fuel to power only the upcoming Mars Science Laboratory and outer planet missions, he said. 

The Mars Science Lab is a rover about the size of a minivan that will be able to roll over large rocks, which have deterred the smaller rovers previously sent to Mars. An outer planet mission, set for 2020, which will visit Jupiter and its moons Europa and Ganymede, is still being designed.

(Source: LA Times)

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Biofuels Get a Boost – Secretary Chu Announces Nearly $800 Million from Recovery Act to Accelerate Biofuels Research and Commercialization

May 6, 2009 at 11:30 pm

(Source: GreenBiz via Reuters)

The Obama administration established a Biofuels Interagency Working Group this week in a move that carries implications for the industry on several fronts, including regulatory and research and development. 
 
The Biofuels Interagency Working Group, comprised of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy (DOE)  and Department of Agriculture, will develop a biofuel market development program, coordinate biofuel infrastructure policies, study biofuel lifecycle and help existing biofuel producers secure credit and refinancing.

Meanwhile, the DOE will spend $786.5 million in stimulus funds on demonstration projects and research to accelerate the adoption of next-generation biofuels. 

For example, the agency will dole out $480 million on 10 to 20 pilot-scale and demonstration-scale projects, with a ceiling of $25 million and $50 million, respectively. Another $176.5 million shall be used to increase funding for two or more commercial-scale biorefinery projects that previously received government assistance.

The DOE biomass program also will dedicate $130 million toward research into ethanol, algal biofuels and biofuel sustainability research.

The proposal breaks down renewable fuels into four categories: cellulosic biofuels, biomass-derived diesel, advanced biofuels, and total renewable fuel. The fuels must produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional fuels, but there is great debate within the biofuel industry about how these lifecycle assessments should be calculated.

FYI, the Department of Energy press release offers the following breakdown of the funding categories identified above:

$480 million solicitation for integrated pilot- and demonstration-scale biorefineries

Projects selected under this Funding Opportunity Announcement will work to validate integrated biorefinery technologies that produce advanced biofuels, bioproducts, and heat and power in an integrated system, thus enabling private financing of commercial-scale replications.

DOE anticipates making 10 to 20 awards for refineries at various scales and designs, all to be operational in the next three years.  The DOE funding ceiling is $25 million for pilot-scale projects and $50 million for demonstration scale projects.

These integrated biorefineries will reduce dependence on petroleum-based transportation fuels and chemicals. They will also facilitate the development of an “advanced biofuels” industry to meet the federal Renewable Fuel Standards.

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G.O.P. Résumé, Cabinet Post, Knack for Odd Jobs – NY times profiles “Professor of Cocktail Situations” USDOT Sec. Ray LaHood

May 5, 2009 at 1:06 pm

(Source: NY Times)

WASHINGTON — Ray LaHood, the secretary of transportation, is not one to toot his own horn over how much he knows about planes, trains and automobile bailouts. On the contrary.

“I don’t think they picked me because they thought I’d be that great a transportation person,” Mr. LaHood says with refreshing indifference as to how this admission might play if, say, he were ever to bungle a bridge collapse.

Yes, transportation is Mr. LaHood’s day job, a post that a few days ago required him to attend a groundbreaking ceremony for a highway in New Hampshire, speak to a group about the dangers of tailgating trucks and discuss “bird strikes” on CNN.

But one of the astonishing things about Mr. LaHood, 63, is how limited his transportation résumé is, how little excitement he exudes on the subject (other than abouthigh-speed rail) and how little he seems to care who knows it. So why exactly did President Obama pick this former seven-term Republican congressman from Illinois to oversee everything that moves?

Mr. LaHood posits a theory. “They picked me because of the bipartisan thing,” he explained, “and the Congressional thing, and the friendship thing.”

The “bipartisan thing” and the “Congressional thing” are self-evident: Mr. LaHood is a Republican with close ties to Capitol Hill. One White House insider described Mr. LaHood as “a master of odd jobs,” whose knowledge of Washington allows him to take on assignments as varied as lobbying lawmakers on the budget and helping political novices in the cabinet navigate Beltway social rituals (“cocktail situations,” as Energy Secretary Steven Chu calls them).

In the White House, Mr. Chu describes Mr. LaHood, a former junior high school social studies teacher, as a source of “fatherly advice” for Washington newcomers like himself.

One “cocktail situation” occurred recently at the annual Gridiron Club dinner. Mr. LaHood was seated at the head table near Mr. Chu, and between Arne Duncan andTimothy F. Geithner, the education and Treasury secretaries. The men asked Mr. LaHood if they could flee the dinner before the interminable speechifying ended. No, Mr. LaHood counseled.

“I said, ‘Look, you’re window dressing,’ ” Mr. LaHood said. “ ‘You’re more of a prop. But it’s part of what we have to do.’ ” Mr. Chu and Mr. Duncan heeded the advice; Mr. Geithner did not.

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