Energy Analysis Newsletter — June 2009
Energy analysis at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) encompasses a broad range of energy analysis in support of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), NREL programs and initiatives, and the energy analysis community. Here is the latest news on energy analysis activities at NREL:
Upcoming Events
No Energy Analysis Seminar in June
The seminar series will take a break this month and will not have its regular monthly seminar on June 11. For presentations from the "bonus" seminars in May, access the Seminar Series Archive.
Speaker Opportunity
Interested in speaking? Please contact Jim Leyshon with your seminar proposal.
For more information on the seminar series — including log-in and call-in information for remote access — visit the Web site.
Publications and Web Sites
Some of the documents in this section are available as Adobe Acrobat PDFs.
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Analyzing Proposed Renewable Electricity Standards
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SEAC analysts Patrick Sullivan, Jeffrey Logan, Lori Bird, and Walter Short recently published the report "A Comparative Analysis of Three Proposed Federal Renewable Electricity Standards." (PDF 740 KB) This paper compares three proposed national renewable electricity standards (also known as renewable portfolio standards), which are under consideration by committees of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. To assess the potential impacts of the three proposed standards on the U.S. electricity sector, a team of senior NREL energy analysts used the laboratory's Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) model, a detailed least-cost optimization tool capable of simulating the special attributes of variable sources such as wind and solar power. Lawmakers in at least 28 states and the District of Columbia have established schedules that mandate minimum uses of renewable energy, typically within the next two decades. The three proposals were compared against a baseline in which only currently enacted laws are considered.
Energy Technology Cost and Performance Data
NREL has developed a page on its Energy Analysis Web site, which provides information on cost and performance data for energy technologies. The costs chart indicates the range of recent cost estimates for renewable energy as well as other technologies. This chart is a compilation of available national-level cost data from a variety of sources. The capacity factor chart indicates the range of recent estimates for energy technologies — this information is also taken from a variety of sources.
U.S. Renewable Energy Technology Resource Maps
NREL also has developed a complete set of renewable energy technology resource maps for the United States, which are provided in PowerPoint format. The maps include information on solar (photovoltaic and concentrating), wind, and biomass resources. For a quick snapshot of U.S. resource maps for various renewable energy technologies, access the Renewable Energy Technology Resource Maps for the United States (PowerPoint 6.7 MB) presentation on the Dynamic Maps, GIS Data and Analysis Tools Web site. For more information, contact Pamela Gray-Hann.
Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency
The Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) has launched a new solar-specific Web site. The main DSIRE site — which is managed by the North Carolina (N.C.) Solar Center and Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), and administered by NREL — also has been redesigned to include an improved tool for searching the general database. DSIRE, which is considered one of the most comprehensive sources of information on financial incentives and policies that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency, offers the new solar information at DSIRE Solar. It includes features such as an interactive solar map, solar policy comparison tables, solar policy summary maps, and a solar policy guide.
Analysts Meet With Stakeholders
SEAC analyst Lori Bird discussed the economic development impacts of long-term renewable energy policies during the Business of Clean Energy in Alaska Conference on May 18 in Anchorage.
On May 20, analysts Jeffrey Logan and Lori Bird briefed U.S. Senate staff on NREL's recent report that compares three renewable electricity standard bills (see item titled Analyzing Proposed Renewable Electricity Standards above). Senators Robert Menendez (NJ) and Mark Udall (CO) invited NREL to present the findings at the Senate Visitor's Center.
In early May, NREL staff members William Wallace and Min Zhang joined staff members from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the Department of Energy's Biomass Program, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture on a biofuels cooperation mission to Beijing, China. The group met with the National Energy Administration under the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), with five of the leading biofuels industrial development and investment companies in China (PetroChina, SinoPec, COFCO, CNOOC, and ZTE). The meetings also included U.S. companies Honeywell/UOP, DuPont, and GM, as well as leading research groups at Tsinghua University and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Engineering. The mission identified mutual research and development opportunities in the fields of feedstock analysis, cellulosic and sweet sorghum conversion technologies, thermochemical conversion, and biodiesel/green diesel research.
For the latest updates on information regarding energy analysis, visit the Energy Analysis Web site.
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