Energy Analysis Newsletter — May 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
TAP Web Seminar: Financing for Public-Sector PV Projects
Jason Coughlin
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The Technical Assistance Project (TAP) for state and local officials will sponsor a Web seminar on May 27 that explores financing for public-sector photovoltaics (PV) projects. The presentation, which will be 3-4:15 p.m. (EDT), is titled "Third-Party Financing and Power Purchase Agreements for Public-Sector PV Projects." The speaker will be Jason Coughlin of NREL. Coughlin's work focuses on the financial aspects of installing PV systems such as third-party financing models, municipal financing mechanisms, and tax incentives.
You can register to attend the seminar, read about the presenter, and find links to background materials and reports on the TAP Section of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program Web site.
No Energy Analysis Seminar in May
Due to a scheduling conflict, NREL will not have its regular monthly seminar on May 14.
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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Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) Model
NREL has developed a Web site to provide information on its Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) model (formerly known as the Wind Deployment System or WinDS model). ReEDS is a computer model that optimizes the regional expansion of electric generation and transmission capacity in the continental United States over the next 50 years. The ReEDS Web site presents an overview of this NREL-developed tool, as well as relevant data and related publications. Site users will find background on the model, including a detailed model description. Along with several independent analyses, ReEDS was used prominently for the 20% Wind Energy by 2030 report and is currently being applied to the Renewable Energy Futures Study—an analysis of how the United States might provide 80% of its electricity from renewable sources. For more information, contact Patrick Sullivan at NREL.
Solar Resources in Northwest India
NREL has developed a CD and Web page providing high-resolution solar resource maps and data products for northwest India. The information was developed by NREL in cooperation with India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, through funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of State. The data are provided in a geographic information system (GIS) format, as static maps, and incorporated into a Geospatial Toolkit (GsT). The GsT allows the user to examine the resource data in a geospatial context along with other key information relevant to renewable energy development, such as transportation networks, transmission corridors, existing power facilities, load centers, terrain conditions, and land use. NREL also has developed similar resource information for Afghanistan, Bhutan, and Pakistan. Toolkits for other countries can be found on the main Geospatial Toolkit page. For more information, contact Shannon Cowlin.
Biomass Resources in Liberia
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SEAC analyst Anelia Milbrandt recently published the report "Assessment of Biomass Resources in Liberia" (PDF 3.5 MB) for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Liberia Energy Assistance Program (LEAP). Biomass resources meet about 99.5% of the Liberian population's energy needs, so they are vital to basic welfare and economic activity. Already, traditional biomass products such as firewood and charcoal are the primary energy source used for domestic cooking and heating. However, other more-efficient biomass technologies are available that could open opportunities for agriculture and rural development, and provide other socio-economic and environmental benefits. This study estimates the biomass resources currently and potentially available in the country and evaluates their contribution for power generation and the production of transportation fuels. It intends to inform policy makers and industry developers of the biomass resource availability in Liberia, identify areas with high potential, and serve as a base for more detailed site-specific assessments.
Analysts Meet With Stakeholders
SEAC analyst Lori Bird discussed the role of renewables and renewable energy credits (RECs) in offset markets during a "Carbon Offsets Symposium" on April 10-11 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The event was part of the Duke University Environmental Markets Symposium Series.
On April 14, SEAC Director Doug Arent presented "Transforming Our Energy Economy: The Role of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency" (PDF 28.7 MB) Download Adobe Reader during the Holme Roberts and Owen's Rocky Mountain New Energy Markets Summit in Denver. About 250 people attended the all-day event, which featured a keynote speech from Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and a series of panel discussions hosted by a variety of "energy industry experts" from across the Rocky Mountain Region.
SEAC analyst David Kline traveled to Beijing, China, the week of April 13-17 to discuss projects for new wind capacity with the Chinese Hydropower Engineering Consulting Company (HydroChina). NREL is supporting HydroChina, the leading wind energy consultancy to the Chinese government, in a "100-GW Scenario" project sponsored by the Energy Foundation. NREL and HydroChina are also continuing work on geographic-economic analysis of China's major prospects for "wind bases." HydroChina is expected to use the results as part of China's official efforts to assess and plan major resource areas.
For the latest updates on information regarding energy analysis, visit the Energy Analysis Web site.
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