http://www.es.wapa.gov/renew/	Week of December 4, 2000

Go-Green.com to Offer Green Power Product
Go-Green.com recently announced it will offer a new environmentally sound "green" power product that uses downed wood waste as
biofuel. The company said the "boutique power product," known as Tahoe Green Power, was jointly developed with a coalition of
environmental groups and government agencies in an effort to protect the Lake Tahoe Basin.  The U.S. Forestry Service collects downed wood in the Lake Tahoe Basin in order to prevent forest fires. The agency then burns the wood in slash piles. The fires emit soot and debris which creates air pollution and falls into Lake Tahoe.  Go-Green.com said it will have the downed wood transported to a local clean-burn biomass facility where it will used to generate electricity. The renewable energy will be sold to California consumers under the name Tahoe Green Power.  The company said its Tahoe Green Power product will provide a convenient and vitally important means for business, residents, governments and community organizations to help preserve Lake Tahoe's unique environment.  Contact: Mara Privitt, Go-Green.com, phone 408-224-5717, Web site  http://www.go-green.com  .  Source: Business Wire 11/1/2000 via EIN Renewable Energy Today 11/14/2000.

Green Mountain Announces Fixed Rate Pricing
Green Mountain Energy Company (GME), a brand of clean and renewable energy, recently announced a new fixed-rate pricing plan
for residential and small business customers in the San Diego and Orange County areas. The plan, titled "Breathe Easy Payment Plan," is available to new or existing GME customers in the San Diego Gas and Electric and Southern California Edison service territories and costs 8.5 cents per kilowatt hour.  "We're pleased to be able to give our customers not just a new choice, but a better choice," said GME official Julie Blunden. "We are offering a competitive, reliable price for electricity, with the added benefit that the power comes from cleaner, 100 percent renewable energy sources."  The Breathe Easy Payment Plan was developed in response to last summer's soaring electricity prices. Residents in San Diego and Orange County, CA are offered an affordable option in what has become a highly volatile energy marketplace.  GME said it has worked since 1998 to develop several projects creating new sources of renewable energy including three wind turbines in San Gorgonio, CA, and one of the largest wind farms in Pennsylvania.  Contact: Green Mountain Energy,  Web site  http://www.greenmountain.com  .  Source GME Release 11/13/2000 via EIN Renewable Energy Today 11/15/2000.

Green Power Companies Offering Flat Rates in California
Clean energy advocates have long pointed out that renewable energy sources are free from the price fluctuations to which any fossil-fueled energy source is exposed. Those arguments largely fell on deaf ears until this summer's high electricity prices in California, accompanied by rising energy costs for gasoline and natural gas throughout the country. Now two providers of "green power" -- electricity from renewable energy -- are proving the argument by offering flat-rate pricing plans in California.  TenderLand Power Company started the trend by offering a flat-rate price to a maximum of 80,000 customers in the San Diego area this summer. The company plans a 10-megawatt expansion of a wind energy project in Palm Springs, California, and has offered customers the option of having their names emblazoned on the towers of the new turbines. The company is also offering flat-rate green power to all electric vehicle owners in California, and is providing those owners with enough free electricity to drive 5,000 miles. See the TenderLand press releases at:  http://www.tenderland.com/news/press/index.htm .  Source: EREN Network News 11/15/2000.
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For more information on Green Power go to:  http://www.eren.doe.gov/greenpower/   or   http://www.thegreenpowergroup.org/
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DOE Announces National Bioenergy Center
The Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced it will form a National Bioenergy Center in order to help meet energy needs,
manage its environmental challenges and strengthen economic opportunities for its rural citizens.  "The biomass initiative gives new meaning to the words 'power plant'" said DOE secretary Bill Richardson. "Focusing our efforts to help industry through the National Bioenergy Center will create new economic opportunities for farmers, enhance U.S. energy security and help manage the impact of energy on the environment. Together we will work to accelerate development of a new industry that can provide a significant source of home-grown energy."  The National Bioenergy Center will be based in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado. Funded from existing DOE dollars, the center will be the "focal point" for technology development and information about bioenergy in the United States.  The center will provide easy access to research and leading laboratory facilities, said DOE.  The center will work with U.S. industry to achieve cost and performance goals to make bioenergy competitive on a large scale. In addition, the center will work to provide strategic guidance, direction and coordination to assure the best use of national laboratory
and university research facilities.  The National Bioenergy Center will be lead by NREL and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
Contact:  http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2000/11/11062000/biomass_39815.asp?site=  .  Chris Kielich, DOE, phone 202-586-5806. Source: DOE Release 10/31/2000 via EIN Renewable Energy Today 11/2/2000.

PG&E to Acquire CA Wind Power Facility
PG&E Corporation recently announced its National Energy Group (NEG) will acquire a 44.4-megawatt (MW) wind power generating
station near Palm Springs, CA. NEG said it will purchase the wind power facility from SeaWest Wind Power, Inc.  "It is a natural fit to add this emission-free, renewable energy resource to our western generation portfolio," said NEG western region president and CEO Thomas King.  The wind farm will include 74 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries MWT600 wind turbine generators. NEG said each generator will be capable of producing 600-kilowatts of electricity. The facility is expected to enter commercial operation next spring.
PG&E said the newly-acquired Mountain View Project marks the company's second venture in wind power. The electricity generated by the wind farm will be marketed under NEG's Pure Wind campaign.  In addition, the company recently completed construction on the Madison Wind Project -- an 11.5 MW wind facility in Madison County, NY.  PG&E Corporation markets energy services and products throughout North America through its National Energy Group.  Contact: Shawn Cooper, PG&E, phone 202-638-3545.
Source: Reuters 11/15/2000 via EIN Renewable Energy Today 11/20/2000.

EcoEnergies Acquires Pacific Solar
Sunnyvale, CA-based EcoEnergies, Inc. recently announced it has acquired Pacific Solar Company of Redwood City, CA.
EcoEnergies was incorporated earlier this year and is an integrated renewable energy company that provides a range of products
and services.  "The acquisition of Pacific Solar will help to give EcoEnergies a head start in providing services to residential and small commercial customers," said EcoEnergies chairman Willis McLeese. He noted that Pacific Solar has focused on residential and small commercial solar systems over the past two years.  EcoEnergies said it provides "environmentally attractive technologies for supplying power for homes and businesses, and large renewable power systems for utilities." In addition, the company said it provides turnkey services for solar, wind, small hydro projects and related renewable energy technologies for companies worldwide.
"We all believe there will be real synergies evolving from the joining of the two companies," said EcoEnergies president Peter Carrie.
"Pacific Solar is clearly the pre-eminent solar supplier [and] contractor in the Bay Area [of San Francisco, CA]."   Contact: Julie Forbes, EcoEnergies, phone 408-731-1229, e-mail watts@ecoenergies.com, Web site at:   http://www.ecoenergies.com  .
Source: EcoEnergies Release 10/13/2000 via EIN Renewable Energy Today 10/31/2000.

New California WindPower Project to Deliver Renewable Energy in Time for Summer 2001
SeaWest WindPower, Inc., and PG&E Corporation's National Energy Group announced the construction of the 44.4MW Mountain View Power Partners wind energy project. Through an RFP issued by SeaWest in March 2000, PG&E National Energy Group will acquire the project from SeaWest and begin delivering power to California customers in April 2001.  ``With the current energy supply shortage in California, SeaWest is pleased to be developing a project that will help alleviate the high energy demands anticipated in the coming months,'' stated Jan C. Paulin, SeaWest President and CEO. ``Wind power is an excellent solution for delivering clean renewable energy to California customers just in time for next summer's peak demand. Wind power is becoming increasingly cost competitive with fossil fuel power projects, without the externalities of fuel pricing volatility and greenhouse gas emissions.''   ``I am very excited about this project,'' said California State Senator Dave Kelley, representing Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial Counties. ``I believe that through the sensitive development of renewable energy resources such as this one, we will be able to provide significant economic and environmental benefits to the State of California.  This project will provide additional generation resources to support the growing demand for renewables in the California market through its Pure Wind(SM) campaign. Located in the San Gorgonio Pass near Palm Springs, California, the project will feature 74 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries MHI MWT 600kW wind turbines. The turbines will be mounted on 50 and 60 meter tubular towers, and will produce enough energy for over 25,000 homes in California, while offsetting 100,000 tons of Greenhouse Gases on an annual basis. Construction is expected to begin in November 2000, with commissioning and commercial operation planned for April 2001.  SeaWest WindPower, Inc. is a leading independent developer of utility scale wind energy projects. With the addition of the Mountain View project, SeaWest will have completed 422MW of wind power projects in California, in addition to nearly 200MW of projects in Wyoming, the United Kingdom, and Spain. For more information on SeaWest or the Mountain View project, contact Dave Roberts, SeaWest Media Relations, at 619-908-3440, or visit the company website at   http://www.seawestwindpower.com  .  SOURCE: SeaWest WindPower, Inc. Release 11/15/2000.
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For more information on Renewable Resources go to:  http://www.eren.doe.gov/repis/
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Look for Portfolio Manager on the Web
EPA's Energy Star will soon launch an upgraded version of the online whole-building benchmarking tool, which will be called Portfolio Manager.  This is an exciting new enhancement from Energy Star that will now allow organizations to measure and track energy performance improvements,  make best possible upgrade decisions, and earn the Energy Star on qualified properties.  See EPA's Web site at:  http://www.epa.gov/buildings  ,  or contact Michael Segal at (703) 247-6113.  Source:  FEMP Focus October 2000.

Record Ozone Hole Refuels Debate on Climate
The hole that opens in the ozone layer over Antarctica each southern spring formed earlier and grew bigger this year than at any time since satellites have been monitoring the polar atmosphere, scientists have reported.  The finding renewed suspicions among atmospheric scientists that global warming could be indirectly abetting the chemical reactions that destroy ozone, but many still say the growth of the hole could also be the result of natural, albeit unusual, variations in Antarctic weather and other conditions. In early September, several weeks before it normally reaches its peak, the hole expanded to a record 17.1 million square miles, an expanse larger than North America, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. By comparison, in 1981, according to the atmospheric agency, it covered just 900,000 square miles. Since its peak in September, the hole, which changes shape day by day as it is molded by globe-spanning winds, has extended several times over the southern tip of South America, as it has in a few years over the last decade.  With this year's record following records in 1996 and 1998, some atmospheric scientists are beginning to express surprise at the persistence of the phenomenon, which is caused largely by reactions between ozone and a group of synthetic chemicals that have been banned and whose concentrations are starting to decline in the air.  See the entire article at:  http://www.serve.com/commonpurpose/news/nytglobalwarming10.html  .  Source: By Andrew C. Revkin via Energy and Environmental News E-mail 10/30/2000.

Proceedings for World Geothermal Council 2000
Several IGA members have expressed an interest in buying printed versions of the Proceedings of the WGC2000, which are currently available on CD ROM only. We have  investigated the possibility of having them printed in paperback volumes. The estimated costs given below are based on a total printing run of  at least 150 full sets of Proceedings.  If you are interested in obtaining one or more sets,  please send an e-mail or fax to the IGA Secretariat (IGASEC@enel.it  ; fax: + 39 050 535 893)  before 30 November 2000. We cannot accept orders received after this date.  Payment will be 50% in advance, and 50% on receipt of the volumes.  Estimated cost of full  set of  Proceedings (in 6 separate volumes): 110-120 US$.  We will not print the Proceedings at all if we have less than 150 orders. Estimated mailing costs for a full set (the  6 volumes will be mailed separately in plastic bags as printed matter): Europe:  28.00  US$, U.S.A.:  32.00  US$, Japan:  32.00  US$.  The complete set of 6 volumes could also be mailed in one parcel at a cost
> of  approximately 36 US$ for Europe and 46 US$ for Japan. For more information contact Dr. Ruggero Bertani, Executive Director, IGA SECRETARIAT, c/o Erga Enel Group, Andrea Pisano 120,, 56122 Pisa - Italy, phone: +39-050-535891, fax: +39-050-53-5893/3290, e-mail:  IGASEC@enel.it , Web site http://www.demon.co.uk/geosci/igahome.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For more information on Educational Resources go to: http://www.thegateway.org
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President: Clean Energy Helps Reduce Global Warming
President Clinton commented on the threat of global warming in a Webcast this weekend and noted the efforts currently underway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions using clean energy technologies. Clinton highlighted a report that concludes the predicted global warming could cause more flooding in the United States, more droughts, more extreme weather, a serious disruption of water supplies, the loss of species, and the destruction of entire ecosystems. "Vice President Gore and I have pursued common sense
strategies to reduce greenhouse gas pollution," said Clinton. "We've expanded research and development of solar, wind, biofuels and other renewable energy resources. We've taken dramatic steps to reduce energy use by the federal government, the world's largest energy consumer. We've adopted stronger energy efficient standards for appliances and forged new alliances with industry, including the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles. These are all steps that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while saving consumers money and strengthening our economy." President Clinton also proposed an integrated strategy for controlling power plant emissions, including mercury and carbon dioxide, using the same emissions trading strategy that is being used to reduce acid rain. The President's comments were made as negotiations on an international treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions -- commonly referred to as the Kyoto accord -- resumed this week at The Hague in the Netherlands.  See the Presidential Webcast, including a fact sheet and video and audio files at:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/webcasts/2000-11-11.html  .  Source: EREN Network News 11/15/2000
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For more information on legislative activities go to: http://www.kannerandassoc.com/fedenergybills.html
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Two New Internet Research Tools Developed by DOE
Two new Internet tools developed and maintained by the Department of Energy's Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI), in collaboration with several government agencies, provide improved access to scientific and technical research information and the capability to search documents with a single query across databases of many Federal agencies.  The GrayLIT Network, http://www.osti.gov/graylit  , is a portal for over 100,000 full-text technical reports.  Project summaries  http://www.osti.gov/federal  , include more than 240,000 research summaries and awards.  Source:  DOE This Month September 2000.

Trends in Office Energy Use
A recent study by researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) has estimated the energy impact of office and networking equipment as of the end of 1999. The researchers divided office equipment into 11 categories, looking at residential, commercial, and industrial settings. For more information, visit  http://enduse.lbl.gov/projects/InfoTech.html  or e-mail Jonathan Koomey, staff scientist, at JGKoomey@lgl.gov.  A detailed summary of the study is available on the Web at http://enduse.lbl.gov/Info/KawamotoACEEE.pdf  .  Source: E Source Tech News 10/20/00.
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For more information on marketing and market research go to:  http://www.nrel.gov/analysis/emaa/index.html
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First Solar Seeks Partners for Photovoltaic Product Rollout
First Solar -- the producer of thin-film photovoltaic products that is starting up a 100-megawatt facility in Toledo, Ohio -- is now looking for "charter partners" to develop solar electric projects in 2001.  First Solar's Charter Partner Program is intended for solar original equipment manufacturers, integrators, utilities, and government agencies with grid-connected and hybrid projects ranging in size from 30 to 100 kilowatts. First Solar claims it will provide its photovoltaic products at $2 per watt for charter partners.  See
the First Solar Web site at:  http://www.firstsolar.com/productservice.htm  . Source: EREN Network News 11/22/2000.
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For more information on funding solicitations go to: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html
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