Hill Heat

From rising water levels to increasing water temperatures and changing fish populations, global warming’s impact on Narragansett Bay is measureable, growing, and in need of urgent action. To raise Rhode Islanders’ awareness of the effects of climate change on the Bay, our coastal areas, and our communities, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) will chair a field briefing of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) at the University of Rhode Island’s Bay Campus to discuss the implications of global warming for Narragansett Bay.

“Left unchecked, climate change will affect every community in every nation on earth, altering our Ocean State – and the entire world – in ways we are only beginning to understand, and coastal communities will be among those at greatest risk,” said Whitehouse. “This issue is real, time is of the essence, and action is called for.”

EnergyPlus—DOE’s building energy simulation program—includes many building energy-simulation features that previously have not been available together in a mainstream program. Features include variable time steps, configurable modular systems integrated with a heat balance-based zone simulation, on-site power, hybrid natural/mechanical ventilation, and under-floor air distribution (UFAD). The underlying heat balance load calculation method is included in the 2005 American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Fundamentals. In 2007, DOE began working on a plug-in for Google’s SketchUp software, which Google describes as “3-D for everyone.” SketchUp is used by a majority of architects during early design to facilitate studies of shape and massing. The Energy Design Plug-In integrates EnergyPlus with SketchUp, allowing easy evaluation of building energy performance. This presentation, by Drury Crawley of EERE, introduces EnergyPlus and its simulation methodologies, capabilities, utilities, and interfaces that facilitate using it.

Drury B. Crawley is acting team leader for the Commercial Buildings area of DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. He leads DOE’s team that is working to achieve net-zero energy commercial buildings by 2025. He also is responsible for managing DOE’s building energy software tools research and development activities including EnergyPlus, Energy Design Plug-In, and DOE-2, among others. He has more than 30 years of experience in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainability for buildings; and is active in ASHRAE, the U.S. Green Building Council, and the American Institute of Architects. He serves on the editorial boards of three international journals, has published more than 100 papers and articles, and has given more than 175 presentations throughout the world.

901 D Street SW (adjacent to the Forrestal Building) or 370 L’Enfant Promenade. Ninth Floor. Please contact Wanda Addison, of Midwest Research Institute (MRI), at [email protected] or 202-488-2202

BMW, Daimler, GM, Honda, Hyundai-Kia, Nissan, Toyota, and VW will showcase their latest hydrogen vehicles. Rides will also be available from 12 – 3pm.

The Hydrogen Road Tour is a two-week trip across the U.S. with more than 30 planned stops beginning on August 11 to showcase clean, efficient, hydrogen powered cars. The tour, organized by the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Energy, National Hydrogen Association, and California Fuel Cell Partnership, seeks to highlight progress made with the development of hydrogen vehicle and fueling technologies. Hydrogen, in addition to biofuels and hybrids, is one of many options that can play an important role in our future energy portfolio. Among these options, hydrogen can make the greatest long-term impact on reducing pollution and fuel imports from vehicles.

999 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20024. (Between 9th ST and 12th ST SW, across from the DOE Forrestal Building and in front of the Smithsonian Castle).

With rapidly rising energy costs changing the way Americans live and work, and global warming threatening even greater harm to our future prosperity and well-being, it is clear that a fundamental change in America’s energy policy is needed. Bold new policies and leadership can turn these twin crises into historic opportunities.

In that spirit, NDN is pleased to announce that on Friday, Aug. 1, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin will deliver an address on the economic benefits for America in moving from carbon-based fuels to renewable energy sources. Senator Durbin’s remarks will be followed by a panel discussion on “Energy and the American Way of Life.” Both events are hosted by the NDN Green Project.

During the panel discussion, energy leaders and experts will discuss how this transition can take place. The discussion will be moderated by NDN Green Project Director Michael Moynihan. Michael also will be discussing his new paper entitled, Solar Energy: The Case for Action.

Senator Durbin will speak at 11:15 a.m., and the panel will follow the senator’s remarks.

NDN’s Green Project is a program of the Globalization Initiative and seeks to develop the legislative and regulatory framework to address climate change, enhance energy security, and accelerate the development of green technologies to promote economic growth. Through this initiative, NDN serves as a bridge between key stakeholders such as the new clean technology community and public leaders as we build a post-carbon economy. For more on the Green Project’s work, please visit our blog.

Joining us will also be:

• Roger Efird, President of Suntech America and Solar Energy Industry Association Chairman, and a renewable energy pioneer with over 20 years experience in the solar industry.
• Greg Kats, head of Good Energies’ Green Buildings and Energy Efficiency investment cluster.
• Jack D. Hidary, Chairman of Americans for Renewable Energy.
• Shyam Kannan, LEED® AP, Vice President – Director of Research and Development, RCLCO, a real estate consulting company.

Location:

The Phoenix Park Hotel Ballroom 520 N. Capitol Street, NW Washington, D.C.

RSVP==

For decades, consumers have been teased with fantastical visions of the future. From the “kitchen of tomorrow” to flying cars, predicting the technological wonders ahead is as American as apple pie made by an automated oven. With gas prices soaring and climate concerns growing, America and the planet don’t have the option to keep the future of energy wrapped within magazine pages or celluloid reels. And the good news about clean energy is that the future is already here.

On Thursday, Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will peer into the possibilities of current technologies flourishing into a new clean energy age, and what America and the world must do to advance this era. The CEO of Vice President Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection will discuss his ambitious proposal to be carbon-free within a decade, and the “father of plug-in hybrids” and experts in superconductors and other important technologies will offer expertise on current and future technologies that can break our dependence on oil and other fossil fuels, create jobs, save money and save our planet from global warming.

Witnesses

• Cathy Zoi, Chief Executive Officer, Alliance for Climate Protection
• Dr. Andrew Frank, Professor, Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, University of California at Davis
• Gregory Yurek, Ph.D, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, American Superconductor Corporation
• Aristides A. N. Patrinos, Ph.D, President, Synthetic Genomics Steve Lockhard, CEO, T.P.I Composites

The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will hold a hearing on what role natural gas can play in a climate-friendly energy future. Natural gas plays a critical role in numerous sectors of our economy from home heating to chemical production to electricity generation to transportation fuel. With 3.4 percent of global natural gas reserves, the United States has the fifth largest reserves in the world.

Since a low in 1986, domestic consumption of natural gas has generally increased and its uses have broadened. Natural gas has especially become popular as a cleaner alternative to coal in the electrical utility sector and gasoline and diesel in the transportation sector. As Congress considers energy policies that will increase our energy independence and help solve global warming, understanding the role of natural gas in our economy and how it might contribute to energy policies is critical.

Witnesses

• Aubrey McClendon, CEO, Chesapeake Energy
• Clay Harris, CEO, Suez LNG North America
• David Manning, Executive VP, National Grid
• Rich Wells, Vice President Energy, The Dow Chemical Company
• John German, Manager Environmental and Energy Analysis, American Honda

Speakers

• Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY)
• Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO)
• Congresswoman Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-MI), Chair, Congressional Black Caucus [tentative]
• Congressman Edward Markey (D-MA), Chair, Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming
• Congresswoman Hilda Solis (D-CA)
• Nia Robinson, Director, Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative

African Americans will endure worse consequences as a result of global warming than any other ethnic group, while climate policies that reduce these harms will be beneficial to all ethnicities and income groups in the U.S.

These findings, from a new report by the Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative and Redefining Progress, will be discussed at Thursday’s briefing. The findings are the result of in-depth analysis of the effects of rising temperatures, greater pollution levels, and host of other harms from global warming. Please join us as we discuss the effects of global warming on African Americans and the climate polices that best address these inequalities.

Witnesses

• Kathy Fredriksen, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Policy and International Affairs, U.S. Department of Energy
• Didier Houssin, Director of the Office of Oil Markets and Emergency Preparedness, International Energy Agency
• Dr. David Victor, Director of the Program of Energy and Sustainable Development, Stanford University
• John Shages, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Petroleum Reserves, U.S. Department of Energy

E&E News:

A new U.S. EPA proposal that would govern the underground injection of carbon dioxide by power plants and other industrial pollution sources will be the subject of a House Environment and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee hearing Thursday.

EPA’s proposed rule is aimed at protecting drinking water sources during and after the geologic sequestration process. In carbon capture and sequestration, CO2 is captured from fossil-fuel power plants, industrial facilities or other sources and then compressed. At the sequestration site, CO2 is injected into deep subsurface rock formations via one or more wells.

Legislators have said they look forward to discussing EPA’s proposed amendment to the Safe Drinking Water Act, which would create a new category of injection well under the agency’s existing Underground Injection Control Program and establish new permitting requirements for CO2 injection.

The requirements address well location, construction, testing, monitoring and closure. The goal is to prevent CO2 from migrating into underground water supplies. If the gas infiltrates drinking water, it could push other substances that occur underground naturally, like salt, into the drinking water source.

Talk at the hearing will focus on the proposal and potential environmental effects of carbon sequestration.

This will be the first subcommittee hearing under new Chairman Gene Green (D-Texas), who took over for former Rep. Al Wynn (D-Md.).

“A cap-and-trade program to address climate change could lead to the underground injection of carbon dioxide on a massive scale,” Green said last week. “Congress has to make sure the EPA’s carbon sequestration rules protect our sources of drinking water from contamination.”

Ranking member John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) also said he is interested in hearing more about the environmental impacts of carbon sequestration, as well as whether the process is economically viable. “Action should not be taken until we have gathered all the facts and have a complete sense of the issue and its consequences,” Shadegg said.

Stakeholders say Congress also will need to address liability issues surrounding carbon sequestration. Presently, it is unclear who has long-term responsibility for leaks and migration. It also will be important for Congress to address issues of ownership over land where carbon sequestration takes place.

Witnesses

• John Paul Woodley Jr., Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works)
• Brigadier General Michael J. Walsh, Commanding General, U.S. Army Engineer Division, Mississippi Valley