CURC Tech. Exchange Conf. Brochure

/0 Comments/in , /by

Here is the detailed brochure recently mailed out for the CURC Technology Exchange Conference, in case you didn’t receive it in the mail.

Please let me know if you’ll be there. I do plan to attend on behalf of UFTO, and will report what I see and hear.
California Utility Research Council
Technology Exchange Conference

November 3-5, 1997
Hyatt Regency La Jolla, San Diego, CA

Sponsored by: California Utility Research Council (CURC)

Co-Sponsored by
Electric Power Research Institute
Gas Research Institute
U. S. Department of Energy

— Who is CURC?
CURC (California Utility Research Council) was established by the California Legislature in 1981 to:
• Promote consistency of utility RD&D programs with
state energy policy
• Prevent unnecessary duplication of research efforts
• Encourage the free exchange of information related to
utility RD&D projects, where appropriate
• Identify opportunities for research coordination between
energy utilities and for joint funding of RD&D projects
of benefit to California ratepayers

CURC Board includes representatives from the CPUC, CEC, PG&E, SDG&E, SCE, and SoCalGas.

— Background
Restructuring of the electric and natural gas industries is having a dramatic effect on the energy RD&D landscape in California. Previously, most of this work was funded by ratepayers and managed by the four largest investor-owned California utilities: PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, and SoCalGas. Supplemental funding for California RD&D interests was provided by GRI, EPRI, and DOE.

Restructuring is providing new opportunities for collaboration of energy RD&D efforts. Recent California legislation (AB1890) has made available $62.5 million per year for public interest energy RD&D to be managed by the California Energy Commission (CEC). Utilities will continue to fund ratepayer RD&D activities, although on a lesser scale. It is also expected that there will be an increasing interest in shareholder-funded technologies by energy companies seeking a competitive advantage. Finally, restructuring will have a direct effect on programs offered by EPRI, GRI, and perhaps even DOE.

— Purpose
The 1997 CURC Technology Exchange Conference will help attendees better understand how all of the energy RD&D pieces will fit together in a restructured environment. The conference will also provide participants with an overview of technology trends and energy RD&D collaboration activities which benefit California. Attendees will get a first hand look at how the California PIER (Public Interest Energy Research) program will be implemented. Just as important, individuals will have an opportunity to network directly with peers and funding agencies.

— Who Should Attend
The conference will be of major interest to engineers, scientists, investors, inventors, RD&D policy makers, government representatives, product and business development specialists.

— General Information

The conference will be held at:
Hyatt Regency La Jolla, 3777 La Jolla Village Drive,
San Diego, CA 92122

Early registration will be available on Monday, November 3 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Registration on Tuesday, November 4 will begin at 7:30 a.m. along with a continental breakfast. The conference will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 4 and will conclude at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 5.

Accommodations
Attendees are responsible for making their own reservations before October 12, 1997 (after this date the rates will increase or rooms may not be available). Mention the conference by name to ensure receiving the group rate:
Hyatt Regency La Jolla
Phone: (619) 552-1234 Fax: (619) 552-6066
Group Room Rate: $144 single/double occupancy
Reservation Deadline: October 12, 1997

Airline Discount
United Airlines is offering discounted fares to attendees flying into San Diego International Airport (20 minutes from the Hyatt La Jolla). For reservations and information, call 1-800-521-4041 and refer to meeting #511HD. These discounts are available only through United’s Meeting Desk and apply to travel between October 31 and November 8, 1997.

Registration
The conference fee is $350 and includes the conference preceedings, continental breakfast, coffee breaks and lunch each day, as well as a reception on Tuesday evening with poster papers.
To register, complete the registration form and mail it with your payment. Checks should be made payable to Southern California Gas Company. Unfortunately, we cannot accept credit cards or purchase orders for this conference. If registering by fax and sending a check separately, be sure to identify the attendee when sending the check.
Cancellations: No refunds will be given for cancellations received after October 28, 1997.

Poster Session
Space will be available for Poster Presenters to present during the reception on Tuesday evening and during lunch on Wednesday (with setup scheduled for Tuesday morning). The fee for poster presenters is $500 which includes one full conference registration. For further information, please contact the Conference Manager, Maureen Barbeau at (650) 855-2474 Fax: (650) 855-2166.

Spousal Attendance
No formal spousal programs are planned. However, for spouses accompanying attendees to San Diego there will be an informal continental breakfast on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings with information available about San Diego attractions. Please indicate on the registration form if your spouse will accompany you. Spouses are invited to attend the reception on Tuesday evening.

An informal golf outing will be held on Monday, November 3, 11:30 am, at the Coronado Municipal Golf Course, followed by a no-host dinner at a local restaurant. Coronado is located just a few minutes drive from the airport and downtown. Reservations for the event must be received by Friday, October 17, by mailing a check for $37.50 payable to “Coronado Municipal Golf Course” to Kurt Kammerer, c/o SDG&E, P.O. Box 1831, San Diego, CA 92124. Questions can directed by E-Mail to kkammere@sdge.com or by calling (619) 696-1891.

Technical Information
David Berokoff, The Gas Company
(213) 244-5340 Fax (213) 244-8242

Meeting and Logistical Information
(650) 855-2474 Fax (650) 855-2166

———————————————————-

PRELIMINARY AGENDA

All Day – Optional Social Outing (Golf) on Coronado Island
4:00 – 7:00 p.m.Conference Registration

Tuesday, November 4
7:30-8:30 AM-Registration, Continental Breakfast
8:30-9:00 AM-Opening Remarks-Frank A. Spasaro (CURC Chair)
(PIER Program Evolution, Overview of Objectives,
Strategic Plan)
David L. Rohy, Commissioner,
California Energy Commission
Representative,
California Public Utilities Commission
9:45-10:00 AM-Break
10:00-12:00 PM-California Utility RD&D Programs
(Utility RD&D Program Highlights, Technology Trends,
Collaboration Opportunities.)
Frank Spasaro, Southern California Gas
Jim Reilly, Southern California Edison
Kurt Kammerer, San Diego Gas & Electric
Bud Beebe, Sacramento Municipal Utility District

12:00-1:15 PM-Lunch, Keynote Presentation

1:15-3:00 PM-Other California Energy RD&D Programs
(Program Focus, Technology Trends, Collaboration
Opportunities)
Jim Cole,
California Institute for Energy Efficiency
Renewable Technologies
Terry Winter,
California Independent System Operator
Representative, Southern California Air
Quality Management District
3:00-3:15 PM-Break
Maurice Gunderson, Nth Technologies
John Burns, Scripps Consulting Group
Joseph Walkush, Science Applications
International Corp. (invited)

5:00-8:00 PM-Reception, Poster Sessions

Wednesday, November 5
7:30-8:30 AM-Continental Breakfast, Poster Sessions
8:30-9:30 AM-Keynote Presentation: Future Technology Needs & Trends
9:30-10:45 AM-National Energy RD&D Funding Agencies
(RD&D Program Highlights, Technology Trends,
Richard Rudman, Elec. Power Research Institute
Bill Burnett, Gas Research Institute
Representative, U.S. Department of Energy
10:45-11:00 AM-Break
11:00-12:30 PM-The Customer Perspective
Ralph Cavanagh,
Barbara Barkovich, California Large
Energy Consumers Assoc. (invited)
Richard Brent, Solar Turbine Systems
Richard Sperberg, On-Site Energy
Carl Weinberg, Weinberg & Associates
Ron Ishii, Technology Committee Chairman, CADER

12:30-2:00 PM-Lunch, Poster Sessions

2:00-4:30 PM-PIER Program Implementation Status

4:30 PM Conference Concludes

———————————————————-
REGISTRATION

(Please complete and return a copy with your payment)

CURC Technology Exchange Conference
November 3-5, 1997
Hyatt Regency La Jolla, San Diego, California

(Please print or attach a business card)

Name ___________________________________________________
Preferred Name for Nametag _____________________________
Title _______________________________________
Organization ________________________________
Address _____________________________________
City/State/Zip ______________________________
Telephone ___________________________________
Fax ___________________________________

Registration Fees
___ Attendee-$ 350
___ Poster Presenter-$500 (includes one conference registration)
___ Speaker-$ 0 (fee waived, one speaker per presentation)

Credit cards and purchase orders are not acceptable.
Checks should be made payable to Southern California Gas Co.

___ Check attached ___ Check being mailed separately

If registering by fax and sending check separately, BE SURE TO IDENTIFY THE ATTENDEE WHEN SENDING THE CHECK.

Refunds will be given for cancellations received on or before Oct. 28, 1997.

___ My spouse will accompany me.
___ I am interested in playing golf on Monday.
___ I have a disability and may require accommodation to fully participate. (You will be contacted by the conference manager.)
___ I have the following dietary requirements:

Please return this form or a copy with your check payable to
Southern California Gas Co. to:

Maureen Barbeau
Electric Power Research Institute
3412 Hillview Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94304
(650) 855-2474
Fax (650) 855-2166
mbarbeau@epri.com

Telecomm over the power line in UK

/0 Comments/in , /by

(I don’t normally just pass along press releases, but this one looked too important and I didn’t want to take the chance that you would miss seeing it.)

Wednesday October 8 4:55 AM EDT
Company Press Release

Nortel (Northern Telecom) and Norweb Communications Achieve Technology Breakthrough That Will Open a New Wave of Internet Growth

LONDON, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire/ – Nortel (Northern Telecom) and Norweb Communications, a business unit of United Utilities plc. of Great Britain, today announced that they have developed jointly a new technology that allows data to be transferred over electrical power lines into the home at speeds of more than one megabit per second-up to 10 times faster than ISDN, currently the fastest generally available speed. The breakthrough has the potential to open a new wave of demand for Internet services in the UK and Europe.

Nortel has developed the technology at its European Research and Development laboratories in Harlow, UK, in co-operation with Norweb Communications. Recent trials on the Norweb Communications network have been completed successfully and the technology is available for deployment.

The technology, which enables electrical companies to convert their power infrastructures into information access networks, will be initially marketed in the UK, Europe and Asia Pacific.

It allows electrical companies to provide a service that solves the three major problems facing international Internet market acceptance-access to consumers’ homes, data transmission rates and capital cost:

– By giving customers access to the Internet through their existing electrical supply system, the technology is available to virtually anyone. It offers permanent on-line connection with the potential for lower charges;

– The new technology enables data to be transmitted at rates of more than one megabit per second by using a patented technology that screens the data from electrical interference on the host power line, a long sought-after goal in telecommunications;

– Investment costs for the electrical companies are low compared to those envisioned for other broadband data access systems. Due to the nature of this technology, it can be rolled out in discrete, targeted phases. Utilities not wishing to operate data services also have the option of charging a right-to-use fee to an operating company for accessing their plant. End users require a computer card comparable in cost to a conventional ISDN terminal adapter, but offering 10 times the peak bandwidth.

The new technology will enable the introduction of Internet-based applications such as electronic commerce, teleworking, web broadcast media, entertainment and Internet telephony on a mass market scale.

The two companies have been working together on this development for the last three years and it is subject to a number of patents filed by Nortel and Norweb Communications. Norweb Communications is widely recognized within the power sector as a leader in research into broadband communications over power lines, having started work in this area in 1990.

Electricity utilities in Europe and the Asia Pacific region have already expressed significant interest.

Peter Dudley, a vice-president of Nortel, comments: “The rate of Internet take up and the volume of data traffic carried over the Internet has been one of the most striking business developments of the current decade, but speed of access remains a bottleneck for most users. As one of the first practical low-cost answers to the problem of high-speed access to the Internet this new technology will unleash the next wave of net growth.”

Mark Ballett, Managing Director of Norweb Communications, comments: “Norweb Communications has championed the use of electrical networks for voice and data services for several years and we are delighted to now be in a position to announce the launch of the first commercial products. This technology will allow us to use existing infrastructure to establish a strongly differentiated service offering in the northwest residential and small business market.”

Nortel will be opening a conformance center in Harlow, UK, for hardware and software suppliers who are interested in certifying their products for use on this new service.

Norweb Communications, part of United Utilities plc, provides an extensive range of advanced voice and data services and has achieved significant success in providing resilient networks for businesses throughout the northwest region of the UK. The company plans to use power line technology to provide public access networks for residential customers in the region.

United Utilities has combined capability in electricity, gas and telecom. This new technology will strengthen its competitiveness as a multi-utility service provider.

Nortel had a 1996 turnover of $US 3 billion in Europe, operating both independently and through its joint ventures with the Lagardere Group in France (Matra Communications and Nortel Matra Cellular), Olivetti SpA in Italy (Sixtel) and Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG in Germany (Nortel Dasa Network Systems). The company employs approximately 16,000 people across Europe in Research and Development, manufacturing and sales.

Nortel works with customers worldwide to design build and integrate digital networks – for information, entertainment, education and business – offering one of the broadest choices of network solutions in the industry.

Nortel had 1996 revenues of $US 12.8 billion and has approximately 68,000 employees worldwide.

Carbon Sequestration and Fuels Decarbonization-Workshop

/0 Comments/in , /by

Carbon Sequestration and Fuels Decarbonization-Workshop report
(Received today on the aesp e-mail list)

The Center for Energy and Environmental Studies (CEES) at Princeton University issued a report on September 29 entitled “Fuels Decarbonization and Carbon Sequestration: Report of a Workshop.” The workshop was held in Washington, D.C., on July 28-29, 1997, and was sponsored by the U.S. Department of energy.

The core idea of the report is a “safer fossil” concept that requires the traditional industries of oil, gas, and coal to assume a lead role in future environmentally sensitive energy use. The goal of safer fossil is to separate the energy function from the carbon content of fossil fuels. Fuels would be “decarbonized” to hydrogen and used efficiently. The removed carbon would be deliberately “sequestered,” that is, disposed of at a high concentration in such a way that the carbon does not reach the atmosphere for centuries or longer. Among the potential sequestration sites are deep saline aquifers and the deep ocean.

The energy-environment-economy challenge demands parallel work along many tracks at once. The idea of “safer fossil” is new and exciting and deserves thoughtful attention. This report provides sufficient detail for all those interested in energy policy to develop their independent views.

The report is available as a hard copy document from CEES, or on the World Wide Web (http://www.princeton.edu/~ceesdoe) in three formats: 1) an on-line (HTML) document; 2) a downloadable Microsoft Word Version 6.0 file; and, 3) an Adobe Acrobat PDF (Portable Document Format) file.
—————————-
An excerpt from the report:

Seven principal findings emerged from the workshop:

A. Several of the key enabling technologies for fuels decarbonization and carbon sequestration are already commercialized or close to commercialization.
B. At the scale of deployment in industry today, fuel decarbonization and carbon sequestration are well matched; they might be combined effectively in pilot programs.
C. Matching the distributed character of transportation energy use with the more centralized character of sequestration poses significant challenges.
D. There is a rich array of prospective technological routes both to fuels decarbonization and to carbon sequestration.
E. Environment, health, and safety are compelling concerns and appropriate subjects for research.
F. The necessary work cannot be done without new partnerships.
G. What is proposed here is not a panacea.

DOE Carbon Reduction Study

/0 Comments/in , /by

The note quoted below just arrived today via the AESP mail-list..giving an online link to the just released DOE report.

Energy Folks-

After a pretty extensive search, I have managed to track down the DOE study released last week that you have probably heard about, “Scenarios of U. S. Carbon Reductions Potential Impacts of Energy-Efficient and Low-Carbon Technologies by 2010 and Beyond”

Find a link to it on Sustainable Minnesota’s Climate Change Resources Page at: http://www.me3.org/issues/climate/

John.

Here is some from the Executive summary:

The study documents in detail how four key sectors of the economy – buildings, transportation, industry, and electric utilities – could respond to directed programs and policies to expand adoption of energy efficiency and low-carbon technologies, an increase in the relative price of carbon-based fuels by $25 or $50/tonne (e.g., as a result of a cap on domestic carbon emissions and a market for carbon “permits”), and an aggressive program of targeted research and development. Current projections suggest that a carbon emissions reduction of 390 million metric tons per year (MtC year) is required to stabilize U.S. emissions in 2010 at 1990 levels.

————————-
John Bailey, Research Associate
Institute for Local Self-Reliance
1313 Fifth Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414
Tel: 612-379-3815 Fax: 612-379-3920

Linear Concentrator PV system Demonstration

/0 Comments/in , /by

Subject: UFTO Note – Linear Concentrator PV system Demonstration
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 11:15:58 -0800
From: Ed Beardsworth

————————————————————–
| ** UFTO ** Edward Beardsworth ** Consultant
| 951 Lincoln Ave. tel 415-328-5670
| Palo Alto CA 94301-3041 fax 415-328-5675
| http://www.ufto.com edbeards@ufto.com
————————————————————–

Linear Concentrator PV system Demonstration

Photovoltaics International (PVI) is introducing its first commercial product. It is a 1400 W DC, 12 module concentrating PV panel. They are seeking participants in a demonstration program with an invitation to purchase one of these panels at a reduced price of $4,000.

Their technical approach goes neatly in between flat panel and high concentration, and offers a real prospect for low priced production of reliable systems in the immediate future. The heart of the system is a patented extruded acrylic cylindrical lens that concentrates the sunlight by a factor of about 10 – 15 onto ordinary one-sun Si photocells (with minor modification). The system has none of the special and stringent requirements of high-concentration approaches. For example, it operates with simple self-contained one-axis tracking that is reliable and needn’t be nearly as accurate (within 5-10° instead of >> 1°).

A panel consists of 12 modules linked together to track the sun in unison, and mounted on a lightweight frame that can be readily installed on roofs (without any difficult structural modifications to the building).

Considerable experience has been gained over the last two years of pilot installations at SMUD, Arizona Public Service, and Clean Air Now (S. Calif.) that has been incorporated into the new product design. It is expected that within one to two years, PVI will be able to offer systems at costs significantly lower than flat panel systems now available.

Contact:
Jim Sahagian, President
PVI, Sunnyvale CA
408-746-3062, fax 408-746-3890, email: jsahagian@pvintl.com

New DOE study on Green House Gases

/0 Comments/in , /by

New DOE study on Green House Gases

DOE is expected to release a new study on greenhouse gases next week. It outlines a scenario for major reductions in CO2 emissions over the mid to long term that may have overall net costs that are at or below zero. The study recognizes that the transition won’t be easy and will require a vigorous national commitment, but indicates that it is feasible and holds many important opportunities for the nation.

Five major national laboratories have been working for over a year to identify and evaluate demand and supply side technologies that are available now or will be in the next decade, and to analyze prospects for their implementation. These technologies taken together with a carbon trading system (at significantly lower prices than earlier analyses have suggested) make a workable combination involving end use and supply-side efficiency improvements, some conversion of coal fired power plants to natural gas, and renewable sources.

(This advance notice is off the record. Please don’t contact DOE until the report is released.)

CURC Technology Exchange Conference

/0 Comments/in , /by

(note–I am tentatively planning to attend. EB)

——————————————————
1997 CURC TECHNOLOGY EXCHANGE CONFERENCE
November 3-5, 1997
La Jolla Hyatt Regency
San Diego, California

For the first time ever, the California Utility Research Council (CURC) is hosting a comprehensive conference to present energy technology trends in California and exciting RD&D collaboration opportunities.

(For those unfamiliar with CURC, it is comprised of the CPUC, CEC, and California utilities. Established several years ago to coordinate utility R&D in the state, CURC was asked by CEC Commissioner David Rohy to host an event designed to present technology activities, trends, and collaboration opportunities related to California’s interests.)

Restructuring of the electric and gas industries in California has had a dramatic effect on the energy RD&D landscape in California. Previously, most of this work was funded by ratepayers and managed by the four largest investor-owned California utilities: PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, and SoCalGas. Supplemental funding for California RD&D interests was provided by GRI, EPRI, and DOE.

Restructuring is changing how RD&D will be done in California, creating many new opportunities for collaboration. Most notable is the effect of California legislation (AB1890) recently passed in California which has made available $62.5 million per year for public interest energy RD&D activities. In addition, some utilities will continue to fund RD&D activities using ratepayer benefits. Overall, ratepayer-funded RD&D is on the decline as utilities continue to prepare themselves for competition under performance-based ratemaking. Finally, shareholder-funded technology development opportunities are abound for energy companies seeking a competitive advantage.

Purpose: The 1997 CURC Technology Exchange Conference will provide participants with an overview of technology trends and energy RD&D collaboration activities which benefit California. The conference will present collaboration opportunities and update participants on the implementation of the California PIER (Public Interest Energy Research) program. Participants will also have an opportunity to network directly with peers and funding agencies who are active with energy technologies.

Speakers will include CPUC and CEC commissioners, representatives of the major California utilities, Federal agency officials, equipment vendors, and R&D and technology investment specialists.

There will also be a poster/table session for presentations of relevant technologies and services.

Who Should Attend:
Engineers, scientists, investors, inventors, RD&D policymakers, government representatives, product and business development specialists.

Though the emphasis is clearly on the California situation, all interested parties from around the country (and world) are encouraged to attend, both for collaborative opportunities, and to understand how public interest issues are being addressed, as a model for what might happen elsewhere.

To be put on the mailing list for the agenda and registration forms, contact:

David Berokoff, So. Calif. Gas Co.
213-244-5340, dberokoff@pacent.com
fax (213)244-8242

Next Meeting of Elec Reliability Task Force

/0 Comments/in , /by

I just received the note attached below from Paul Carrier at DOE. He also tells me that the minutes from the July meeting in San Francisco and the two agendas for Plymouth should be available September 12.

We generally get meeting notices and minutes a day or two before they’re posted on the SEAB Task Force Website: http://vm1.hqadmin.doe.gov:80/seab/electSys.html

I am thinking seriously about attending the technology briefings on Sept 24, which will cover hardware and software for the grid, plus some distributed resources. Note that it is on the day after Tech 2007 in Boston, which I do plan to attend.

EB

———————————————
The next meeting of the Electric System Reliability Task Force will be on Thursday September 25, at the Sheraton Inn, (508)747-4900, in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

The meeting will be preceded by a day of technology briefings for the Members beginning at 10:00 am on the 24th.

Please let me know, via e-mail, if you would like to sit in on the briefings.

I will send you an agenda for both days as soon as they are available.

Call me at (202)586-5659 if you have any questions.

Paul Carrier, Task Force Staff Director
paul.carrier@hq.doe.gov