Here are three new items of interest:

– Calif PIER Program 1998 Annual Report
– GRI Distributed Generation Forum; Booklet
– New DOE Carbon Sequestration Report

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PIER Program’s 1998 Annual Report is now available

The Public Internet Energy Research (PIER) Program’s 1998 Annual Report is now available on their Web site. The report can be downloaded as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file and the executive summary can be read on line. Go to:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/reports/500-99-004.html

The appendices contain descriptions of all projects funded to date.

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GRI Offers Overview Document; Reopens Distributed Generation Forum to New Members

The Distributed Generation Forum (1997-1998) concluded two years of work to provide its thirty-three members with a strong understanding of their opportunity for penetrating the distributed generation market. The final meeting of Forum (1997-1998) was held in Mesa, Arizona on March 4-5, 1999. The existing members have urged the continuation of the Forum for another two years. The Forum attempts to maintain membership at thirty companies to provide for extensive dialog among the members. The Forum will accept applications for two-year memberships which will begin in the second quarter of 1999.

The Distributed Generation Forum was established at the end of 1996 to bring together gas and electric utility representatives with manufacturers of small power generation technology for discussion and analysis of the emerging changes in the electric power industry and the future role for distributed generation technology. During its first two years of operation the Forum completed parallel analyses of electric industry restructuring and distributed generation technology and markets. In addition to the analytical work conducted by Onsite Energy Corporation and George C. Ford & Associates, the Forum invited speakers from industry, government, and research organizations to discuss technical, regulatory, and economic aspects of the market.

The Forum has released a public document highlighting key market opportunities and critical issues. “The Role of Distributed Generation in Competitive Energy Markets”, March 99, is a 15 page booklet that does a good job summarizing DG issues.

To request a free copy of the booklet, and to get more information about the forum, contact (preferably by email, and include your mail address):

Dan Kincaid, GRI Business Development Manager, Power Generation,
dkincaid@gri.org 773-399-8338

He can also send you a Forum prospective members package. Current members are Allison Engine Co., Allied Signal, C.A.G.T., Llc, Caterpillar Inc., Coltec Industries, Com/Energy Enterpr., Consumers Gas Co., Cummins-Onan, Duke Energy, Edison Tech. Solutions, Electricite De France, Elliott Energy Sys., Florida Power & Light Co., Gas Research Institute, Illinois Power Co., Onsi Corporation, Nipsco, Peco Energy Co., Pan Canadian Energy, Siemens Westinghouse Corp., So. California Gas, Solar Turbines, Southwest Gas Co., Transalta Utilities, Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical, Unicom Energy Svcs., Union Gas, Union Electric, Woodward Governor

(See UFTO Note 7/15/97 “Distributed Generation–Recent Developments” for background)

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DOE Reports on State of the Science Of Carbon Sequestration

On April 12, DOE released a 200-page “working draft” report as a starting point to set priorities and identify specific directions for R&D activities. DOE plans to convene a public workshop in late May or June to begin developing a joint government-industry-academia “road map” for future carbon sequestration research and technology development.

The report identifies key research needs in several aspects of carbon sequestration, including technologies for separating and capturing carbon dioxide from energy systems and sequestering it in the oceans or geologic formations, or possibly by enhancing the natural carbon cycle of oceans and terrestrial ecosystems such as forests, vegetation, soils, and crops. It also describes advanced options for chemically or biologically transforming carbon dioxide into environmentally safe, potentially marketable products.

The report is available in electronic form from the Office of Fossil Energy web site at http://www.fe.doe.gov/sequestration

or the Office of Science’s web site at www.er.doe.gov (select “Carbon Management”). A limited number of printed copies are also available from the DOE Fossil Energy Communications Office at (202) 586-6503.

DOE will announce details on the upcoming workshop as soon as they become available.