Arizona
1998 Solar Energy Institute Helps Students Learn Solar Lessons
The Solar Energy Institute, sponsored by the Arizona Department of Commerce Energy Office, is a contemporary incentive program in secondary science education. The program is held each summer in one of Arizona's most scenic locations: Camp Colton on Hart Prairie, north of Flagstaff, Arizona.

Seventeen high school seniors-to-be from throughout Arizona as well as Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, and New Mexico were invited to participate in this summer's Institute the week of July 18-25. The 17 students were chosen through an application process that rewarded both leadership and academic achievement in science. The students learned from a variety of professionals in the solar energy field. Academic activities included touring several neighboring solar homes and an "Introduction to Solar Energy" lecture and slide show; building their own solar bicycles and then facing off against each other in a grueling 10-mile race; and teaming up to prepare and cook a solar potluck dinner using solar ovens. Other activities during the week included a tour of the APS Photovoltaic Generating Plant and launching a solar hot air balloon.

On the first and last days of the Institute, delegates completed self-assessment tests as well as a proficiency test on all aspects of solar energy. Scores improved dramatically in every category from the pre-test to the post-test. Delegates' general knowledge of solar power increased 92 percent from the pre-test scores to the post-test scores. The biggest area of improvement, however, was in the field of photovoltaics. Delegates' post-test scores were 128 percent higher than their pre-test scores on the subject of photovoltaic technology.

For more information on the 1998 Solar Energy Institute, or for information on the 1999 Solar Energy Institute, contact Jim Arwood at (602) 280-1409.

Contact: Gloria Castro, (602) 280-1402.

Colorado
New Solar Rebate Program Encourages Efficient Design
Two Colorado organizations have partnered to offer solar rebates that will reimburse homeowners and businesses for as much as 25 percent of their investment in solar energy systems. The Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) and the Governor's Office of Energy Conservation (OEC) are sponsoring this program to help reduce the cost of solar hot water and grid-tied solar electric systems. The rebates are based on a system's expected energy production, rewarding good design.

"These new solar technologies are extremely reliable and efficient, and we want to encourage their wider use," said Jon Klima, COSEIA's president. "As we bring down the costs, more Coloradans will be exposed to solar. That's good for Colorado in a couple of ways. We make better use of an environmentally friendly and free energy source, and we also encourage Colorado's home-grown solar industry, adding high-tech jobs."

This rebate partnership was formed to help meet Governor Roy Romer's "1,000 by 2000 Solar Rooftop Challenge," encouraging Colorado homeowners and businesses to make a significant move to solar energy by the year 2000. Marc Roper, OEC's renewable energy program manager, acknowledged the statewide economic potential of solar, saying, "Colorado has long been an important proving ground for solar technologies, and this industry has great export potential as solar energy takes off internationally. And here at home we're seeing a growing trend toward solar as people recognize how important their energy choices can be."

The rollout of this rebate program is timed to coincide with the beginning of the Home Builder's Association of Metro Denver's 1998 Parade of Homes at Lowry. Three Parade homes feature solar systems, and all of them are Built Green with energy efficiency features. Anyone interested in learning about these rebates can contact COSEIA at (303) 750-9764 or (800) 633-9764.

Contact: James McClements, (303) 620-4292.

Idaho
Wood Pellet System Provides Power for Test Home
A locally produced renewable energy resource will provide all the electricity for an Idaho home as part of a demonstration project co-funded by the Energy Division. A generator fueled by gases produced by a wood pellet-burning gasifier will provide electricity for the 3,400-square-foot home. As part of the project, the Energy Division contributed a $25,000 grant funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The grant was awarded to a Prosser, Washington, bioenergy developer who built and installed the special power generation system. The Energy Division will oversee the project during the test period, and a mechanical engineering professor with the University of Idaho will monitor the generator's emissions. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate the reliability, feasibility, and economic value of a residential-scale gasifier. These types of gasifier-generation systems have great potential for remote areas that need an environmentally friendly way to produce electricity.

The test home includes a second story and basement. Typically, a home of this size uses 1,300-1,400 kilowatt hours of electricity per month. Although the gasifier will provide all the power for the home, regular electrical service will be available in case of an emergency. The technical name for the system is a biomass-fueled gasification electric generation system. The process turns organic biomass products such as wood pellets into carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases, which are then used to power an electrical generator.

The pellets start at the top of a gasifier column, move down through the column, and burn at temperatures up to 2,550 degrees F. The carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases produced in the process go to the generator where they are mixed with oxygen and become the fuel to run the generator and produce the electricity. The only byproduct of the process is activated charcoal, which remains after the gasification process is completed.

Contact: John Crockett, (208) 327-7962

School District Sees Quick Return for Energy Program
When a school district saves nearly $28,000 over a two-week period, that's something to brag about. The Idaho Falls School District followed energy conservation shutdown procedures recommended by the Energy Division. During the 1997 Christmas break, the district:

• turned off all interior lights except emergency lighting;
  
• restricted the use of interior lighting to only those areas of the school being worked in or occupied;
  
• turned off all compressors used in auto, wood, or other shops;
  
• closed all curtains/blinds to help buffer buildings from outside temperatures;
  
• cut electric power to portable classrooms at the circuit breaker unless here was a concern about freezing; and
  
• took other no-cost actions.

The school district has been working with the Energy Division on a new energy conservation program, Rebuild Idaho. The national program, Rebuild America, was developed as a way to meet the energy saving requirements of the 1992 Energy Policy Act. Rebuild Idaho is funded through a $117,000 grant with the U.S. Department of Energy. The program focuses on establishing resource conservation managers (RCMs) in either three Idaho school districts or municipalities during a two-year period.

The Idaho Falls School District signed a Rebuild Idaho agreement in April 1998, becoming one of seven state partners in the program. The district committed to the formation of a working partnership and the development of a five-year action plan for capturing energy savings. By June, the plan was developed, and building audits were underway.

The director of conservation for the city's Electrical Division is acting as the RCM for the Idaho Falls School District. Since the district signed up with the program, he's documented and reported on current electrical and natural gas energy use in more than one million square feet of district buildings. His report identified the 10 buildings using the most energy per square foot, which gave the partnership a base for building the action plan now being implemented.

More than 800,000 square feet of building floor space is being audited this summer. Two of the 10 audited buildings will undergo a thorough engineering assessment of mechanical systems, lighting, controls, and the building envelope to determine the most cost-effective and energy-saving retrofit measures for district consideration.

A metering plan will be developed for tracking energy and dollar savings in buildings that have energy conservation retrofits. The comparison of the traditional baseline usage with the post-retrofit energy usage will give the school district an accurate picture of the savings to help make future decisions for efficiency investment.

To find out more about Rebuild Idaho and the RCM program, visit the Web site at Rebuild Idaho.

Contact: Sue Seifert, (208) 327-7973

Illinois
Illinois Energy Grants Focus on Economic Development for Small Businesses
"To increase competitiveness, profitability and growth of Illinois business in a global economy" is the mission statement for some 38 Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) throughout the state of Illinois. The Illinois State Energy office believes energy efficiency and stability are key features for the state's small businesses to achieve these goals.

In June of 1998, The Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs' Bureau of Energy and Recycling funded five SBDCs for approximately $75,000 each to develop regional energy educational and demonstration projects into components of their regional business and economic development training programs. The bureau issued a statewide RFP asking for proposals which would incorporate innovation and business-to-business cross-training, have a strong regional marketing effort, and demonstrate increased profits through energy management.

Successful grant awards were made to five of eight applicants. The following identifies the successful applicants and their locations and summarizes each project.

Bradley University, Peoria: The Bradley University SBDC is a 22-month project designed with four program components: develop energy education workshops for the commercial and industrial consumer; perform energy assessments and audits; evaluate energy savings identified and attained as a result of completed assessments; and create a comprehensive training curriculum on energy assessment and audit procedures for Illinois SBDC personnel, other not-for-profits, and interested individuals.

College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn: The College of DuPage SBDC will be developing an 18-month project to develop energy-related workshops for the nearly 50,000 businesses in their service area. A database of Illinois energy resource providers, programs, and businesses will be developed in cooperation with other SBDC energy grantees. DuPage SBDC will establish and implement a regional advocacy group for coordination of efforts.

Greater North-Pulaski Economic Development Corporation, Chicago: Greater North-Pulaski Economic Development SBDC is an 18-month project to develop the coordination of private and public sector energy networking and educational mechanisms in northwestern Cook County. Project components will include business-to-business crosstraining of successful energy projects; energy seminars and workshops; one-on-one energy consulting and program marketing; and development of a Web page linking energy programs and resources in conjunction with other SBDC energy programs.

Joliet Junior College, Joliet: Joliet Junior College SBDC has created a 15-month project to develop a commercial-industrial energy task force in cooperation with other energy-funded SBDC projects. Program activities include energy educational workshops; motor efficiency training; hands-on training with displays of energy monitoring equipment; and seminars featuring a business-to-business forum with testimonials and documented results from successful energy programs.

Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills: Moraine Valley Community College SBDC is developing a 24-month program in coordination with regional utility companies to provide energy technical assistance, educational seminars, and assist businesses in assessing energy management practices. Moraine Valley will also be assisting individual businesses and industries in identifying ways to reduce energy costs by offering energy audits and providing energy efficiency equipment to implement savings. A final report will be prepared documenting actual savings as a result of energy audits and equipment installations.

Contact: Don McGee, (217) 785-2862

Iowa
Rebuild Cedar Falls: Creating an Energy-Wise Community
In an effort to create a more productive and sustainable community, Cedar Falls has embarked on a multi-year program to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions in its municipal, industrial, and residential buildings. Cedar Falls is one of six Iowa showcase communities participating in Rebuild Iowa–an Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Energy Bureau, and Department of Energy initiative designed to help communities identify, implement, and finance cost-effective energy efficiency and waste reduction improvements.

Cedar Falls Utilities and the University of Northern Iowa's (UNI) Center for Energy and Environmental Education (CEEE) have joined forces, along with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' Rebuild Iowa program, to create Conservation City. The goals of this program are to decrease energy consumption by 10 percent in small industrial and residential facilities; install up to 10,000 watt of photovoltaic modules (which convert sunlight to electricity), and educate community residents on the environmental and economic rewards of energy efficiency. The Conservation City program will also stimulate economic development by providing opportunities to local retailers, financiers, and contractors to implement energy efficiency projects.

Cedar Falls Utilities (CFU) has become a significant promoter of the program within the community by looking at providing "on the bill" financing for Conservation City projects. Energy saved through Conservation City reduces demand, in turn lowering utility bills for customers and reducing Cedar Falls Utilities' environmental impact.

Recently, 300 elementary students in Cedar Falls were taught how to conduct energy audits. Of those students, 45 completed the energy audits with their parents and returned them for analysis and feedback. While teaching children about the importance of energy efficiency, John Root, Rebuild Cedar Falls' coordinator, was able to reach many members of the community and provide valuable information about how to save energy at home. Since joining the program in January 1998, Conservation City has signed three memoranda of agreement (MOAs) with Younkers, Simpson Furniture, and Smitty's Tire & Appliance.

The commitment and dedication of the participants involved in Conservation City will ensure a sustainable program with benefits for years to come. Visit our Web site at Conservation City.

Contact: Kimberly Baxter, (515) 281-6486 or email, Kimberly Baxter

Kentucky
Division to Offer Workshop on Energy Savings Performance Contracting
The Kentucky Division of Energy (KYDOE) is offering a second workshop on energy savings performance contracting (ESPC) for state and local officials. The November 10-11, 1998 workshop will feature a presentation by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Fitness Program, to help train administrators and facilities managers on the basics of ESPC and procurement of energy service companies (ESCOs). On the second day, participants will learn important information about Kentucky legislation and policies regarding ESPC. Representatives from state and local government agencies will discuss the status of ESPC in Kentucky. Participants will also benefit from a discussion of key points in negotiating ESPCs.

Cosponsors with KYDOE and ORNL are the Kentucky League of Cities, Kentucky Magistrates and Commissioners Association, Kentucky County Judge Executive Association, and Kentucky Association of School Administrators.

Contact: John Stapleton, (502) 654-7192

Michigan
Five Star Homebuyer Receives First $1,000 Check
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Bennett are the first homebuyers to receive a $1,000 Five Star Home Incentive from the Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services. The first 200 individuals who purchase energy efficient Five Star homes in Michigan will be able to receive $1,000 incentives. The energy efficiency of homes is rated on a scale of 1-5 stars, and the Bennett home received the highest rating, five stars. The Bennett house, which was built by Jon Gilbert Builders, has R-40 insulation in the ceilings, R-20 insulation in the walls, double low-E, argon windows, a high efficiency (92.5 percent) furnace, a high efficiency (14.0 SEER) air conditioner, and air-tight construction. Because the house has been built to be airtight, it includes a ventilation system that brings in fresh air but also recovers and reuses heat from the exhaust air. The home energy rating estimates that it will cost $271 per year to heat the house.

Contact: Jerry Nash, (517) 334-7236

CONSERVATION UPDATE is a free monthly publication prepared by the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet, Division of Energy, with funding from the United States Department of Energy, to facilitate the transfer of current State Energy Program (SEP) and technical information among the states and territories. Please submit short articles that describe successful programs, solicit ideas, share reports, studies or evaluations, or announce new publications, personnel changes, office address changes, conferences, seminars and workshops. Submittals are due by the seventh of each month. Please send submittals, address corrections, or name changes to: CONSERVATION UPDATE, Division of Energy, 663 Teton Trail, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, phone (502) 564-7192, facsimile (502) 564-7484, email: landry@nrepc.nr.state.ky.us. Past issues are available upon request. For more information, contact Karen W. Landry, Editor, or John M. Stapleton, Director.

Visit the Division's Web site at www.nr.state.ky.us/nrepc/dnr/energy/dnrdoe.html

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