THE PUSH TO DEVELOP "BROWN GOLD" (PEAT) IS ON. Minnesota Gas Company and the Institute of Gas Technology have spent $1.5 million studying peat gasification and intend to build a $5 million pilot plant in the near future. Meanwhile, there's talk of a growing "peat lobby" in Washington, and Department of Energy officials are preparing a "peat position paper". One reason for all the excitement: Known peat reserves in the U.S, contain the equivalent of 1,443 quadrillion Btu's of energy. (Present energy consumption in the U.S.-for all purposes-is about 75 "quads" a year.)
THE WORLD'S LARGEST GEOTHERMAL PLANT -Pacific Gas and Electric Company's Unit No. 13-is now under construction in Lake County, California. When it goes "on line" in October 1979, the $29 million installation will supply 135 megawatts of electricity to PG&E's customers. PG&E presently obtains about 7% of its total generating capacity from geothermal steam and employs 640 persons in geothermal development. Says one company representative: "We intend to continue building geothermal power plants at the rate of one per year as long as there is a proven supply of steam and a need for electrical energy."
GOT A SOLAR HEATING SYSTEM THAT DOESN'T PERFORM AS PROMISED? You might want to take your complaints) to Southwest Energy Management, Inc., a two-year-old solar firm that specializes in correcting the mistakes of other installers. SEM's purpose-according to President Geoff Smith-is to "fight the fast-buck artist every way we can, including trying to repair their mistakes and [thus) restore a degree of faith in the solar energy industry". Write to Southwest Energy Management, Inc., Dept. TMEN, 8290 Vickers St., Suite B, San Diego, Calif. 92111.
BETWEEN 1918 AND 1976, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT SPENT $134 BILLION ON INCENTIVES to stimulate energy production, a study by Batelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories indicates. Of the total, 5°'o went for coal production, 10°10 for hydro power, 12°70 for gas, 13°10 for nuclear . . . and 60% for oil.
NUCLEAR WASTE FIRM FAILS TO GET DISPOSAL SITE. Chem-Nuclear Systems, Inc. (Bellevue, Washington)which handles 70°10 of the low-level radioactive wastes generated by the nuclear industry in the U.S.--has decided to give up on trying to win state approval for a nuclear garbage burial site near Cimarron, New Mexico. Chem-Nuclear had already spent $620,000 (and two years) trying to obtain a disposal license. To continue the push for a license-in the words of company president Bruce W. Johnson-"would not be a prudent use of stockholders' money".
IT'S BEEN A YEAR SINCE THE LAST BIG BLACKOUT IN NEW YORK CITY . . . and Consolidated Edison is still backlogged with blackout-related legal battles. Nearly 100 small claims have been filed against the utility (for damages ranging from spoiled food to property destruction) so far. Also pending are 13 Civil Court suits seeking $58,000 . . . 23 Supreme Court suits seeking $19 million . . . and three class-action suits that could cost Con Ed $ 10 billion.
OIL GIANTS VIE FOR SOLAR MARKET . According to a report issued by International Resource Development, Inc. (125 Elm St., New Canaan, Conn. 06840), Exxon Corporation intends to market a line of solar heating systems and heat pumps (for industrial AND residential applications) within the next five years. Not to be outdone, Atlantic Richfield Company has acquired the assets of Solar Technology International, a Chatsworth, California producer of photovoltaic cells. Solar Tech's new name will be (appropriately enough) Arco Solar, Inc.
ATOMIC POWER PLANTS: LOW-YIELD "NEUTRON BOMBS"? An internal memo from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission warns that nuclear plant workers are being exposed to bombardment by stray neutrons. So says columnist Jack Anderson, who points out that-in this regard-atomic generating stations are very much like low-yield neutron bombs. (The recently developed neutron bomb-you'll recall-kills or injures human beings while leaving buildings more-or-less intact.) The NRC is reportedly embarking on a one-year, $100,000 study of the situation.
NO MORE FREE LIGHT BULBS: Detroit Edison Company-the last utility in the country to give away light bulbs to its customers-has said it is discontinuing its free-bulbs program indefinitely . . . . A recent study prepared by the Departments of Energy and Housing/Urban Development-HOME MORTGAGE LENDING AND SOLA R , ENERGY- is available free for the asking by phoning the toll-free solar hotline: 1-800-523-2929 . . . . THE STATE OF OREGON HAS OUTLAWED ELECTRIC MASTER-METERING OF NEW APARTMENT BUILDINGS in an effort to save energy. Master-metered tenants use up to 35% more energy than tenants who receive individual monthly electric bills . . . . A recent Harris poll discloses the reassuring fact that ONLY 47% OF AMERICANS NOW FAVOR A SPEEDUP IN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT CONSTRUCTION (versus 69% one year ago) . . . . The 200-kw DOE/NASA wind generator in Clayton, New Mexico WAS TURNED OVER TO THE CITY FOR MUNICIPAL USE LAST MAY after logging 587 hours of successful operation between January 28 and April 9 . . . . The rapid increase in the popularity of wood stoves may soon bring on HIGHER FIRE INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR HOMEOWNERS , according to the Insurance Information Institute (Attn: Ron Vinson, National Press Building, Washington, D.C. 20045) . . . . Kalwall Corporation's Solar Components Division is now mailing its 1978 CATALOG OF SOLAR ENERGY PRODUCTS. If you haven't ordered your copy already, you can do so now by sending your name and address (and a token payment . . . say $1.00) to P.O. Box 237, Dept. TMEN, Manchester, N.H. 03105.
|
|
|
|