Reverse Energy Consulting » 2009 » February

DOE & NREL Showcase Hydrogen Powered Bus at A Taste of Colorado September 2, 2010
To help spread the word about advanced technology vehicles, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fuel Cell Technologies Program is showcasing alternative fuel vehicles at this year’s A Taste of Colorado. […]
Scientist Named an American Chemical Society Fellow September 1, 2010
Dr. Helena Chum, research fellow at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), was recently named a 2010 Fellow by the American Chemical Society (ACS). […]
NREL Seeks Design Tools for Better Car Batteries August 23, 2010
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is seeking proposals to create computer models to help build and improve electric drive vehicle (EDV) batteries. […]
Media Invited to Geothermal Energy Symposium August 12, 2010
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center (RMOTC) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Southern Methodist University (SMU) Geothermal Laboratory, invite members of the media to attend the two-day “Geothermal in the Oil Field” symposium in Casper, Wyo., Aug. 18-19, […]

Mariner may be facing BP-style crisis September 2, 2010
Mariner Energy, Inc. shares dropped more than 4 percent Thursday following news that one of its production platforms exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. […]
BP's life on 'frontiers' of energy industry at risk August 29, 2010
At a celebration of BP's centennial last October, CEO Tony Hayward boasted to guests that the oil company "lives on the frontiers of the energy industry." […]
Gas prices continue unusual pre-Labor Day fall August 23, 2010
Gasoline pump prices continued to fall on Monday, offering a bright spot for drivers watching their wallets in the uncertain economy. […]
Blackstone taking Dynegy private for $542.7M August 13, 2010
Asset manager Blackstone Group said Friday it is paying $542.7 million to take Dynegy Inc. private in a three-way deal that will see Dynegy also sell four power plants to NRG Energy Inc. […]
Gulf spill investigators eye undersea evidence August 6, 2010
Now that BP appears to have vanquished its ruptured well, authorities are turning their attention to gathering evidence from what could amount to a crime scene at the bottom of the sea. […]

Online Auctions Touted as a Way to Reduce Costs, Go Green

In an eBay-like environment, energy suppliers compete for hospital business

Hospitals struggling with higher prices for electricity and gas, exacerbated by rising usage from energy-gobbling technology, may have a new option to manage those costs—a reverse energy auction.

The auction requires energy suppliers to offer contracts in a quick, competitive online session similar to eBay, in contrast to the relatively slow process of issuing requests for proposal on paper and waiting for the bids to come in. Proponents say the auction pushes suppliers to offer better prices than they would otherwise.

Energy auctions, which have been used widely by government agencies, are now being offered to health care facilities in the context of going green. The idea is to either buy contracts that include renewable, “green” energy sources, or use the savings from the auction process to support environmentally sustainable policies throughout the facility.

Credit-Jan Greene

DOE, USDA to Develop Better Plants for Bioenergy September 8, 2010
DOE and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are funding a joint research and a genetic breeding program aimed at creating plants better suited for bioenergy production. […]
DOE Announces U.S. Centers for U.S.-China Clean Energy Research September 8, 2010
DOE has announced two consortia, one led by the University of Michigan and the other led by West Virginia University, to study clean energy under the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center. […]
Hawaii and Nissan Agree to EV Partnership September 8, 2010
Hawaii and Nissan have announced a partnership making the state an early recipient of the Leaf EV in January 2011. CODA Automotive said it would start its EV sales in the state by Q3 of 2011. […]

Why Green Buildings Cannot Be Built Without Air Barrier Systems Workshop September 2, 2010
One-Day Workshop Sponsored by the Building Enclosure Technology and Environment Council Learn about the significance of air control and barrier technology; See case studies of successful implementation of airtightness requirements; Examine the issues as seen by the industry association; Explore air barrier testing and commissioning; Discuss the need for futu […]
DOE Announces Two Million Smart Meters Installed in the U.S. September 1, 2010
DOE announces on August 31 that two million smart meters have been installed across the country, supported by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding that is speeding modernization of the U.S. electrical grid. […]
DOE Creates New Energy Hub for Energy-Efficient Building Design August 25, 2010
DOE Announced on August 24 the creation of the Energy Efficient Building System Design Energy Innovation Hub to develop technologies that make buildings more energy efficient. […]
HUD Awards $100 Million for Housing Efficiency Retrofits August 25, 2010
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on August 19 awarded more than $100 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to complete energy efficient renovations of 100 affordable housing developments in 21 states and Washington, D.C. […]

BP points fingers in oil spill blame game September 9, 2010
LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - BP Plc and its Gulf of Mexico oil well partners traded blame on Wednesday after an internal BP investigation tried to downplay the company's role in the world's biggest offshore spill. […]
Igor, 2 other tropical systems no threat to Gulf of Mexico September 8, 2010
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. National Hurricane Center was monitoring newly formed Tropical Storm Igor in the far eastern Atlantic Ocean and two other tropical systems in the Atlantic basin on Wednesday, but so far none showed any early signs of entering the energy-rich Gulf of Mexico and disrupting offshore production. […]
Protect corals with reef networks, U.N. study says September 8, 2010
OSLO (Reuters) - The world should safeguard coral reefs with networks of small no-fishing zones to confront threats such as climate change, and shift from favoring single, big protected areas, a U.N. study showed. […]
Oxygen drops near BP spill but no "dead zone": U.S. September 8, 2010
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hungry microbes feasting on spilled BP oil caused a drop in oxygen levels in the Gulf of Mexico, but did not create a marine "dead zone" near the wellhead, U.S. scientists reported on Tuesday. […]

Tokyo slides on yen woes, leading Asia stocks down September 8, 2010
Most Asian stock markets declined Wednesday as renewed concern about the health of European banks hurt sentiment, pushing the yen to a new 15-year high against the U.S. dollar and dragging Japanese shares sharply lower. […]
Mark Hulbert: What stocks would gain from deflation? September 8, 2010
Are investors acting rationally when they dump stocks because of deflationary concerns? One research firm has questioned widely-held assumptions, and the universally-held notion that deflation would be bad for stocks, writes Mark Hulbert. […]
Asia steelmakers rise as Japanese exporters drop September 7, 2010
Asian stock markets turn in mixed results, as declining exporters weigh on Japanese shares, while steelmakers climb on expectations of higher prices. […]
Irwin Kellner: It's bear season on Wall Street September 7, 2010
By rising last week the stock market may be setting itself up for a decline later on, writes MarketWatch economist Irwin Kellner. […]