Husk Insulation wins $200,000 MIT Clean

Energy Prize

May 13, 2009

MIT News Office

The MIT Clean Energy Prize has announced that Husk Insulation was selected from more than 100 student entries from 40 colleges and universities across the country to receive the $200,000 MIT Clean Energy Grand Prize sponsored by NSTAR and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Husk Insulation, from the University of Michigan, plays in the rapidly growing market for advanced insulation, part of the $7 billion U.S. insulation market. Husk's innovative and patented solution converts agricultural waste into cost-effective vacuum insulated panels, a type of high-grade insulation that delivers up to 10 times the insulative effectiveness of conventional insulation. Husk answers the global demand for energy by delivering energy efficiency that could ultimately reduce U.S. energy consumption by more than 57 billion kilowatt-hours. Husk's products will ultimately serve a variety of markets, including refrigeration, housing and transportation.

"Husk's team members are from backgrounds ranging from high-tech to chemical engineering, marketing and finance. The team's experience coupled with their passion for improving energy efficiency through the use of bio-based byproducts has enabled Husk to produce innovative insulation products that will help businesses and individuals make cost-effective and sustainable environmental change," said Shally Madan, VP of Business Development for Husk Insulation.

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Renewable power mandate overcomes

hurdle in Senate

May 21, 2009

By Ayesha Rascoe

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A measure requiring utilities to generate a certain amount of electricity from renewable sources, such as wind and solar, overcame a legislative hurdle in the U.S. Senate on Thursday.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted down an amendment offered by Republican Senator Jeff Sessions that would have removed the renewable electricity standard from the energy package the panel is currently debating.

The proposed committee bill would mandate that power plants meet targets to gradually produce more renewable power, beginning with 3 percent of their output between 2011 and 2013 and rising to 15 percent between 2021 and 2039.

Utilities could meet about a quarter of their renewable requirements through energy efficiency gains.

"The renewable electricity standard would put us on the track to becoming less dependent on greenhouse gas-emitting resources. It would also move us in the direction of being more secure as to price and supply, as well as less dependent for foreign sources," committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman said.

This legislation is weaker than Bingaman's original proposal, which would have required 20 percent of electricity to come from renewable energy in 2021-2039.

Despite the changes, Sessions and other lawmakers argued the bill would harm certain regions of the country where significantly increasing the use of resources like solar and wind power may not be feasible.

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Emission reductions under the

American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009

May 19, 2009

John Larsen, Robert Heilmayr

This analysis provides an assessment of reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that could be achieved by Title III of the amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACESA) sponsored by Chairmen Waxman and Markey released on May 19, 2009. This assessment is an update to a previous analysis released on April 21, 2009 and reflects a significantly revised reference case recently released by the Environmental Protection Agency. To account for the effects of different components of H.R. 2454, reduction estimates are divided into three scenarios:

Total emission reductions under just the two proposed emissions caps (the cap on hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) consumption and the economy-wide cap).
Total emission reductions under the caps and all other complementary requirements, including emission performance standards for uncapped sources and required components of the supplemental reduction program through 2025.
A range of potential additional reductions that could be achieved through the 1.25 offset requirement for international offsets and supplemental reductions beyond 2025.

Key Findings

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Arizona company and Dow partner

to create solar shingles

May 12, 2009

By Enric Volante, Arizona Daily Star

Photovoltaic film is molded to shingles, converting sunlight into electricity

It's an old idea: roof shingles that not only keep your home dry but capture solar power and convert it to electricity. But a Tucson solar firm and the world's largest chemical company are partners in a newer approach. Global Solar Energy of Tucson manufactures a thin, flexible photovoltaic film. The two companies have been working together for a year.

At a plant in Midland, Mich., Dow Chemical Co. runs the film through a $2.5 million machine known as "The Beast," which molds thermoplastic roof shingles while integrating the solar cells. Dow, which has annual sales of $58 billion and customers in about 160 countries, sells products ranging from pharmaceuticals to paint. The goal is to sell solar shingles for homes in North America by 2011. "The target and the business opportunity is to make this product the same price as the traditional electricity from your local power facility," said Charles Gambill, corporate product director for Global Solar. When Dow came knocking after a worldwide search, the Tucson firm was the only one in full-scale production of the type of thin-film solar cells Dow needed, Gambill said. The flexible material lets Dow develop a product in an array of configurations that costs less to install, he said.

Builders generally love the look and ease of integrated shingles. There's no need to build the roof and then install photovoltaic panels above it, said Katharine Kent, an engineer and former Dow employee who is president of The Solar Store, 2833 N. Country Club Road. But historically solar shingles tend to cost more and produce less electricity than typical solar panels, she said. And the electrical output of some shingles, especially with the traditional crystalline or silicone-based solar cells, can plummet when they get too hot.