The January 1999 issue of Energy Matters (formerly Turning Point) focuses on utility deregulation and restructuring and the implications for industry. An article describes how the Northeast Premium Efficiency Motor Initiative plans to increase the availability of premium efficiency motors. A case study reveals how General Motors achieved energy and cost savings by installing an energy-efficient water booster pumping system as part of a facility renovation.

This strategic plan is in direct response to the call by a broad array of interested parties, for the Office of Building Technology, State and Community Programs (BTS) to reduce fragmentation and increase focus. This plan outlines goals for saving energy, three key strategies to accomplish these goals, and a commitment to improving how they do business.

Esta es la primera de una serie de guias de aplicaciones que el Programa de Energia de Villas de NREL esta comisionando para acoplar sistemas comerciales renovables con aplicaciones rurales, incluyendo agua, escuelas rurales y micro empresas. La guia esta complementada por las actividades de desarrollo del Programa de Energia de Villas de NREL, proyectos pilotos internacionales y programas de visitas profesionales.

The duct system, used in air heating and air cooling your home, is a collection of tubes that distributes the heated or cooled air to the various rooms. The duct system can have an important effect on health of the occupants through the distribution of indoor air pollution. Changes and repairs to a duct system should always be performed by a qualified professional. This brochure is meant to help you understand the problems that can affect the duct system and how you can save money, improve comfort, and protect against potential health hazards.

A new demonstration biomass gasifier in Burlington, Vermont, is a major advance toward biopower systems of the 21st century. The purpose of the project is to verify design and operating characteristics of this gasification technology at an intermediate size. The Vermont gasifier is rated at 200 tons of biomass per day. The demonstration will allow further scale-up to a first-of-its-kind commercial gasifier to be demonstrated in the future at an industrial or utility scale.

Energy crops for electrical production are being given a boost by the Salix Consortium, an association of 20 corporations and industrial, government, farming, and research organizations. The consortium supports commercial development of willows for generating electricity, which are being grown for utilities across the Northeast region of the U.S. for use in cofiring with coal in existing power plants.